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2. work
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THE
swine
swinburne student union | issue 2 | april 2012 | www.ssu.org.au
SSAF: WTF?
the SSA-Fee joy continues
Live Music
Bon Iver & Enter Shikari
Media vs. Piracy
The moral pirate within
Kony Swindle
How we all got screwed
Imitation Market
The dangers of a ‘legal high’
ARTWORK BY RENEE GRAHAM
MORE ON P18-19
events&nightlife
comedynight
Union Tuesdays! Comedy nights, Quizmeisters Trivia,
movie nights, and just great times! Open every Tuesday
night from 6:00pm, Level 3 UN Building @ Hawthorn
(above the bookshop). Get amongst it!
2
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
inthisissue
theswineteam
SSU Media Committee
Media Officer
Editor-in Chief of ‘The Swine’
James Murphy
James is studying Bachelor of Arts (Politics & Public Policy)
and has lost his wallet in over 15 countries across the world.
Managing Editor
Alyssa Woo
Alyssa is studying Bachelor of Arts (Media) and is exactly 22
months younger than her brother.
Lead Designer
Leesa Ward
Leesa is studying Bachelor of Arts (Digital Media) and owns
23 pairs of Dr. Martens.
Copy Editor
Robert Lyall
Rob is studying Bachelor of Arts (Politics & Public Policy)
despite almost failing English.
Marketing, Revenue & Distribution Officer
Caroline Baker
Caroline is studying Bachelor of Commerce and can also be
heard on Reverse Radio, 12-1pm on Thursdays on 3SSR Swinburne Student Radio.
Radio & Clubs Coordinator
Matthew Latham
get
amongst
it!
get published
in the swine!
We’re always on the
lookout for articles to
publish in ‘The Swine.’
Whether it be an opinion
piece about something that
really grinds your gears,
talking about an experience
you had as part of your
course, a review of a film
you just saw, or commentary
about a social issue, we want
to hear from you.
Please contact us by email
at [email protected].
What are you waiting for?
A written invitation? You
have one, so get on it!
15
imitation market
the dangers of a legal high
29
winter fashion
8
WTF is going on with the SSAF now?
24
read these or die
22
across the pond
27
dumpling noodle soup
$10 budget recipe
Student News
Creative Arts
Science
Your Union Reps............................................... 6
Art by Renee Graham..................................... 18
We’re not in Kansas Anymore: The Obligatory
Address from the Union President................. 7
Entertainment
Having an absolute copper nanotube of a day?
Dr Shamrock investigates............................... 28
WTF is going on with the SSAF now?............ 8
News & Politics
A Letter to Margaret Court from
SSU’s Queer Rep.............................................. 13
Kony Swindle: Have we been taken
for a ride?.......................................................... 14
Imitation Market: The Dangers of a ‘Legal
High’.................................................................. 15
Wikileaks: High-tech terrorists or government
watchdogs?....................................................... 16
The Moral Pirate within: is piracy really all
that bad? .......................................................... 17
Bon Iver at Sydney Myer Music Bowl........... 20
Survival Guide
Enter Shikari at Billboard............................... 21
Why I joined the Union (it’s not just about the
parties).............................................................. 29
Across the Pond............................................... 22
The Dreaded Morning After.......................... 30
Album Reviews................................................ 23
Fashion
Literature
Winter Woes: What to Wear this Season..... 31
10 Books to Read Before You Die.................. 24
Time Out
Food & Drink
Horror-scopes.................................................. 32
The Minzu Review: Chester White............... 26
Social Commentary
$10 Budget Recipe: Dumpling
Noodle Soup..................................................... 27
Beauty and Art................................................. 34
The Vitals
All the dates you need to know..................... 35
Matty is studying Bachelor of Arts (Politics) and can be heard
on Molte Bene, 8-9pm on Fridays on 3SSR - Swinburne
Student Radio.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
5
studentnews
studentnews
your union reps
Secretariat
President
Mark Briers
[email protected]
Vice President/Education Officer Matthew Landolfo
[email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
James Searle
[email protected]
Access & Equity Officer
Nicole Robinson
[email protected]
Croydon Campus Chair
Vacant
Hawthorn Campus
Chair
Brendan Spackman Williams [email protected]
Lilydale Campus Chair
Gemma Melville
[email protected]
Prahran Campus Chair
Brice Chappell
[email protected]
Wantirna Campus
Chair
Vacant
we’re not in
kansas anymore
the obligatory address from the union president
Representatives
TAFE/Apprentices &
Traineeships Rep
Vacant
Queer Rep
Andrew Morison
[email protected]
Women’s Rep
Melanie Orvis
[email protected]
International Rep
Meit Shah
[email protected]
Mature Age Rep
Vacant
Part-Time Rep
Aimee McCarten
[email protected]
Postgraduate Rep
Elizabeth Rowe
[email protected]
Undergraduate Rep
Xiao Tian Lim
[email protected]
Disability Support Rep
Oliver Hausler
[email protected]
Indigenous Rep
Megan Kelleher
[email protected]
Men’s Welfare Officer
Langley Tay
[email protected]
Environment & Sustainability
Officer
Zoe Glen-Norman [email protected]
Swinburne International Student Association (SISA)
President
Meit Shah
[email protected]
Vice President/Education Officer
Devashish Dutta
Baruah
[email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
Vacant
Access & Equity Officer
Vacant
Swinburne University Postgraduate Association (SUPA)
President
Elizabeth Rowe
[email protected]
Vice President/Education Officer VACANT
6
Secretary/Treasurer
VACANT
Access & Equity Officer
Marcus Lingham
[email protected]
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Last time I told you high school was over, this
time I’m telling you that were not in Kansas
anymore. I hope you are kicking goals with
your studies, making loads of friends who
you will take through life and getting well and
truly amongst campus life.
a cent of funding from the university. A
big thank you to everyone who threw on a
street team tee-shirt and gave up some time
to help build a good campus culture here at
Swinburne, a culture that has been lacking for
some years.
of their myswinburne account. No one but
the Union questioned this, and no one but
the union can claim a victory for having
everyone’s accounts reinstated. This is one of
many reasons students are the in best place to
control student affairs. In a world without the
union, the university is free to do what it likes
which will in many cases be at the expense of
students.
The SSAA receives something to the tune of
It’s been a massive month for Swinburne and
$3 million from the university annually and
especially the union. We’ve already signed
the university has indicated to us they wish to
up over 1000 people, the biggest in over five
give them more from the revenue of the SSAyears, I remind you it was only two years ago
Good luck with the rest of your semester,
Fee everyone had to pay this year. I ask; what
the union had 12 members and was on the
keep up the good work. If there’s something
brink of collapse. A massive thank you and
have they done with it?
not
congratulations to all who joined with
us in wanting to make Swinburne the
Hub of student life, student media and
“Imagine if the Union had $1 million, what we could
student control of student affairs.
achieve considering all we have done with nothing but our
students know what’s best for
We’ve already had a massive party at
shoelaces and a belief that only
the Hawthorn Hotel, attended by over
600 people, we’ve been laughing our
students”
asses off at the Swinburne comedy
festival, and though I hate early
mornings, it’s been great scoffing down
Imagine if the Union had $1
free breakfast every morning! THAT’S
NOT ALL! Coming up this semester we have
million, what we could achieve considering
another great party! Not to mention movie
all we have done with nothing but our shoe
nights, trivia nights and don’t ever forget you
laces and a belief that only students know
what’s best for students. This was proven
free snag at the SSU BBQ every Thursday!
earlier this year when Swinburne locked
I remind everyone, we do this all without
every student who hadn’t payed this tax out
going right or
something we’re not doing right make sure
you come and see us, our door is always open
and we want to hear from you! Never give
up the fight for student control over control
student affairs.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
MARK BRIERS
7
studentnews
studentnews
from the survey page. The only way
students can find either page is if they
are given a link.
•
wtf is going on
with the ssaf now?
5.
6.
Shortly after the article went to print,
Swinburne was ranked ‘NUS Condemned’
by the National Union of Students on its
handling of the SSA-Fee distribution. Only
three universities were named and shamed
this way, Monash and Wollongong being the
other two.
8
‘Other’ (Student Union, clubs/activities,
academic advocacy)
You can find the full information at
www.swinburne.edu.au/StuServ/SSAF.
Whilst these priorities may seem sensible
at first glance, Swinburne hasn’t provided
information about the current levels of
funding for each area. All the priority areas
deserve to be well funded as they all deliver
important services. However, areas like the
health service, careers & employment and
counselling are already quite well funded.
After months of pressure from
the Student Union, Swinburne
published ranked priorities on
their website on the 23rd of
March. These are the priorities
they’ve listed:
1.
Supporting sporting or other recreational
activity by students (improved sporting
facilities and funds for sports clubs)
how much new funding each area will receive.
From the information provided, it could be
$1 or $100,000. In contrast, the University
of Melbourne provided detailed information
about current and proposed funding under
the SSA-Fee for each area and organisation,
including tables, graphs and pie charts.
Swinburne asked students for feedback on
these priorities (the consultation period
closed on the 6th of April) however it’s
difficult for a student to provide meaningful
feedback when fundamental information is
missing.
There are numerous other
problems with the current
consultation process, including:
“Swinburne was ranked ‘NUS Condemned’ by the National
Union of Students on its handling of the SSA-Fee distribution”
Promoting the health or welfare
of students (counselling, health
promotion, disability support)
2.
Helping students obtain employment or
advice on careers
3.
Helping students with their financial
affairs (student loans and financial
advice)
4.
Helping students secure accommodation
(improve the off-campus housing
service)
The areas listed under the lowest priority
‘Other’ are amongst the least funded
currently. Why is the Student Union (and
most other areas that effect campus culture)
the lowest priority? There isn’t even a
mention of student media. If Swinburne has
its way, there won’t be any funding to print a
magazine like the one you’re reading now.
There is also no information provided about
•
The
participants were self-selecting. The
survey was not distributed to all
students. Only organisations with a stake
in the outcome (like the SSU and SSAA)
distributed the survey.
•
The survey cannot be found by searching
the Swinburne website and there is no
link back to the priority information
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
•
There is no information provided about
how the process will proceed or where
the data will go following the closure of
the survey.
When the SSA-Fee legislation passed, the
government provided Higher Education
Providers with draft representation guidelines.
These guidelines state how universities should
“The areas listed under the lowest priority, ‘Other’, are
the least funded currently”
•
In February I wrote about Swinburne’s
handling of the SSA-Fee. At that time the
University had been collecting the fee for six
weeks with no information provided about
how it would be spent.
The providers of each service are not
explicitly mentioned. For example, under
the first priority, it lists ‘expansion of the
free breakfast service’. At Hawthorn, this
is an ongoing Student Union initiative,
run by students for students. It is not
clear from the priorities published
whether the University intends to fund
the Student Union to expand this service
or whether it intends to compete with
the Student Union as it has with other
services.
days only during one of the busiest times
for students. Of these days, only 8 were
academic days. The final two days of the
period coincide with Easter Thursday
and Good Friday.
•
The questions on the feedback form are
open-ended and confusing. All three
questions ask essentially the same thing.
They are text only with no metrics or
scales. It will be difficult to aggregate the
responses into any kind of meaningful
information.
The consultation period was open for 14
does not agree with this assessment and has
stated that they are in compliance. It’s true
that Swinburne has now complied with the
minimum requirements for consultation
under the guidelines; however it’s also
true that almost every other university
has published more information on their
intentions than Swinburne has.
Even Monash, who were also rated ‘NUS
Condemned’, published detailed information
about the break-up of the revenue long before
it began its consultation process.
The Student Union will be asking for a second
round of consultation, this time
with detailed information about
current and proposed funding
amongst
and information about which
organisation will deliver each service.
consult and engage with their student cohort
on how the revenue from the SSA-Fee is
spent. The guidelines do not come into legal
effect until January 2013 but universities have
been encouraged to comply with them in the
meantime.
Before the priorities were published, the
Student Union accused Swinburne of failing
to comply with the guidelines. Swinburne
You can read the draft
representation guidelines at http://
www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/
Programs/StudentSupport/
StudentServicesandAmenities/Pages/Home.
aspx.
To keep up to date on what’s
happening with the SSA-Fee,
visit www.facebook.com/
WTFSwinburne.
JAMES SEARLE
swinburne bungles SSA-Fee implementation
So, remember that $263 new fee we all had to
pay this year? It was due to be paid or deferred
by the 2nd of March. Newly enrolled students
were mostly OK with this as they would have
paid or deferred the fee on their enrolment
day however returning students needed to
make a special trip to their faculty office in the
first week of semester to defer the fee.
There weren’t any reminder letters sent out
so as should have been expected many (over
1,300) students did not make arrangements
for the SSA-Fee in time and subsequently had
their My.Swinburne accounts locked. This
occurred on a Sunday evening, the day before
Labour Day. Being a public holiday (although
still an academic day) no administration staff
were at work on Monday, which meant that
students in their second week of classes had
no access to the online portal service for at
least 48 hours.
To their credit, after our friends at the
Student Union raised the issue with the ViceChancellor, Swinburne worked quickly to fix
the problem; moving the due date to the 26th
of March and manually unblocking all the
accounts over the next few days.
This sorry situation never should have
happened in the first place. Swinburne clearly
wasn’t ready to begin charging the SSA-Fee
in Semester 1. The student consultation had
barely begun and the systems to process the
fee weren’t in place. They should have waited
for Semester 2, as some other unis like RMIT
have. And why did they make the SSA-Fee
census date different from the HECS-HELP
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
census date in the first place?
It wouldn’t have made a difference if they’d
waited, since they haven’t even doled out any
of the cash yet and don’t intend to until at
least mid-April. The Student Services and the
Student Union haven’t seen an extra cent yet,
so this semester has been doomed to the same
old lacklustre events and services we see every
year.
Presumably the fees collected since January
have been earning interest in Swinburne’s
bank account since the beginning of the year.
This is students’ money that Swinburne is
making a profit from. Will Swinburne reinvest the interest earned into student services
and amenities? It’d be very surprising.
9
Swinburne University of Technology
Hawthorn Campus
Swinburne Indigenous
Student Network
A student-designed and -operated online platform for
connecting and representing Swinburne’s Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander student community.
An online network created by you, for you!
Your opportunity to participate in developing a new student-run
initiative which aims to establish or build on relationships
amongst the Swinburne ATSI student community, together with
students of a non-indigenous background.
Key aims:


to increase the presence of the indigenous
student population on Hawthorn’s campus
to provide opportunities for students to discuss
and raise awareness about indigenous issues that
concern and effect them.
Together, we can learn about and actively raise awareness of
indigenous culture and values, and share that knowledge with
the wider Swinburne community.
There will be activities, events, projects and outings - all
intended to develop awareness of indigenous culture and
values.
It’s all up to you! The bigger the mob, the more ideas that we
can work with. So get on board!
The happiest students are the ones who feel
supported, connected and involved.
Swinburne Indigenous Student Network
Swinburne University of Technology
Hawthorn Campus
Contact: [email protected]
indigenode.ning.com
news&politics
a letter to margaret court
from the SSU queer rep
Dear Margret Court,
rather, the person that it supposedly worked
upon are then in denial about their sexual
orientation once again. I am also aware
that you are of the opinion that same sex
attraction is the result of sexual abuse. This is
also false, and I am quite
aforementioned, ignoring the parts that talk
about how important it is to love one another.
curious to know where such an ridiculous
idea comes from, as this certainly isn’t the
case with myself, any of my same sex attracted
friends, or indeed anyone else that I might
have heard of.
partner, it sends out
the message that same sex attracted persons
don’t deserve the same rights as heterosexual
persons. This reinforces the idea that same
sex attracted persons are lesser beings than
heterosexual persons, and in turn can lead to
suicide by those who cannot deal with their
own sexual preferences.
Recently there have been a number of articles
Regarding the topic of same sex marriage
either written by or quoting you, speaking out
itself, I am troubled by the thought that by
against same sex marriage. In addition to this,
not having the right to marry ones chosen
you speak about same sex attraction
in these articles as if it is something
wrong, or to be removed out of our
society. While I strongly believe
“I cannot help that feel that citing the bible in reference, is doing
in freedom of speech, in this case
yours, it is only fair that others have
nothing more than cherry picking the parts that match your
the opportunity to express their
opinions”
disagreement, particularly since I
am worried about the impact your
words may have.
In particular I am concerned that your words
may have a negative impact upon those who
hear them. I personally came out of the closet
a number of years ago. It was because of the
negative things that those who share your
views would say that I stayed in the closet for
so long. Of course upon coming out I was
no more different a person than before, save
for the fact I was accepting myself. While
today I am quite happy with whom I am,
I find nothing more heartbreaking than to
meet someone who is still in the closet, or to
discover a friend whom I may have thought
was straight is actually, same sex attracted and
really not comfortable with who they are.
Sadly, some people cannot handle being in
this position and instead choose to take their
lives, and thus their families and friends
have to cope with such tragedy. I’m sure that
you will agree with me that this should not
happen, yet negative comments such as yours
help to make persons whom choose to take
such actions decide to do so.
I am aware that you do speak in favour of
therapies that “make” people heterosexual, but
I am certain that such treatments do not work
and
Of course you do say that your set of morals
do come from the bible. However, growing
up in a religious family I was always under
the impression that the most important
thing one could learn from the bible was to
care and love one another, rather than the
idea that a same sex attracted person is bad.
Indeed when I was facing the difficulties of
coming out, it did sometimes feel as though I
was having to choose between hating myself,
while at the same time pretending to be
something that I wasn’t, or having the rest
of the world hate me for who I really was. In
reality those being less accepting were those
vocal persons sharing your views. While I
can say with all honesty that it is likely that I
am not as familiar with the bible as you are,
I cannot help that feel that citing the bible in
reference, is doing nothing more than cherry
picking the parts that match your opinions,
and given the actions taken by some as
I merely hope that you consider your words
more carefully, as a result of the effect that it
may have upon others.
Regards,
“I personally came out of the closet a number of years ago. It
was because of the negative things that those who share
your views would say that I stayed in the closet for so long”
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Andrew Morison
Queer Representative
Swinburne Student Union
13
news&politics
news&politics
kony
swindle
have we been taken for a ride?
“KONY 2012”; the half hour documentary
produced by Invisible Children tapped into
the power of the media in order to reach a
global audience.
The documentary was based upon a Uganda
warlord called Joseph Kony who was
responsible for enslaving more than 30,000
children. It stated that if awareness was raised
for the warlord, he could be found.
However, was it all just one big scam?
a post, none of which is going towards any
sort of cause. By consistently posting every
few minutes in areas like Fashion, Games or
popular sites such as Twitter, they have made
millions on this nonsense and targeted us as
consumers.
We must ask ourselves if this cause really
benefits the children of Uganda. Recently,
Tullow Oil has found over $50 billion worth
of oil in Northern Uganda. Is this just a
coincidence? While the Invisible Children
is a legitimate charity, they are keeping a
majority of the profit for themselves and
are being used by oil companies
Fortunately, more and more people are slowly
starting to catch on. @Konyscam on Twitter
stated yesterday that “it’s evident that The
Invisible Children care more about money
than they care about these children that they
claim need help a.s.a.p.” The twitter account
now has 118,694 followers whom are now
aware that Invisible Children’s tactics are
indeed a scam. However, this awareness still
isn’t enough.
So what is the moral of the story? Don’t
watch the video. Not only are you wasting
half an hour of your day, you just end up
giving money for the advertising funds they
The enslavement of children has been around
for over two decades, so why is action towards
the problem only being taken now?
It’s because Kony is the object
being used to create a scam. Kits
have been made and sold online,
“$13 million has been made, but only $3 million has
including a t-shirt, bracelets,
actually gone to Uganda. Invisible Children paid themselves a
action guide, stickers and posters;
however they are making only
massive salary”
money off them for themselves.
$13 million has been made but
only $3 million has actually gone
to Uganda, that’s only 31% of the money
and banks to encourage American military
receive for themselves and are
raised.
involvement in Uganda.
therefore allowing the scam to continue. As @
Konyscam stated on March 9th “Why would
After the video was made, Invisible Children
Ugandan citizens are beginning to feel
you donate to an organization that gives only
paid themselves a massive salary. They also
offended, stating that “if people …. care
1/3 of its profit to its cause?”
make money on the advertisements on sites
about us, they will not wear shirts with
such as YouTube and Facebook. They’re
Joseph Kony’s face on it. They celebrate our
jessica howard
earning money every time someone shares
suffering”.
14
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
imitation market
the dangers of a ‘legal high’
The label read K2, the warning read may
cause hallucinations if inhaled. This could
be seen as more of an instruction than a
warning. I started laughing at the gall a
person would need to create such a product.
It’s known as the legal high. Imitation
marijuana packaged and sold as incense and
being sold in adult stores and tobacconists,
sometimes openly.
Next to it was a closed cupboard displaying
available cigarettes and prices. The sweet
irony – Tobacco locked up out of sight while
synthetic dope sits innocently out in the open.
The drugs are available in many different
flavours and must be paid for by cash with
no receipt. I’m told the prices are similar to
street-sold marijuana. Professor Copeland
feels that due to the distribution of these
products, potential customers
“You get high within seconds, it only lasts an
hour, and it’s a lot more stronger - a lot more
full on.” The user said, “I know someone who
started panicking one time and had an anxiety
attack.” Out of about 20 people the K2 user
knows to have smoked it, about three have
had more severe reactions.
Professor Copeland is concerned about the
effects of smoking these imitations. “It’s
having all the kinds of effects that one would
Those smoking it the most tend
to be teenagers and young adults,
who often think it is perfectly
legal. I found this hard to believe
“The sweet irony - tobacco locked up out of sight while
and quickly discovered that they
had in fact become illegal after an
synthetic dope sits innocently out in the open”
incident during mid 2011. It was
found that a large proportion of
the mining industry in Western
expect with
Australia were smoking these imitations and
should employ “a healthy skepticism
cannabis but taken up a notch because of the
getting away with it simply because it wasn’t
regarding the quality and accuracy of the
strength of them” she said. “According to the
showing up on drug tests. Some mines were
health and legal information provided by
literature, there have been reports of “acute
detecting up to 30% of the workers having it
retail staff ”.
psychosis and also relapses for those who
in their system.
An anonymous user I spoke to said that when
have experienced cannabis related psychosis”
More than six months after becoming illegal,
buying K2, there was a poster promoting it
“There are a number of case series now of
these imitations (the most common brands
up on the wall. “They sold it over the counter
young people now ending up in accidents and
are K2, Spice and Kronic) are still being sold
and there was nothing to make me think it
in a way that has blurred the lines between
was illegal,” he said. They found the packaging emergencies with severe hallucinations and
high blood pressure and agitation.” Professor
whether they are still legal or not. “It is
confusing too. “It says on the packaging that
understandable that people are confused to
it’s an incense. It’s like they’re trying to make it Copeland remembers a story where “three
some degree about the legal status of synthetic sound legal by saying that it’s an incense, not a seventeen-year-olds had heart attacks as a
result of smoking these products.”
cannabinoids, given they are marketed as legal thing you smoke to get high.”
highs in some locations,” said Professor Jan
These products are definitely illegal. But
The product itself is a potpourris mixture
Copeland, the director of National Cannabis
the laws passed to prevent their use have
of innocent herbs and spices, which are
Prevention and Information Centre.
not deterred users; indeed many are totally
sprayed with chemicals known as synthetic
oblivious to the fact these dangerous drugs
I walked into an adult store myself to find
cannabinoids that mimic the effects of
illegal at all.
Kronic sitting up on the wall behind the
cannabis. The effects of the drug are much
counter.
harder hitting than marijuana and last for a
daniel horsley
shorter period.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
15
news&politics
news&politics
the moral pirate within
is piracy really all bad?
Everyone pirates these days. We’ve all
downloaded something illegally, or shared
something with friends, or even used
something pirated. From watching a movie
at your boyfriend or girlfriend’s house, to
listening to your mate’s favourite new band he
just found the ‘torrent’ for, it’s really easy to
do so to, especially with download speed and
limits on a rise as we push forth into the age
of the Internet.
wikileaks: high-tech terrorists...
...or government watchdogs?
While I do concede that some of what
beyond. “This distribution of information
‘Who watches the watchmen?’ Being a comic
Wikileaks publishes could be considered a
to the public has done much for keeping
book fan I feel this quote is very close to
risk to national security, in particular the
governments and prominent private
my heart. More importantly though, being
490,000 documents relating to the Iraq and
organisations liable for their own actions.
a politically minded individual I feel the
Afghanistan war published in 2010, the
Due to the very nature of Wikileaks
question is very important and
applicable to many situations.
Who watch’s the government?
This is where Wikileaks steps
in. Through the help of its large
“Wikileaks has managed to bring the secret actions of
web of contributors, Wikileaks
governments to light and revolutionize the playing field for
has managed to bring the secret
actions of governments to light
freedom of information in a way that nothing has since the
and revolutionize the playing field
Pentagon Papers of 1971”
for freedom of information in a
way that nothing has since the
Pentagon Papers of 1971.
Their activism started in 2006 with the
publication of documents that permitted the
assassination of government officials signed
by a prominent Somali sheik. Their first big
break however was in November 2007, with
the publication of Guantanamo bay protocol
documents that revealed that some prisoners
were kept out of bounds from Redcross
advisers, a fact that the US government had
repeatedly denied. Since then the organization
it is not very surprising
that governments and private organizations
aren’t very willing to align themselves or
provide support to the organization. This
only enhances Wikileaks’ image as a force
for good, due to the fact that for the most
part it runs off of the donations and support
of the ordinary person. Indeed, much of
the support they do receive comes from the
“If no one watches the governments, we’ll be the ones that
pay when they stuff up”
has published documents ranging from
Sarah Palins emails to Scientology bibles and
Internet educated youth that forms much of
our generation.
information that the general public does glean
from these documents make the trade-off
more than worth it. For examples of the brutal
truths that these documents tell, do a Google
search for the video Collateral Murder, a
leaked video that shows the twitchy trigger
fingers of some American pilots in Iraq. It is a
prime example of how, through the dispersal
of government documents, informed
opinions of real issues can be formed
and people can get a better idea of
the terrible things their governments
are capable of.
As a believer in the power of nonprofit organizations like this and a
believer of social change, I would
implore you to take a look at the
mission of this organistion and form
your own opinions. If no one watches
the governments, we’ll be the ones that pay
when they stuff up.
Almost all of us have internet connections,
in fact the Australian Bureau of Statistics
tell us that 73% of homes had a broadband
connection in 2011. That’s 6.2 million homes.
With so many people connected it’s no
surprise that we share online. No doubt you
would have heard about the shutdown of
the site MegaUpload, or the lawsuit against
peer-to-peer sharing site The Pirate Bay.
If you followed these stories closely, the
fear-mongering from US politicians and
officials would have come up. Major sites
like Wikipedia protested in support of a free
internet, by shutting down their site for 24
hours. Even President Obama got in on the
act, saying that he would block a proposed
bill to censor the internet if it made it to
Congress. All downloading of copyrighted
material without permission from the holder
is a form of theft. All artists, be they film-
landmark court case in 2010 involving iiNet
and 34 film studios. The studios took iiNet to
court, saying that it did nothing to prevent
its customers from ‘illegally downloading’
content. If it had been a legal case, it would
have been iiNet versus the state, rather than
the film studios.
If we think about it, the chances of getting
caught by someone in a position to sue are
low. For instance, MegaUpload, recently shut
down by the US Department of Justice, was
accessed by over 82 million different users. Is
it reasonable to expect lawsuits against each
individual?
going to cause the authors to lose money,
because without the internet, these students
would have never seen the work, or would
have borrowed the book, which ends in the
same monetary gain for the writer. Copyright
laws in Australia have a term called ‘fair
dealing’ which allows us to use copyrighted
material for educational purposes under
certain circumstances. Surely morally, if not
legally, we can extend this grey area of the law
to encapsulate the plight of a financially poor
student?
When it comes to music or film, the ease
of which we can access this media with the
internet is a positive. By saturating ourselves
Furthermore, not all of those users who
with music or film, the poorer work gets
accessed MegaUpload infringed copyright.
filtered out from the quality. This in turn leads
Swinburne’s own Karen Savage for instance,
to a higher standard of media being produced
used MegaUpload to share her work and
by artists, because they are aware that if they
information she had with colleagues. So if
want to make it, they have to shine much
anytime anybody wants to launch a lawsuit
more brightly than the others, all of which
against someone for accessing certain
are available at the click of a button. Most
websites, they will have to consider the sheer
people, if they really enjoy an artist, will pay
numbers of users who do the same and then
to go and see them, pay for a CD or a t-shirt
determine what exactly they downloaded in
at the show, or purchase the DVD for their
order to have a case. What makes this harder
collection because they love it. Having it all
as well is that Internet Service Providers
available on the internet allows artists to reach
(ISPs) have the right to delete customer’s
people they wouldn’t have been able to before,
information, at least in Australia. The
and having their work ‘stolen’ is turning out
government has proposed a data retention
profitable in the long run. Notable
examples of popular bands that
have realised this are Nine Inch
Nails and Radiohead, who both
“Surely morally, if not legally, we can extend this grey area
released albums which where free
for download, but could also be
of the law to encapsulate the plight of a financially poor
purchased by fans. This led to
massive hype for both bands, and
student?”
led to an expansion of their fan
base. This worked because they
knew people were going to obtain
scheme, but under the current privacy laws
their albums for free regardless.
makers,
it would be illegal, which sent the plan back to
musicians, authors and even coders of
Internet copyright infringement, commonly
the drawing board.
computer programs need to make money
known as piracy, is illegal. But for you, the
from their work to survive, despite the fact
Despite massive rallies against internet piracy,
individual, it is more of a moral issue. Your
that most of them do not ‘create’ to make
is it really a bad thing all the time? Take for
own consciences are the only real opposition
money to begin with. But in the wake of
example your average student. A lot of us
to the individual downloading copyrighted
all the hubbub, should you, a student and
are living on small salaries, or relying on
material. The internet has made everything
a consumer, give a shit about what you
Centrelink to get us by financially. Can we
available to us easily and for free. This in
download?
really justify spending hundreds of dollars on
turn has created a generation of far more
schoolbooks in order to get us through our
discerning consumers, meaning the standard
In Australia, the issue of sharing content that
time at university, when this money has to be
of work must rise for it to be noticed above
breaches copyright law is a civil issue, rather
used to eat? It is a testament to the modern
the crowd. If we can live with ourselves
than a legal one. This means that if you are
student’s adroitness to have harnessed the
pirating, then society is better and freer
caught downloading illegally you are liable to
because of it.
be sued, rather than being arrested or fined by internet as a financial aid by using it to find
and distribute the required texts. This is not
a law enforcement body. Take for instance the
Adam van Geleuken
pieter clark
16
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
17
creativearts
creativearts
renee graham
18
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
19
enter shikari
bon iver
at billboard
at sydney myer music bowl
In the most ethereal of settings,
Bon Iver mesmerized the sold out
Melbourne audience who immersed
themselves with the nine piece
outfit. Justin Vernon was even more
exquisite and powerful in the flesh
than in the two records which
brought the twelve thousand or so to
Bon Iver’s biggest show yet.
“There aren’t too many live acts that you see in a year let
alone a lifetime where you can say that you were absolutely
captivated by the artist before you”
Opening with the bombastic Perth, it was
blatantly obvious that Vernon was making
full use of his new band that had helped him
record his second album. The two thundering
drum kits were a welcome surprise, they
were a far cry from the relaxed nature of his
albums. And while Vernon himself is the
face of the band, it definitely wasn’t all about
him. The presence of each and every member
was felt with a number of sound scapes each
combining with a stunning beauty that you
might have expected. From the incredible
saxophonist solo that went far too
transfixed
with the wondrous displays of musicianship
before them.
Starting with songs largely from their selftitled second album, Flume was the first
from For Emma, Forever Ago. Vernon did
little interaction with the crowd but when he
did what he had to offer was more than just
mere audience chit-chat. Using a metaphor
to measure time against your toothpaste
tube before he held the stage alone for
the resplendent Stacks was undoubtedly a
highlight. In fact, the only word you could use
to describe each song played is magnificence,
“The two thundering drum kits were a welcome surprise,
they were a far cry from the relaxed nature of his albums”
humanly long to the euphoric heights at the
climactic end of Blood Bank, there was only
one possible outcome for the audience; to be
20
or at least something to that effect.
The crowd was robbed (or spared) of an
image: joe dilworth
entertainment
entertainment
encore as
the band closed in on the ‘curfew’ and despite
Vernon’s declaration that “we don’t fucking
do curfews”, he relented to allow the crowd
to revel in the remaining songs that he had
to offer. While Skinny Love was an obvious
crowd favourite, there was nothing more
spectacular than hearing twelve thousand
people sing; “what might have been lost” as
directed.
There aren’t too many live acts that you see
in a year let alone a lifetime where you can
say that you were absolutely captivated by the
artist before you, to the point where
you forget everything else around
you and Bon Iver demands this kind
of attention. At the conclusion of the
gig, where Vernon himself seemed
genuinely chuffed by the audience
turn out and subsequent response,
the only word you could use to
describe what you had witnessed was
‘fuck’. Mind Blown.
Corey Tonkin
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Anyone who knows me knows I’m
a huge Enter Shikari fan. I’d been
looking forward to this gig for
months. It would be the first time I
heard any of the songs from their
latest album, A Flash Flood Of
Colour, played live.
“I’m pleased to note that the crowds have finally learned how
to clap in time”
I moved up close for Enter Shikari’s set.
Despite being stuck to the far left of the stage,
a few people back from the barrier, I had
the time of my life. The lads claimed to have
gone from “jet lag to general insomnia” after
flying from Japan straight to Australia without
a break. Thankfully, they
followed suit, with plenty of opportunities for
screaming lyrics and dubstep breakdowns.
Sometimes it felt more like a party than a gig,
and that’s never a bad thing.
Another offering from the latest album,
Search Party, and then the set took a change
of pace. Singer Rou Reynolds picked up an
acoustic guitar and
highlight.
The crowd loved it, and so did the band. If
you’ve never seen Enter Shikari perform,
their gigs consist of plenty of running around,
mayhem and crowd surfing, by crowd and
band alike. Both Rou and guitarist Rory
Clewlow indulged in crowd surfing, and I was
able to touch Rory’s arm at one point. Fangirl
moment.
Sssnakepit ended the gig in
spectacular fashion, since they played
two versions of it, a remix and the
original. These lads are fond of a good
remix, and obviously their fans are
too.
“If you’ve never seen Enter Shikari perform, their gigs consist
of plenty of running around, mayhem and crowd surfing”
didn’t let their exhaustion slow them
down one bit.
Opening with the epic combination of
System… and Meltdown, the crowd was
receptive and completely insane from the
get-go. They followed with their most famous
offering so far, Sorry You’re Not A Winner,
and I’m pleased to note that the crowds have
finally learned how to clap in time.
Destabilise and Motherstep/Mothership
treated the crowd to a rendition of one of my
favourite songs of AFFOC, Stalemate. This
song really proves Rou’s talent as a singer
rather than a screamer, and it was one of the
highlights of the gig for me.
Quelle Surprise and Juggernauts were chaotic,
and by this point water was being poured
all over the crowd by the wonderful security
guards, and I couldn’t tell what was sweat and
what was water.
This gig was the best way to spend a Tuesday
night. I moshed, danced, sweated and sang
until my throat hurt. There isn’t a better
feeling than seeing your favourite band live
and being able to interact with them. I hope
Enter Shikari grace Australia’s shores again
soon, a year and a half was too long to wait!
I’d rate this gig 10/10, but let’s be honest, I’m a
little biased.
Arguing With Thermometers was an absolute
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Eleni Pitman
21
entertainment
entertainment
across the pond
With two members of Tame Impala fame,
Pond are ready to make it as their own entity
with their latest album, Beard, Wives, Denim
finally getting it’s release as we found out
when the Swine caught up with Jay.
There’s a huge possibility that you’ve probably
never heard of Pond and it might be an
even bigger surprise that they’re currently
promoting their fourth album. Why have you
never heard of the first three before? Well,
aside from the fact that psychedelic rock isn’t
really burning up the charts right now, as Jay,
the drummer puts it; “The first two (albums)
were just ridiculous, they were just like crazy
Mighty Boosh sort of acid rock, I find them
quite unlistenable really, but they were fun to
make”.
Not a glowing endorsement by any stretch,
but Pond’s affiliation with Tame Impala
and the success of Innerspeaker has greatly
affected the release of Beard, Wives, Denim
which was recorded way back in 2010. Two
years is a long time waiting for a record to be
released and while “logistical and contractual
sort of things” was the reason given for the
delay, Jay admits that “we probably wouldn’t
be getting a look in if it wasn’t for Tame
Impala. So I’m not kicking myself about that”.
But for those wondering the difference
between the two bands? “Pond is its own
thing, it has its own personality. It’s more
of a group effort, Tame Impala is more of
Kevin’s thing. And it’s a bit sillier and not as
well-crafted. That might be its strength, it’s
shambolicness.”
Calling it a “silly good time” is one thing and
while admitting that the album does have
some heavy themes Jay warns that; “if you
expect it to be really serious, you probably
won’t like it. There’s also songs on there that
are just absolutely about nothing, that we
thought were funny.”
The title of the album, Beard, Wives, Denim
is enough to convince you that Jay was right
about them not being an earnest band as he
explains the story behind it. “It’s kind of like
22
a parody of the rock ‘n’ roll cliché of bands
having enough of being bands and the lifestyle
of them moving to the country and growing
a beard and moving in with their wives and
wearing double denim. You know George
Harrison on the cover of Abbey Road? Total
beard, wives, denim vibe going on there.”
The album was recorded at a friend’s house in
Eagle Bay, Western Australia where the band
slept outside in tents turning the farmhouse
into a temporary studio. It took just a week to
record with the pop part of the songs formed
before they set out to make the album. “We
just immersed ourselves in it, it was intense, it
was really intense because we were just getting
fucked up and recording all day (laughs).”
Amongst some bizarre incidents like drawing
farm cows to the house whilst in the middle
of three minute long jam sessions, the band
utilised the bathroom to record vocals.
Something that has been well documented in
the press but Jay debunked the fact as nothing
special. “A lot of home recorders record in the
bathroom. I don’t think it’s that big of a thing
but I guess it sounds kind of freaky. It’s just
got a cool reverb in there, a cool echo.”
It’s obvious that the band are happy that the
album is now finally released but Jay’s feeling
of “detachment” towards the record shows the
obvious downside of the two year wait. “Your
music is related to where you’re in life, and
now we’re relating to where we were in life
two years ago. So it’s kinda weird like that. But
at least we can get on with the next one.”
Pond are already looking towards the future,
with the band heading back into the studio
to record the fifth album in May, tentatively
titled ‘Man it Feels like Space Again’. Songs
off the forthcoming album will be road tested
during their tour, Jay stating that they’re
“next level songs, a lot more realised”. But
when we get to hear this new album will be
another thing, with Tame Impala’s second LP
reportedly coming our way mid-2012 and the
likely tour, where he hinted at a Splendour in
the Grass appearance. Let’s just hope that the
next Pond album won’t be two years in the
waiting.
Review
Straight off the bat, this album differs greatly
from Innerspeaker, although they both share
similarities in the psychedelia that is present.
But if you’re not a Tame Impala fan or a fan of
the genre than don’t even bother. Pond is far
less focused and without restraint, forgoing
much of the general song structure that we
know of today. In fact most of the time you
spend listening to the album you deliberate
on whether this a band just jamming in their
garage for the hell of it, or if this is a serious
rock ‘n’ roll group taking us on a musical
journey not seen since the early music of Yes.
While the songs on Beard, Wives, Denim start
out with rock and pop sensibilities that most
songs quite often do, where they differentiate
themselves from the standard track is when
you find yourself stuck midway through
a two-minute jam. Much like on the head
banging Leisure Pony, or from the ending of
Mystery which beholds a gorgeous riff and
then to the ambitious Eye Pattern Blindness.
Then there are the songs which start mellow
before taking you on a few turns of tempo
changes. Fantastic Explosion of Time greets
you with its crazy yet inane tendencies; within
its silly nature you’ll find the brilliance of the
opening track.
If you take Beard, Wives, Denim too seriously
than you will fail to immerse yourself in the
albums guilty pleasures. You can quite easily
get lost in the songs which take you on a roller
coasters worth of up’s, downs and rhythm
changes. Sometimes you lose track of where
songs end and begin. It’s a musical adventure
that you need to take at least five times to fully
appreciate what Pond have crafted. But for
those searching for another hit of psychedelic
music, than this is one album that I highly
recommend.
The Shins
Last Dinosaurs
In A Million Years
Home Again
With a few new band members, Port of
Morrow sounds a little more mainstream rock
but don’t worry, the brilliance of the Shins that
you know and love hasn’t been compromised.
The apparent melancholy seems to have been
largely left behind for more upbeat, family
friendly and immediate textures. Throughout
Port of Morrow there are sprawling layers of
synth soundscapes that adds a touch of the
weird factor. It’s the general song structures
that make The Shins latest effort easily the
most accessible album they’ve ever recorded.
Laden with keys and radiant guitar hooks,
James Mercer is also happy to lend a few more
urgent vocals to the mix.
Last Dinosaurs debut album is an easy to
listen too excitement machine. Exciting
because it will probably be one of the most
entertaining listens you’ll have this side of
2012.
Dubbed the most promising act of the year
as the winner of BBC’s Sound of 2012 Poll,
Michael Kiwanuka could have done without
the added expectation and buzz.
Each song has a convolution which gives
them their distinctiveness yet they’re simply
so easy to like. Port of Morrow successfully
sounds seemingly cheerful without the band
comprising any of their luster. Port of Morrow
only hints at being bizarre with its foray into
more enveloping synth arrangements. But at
times the upbeat and slightly safe formation,
which is responsible for the make-up of the
tracks on the record, contains their cleverness
into something more satisfying rather than
exceptional. It’s not a bold affirmation for a
band that released their last album in 2007.
But that’s not to undermine what’s impressive
about Port of Morrow. Its buoyant attitude
sometimes masks the complexity of the
songs and this is where most will mistakenly
criticise it. The Shins fourth album though,
is an example of a band trying to make a
vivacious record and given time you will
realise that they have pulled it off.
The record is heavily guitar-based, much like
what we’ve been hearing from England in
years past. In places it can also have a synth
touch not unlike Foster the People, which you
can hear on Weekend. The diversity is shown
on the ballistic I Can’t Decide where Caskey
screams to almost grunge-like levels. The
album should stamp Last Dinosaurs as one
of Australia’s most enthralling bands. Unlike
many debuts it doesn’t falter with a sense of
immaturity and this might be because it’s
taken the band a while to put it together. But
In A Million Years has finally been given birth
too and with it should come a swag of praise
and many a new fan, it more than deserves all
that it earns.
Port of Morrow
In A Million Years is an electric mix of the
most infectious guitar riffs you will hear all
year and pop that won’t fail to spring your
body into action. From the undeniable Zoom,
which quickly becomes lodged in your brain,
to the Irish tinged chords on I Can’t Help
You, this is a debut which is anything but
dull, lively as hell and begs to be listened to
repeatedly.
Michael Kiwanuka
He isn’t fussed with making bold first
impressions, he’s quite content to do things
in his own time. Tell a Tale takes you for a
backward trip through to time, his soul and
jazz opens the record with soothing tones
of intrigue without breaking the spectacular
barrier. The songs aren’t able to hold their own
without being played as a full entity. While
Rest and I Won’t Lie might sound harmonious
enough, they could also lull you to sleep.
There are however times when the tranquillity
is pulled off in a way that its beauty is more
apparent than its pace. Always Waiting wins
you over with its dazzling composure and
Any Day Will Do Fine has a warm charm
worth waiting for. Home Again is anything but
forced, calm and composed. It’s soulful subtly
will lure some over but it’s lacking in a more
apparent emotional strength will bore those
looking for something that’s easier to relate
with.
While it may not be the most brilliant album
you’ll hear this year, it gets away with being
aesthetically pleasing and those looking for
relaxing background music, go no further
than here.
8.3/10
Corey Tonkin
Corey Tonkin
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
23
literature
literature
10 books
you must
read
before you die
A very wise man once said “you can never
be overdressed or overeducated”. This wise
man was Oscar Wilde. Never heard of him?
Maybe you’ve seen the movie based on a
play of his, starring Colin Firth and Rupert
Everett, better yet; maybe you’ve actually read
his play The Importance of Being Earnest.
No? Too busy drinking beer and kicking back
listening to 3SSR? Don’t worry, I get it¬–we’re
uni students, we don’t get around to anything
(well I mean, we do but only the night before
it’s due, right?).
life might be a little extreme, but the items
on the following list are not only classics or
timeless pieces of work, they’re an institution
for the mind to develop, to explore ideas and
concepts that were deemed too radical for the
time they were written. Some of these books
are simply for entertainment value and offer
nothing more than a pleasant escape with
an enchanting storyline while others, will
lead your mind down a path and into the life
of those who experienced a much different
world to the one we know today.
Now, if the title didn’t lose you at ‘books’ then
I’ve probably still got your attention. Great!
Stick around a little longer and I might just
change your life. Okay so changing your
So in-between bungee-jumping and
skydiving, I urge you; place this list of books
to read before you die on your bucket list
and if you do get around completing that list,
you’ll have done something great for yourself,
I promise.
The following are in no particular order as
they all hold their own greatness in their
unique way.
Remember that pesky English teacher you
had in high school that was always urging you
to open your mind, broaden your horizons
and read more? Well maybe, just maybe, they
actually had a point. Pick up one of these
books and give it a read, and if it doesn’t
educate or entertain you then at least it helped
you procrastinate from study for a little.
Caroline Baker
To Kill a Mockingbird The Catcher in the Rye The Five People You
J.D. Salinger
Harper Lee
Meet in Heaven
It was written that In the twentieth century,
To Kill a Mockingbird is probably ‘the
most widely read book dealing with race in
America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch,
the most enduring fictional image of racial
heroism’. This novel is a classic in modern
American literature; it is both humorous and
sensitive of issues of racial inequality.
Nineteen
Eighty-Four
Ever wondered where the concept of that
trashy TV show Big Brother came from? Well
it was derived from a concept created by Mr.
Orwell. The novel of a totalitarian future
society in which a man whose daily work
is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling
in love. This book explores theories far too
advanced for the time of its writing.
The Perks of Being a
Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Cleverly narrated via letters from a socially
awkward and shy freshman by the name of
Charlie to an anonymous person. Readers
follow the development of the protagonist as
he is taken under the wing of two seniors. The
story explores topics such as introversion and
the awkward times of adolescence.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe
Mitch Albom
This novel may come of a comfort to you if
you hold a fear of death or have lost a loved
one. Many people have ideas of what awaits
them after death, Albom explores a beautiful
concept that I believe could not have been
written as flawlessly if by any other author.
C.S. Lewis
George Orwell
24
The seventeen-year-old narrator and
protagonist, addresses readers directly from
a mental hospital in southern California. The
novel explores themes of teenage confusion,
angst, alienation, and rebellion.
Without a doubt a fabulous read for a person
of any age. It is the tale of four siblings and
their adventures in the enchanting and
fictional world of Narnia. Entertaining
and creative, this novel was a gateway for a
wonderfully creative series of novels by Lewis.
A Thousand Splendid
Suns
Of Mice and Men
You might of recognised this author, Hosseini
was the mastermind behind The Kite Runner.
This novel is a breathtaking story. It is a
perfectly articulated history told through the
experience of two generations of characters
and their struggle for survival, happiness and
hope of raising a family during the volatile
events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years.
John Steinbeck
Set in harsh times, two men just trying to
achieve the ‘American Dream’. An honest tale
of friendship and hard work. It’s a short read
as Steinbeck, a true artist of words, doesn’t
need much to produce a classic tale that will
never be forgotten.
The Diary of a
Young Girl
Anne Frank
An imperative read. To truly understand
the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands one
must read the diary kept by a fifteen year old
girl whom spent two years in hiding with
her family. Her memory will live on forever
through her words like that of Sadako and the
Thousand Paper Crane.
Khaled Hosseini
The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss
I don’t care how old you are. Read it. It is
clever like all Dr. Seuss’ creations. It will bring
you happiness and take you back to your
childhood. Obviously it’s not a complicated
read and it isn’t intended as a tool to spark
intellectual conversation at the dinner table.
But it is delightful and should most certainly
be enjoyed by everyone in their lifetime.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
25
food&drink
food&drink
dumpling noodle soup
the minzhu review:
chester white
I’m a culinary fanatic at heart. Everything to
do with food intrigues me. The aromas, the
ingrediants origin, the prep-work and the
presentation of the dish. It all stems from an
array of childhood memories, my beautiful
Grandmother Beatrice who never faltered
in the kitchen, or as a caring and generous
human being. I’m also lucky enough to have a
very broad palate, giving anything a go at least
once and, if I like it, I will always happily go
for seconds.
That said; I love going out for food as well. If I
had my way I wouldn’t be purchasing so many
cans of tuna from Costco (due to my tertiary
education and lack of funds). Instead, I’d be
happily critiquing a new restaurant every
week and giving people an inside scoop before
they make a booking. Unfortunately, that’s
not possible. So this is for those special times
you do get to throw a little more cash around
than usual, be it for that anniversary, birthday
dinner, or Valentine’s Day, here’s somewhere I
prepared earlier.
Chester White
“Classy but not pretentious”
302 Burwood Road Hawthorn Vic 3122
Ph: (03) 9819 2200
Open: Mon – Thur 5:30 PM to Late
Fri – Sun 12:00 PM to Late.
Making a booking at this restaurant was a
selflessly selfish act on my account. Chester
White had had so much hype since it opened
in 2011 (the co owner is George Sykiotis) that
I was quite desperate to quash my curiosity.
Walking passed the restaurant everyday on
the way to uni, I felt like a little kid trying to
peer into the upstairs dining without being
spotted by the wait staff.
My roommate, Mia, and I decided to go on a
Wednesday evening. This is their BYO night
and we’d had a bottle of white that Mia and I
had saved for a special occasion.
We decided to start with char-grilled lamb
koftas, harissa and minted yoghurt on a bed of
couscous ($12). The bright colours and simple
26
presentation made for an easy share plate to
get the ball rolling.
Mia immediately had her eye on the specials
board and decided almost instantly that the
char-grilled swordfish with chorizo, octopus
and mash with wilted spinach and red wine
jus was going to be her main ($34).
I planted my eyes on the char-grilled Wagyu
beef rump, red wine and shallot butter with
hand-cut chips ($32).
Mia had reported back favorably that the
swordfish was divine. The flavors worked
harmoniously together and the presentation
of the dish was well executed. I was impressed
with the presentation of the Wagyu, which
was delicately and evenly fanned across my
plate, tender and not overcooked (medium
rare, as requested).
By this point I’d taken a keen interest on the
smaller details of the evening. The waiters
had continuously filled our water glasses
when they began to fall low, as with our wine.
Our mains had arrived at the same time, at
a reasonable rate after our starter, and the
atmosphere seemed reasonably busy for a
Wednesday evening. On another note, I’m not
a huge fan of children, but I noticed that the
restaurant was designed to be ‘kid-friendly’.
There was an array of pencils and paper
on offer by the waitress on the floor for the
evening, keeping the little ones entertained at
the table behind me.
By the time we had finished our mains we
were both gastronomically filled to the brim.
We decided to share a Coeur à la crème,
poached rhubarb and strawberries ($14). I
was informed that this was French for “heart
with cream”. The dish was sweet but not sickly,
with the Coeur à la crème having the texture
of cream cheese and a slight tang of natural
yoghurt. It made for a decadent discovery
upon tasting. I decided since I was reviewing
the culinary delights and wait staff, to test
the manager and see if he could take positive
criticism with a grain of salt. After taking our
plates and asking how we enjoyed our meal,
I informed him that, although the texture
of the dessert was lovely, my suggestion was
to create a ‘deconstructed rhubarb crumble’
$10 budget recipe
over the winter season, to add a little more
depth to the dish over the colder months. He
happily thanked me for my suggestion and I
was informed he would let the kitchen know
of my proposal.
Indo Mie Mi Goreng instant noodles are a
well known staple of any student kitchen and
many fantastic meals can be created using this
simple ingredient as a base.
Since my trusty food review partner in crime
was a wine fanatic, I entrusted her to choose
something from their wine list to compliment
our dessert. The wine list at Chester White is
broad, with half and half from Australian and
European decent. Our waiter was comfortable
with wine recommendations and suggested
the Poggiotondo ‘Toscana Bianco’ Vermentino
IGT, Tuscany Italy ($8 per glass) that we were
happy to share. He came back with two small
glasses of wine in hand and informed us that
if we were sharing, we should have two glasses
to savour the flavours. This was a nice touch
on their part.
This is a Mi Goreng take on Dumpling
Noodle Soup using standard issue Pork and
Cabbage Frozen dumplings from the local
Asian Grocer.
By the time the night wrapped up I decided
I was satisfied with the service they offered,
as well as the recommendations given and
the quality of food overall. If you’re still
unsure whether or not dinner would suit
your occasion, Chester White also offers a
$19 lunch special with pizza and a glass of
house wine or tap beer. Either way, it was
refreshingly surprising to see that Chester
White’s classiness doesn’t come with a
pretentious price tag.
Pros: immaculate presentation. By far one
of the cleanest and pristine venues I’ve
enjoyed. The open planned kitchen brings
the back of house to its customers. Hectic
but well organized, making them part of the
entertainment while waiting for your meal.
Cons: the sound carries slightly like in the
Swinburne Atrium, which wouldn’t usually
bother me too much but we were hoping for
something a little more intimate. Also, the
rectangular table we were seated on was very
small. Once the drinks and the meals had
arrived we needed a lot more space.
Entrées: $15
Dessert: $15
Mains: $32
Coffee: Signature
Nicole Robinson
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Instructions
1.
1Steam Dumplings over medium heat
until cooked (30-40 min).
2.
2Place Noodles in a serving bowl. Add
bean shoots, dumplings and a sprinkle of
pre-fried onions.
3.
3Prepare broth by combining boiling
water, Mi Goreng flavour sachets, peas,
chilli and soy sauce to taste. Boil until
peas are cooked.
Pour broth over the noodles, cover and
sit until noodles are cooked.
Ingredients
•
1 Packet Indo Mie Mi Goreng Instant
Noodle
4.
•
4-6 Frozen Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
•
2 Cups Boiling Water
•
1/2 Cup Frozen Peas
•
1 Handful Bean Shoots
•
Pre-Fried Onions
*This recipe uses Doree fried onions and
ABC Extra Hot Chilli Sauce. These can be
found at many Asian supermarkets for a few
dollars each and are excellent multi-purpose
condiments.
•
Chilli Sauce
•
Soy Sauce
*Peas and bean shoots are used but any
vegetable matter found in the fridge or on
special can be substituted (Recommendations
here; cabbage, carrot, mushrooms).
Do you know how to eat
for $10? We want your $10
budget recipes!
Email your recipe and a photo
of your delicious but cheap
dish to [email protected]!
Suzy Creamcheese & Raoul Duke
does this look like you at a morning class?
we’ve got you covered.
free breakfast
monday-thursday 8am-10am
at the union bar - level 3 UN building, Hawthorn
monday 8:30-10:30am
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
at the quad, Prahran
27
science
survivalguide
why i joined the union
it’s not just about the parties
having an absolute
copper nanotube of a day?
dr. shamrock investigates
In any field of Research, the main goal of
Therefore you have to feel sorry for these
which in the end leads to an unfortunate
a research team is to produce and publish
poor bastards from China- first author being
abbreviation which many people in our
articles showing their work.
D. Yang and leader being L. Zhang. In
society- namely women- disapprove of.
The amount of time and effort
that goes into producing
results that can be published
“The chemical symbol for Copper is Cu which would give us
can be enormous. Then, once
the results are produced it
a Copper nanotube which in the end leads to an unfortunate
can just about be as difficult
abbreviation”
to get them published and
noticed around the world.
The work must be presented
in a succinct manner more suited to a wider
their paper “Electrochemical synthesis
The humorous thing is that this abbreviation
audience and you must prove that your
of metal and semimetal nanotube- nanowire
is absolutely littered through this paper and,
work is in the greater interest of the wider
heterojunctions and their electronic transport
in many points, put into quite suggestive
community. These articles influence several
properties,” they discuss a new kind of
contexts. A few example would be “It can
factors: Whether a researcher is employable,
nanotube.
be seen that the Copper nanotubes are quite
the amount of funding a research group
Don’t
worry
I
won’t
go
into
detail,
all
you
uniform with a smooth surface,” and “walls of
gets, and the overall reputation of a group or
need to know is that previously there have
the Copper nanotube being much thinner.”
researcher.
been Carbon nanotubes (CNT’s) and Silicon
So anyway people often avoid the slang term
Other problems can arise due to the language
nanotubes (SiNT’s). These guys decided it
by saying things like “see you next tuesday” or
barrier as research happens all around the
would be nice to form a metallic nanotube so
“caring understanding nineties type.” Copper
world. Most papers are published in English
they chose Copper nanotube. I need to point
nanotube might just be another way to say the
so this can cause problems for non-English
out here that the chemical symbol for Copper
speaking people to get their work out there.
is Cu which would give us a Copper nanotube bad word politely.
Dr. Shamrock
28
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Maybe I should have become a social worker.
independent organization that is separate
Along with the important stuff, also comes
I find no greater joy than helping those
from the University. This means that our
the fun stuff. This includes parties, barbecues,
from less fortunate countries than my own
purpose is to represent your needs and affairs
free breakfast four days a week and different
or helping those around me. My name is
to the best of our ability. In turn, if you’re not
social events, such as trivia and comedy
Nikki Robinson, and I’m this year’s Access
sure about something, or feel like you need
nights in our UN Bar to keep things easy
and Equity Officer for Swinburne
help figuring out where to go regarding an
breezy between classes. These public events
Student Union. By this stage
are
you’re probably thinking “Right,
well they’re just a bunch of words,
“We want to make a positive difference and ensure you get to
what do they actually stand for,
enjoy your time on campus, with hard work, dedication to your
and how can you help me?” My
role means that I get to affiliate
studies and a few laughs along the way”
with a range of great Welfare
Representatives from our council,
while working towards improving
our campus culture. This can come from an
issue, you can come to us and we can point
array of avenues. Campaigns and fundraisers,
you in the right direction.
important, because it creates a social network
committees and departments associated with
on campus that lets you guys get to know us a
One of our newest prospects we’ve taken
representative roles, minority groups, social,
little better. It’s not just about the parties; we’re
up this year is our resurrected independent
academic, cultural, health and wellbeing
here for a chat and will endeavour to see to
student run magazine ‘The Swine’. I couldn’t
and student representation as a whole. In a
that your voices are heard. We want to make
be more proud of all the amazing people that
nutshell, it means that there is a huge variety
a positive difference and ensure you get to
decided to contribute and volunteer their
of people associated with the Union that are
enjoy your time on campus, with hard work,
tireless hours to this project. It might be
here to assist you.
dedication to your studies and a few laughs
contentious to some, but censorship in society along the way.
Our constitution states that to be a
today is rampant. If you have an opinion, and
nominated SSU representative, you must
you want to speak on it, why not write about
If you see us floating around campus, working
be enrolled as a student. This is one of my
it? This isn’t to say that it will definitely make
behind the bar, handing out free snags or find
favourite prerequisites, because it projects
page four of our magazine, but we have an
yourself in the same class as one of us, come
an understanding that when and if you ever
avenue where if you want to, you can voice
say g’day! We’re a friendly bunch who would
feel like speaking to one of us, you know
your opinion to the larger demographic
love to get to know as many new students
that we’ve either been there, done it, can
on campus. As my mother always told me
as possible. As my esteemed colleague and
sympathize with your situation or get where
“Well behaved women rarely make history”
friend Mark Briers says with the unofficial
you’re coming from. To be fair, even if we
- and lads, this goes for you too! Having a
slogan of the SSU “Get amongst it!”
haven’t, more than likely we know someone,
democratically elected student council and a
nicole robinson
probably one of our peers, who have dealt
magazine that allows students from all walks
Access & Equity Officer
with something similar. Another reason why
of life to have their work published is a pretty
Swinburne Student Union
I love working for the SSU, is that we’re an
amazing accomplishment.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
29
fashion
survivalguide
the dreaded
morning after
Everyone dreads the morning after a big night
out and that feeling of wanting to lie comatose
in bed for the rest of your life, or the desperate
attempt trying numerous crazy remedies
to try and cure it, often worsening it than
making it better.
There are many fake solutions out there,
and I’m here to bust them for you. Some
I’ve learnt from experience but others are
just plain obvious. But first, I think you
need to know a little bit of the technical side
of a hangover, yes there is one. Basically a
hangover is a combination of a build up of
alcohol, dehydration and vitamin deficiencies.
The build up of alcohol in your system is
actually the worst aspect of the hangover,
considering that alcohol is a depressant, and
slows your whole body system down to such
an extreme level that it can’t keep up with
anything.
So putting all that aside, here are a few things
that you should and shouldn’t do, to
headache but as soon as the pill wears off,
the headache won’t be any better than when
it started. It’s best to do things to fight off the
problem, like having a banana, as it’s a simple
fix that doesn’t take much effort to prepare
and restores the vitamin levels in your body.
All those people on the Berocca bandwagon
have got it right as well—the Berocca helps
the same way as a banana. Going for a jog or
doing some form of exercise may be the last
thing on your mind, but it does help. If you
can power through the pain and sweat it out,
it’s the quickest way the toxins can leave your
system. Although not the tastiest of spreads,
Vegemite can replenish lost Vitamin B and
give a much-needed boost.
There are some slightly weird cures out
there and I only recommend them if you’re
willing to weigh up the pros and cons.
Sauerkraut juice or “Sauerkraut Hangover
soup,” is a concoction of meats, vegetables and
seasoning. So if you can stomach it, it does
“That 2am Macca’s pig out actually does you good. All that
‘nutritional’ goodness helps fasten your metabolism”
avoid that disoriented throbbing nauseous
feeling from taking over your body.
Firstly, avoid aspirin—it may seem like the
most logical approach to that throbbing
30
have a fair amount of support behind it and
might actually be worth it. Hangover cocktails
may have some nutrition and vitamins in
them, but the idea of adding to the toxicity
that is already packed in your body and
possibly prolonging your hangover, doesn’t
seem too good to me. If you dare, Turkish
Tripe Soup might be on the cards to cure your
pain. Made from various livestock’s stomachs,
garlic and onions, it’s not the most delectable
cure and I’d give it a pass.
Doing things to soften the blow of your
hangover the next morning is also a pretty
good idea. They’re simple and you probably
do them in your drunken stupor without
even realising. That 2am Macca’s pig out
actually does you good. All that “nutritional”
goodness helps fasten your metabolism that
in turn speeds up the time your body takes
to process the alcohol. Good for you! Taking
a Berocca before you start drinking will help
keep your vitamin levels high before they
inevitably get flushed out. Generally, sticking
to the clear liquors will lessen the severity of
your hangover and mixing drinks with juice
will help keep you hydrated. Unfortunately
guys and gals, wine and beer makes the
hangover worse.
All in all, get as raucous as you like
because what else are these years
of our life for? If something doesn’t
work, then don’t do it again and try
something else. Different things work
for different people. But as long as you
have the best night imaginable then I’m
sure the hangover after it will be worth it.
Amanda Sherring
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
winter woes
what to wear this season?
Is it really that time of the year already? It’s
out with the light, bright and beachy and in
with the warm, thick and furry! This is no
time to pout about the impending cold and
grey weather, it’s time to embrace the cold and
get that winter wardrobe looking its finest.
This season it’s all about the heavier colours
of the rainbow; rich plum, golden yellow,
auburn and then of course our old friends,
the neutrals. The
colours, materials and styles, the overriding
look being an elegant descendant of the
cowgirl boot with a slim ankle-length shape
and comfortable heel.
Jewellery is a must and in this season- size
does matter, the bulkier the better. Wear
overstated rings, earrings and chunky
necklaces to balance out understated tees and
jackets.
“This season it’s all about the heavier colours of the
rainbow...an oversized jacket and boots with a hint of colour is
the image of the season”
aim of the game this year is to keep it simple.
An oversized jacket and boots with a hint of
colour is the image of the season.
The sky is the limit when it comes to boots,
stores are overflowing with an array of
Don’t let the cold
drive you into a state of hopelessness and
uninspiring attire, take the time to invest in
some winter-musts and clasp the opportunity
to layer and accessorize!
Anya Gully
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
31
timeout
horror-scopes
you are in grave danger
timeout
god of a tribe of Amazonian cannibals. With
the Moon moving into your Megalomaniac
Zone, you’re likely to become mad with power
and have the cannibals play a primitive form
of Wheel of Fortune on Thursdays for your
own amusement. You’ll get your own when
Bear Grylls stumbles across the tribe while
filming his television series, ‘dispatches’ you,
hollows you out and uses your carcass as a
sleeping bag.
Scorpio
Aries
(October 23 - November 21)
(March 21-April 19)
The position of Mars suggests that you will capsize in a canoe, and enter an alternate
universe. Wookies will run the Republican Party, Linguini is the primary medium
of exchange, Zebras are the main mode of transportation, and Bob Katter teaches
Practical Ethics and Philosophy at Swinburne University of Technology.
The Horror.
Taurus
(April 20 - May 20)
Taurans: immediately sell your computer,
throw your phone off a bridge, change your
address and get plastic surgery. From the
trajectory of Venus, it’s become obvious that
ASIO is closing in on you in connection with
an international and highly illicit taxidermy
network. Your membership with PETA and
the World Wildlife Foundation will not throw
them off the scent. Instead,
ground long enough, Mario Monte will rappel
through the window, subdue Silvio with a
taser-gun and aptly summarise that week’s
lecture before letting class out 20 minutes
early.
Cancer
(June 21 - July 22)
With a cluster of meteors passing through
your Zone, expect your long-lost twin to
through floodwater after being stranded at
your campsite with an annoying friend of
a friend, who you only invited on the trip
because so their miraculously attractive
sibling I mentioned in last issue would come
too. For a couple of seconds everyone will
be really impressed, but when you slow
down and the current starts to take you, the
mortified look of sheer, total panic on your
face will get caught on camera and the video
put all over Facebook and YouTube, and
you’ll become the butt of a vicious,
widespread meme.
“Aries: You will capsize in a canoe, and enter an alternate
universe...zebras are the main mode of transportation, and
Bob Katter teaches Practical Ethics”
you’ll have to go into hiding in Macau, change
your name to Dr. Lindsay Van DeBeek, and
speak with a dodgy Afrikaans accent for a few
years. If you manage to do a better one than
Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond, you
should be fine.
Gemini
(May 21 - June 20)
Geminis - expect to have to defend the
dignity and integrity of women everywhere
when Silvio Belersconi shows up as the
substitute tutor for your Contract Law class,
and proceeds to gratuitously crack on to your
female classmates. The angle of Orion’s Belt
this month indicates that if you stand your
32
arrive from Uganda next Tuesday to explain
that the whole Kony thing has been blown
way out of proportion. After all, the Ugandan
military all but eliminated the LRA ten years
ago. Caught between your well-read twin
and the ignorant armchair activism of your
dim but devastatingly beautiful lover, you
will find yourself paralysed by confusion and
indecision. But fear not - solace will come in
the form of an even more beautiful barista
who hasn’t heard of Kony but loves Leonard
Cohen and has meaningless but cool tattoos.
Leo
(July 23 - August 22)
Your characteristic bravery will become
foolhardiness when you attempt to swim
Virgo
(August 23 - September 22)
Virgos - beware a board game that
cannot be mentioned for copyright
reasons.
Suffice it to say that you should expect an
extremely hairy jungle-man to emerge from
within the game to help you and your sibling
deal with the complications of a stampede of
elephants, violent monkeys, giant spiders, and
a 19th century English hunter that is actually
a symbol for patriarchal authority. But don’t
worry - provided you dress like it’s the early
90s and adopt an American accent I don’t see
any reason why you won’t come out of it all
okay.
Libra
(September 23 - October 22)
Your sense of judgement and diplomacy will
become crucial after your plane flying over
Brazil crashes and you are adopted as the new
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
Keeping in tune with your passions will reap
unexpected benefits over the next few weeks
Scorpios. You’re likely to inadvertently seduce
an earth-shatteringly attractive Metro officer,
turning a $200 fine into a hot movie date.
Just be sure not to go and see The Lorax your date is a raging climate change denier,
convinced that the People-Hating Greens are
bent on subverting civilisation, and will storm
out when the film’s environmental message
becomes clear, reinstating your fine. Harsh.
Sagittarius
(November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius - your attention for detail
will become critical when a member of
Kraftwerk suffers an allergic reaction while
in concert and you are asked to replace them.
Remember, they’re music scientists as much
as they are gifted musicians - they invented
most of the synthesisers they play in concert
- so pay close attention when everything is
quickly explained to you in German, and
you’re forced to flip back and forth between
a science book and a German/English phrase
book
Capricorn
(December 22 - January 19)
The phase of the moon provides
incontrovertible proof that your ex will frame
you for Regicide. Be sure to secure a very solid
alibi every time any Royal dignitary visits
Australia for the next 35 years. By that stage
everything will have blown over and you can
stop subscribing to Royal Family fan blogs.
Until that time, spend 1 to 2 hours a night on
them, just to be on the safe side. Sorry.
Aquarius
(January 20 - February 18)
Aquarians; beware of charming, wealthy
banana plantation overseers offering to take
you out to see a hot jazz quintet. An ominous
stellar configuration surrounding your Fury
zone indicates that it will all end in a huge,
personal, soul-destroying fight over the
artistic integrity of television’s Mad Men, right
in the middle of a killer Oboe solo, ruining
the show for everyone.
Pisces
(February 19 - March 20)
Your powers of intuition will become critical
when you inherit control over a massive
and aggressive venture capitalist investment
fund after a long-lost Russian uncle dies in a
terrible big-game hunting accident in Zambia.
Be sure not to invest in any projects related
to immunisation - everyone knows they’re
just a CIA conspiracy to dump very small
amounts of nuclear waste in our bloodstreams
because they’ve run out of storage space. Also,
steer well clear of electric cars. Remember,
giving up our obnoxious, impractical 4WDs is
tantamount to letting the terrorists win.
CEDRIC MOMBASSAA
Hello Prahran!
The Swinburne Student Union, Prahran (SSU) has recently revamped and is open for business.
We are in the process of setting up an amazing activities calendar, including food days, Union parties and
off-campus events. Students are encouraged to visit us in room PK225 (just a few doors down from the health
service). The Swinburne Student Union (est. 1971) is a team of students here for the students; you.
Membership is only $20.
What’s included?
• An SSU membership card which gets member discounts in Hawthorn and Prahran (Food, drink, lifestyle and fun!)
• A show bag filled with goodies
• Members are able to come via our office and print off 20 pages (at no charge)
• Free food at our on campus food events (limited to 1 comp food item per member)
• Free entry to union events
• Student support, Confused with a part of the enrolment process? Have an issue with your fees? Do you need an introduction to the campus life (tours/introduction to the online Swinburne services/new student workshop)
Our office is open Monday to Friday. See the noticeboard on our door for hours.
Appointment required for any student support services.
We also welcome people wishing to join the team as a volunteer rep.
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
33
image: renee graham
socialcommentary
thevitals
June 2012
April 2012
Tuesday, 24 April
Union Event
Quizmeisters Trivia at Union
Bar
Friday, 1 June
Examinations
Higher Education Semester 1
Exams begin
Friday, 27 April
Withdrawal
deadline
Last day to withdraw from
Higher Education Semester
1 units of study without
academic penalty
TAFE Term 2 payment due
date
Friday, 6 July
Census Date
TAFE Winter Term Census
date
Monday, 11 June
Public Holiday Queen’s Birthday
Monday, 30 April
Union Event
SSU AGM at Union Bar
Tuesday, 1 May
Union Event
Members’ Night at Union
Bar
Friday, 4 May
Census Date
TAFE Term 2 Census date
Saturday, 5 May
Union Event
Full Moon Party at
Hawthorn Hotel
Tuesday, 8 May
Union Event
Movie Night at Union Bar
Tuesday, 15 May
Union Event
Movie Night at Union Bar
Tuesday, 22 May
Union Event
Quizmeisters Trivia at Union
Bar
Friday, 25 May
End Date
Higher Education Semester 1
classes end.
Monday, 28 May
Examinations
Higher Education Swot
vacation commences.
Thursday, 31 May
Examinations
Higher Education Swot
vacation ends
May 2012
beauty and art
they say that beauty is pain. But so too is art.
They say that beauty is pain.
songs evoke pain. Good songs evoke pain.
Being in unrequited love with the bass player
evokes pain. Music is pain too.
But so, too, is art.
As a photographer, you have to be prepared
to feel uncomfortable. Physically and
psychologically. You have to be prepared to
sit, kneel, squat, get your knees dirty. You
have to be prepared to see things, hear things
that won’t always bring you joy.
It’s the same for musicians. Standing on
And then, there are others. Acrobats, visual
artists, dancers. Have you ever seen ballerina’s
feet? Ballet is beautiful; just like perfectly
shaped eyebrows are (or so we are lead to
believe). The process of becoming a ballet
dancer and the process of plucking eyebrows
are both painful in their own rights. Dancing
“Aching shoulders and hands. Bags under his eyes. Fear,
excitement, worry, joy, possibility. Pain”
a street corner, playing for hours, is often
painful. Standing on a stage, singing about
things that have hurt you or things that may
eventually hurt you is painful too. Songwriters
get cramps, guitarists get calluses, drummers
get reputations. The rehearsal and recording
processes are often quite painful too. Bad
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Actors feel pain every day of their lives.
They’re rejected for parts. They put themselves
on the line. They audition and learn
lines. They stand in lines, with
hundreds of other people. They
hurt. They cry. They achieve, but
hope,
still; they feel pain.
is an art. So is being a tightrope walker or
a juggler or a contortionist or a gymnast.
Cracked collarbones. Fractured ribs. Purple
bruises. Sleepless nights. Sore limbs, toes,
shoulders, heads, hearts.
A young painter, preparing his first solo
exhibition. Can you imagine the pain?
Carefully framing each piece, hanging them
in a logical and aesthetically appealing order.
Having pairs of eyes; scan each creation.
Staying awake for 32 hours just to add that
last . . . little . . . detail. Signing his name,
over and over and over. Aching shoulders
and hands. Bags under his eyes. Fear, hope,
excitement, worry, joy, possibility. Pain.
Maybe art isn’t the same as
beauty in every sense. But they
share a common thread. Smooth
skin is almost the same as a melody that
flows; delicate lyrics are much the same as
delicate eye makeup. A concave bob can be
photographed, from several angles. What we
perceive as being beautiful is often painful.
But we are still lucky. To feel, is to be.
Grace Goodfellow
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
july 2012
Friday, 6 July
Census Date
TAFE & Higher Ed Winter
Term Census date
Firday, 6 July
Withdrawal
Last day to withdraw from
Higher Ed winter term
without financial penalty
Monday, 9 July
Exams
Special Exams commence
Friday, 13 July
End Date
TAFE Semester 1 ends
Friday, 27 July
End Date
TAFE and Higher Ed Winter
Term ends
Monday, 6 August
Start date
Higher Ed and TAFE
Semester 2 starts
Friday, 10 August
Key date
Last date to add units
of study for Higher Ed
Semester 2
august 2012
free BBQ
for union members
thursdays
hawthorn
wednesdays
prahran
facebook/swinburneunion for details
swinburne student union the swine april 2012 www.ssu.org.au
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www.ssu.org.au