METIOR Magazine - Comfort

STANDING TOGETHER ELECTIONS 2019

FREE ISSUE #2 2019

VACCINATIONS HOROSCOPES

METIOR.COM.AU

CON TRIBU TERS ALEX SZABADICS ANDREW AMOS ARIANA ROSENBERG BRANDON DAY BRIAN OSBORNE BROOKE HEENAN HUSSAIN ALATTAS JED COWPER LAURA IVES HICKS LUKE BRITTAIN MURDOCH CHESS CLUB MURDOCH UNIVERSITY LIBERAL CLUB OLIVIA HUNT RORY DALITZ SHIVANI RADIA SUZI SPENCER THE CULT TOM HEENAN THOMAS WEDNT VERONICA GRAHAM SARAH SMIT

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CONT ENTS GOLDEN SYRUP DUMPLINGS

SECRET PLACES OF MURDOCH

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

IS TRASHY REALLY THAT BAD?

COMIC

MURDOCH FAVOURITE’S CULTURE OF EXPLOITATION MURDOCH ESPORTS PUTTING UNI ON THE MAP PETS OF MURDOCH SELF SOOTHE FOR THE SENSES PHOTOS BY SHIVANI RADIA

A GRIM TALE OF JOB SEARCHING, PART TWO FALSE EQUIVALENCIES DO NOT AN ARGUMENT MAKE ELECTION 2019 LABOR LIBERAL THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION

STANDING TOGETHER

HOROSCOPES

HERBS AND SHADOWS (AN EXTRACT)

MURDOCH MENTION

THE RIGHT TO CAFFEINE

CLUBS

AVENGERS: ENDGAME (SPOILER FREE!) REVIEW ROCK ‘N’ ROLL OVER THE DECADES

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SUB EDI TOR

As the semester draws to a close we hope you all have a safe break or if you’re graduating at the end of semester, we wish you the best for your future endeavours.

We hope you find some comfort at this highly stressful time and procrastinate by reading some hard work of your peers in METIOR. For those of you left at university, we’re always looking out for new contributors and would love to have people send in more visual arts. I look forward to seeing and reading more next semester. .

This issue is all about comfort mainly, things that comforting, and things that take you out of your comfort zone. I have to admit, putting together this issue was a lot less stressful than the last one. We had some great contributors already lined up, Laura and I sort of knew what we were doing and the deadline was a fair distance away. But you know what sucks about that? I don’t have anything to write about for my editorial.

Everything went sickeningly well. So I guess all I have to say is, please send in some articles or stories or pictures for us to put in the magazine. We want more variety, and while I’m eternally grateful for the people that have already contributed for us, we need some new contributors to bless the pages of METIOR next issue. So send in your ideas guys, can’t wait to read them. And I hope you enjoy this issue.

LAURA / EDITOR

BROOKE / SUB-EDITOR

Murdoch Empire Telegraph & Indian Ocean Review - Since 1975 METIOR is Murdoch University’s resident student magazine.

METIOR has been a voice for the students on campus for 44 years, publishing student driven content from news, and commentary to comedy and short fiction. METIOR is funded by the Murdoch University Guild of Students, but retains editorial independence. The views expressed within do not reflect the views of the Guild, Murdoch University, or the METIOR editorial team, but are solely the views of the individual authors.

METIOR acknowledges that this is and always will be Aboriginal land.

EDI TOR

Golden Syrup dumplings (A HEENAN FAMILY GO-TO)

Because we all know exam time is time to hit the shops and procrastinate on some sugary goodness.

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH

INGREDIENTS FOR SYRUP

1 Cup of Self Raising Flour 1 Egg 1 Tablespoon of butter A Little milk

1 Cup of Water 1 Cup of Sugar 1 Tablespoon of butter 1 Tablespoon of Golden Syrup

1. Rub butter with your fingers into the flour.

2. Beat the egg. Then add egg and a little bit of milk to the flour butter mixture.

3. Roll in to small balls.

4. Mix all the syrup ingredients together. Either bring to a boil for about 20 minutes then add balls. OR. Put in the oven for 20 or so minutes (Make sure you grease the baking dish first).

WEDNESDAYS 4PM AT THE TAV

PLACES ON CAMPUS YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT…OR NOT. PART TWO

BY SUZI SPENCER

THE QUEER COLLECTIVE ROOM I am not fond of the term ‘safe space’, because of how infantile it sounds, but there’s no denying the Queer Collective Room is just that. A safe space, I mean. Not infantile.

Though small, the room is cosy, rather than claustrophobic, and provides a refuge to which LGBTQIA+ people can retreat when reality gets too overwhelming. Or if you want to nap on the couches. It also has kitchen amenities, for if you need your tea or coffee fix.

As expected, this is the Thursday afternoon meeting place for the Queer Collective (12pm-2pm), and—more recently— Friday movie nights at 6pm. It is the perfect room to hold the latter, especially, due to the variety of DVDs and the television also present in the room. I found these details out from Jayde Green, an over-caffeinated associate of the Queer Collective.

Though comfortable, I must also address the room’s downsides.

• Because the kitchen amenities do not include the kitchen sink, you have to leave the room to fill the kettle.

• The room requires a clean-up, occasionally, since people are happy to leave their rubbish lying around.

• The internet reception is poor.

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An old box of METIOR magazines props the door open, since someone stole the brick that once secured it — honestly, who steals a brick?!

I speak from experience, here, as I have spent many a time unwilling to attend a lecture, either because of the great conversation I was having with someone I just met, or the recliner holding me captive. It was for study reasons, I swear!

First-timer Veronica Graham’s thoughts on the Queer Collective Room were that it “allows you to be yourself and get immersed in the wonderful queerness of other LGBTQIA+ people. It’s great!”

You can find the Queer Collective Room at building 490, room 2.036

THE WOMEN’S ROOM Where the Queer Collective Room is lively and welcoming, the Women’s Room is a cobwebbed lair of sad. Not that the room is any less accommodating, as it also provides couches and an array of board games; rather, the room needs some tender loving care—a good dusting and clearing of the spider webs curtained across the door. A vacuum wouldn’t hurt, either.

You could say the Women’s Room needs a woman’s touch. No, that’s not a feeble attempt at a sexist joke. It is called the Women’s Room, after all, not the Room for Admirers of Dusty, Neglected Spaces.

You can find the Women’s Room next door to the Queer Collective Room, at number 2.035

THE CHINESE GARDEN The Chinese Garden is like Murdoch’s own Secret Garden. Praised for its authenticity, the garden is perhaps the most tranquil and the most beautiful place on campus. Besides the spiders.

Descending the steep staircase, the first thing you notice is a tall, red frescoe rooved with green glazed tiles, with an outdoor table and chair sheltering beneath it. Zig-zagging across the koi pond is a pier-bridge made from white wood, providing a perfect place to watch the koi. A semi-hidden waterfall provides the garden’s soundtrack. It is an ideal place if you need a quiet place to study, some real-life ASMR, or somewhere to relax; though you will have to get in quick if you want the table to yourself.

You can find the Chinese Garden tucked between buildings 450 & 412

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES

BY LAURA IVES HICKS

What are they?

A way to delegate commitments and issues faced by Australia people.

The committees are inquires into different issues. Their role is to research, hear and seek advice from experts in relation to many complex issues. The findings of these committees are then presented to parliament to help them make further decisions.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Inquiry into children and young people on the sex offenders register – is mandatory registration appropriate?

The Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs has commenced an inquiry into mandatory registration of children and young people on the Community Protection Offender Register (known as the sex offenders register) in accordance with the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act 2004.

In particular, the Committee will consider the following: (a)

the current criteria for registration on the sex offenders register;

(b)

the advantages and disadvantages of mandatory registration;

(c)

circumstances that may not warrant mandatory registration;

(d)

the approach employed by other jurisdictions;

(e)

any other matters considered relevant by the Committee.

What’s this particular committee looking into?

This particular committee is asking whether or not children or young adults should be put on the sex offenders list.

The Committee invites written submissions from interested persons. A submission must address the Committee’s terms of reference, which is to inquire into the above matter.

Why is this in METIOR? And how is it relevant to me?

This is an important issue to our age group as it not only covers us but also covers issues related to sexting. It also covers the livelihood of children who have yet fully developed and may or may not yet know right from wrong.

Submissions received after 4:00pm on Friday, 24 May 2019 are unlikely to be considered.

Can I put forward a petition?

Yes, it is open to citizens and residents. Individuals and groups.

All you need is something you think should be looked into or reviewed. It must then be given to a member of the house (a member of parliament) to move (send to the committee).

If you have an opinion on this issue please make a submission by close on Friday, 24 May 2019.

Your submission should also include any requests to:  appear before the Committee in support of your submission  keep all or part of your submission private, including if you would like to keep your identity confidential.

Once your submission has been sent to the Committee it is confidential and you should check with the Committee before you disclose it to others. Further information about the form and content of submissions can be obtained from the Committee Office or viewed on the Parliament’s website at: www.parliament.wa.gov.au (Choose Committees/Legislative Council Guide to Making Submissions to a Parliamentary Committee).

For inquiries, or lodging submissions, contact: Maddison Evans Committee Clerk Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs Legislative Council Parliament House, GPO Box A11, PERTH WA 6837 Telephone: 9222 7404 Email: env@parliament.wa.gov.au

Hon Matthew Swinbourn MLC Chair

ev.sor.190410.med.001.ma (A750602)

BY BROOKE HEENAN

I love trashy.

I mean that in every sense of the word – trashy TV, trashy fashion, trashy romance – anything a normal person tends to look down upon.

When Bachelor in Paradise began this year, I was secretly hyped up for it – I had a group chat with my equally hyped friends with our watch dates set in place. But I didn’t breathe a word to my other friends. I usually own the weird things I do, but for some reason I knew that my friends would judge me, just a little bit, for wanting to watch a bunch of hot singles make some terrible decisions.

And you know what else? I’m reading The Notebook right now. The characters are bland, selfish people, the plot is predictable, and the story idealistic – but I fucking love it. It’s so easy to read. Reading is supposed to be fun sometimes, not hard. I’ve read the Song of Ice and Fire books, and I love them. But man are they dense. The Notebook is so simple. But when I’m sitting in the law café, itching to find out whether Ally leaves her husband for Noah, I pull out my textbook instead – because I know if I open up that Nicholas Sparks novel, I will be judged. I’ll be judged by random people – but I’ll still be judged.

I also love leopard print. Not real fur, but the cheap synthetic stuff. I love it on handbags, and skirts, and on my sunglasses. But I don’t own a single leopard print accessory, lest I be judged.

Sometimes, I don’t want to do simple, classy makeup – I want to cake my face and put on thick eyeliner and just rock it.

I think it’s time we all let out our inner trash bag, and stop being so afraid of what people think of us. I watch the Hills, I tune in every week to Riverdale, so what? I still read classic fiction and do well in school and am nice to my friends. I’m not a bad person because I like all things trashy.

So stop judging me, and everyone else, just because they watch absolute crap sometimes.

We all deserve a bit of a break.

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MURDOCH FAVOURITE'S CULTURE OF EXPLOITATION

BY SARAH SMIT

Chatime's bubble tea may not be the pure and wholesome treat students thought it was: on the 29th of April, the Sydney Morning Herald reported widespread underpayment of staff throughout the franchise.

A joint investigation by the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age reported that an internal audit of more than 20 stores within Chatime's franchise network found that 86 percent of workers were underpaid.

On the 4th of April the Fairwork Ombusdman commenced legal action against a Sydney Chatime franchisee, alleging it underpaid 17 workers more than $46,000.

Bubble tea is a staple of Murdoch student life of Murdoch, with popularity reaching meme levels when the franchise first opened on campus at the end of last year.

The love of bubble tea is evident on many student Facebook pages, with Murdoch Memes for Bush Court Loving Teens and Confessions at Murdoch featuring popular posts about sucking those balls. Recycling bins around on campus full to the brim with plastic cups and straws the size of an camel's urethra.

Workers at Chatime Murdoch say that they haven't been impacted by the scandal.

"I've checked my pay and know I'm paid legally," said Andrea Kendrick, a Murdoch student and Chatime 't-rista.'

Chatime's scandal is the latest to hit the embattled franchise sector. The problems in the sector include endemic underpayment, predation on franchisees, and a lack of transparency for potential franchisees.

This article was originally published by the Murdoch Review Journalism Club. You can read more of our work at Murdochreview.wordpress.com

BY RORY DALITZ

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HOW MURDOCH ESPORTS IS PUTTING THE UNIVERSITY ON THE MAP AROUND AUSTRALIA

BY ANDREW AMOS

Video gaming is a wonderful procrastination tool at university. Every gamer knows the feeling of seeing your assignments stacking up but you cannot be bothered to do them because your keyboard calls.

While I don’t condone this poor time management, gaming provides an outlet for many university students to destress, make great mates, and now even represent their university in Esports.

Murdoch Esports was started up in 2017 as the Murdoch League Society, and has grown over the last two years to have over 400 members, and also fielding seven teams across five games in interuniversity competitions to represent Murdoch at the national level.

At the core of the competitive program at Murdoch Esports is the League of Legends team. The longest standing Esports team at Murdoch, the League team has participated in three Oceanic University Championships, making a run as deep as top ten in Australia and New Zealand in 2018.

As the captain of the League team, playing for the university is something I love doing. However, not many people understand the passion everyone on the team pours into the game. It’s not as simple as logging on and playing, there’s game review and coaching that happens behind the scenes to improve individually and as a team.

During our Nationals run in 2018, I was working two jobs, studying three units and practicing for over 30 hours a week for in preparation for Unigames. We were scrimming top universities like Queensland University of Technology, who are one of three universities with an officially-recognised esports program, and going on par with them. While we weren’t able to make it to the finals, it was one of the best experiences I’ve had while at university.

While none of Murdoch’s teams are world-beaters, Competitive Manager at Murdoch Esports Alexander “XaZaX” Roe says the program has been hugely successful in putting Esports on the map at Murdoch.

“Murdoch Esports currently has seven teams participating across the country in multiple university and amateur competitions for League of Legends, Rocket League, Dota 2, Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch.

“It’s fantastic the work that Murdoch Esports is doing and the rewards will come in the near future with success at tournaments and competitions.” said Ball. “Murdoch Sports is pleased to be working with the club to help provide a dedicated Esports space on campus to help the players improve.”

This new space will allow teams to get together on campus, practice in the same room and facilitate interest in the competitive Esports program.

“It will act as a training centre for the teams to train for upcoming tournaments, as well as a hub for students to come and individually play or to socialise with other students,” Ball said.

“The competitive teams are helping develop the club’s presence on campus by being active in their respective games, putting our name out there for other teams and prospective players to be interested in playing for their university.”

Through the planning of show matches against other Western Australian universities live on-campus, as well as other regional tournaments, Murdoch Esports is trying to develop a home for talented players at the university. However, the program has been held back by a lack of support from the university to help players reach their potential in years gone by.

“As players progress through university and the workload increases, it restricts the time they have to play, meaning teams are constantly shuffling through players,” said Roe. “We are constrained to the players we can reach, and the only means we have of doing so currently is through the club.”

However, recently, Murdoch Esports has been working closely with Murdoch Sports to further promote the program, even integrating Esports into programs like the Clash of the Colleges. Jamie Ball, the sports manager at Murdoch Sports, says that Esports at Murdoch is something that is only going to keep on growing.

While the competitive teams haven’t been finding as much success this year compared to 2018, the drive for players to represent their university stays. Personally, I want to bring home the Oceanic University Championships title for Murdoch one year and have always tried to improve myself to do so. This drive runs through a lot of the players across all the teams, alongside the desire to improve themselves in a team environment and become better players.

While the university competitive season for semester 1 is coming to a close, Murdoch Esports is still looking for players to play in amateur tournaments over the holidays and in semester 2. There are also competitive tournaments held inside the club, with the focus for semester 2 being Overwatch. You can find more details on the Murdoch Esports Facebook page.

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PETS OF MURDOCH BAILEY

VALENTINE

VANTA

EDDIE

BUTTON

PUSS BUTTON

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SELF-SOOTHE FOR THE SENSES OLIVIA HUNT

For those of us that are more visual learners and find it easy to focus on visible detail may find reading or colouring in a simple and easy way to take time out from stresses and negative thoughts.

If you’re worried about an upcoming exam or maybe you just sent a risky text, sitting down with a book or to do some quiet colouring in may help to calm your nerves or even to recentre yourself emotionally. Focusing in on those tasks and being aware of what you’re reading or the colours in your image are important for this to be an effective relaxation tool.

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Music is a very powerful influencer of our mood. This can be used to our advantage or to our detriment, so be wary of what music you choose to listen to. How you use music to work through emotions and thoughts is a very individual thing. For example, if you’re going through a break-up you might like to listen to sad break up songs to help you work through those emotions, while for someone else it may amplify them. Be conscious of this and try to reflect on whether you’re using music effectively to soothe and help in the situation.

Personally, I find scent harder to focus on, but for some a scented candle and a bath is all they need to feel stress free and let go of all worries. If you’re a big fan of candles, then I highly recommend lighting a candle or two if you’re feeling anxious or depressed after a bad day. Candles can even help to reduce the stressful tension in the room while you’re studying, so I suggest trying to light a candle near you next time you’re working on an assignment and see if it helps to reduce your anxiety.

Taste is another one of those less-generic things, so it will differ from person to person of course.

Dark chocolate and herbal teas do tend to be widely popular for relaxation and concentration, so for that reason I suggest have a few pieces of dark chocolate or a cup of tea if you need a time-out.

Again, it is important to indulge in the pleasure of the chocolate or tea and focus on the taste, temperature, texture and anything else that helps you to be present in eating/drinking.

Rapid body temperature changes are a great way to distract through physical sensation as well as clear your mind through intense focus. You can practice this by holding an ice cube until it melts and sitting with the sensation while focusing on your breathing or having a cold shower or bath.

Generally cold temperatures are suggested because a rapid increase in body temperature can result in lower blood pressure, which may cause you to faint. If you are used to hot baths then that may work best for you, but otherwise I wouldn’t advise hopping straight into hot water.

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0426 210 998 shivani.radia@hotmail.com

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Shivani Radia Photography Shivani Radia Photography

A GRIM TALE OF JOB SEARCHING, PART TWO BRANDON DAY

The skeletal figure replied, “I’m Charles Grimm, I’m replying to your application for the reaper entry-level job.”

The clothes I had just acquired felt different, more light, better quality material. Oh damn, I had what felt like an expensive suit on.

I only had more questions now.

“So are you going to pour me a cup? We can get started with your interview.” He raised up his cup, I tilted the kettle and the cup filled.

The skull shaped tea bag stained the water a matte black.

Charles clicked his fingers again, this time it seemed to have instantly transported us to maybe another plane, gone was the normal scenery of my nice kitchen. This place wasn’t hellish, but it didn’t feel like Earth either. The sky was a hue of pink, maybe a candy pink, the earth beneath us was flattened with teal coloured grass. Charles clapped his hands together, which made a louder clack of bone hitting bone.

“Right, you shall be shadowing me on a retrieval, this also works as your interview, any questions?”

“Thank you.” Charles moved the cup to his skeletal, lip? I had expected the tea to fall through the chest cavity and wet his clothes, it did not. He let out a sigh of satisfaction, a cloud of steam escaped his mouth as he said, “Shall we get this show on the road?” He looked me up and down, I was still in my pyjamas.

“This simply will not do.” He brought his bony fingers together in an attempt to click them, but it made more of a clack sound instead.

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“Mr Grimm, where are we?” I was panicked a little, but tried masking that panic with a fake facade.

“Please call me Charles and we, we are on Pectina, it’s a planet that is populated by these cute little acid jelly creatures. Just try not to touch them. The jelly will eat through your skin and muscle leaving just the bone.”

“Why are we here, what are we retrieving?” Charles boisterously laughed with his deep charming voice, his jaw and teeth chattered as they came in contact with his handsome skull.

“Well…” he paused for dramatic effect, “you see, one of the Jelitens, that is what the jelly citizens call themselves, is sick… deathbed sick.

I am here, or, we are here to collect his little jelly centre.” I raised my eyebrow in confusion, and Charles looked at me disappointedly.

“His soul, my friend, his soul!” I exclaimed.

“Oh...” when I realised he was making light of the situation.

“Shall we then?” Charles made what looked to be a skeletal smile, but it looked very creepy. I nodded.

We made our way towards the smooth, teal coloured hill in the near distance, not too far to the east, the green sun rising slowly in the morning pink sky. As we climbed up the hill, a little town started to come into view. Small one-story cobblestone cottages were decorated with unusually coloured roofs and chimneys.

The footpaths and streets were organised to be perfectly situated around the cottages.

“Charles, which house is it?”

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FALSE EQUIVALENCIES DO NOT MAKE AN ARGUMENT

BY VERONICA GRAHAM

So, here’s the thing: I’m a transgender socialist. I’m also a bit on the militant side - at least in the sense that I actually agree with the concept of punching “Nazis”. My arguments why are a bit irrelevant here, except to say that people who believe that I and other marginalised people should not be allowed to exist in this world, can go and do some form of self-fornication. See, I’m a nice girl really. The reason I mention any of this at all, is because of an incident that recently occurred, whilst I was metaphorically punching those wannabe fascists.

I had seen a fun little meme showing a high heeled boot stepping on a swastika adorned, heiling, Aryan and thought to myself, lol, instead of “punch Nazis”, that was more like “crunch Nazis”. I, in my mirth, therefore shared the post to my Facebook with that crunching sentiment. A friend commented to the effect that we should punch Nazis a lot, because they were fascists and were often themselves violent people who needed to know we would stand up to them. He was a little overenthusiastic with the wording , but I understood the sentiment (please note that METIOR, does not endorse punching of any kind).

Minutes later, however, that comment came under fire with a “both sides” argument, saying “Change Nazis to Jews and Fascists to Communists, have a think about that, then tell me how you feel”.

My False Equivalency klaxon blasted through my brain and my attack fingers flew across my keyboard! “Do not dare,” my Social Justice Warrior self wrote in righteous indignation, “bring your false equivalency bull doo doo (I’m sure I probably wasn’t profane at all, angel that I am) at me or any of my friends in these here comments! Do not try to tell me that anti-fascism and defending yourself against those who wish marginalised people actual harm, is somehow the equivalent of anti-Semitism and anti-communism!”

I had more to say, but that isn’t the point. I’m also not trying to shame the person that posed the question. What I am trying to do here is ask why we, as thinking, feeling, sometimes logical human beings, manage to equate disproportionate ideas and events in order to “prove” our points.

According to your friend and mine, Wikipedia, False Equivalencies, also known as a type of Logical Fallacy, occur when “two completely opposing arguments appear to be logically equivalent when in fact they are not.”

So, it’s kind of like stating that my hormonal breakdowns from taking oestrogen are somehow the equivalent of the experience of a new mother going through post-partum depression. It’s not. We’re both suffering emotionally, but I’m not suffering at the same level as our new mum.

We use arguments of false equivalence every day, from the co-worker who needs to one up you on the bad weekend you had, to the politician telling you that refugees equal terrorists (let’s face facts here though, they’re asylum seekers according to international law, but what does Australia care?).

Another “good” one (sarcasm here - it’s not good in any way shape or form), is the idea that learning about LGBTQIA+ relationships in school, will turn your child gay. It’s a ridiculous equivalence, and as the meme says, “I learned all about World War Two in school and am yet to invade Poland!” Although I have invaded plates of Polish sausage a number of times and have absolutely no remorse!

The interesting thing I find regarding knowledge around false equivalencies, is that a google search brings up politicians almost entirely, saying what they like with no research, and no concern for the truth or being called out. What this suggests to me, is that presenting false equivalence is a standard part of political life, that they are comfortable with it and people who are already either on the right or the left, seem to accept this as okay... at least from “their” politicians.

A very common call these days, mainly from centrists, is the idea of “both sides”. That is, we must all come together and listen to what each other has to say, to find compromises and work together for a better future. The greatest issue with this is the idea that the wants and desires of one side is equivalent to the other.

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In American politics in particular, there has been a growing divide between the left and the right, particularly since the reign of Trump began. Trump regularly makes derogatory and harmful remarks and policies towards marginalised groups: separating asylum seeking families that enter undocumented, the Trans military ban and equating Mexicans to rapists. This is the rhetoric, the falsehoods and the harm offered up by Republican politics these days in the US. The idea that me and people like me should sit down with such people and say, yes your concerns that rich people should have more and the poor should suffer more, are just as valid as my concerns that asylum seekers should be treated like valuable human beings; that trans people do not get erased from public life because you’re obsessed about what parts of my body I pee out of; that I believe poor people should have a living wage so they can actually eat healthily and not be scared about becoming homeless; or that there should be housing, education and medical care for all, is frankly quite offensive. It is in fact the ultimate false equivalence: “we are the same, though you should not have the same privilege as me” Perhaps we should teach such things in school. Perhaps learning that it’s a bad thing to pretend two things are the same when they are patently not, might lead to people actually coming up with facts to support their arguments, allowing us to finally make up our minds based on the validity of an argument and not the weasel words of current politicians.

But like I said, I’m a militant, socialist, Tran’s girl, Social Justice Warrior. And there’s really not much that’s equivalent to that xx

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ELECTIONS 2019 We live in a country, where we are all forced to vote and for some of us, this might be our first time voting. Many of us still don’t know who to vote for or what each party’s core beliefs are.

This is why here at METIOR, we put together a list of topics to ask the politic clubs on campus.

Voting shouldn’t be something that is a hardship with a little bit of research and help we can make informed decisions for the greater good.

Why should we vote for a party if we don’t align with their views? You should vote for a candidate that will protect your views and fight for what you believe in. For those of us, who believe we cannot make a change this election because our electorate aligns with one side or the other remember, just one vote can make a difference, even if you don’t see it.

After reading what the Party’s had to say and if you still aren’t sure where you should vote. You could go for a donkey vote that would in itself make a statement or you could try using the ABCs’ Vote Compass to see where your views align. votecompass.abc.net.au Remember to vote at an early voting venue, apply for a postal vote or vote on the 19 May. Or face the fine of $20 or for repeaters $50.

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LABOR ADVISED BY KAI DONOLDSON, MURDOCH LABOR

Climate change: Labor believes in Snowy 2.0 and agrees Australia needs an increase in renewable energy.

Calling for Australia’s energy portfolio to be 50 percent renewable by 2030. Aiming to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions by 45 per cent. Labor does not believe in a carbon tax but will work with industry to reduce climate emissions. Tax breaks will be given to people who buy electric cars.

Health: Labor believes it should be a requirement for public hospitals to offer abortion services. Late-term abortions would be publicly funded. Labor believes any laws or regulation regarding euthanasia should be treated with caution, but allow patients to have control of their own life. Labor has the view of cutting the cost of those suffering from cancer by pledging $2.3 billion to cover the hidden cost of cancer treatment. This money cover scans and consultations, to prevent more hardship falling on those in times of suffering.

Penalty rates: Labor wants to lift the minimum wage and reintroduce penalty rates.

Immigration: Asylum seekers who arrive by boat will be turned back.

Labor believes in a multicultural society that is built upon processes as to protect the nation. While at the same time treating individuals with fairness, dignity and humanity.

Taxes: Labor plans to change the regulations around negative gearing, giving less tax-breaks and reducing the eligibility around them.

Education: Labor believes in transgender awareness and believes questions about the issue should be answered for kids in schools. $300 million University Future Fund.

Abolish cap on student places at Universities. $174 million for mentoring, support, and other specialised programs which are designed to increase.

Indigenous relations: Labor believes in establishing a Voice for First Nations people and to make sure they have a voice in our constitution. Labor will increase funding to allow Indigenous students to get into universities.

Crime: Labor’s plan is to set up a National Integrity Commission.

This is a federal anti-corruption commission who would be tasked with investigating allegations of serious corruption, and preventing any serious problems before they arise.

Welfare: Labor believes in having a review in to welfare as they do not believe it is adequate at the moment.

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LIBERAL

BY MURDOCH UNIVERSITY LIBERAL CLUB

Environment : We have $2B more into the emissions reduction fund to ensure we meet our Paris targets while avoiding unnecessary harm to industry and the economy.

Budget: Getting the budget back in black and back on track with a surplus of $4.1B next year.

Taxes: A reelected Morrison Government will continue to lower both personal and business taxes, expediting the lowering of company tax rates for small and now medium businesses, and expanding the instant asset write off.

Indigenous: The Morrison government remains committed to both the cashless welfare card and aboriginal ranger programs which are paying both social and economic dividends.

Crime: The federal government has rolled out the safer communities program to great effect, funding lighting and cctv prodents across Australia, while also restoring funding to the AFP that was cut.

Welfare: Cashless welfare card, as well as the removal of the requirement to apply for 20 jobs a month to remain on newstart.

Education & Health: The Liberals will continue to list vital medicines and have done so at the rate of nearly 1 per day since their election in 2013. Gonski 2.0 and a strong economy means record school and hospital funding, both in net terms and on a per student/per capita basis.

Other Parties

Immigration: The Government has emptied the immigration detention centres of children, and will continue to maintain our national sovereignty through strong borders.

We are united on this.

Mainly found in regional areas, advocating for the needs of graziers, farmers, and rural voters. Focuses on protecting regional communities, building roads, transport and infrastructure for regional Australia as well as local quality healthcare and education choices. Regularly forms a coalition government with the Liberal Party.

Vegan activism: A reelected Morrison government will make it a crime to use a carriage service (the internet) to incite trespass.

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National Party

Green Party

Are known for their stance on the environment, social justice, and fixing inequalities. Their solutions to these problems are evidence based.

THE IMPOR TANCE OF VACCINATION

BY HUSSAIN ALATTAS

If you are reading this article to know if you should vaccinate yourself or your children, the simple answer is yes, please do!

First of all, learning some concepts is crucial in order to understand how our immune system is immunized. According to the Australian Government: Department of Health, immunization is the process of receiving a vaccine and becoming immune to a certain disease. But, how does the body actually become immune?

The immune system has several defending lines to protect the body from invading pathogens, which can cause infectious disease. The first and basic barrier against them is the skin and mucous membranes. However, when a pathogen gets past the barrier, the second line of defence and white blood cells get involved.

White blood cells respond quickly to the pathogen that they detect; you can think of these cells as being ‘police officers’: they are always first on site to react quickly when a pathogen invades the body. They will look for the pathogen, capture it and surround it, which leads to its destruction.

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Those police officers call for the special force: another type of white blood cells, called lymphocytes. They are part of the third defence line. Lymphocytes are specialised and have the ability to organise targeted attacks.

Lymphocytes have special receptors on their surface that work as antennae, which will only respond to one specific target antigen.

After the destruction, the lymphocytes will remember this antigen for next time and they will organize a faster and bigger attack against the pathogen before it causes serious harm. This memory ability of the immune system is what immunization cleverly uses.

Vaccination also uses this memory ability. But how? Vaccine ingredients vary depending on what the vaccine is used for. They may contain: • a very small dose of a live (but weakened) virus • killed viruses • killed bacteria • small parts of bacteria • a small dose of a modified toxin produced by bacteria • a small amount of preservative • a small amount of an antibiotic to preserve the vaccine.

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ARE VACCINES SAFE? Now you know that vaccines contain small parts of bacteria or a small dose of a modified toxin produced by bacteria, so is it safe to introduce it to our body?

Basically yes, but wait, research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines. In Australia, every vaccine must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register it for use. The approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING VACCINATED Not only to protect yourself and your children from harmful, contagious diseases, but also to safeguards the health of other people, now and for future generations. Since vaccines have been introduced, several major diseases went under control. In fact, smallpox has been eradicated by vaccines, saving approximately 5 million lives annually. Over 80% of the world’s children are now being immunized against the polio virus, and the annual number of cases has been cut from 400,000 in 1980 to 90,000 in the mid-1990s. According to the Australian Government: Department of Health, since the introduction of vaccination for children in Australia in 1932, deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases have fallen by 99%, despite a threefold increase in the Australian population over that period.

I DO NOT WANT BE VACCINATED, WHY SHOULD ANYONE CARE? Immunization brings benefits not only for the individual who receives the vaccine, but also for the entire population through a phenomenon called herd immunity.

In order to achieve herd immunity, a significant proportion of individuals within a population must be vaccinated against a disease. Herd immunity offers indirect protection for people who are still susceptible to the disease, by making it less likely that they will encounter someone who is carrying the pathogen.

This also benefits the small proportion of people who fail to respond adequately to vaccination.

However, In the case of a highly infectious disease such as measles, more than 95% of the population must be vaccinated to achieve sufficient herd immunity to prevent transmission if the disease recurs. This leads to a high degree of control, and it is theoretically possible to eradicate the disease, provided there is no other animal that can carry the infection and transmit it back to humans, as it was achieved with smallpox.

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STANDING TOGETHER BRIAN OSBORNE

It’s hard to imagine anything positive coming from the hate fuelled massacre that took place at a Christchurch Mosque on March 15th, killing 50 people, and affecting the lives of countless others. The event sent shock waves around the world, as people across the globe mourned alongside the Muslim and New Zealand community.

I was welcomed inside the Mosque with pure love, warm smiles, tender handshakes, eyes filled with gratitude, fed beautiful food, and made to feel welcome and accepted by complete strangers. I stood alongside Muslims, non-Muslims, Indigenous Australians, Kiwi’s, young and not so young, listened to a Maori choir sing on the steps of the Mosque, and watched young Muslim’s being taught how to play the Didgeridoo. A gathering of such diverse communities, connecting and embracing each other as one. The moment summed up by Leon Ruri from Haka For Life: “A community of one, there is no race, no colour, no creed here… we are all human beings that are gathering together”.

The City of Vincent closed off the street in support of the event, and as prayers were held inside, the crowd assembled on the street and sidewalks in front of the mosque, ready for the service to begin. We were welcomed to country by Nyoongar representatives, and dancers from Corroboree For Life, listened as Muslim, Indigenous, Kiwi, and political leaders spoke from the heart, heard the names of the victims read out, and observed a minute of silence. With the emotion already visible on everyone’s face, the crowd made room for a Corroboree and 100 strong Haka that was so intense it sent shivers down my spine, and brought tears to my eyes.

Just over a week after the attack, the Muslim community of Perth extended an open invitation to everyone, regardless of religion or nationality, to stand together and pay tribute to the victims, at memorial services held at three Mosques. I attended the service at the Perth Mosque on William Street, in Northbridge, along with over 1000 other people who turned up to pay respects, leave flowers and messages for the victims, and unite in a moving show of solidarity.

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“If someone kills in the name of white supremacy, I am not going to blame all the white people for your crimes. You can’t make me hate all white people, for something you did. Likewise if someone commits a crime in the name of my religion, I make a plea to all of you here today, please do not blame me, nor the religion of 1.8 billion people worldwide, for the crimes of a few.”

Powerful heartfelt words from Imam Shakeeb of the Perth Mosque, urging people not to allow extremists to represent our communities.

He also praised NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Adern for how she handled the

attack: “You put politics to one side, you didn’t behave like a politician, in fact

you behaved like a human being.”

In our society where we often live in collective isolation, we don’t always have opportunities to connect with those from other cultures, and without that personal interaction and connection, it is easy to unconsciously dehumanise those that we do not understand. This memorial service brought people together from all different sectors of the community, connected by grief and a desire to stand united as humans. It gave us an opportunity to engage with each other, with love and acceptance, and that is something our world needs much more of.

“From Hate, Love will Bloom.”

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horoscopes

BY THOMAS WEDNT

Ok, I just want to say one thing. When did moon signs and rising signs become a thing? I just woke up one day and find everyone posting about Virgo Moon, Taurus Rising bull-stuff. I mean this stuff is already too complicated, let alone adding two other signs into my stuff. I mean come on! Anyway, Hi, here’s your horoscope.

ARIES March 21 – April 19 It’s time to wake up, Brian. You’ve been in a coma ever since the accident, but we managed to implant this message to help you. You’ve got to wake up, please.

It’s been months. Please wake up.

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TAURUS April 20 – May 20 You finally know the answers to all of life’s questions, just make sure you don’t brag too loudly, or life might hear you and change the questions before the big test. Keep it quiet for now.

GEMINI May 21 – June 20 The words “enda, ended, sands” may be important in your life soon. Goodness knows how, I mean it looks like 3 random words, but that’s what the stars told me.

Good bloody luck!

CANCER June 21 – July 22 I consulted my tarot cards and I pulled out the death card. But then I pulled out a green skip and a wild card, so I changed it to blue. I hope that helps you out.

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LEO July 23 – August 22 You shOuld look oUt for secret messages tHis week; it could be A Very important mEssage thaT yOu overlOok. Maybe yoU should CHeck everyThing you read agaIn, you could Miss somEthing!

VIRGO August 23 – September 22 Not everything you read on the internet is true, so keep that in mind next time you go on LMS and see that your assignment is due in 5 minutes, and make sure to thoroughly fact check before proceeding.

LIBRA September 23 – October 22 Hey buddy, look, I was too harsh on you last edition, I’m sorry. You know what, take these Karma points and go spend them on something nice, like pushing someone you hate down the stairs. You’ve earned them** **Karma points aren’t real. Please don’t push anyone down any stairs, even if you hate them.

SCORPIO October 23 – November 21 Have you watched Endgame yet? Oh man you should it’s so good! There’s this really cool part in it where [CENSORED! OH SO VERY CENSORED! COME ON MAN, SOME PEOPLE HAVEN’T SEEN IT]. It’s so cool.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 – December 21 Life isn’t like a box of chocolates; life is like a box of Favourites. People all rush in and grab handfuls of the good stuff, and by the time you get in there there’s only Old Gold and Cherry Ripe left. But you’re probably one of the weirdos who likes Cherry ripe anyway...

CAPRICORN December 22 – January 19 Hey dude, I know we said we’d be cool about chores and stuff, but you haven’t done the dishes once in the 8 years we’ve been living together and it’s PISSING ME OFF! Just wash a god damn dish for once!

AQUARIUS January 20 – February 18 Make sure to clean your teeth every day.

And no, that doesn’t mean doing a shot of peppermint schnapps before you go to bed. Actually, that might be an entirely different issue. Maybe get some help.

PISCES February 19 – March 20 Listen, you might think you’re funny, but your 3 hour tutorial might not be the place to start your stand up comedy career, and trust me, mature age students can throw pencils very hard, and very fast.

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Herbs and Shadows (An extract) ARIANA ROSENBERG

The air was sweet and crisp as Penelope made her way on horseback through the forest. She had spent the day searching for herbs and was growing weary.

As it grew darker, she knew she needed to escape the clearing she was passing through, as wolves were known to roam and attack from the dark shadows.

She began to ride faster, hurrying towards the edge of the forest. Just as she thought she was safely in the trees, she heard a yelp and a growl before a sharp shout. Her heart beat faster, and the adrenalin jolted her into action.

She could just make out a figure. It was Benjamin, her best friend. She jumped off her horse to help him. Blood dripped down his leg from an open wound.

“Oh my gosh Benjamin, what happened to your leg?”

“A wolf. I was on my way to see you…”

Penelope took out some bandages from her bag, and began to tend to his leg.

Benjamin winced in pain.

“You need to stop taking so many risks Benjamin! I don’t know what I’d...” Penelope blushed and cut herself off, hoping that Benjamin hadn’t heard.

He grunted. He moved onto his side and kept the injured leg up as Penelope bandaged it.

With a grunt Benjamin got to his feet and leaned on Penelope’s shoulder. They made it across to the horse. With great effort he lifted himself into the saddle.

He cried out in pain when the girth rubbed against his leg.

Penelope jumped up behind him and held him in the saddle. They crossed the bridge and arrived at the infirmary.

“What happened?” Janet asked, straight to business.

“He was attacked, Janet!” Penelope cri ed.

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“How unfortunate. Sit here,” Janet motioned towards the bed.

Penelope frowned. Something about Janet’s manner seemed off. Benjamin limped towards the bed, nestled in a corner deep in shadow.

“Let’s see.” Janet knelt down to examine Benjamin’s leg. “Thank you, Penelope, for being so quick.”

Penelope who was crying, only nodded in reply.

“Now then, let’s give you something to lessen the pain,” Janet said.

Janet grabbed a dusty bottle and filled a glass.

“This should help,” Janet said with a smile.

Benjamin drank it. He cringed, and then his face relaxed. But soon, his eyes widened and he began to froth at the mouth.

“Oh no,” She said sarcastically. “Looks like It won’t be a happy ending after all.”

Benjamin started shaking. Then he screamed. Soon his body began to deteriorate. His leg turned grey and wrinkly.

“What did you do Janet?!” Penelope screamed.

Janet began to cackle maniacally. The shadows in the infirmary increased. Soon Janet’s eyes became bloodshot.

“I couldn’t have you get married to him.”

“Wh- what do you mean?” Penelope stuttered.

“He was on his way to propose to you! I couldn’t have that.” Janet replied.

“Is that why you poisoned him?” Penelope yelled.

“It was all part of my plan.” Janet smiled. “It was I who created the wolf out of shadows.

I sent it to attack Benjamin.”

“How could you do such a thing?” Penelope cried.

“I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. But I knew you would never want me - if I can’t have you, no-one can!” Janet’s face twisted.

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How do I get involved?

You can find the surveys on the Guild Facebook page, with posts containing new survey links every fortnight. These links will also be available in G-news, which is emailed to every student.

Alternatively, you can come down to see us at our stall on every second Thursday MarketDaze (Weeks 10, 12, 14). All we ask of you is two to five minutes of your time, and you’ll walk away with a coffee voucher and the chance to win an awesome prize!

BYJED COWPER

What’s Murdoch Mention?

Murdoch Mention is a new Guild initiative designed to improve the ability of Guild Council to advocate for and represent students. As part of this project, we are providing students with a variety of surveys relating to education, campus, events, security, clubs and societies, and student health and wellbeing.

With a focus on strengthening communication between the student body, Guild council, and the university, our goal is to seek meaningful feedback that can be used to improve student experiences on campus.

What are the incentives?

For each survey you fill out, you will receive an entry into a monthly prize draw to win one of four $50 Murdoch Guild Tavern vouchers. The draw will be made at the end of each month, so you can always grab a chance to be one of the four monthly winners.

Here is the link to the currently available survey: tinyurl.com/y4yv667q For your perspectives on events on campus

What happens to the data?

All information that we collect is kept anonymous. After we receive the data, it will be handled and analysed by the Guild Council and staff and used to develop documents that reflect broader student opinion. We will use these to approach different groups with the intention to share the voice of students, like you! This will drastically help shape the way we advocate for the student body.

If you want to know more about the initiative, don’t hesitate to contact the Guild at- contact@murdochguild.com.au

But wait, there’s more! If you happen to be hanging around bush court on Thursday MarketDaze, we’ll be next to Cafe Kadjinny giving away a limited number of coffee vouchers to each participant.

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THE- RIGHT TO CAFFEINE

BY LUKE BRITTAIN

With exams quickly approaching and the time students spend on studying increasing; how can we hope to support the hardest working students in the most difficult time of the year? A possible solution could be free coffee and tea for students during the exam study break.

FOR

A small tea and coffee stall near the vending machines in the 24 hour section of the library would support hard working students both through the extra caffeine and by saving their wallet a little. Free coffee encourages students to come to the library and study for longer, so they can get the grade they deserve. Coffee is not only a way to kickstart a worn out brain - coffee is a social experience - therefore a coffee stall could help create a more positive atmosphere in the library and brighten some peoples days. The beverage services in the library are woefully unequipped when compared to the Hub; the Hub is also closed after hours so it won’t be useful all day, leaving periods of time where you just can’t get a hot coffee in the library.

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AGAINST

However, the concept of a free coffee stall does have its drawbacks. The stall would need to have supervision any time it is open for use, and that doesn’t even touch on the cost of resupplying coffee, tea, and water; someone would need to be on call 24/7 to supervise the stall - or risk another accident in the 24 hour section. If not the students, who would pay for the cost of the tea, coffee, water, labour and utilities? It would most likely be paid for by the students, out of their student fees, meaning that the student body would be paying for the cost of this stall in the long run; and some students may take more of their fair share if tea and coffee; meaning you would pay for their greed. The library is already over capacity in the exam period, so let’s not create another reason to take up the already limited space.

FOR

The stall doesn’t have to be open 24/7 and instead between the hours of 5am - 8am and 8pm - 11pm; this would allow the cafes around campus to supply coffee to students during the peak hours while giving the hardest working students even more incentive to study in the library after hours. A coffee stall wouldn’t add much, if anything to the cost of attending Murdoch University, nor would it be in need of constant supervision; however it would add to the value of the experience of studying during the exam season.

Coffee on campus is an already integral part of university life; making it more accessible to students could help liven the exam periods and help out tired students. Your opinion on this debate is also appreciated; if you want to add to this discussion, please send in a letter to the editor.

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CLUBS MURDOCH CHESS CLUB Whether you have never played a game of chess with no idea what the pieces do, or if you have played over 1000 games, the Murdoch Chess Club encourages anyone who wants to play to join us at our weekly social chess session. We meet every Tuesday in the library (Room 2.005C) from 11:30 to 12:30 during scheduled teaching weeks. We always look forward to meeting new challengers!

THE CULT Upon hearing about our fun little group, you may wonder... who are they and what do they do? More importantly, are they on a watchlist?

We are The Cult. Not "a cult", but "The Cult". The others are just posturing. We started off as a trivia team, and now we're slowly taking over Murdoch, without anyone realising anything.

So what do we do exactly? That is a fair question. Our motto is "There is no campus culture without a cult", and we stand by that. Thus, we are aiming to engage as many parts of campus as we can. Starting off with our "Jogging" bi-weekly event, which is our attempt to create magic circles around campus for... future projects. That said, we are not in great shape, so it’s closer to a few minutes jogging before walking the rest of the way.

We aim for our events to be in that sweet spot between books and booze, the spectrum of university life. We have quite a few plans for the years to come, and we are not going anywhere (except maybe Curtin.

They seem nice) And as for whether we are on a watchlist; as was said before, we are The Cult. Not a cult. Make of that what you will. (Not that we're aware of)

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big screen and accessible to everybody from all walks of life.

AVENGERS: END GAME REVIEW

BY ALEX SZABADICS

I remember renting Iron Man out at Civic Video with my family when I was 10 years out and watching it together (I didn’t see it in cinemas, unfortunately). We turned it off before the credits ended, so I never got to see Nick Fury talk to Tony Stark and inform him of the small part he must play in a bigger universe. 11 years later, and we come to the end of a 22-movie behemoth of a story arc that Marvel executives (including, of course, Kevin Feige) decided to put together.

And, whether you even like Marvel at all, its hard to ignore the fact that these movies really have become a cultural phenomenon in a way that no other franchise has really been able to. Rather than building a dedicated fanbase through spinoff content or other forms of media, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been ingrained in the hearts of mainstream audiences. It has turned the stereotypical jocks of badly made 80’s high school movies into the comic nerds that they used to make fun of.

Avengers: Endgame is a fantastic mess of a film. It has everything that would usually make a lesser piece of media a complete dumpster fire: far too many characters, complete lack of practical effects, reliance on CGI, way too much fanservice, 3-hour runtime. But the reception to this film has been phenomenal. It’s been, for the most part, universally adored by critics and fans alike. And it’s all because of the 40 hours of character and world building that these films have created. People love these characters, and love seeing what this universe has become. Small character moments bring so much more satisfaction because they were set up multiple films ago.

This is the end-of-series finale of a hit TV show, but on the

With all of this in mind, Avengers: Endgame is a difficult film to review. There are definitely a lot of characters and storylines that get left to the wayside, despite this blockbuster’s huge runtime.

Captain Marvel and Okoye in particular, prominent characters on the poster, get an ounce of screen-time. Thanos isn’t as interesting a character as he was in Infinity War. And while the second act is fun, it is definitely dedicated to fan-service rather than cohesive ideas and plot. This movie is not immune to criticism, and there are definitely better films out there.

There’s so much good stuff here as well, though. Endgame has far superior pacing to Infinity War – rather than being a rush of endless action scenes, it’s a slow build-up that focuses on character moments first and foremost. We see the grief and the pain that those unaffected by the snap must endure. We finally see consequence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Which is fantastic, and a great step in the right direction for the future of blockbusters. And when the film ramps up into action, it does so with a huge leap. The final act, whether you love or hate this universe, is visually spectacular and something that only could have been done in this behemoth of a franchise.

I really like these films, but I am not a Marvel fanboy. That being said, I have loved the ride I’ve taken with these characters thus far and I am very happy that I managed to experience this shift of blockbuster formula during my formative years. I’ve changed along with this universe, and for the better (I hope).

This is the end of a chapter. A new one is beginning, and I hope it’s just as fun.

“WELL. THIS IS IT. WE’VE REACHED PEAK BLOCKBUSTER.”

BY TOM HEENAN

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The British invasion. English music became mainstream all around the world. With bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Animals. Of course there were still American rock bands, such as The Beach Boys, The Doors, and young solo artists Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. Dennis Wilson was the only

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member of The Beach Boys who actually surfed, and later Noel Gallagher (Oasis) argued that The Beach Boys were only famous because they were next to The Beatles alphabetically. My favourite song from the 60’s is ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ by The Rolling Stones.

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1950’s: … And rock ‘n’ roll is born. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and of course, the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. As controversial as he was with the parents of the time with his moving and shaking, there’s no doubting Elvis’ ability and incredible popularity throughout the 50’s; he’s now arguably the greatest musician of all time. My favourite song from the 50’s is either ‘Hound Dog’ by Elvis, or ‘Johnny B Goode’ by Chuck Berry.

The 70’s saw the birth of soft rock, and brought about many great musicians. Elton John, Chicago, The Eagles, Paul McCartney and Wings, The Doobie Brothers, Pink Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac are just a few. Heavier rockers like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, ACDC, Aerosmith, Cold Chisel and Alice Cooper were also extremely popular. There were so many great songs from the 70’s, but Springsteen’s song ‘Born in the USA’ is one of my all-time favourites, and I also love ‘Just What I Needed’ by The Cars.

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Michael Jackson dominated the 80’s, and although he’s the king of pop, he had some rockier hits. KISS and ACDC only rose in popularity, while bands like Def Leppard, Poison, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana and Bon Jovi all burst onto the scene as well. My favourite song from the 80’s would either be ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Dire Straits, or possibly even ‘Rio’

by Duran Duran.

Indie Rock and Grunge prevailed in the 90’s.

Radiohead gained some commercial success, while The Smashing Pumpkins, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Green Day, Weezer, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Robert Palmer and The Cranberries formed. Nirvana’s popularity grew extremely large to a worldwide scale. Kurt Cobain’s death rocked the music world, but from it came The Foo Fighters. I love the songs ‘Tonight Tonight’ by The Smashing Pumpkins, ‘Supersonic’ by Oasis, and I think ‘Buddy Holly’

by Weezer is a funky ol’ tune as well.

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The 2000’s produced so many great rock bands, although the decade is usually only remembered for possibly over-edited and extremely commercially successful pop music. Not going to name any names though. The 2000’s produced The Killers, My Chemical Romance, The Black Keys, Imagine Dragons, The ‘s Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, and although The Strokes formed in 1998, they really came onto the scene in the early 2000’s. I love ‘All These Things I’ve Done’ by The Killers, ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ by The Arctic Monkeys, and ‘Reptilia’ by The Strokes.

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I know that I’ve missed some great bands, but hopefully I’ve covered the main ones.

So what’s the greatest decade when it comes to Rock ‘N’ Roll, and the forming of Rock ‘N’ Roll bands? I don’t know. All of them.

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