Volume Four: Tired Orange Hour

1 — Section

Volume Four — Tired Orange Hour

COMING UP

WITH YOUR SSO THIS AUGUST

SHEFALI’S PLAYLIST

GNARLY BUTTONS

You get the drinks, we’ll pick the tunes, and you’ll be at dinner by 8. SSO Associate Principal Oboe Shefali Pryor presents one hour of the music she can’t get enough of, and you can join the orchestra for a drink after the concert.

THE SSO AT CARRIAGEWORKS SSO Chief Conductor David Robertson has curated this concert celebrating new music and contemporary inspiration, with music by John Adams, Pierre Boulez, and Australian composer Kate Neal.

Toby Thatcher conductor Lorina Gore soprano Shefali Pryor oboe [PICTURED]

David Robertson conductor [PICTURED]

Francesco Celata clarinet Mark Sparks flute

TUE 8 AUG 6.30PM

SUN 13 AUG 5PM

CIT Y RECITAL HALL

CARRIAGEWORKS

STUDENT RUSH

TICKETS TO THE SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE FOR JUST $15?

WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT EITHER. Sign-up to SSO’s Student Rush and you can enjoy selected concerts for just $15 per ticket. And best of all, joining is totally free!

$15* STUDENT RUSH TICKETS

sydneysymphony.com

Simply register at sydneysymphony.com/students and you’ll receive offers for our fantastic concerts via email.

8215 4600 Mon–Fri 9am–5pm

* Selected performances. Limit of 2 tickets per student ID. Booking fee of $3 may apply depending on method of booking. ^Additional fees may apply.

TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE AT:

C I T Y R E C I TA L H A L L . C O M ^ 8 2 5 6 2 2 2 2 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

CARRIAGEWORKS.COM.AU^ 8571 9099 10am-6pm

The Tide Volume

& it’s this, these gurgled, shallow breaths

the cool wash of waves over the heat of the sun; hazy orange sinking into bubbling blue.

Photo — Lily Nguyen | @lilyandtown

Welcome to Country

UTS acknowledges and recognises the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation as the traditional owners and holders of knowledge where our UTS campuses now stand.

UTS also pays respect to Elders past, present and future for sharing their knowledge and the significant contribution that Australia’s first peoples make to the academic and cultural life of our university.

– Maree Graham, Coordinator of Indigenous Outreach, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology, Sydney

Photo — Jackson Drew | @jxn_drw

Contents 4 5

Editorial Contributors

Arts & Lifestyle 17 54 77

Dangerous Woman – Bronte Gossling In Conversation with Kon Karapanagiotidis – Erica Em A Lentil Lunch – Jaya Bhutkar

Business & Science 19 21 47 50 73 74

An Offence on High Seas: R v Dudley and Stephens (1884) – Louisa Luong At First I Was Afraid, I Was Petrified – Rebecca Cushway Scale Back on Overfishing – Elliot Vella New Wave: Why Sound Art is Making a Splash – Delayne Sternbeck-Rutter The Value of Nothing – Piers Nelson Deep Sea Creatures –EV Moore

Creative Writing 7 26 31 59

An Open Letter to the Open Ocean – Georgia Roach Innovation, Baby – Jessie Schilling When Best to Sit, When Best to Lie – Imogen McCluskey Untitled – Ally Moulis

Politics 23 28 52 70

Washed Away by History: Indus Valley Civilisation – Michael Zacharatos In Defense of Intuition – Rebecca Hall One Fell Swoop: Western Paranoia of a Nuclear War – Fatima Olumee A Tale of Two Establishments: Brexit, Trump & Elections on Both Sides of the Channel – Michael Tangonan

Showcase 10 32 56 64

Ali Chalmers-Braithwaite Louisa Luong Thea Kable Ayon Bhakta

Socio-Cultural

57 61 62

My Muslim Body is Not a Battleground – Navira Trimansyah Never Have I Ever – Kezia Aria Hooked – Alyssa Rodrigo High Tides of Pop Culture – Emily Mead

78 79 83 84

Notice of Election Students’ Association Reports Submissions Guideline Horoscopes

30

6 — Editorial

Editorial A Message From the Team

Editor-in-Chief Louisa Luong

Managing Editor Michael Zacharatos

Editors Kezia Aria Akshaya Bhutkar Rebecca Cushway Mariela PT Elliot Vella

Creative Director Kim Phan

Sub-editors Eugenia Alabasinis Liam Fairgrieve Samuel Fraser Davina Jeganathan Amy Tong

Art Director Isabella Brown

Designers

So we’ve spent winter holidays dreaming of the sun-drenched haze of a European vacation, sitting under flickering lightbulbs — our ears pressed tight to misty windows trying to catch the sound of waves crashing on the shore. This volume, we told our contributors to let their mind drift to the ‘tide’. This is our volume celebrating what it means to have to get pulled out by a rip before you can swim back to the beach; where we’ve gazed out into the endless oceanic horizon, and put those failed subjects into perspective.

We’re back from semester break, unwilling waves breaking on the shore. We’ve taken our two steps back, and now it’s time to move forward. There were 45 pairs of hands on deck for this volume, and we think they scrubbed up pretty well. Here’s what’s on the horizon...

Georgia Roach leaves us with the lingering scent of sea-salt and sunscreen adventure in An Open Letter to the Open Ocean. A quiet disruption sees us sat waiting for a cruise ship in Imogen McCluskey’s When Best to Sit, When Best to Lie. Erica Em chats with Kon Karapanagiotidis, CEO and founder of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, about social activism, social media, and feminism. Let go and immerse yourself in sound, space, and design in Making a Splash by Delayne Sternbeck-Rutter. Navira Trimansyah explores the burkini and the right to bodily autonomy in My Muslim Body is Not a Battleground. Ali Chalmers Braithwaite casts us out with the flotsam and jetsam as we discover a new kind of magic, along with a few friendly gnomes, swirling amongst the waves in her comic, Gnome Summer. In Bangladesh, Ayon Bhakta illustrates a story of the return to his roots in his father’s hometown before they are lost to the tide in the jungles of Bangladesh.

Sail on through this, our seafaring volume, from beginning to end. Go with the ebb and flow of the pieces within, let yourself get caught in a rip and swept out to sea. Flick through our very own treasure map, and don’t worry so much if you end up running aground. Like the sea: crash, simmer, and fade.

We are lost. Floating in the eddy, whitewater rafting — trying desperately to get back to land. We’ve been tossed overboard; the seasons are changing, the tides turning, and we’re turning along with them. When you feel as though you’ve been tumbling around the reef and washed up on the shore, look up and out into this, our Tired Orange Hour.

Lizzie Smith

Thank Yous

Fuck Yous

Shrugs

Sydney Aquarium Crutches Owl City

Netflix price bump Jumanji 2 Winter school

Fidget spinners Solidarity Justin Trudeau

enquiries – editorial@utsvertigo.com.au | submissions – submissions@utsvertigo.com.au

Contributors — 7

Thank You Our Volume Four Contributors

Written

Visual

Lachlan Barker Jaya Bhutkar Jenny Cao Luke Chapman Norma Jean Cooper Erica Em Bronte Gossling Rebecca Hall Imogen McCluskey Emily Mead EV Moore Ally Moulis Piers Nelson Fatima Olumee Leya Reid Georgia Roach Alyssa Rodrigo Jessie Schilling

Delayne Sternbeck-Rutter Beatrice Tan Michael Tangonan Navira Trimansyah James Wilson

Sagar Aadarsh Claudia Akole Ayon Bhakta Isabella Brown Ali Chalmers Zoe Crocker Jackson Drew Addo Gustaf Eva Harbridge Vanessa Hung Thea Kable Romy Lester Ryley Miller Lily Nguyen Vanessa Papastavros Lizzie Smith Georgette Stefoulis

Cover Art

Opening Page

Advertising

Sagar Aadarsh

Mariela PT

For all advertising enquiries please contact: Stephanie.King-1@uts.edu.au

Vertigo is published by the UTS Students’ Association (UTSSA), and proudly printed by SOS Printing, Alexandria.

The contents of Vertigo do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editors, printers, or the UTSSA.

Vertigo and its entire contents are protected by copyright. Vertigo will retain the right to republish in any format. Contributors retain all other rights for resale and republication. No material may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holders.

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Creative Writing — 9

An Open Letter to the Open Ocean Georgia Roach

From my rocky perch I watch the water undulate. Like breathing, the waves swell and fade, rise and retreat. Each growth crashing against my earthy divide, gushing foamy white into pockets of rock. For a time its tendrils pool there, filling crevasses, raising tiny oceans of their own.

Then the tide would retreat, withdrawing its aqueous troops for the next raid.

Closing my eyes, I can still hear the ocean’s advances. Each time it encroaches, watery hands fracturing against the rocks, the noise is deafening. Like a thunderous explosion, like the absence of sound, it rings in my ears and drowns out even the most obnoxious gull. Crash, simmer, fade. This is the ocean’s violent majesty. Crash, simmer, fade.

Its rhythmic percussion is unstoppable.

Crash, simmer, fade.

When I was younger, my stepdad made numerous bids to wash me into the world of sailing. Like the beating waves themselves, he lapped at my senses with notions of adventure and watery freedom. To him, sailing was a noble endeavour, an exciting and liberating mastery of the open ocean. He spent hours taming his vessel, coating it in varnish, adorning it with nautical trinkets. He could cut through the tides and tame the winds with his sleek beast.

The art of sailing built its own language, strange words that only applied aboard the seas. Aft, starboard, belay! He could change course with the shout of a term and the tug of a rope. It was foreign code to me. I’d watch him scamper about, drawing lines here, heaving rudders there. I was careful all the while not to get in his way lest my obstruction ruin the performance.

The only thing that stood between us and the open ocean was his steed and his skill. The waves would lick at the hull, the winds drumming against the sails. Each time a flurry of air would nearly pull us over, he’d flick his wrist to right us and resume our course. My heart would lurch, fingers digging fruitlessly against the hardwood.

Artwork — Eva Harbridge | @_eva.pdf

10 — Creative Writing

I didn’t mind the timber beast when it sat in its pen. I could admire its make from the docks, the arch of its glossy flanks, the purposeful tangle of ropes that bound it. I enjoyed climbing onto its decks and reading in the baking sun. The smell of varnish would mix with the salty breeze as my stepdad worked his fingers across the hardwood. Then it was peaceful. The rhythm of the tide swaying us gently. But that is not what sailing boats are made for, he’d point out.

They are made to cut the waves, to command the tempest. They are made to ferry you across vast oceans, to stand between you and the roaring torrents. But I was never up for this challenge. The beast never spoke to me of exciting odysseys, never whispered invitations of adventure as it did to my stepdad.

I prefer to swim.

I grew up on beaches, playing chicken with the watery reach of their waves. I would tumble in the weightless water, my fingers sifting through the sands for pipis and lost treasures. We’d flock to the shore, teetering with umbrellas and towels and eskies. Thick, stinking layers of sunscreen would seep into our skin, making us slimy, collecting sand in the crooks of our arms and legs. Wait twenty minutes for it to sink in, my mum would command, thirty before you swim after a meal. Beaches had their own set of rules, their own codes. These I understood.

With my head bobbing above the waves, the tip of an iceberg, I could gaze across the undulating horizon. Dark blues and deep greens jerked suddenly upwards into foamy white peaks. Dipping below, my eyes complaining of the salty sting, I could see the wiggle of seaweed and the darting of small fish. Pretending to be part of their school, I followed the native animals between rocks and across reefs. From this vantage I could see the sea for all its profound mystery. Its cold, rippling armour breaks away. Under the surface, in the belly of the ocean, life swarmed. My feet kicked up sand and awoke little crustaceans. Scooping my hands past rock shelves, molluscs shifted lazily to the side. Meadows of seagrass rippled in the underwater breeze. The ocean quivered with lethal majesty.

We’re surrounded by water on this island Australia. It doesn’t matter what vessel you pick, what gear you choose. Venture in. Join me on the rocks, sit next to me, and hear the waves crash around us. Brave the open ocean with my stepdad, feel the rush of wind as it guides your sails. Dive below, sink into the cool pockets of the surf and be swept onto the shore. Don’t forget your sunscreen, bring a friend or go alone.

Experience the water’s sublime beauty, let the tide wash you away.

12 — Showcase

goblins - Ali C

goblins - Ali C

goblins - Ali C

goblins - Ali C

goblins - Ali C

goblins - Ali C

Arts & Lifestyle — 19

Dangerous Woman Bronte Gossling “She is a mermaid, but approach her with caution.

Her mind swims at a depth most would drown in.”

– J. Iron Word

Mermaids have captivated the world ever since their first appearance in ancient folklore. However, with current mainstream media focused on their headlinegrabbing and sanitised aspects, such as mermaid hair, makeup, food, and anything rainbow, the insidious undertones of their mythology have been all but forgotten.

Beautiful; carefree; elegant. Fascination with these bewitching sea-maidens is not hard to grasp.

Yet much like other lore-ladies before them, the creation, adulteration, and sanitisation of the myths surrounding these sultry, scaly-tailed hybrid-women are inextricably rooted in the male gaze.

At the time of their first known appearance, circa the Iron Age of Mesopotamia, mermaids were not known as such — rather, mermaids were a representation of Atargatis, the Assyrian deity of fertility. Atargatis fell in love with a human shepherd, but, in true tragicmyth form, she accidentally killed him. In shame and mourning, Atargatis flung herself into the ocean with the hopes of becoming a fish. Yet her beauty was too great to go to waste, so she could never fully become a fish. Instead, she became half goddess, half fish, with a tail forming below the waist.

Much like the fish she had wanted to cohabitate with, Atargatis’ myth reeks. Mesopotamian artworks depict her in two forms. Atargatis is a nurturing but modest soul, with slippery scales for a body and long, flowing locks that softly curl at the end, her face veiled as she holds the timelessly universal symbol for fertility — an egg. Alternatively, she is depicted riding a

lion, wearing a mural crown and holding a sceptre — mystery, ferocity, protector. A sultry lover, or a protective mother.

This loving role has persisted as the one-dimensional view that has limited women for generations; if you’re not a mother or a wife, you’re not a woman.

Atargatis, as both a lover and protector, represents the dichotomous characterisation of women in wider society — and how quick we are to go from celebrating them to condemning them.

Let’s put this into context. Mesopotamia in 1000 BC was on the cusp of the Iron Age, and Assyria, the large kingdom nestled between the flowing rivers of TigrisEuphrates, functioned as the golden cornucopia of civilisation for centuries. Women enjoyed nearly equal rights to men — they could own land, file for divorce, and own their own business. Scholars believe early beer and wine brewers, as well as the healers, were initially women, although at some point in the next few centuries these lucrative professions were taken over by men.

If literature exists about women during this time, it has yet to be found. We can only assume that somehow, in the period between prosperity and pain, women slipped from their almost-equal status to ‘not-quiteso’. It was at this point Atargatis rose to notoriety, and spread from Mesopotamia across Europe.

Atargatis is both angel and devil. The beauty of her top half represents mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, while her tail serves as a stark reminder of her shame,

Artwork — Romy Lester | @romaji_draws

20 — Arts & Lifestyle

signifying the slippery nature of these women who can suddenly turn on men. Whilst manslaughter is never encouraged, the way Atargatis and mermaids are constantly associated with endangering men can be starkly contrasted with other Mesopotamic myths, including those in which male deities who behave aggressively are rewarded.

The condemnation of anti-patriarchal behaviours and the celebration of subservient women in the form of

to the decisions made by the men in her life — her father’s control of where she can go, and the prince’s freedom to pursue his heart’s desire, while Ariel is not granted the same. Although the film follows a lighter and more child-friendly story, ultimately concluding with the Disney Happy EndingTM where Ariel gets to have her cake and eat it too, the central narrative and Ariel’s redemption emphasises — like Atargatis and Anderson’s Little Mermaid origins — the significant weight of the whims of other men on Ariel’s life.

“This loving role has persisted as the one-dimensional view that has limited women for generations; if you’re not a mother or a wife, you’re not a woman.” mermaids is highlighted further in tales of modern love, particularly in Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid (1837). The Little Mermaid, headover-tail in love with a prince, serves her purpose as his saviour and unconditional companion. Her fate is intertwined with the prince’s choice in love, and ultimately, she is condemned to death when he chooses to marry a neighboring princess instead of her. The Little Mermaid is redeemed, however, when she refuses to kill him in revenge, and like Atargatis, flings herself into the ocean. Unlike Atargatis, the Little Mermaid is celebrated, and is given eternal life with fellow daughters of air — ethereal earthbound spirits — as a reward for endangering her life to save that of a man. The Prince is able to choose his destiny, a luxury the mermaid does not have — she is acquiescent to the decisions of her father, who forbade her from seeing the prince, and then subsequently, as a result of her disobedience, she is condemned to the whims of the prince’s heart. She is only celebrated once she reverts back to a passive role with a lack of autonomy — one that is barely alive.

Like in Anderson’s book, the fate of the Little Mermaid, named Ariel in Disney’s 1989 film, is linked

Like her 1837 counterpart, Ariel’s condemnation and celebration is determined by the acceptance from the patriarchal figures in her life. She is punished when the prince chooses to be with Ursula’s wickedly stunning Vanessa. She is celebrated when the story culminates in her father, Triton, accepting that she wants to be with Eric and allowing her to turn into a human in order to do so.

Despite mermaids being sea ladies, their origins and subsequent inspired works show an astounding lack of female representation. Their depictions and narratives — ­ from tribulation to triumph — centre on reactions to and of the men around them. Instead of the condemnation and destruction of agency, literature needs to celebrate independence and real representations of womankind.

Business & Science — 21

An Offence on High Seas: R v Dudley and Stephens (1884) Louisa Luong

cw: cannibalism

On 19 May 1884, four guys — Dudley, Stephens, Brooks, and Parker — hopped on a yacht and set sail for Sydney from Southampton. All was fine and dandy until two months into their journey, they were struck by a storm 1,600 miles from the Cape of Good Hope.1 The men escaped safely onto a lifeboat as they watched their ship sink before their eyes. Stranded with no supplies of water or food except for two one-pound tins of turnips,2 Captain Dudley described their grim situation — “it was very bad sea like a mountain at times and water coming in faster than we could bail it out and night coming on it seemed our time was near.”

Days rolled by and the men managed to catch and eat a small turtle that they paired with a matching wine — their own urine.3 On the 18th day, Dudley came up with a grand plan that roughly went like:

1

Perhaps the Cape of Better Hope might have saved them from their

eventuating kerfuffle.

DUDLEY: Hey fellas, I’ve got a plan.

STEPHENS: Yeh what?

DUDLEY: Let’s draw lots and whoever loses, we eat them.

BROOKS: Yeh nah.

PARKER: Zzz.4 DUDLEY: Alright, we’ll sleep on it.

The next day, with no prospects of rescue in sight, Dudley and Stephens decided to kill Parker. Brooks, who abstained from voting on Dudley’s plan in the first place, and took no part in the gruesome murder business, ended up eating the most. Four days later, the men were picked up by a German ship, Moctezuma.5 When they got back to England, Dudley and his men were arrested and charged with murder. However, two weeks later, Brooks was discharged and became a prosecution witness.6

5

Named after the last of the Aztec kings. (Who were also big fans of

cannibalism, by the way.)

2

Proof that turnips can truly steer you towards unforgivable acts.

6

3

If you ever find yourself in a shipwreck, ask yourself WWBD? What Would

The ultimate booze cruise.

Brooks Do?

4

He drank a lot of sea water and was unconscious at this point.

Artwork — Georgette Stefoulis | @georgettestef

22 — Section Business & Science

The trial, like any murder trial, was initially heard by Baron Huddleston and a jury. However, the jury refused to determine whether the men were innocent or guilty and left the matter for the court to decide . 7 The case was then heard before a bench of five judges in London where the principal issue was whether the defence of necessity was available to Dudley and Stephens for the murder of Parker. They relied on an American case, The United States v Holmes, which successfully established the proposition that a passenger on board a vessel may be thrown overboard to save the lives of others. The court promptly rejected this proposition and emphasised that necessity which justified murder included necessity of a private nature i.e. what was done for the defence and safeguard of one’s life, and necessity which related to public justice and safety.

Self-defence was performed against the acts of the person whose life was taken, which did not apply in this case because Dudley and Stephens were not protecting

7

The jury essentially says, “Hard pass.”

Artwork — Georgette Stefoulis | @georgettestef

themselves against any act performed by Parker .8 Chief Justice Lord Coleridge opined, “to preserve one’s life is generally speaking a duty, but it may be the plainest and the highest duty to sacrifice it.” In the case of shipwreck, a captain had a duty to the crew, not of the preservation, but of the sacrifice of their life for others.

Dudley and Stephens were declared guilty of wilful murder and sentenced to death. But for reasons unknown, their lives were spared and their sentence was reduced to a mere six month imprisonment. And after their release, they vanished from history. The last known tale of Dudley was that he emigrated to Sydney and fell victim to the bubonic plague in 1900, suffering an even more gruesome death than Parker.

While little is known about the eventual lives of the cannibals that survived the shipwreck, one important question remains — whose great idea was it to pack the turnips?

8

See above: “PARKER: Zzz.”

Business & Science — 23

At First I Was Afraid, I Was Petrified Rebecca Cushway

Imagine yourself on board a luxurious yacht, surrounded by glistening ocean. Your three closest pals are on deck, cracking open a bottle of Aldi rosé without a care in the world. Bliss.

In your rosé-fuelled haze you start to remember all the things that could possibly go wrong at sea, that drunken anxiety finally kicking in now that you’re going 40 knots an hour out of Sydney Harbour. Before the panic starts to set in you remember this handy guide for surviving at sea under any circumstances.

Motion-sickness Now this may not seem like a survival tactic that is going to save your life, but if shit hits the fan and you’re too busy being green-faced to help out, you’ll be the first one thrown overboard.

Watch the horizon. Motion-sickness is caused by a conflict between your eyes and balance sensors, keeping your eyes on the horizon gives you a steady point to focus on.

Go outside. Never stay below deck if you’re feeling motion-sick, the lack of air circulation combined with the stench of everyone on board is going to make you more sick.

Stay distracted. Much like children, our minds will quickly forget how unpleasant we feel when faced with something shiny and entertaining. Count birds or look for cloud formations, keep your eyes outside the boat.

Lie down. It may look like you’ve given up, but if all else fails, lying down with your head facing the bow (front) will increase circulation to your head and reduce body motion.

Capsizing If your boat flips over, springs a leak, or you’ve simply tipsy-staggered overboard, there are a few things you can do to stay afloat.

Find a lifejacket. You should already be wearing a lifejacket, if you’re on board any boat in Australia according to marine law, but much like wearing your glasses while driving, this is a law not many people follow. If you can’t find one, find something else floating in the water. Foam, wood, and plastic filled with air all make excellent floatation devices.

Perform a head count. If the only person you can count is you, then congrats! You’re all you need to worry about from here on in. If you do notice anyone missing, try to locate them and stick together.

Stick near your boat. Try to reboard if possible, but if not, keep as much of your body out of the water to retain heat. Treading water makes you lose body heat faster, so try using whatever’s left of your boat to remain afloat.

Stranded at Sea The chances that you’re going to get lost at sea with no boat in sight in Sydney Harbour are slim. However, you’ve got to be prepared for anything because loss of body heat is your primary concern when tossed overboard.

Don’t swim. This may seem counterintuitive because moving keeps us warm, but the body heat generated by this will be quickly sapped away by the water. Swim only if a boat or floatation device is within reach.

Keep your head above water. Hopefully you’re wearing a

24 — Business & Science

southern cross

imaginary point

south landmark

lifejacket or have salvaged something from the wreckage to hold on to, because doggy paddling to keep your head above water reduces body heat and chances of survival.

through the longer end of the constellation, and about four and a half Southern Crosses along that line, your south should be directly below.

Assume the HELP position. The ‘Heat Escape Lessening Position’ only works if you’re wearing a lifejacket. Draw your legs up to your chest and cross your feet. Wrap your arms around your chest or knees, and lean back slightly. If you don’t have a life jacket, try to float on your back — the sun and lack of movement will help.

Follow the sun. If it’s daylight, you can follow the movement of the sun, it rises in the east and sets in the west no matter which hemisphere you’re in.

Huddle. Remember those friends you identified in the head count? This is where they come in handy! Stay close together like baby penguins to share body heat, lock arms and legs. Body contact is good.

Whether you’ve fallen off a boat or gotten caught in a rip at Bondi, the signals for help are the same.

Navigating

Getting Help

Arms up. And wave them all about. If you can’t see anyone, stop waving. Arms in the air is a universal signal that you need attention, enough to let people know you’re not having a great time.

So you’ve found a raft or a wooden door to hitch your wagon to, and things are looking up. This isn’t much good though if you don’t know where the hell you’re going. Luckily the stars have got your back.

Reflect. Now we mean this in the light refracting sense, not the existential crisis sense. Using a mirror is your best bet, but a waterboarded, seemingly useless iPhone is also a fantastic tool for reflecting sunlight.

Find south. For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, you need to find the Southern Cross — look for the brightest shape of a crucifix with four points in the sky. Use the long axis to extend an imaginary line

Don’t yell. At sea, your voice carries differently than it does on land, and will easily get lost among the waves.

Yelling will only tire you out.

These tips are all fairly simple, but do have the capacity to save your life come summertime.

Now you can safely sip the last vestiges of your shitty wine rations; knowing that if some tipsy buffoon knocks you into a submerged rock, you’ve got more of a fighting chance than Leo did.

Remember, you’ve got all your life to live, and all your love to give — you will survive.

Politics — 25

Washed Away by History: Indus Valley Civilisation Michael Zacharatos

While the various cradles of civilisation developed independently from one another, each was settled on the banks of a river. Egypt enjoyed the Nile, the Sumerians settled along the Euphrates, and the Yellow and Yangtze River fostered early Chinese settlements.

However, in 1922 excavations in modern Pakistan uncovered the ruins of the largest of these civilisations, an innovative and pacifistic population who began urbanising as early as 3300 BC — centuries before Egypt even had its first dynasty.

The Indus Valley civilisation was, unsurprisingly, settled along and entirely at the mercy of the Indus River. Born of Himalayan snows, the river now crosses northern India and uncoils through Pakistan before pouring into the Arabian Sea. The result was an extraordinarily

fertile valley floor that could be reliably farmed, all while protected by the natural fortifications of the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. The people thrived, and at its height in 2000 BC it’s speculated the society consisted of over 5,000,000 people. The Indus Valley civilisation might have been as close to an urban utopia as there has ever been, minus any encounters with now-treatable disease and animals with sharp teeth.

The river and its tributaries were dammed and directed into irrigation networks and even reservoirs for major cities, the largest of which was Mohenjo-Daro, home to over 40,000 people. These weren’t squalid, disorganised clusters either — they were modern, even by our standards. Mohenjo-Daro’s streets were built on a perpendicular grid system (putting it a nice 5,000 years

26 — Politics

ahead of Sydney CBD), most houses were multi-storied, had sewerage, gutters, and wells, and on most street corners you could find rubbish disposal containers.

While the politics and social hierarchy of Indus people is unknown, it is clear there was a functioning civil service which emphasised urban planning, waste management, and disease mitigation. The centrepiece of Mohenjo-Daro was a towering bathhouse, decked out with galleries and fountains, where the citizens performed their spiritual ablutions. Whether in marvels like this, or in small farming communities, a standard brick size was used throughout the valley, which is what first tipped off excavators that they were uncovering the remnants of a people united under the collective banner of an empire, rather than separate autonomous farming communities. If nothing else, the living conditions seem on par with the early Roman Republic, and substantially superior to Europe in the Dark Ages.

The little we know of the Indus people is based on educated speculation. This is because much like the decision to remake The Mummy without Brendan Fraser, Indus Valley writing is incomprehensible.

Archaeologists have unearthed hundreds of murals, artefacts, and tablets with lengthy inscriptions that are expected to clarify the lifestyle, religious practices, and style of government (whether led by monarch or spiritual leader). The only chance we have of understanding their writing is by unearthing a multilingual document that repeats a portion of Indus text in language scholars can read, such as ancient Assyrian. Essentially, we’re relying on a stroke of serendipity. As hopeless as it sounds, it has happened before. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs were only decipherable after the Napoleonic campaigns into Egypt unturned the Rosetta Stone, which replicated in three languages a decree made by King Ptolemy V. So now, two centuries later, archaeologists in India and Pakistan are digging with their fingers crossed, hoping that some noble was buried with an ancient equivalent of their English-French Lonely Planet Guide.

However, the good times couldn’t last and, as inevitably happens with every civilisation, things went very wrong

Artwork — Zoe Crocker | cargocollective.com/zoelc

very quickly. While small farming communities would continue to dot the Indus River, major cities were abandoned by 1300 BC and the valley, once a unified state, became a collection of scattered communities.

Historians have since developed three contributing theories for the downfall of this once-great civilisation: 1. Destroyed by nature.

When the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and other major excavations were found, they were buried beneath dust and sand, far from any river. Over the course of centuries the Indus River shifted, and without its waters the urban centres had no chance of survival.

The shift may have happened in an instant. With the Indus Valley precociously located between three tectonic plates, earthquakes may have left shell-shocked survivors in a post-apocalyptic scenario where waters no longer nourished their fields. However, the climate change of the early tenth century BC is a safer bet.

Monsoon rains sustained the course of the Indus River, but when these began to decline the changes in river dynamics meant urban centres no longer had a safe bet on the regular flooding that irrigated their fields.

Whatever the cause, the cities became arid ghost towns that only ever saw looters and brief self-proclaimed despots, and the Indus people would spend the next few millennia living in isolated villages along the river.

2. Mesopotamia was too big to fail.

The Indus Valley was a mercantile civilisation that profited from its easy access to the Persian Gulf trade networks. We know their economy was far reaching by their soapstone seals (which was presumably their currency) being found as far away as China, and Mesopotamian writings being found which documented the import of Indus cloth.

The drawback of trade economies (especially in the ancient world) is that there is a reliance on your neighbours to be dependable, unified, and not

Politics — 27

subsumed by another emerging empire. Unfortunately, the Old Assyrian Empire went zero for three on these points between 1800 and 1700 BC. The early Babylonian Dynasty had finally risen and was making sure the Old Assyrian Empire would only ever exist in the history books. This meant that for nearly a century the Indus people were down one major trading partner, and local

never been found. Several mass graves have been exhumed to reveal skeletons with smashed skulls and blunt-instrument related trauma, but these have been determined to belong to either gang violence in the period after the cities abandonment, or executions carried out by the state.

“The Indus Valley civilisation might have been as close to an urban utopia as there has ever been, minus any encounters with now-treatable disease and animals with sharp teeth.” jobs and established industries were made obsolete.

While some opportunistic radicals might view this as high time for the workers to seize the means of production and boot out whoever the Indus ruling elite were, it seems most of the population thought it easier to pack up and leave for quite literally greener pastures.

While evidence of a great civilisation-ending war is lacking, the fact that there have been very few instances of a defenceless society thriving unpunished has historians tentative to completely rule out this theory.

3. The best defence is to actually have one.

At its height, ten percent of the world’s population lived within the Indus Valley civilisation. Many of the spiritual practices, including the emphasis on ritualistic bathing, are pinned as the roots of what would emerge as the oldest religion: Hinduism.

While the ancient world was always plagued with now-curable diseases, high infant mortality, and exploitative empire building, the natural gifts of the Indus Valley, high degree of urban planning, and seemingly nonchalance to military endeavours makes the Indus Valley civilisation seem as close to an idyllic time and place to be alive as there ever has been.

Much like today, the ancient world was cruel and paid little attention to internationally agreed conventions of good behaviour in warfare. This meant that tall walls, pointy sticks, and impressionable young men to hold said sticks were hot commodities.

However, in over a thousand excavations almost no weaponry has been uncovered. This has prompted historians to theorise that the Indus people had little to no centrally governed military, leaving them easy pickings for unscrupulous neighbours. While an early narrative was that the nomadic cattle herding Aryans of central Asia (not to be confused with the blonde haired, blue eyed variant) pushed west and drove out the inhabitants, recent findings have discredited this theory. The required evidence of ash, siege scars, and marks of battle would be difficult to miss, and yet have

—

28 — Creative Writing

INNOVATION, BABY Jessie Schilling

Creative Writing — 29

hold my sand flying and

hand

to see the spreading through

as there are: grains falling and

disciplinary truths don’t worry: if you get lost in time — the mind won’t mind — innovation comes: with time see ? just wait: breathe believe don’t: fatigue strain for success or false gain instead step away from screen feeds and other’s dreams instead dive into flaws faults fears worry tears — vulnerability is your weapon — there is no formula no special way because at the end of the day it’s how you behave and the way you cave to pressure: to perfect or perform to please or conform feel the: p r e s s u r e to believe or try to dream or defy ? hear ? the echo of my thoughts in the rambling talk as fiction articulates the reality that could be listen hear blink see you thought your own intelligence was enough but creativity breeds in mind injuries w e a k n e s s when you’re: named ‘crazy’ and thought lazy because, you see, that is true innovation, baby

30 — Politics

In Defence of Intuition Rebecca Hall

Since The Enlightenment, Western culture has been dominated by the notion that rational knowledge is the only real knowledge of any kind of worth. Rational knowledge (that which we come to know through reason) has become so all-consuming that we struggle to accept any other kind of knowledge as knowledge at all.

Western scientific empiricism, developed at this point of history and the touchstone of The Enlightenment, has become the cognitive and methodological standard by which all of our intellectual processes are judged. We perceive ourselves, like those who lit the flame underneath The Enlightenment as a historical movement, as though we are on a constant upward trajectory toward ultimate reason, truth, and freedom.

professor) argued in her groundbreaking book The Man of Reason (1984), the rationalist tradition is inescapably masculine in the traditional Western sense. It is particularly geared toward white, straight, cisgender men.

This is through a subconscious process of association wherein women are undermined in their rational capacity, and forms of knowledge other than rationalism are relegated to the feminine (lesser) realm. As Lloyd argues, “It is not a question simply of the applicability to women of neutrally specified ideals of rationality, but rather of the genderisation of the ideals themselves.”

Of course, living in Australia, Donald Trump’s presidency mostly exists as a symbolic confirmation of the current state of the political world. Most of us do not come face to face with the reality of Trump’s office.

We cannot know the pain and fear faced by America’s most marginalised groups under a president who not only disregards their unique needs, but also plunders their means to meet his own. Instead, we can cast our gaze across our own harsh political landscape and we can see that this lack of empathy is reflected in political movements worldwide.

One of the important things for us to remember in 2017 is that the hyper-masculine strong arm of Trump supporters and those of other far-right political leaders worldwide are educated, young, white cisgender men who feel disenfranchised in the modern world and have turned inward. Of course, many more people than these men elected Trump. But the present move toward this cold political strategy is spearheaded by the alt-right; the movement that is largely overrun with white cisgender men who have learned to intellectualise their hatred via The Red Pill subreddit, Breitbart News (formerly edited by Milo Yiannopoulos), and every Pick Up Artist turned psychoanalyst on the internet. While the fact that this appears to be the response that many young, white, cisgender men have to masculine insecurity in a changing political environment remains ironically unreasonable, it is the language of Reason that these men employ in their discourse. There is an unwavering commitment to early Enlightenment-style logic. What the alt-right discourse has borne is a racist, sexist, homophobic doctrine couched in academic English and always delivered with a “Well, actually,” as though the opinions of the speaker are cold facts in a cold world.

A cold, clinical approach to decision-making is the calling card of rationalism. However, as philosopher Genevieve Lloyd (Australia’s first female philosophy

Unfortunately, it is up to the rest of us to push back against this mess. Using the rationalist language of the alt-right may be futile. If a person can convince

We now find ourselves in 2017, and Donald Trump is the current leader of the United States of America.

Irrespective of anybody’s political proclivities, Trump’s early days in office have demonstrated a particularly cold, unempathetic, uncaring political strategy that renders human lives and livelihoods expendable for a perfectionist end-goal of economic, military, and socio-cultural power.

Politics — 31

“What if we were to involve different systems of knowledge?”

“What if we were able to use traditionally feminised realms of knowledge in order to remedy the coldness of the present political landscape?” themselves that they’ve reached the wrong conclusion, but their method of reasoning was mostly sound, we haven’t achieved much beyond winning a single argument. What if we were to involve different systems of knowledge? What if we were able to use traditionally feminised realms of knowledge in order to remedy the coldness of the present political landscape? Political subversion, at its most powerful, is as creative as it is strategic.

Intuitive knowledge is that which we know without needing to see evidence. Moral judgement, social codes (those we wish to keep and also those we wish to change), and personal communication are all navigated with our intuitive knowledge. There is no specific set of data, no singular result that can tell us how to make these decisions, and yet we do know how to make them.

Empathy is key to these decisions. And empathy is also key to all of the political movements that create great change in the world. Any system of anti-oppression ethics is codified around empathy. Not only does an empathetic political movement shift our perception so that we may imagine ourselves in the shoes of The Other, it takes the emotions and experiences of a marginalised group to be Real Knowledge.

This is exactly the kind of position that could help us gain ground against a hyper-rationalist and unempathetic political climate that disregards the lived experiences of oppressed groups in favour of a cognitive game that toys with real pain as though it is a mere hypothetical.

Leaning in to intuitive knowledge as a defence against the alt-right is not passive. It is not naive. It can only be construed as a radical act against wilfully hostile and deeply privileged individuals (i.e. mostly white, mostly cisgender men, mostly straight) who refuse to care. It is an assertion that, yes, we feel the effects of your political might in the Trump era, yes, we are wounded, and yes, our feelings are political.

32 — Socio-Cultural

My Muslim Body is Not a Battleground Navira Trimansyah

The burkini is an item of clothing that has not been warmly welcomed in our country. Surprisingly, neither has it in the East. It’s claimed to be a useless outfit for hijabi women as the swimsuit will be tight from getting wet, exposing their body shape. The disapproval from both the East and West is only one of many commonalities that they share: the patriarchal tyranny of how women should dress.

As a hijabi woman living in Australia, I have been told what is too conservative or too liberal for my body. My hijab itself sometimes makes people uncomfortable, regardless of the outfit accompanying it. With the rise

being oppressed, but not in the way the West tends to portray. The reality is that the hijabi woman on Twitter chose to complete her duty as a female by wearing a headscarf. However, how she wears it and how she wants to express herself is another choice over which she should have complete autonomy.

Non-Muslim Western women are also no stranger to being told what to wear. For years, fashion corporations and magazines dominated by men have been dictating what women should and shouldn’t wear. We’ve been told how long our dresses should be, what to avoid if we’re a particular body type, and even

“I have men approach me at community events, to ‘kindly’ inform me that my jeans are too tight or that my shirt should be a bit longer, or even look me up and down and shake their heads.” of Islamophobia, this issue is clear to most, but those outside of the Muslim community don’t realise that this very same judgement is also abundant amongst Muslims. I have men approach me at community events, to ‘kindly’ inform me that my jeans are too tight or that my shirt should be a bit longer, or even look me up and down and shake their heads.

what colours to avoid depending on our skin tone.

They’ve fostered a successful pretence, marketing themselves as ‘giving advice’ when in reality, they’re dictating and outlining the standard women need to follow while ridiculing those who don’t. This not only polices how we dress, but also how we should behave and socialise around men, for men.

Men seem to have no problem making this sort of judgement, creating double standards for how they think Muslim and non-Muslim Western women should dress. For example, when a hijabi woman uploaded a selfie on Twitter, she was told by a Muslim male user that her hair was showing. In response, she screenshotted his two previous tweets in which he was ogling over women’s breasts. While encouraging non-Muslim Western women to wear more revealing attire for his own pleasure, he reasserted his position as a male in the Muslim community to criticise her for ‘exposing too much’ of herself. Muslim women are

Men of both the East and West are guilty of creating ‘ideals’ for how a woman should dress. They use our bodies and our autonomy as a means of debate. While the East debates that women should cover themselves to practice their ideas of modesty, the West argues that women should be ‘liberated’ and ‘free’ to wear whatever they want — just not any form of the hijab because it’s ‘oppressive’.

As they argue amongst themselves, the perspectives of Muslim women are pushed aside and disregarded. We simply want autonomy over our own bodies, to have the right to wear and do what we want without your opinion.

Creative Writing — 33

When Best to Sit, When Best to Lie Imogen McCluskey

At a table in a harbourside cafe a pair of old men reach a conclusion. The larger of the two leans forward in his seat. I tell you, he’s just like Bob Hawke. He was always in China.

He pauses to scratch his nose, using his fingertips then the palm of his hand, grinding the cartilage against itself.

The other looks on, with a chin so sharp it seems to hurt.

The waitress is used to these kinds of customers. Old, freshly tanned, or blisteringly red, who have shaved off a portion of their superannuation to invest in a cruise, that is always above or below their expectations. They ask for their coffees decaf, or single shot. Most joke, the old ticker isn’t what it used to be. She nods and smiles, pretending she hasn’t heard it all before.

The cafe is quiet tonight. A woman in the corner keeps her sunglasses on, chewing gum with her mouth closed.

The smell is making the mouth of the waitress dry out as she bites her bottom lip, eyes fixed on the door, waiting for her boyfriend to pick her up. She draws her teeth close along her tongue in an attempt to freshen her breath, but a stale smell lingers between her molars, and she knows that the only thing that can remove it is a toothbrush or mouthwash, or another’s tongue, carrying a piece of spearmint gum.

The lady with the sunglasses is also looking at the door, waiting for the ship to pull in so she can begin her sevenmonth contract as a lounge singer. She is professionally trained, and has released an album of jazz songs — some original, mostly covers — that was well received. Her single played a few times on the national jazz station.

She tuned in with her boyfriend at the time — a thin, sweaty writer who taught kindergarten — when it went to air around midnight. The song played in full, and her boyfriend at the time squeezed her shoulders and smiled at her, and she wondered if that was how he treated his students. Whether he was about to reach into his pencil

case filled with sheets of stickers, peeling off one where the shape of the treble clef forms a thumbs up, and fasten it to her bra strap.

I don’t know, the fat man says, shrugging and sighing. I guess I never knew her well at all.

The woman with the sunglasses is holding a brooch she bought earlier from a jewellery auction at the city library. She helped herself to the small bowls of jelly beans next to the printed catalogues, and wondered why this was a custom, like in doctor’s surgeries. There were clusters of white-haired women around the cabinets that lined the side of the room. The women tutted and pointed: What’s that one there? You wear it around your neck. Oh yes, that would look lovely.

There was a small portrait of a dead man in military uniform. He was, of course, alive at the time, and the tip of his white beard touched the buttons of his jacket.

He reminded her of Michael Jackson. She decided on the brooch that was decorated with a forest scene. She thought she should bring something of the land, before leaving to spend so long at sea.

The waitress wonders why her boyfriend is late, and all the people in the cafe sit, waiting, as outside the cruise ship docks into the harbour and staff spill out of the terminal to attach the oversized beast to land. The few passengers scattered on the decks observe the evening sky dim over the hinterland, and even fewer watch — horrified — as a dark Ford Fiesta swerves on a sharp corner, heading into the water. They gasp and point at the sight of the headlights flickering as it sinks into the bay, as the men continue to talk, the singer continues to sit, and the waitress begins to pack her bag, glancing in to the empty car park.

Any minute now, she thinks, and asks the woman in sunglasses for a stick of gum.

34 — Section Showcase

Vacation Louisa Luong | @louluong

My mum loves cruises. There’s something about the routine of bingo, bad jazz, and buffets that soothes her spirits, along with the gentle rocking of the waves. Vacation marks my fifth cruise. My fifth time navigating through this pseudo-dreamscape.

Where every night is tropical-themed, and balding men wear Hawaiian shirts and sip cocktails from curly straws. But behind the glamour exists a vacancy within these vacationers; an air of loneliness that can’t be sea-sprayed away.

36 — Section

Business & Science — 49

Scale Back on Overfishing Elliot Vella

cw: animal cruelty

In recent years, the thinking around the existence of climate change has begun to shift from “Yeah right, and Pluto isn’t a planet,” to “Pluto is a big rock and we’re all fucked”. This growing acceptance has been a long time coming, and now that humans are finally beginning to grasp the extent of the damage they are causing to the planet, more and more red flags are popping up. Some of these have been very casually swept under the rug (e.g. ocean acidification, acid rain, bubbles of methane trapped under melting ice sheets), but one has become too slippery of an issue to ignore: overfishing.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), more than 85% of the world’s fisheries have been pushed to or beyond their biological limits. Not only has this caused entire species to be threatened, it also has a dramatic impact on the food chain; if a few species are overfished, every species feels the impact. However, this news hasn’t stopped commercial fishing. A study published in the 2006 AAAS Science Journal predicted that if fishing rates continue, the world’s fisheries will collapse by the year 2048. That’s roughly 30 years. If you look that far back in time, McDonald’s introduced the chicken nugget, Microsoft Word had just been released, and most importantly, the Stairmaster was about to take the soft-core fitness world by storm. So how did we go from chicken nuggets and a full ocean, to nuggets filled with questionable-at-best chicken and a near empty ocean? Technology. The fishing methods of today are some of the most destructive forms of hunting to be implemented on a large scale. While these methods would still be devastating if they caught only what they intended, their inability to fish accurately turns a bad situation into a near-hopeless one.

The term for fish inadvertently caught in major fishing operations is ‘bycatch’, and the statistics are simply terrifying. Studies estimate that the United States alone

discards around 900 million kg of bycatch each year, and they’re not even the worst offender. While the majority of large-scale fishing methods have at least a small rate of bycatch, some take it to a whole new level.

Bottom Trawlers: This method involves dragging nets up to 12m high and 61m wide, lined with metal doors, across the bottom of the ocean floor. The metal literally scrapes the seabed clear of life; coral and creatures are decimated as it engulfs everything unlucky enough to be in its way. Most fish caught are killed during this process, having been dragged along the ground for hours until they are either crushed against one another or skinned alive against the sea floor. Those that do survive inevitably die from the decompression they undergo as they are raised through the deep ocean to the boat above. This form of fishing has been compared to the environmentally debilitating process of clearcutting forests, as it completely destroys the habitat of the species it kills, meaning there are slim chances of population recovery.

Longline Fishing: Think of a fishing line kilometreslong with thousands of bait-tipped hooks dangling off of it. Caught fish are left for up to three or four days on the hooks as more and more animals take the bait.

Like bottom trawlers, the bycatch for longline fishing is a big problem; sharks, turtles, and seabirds are often found caught on hooks intended for smaller catch.

Fishing companies have implemented several strategies in an attempt to reduce the rate of bycatch caught by longlines; bird scarers, deeper lines, and circular hooks (designed to prevent turtles from getting snagged) are all common practices among fisheries. Despite this, hundreds of thousands of unnecessary sealife deaths are recorded each year from longline fishing.

Cyanide Fishing: The process is simple; divers crush

50 — Business & Science

cyanide tablets, mix them into bottles of water, go to densely populated coral reefs, and spray the mixture into the face of desired fish. This form of fishing is mainly practiced in Southeast Asia — it is illegal in most parts of the world. The reason this industry is booming comes from that fact that it (supposedly) doesn’t kill the fish — only briefly incapacitates them.

This allows fishers to sell to two core markets: The first is the plethora of high-end restaurants throughout Asia that have a huge demand for live fish ‘delicacies’ where customers choose their own meal while it’s still alive. The second is aquariums, which pay top dollar for live coral reef fish. As you can imagine, in practice, the mortality rate for cyanide fishing isn’t fantastic — 75% of fish caught die from organ damage. Fishers catch more and more fish to accommodate for this death toll, and the effects on the coral reefs are catastrophic.

Biologists at the International Marinelife Alliance estimate that one square metre of reef is destroyed for every fish caught using this method, as the cyanide contaminates everything it touches. WWF Philippines claims that cyanide fishing has had a massive impact on the fish stock depletion it is currently facing; their sealife count has shrunk by 90% in the last 50 years. As the population continues to grow, it is estimated that the general population will feel this fish shortage within the next few decades.

So how about the cure? The hardest part about finding a solution is the sheer number of people who rely on fish as their primary source of protein. According to the UN, as of 2010, fish provided more than 2.9 billion people with 20% of their overall protein intake, and 4.3 billion people with around 15%. So simply saying “stop fishing” is the equivalent of telling Powderfinger to get back together — it’s just not going to happen. Still, there are smaller things that can be done. Currently, nearly 4% of the ocean is protected by Marine Park Areas, and the Marine Conservation Institute is aiming to increase that number to 10% by 2020. On top of this, a new system called ‘catch shares’ is being phased into the fishing community. Catch shares is a management system that calculates a ‘safe’ number of fish to be caught within an area, representing the amount of fish that may be

removed from the population without causing lasting damage. Catch shares are then delegated to each fishing business, telling them how much of each species they’re allowed to catch. The reduction in fish being caught means the demand, and therefore consumer prices, rise.

Surprisingly, studies have shown that this increases the profit among fishing companies, while also dramatically decreasing bycatch rates. The reason for bycatch decrease is two-fold; fishers now have a limit on what they are able to catch, which motivates them to catch the right fish, and now they also have the time to do it more ethically.

Implementing laws such as catch shares worldwide could make a huge difference in the fight for the survival of our oceans. However, it needs to happen soon. Fishing companies will go to extreme and destructive lengths in order to make a profit, and need to be kept in check as soon as possible to ensure further damage to the ocean doesn’t take place.

There are a few ways university students can make a difference; you can find a comprehensive list of seafood you should be eating less of, and those you shouldn’t be eating at all at sustainableseafood.org.au. Also, strive to buy your fish from retailers and restaurants that have made a public commitment to sourcing only ethically caught fish. By supporting them, you are supporting safe fishing practices. Finally, it goes without saying that lowering your meat consumption is one of the best things you can do for the environment — if everyone makes a small sacrifice, it will make a big difference.

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52 — Business & Science

New Wave: Why Sound Art is Making a Splash Delayne Sternbeck-Rutter

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. And for a moment, just listen. What do you hear?

The low rumble of a plane grazing overheard? The shrill grind of an espresso machine? The long, reverberant echo of a car passing your window? Laughter? Did you hear something you shouldn’t have? Or was it silence?

All day, every day, we are immersed in sound. The sounds we hear shape how we perceive, experience, and interact with our environments. From the busy reverberance of a restaurant, to reserved footsteps through a library — sounds tell us important information about our environments and change our behaviour in them.

precise illusion of space on a canvas. Suddenly, we could represent things better with a brush than with our voices. The printing press meant images and texts like the Bible (let’s remember that text is graphic) circulated far beyond physical boundaries, images began to cultivate a collective understanding and experience of worlds beyond our imaginations. The sounds of history were all but forgotten.

This sonic cycle of information is omnipresent — we may close our eyes but never our ears.

While often overlooked, however, sound remains a key facet in understanding the built environment.

Increasingly, artists and architects are recognising this and embracing the sonic environment in their work. “Emerging” art (since Contemporary is no longer contemporary, newness is represented by what is ‘emerging’) is more often utilising and emphasising the natural overlap of sound, space, and sight — music, architecture, and art.

Despite the omnipotence of sound, our sonic environments are largely being overlooked in the way we consciously understand and communicate space or ideas. It might seem obvious that we experience and perceive our world through all of our senses — but the reality is that we live in a world where the eye reigns supreme over how we understand our environments.

This idea itself isn’t new, however. Dada artists explored the notion and the Futurists tried to capture the unworldly sounds of machines through violent, fragmented painted images. Unique to the ‘emerging art’ scene, however, is the recognition of the space that sound exists in, the temporality of sound and therefore the temporality of space.

This wasn’t always the case. Tribal cultures were typically aural cultures — rhythm, music, and storytelling weren’t only important social mechanisms — they were integral to survival. Listening would tell you if a predator was near or a neighbouring group was approaching. Sounds defined social events and important cultural information was passed through spoken word across generations.

So what does this mean exactly? When a sound is made — a baby crying or a pair of stilettoes clipping a concrete floor for example — vibrations of various frequencies travel through the air, eventually meeting our ears.

Before the waves meet our ears, however, they must travel through space. This space could be a meadow or a concert hall. On its way through space, it meets various materials that absorb and reflect it, changing the way our brain perceives it, and therefore how we understand the space. Together, sound and space form our unique emotional reaction to place.

But as the winds of The Enlightenment gained speed across the west, something curious happened — seeing became believing. Strides forward in mathematics led to the ‘invention’ of perspective — an impossibly

Artwork — Lizzie Smith | @lizsmith.co

Susan Philipsz, winner of the prestigious Turner Prize at

Business & Science — 53

the Tate Modern, has used this idea to create a powerful social commentary on Scottish-British conflict. Philipsz looped a recording of a traditional Scottish folk song under a low sandstone bridge. The stone and water caused the voices to reverberate through the space.

When the piece was played in the Tate, the cultural irony and ethereality of the voices was harrowing to both English and Scottish listeners.

What does this mean for designers? Perhaps the uncovering of experiences through sound will allow us to better curate how we design experiences in our spaces. From streetscapes to courtyards to bedrooms — the sounds we hear will always define our comfort and awareness of space.

54 — Politics

One Fell Swoop: Western Paranoia of a Nuclear War Fatima Olumee

In the wake of the recent nuclear tensions between the United States of America and North Korea, it seems perfectly plausible for us to start envisioning life in a bunker for months on end. With both nations stocking up on modern weapons that could result in global catastrophe, is it really premature to consider arming your household with an emergency kit and rations?

However, to do so means accepting a future very far from our cosy present.

Currently, there are 15,000 nuclear weapons controlled by nine countries — that we know of. Could this influx of power mean the end of our planet as we know it?

Modern warfare is a notion that plagues the nightmares of anyone living in the West. The history lessons that expose us to the ripple effects of the US dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945 exacerbate our worst fears. Most people can understand what a bomb does, but do they understand the reality of its effects?

The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and leveled the entire city in an instant; 66,000

Art — Thea Kable | @theakable

people were killed. Tail gunner Robert Caron, who was aboard the B-29 Superfortress bomber, Enola Gay, described the mushroom cloud as “a spectacular sight, a bubbling mass of purple-grey smoke... a red core in it and everything was burning inside.” Everything was burning inside. We, in the West have been lucky enough to be of the ‘outside looking in’ when it comes to devastating events of modern warfare. However, just imagine being a part of the “everything burning inside” — or at least in the vicinity of everything burning inside.

Envision buildings crumbling, people disintegrating, radiation burns, and eventual cancer.

The biggest bomb to exist today, Russia’s RDS-220 hydrogen bomb ‘Tsar Bomba’, possesses an explosive power equivalent to 3,800 Hiroshima bombs. Seemingly, the greatest players — Russia, China, North Korea, and the US, have been battling to produce the most superior bomb to be detonated on this planet. North Korea is seething at the US and South Korea’s annual joint drills, and has armed itself with a powerful nuclear

Poltics — 55

deterrent in response. On top of this, the US have launched their Trident missile program with over 7,200 nuclear bombs. With Donald Trump and North Korea at irrevocable odds with each another, it seems only a matter of time before our world is completely altered.

The one thing we should really be afraid of, however, hasn’t even come to fruition yet. It’s called a ‘nuclear winter’, ‘nuke’ for short. This is when soot from explosions enters the atmosphere and causes global cooling — picture temperatures plummeting, unbearable droughts, and widespread health problems from a thinned-out ozone layer. Picture a global famine that could last for decades. Most Westerners find this image bone-chilling. Funnily enough, it is precisely this fear we should approach with caution and at times, critique.

It’s no secret that the West is blessed with luxury and comforts — a result of our detachment from conflict across the world. It seems the only way fear can enter our systems is when the devastation that plagues other parts of this world is drawn to our beloved home front.

We fear nuclear war only when it impacts us. We turn our heads from the poverty and instability of nations we have systematically oppressed and exploited through centuries of colonialism. We ignore the countless wars raging in the ‘Global South’ — a term for ‘third-world’ or ‘developing country’. Self-centeredness has become the West’s most shameful flaw, and the nuclear war hasn’t even begun.

From the Western vantage point, it’s easy to disregard the 225,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq, or the further 3.2 million Iraqis who have fled their homes. With US-led coalition airstrikes causing the death toll of innocent Syrians to skyrocket, there is a toxic Western indifference to the lives of civilians amidst the war on terror.

It is easy to dehumanise individuals with unique experiences of extreme hardships, loss, and grief simply because they are a world away geographically. What is more interesting is that these people have grown

accustomed to turmoil and overwhelming tides of change. Refugees from the Middle East have accepted the uncomfortable reality that uprooting their entire lives is the only chance they have at saving themselves and their families. This forced adjustment to instability is a concept that is foreign to those of us living in the West, and with good reason.

Why would we be accustomed to change or instability that has never been unexpectedly thrust upon us?

Tides of change make us incredibly uncomfortable, revealing our virulent habit of clinging onto material.

This is why the perpetual fear of bubbling international tensions that may strip such from us is so prominent.

By detaching ourselves from the horrific experiences of those living in the Global South, we effectively adopt a tunnel vision of the future; a future where nuclear war becomes a frightening Western reality.

Now, don’t get me wrong, fear of a nuclear winter is perfectly reasonable. It is only when this fear outweighs awareness of and action against existing conflict that we should give in to shame. There is no benefit in being petrified of an apocalyptic Western future if we fail to think holistically about the impact of current warfare on all nations. While the track record of Western nations exercising internationalism may be spotty, that doesn’t warrant a complete indifference to suffering in the Global South.

The message is clear and simple. Be wary of the US and North Korea, with nuclear forces to be reckoned with.

Be wary, but also sympathetic to the rest of the world.

Never fail to acknowledge that tides of war still flow in countries in this world away from the West.

56 — Arts & Lifestyle

In Conversation with Kon Karapanagiotidis Erica Em cw: r*pe, abuse, violence, suicide, self-harm, bullying, homophobic slurs

Kon Karapanagiotidis is the founder and CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), the largest independent human rights organisation for refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. Since establishing the organisation in 2001, Kon has been one of Australia’s most vocal and prominent figures in providing aid and justice for those who struggle against the tides when seeking asylum.

VERTIGO: The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre recently celebrated its 16th birthday. Has it been smooth sailing?

V: You’re a prominent figure on social media. How would you describe your overall experiences?

KON KARAPANAGIOTIDIS: There have been thousands and thousands of people who got us here. I was just a part of it. Over the last 16 years, close to 15,000 people have come through our doors and thousands of people’s lives have been saved through ASRC’s work.

Tens of thousands of people have been able to connect and mobilise and devolve this issue because of the opportunity to participate in some way. Refugees are far more resilient than me and they’re the true heroes in these stories. It’s just a huge honour to be apart of it.

V: Are there any refugee stereotypes that really get under your skin? Perhaps the repetitive rhetoric of “stopping the boat people”? Is it upsetting to hear what the public and certain political figures have said about such a marginalised group?

KK: People don’t get the power of social media. When you look at the social media of the ASRC, it took a good eight to nine years to develop it. Initially, I focused on talking about refugees and then I started sharing all the things I personally cared about. Twitter is such an incredible space; on one hand, it connects you with all these amazing, supportive people while on the other hand, it’s an incredibly dark and ugly place. I see the worst of humanity by the mere fact that I work with refugees and all the people against the movement, but Twitter is also a dark space where there is so much racism, bigotry, sexism, misogyny, and all that sort of stuff. People are always trying to tear you down, but what I experience as a man is one-hundredth of what a woman would get, and one-thousandth compared to a woman of colour.

KK: There are so many. Using words like “asylum seeker” are poisonous because all people hear is “illegal queue jumper”. We don’t talk about boats because that’s a way of dehumanising refugees. We talk about people seeking asylum. We talk about humanising refugees, and our shared values and identities. We’re sick and tired of having to justify the right of refugees to live.

Many of us are so privileged that when conversations to do with refugees are instigated, it ends up feeling like this abstract thing where people sit there thinking it’s a problem they don’t have to worry about, which is where the problem lies. We have to take away that abstract.

Every day someone’s threatening you or sending you abuse. I get people tweeting me, saying that they want to kill my family or slit my throat. Most of it just trying to emasculate me, believing I care what other men think of me. For women, it’s much more direct with threats stating, “I want to rape you, kill you”. That’s what troubles me most about online platforms. I think men have an obligation to speak out. All the abuse and violence women go through is a men’s issue, not only a women’s issue. There’s nothing I’m saying that women of colour haven’t said a thousand times before me. The reality is, when I speak out as a man, I’m going to get

Arts & Lifestyle — 57

all this unwarranted attention because of my privilege.

Although I’m not deserving of it, I have a responsibility to use it in a good, positive way.

V: What is your definition of toxic masculinity and fragility? How would you explain that to someone who has never come across that term?

KK: We raise our boys and men to be emotionally disconnected from themselves, their bodies, their emotions, and their relationships with women. We raise our boys and men to have gendered relationships that are rooted in the idea of the ‘feminine’, and women being less then men. At the heart of that is the dynamic where we see 2,000 men a year kill themselves. These men are raised with an idea of masculinity that’s so dysfunctional that it’s driving a record number of men into self-harm while also driving record numbers of men into harming women. These gendered relationships somehow continue to be locked in, no matter how progressive or affirmative that woman is. You see it in the way in which men attack, degrade, and erase gender issues around violence. You see it in how men are threatened by strong women; any women with an opinion or any sort of perspective. On social media, men will threaten to kill, rape, or harm her because male masculinity is so fragile that they cannot fathom the idea that women are equal.

The way men around me use words like, “cunt”, “faggot”, “mangina” — all thrown around with the purpose of emasculating. Fragile masculinity is the idea that we are continuing to raise dysfunctional men who think power and control over women is a success story. Women don’t have an identity outside of the one men bestow upon them as a piece of property, which then engages with male privilege, male identity, male sense of ownership, and a male sense of control.

I grew up in an environment where most of the extended men in my family were emotionally abusive alcoholics.

My dad himself was a very loving man and he did his very best, but he grew up in a brutal time where the idea of affection or communication wasn’t discussed. I

remember having to teach myself in my twenties to hug or hold people, as I was never taught touch and displays of affection. I remember being called a faggot because I admitted to reading as a boy, going to the library and doing my homework. The sad thing is that men don’t understand that they’re losing just as much as women by continuing to perpetuate these ideals. There is nothing more pro-man than feminism. It goes without saying that your natural state as a man is not someone who is violent or abusive. Your natural state is someone who is loving and kind.

V: Is there any advice that you can share with young people who are passionate about advocating change, as it can be so daunting and often emotionally demanding?

KK: One of the most challenging things we face as activists is our emotional self-care. You just have to push through and it inevitably impacts on your physical and mental health. It wears you out and the real challenge within this is that long-term resilience. One of the most critical things is surrounding yourself with people that believe in you. Surround yourself with an ecosystem of support that nurtures and supports you. You need to practice good self-care too. In previous years, I did things like stand-up comedy, massage therapy, and cooking; all things that allowed me to disconnect from my work at ASRC. It’s hard to disconnect because there’s no such thing as 9 to 5 anymore, so how you manage your social footprint and how you set boundaries for yourself are important. Always stick to your values, and be gentle and kind to yourself because no one is perfect.

Interview transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, or is having issues relating to seeking asylum, please consider speaking to your local GP, a healthcare professional, or contacting one of the confidential services below.

Lifeline — 13 11 14 Asylum Seeker Resource Centre — www.asrc.org.au

58 — Showcase

Socio-Cultural — 59

Never Have I Ever Kezia Aria

This year, Australia’s greatest exports thus far have been the ‘millennium versus avocado housing affordability crisis’ and “cracking open a cold one with the boys” memes. It’s certain that Australia’s national identity and culture is innately linked with the regular consumption of alcohol. Rumour has it even our accent developed over time because of the slurring of words when heavily intoxicated — a common occurrence in early colonial Australia.

Socialising typically unfolds in the presence of alcohol, pervading almost all spaces and activities — brunches, dinners, dates, birthdays, weddings, catching up with friends, unwinding after long days at work, and celebrating the completion of projects with your colleagues. It generally coincides with going out and is almost synonymous with having fun, and there aren’t many similar social environments that maintain this kind or level of mutual connection that is provided from alcohol.

I, myself, don’t drink. It’s a choice that may be influenced by my religion and upbringing, but is mostly a personal lifestyle decision. When I

is, “I don’t because I don’t want to,” but when it gets to the why — and, trust me, they always come — where do I even begin? What do I include? Do you actually care?

And so, depending on context and the relationship I have with the asker of the question, I have an array of reasons why.

For seedy strangers who get too much into my personal space, I don’t engage: “I just don’t.”

For well-intentioned people who I will never see again, and curious acquaintances or colleagues who are just trying to maintain conversation, I keep it practical: “I have to drive home tonight,” or “I have work tomorrow morning!”

For well-meaning friends, I make somewhat of an effort and say something like: “I don’t know, it kind of started off as a religious thing, but really it’s just my choice.

I’ve never started and don’t feel the need to. It also just never really appealed to me…”

The act of drinking or going out for drinks isn’t just that, it implies overwhelming pressure, both

“The act of drinking or going out for drinks isn’t just that, it implies overwhelming pressure, both external or internalised, to join in ‘or else’.” mention this fun fact, it is often met with intrusive or persistent whys, whats, whens, and various other microaggressions where I am pressured to provide several reasons why — but mostly, I get it. Drinking has become so integral and normalised that practicing sobriety is just inherently odd.

I can handle the initial shock, but I don’t understand the insistent, invasive interrogating. My main reason

external or internalised, to join in ‘or else’. There comes a significant social cost to not drinking alcohol in contemporary Western society. Whether it be declining invitations to merely go out and even enter these spaces, or accepting their offers to join them but abstaining from drinking, not participating in the consumption of alcohol is potentially detrimental to both personal and professional relationships.

60 — Socio-Cultural

In the professional context, non-drinkers pass up on networking and career-building opportunities.

Missing out on developing friendly repertoire in less formal settings can potentially set individuals back on promotions or general trust and camaraderie with their colleagues.

In the personal context, missing out on exciting escapades and not sharing their experience sometimes don’t allow non-drinking individuals to relate or connect with their peers. This also goes for recounting the same night or event both parties attended with different focuses and recollections.

Alcohol has so often and for so long been linked with a sense of community that many forget that that isn’t always the case for everyone. The drinking community subtly excludes, but are not limited to, people who: ------

--

Abstain for religious reasons (e.g. Muslims) Are pregnant Have allergies, medical conditions, or are taking medication Have or are overcoming substance abuse May feel threatened in spaces formed around drinking (e.g. women with increased chances of assault and unsolicited attention) Simply do not drink or want to be in the company of drinkers

To be frank, my decision to not drink is mine. The reasons why are stories I would share if I wanted to, so if I don’t, just respect that. Relax. Please, enjoy your drink while I sip my lemonade. 20 years sober, and still going strong.

Untitled Ally Moulis

Creative Writing — 61

Each day we returned to the creek bed, but the water never rose and the stench of sundrenched wetland lingered We sat there, you and I Feet hanging limp over the warm wood of the jetty Bathed in a thick honey light You and I, fingers intertwined, pale nails, white spots “When I see a cockatoo”, you said.

“I always expect to hear it screaming I’m so used to its primal cry that when I see one Silent Gliding overhead I’m filled with anticipation — An eerie sense of some quiet in the universe; Some peace the birds know about, But for me remains a mystery wrapped up in a missing voice.”

I laughed You and I I love this hour I think This tired orange hour when one seems trapped in a painting of the Romantic Era — Is that it? — A blurred, inspired piece by William Turner — Turner, yes? — Drenched in shades of gold.

Some afternoons the clarity is gone I think Everything is of a thick oil paint And I myself am a smudge You laughed Each day we cleaned our teeth in the white bathroom Mouths at the rusty faucet Together And ran to the cracked creek bed, The hot brown surface, Our feet a mirror of its texture Sisters of dust Two rough skins, two blisters, two tongues Each day we returned to the water and each day I felt it tighten The choking grip of a snake The gravitational pull of the moon And when the clouds burst and broke The sticky spell of the summer The creek bed drank the dirty water like wine And you washed away with the flood

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Hooked Alyssa Rodrigo

It starts with a longing stare and two pairs of flirtatious eyes. A double entendre here, and a hand on the lower back there. It’s a simple formula that’s lured in the likes of fans across Netflix specials and feature films. For directors and writers, queerbaiting is an easy way of appearing progressive and inclusive, whilst drawing in a crowd of LGBTQI+ youth who are starved of representation.

For those unfamiliar, queerbaiting is the practice in television, films, and writing in which two same-sex characters interactions are laden with romantic tension and the promise of a relationship. In an ideal world, these queer relationships would come to fruition — paired with complex character arcs and a positive reflection of healthy queer relationships. But since we live in a world where the mere existence of LGBTQI+ relationships are still demonised, not only in television, but in everyday life, this is rarely the case.

The recently released series Riverdale, features a lesbian kiss in the very first episode. Protagonists Betty and Veronica share a steamy make out session in front of a panel of cheerleading judges, with a crowd of boys watching in the background. The kiss eventuated to nothing more than a cheap marketing ploy by the writers. Both characters go on to date cisgender men, but not without fleeting moments of vague homoerotic subtext shared between the two girls.

The same TV network, CW, was also responsible for the post-apocalyptic show The 100. In the series, two women, Lexa and Clarke share a loving relationship, only for Lexa to be killed suddenly in season three, just moments after the couple consummate their relationship. Lexa’s death sparked outcry across the LGBTQI+ community, condemning the director Jason Rothenburg for ending a healthy lesbian relationship so violently, and for writing the scene without any consideration for its large queer audience. The backlash was reported worldwide across major news networks, bringing to light the trend of writers and directors to

‘bury your gays’ — a trope in which lesbian characters are killed for no reason other than to incite shock value.

So why is queerbaiting so problematic?

For one, it ignores the existence of healthy queer relationships and people. Whether writers and directors like it or not, television, movies and books have social consequences. Historically, writers have chosen to adhere to a strict heteronormative framework, with tokenistic references to gay and lesbian relationships in ways which are often stereotypical or derogatory.

But as the entertainment industry inches towards being more progressive and inclusive, this means script writers have the responsibility to represent their queer characters in ways which resonate with reality.

Queerbaiting has a gross tendency to abstract queer relationships, as if they don’t exist in real life.

Queerbaiting is also inherently exploitative. It draws LGBTQI+ audiences in on the premise that they’ll receive healthy and accurate representation. Instead, by adding in homoerotic subtext here and there, writers profit off LGBTQI+ viewership without delivering any actual representation. It enforces the power dynamics within a heteronormative society and acts as a gross reminder that queer acceptance still has a long way to go.

Healthy queer relationships aren’t just a concept or a trend to be glossed over at the writing table. LGBTQI+ communities exist, in all their levels of intersectionality and vibrancy, and deserve honest representation. For closeted teenagers all over the globe, this could make a world of difference.

Artwork — Claudia Akole | @claudinsky

64 — Socio-Cultural

High Tides of Pop Culture Emily Mead

The tide is high but I’m holdin’ on

It is a truth universally acknowledged that once you have a Blondie song stuck in your head, it’s not leaving anytime soon. Whether it’s One Way or Another after one too many glasses of wine, or sing-sobbing to The Tide is High after a break-up, Blondie’s always been there for us.

The term ‘popular culture’ can be defined as the accumulation of cultural products such as art, music, literature, fashion, dance, film, cyber culture, television,

Artwork — Addo Gustaf | @edgoostf

and radio that have been consumed by a mass part of society. All of these have a mass accessibility and appeal, with pop culture traditionally being associated with lower classes and poor education, in comparison to the ‘high culture’ of the upper classes. High Culture has always belonged to the elite, traditionally requiring an upper socio-economic status to be accessed and a highbrow form of approach or training to be appreciated.

This form of ‘high culture’ is the reason that pop culture

Socio-Cultural — 65

today continues to be looked down upon as being superficial and unintellectual.

The tide of pop culture is high and despite the increase in think-pieces on what millennials are wasting our time on, we’re still holding on. Blondie continues to be relevant today more than forty years later, showing that not all pop culture is forgotten as soon as it’s produced for the masses. There are decades of music, TV, books, celebrities, and fashion that disappear before re-emerging more powerful than before with shoulder pads, double denim, and flare jeans all being fashion’s “newest” trends. Guns N’ Roses can still sell out a concert, and any mention of Ross and Rachael’s “break” still ignites a fierce battle. Despite the abundant role pop culture plays in people’s lives, it seems to be more common than ever to disparage people for the content they consume and how they consume it.

The reasoning behind popular culture being dismissed as garbage often comes down to its consumption by the dreaded ‘Teenage Girl’. The ‘Teenage Girl’, who takes twenty selfies before getting out of bed, is the target of a great proportion of discourse that surrounds pop culture. There’s a casual misogyny in the idea that culture consumed by teenage girls is inherently worthless, or lesser than other forms of entertainment.

As soon as a popular culture’s main fan-base is teens, it is given licence to be mocked by the media or by critics, and not taken seriously. This is clearly seen with those who were taken aback with Teen Vogue’s responses to Trump’s presidency that created hard-hitting political pieces which circulated the media. The same people who think politics and make-up tips don’t belong in the same publication are the same kind of people who dismiss the value of pop culture. This cultural snobbery disregards the nuance of today’s entertainment, and ignores the fact that both the The Great Gatsby and The Bachelorette can be enjoyed. They’re not mutually exclusive.

Pop culture isn’t some new phenomenon reserved for the likes of today’s teenagers — pop culture has always existed. It’s only now that the boundaries between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture are shifting. Pop culture today juggles

both ‘high’ and ‘low’ waves. We can navigate the low tides of trashy TV and possess the intellectual capacity to read actual books. Traditionally, ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture were defined by class divide, where high culture was for the elite or aristocracy, and low culture was for the masses. Today, the barriers between them are more conceptual than real, and pop culture crosses between high and low culture more than ever before. A Youtube adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, for example, has elements of both, and pop culture makes it all possible.

We’re more informed than ever, and the bridge between knowledge and entertainment can be crossed without the class barriers that once would have prevented this.

Pop culture is not just fun, it’s powerful.

It’s worth noting that even Shakespeare was considered low culture when he was producing work in his time.

For some, culture cannot be appreciated unless it’s over a hundred years old and assigned to a canon of ‘high art’. Pop culture will always return again and again in ways that tell stories about our time through older lenses. She’s the Man is more entertaining than any class reading of Twelfth Night could be. Why study Hamlet when Lion King is a cinematic masterpiece. 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern classic, and anyone who wouldn’t take a young Heath Ledger over The Taming of the Shrew is lying.

Pop culture is popular for a reason. It’s more than just a form of entertainment but an expression of the shared experiences that are fundamental to our society, including the values and beliefs that have shaped that moment in time. Pop culture is not something to be dismissed. It has the potential to unite a diverse group of people with a sense of shared identity and community, and that’s pretty amazing.

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72 — Politics

A Tale of Two Establishments: Brexit, Trump & Elections on Both Sides of the Channel Michael Tangonan

The Great Repeal and ‘Independence’ from the Continent On 29 March 2017, Britain’s envoy to the European Union (EU) handed Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, a letter from British Prime Minister Theresa May. The British Government had formally given notice it would be withdrawing from the EU, under Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. Both parties now have two years to negotiate this divorce, after which none of the EU Treaties will apply to Britain — unless there is an agreement of extension. This seems unlikely, as Theresa May has indicated she would like this to be resolved sooner rather than later.

This means Britain will have to unravel itself from thousands of different European regulations, some of which include 80,000 pages of EU agreements.

However, as their trade relationship with the EU accounts for 44% of British exports, Britain may look to retain some of said regulations. Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, former French President François Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel firmly believe Britain needs to achieve progress on withdrawal before any negotiations on their future relationship with the EU can be made.

Early negotiations have been focused on settling Britain’s obligations to the EU, which is estimated at 5560 billion EUR (78-85 billion AUD). Of particular concern is re-negotiating Britain’s trading relationship with the EU. Historically, the EU has been Britain’s largest trading partner, receiving 51.4% of British good exports.

While Britain is within the EU it does not pay tariffs for importing goods into the single market. Unless they can negotiate a favourable new trade agreement, Britain will see tariffs slugged on all their exports. Conversely, by leaving the EU, they avoid paying the annual 350 million GBP contributions to the EU budget.

The list of Britain’s obligations goes on, including paying their fair share of the EU pension liability (which guarantees income for all staffers of the EU). Another contentious obligation is Britain’s currently indefinite share of European development projects costs, a figure that was at 218 billion EUR in 2015. There is also consensus that Britain will now be paying for every year they remain within the single market — the longer the negotiation period, the more Britain will have to pay.

If there are fiscal benefits for Britain’s exit from the EU, these benefits will not be felt until Great Britain decides to leave the EU for good in a timely manner. As things stand, Great Britain is still considered to be in the EU and hence obliged to fulfil their obligations as a member of the EU — including but not limited to the membership fees.

There is also the larger long-term cost of entire industries uprooting and moving away, shattering the previous assumption of London being a secure trade hub between the Atlantic and the EU. Economic thinktank Breugel has estimated a post-Brexit movement of around 17% of the British banking system relocating from London to elsewhere within the EU, with a conservative estimate of 232,000 financial jobs leaving Britain for European nations. Additionally, 40% of the British games industry and up to one-third of the British manufacturing industry are considering moving to Ireland, or to the European continent.

It may take years for Britain to re-negotiate their relationship with the EU. During that time, British citizens will still enjoy the benefits of EU membership, and EU citizens will likewise be permitted to work in the UK. At present, benefits of EU membership to Britons include freedom of movement across the region; including the ability to retire, the right to emergency healthcare, compensation from cancelled flights, a ceiling on data roaming charges, and other consumer protections. Often evading the news radar, the most

Politics — 73

important impact of Brexit might well be the personal impact it will have on families of mixed EU and British descent. Students will find it much more difficult to attend European universities, as only member states benefit from EU educational initiatives such as the Erasmus Programme, facilitates subsidised exchanges, and cross-continent internships.

Scotland’s new hope?

This comes amid support for a second referendum on Scottish independence. There has been growing resentment within Scotland, which recorded a 62% ‘remain’ vote (including a majority ‘remain’ vote in every council area). Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has been trying to achieve the most favourable outcome for Scotland, such as the possibility of Scotland retaining membership on its own, or through remaining part of the European Economic Area. This shows Sturgeon’s utmost concern for the thousands of jobs and livelihoods at risk from a European backlash if Scotland leaves the European market, and bodes poorly for the long-term political stability of the British Isles.

Macron – a cause célèbre for the Free Market Liberal Order? or a wake-up call for a different kind of change?

Across the Channel to France with the results of their presidential election, the world saw independent first-time runner Emmanuel Macron pitted against the far-right Marine Le Pen in the second round of the election. It was the first time since World War II

that the French constituency rejected the traditional parties of the left and right. Much like Britain, France was at its own crossroads: to follow Macron and greater cohesion within the EU; or to follow Le Pen and reject the globalised world.

However where Britons voted with a 2 million ballot margin to fulfil its own destiny — whether in splendid isolation, or to gaze across the Atlantic — the French voted with a 10 million ballot margin for Macron.

Although Le Pen only ended up receiving majorities in 2 departments (Aisne and Pas-de-Calais), the world may be concerned she won nearly a third of the popular vote in the second round. Macron’s mandate was further solidified in June during the French legislative elections, winning one of the largest majorities in the history of the modern French Republic. However these had record low turnouts. The only inference that can be drawn is that even in France where there is a 44-hour media blackout before constituents vote in polls and there seems to be clear rejection of reactionary politics, there is severe pessimism from the current Free Market Liberal Order — the trust lost in the GFC has yet to be sufficiently regained. The European continent faces an uncertain future where Britain and France are now on two diverging paths.

Transatlantic relationships at risk The fragmented nature of relations across the Atlantic was again visited at the 43rd G7 summit at Taormina, Italy, where there existed tension between American interests and the interests of an integrated world with

“Often evading the news radar, the most important impact of Brexit might well be the personal impact it will have on families of mixed EU and British descent. Students will find it much more difficult to attend European universities, as only member states benefit from EU educational initiatives such as the Erasmus Programme, facilitates subsidised exchanges, and cross-continent internships.”

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greater free trade. The leaders at the summit held little common ground — evidenced by the 6 page communiqué, compared to the previous year’s 32 pages.

The fragmentation of transatlantic relationships included an American faux pas in releasing information regarding the ‘Manchester Bomber’ which Britain thought was provided in the strictest confidence — and apparently will not be doing again — and Angela Merkel’s announcement that Europe must be able to stand on its own and not rely on others. These strains were exacerbated by allegations from then-touring Donald Trump on how other NATO nations were not doing their

with a smaller governing majority, as determined as she was in ensuring that Britain does leave the EU. The results from both French elections can be said to represent a new hope in what seemed to be a continuous reactionary right-wing backlash against the establishment across the globe. While the upcoming German elections, which are tipped to see Merkel lose support, and the far-right Alternative für Deutschland riding on this reactionary right-wing backlash against the establishment, will be much harder to call.

Though the different results on both sides of the Channel represent just how volatile our democratic

“This rift was also intensified by the announcement of American exit from the Paris Climate Accords. With one of the most influential world powers joining Syria and Nicaragua (who feel that the Accords do not go far enough) in abstention, the world will soon need to refer to another leader for action against climate change.” “fair share” of the work, and that they must pick up the slack that seemed against American interests to pick up. This rift was also intensified by the announcement of American exit from the Paris Climate Accords. With one of the most influential world powers joining Syria and Nicaragua (who feel that the Accords do not go far enough) in abstention, the world will soon need to refer to another leader for action against climate change.

Should Britain change its mind to leave the EU, it better do so sooner rather than later. The minority government Theresa May inherited from the Tory general election pyrrhic victory might hamper any plans for quick negotiations with the Continent as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is thrown into the fray and a resurgent Labour spectre under Jeremy Corbyn slowly haunts the Tory trail. Although the results from the general election could be said to be a backlash against the Brexit, Theresa May is, albeit

institutions are, they do nothing but increase the uncertainty of what will be come — even more so than the meaning of ‘covfefe’.This year will be the deciding year of what the Western developed world will have as its lynchpin for the future political climate: to move to a more global world without borders or the reassertion of old borders long forgotten on lines of blood, race, and nationality.

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The Value of Nothing Piers Nelson

So you’re young, bright, and ready to make some risky decisions. What do you take up? Partying? Drinking?

Throwing yourself into awkward social situations? Fear not — there are options that don’t include interacting with other people. Instead, how about stepping into something completely out of your depth and have a punt at the stock market? Envision yourself as the new Wolf of Broadway if that helps. Most of us probably have some money stored up — however dismal — that we adamantly refuse to spend on Settlers of Catan expansion packs or other trivial pursuits. These are the savings, the ‘nest egg’ if you will, that we are telling ourselves will one day buy us a nice house in Mosman. Oh sweet child of summer, you know nothing of the housing bubble.

So here is where I encourage you to start up a share portfolio. “But what about Brexit, what about Trump, what about all the other things that are going to bring Australian foreign investment crashing to the ground?” I hear you cry. Nah you’ll be fine — these can all be used to your advantage. I’m not going to dive into the hows and whys of investing, because to do a good job of it you need to research and learn how to do it yourself. Instead, I’ll discuss how beginners should view the stock market: 1. Do it yourself. Go to your bank and ask to start a shares portfolio. The amount of money you are considering on investing is probably way too small to cover any fees a stockbroker will charge you without making a loss. It also means you can keep track of your money and learn when to buy and sell.

2. What you should remember is that the stock market is a collection of individuals and their (sometimes uneducated) opinions, and these individuals can be wrong. In fact, they usually are, hence why shares are constantly fluctuating. It’s all about perspective. Don’t jump on the bandwagon when you see a share price

going up just because some ill-informed investors are being sheep. Chances are, it will crash back down again the next day (don’t quote me on that), which leads to: 3. Don’t check the market every five minutes. A shares portfolio is a long-term investment. Watching your money grow is awesome, but watching your money drop will make you feel like you’ve made a mistake, and make you wonder why your parents even keep you around.

It’s not about the day-to-day activities of a company, but about long-term profitability.

4. Buy low and sell high. If you take anything away from reading this article, make sure it’s this. Watching a stock go green and show a positive percentage growth will give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. No. Stop. It’s a trap! If you are watching a stock go up, it’s probably already too late to invest in it. On the other hand, watching a stock go down should be viewed as an opportunity. It’s hard getting yourself into the mind set of buying something that is losing value, but I promise you it will be worth it.

Disclaimer: Having said that, there could be a very good reason it’s going down. Make sure to do your research first.

5. Don’t forget to diversify. Invest in different industries.

If you have all your money in the four big banks and along comes one of those pesky Royal Commissions, your portfolio is going to drop a lot more than if you had shared that value across other companies. Put more simply, events that impact one industry will not always affect another, so sharing the value around greatly lowers your risk.

Remember, the road is rocky and not always easy, but it can let you reap rewards far into the future.

I’ll see you on Wall Street.

76 — Business & Science

Deep Sea Creatures EV Moore

The final frontier. The vast unknown. For many people these sayings evoke thoughts of mankind’s inevitable journey into deep space, but people are quick to forget that there are still so many unsolved mysteries right here on Earth itself. To what extent have humans really affected the earth’s climate? What happens when we die? How has Pitbull only won one Grammy? The list goes on, but perhaps most perplexing of all is our great ocean. This immense liquid mass reaches its deepest point at around 11,000m with what is known as the Mariana Trench. The sheer scale of such depths is incredible, as are the creatures that have adapted to live within this seemingly uninhabitable aqua wasteland.

One thousand metres below the surface of the ocean lies the midnight zone, aptly named for its constant darkness. The only light here is provided by the bioluminescence of the animals themselves. Dive 4,000m below the surface of the ocean and you’ve reached the abyss. This zone is also pitch black, the water is near freezing, and water pressures range between 200-600 atmospheres. Any lower than 6,000m and you’re in the hadal zone. The fact that the hadal zone is named after Hades, the Ancient Greek

mythological ruler of the underworld, should tell you all you need to know. It’s dark and survival is near impossible. Your only friends here are foraminifera — recently discovered tiny single-celled organisms.

Life in the depths of the ocean is tough. With no light, little oxygen, and bone-crushing pressure, creatures down here have had to adapt in clever, terrifying, and very strange ways in order to survive.

Body colour: Camouflage is done in an interesting manner down in the depths. With no light penetrating this far down, most creatures are transparent or black to blend in with the darkness. Interestingly, some creatures are red, as the absence of red light at this depth keeps them hidden. While red may be the new black, bioluminescence is the new red. Some creatures aren’t so concerned with staying hidden and have instead developed glowing capabilities, helping them lure in prey, attract mates, and see their surrounding environment. Bioluminescence is the result of a chemical reaction requiring two unique chemicals: luciferin combined with either luciferase or photoprotein. Whilst some bioluminescent animals

Business & Science — 77

are able to produce luciferin on their own, others rely on a symbiotic relationship to do so. The anglerfish, for example, houses bioluminescent bacteria in and around its light-producing organ (that fishing-rod looking thing on its head), which enables it to glow.

Reproduction: Most deep-sea dwellers give off strong pheromones, or use bioluminescence to attract members of the opposite sex. For example, the male lanternfish has a photophore — a light-producing organ — on top of its tail that glows very bright, while the female has a duller-glowing photophore on the underside of her tail. This allows males and females to detect whether a nearby lanternfish is of the opposite gender, and — if they are — attract them for mating.

Size: This adaptation is not entirely understood by scientists, but a lot of creatures living in the midnight and abyssal zones (2,000-6,000m deep) are incredibly large, the most popular of these being the colossal squid.

A star in many different pirate myths and legends, these terrors can grow to around 14m in length. The only animals that are known to be brave enough to tangle with these mountainous creatures are whales

and sleeper sharks. As for all the other creatures down there, they use good old common sense to keep a lot of distance between themselves and the colossal squid.

Eyesight: With next to no light, eyesight is an evolutionary gift. Some deep-sea creatures have enormous eyes to capture the miniscule amount of light available, some have gone back to basics and have no eyes at all, while others use large, false eyes to scare away predators. Why didn’t evolution just give them eyes that scare away predators and allow them to see?

Perhaps evolution is still working on it, or maybe it just dropped the ball on this one.

These adaptations have been employed in many different ways by an abundance of deep-sea dwellers.

However, there are some more specific adaptations that take things to an entirely new level of survival.

Hydrothermal vents and the Pompeii Worm: Along the mid-ocean ridges that line the ocean floor are things called black smokers — chimney-like structures that spew super-heated water full of minerals into the ocean.

For humans, going anywhere near these is suicide, however there is one creature that has managed to turn this death-trap of a house into quite a comfortable home. Known as the Pompeii Worm, this creature is categorised as an extremophile — an organism that can thrive in extreme environments. They live in large colonies, their tails attached to the vents themselves

Artwork — Vanessa Hung | nod-and-grunt.tumblr.com

78 — Business & Science

swimming at them at very high speeds. Their elongated dorsal spine, which can be up to half its body length, is tipped with a photophore. By flickering this on and off, the viperfish uses it as a lure to attract smaller unsuspecting fish. Their stomachs are also covered in photophores which have multiple functions; they help camouflage the viperfish from predators below by mimicking the faint light filtering down from above, they aid in attracting prey, and also allow them to communicate with potential mates.

at a resting temperature of around 80 degrees Celsius.

Their heads stick out into the cooler surrounding waters of about 22 degrees. Their ability to withstand such extreme heat can be linked to the bacteria covering their backs. The worm and bacteria thrive in perfect symbiosis; the bacteria providing protection and the worm giving essential nutrients.

Anglerfish: Mentioned earlier, this is one of the most well known of the deep-sea family, largely thanks to its stunning performance in Finding Nemo. This terrifying creature has a lantern protruding from its head, allowing it to draw in unsuspecting prey. Once drawn in, the adaptation of large jaws allows them to consume prey almost as large as themselves — an important attribute when meals are often few and far between. If you thought the look of its teeth couldn’t get even worse, they face backwards, acting like a cage that prevents any form of escape. Interestingly, it’s only the females of this species that have all these wonderful adaptations and the males are merely parasites. The male life consists of finding a female, attaching and fusing to her in order to reproduce.

Pacific viperfish: These little guys are just straight-up terrifying. Their jagged, needle-like teeth are so huge they can’t even close their mouths, and it is thought that the viperfish use these teeth to impale their prey by

Artwork — Vanessa Hung | nod-and-grunt.tumblr.com

These creatures and their terrifying adaptations are only a handful of what is known to be lying below the ocean surface — and new species are being discovered all the time. Whilst some look to space exploration, in order to understand the universe, we must first understand what lies directly beneath us. It does make you think though, if creatures like this can adapt to live in such unforgiving conditions, there must be some weird stuff going down on other planets.

Arts & Lifestyle — 79

A Lentil Lunch with Jaya Bhutkar Serves 4 | Preparation time – 45 minutes Jaya Bhutkar is the mother of Akshaya Bhutkar, our resident style guru and Arts & Lifestyle Editor. Jaya is a beloved yoga queen by day and law boss by night.

Ingredients: - 3 cups of rinsed yellow or red lentils (or a mixture of the two) - 1 bunch spinach - 5-6 cups water (can add more for desired consistency) - 3 curry leaves - 1 cup diced onion - 1 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste - ½ teaspoon mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons oil - 1 tablespoon butter - 2 teaspoons salt - 1 teaspoon pepper

How To: - Add lentils, spinach, water, and curry leaves to a large pot. Boil for 20 minutes.

- Prepare onion and grind mustard and coriander seeds coarsely in a mortar and pestle.

- After boiling for 20 minutes, heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground mustard and coriander seeds. Let fry gently for a minute or so. Next, add the ginger and garlic paste and let it fry gently. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Sauteé for a few minutes, stirring to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

- Add the entire onion mixture to the soup pot and season with salt. Stir well and let it cook for an additional 10-20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

- Serve with bread on the side.

Art — Vanessa Papastavros | vanscribbles.tumblr.com

80 — Notice of Student Election UTS STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

NOTICE OF S TUDENT ELECTION To be held on all campuses BETWEEN 4 OCTOBER AND 6 OCTOBER 2017

Monday 14 August 2017 nominations will open to currently enrolled students for the following positions: • • • • • • • • • •

A President A Secretary A Treasurer A Postgraduate Officer to be elected by and from postgraduate students A Women’s Officer to be elected by and from women students An Overseas Students’ Officer to be elected by and from students who hold an Overseas Student Visa An Australian Indigenous Officer to be elected by and from Australian Indigenous Students of UTS 10 Student Representative Councillors 7 delegates to the National Union of Students Vertigo Editorial Team

Broadway Campus: To be elected by and from students whose primary place of study is Broadway Campus: • •

A Convenor, A Secretary and 10 Campus Committee Members A Women’s Officer elected by and from women students whose primary place of study is Broadway Campus

Markets Campus: To be elected by and from students whose primary place of study is Markets Campus: • •

A Convenor, A Secretary and 10 Campus Committee Members A Women’s Officer elected by and from women students whose primary place of study is Markets Campus

Nominations must be submitted on the prescribed form which may be obtained from the Students’ Association office at Broadway. (Ph. 02 9514 1155). Candidates statements and photographs (to be published in Vertigo) must be submitted with the nomination forms before the close of nominations.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE AT 2:00 pm MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2017 NOMINATIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS TIME Nominations may be received at the Association Office on each campus on Monday 4 September 2017 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm OR alternatively, may be mailed to reach the Returning Officer’s postal address no later than 2pm Monday 4 September 2017.

of UTS who are independent of the electoral process.

Applications received before 5pm 18th September 2017 will be given priority. Application forms are available from the UTS Students’ Association Office Level 3 Tower Building, Broadway.

Postal Vote Applications stating name, student number, contact address and reason for requiring a postal vote must be received by the Returning Officer before 2:00 pm Monday 4 September 2017

Christine Kibble, Returning Officer 0409602962 Postal Address: The Returning Officer, UTS Students’ Association, PO Box 123. Broadway NSW 2007 Email: ckibble@bigpond.net.au

Employment As A Polling Clerk is open to students

For more information, visit our website utsstudentsassociation.org.au

Students’ Association Reports — 81

Students’ Association Reports

President’s Report — Beatrice Tan We’re nearing the end of the year and I feel it now more than ever; I’m limited. The year so far has felt like one short day, there’s just so much to do. I wish I didn’t have to keep calm for once, I just feel like flying off the handle. But then I remember, whether I achieve gravity defying feats or not, that I’m doing this for good.

Enough about me, and on to what you’ve waited for: our major projects.

The equity loan scheme is set to be implemented in semester two. In trying to implement this, we’ve contacted different faculty societies; some of which have gotten back to us and said that they cannot help with this project, and others have not replied to emails.

Thus, I am in the process of emailing the deans of the various faculties, with the permission of the provost, to ask for their assistance in this project. However, a shoutout must go to the Business Society who have given a comprehensive list of textbooks.

The expansion of Night Owl to Markets is underway.

We are looking to launch it in semester two. It will run from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday. The executive officer, the Education Vice President, and I have brainstormed the ways in which we can bring it to Markets. Since the last meeting, a few logistical concerns have arisen; how to keep the food warm given the lack of facilities, and where deliveries will be dropped off given that Building 5 has no loading dock. We are brainstorming ways around these issues.

Since my last report that you likely did not read, the Sexual Assault Working Group, consisting of both University management and student representatives, has met for two sessions. We will be meeting every three weeks. The purpose of the group is to find ways to make

UTS a safe campus with a zero-tolerance environment for harassment and assault in and out of the classroom.

I have been given the approval to start a student advisory group comprised of ActivateUTS representatives, and UTSSA office bearers including the Women’s Officers and the conveners/representatives of the women’s, queer, disabilities, international and indigenous collectives, in addition to Lachlan and myself.

Our goal in the next few weeks is determining how this year’s budget will effect UTS students, with the repayment threshold being lowered and funding cuts to universities. The government has openly stated that we have a revenue problem; reallocating funds away from universities was a way to plug the problem. As a result, students and youth will face the brunt of this allocation.

We will be speaking to management to see how the funding will impact not just student learning but the price students pay for their education. While this time may seem uncertain, if we work in tandem, there’s no fight we cannot win. Together, we’re unlimited.

Contact: president@utsstudentsassociation.org

Treasurer’s Report — Lachlan Barker Since the last meeting, the President and I sat with the DVC and sought approval for our budget allocations.

This was met with surprising approval — of note are increases to expenditure for Vertigo, an increase to caseworkers, and increases to orientation and elections to allow the UTSSA to adapt to the teaching period changes. The meeting also provided the opportunity for us to discuss future plans with the DVC including ways to spend from our reserves, possible collaborative projects around welfare services, and constitutional

82 — Students’ Association Reports

reform. The communicative relationship we have with management is a benefit that we should use to its fullest extent as they seem eager to involve us directly in delivering a positive student experience.

I also met with the President, the Women’s Convenor, and project manager Catharine Pruscino, to discuss a trajectory for the Sexual Assault Working Group and ways that the UTSSA can practically support a campaign. Focus was put on the responsibility of seeking consent and the fact that the UTSSA and UTS broadly do not tolerate sexual harassment or violence.

Ideas for leaflets and specially titled gelatos were floated and I am investigating these further for our upcoming O’Day. A meeting of more students several days later saw targeted discussion about language guidelines and academic policies for students who have experienced sexual assault. If any student would like to be involved in the organising arm of the working group or chat about SSAF expenditure, feel free to contact me.

Contact: treasurer@utsstudentsassociation.org

Secretary’s Report — Luke Chapman Time certainly flies by when you are studying at a university with ‘balanced semesters’. Welcome back for the second semester. Semester two represents an opportunity for a fresh start, the chance to leave the less than stellar grades and hangovers of semester one behind as we start off week one with a renewed commitment to our uni resolutions.

At the last meeting, the UTSSA SRC approved the 2017 budget, completed a draft of the new constitution that has been submitted to the University Council for review and affiliated to the Council of International Students (CISA). I would like to thank Beatrice, Norma, Lachlan, and James as it has been great to work with such an engaged executive and I am excited to see what we can achieve together before the year is out.

Over the break, I have had the opportunity to attend the National Union of Students Education Conference (NUS EdCon). It was a valuable opportunity to meet with student unionists from across Australia and organise to protect the interests of students from a sector that is increasingly putting profits above students and a government reducing opportunities for young people in education, housing, and employment. I also spoke at the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia’s (HERDSA) Annual Conference with the student member of the University Council, Bijay Sapkota. Together we shared our experiences as student representatives as part of Professor Sally Varnham’s research of the student’s voice in university decisionmaking. To learn more about the study visit bit.ly/2sw7v7S. As always if you would like to get more involved and have your voice heard, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Contact: secretary@utsstudentsassociation.org

Assistant Secretary’s Report — James Wilson Welcome back! According to the UTS Academic Calendar the Spring Balanced-Tri-Semester-thing has sprung, a good month before the season of rebirth hits the rest of the Southern Hemisphere. For those of you who have never experienced a Spring semester at UTS, here’s a little of what to expect.

Everyone will abandon the pretence of trying to look good for uni after a fortnight, as opposed to six weeks into Autumn semester.

‘Tis the season for student elections. You’ll start seeing more and more crazy-eyed people running around with iPads and coloured bits of paper desperately trying to get your vote. You should vote, but you should also read what each person is running

Students’ Association Reports — 83

for, and make a considered decision.

Uni parties will start to feel the same. Except worse.

Because it will be cold.

The UTS Students’ Association will attempt a referendum on something. Probably Constitutional Change. You should attend and vote at this meeting. A working organisation to represent you is better than one operating off a 12-year-old document that still thinks there’s a Gore Hill campus.

Everyone will just want it all to be over. Your lecturers included.

On that highly optimistic note, once again, welcome back! If you’d like to contact me about anything your student council can do for you (like Blueberry Pancakes that I’ve wanted at Bluebird Brekky Bar for ages), feel free to get in touch.

Contact: assistantsecretary@utsstudentsassociation.org

Education Vice President’s Report — Norma Jean Cooper *Vertigo highly recommends reading to the tune of ‘Southern Nights’ by Glen Campbell Budget night Have you ever seen a budget night?

Free as politician’s degrees Not to mention policies Whistling cuts that you know and hate so Budget night Just as bad even when you closed your eyes I apologise to anyone who can truly say That the Liberals have found a better way Budget night Have you ever noticed budget night?

Its tertiary policy lies just beyond the eye It goes running through your soul Like the lowering of HECS threshold Old man He and his ideology that walked the moderate land Til power touched his cold hand As he slowly walked by Weeping tories Would cry for joy Joy Feel so cooked Feel so cooked It’s frightening Wish I could Stop degree prices from rising La da da da da da la da da da da da da da da Lobbying Like this and many others is the key Put pressure on the right To see the light Budget night They feel so cooked it’s frightening Wish I could stop the crossbench from supporting La da da da da da la da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da

Women’s Officer’s Report — Leya Reid Welcome back UTS students! The UTS Women’s Collective are a fierce group of women and non-binary identifying students who come together to organise, discuss, and debate issues and ideas for creating a safe and equal learning environment. We are politically, culturally, and religiously inclusive, allowing for all members with different perspectives to mingle and learn from one another in a safe, non-judgemental environment. We meet once per week during semester in the Women’s Collective Room and host a range of different events that raise awareness on genderspecific concerns, celebrate the diversity of women,

84 — Students’ Association Reports

and showcase their creativity and opinions. If you are interested in joining the community, getting involved with our events, or if you simply need someplace to have a whine and a groan, please get in touch — membership is entirely free.

Semester one was an absolute success as we campaigned hard to secure women’s rights on campus. On 29 March, the UTS Women’s Collective gathered at the Women’s March in the Park to demonstrate our alongside other inspirational local community organisations. Leya attended the Responding with Passion and Vicarious Trauma Workshop hosted by USyd WoCo and delivered by the fantastic team at Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia. Additionally, Leya and Chloe were contacted by Catharine, from the Respect. Now. Always. division to work on the university’s campaign to eliminate sexual harassment and assault on campus, responsibly manage incident reports, and challenge the toxic culture surrounding rape and gendered violence.

Catharine will be working closely with the Women’s Collective to ensure that the campaign represents the interests of the student body.

Nearing the end of the semester, we collaborated with other student bodies on a few arresting projects.

In conjunction with the UNSW and USyd Women’s Collectives, we hosted the Sex Work, Solidarity & Justice Panel here at UTS. Featuring an impressive panel of inspirational activists and experienced sex workers, we discussed topics surrounding sex worker rights and the various ways they intersect with immigrant, feminist, queer, disability, trans, and local communities.

Additionally, we worked alongside the Queer Collective and Out to Party Society to host an open mic event at the Loft. For a full list of our accomplishments, check out our Facebook page UTS Women’s Collective.

We are very excited this year to be running a Women’s edition of Vertigo Magazine that empowers and

showcases the talents of female and non-binary identifying students on campus. The committee was formed over StuVac with the help of the Vertigo team who kindly imparted their knowledge. Having launched the submission process online, we can’t wait to see how the student community interprets the theme ‘embody’.

After brainstorming with collective members about our vision for Semester two, we have lined up a number of topics we would like to pursue for FemFest, our year long campaign that raises awareness on women’s issues, de-stigmatises feminism, and provides an outlet for women-identifying students to express themselves. Our ideas centred around Radical Sex and Consent Week, women of colour, intersectionality, and the end sexual assault on campus campaign. If you are looking to get involved, we urge you to come along to the meetings and attend our Vertigo Women’s Magazine launch party.

Contact: Chloe — utswomenscollective@gmail.com Leya — womens@utsstudentsassociation.org

Submissions Guideline — 85

Submit to Vertigo Don your wooden legs and set your sights on the horizon, it’s time to dig up those deepburied ideas and let them loose.

Vertigo is always on the lookout for pitches and submissions of creative fiction and nonfiction writing, visual art, feature articles, news and reviews in the following sections:

– Arts & Lifestyle – Business & Science – Creative Writing

Written Pitches — Have an idea for written content that isn’t complete? Let it take off by sending us a pitch that specifically outlines: Content — what you want to write about.

Scaffold — narrative, structure, style.

Classification — factual, creative, reflective.

Approximate word count.

To help us get a sense of your voice, attach some examples of previous work. (Any work — even essays will do!)

– Politics – Socio-Cultural – Visual Arts

submissions@utsvertigo.com.au with a brief summary of content and themes.

As a general rule of thumb; themed work is good, wellwritten work is better, and well-written themed work is the best.

Format Guidelines — Please send written work in a Word document with 12pt font and 1.5 paragraph spacing. Please send visual work in PDF format.

Nominations — Know someone at UTS who might be shy but whose work would be perfect for Vertigo?

Visual Pitches — Tell us whether you’d like to be involved as either: Design contributor: Artists who are keen to work closely with the Vertigo design team to create art to accompany written articles.

Visual showcase: Artists who have work they want to be featured as standalone art in the magazine e.g. illustrations, comics, and photo essays Please be as specific as possible, and tell us about your proposed medium, concept, style, and tone. Don’t forget to attach examples of previous work.

Cold Submissions — Already have a completed piece you want to submit? Send your work straight to

Please let us know their full name, the kind of work they do, and why you think their work is suitable for Vertigo.

You can attach a link to their website/portfolio/ Instagram, and we’ll take it from there.

How to Contact Us — Email all your pitches and submissions to submissions@utsvertigo.com.au and a friendly editor will get in touch with you shortly.

Check out our Facebook page for the most recent callout for themed contributions at facebook.com/utsvertigo, or just send us a message to say hello. We can’t wait to talk to you. We love talking to you so much.

86 — Horoscopes

Horoscopes Jenny Cao

Aries — As the moon crosses over Venus’ path

Libra — Love is in the air this month Libras! It’s

you feel displaced and fragile. Your timing is

been lingering for a while now and honestly it

out. Elbows higher. Point your toes. It’s time to

smells pretty disgusting. Maybe try opening a

muzz. Take advantage of Nike’s mid-year sale.

window to let it waft out. Ventilation is key.

Defqon is on the horizon.

Scorpio — Take a stand for what you believe in!

Taurus — It’s time to take what you deserve.

Start a petition to keep Coke Zero a permanent

You need the love you put out into the world

product. It’s the best Coco-Cola product. It

to be reciprocated to feel whole. Revise and

all starts with one person — make your voice

practice your reciprocal exercises — the

matter! Be the change you want to see in the

reciprocal of 8 is 1/8! Just flip the fraction ­—

world.

it’s that easy. Remember, there is no reciprocal for 0. You need to love to be loved.

Sagittarius — Today is the perfect day to get in touch with old friends and acquaintances.

Gemini — Things don’t always follow the plan

Invite them on Facebook Messenger to

you set out so it’s important to be prepared to

play Everwing with you. It’s a great way

improvise. Death in a minute, love in a minute,

to reconnect and to remind them of how

word at a time, expert double figures ­— just a

annoying you actually are.

few games to get you started! It may be scary but it’s a really great way to build confidence

Capricorn — It’s time to show that special

and get yourself out there!

someone how much you care! Look at them lovingly and maintain eye contact. The first

Cancer — It may be time to get your finances

to break it, finishes their drink! It’s caring and

in order as they are putting a strain on your

also makes for a fun drinking game.

relationships. Tie up loose ends before you destroy everything in your life. I’m talking

Aquarius — A rising Jupiter is the perfect

specifically to you, David Cao — you still owe

occasion to balance your budget. Mars Pods

me $20 from lunch three months ago.

are half price at IGA — but you never do things half-assed. Grab two packets. Your wallet won’t

Leo — I know you lions love being in control of

notice and your friends will like you more.

everything — your life, finances, the aux cord, you name it! Act like you’re directing every

Pisces — Okay. I’m gonna give it to you

situation as if it’s a scene and tell people what

straight. What you did to Cassandra last week

line you want them to say.

was so rude. Firstly, who steals someone’s dog?

That’s already messed up but then you told

Virgo — As you’re getting older it’s

Cassandra that it was your own dog this whole

becoming harder to find an outlet for your

time! Not cool.

competitiveness. Perhaps try channelling that energy into competing with yourself rather than others. Setting personal goals is much more productive than joining the local under 12s netball team.

Art — Ryley Miller | alifeofryley.tumblr.com

87 — Section

88 — Section

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