Issue 24 - October 2011

The Magdalen D U N D E E

U N I V E R S I T Y

S T U D E N T S ’

M A G A Z I N E

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The Magdalen

24th ISSUE - OCTOBER 2011

Principals Column & Campus News PAGE 5

Freshers Fotos

Kidneys for cash

S-R WHAT?

Golf Pros & Tennis Hoes

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Paranormal

Bonkers for some Bubbles

Sub-Merge

Dubai

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Brooklyn Bridge is falling down PAGE 16

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Hong Kong

Pop-ular Science

Stuck In A Rut

The Art of Gaming

Dos & Don’ts

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Snapped on Campus

GameOn

Gotta Match Em All!

Protect the Human

On the Big Scren

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Essence of a Velociraptor

Pass-ta the Pepper

Give it a go!

Touchdown!

Sports Union News

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The Magdalen

NO. 24 - OCT 2011

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Editorial

H

ello and welcome to the first 2011/2012 issue of The Magdalen.

The Magdalen is a monthly magazine made by students, for students. We cover many aspects of student life, from campus news, current affairs and features, to fashion, cooking and entertainment, The Magdalen has something to offer every student We recently appointed our new Editorial Team for the year, and they are already off to an incredible start. They have scaled Dundee high and low to bring you exclusive interviews and opinion on topics that matter, and will affect you.

Ashley Dorning, Features Contributor and Online Editor, opens up the story of Sue Rabbitt Roff, the ethics lecturer suggesting selling your kidney to pay debt, isn’t that bad an idea. Is your kidney worth £28,000?

Alex Shilling, Current Affairs Editor, caught up with DUSA President Iain Kennedy and Principal Professor Pete Downes to discuss the recently announced news of a possible University merger finlay craig - Editor with Abertay.

On a lighter note, our Entertainment Editor, Kevin Fullerton, has worked with his team to bring you the essential film and music picks for October.

Been at Skint this September? Well Katarzyna Nazarewicz, Fashion Editor, might have snapped you! Check out the Fashion section for more.

As you can see, we have been busy. This month the team turned around the magazine in two weeks. We usually take four, so this is a magnificent achievement. We want to know what you make of our work. If you have some thoughts on the magazine, or would like to get involved, drop us a message at themagdalen@dusa.co.uk This year is set to be an incredible year for The Magdalen, and I for one thoroughly cannot wait!

Finlay - themagdalen@dusa.co.uk

This issue of The Magdalen was brought to you by: Published By: Navid Gornall, DUSA, Airlie Place, Dundee, DD1 4HP - vpc@dusa.co.uk Printed By: David Winters & Sons, 16 Duninane Ave., Dundee, DD2 3QT Editor in Chief: Finlay Craig - themagdalen@dusa.co.uk Assistant Editors of: Submissions: Emma Gaffney & Melina Nicolaides Production: Ana Hine & Mhairi Rutherford Online: Ashley Dorning, Henritetta Evans & Ciara McFadden Category Editors Current Affairs: Alex Shilling Feautres: Colette McDiarmaid Entertainment: Kevin Fullerton Sport: Clare McCaughey Art: Ana Hine Lifestyle: Mhairi Rutherford Travel: Danielle Ames Fashion: Katarzyna Nazarewicz The Magdalen

Contributors Emma Gaffney, Roderick Tan, Ashley Dorning, Alice Harrold, Rose Matheson, Angus McHutchson, Alex Shilling, Benjamin Blaser, Alexandra Dewar, Naomi Bridges, Nadia Fernandes, Ana Hine, Tom Colquhoun, Megan Hutton-Smith, Katarzyna Nazarewicz, Kyle Balfour, Catie Suiter, Melina Nicolaides, Christina Fuehrer, Martyn Simpson, Mhairi Rutherford, Clare McCaughey, Greg Smith

Campus News EMMA GAFFNEY

“Hands off Abertay”… & Dundee

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Principal’s Column Professor downes

B

y now, the University will have announced the fees it intends to charge nonScottish domiciled students from elsewhere in the UK (RUK) for our undergraduate programmes.

Whatever your views about fees it is important to understand how this situation arose.

After its resounding election victory the SNP Government has fulfilled its pledge to ensure higher education remains free for all Scottish domiciled undergraduates. At the same time it is committed to bridging any funding gap between English and Scottish universities as a consequence of the introduction of tuition fees of up to £9000 p.a. south of the border.

To fill this funding gap and to protect places for Scottish students in our universities the Cabinet Secretary, Mike Russell, permitted Scottish universities to charge up to £9000 p.a. to RUK students from 2012/13. RUK students will not pay these fees up front, but will be eligible for the same loans they would NO. 24 - OCT 2011

have received had they chosen to study elsewhere in the UK. If we were to waive fees for RUK students it would reduce the funds available to support the tuition of each and every one of our undergraduates. That is a consequence I could not support as it would place at risk Dundee’s envious reputation for the quality of experience students enjoy here.

We very much hope that our reputation for excellence combined with the relatively low cost of student life in the city will continue to attract RUK students in significant numbers. Many may choose direct entry to 2nd year or be attracted to one of our new customised 3-year degree programmes. All are likely to feel they have a different relationship with their university than their Scottish counterparts.

I hope therefore that students and staff alike will continue to play their part in welcoming all students into our university community regardless of how the tuition costs of their time here are being met.

his week news of a possible merge between Dundee University and Abertay University has been on the grape vine. Abertay students have launched a website campaigning against the potential merger. The website www. handsoffabertay.co.uk states that the merge is “an unprecedented and highly inappropriate move” which “represents a very real and tangible threat to Abertay’s future as an independent, innovative and excelling university”. They suggest that it is the students who will end up suffering the most from this proposal. We at the Magdalen second this motive and support Abertay in their quest for continued independence.

Secret of the Incas homecoming

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he Dundee based team of explorers out to find the lost Incas city of Paititi have returned home after a long and presumably exhausting adventure. The three set out to find the mythical ‘Lost City of Gold’ said to contain the lost treasures which were hidden from the Spanish at the time of the conquest. The team have yet to release any official statement on their findings.

However, The Magdalen were able to get an exclusive statement from team member, Ken Gawne who told us that, “There were moments we didn’t think we’d make it out of the jungle alive… Especially when we ran out of food.” Well, we are glad to announce their safe return nonetheless, and eagerly await the release of the documentary they are now making detailing the mission. To find out more visit their website at www. thesecretoftheincas.com.

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Freshers’ Fotos

roderick tan

As your memory of Freshers’ is most likely a patchy, strobe lit haze of dancing, 3am bakery visits, long hungover mornings and consuming more than a healthy amount of chips ‘n’ cheese, we present you with a lovely collage of the bits you can’t remember or had to miss due to an inevitable bout of Freshers’ flu.

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hen Sue Rabbitt Roff, donate a kidney for altruistic backs this statement saying, “After ethics lecturer at the reasons, then paying the donor to a caesarean section, you still have University of Dundee, do so is medically ethical. While all your organs in place. Removing suggested that a £28,000 incentive £28,000 may seem a substantial a kidney means you have a lifelong should be offered to encourage drain from the already tight NHS risk of having half the kidney people to become living donors, budget for every donation, it is function you had before. While the media put a spot light on significantly cheaper than the the lifelong risk to health is small, the issue, and rightly so. In her £40,000 currently spent to keep it is significant. There is generally article for the British Medical one patient on dialysis for a year. a good outcome, but you can’t Association in August this year Mrs. Roff predicts that the need dismiss the risk or be flippant about Mrs. Roff suggested that we should for kidney transplants will increase it.” pay £28,000 as an incentive for with the growing incidence of Dr. Stewart disagrees with a living kidney donation to an diseases such as diabetes and the introduction of a financial inauspicious patient. She suggests hypertension. However, renal incentive for kidney donation. that students may use this as a consultant Dr. Alison Severn “While the need does out-strip way to pay off student debts. What suggests this may be an irrelevant the supply, payment for kidneys problems might this system is not a suitable moral bring, and is it even feasible? Have your say...would you be willing to option. The best way have the op for £28,000? Do you see it as to increase supply is to Mrs. Roff’s comments are against the grain. We need to an opportunity to deal with student debt? increase people on the have an active discussion on donor register, increase the subject in order to protect our argument. “You need to be of a the amount of suitable living health system and values. certain health to be suitable for donors through awareness Until 2006 only relatives were a kidney transplant, and in most in family and friends of those allowed to donate a kidney to a cases where these kind of preneeding a transplant, and through family member in need. However, existing conditions are present, the anonymous altruistic donation. since 2006 anyone suitable can patient is unlikely to be a candidate There are also other schemes volunteer to donate their kidney for transplant. It is not the case in place including a donor pool, to someone they have never that everyone who is on dialysis is which increases the likelihood even met. No financial incentive suitable for a transplant” of finding a suitable match. Also, is offered, making this a truly While Mrs. Roff may play immunological techniques are altruistic decision. So is it just down the impact of having a being improved which help one step further to offer a cash kidney removed for donation, overcome some of the problems incentive, or is it a step too far? suggesting it is about equivalent with mis-matched organs.”

The arguments for introducing to an elective caesarean section, In her article, Mrs. Roff suggests a cash incentive include: a way Dr. Severn tends to disagree. that swapping kidneys “can be to address the kidney shortage “It’s a bit different because this viewed as a version of payment”. and to reduce the waiting time [kidney removal] operation is While I can understand her for donations. However, one certainly not one the patient needs reasoning, I would say it is rather could argue that if it is considered to have.” Her colleague, renal different to payment, in the sufficiently safe for a person to consultant Dr. Graham Stewart monetary sense- after all, what use The Magdalen

Kidneys for cash - a way to pay off your student debts?

Ashley Dorning

is a kidney except to be just that, a kidney. Recently Chinese media reported the story of a 17 year old who sold his kidney to buy and iPad (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ world-asia-pacific-13639934). I do think it is sad that someone would view an organ as an iPad. Personally, I would hate to devalue my body in such a way. Yet Mrs. Roff asserts we are already putting a cash value on our health and organs in the case of medical testing and military injury compensation. I would argue very much that in these schemes there is an ‘if’ element. There is compensation set up if something happens to a person’s health where there is a predicted risk. Moreover, these systems have themselves come under some criticism, and are largely not NHS funded.

So is it ethical to pay someone for their organs? The operation isn’t risk free for the donor, and has possible long term implications for the donor’s health, increasing the long term risk of cardio-vascular disease. Perhaps offering people money to give up a kidney will encourage ill judged or just plain desperate decisions. Whether you are really struggling for money, or maybe just wanting to pay off that student loan, there’s no doubt that a cash offer will alter decision making. Should the NHS really be encouraging people to view their kidneys as a money maker?

But maybe you know the risks, NO. 24 - OCT 2011

you’re an adult, and it is up to you what you do with your body at the end of the day. However, I can’t help thinking that it will be the desperate and deprived rather than the well informed signing up.

Mrs. Roff was rather clever in using students as an example of a group of people that might want to sell their kidney. We are considered to be intelligent and capable of making a considered choice. She uses the well-publicised increasing financial pressure on students as a feasible reason for selling a kidney and as a rational option to avoid debt. Pertinently, the Principle now suggests that £9000 per year in tuition fees is not an exorbitant amount for University of Dundee students, subsequent to events south of the border. Yet selling your kidney to deal with student debt would be a desperate decision and most would find this a shocking response. In reality, Mrs. Roff is using the depressing financial situation for students as fuel to her fire.

Dr. Stewart and Dr. Severn concur, expressing their concern that the most vulnerable people are likely to be persuaded to donate for cash. While Mrs. Roff argues that £28,000 would appeal across most socio-economic groups, there can be little doubt that those with dire finances will be driven by desperation to exchange a kidney for cash. It would therefore follow that the

NHS would be taking advantage of the most desperate. This is not only morally questionable, but would also encourage dishonesty in the donation process. The pressure of the loan shark and the prospect of a cash relief may encourage a person to lie about their health.

They may hide information, such as their smoking status. This might affect their chance of being accepted to donate, consequently risking the health, and potentially lives of both donor and recipient.

This may be especially potent for those who are in a lower socioeconomic group who tend to present with a higher risk of health problems worsened by kidney malfunction.

I am guessing from the reaction of the British Medical Association, who stated that they would not support cash being paid for organs, that there is unlikely to be a change in direction anytime soon. To be honest, I find this comforting.

Medicine will always throw up ethical dilemmas. I understand that Sue Roff was putting forward a solution to the problem of kidney shortage which affects so many lives. Yet I hope that kidney donation, like blood and bone marrow donation, will remain a generous gift.

Visit themagdalen.co.uk and join the debate.

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SRC?

Alice Harrold

D

id you vote in the recent Student Representative Council elections? You’re not alone if you didn’t. I think a lot of us feel distant and uninterested in student politics. Why is this? Are we just too self involved to give a damn or could the elections be run better?

There were 12 positions being contested this time but only 23 students ran. Seven of the posts had just one person standing for them!

On average there were 1.9 people up for each position. This is verging on undemocratic. But why? Maybe the elections are just seen as a popularity contest and people only enter so that they can to add to their CVs. Does it have the potential to be more? I think so.

However having read the profiles of all who ran this year I know that there were very few actual proposals being put forward. Most of the profiles said the same thing: that they want to represent student interests, make our voices heard and hold the Executive to account.

While these are important I was disappointed by the lack of any strong suggestions or plans of action.

It’s not surprising that there is little interest in the election when there’s a lack of passion even among those standing for it. So what changes can be made? Perhaps we could allow a longer time to vote. There are 32 hours to vote which, if you factor in university hours and sleep, is quite a short time especially for online polls.

This led me to wonder what has been done to improve the system already. Well, according to the Student Representation Working Group, ‘in 2007 promotion for the elections was hugely increased and electronic voting was introduced’. This resulted in the first full SRC in several years with a huge

The Magdalen

increase in the number of votes.

In the 2010 elections a number of new positions were brought in including the popular independent chairperson of the SRC. Turnout increased over 300% from the approximate 300 votes cast in 2009.

DUSA say that the SRC is one of the ‘most comprehensive representation structures in Scotland’.

And perhaps that’s true, but I think that it has the potential to be much more progressive and influential than it is now. With important positions being contested shouldn’t we strive for better?

One of the ways this can be done is to increase the number of voters, so make sure you get out there and vote next time. Another is for more people to stand for election to make it more democratic. If you have proposals of how to improve student life or the university in general you should put them forward.

DUSA are right in saying that this is a critical time in higher education and that now more than ever we need strong student representation in order to defend our interests.

Visit themagdalen.co.uk and join the debate.

Who are you calling Tennis Ho? Alice Harrold

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s many have noticed, the Men’s Hockey Club fundraiser ‘Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes’ is back this year, with a poster of a woman wearing a thong on all fours on a golf course.

This type of advertising is not new to campus. Last February the Lacrosse team held a fundraiser called ‘Rappers and Slappers’ the poster for which pictured a naked Lil’ Kim with the Louis Vuitton pattern stencilled to her body. So, should we be amused or outraged?

Last year the controversial ‘Porno’ night (advertised with a poster of a woman pretending to be a sex doll) was disbanded.

The Student Executive at the time answered student complaints by writing an article on their website saying, ‘One enraged student emailed in to complain that we were degrading women... Others thought it was funny. Either way it won’t stop what is set to be one of our best dance nights.’ They ended with, ‘Her name is Maureen by the way.’ This flippant reply to student outrage was disgraceful and I ask this year’s Executive to take complaints about sexism seriously.

Many women will argue that they feel empowered by these ads to wear what they want and feel confident to sexually express themselves, others will say it’s just harmless fun. But I believe that using a women’s body as a means of advertising a night out devalues women and asking them to come NO. 24 - OCT 2011

as ‘slappers’ or ‘hoes’ is demeaning and a dangerous trivialisation of prostitution.

Modern women want to dress as they choose, enjoy pornography, celebrate their sexuality, and live their personal lives freely. I am not about limiting sexual expression.

This is a positive development. But in a society where institutionalised inequality still exists, just how liberating are these adverts?

Sexist images which objectify women,both reflect and reinforce deep-rooted ideas about women’s inferiority in society. As such, they serve to strengthen and maintain material inequalities such as unequal and low pay for women.

So why are things that the Women’s Movement of the 1970s and 80s would have campaigned against now widely accepted?

Perhaps because women now feel ‘in on the joke’ and no longer see it as sexist.

Another reason is that antisexism has come to be equated with anti-sex. But there is a difference between objecting to imagery of women because it is sexually explicit and objecting to women’s bodies being used to sell products. It is possible to ‘get the joke’ in an advert and still recognise that it’s treating a woman’s body as a commodity to make a profit.

The fact that young women are deemed to be ‘in control’ of their sexuality doesn’t alter that one iota.

But it’s not just the images, it’s

the language, in this case ‘ho’. The language of stripping has become so acceptable that the 2008 Conservative party conference guide included a voucher to redeem at a Birmingham “gentlemen’s club”.

Lap dancing is argued to empower women because they can express themselves sexually while earning a lot of money. But former lap dancer Rachel Bell told The Guardian in a 2008 interview that, ‘men just see you as an object, not a person, and whether you are equally engaged in their desire is irrelevant.’ The same article reported that in the Borough of Camden there was a 33% increase of rape and a 55% increase of indecent assault when the lap dancing club opened. This is not empowerment for women.

To the women reading who believe that we have achieved equality, let’s review the facts.

Although more women are working than ever before, it is for 15.5% less pay (Fawcett Society Statistics, on average in 2010). Women still assume the vast majority of childcare and housework. One in four women will experience domestic violence at some time in their lives. Need I go on?

What I want is to promote debate about this issue and for sexism be to as opposed in campus advertising as it is in the classroom.

Agree with me? Oppose it too.

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Paranormal Rose Matheson

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ith Halloween just around the corner we from the Magdalen would like to share some of Dundee’s more infamous stories of the paranormal and unexplained...

We’ll begin with the notorious “Roseangle Murder House”, which has remained empty for more than 30 years. On May 16th 1980 a few young boys were playing football near the house and accidentally kicked the ball into the garden.

Upon going to retrieve the ball the boy glanced in the window and was confronted with the deranged grins of two dismembered bodies.

Legend has it that one night the owners of the house, Dr. Alexander Wood and his wife Dorothy, came home to find a burglar in their basement. The burglar supposedly tied them up, ripped their bodies apart with a hammer claw and then rebuilt them at the window.

That is, after having sliced the edges of their mouths to form warped, Joker-esque grins. Since then anyone who has dared to enter the house has reported blood splatters, knives scattered and has sensed a spirit presence.

Another case of Dundee’s paranormal activity includes The Magdalen

the infamous story of the Tay Bridge. The bridge was designed

by Thomas Bouch in 1878 and fell victim to one of the worst cases of bridge failure in history. On the night of December 28th 1879, a magnificent storm hit Dundee sending the entire bridge, and a train carrying 75 passengers plunging into the violent, frigid waters of the river below. There were no known survivors and mysteriously only 46 bodies were ever recovered. Naturally, Bouch was blamed for the disaster due to him carelessly forgetting to take the high winds into consideration when designing the bridge. It has been said that every year on the anniversary of the collapse a ghostly train can be seen crossing the bridge before plummeting into the same violent, frigid waters beneath.

Another one of Dundee’s ghost plagues landmarks is the RRS Discovery which has been featured on “Most Haunted”. It was built in Dundee in 1901 and first gained fame later that year when it attempted to sail to Antarctica for research purposes. Led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton the ship set sail

but unfortunately never made it due to being ice bound for 26 months. The second attempt was successful however Captain Scott died on the return. Since then the ship has been open for tours. Many visitors have reported a host of strange phenomena including a ghostly male who is believed to be Charles Bonner, a crew member who fell from the crow’s nest and a flickering light in Shackleton’s room that no electrician can fix or explain. It is thought that Shackleton loved the ship so much he never left.

In 1828 the aptly named “Coffin Mill” was the largest mill in Angus.

The mill has become infamous around Dundee due to the widelyreported eerie phantom-girl that crosses the bridge that connects the two buildings of the mill. This apparently has been happening almost every night since her death which remains unresolved. There are two theories to the cause of her death. The first being she was dragged into the machine and killed, a common occurrence during the time. The second being that her manager threw her over the bridge in a fit of rage when she told him she was pregnant.

ANGUS McHUTCHON

The Drug Debate

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or years, conventional wisdom on drug enforcement has been that the general public, both user and society, benefits from the tough sentencing for anyone possessing illegal drugs. However, over the past fews years dissent has increased.

In November 2010, California held a referendum on whether marijuana should be made legal. Of those polled 46% voted yes; a number that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago.

Politicians such as Ron Paul have been campaigning to make drug reform a mainstream political issue.

Public opinion has been swinging in favour of worldwide drug policy reform. A UK ICM poll of 1000+ adults found that 38% would support the decriminalisation of drug possession.

However, the scientific community has been left reeling after a series of run-ins between politicians and their scientific advisors. Professor David Nutt of the University of Bristol was controversially sacked by the last government after stating that by a comparison of annual deaths, horse riding was more dangerous than taking ecstasy. Since then the government has systematically ignored the advice it has been given and has instead proposed to remove the legal requirement for scientists and medical professionals to be serving on the panel. Seemingly, gaining votes is more important for politicians than actually dealing with the issue.

Dundee itself gained notoriety in the drug debate after mephedrone became incredibly prominent in the Tayside area. Following much media speculation and political rhetoric, mephedrone was banned NO. 24 - OCT 2011

in February 2010 despite no full scientific studies being conducted on its effects. It was soon replaced on the market with several new drugs such as NRG-1, which was also banned. The cycle of panic and rushed criminalisation has created a cycle of new drug creation. The market void created by each newly banned substance creates the possibility that a new, more dangerous drug will fill its place.

Many of the deaths attributed to mephedrone before its criminalisation have subsequently been found to have nothing to do with mephedrone or have occurred due to poly-drug use.

According to a 2010 report by the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths, mephedrone was found to be the only contributing factor to death in just two of 38 selected drug-related deaths that year.

In the end, users have suffered thanks to current UK drug policy.

Where it has been banned, as soon as a substance becomes illegal, the consumer has no knowledge of what may be contained in the drug. The street purity of cocaine seized by police has dropped to a new low of around 20% as dealers respond to the soaring international price per kilo.

Ultimately, the smugglers and dealers are the only people who benefit from the escalating prices.

The general public suffer from the crime generated by users and the added problem of police time being dominated by catching often non-violent offenders.

Many violent international civil wars are funded by the profits of drug production. Gang violence in Mexico led to more than 15,000 deaths in 2010 alone, the Taliban are hugely reliant on the profits from opium production and Columbian revolutionaries have

funded their operations through cocaine production and trafficking.

Also to be considered, are the devastating effects it has for farmers in producer nations.

Frequently extorted to grow cocoa and marijuana for violent domestic cartels, poor farmers find themselves at the frontline in law enforcements’ efforts to try and stop production. This often leads to the total loss of livelihood, deeper poverty and increased violence.

One country taking a different approach is Portugal, which has decriminalised the personal possession of all drugs, advocating the treatment of users. Portugal has seen only a slight increase in drug use, but has seen significant drops in the areas seen as most damaging for society: teenage drug use and heroin use. Cases of HIV have also started a slow and steady decline since decriminalisation.

Many of the issues that are blamed on drug use could more accurately by described as consequences of drug law. What if government policy changed to move the burden of responsibility for drug taking onto the drug taker?

What if treatment became the focus rather than incarceration?

One only has to look at the figures of UK drug use and drug-related deaths to see that current policy is lacking. The problems we see here are a consequence of the laws created rather than a measure of the continued problem.

The folly of today’s policy makers seems to be well summed up by a quote by the Third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.: ‘I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it’.

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he other week, the Education Secretary Michael Russell proposed in Holyrood that Scottish universities and colleges in the same areas should be merged together. Some of the proposals - subject to review - will lead to legislation in late 2012. Mr Russell was quoted as saying that he wanted to see “the possibility of mergers where that makes educational and financial sense”. At the time, Dundee was earmarked as an area where universities and colleges could be merged together and both the University of Dundee and the University of Abertay have since been contacted by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), requesting that they enter into discussions.

This is very much a concern for students at both Tayside universities. The question for both establishments is whether these proposals would make “educational and financial sense”, as Mr Russell says.

Last week I spoke to the President of DUSA, Iain Kennedy. In response to the question of whether merging was the only solution to the higher eduction funding crisis, Kennedy stated that much of the SNP’s education policy since June has been “motivated by money” and said that he “didn’t believe” that the party understood higher education.

The feeling from Abertay appears to be mutual. The university made a pledge on 19 September saying that it wished to remain a

The Magdalen

stand-alone establishment, after receiving a letter from the SFC, in which it was asked to make “an evaluation and analysis” of its role.

Once Abertay had received communication from the SFC asking it to “enter urgent discussions about a proposed merger”, the university’s feelings on the matter were made clearer than ever before. “It is important for current and future students that Abertay is independent and in a position to keep doing what we do as we do it best,” William Mohieddeen, the President of Abertay Students’ Association, said. “In a difficult climate for higher education, institutions like Abertay should be protected and supported.”

But the Dundee Principal Peter Downes, proved to be frustratingly reticent when I spoke to him the other week. Mr Downes said that he wasn’t “sure what we were going to have an interview about for an hour”, as “there are no original documents”, and he “didn’t feel it was appropriate to comment on speculation” - despite Mr Russell standing up in Holyrood to make the proposals only weeks ago and publishing a pre-legislative White Paper (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ Resource/Doc/357909/0120943. pdf) earlier this month.

However, Mr Downes did see fit to comment when the University received communication from SFC on the matter. His choice of words were nonetheless interest-

ing, claiming for example that the communication from the SFC “was totally unexpected and comes as a surprise to us at Dundee”. This, quite patently, is not the case. As Mr Downes stated in the first line of his email, there had been widespread press speculation - directly involving him, given that he spoke to a journalist only the other week (yours truly) wanting to know his position on the issue. Mr Downes’ reluctance to pass comment and reassure the students of this University on this issue seemed oddly withdrawn, but has not been altogether different from DUSA’s behaviour.

With the issue of the tuition fees a few months back, DUSA were very quick to make a statement condemning the higher education policy of the Westminster coalition government, but as of yet, have not made any official comment on the proposed merger. Perhaps the feeling from the Union is that having made a comment on the earlier issue of tuition fees and with the two issues being intrinsically linked, there is no need for further comment on the merger issue, as the position has not changed.

The simple fact is that Dundee and Abertay universities are two very different establishments of higher education.

Dundee is very academicallyorientated, and has gained recognition of late once again as one of the UK’s top universities - as its nomi-

Merger:

further evidence that students need to fight their own battle Alex Shilling

nation for University of the Year in the Times 2011 Higher Education Awards attests.

Abertay has gained an equally well-deserved reputation for excellence in environmental degrees and developing computer game research. Dundee-based Labour MSP Jenny Marra stated last week that “Abertay’s world-class teaching and research in areas like computer games technology has spawned an industry in Dundee which is vital for growth…it is absolutely integral to the economic development of our city”.

Merging the two would not make sense on any level. There is evidence to suggest that colleges being merged together can work as with the example of Dundee College of Commerce and Kingsway Technical College merging in 1985 but there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that the same principle can be applied to universities. It is to the SNP’s shame that they are trying to make these proposals out to be anything other than a petty cost-cutting measure. As Ms Marra succinctly put it last week - what the Scottish Government gives to Dundee with one hand they take away with the other. The contrast between SNP higher education policies before and after June could not be any more stark - and the lesson it teaches to students is that no political parties can be trusted any more.

All political parties talk about NO. 24 - OCT 2011

“trust”, and “regaining trust”, but the simple fact is that, to quote the esteemed UK Prime Minister David Cameron, there is “barely a cigarette paper” between the key policies of the four main parties in Scotland. There is something truly nauseating about all four main parties squabbling amongst each other, all accusing the others of “misleading the public” and “backtracking”, and of course, bombarding the Scottish public with the British politician’s pet word - “rhetoric”.

The simple fact is that none of the mainstream parties in Scotland are currently giving students any reason whatsoever to have any confidence at all in them. What is more, you will be hard pushed to recall a time when a mainstream British political party did command any sort of widespread confidence from students post-election.

So, where do students go from here? Admittedly it’s only been 16 months since the general election, and even less time since the Scottish local elections, but these are testing times for young people studying at British universities. We need reassurance that our needs are being catered for; we need to know that someone is fighting our corner. Looking at the current behaviour and past record of the four mainstream parties in this country, it is difficult to see who that someone is. All of them talk big; only last week, Ed Miliband promised that Labour would cut tuition fees to

£6,000 - but he claimed that this would be at least partly funded by more interest on student loans for graduates earning in excess of £65,000 a year. Hardly the greatest incentive for prospective students to come to university, is it really?

So students in Britain are very much at a crossroads- we have two choices.

Either we can simply give up on politicians of all parties; lose faith in the system completely and accept that our lives are going to be increasingly difficult for, at the very least, the next few years. Or, alternatively, we can adopt a ‘cautious but cynical’ attitude to politicians promising big things for students; whilst at the same time fighting our own corner. The student protests at the tuition fees a few months back were significant and proved a point - but that point has clearly not been hammered home to our leaders clearly enough. We, as a student body, need to make it absolutely, totally, inescapably clear to those in power that we will not stand for our interests being curtailed, stepped over or sacrificed for interests which politicians believe carry more sway. We need to stand up and be counted - not sit down and die.

Visit themagdalen.co.uk and join the debate.

PAGE 15

2020:

The Fall of the American Empire?

BENJAMIN BLASER

I

t’s fair to say that it’s been a difficult couple of months for the United States of America. With ongoing economic sluggishness and military failures, the two pillars on which its superpower status stands, it is clear that the world’s most powerful nation has been struggling. So, are we seeing the decline and fall of the American Empire? And if so, who is to blame?

‘Our political system is flawed and no longer benefits Americans.

It is to a great degree directed by lobbyists’, says Thomas Heffner in his blog on www.economyincrisis. org.

According to his article ‘America’s Flawed Political System’, policy initiatives are no longer triggered by representatives.

In fact, lobbyists, mainly former politicians and political functionaries, are the driving force behind the closed doors of Congress. According to Heffner these former government officials are attracted by salaries that are 20 times what they earned in office. Using their excellent connections and their knowhow of the inner workings of the parliamentary branch they implement special interest policies. Heffner concludes that this misrepresentation is what led to America’s current state.:`the US descended in so short a time from being a wealthy and productive nation to one now having the profile of a third world country’.

America’s economic situation certainly has a few similarities with that of developing countries. There is a huge dependency on imports that has built up a chronically negative trade balance - thus there is an ever increasing debt and a continuing sell out of American companies to overseas.

Social inequality is also rising.

The Magdalen

The richest 10% earned half of the national income in 2007 and the income share of the richest 0.01% rocketed to 6%. Access to good schools, health services and social security are increasingly linked to social status. The gap between the rich and poor continues to widen despite the efforts undertaken by the Obama administration The Norwegian professor Johan Galtung, who predicted the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1980 for the year 1990, is a household name in the area of conflict and peace studies and comparative civilization. His latest estimation foresees the fall of the American Empire by 2020.

Galtung categorises 14 contradictions, which will eventually result in the decline of the United States; for example, the contradiction between `growth and distribution´.

He concludes that the accumulation of liquidity in a small percentage of people and a lack of distribution leads to a decline in demand that finally undercuts economic growth. In many ways, the U.S is digging its own grave.

Is there any hope? The Obama administration recently introduced two new measures to tackle the economic issue. In his address to Congress on September 8th, the President announced the American Jobs Act, a proposal that allots $ 447bn (£284bn) to be spent on payrolling tax cuts, investments into the crippling infrastructure, and the hiring of teachers. Obama strongly urged Congress to pass the act - a not so subtle reference to the dangerous failure of Congress to resolve the debt-ceiling crisis and a strong nudge to the Tea Party movement.

While this plan, as Obama reminded the lawmakers, comprises policies supported on

both sides of the aisle and should therefore have greater chances of passing, the proposed Buffett tax is less likely to ever be law. This proposal would remove the tax breaks for the rich that the Bush administration introduced. It is named after Warren Buffett, the investment mogul who argued for a tax increase for the rich.

American Crossroads, a conservative super Political Action Committee (PAC) ran a film during the debt-ceiling crisis catering to the Tea Party voter. The clip showed a palette hanging by a thread symbolising the American economy. As tax increases along with soaring gas prices and failed $830bn stimulus accumulate, the thread threatens to split. Finally, the ‘$14 trillion debt’ owned by ‘China’ is loaded on. A fibre of the thread splits and the load nearly drops on the children standing beneath. Fading out on the last image which shows a small girl staring big eyed on the threatening economy dangling over her, a voice demands no more ‘blank checks for Obama’.

It will be fascinating to see whether American politics can overcome such tactics and progress. ‘Lexington’s Notebook’, a political blog of The Economist, summarises the challenge quite well. ‘To balance the books, politicians have sometimes to do things the people themselves oppose - even in America. That will be the true test of whether the country is governable... And it’s hard to feel optimistic.’ The monumental militant, social and economic crises that the nation faces provide challenges that make Galtung’s prediction seem concievable.

A

s we students arrive in Dundee we find ourselves full of anticipation for the impending academic year, and the buzzing atmosphere is immediately overwhelming. Most of us will be returning after the summer break and some may be Freshers ready to explore Dundee, their new home. I remember when I was a Fresher (note the unnecessary reminiscent tone - I’m actually 20, not 75), full of anticipation and expectations for “University Life”. As I started to meet people, introductions quickly became somewhat of a protocol; the awkward first “Hello” followed by, “My name is…” and then the most important (for me) “Where are you from?”

I live in Dubai, which is one of seven Emirates making up the United Arab Emirates. Home for me is a good few thousand kilometres away, and a mere 8 hour international plane journey. I am Scottish but have been an expat for most of my life, so traveling has become almost second-nature.

I spent the entire summer at home, in Dubai, and have just returned to start my third year. The first major difference between my two homes becomes apparent when I step off the plane and am hit by the fresh arctic blast that defines a Scottish summer. Going from an uncomfortable 45 to a nippy 10 degrees in a matter of hours is somewhat shocking to the system, but the anticipation of the almost imminent reunion with my friends and boyfriend provide a good shield against the shocking climate change.

On the train journey from Glasgow to Dundee, I found myself (attempting poetic brilliance) in absolute awe of the Scottish scenery. The journey took me along the East coast and I was taken aback by views of

stunning green hills and acres of abundant empty fields. Just two days earlier I had taken the brand new Dubai Metro that runs along the main highway, Sheikh Zayed Road. I was able to see the coastline, dotted with massive hotels, became engulfed by a never-ending concrete jungle and of course, sand. There are really very few parallels that I can draw upon and I quite like that, I enjoy that my two homes are so vastly diverse. I think it encourages a positivity and appreciation for the features I love about both Dundee and Dubai; such a necessary sentiment when facing the inability to go home until Christmas, no weekends at home or

visits from Mum. When most people first learn of my distant home, the usual reaction is one of surprise and then the stereotypical assumption that I am “minted”. Dubai has become majorly associated with wealth in the last decade as various industries decided to either expand or start up there. Additionally, a massive tourist influx has arisen due to the constantly rising hospitality industry and Dubai becoming a main flight stopover site. The population of Dubai is hugely cosmopolitan; almost all of my classmates were fellow expatriates.

So we all faced the rather excessive fate of not only leaving home, but leaving our continent! The UK, Australasia, South Africa and the U.S.A have received hundreds of expatriate students like me in recent years. Now, my fellow expatriates had the tendency to make some rather hasty assumptions about my native land, quite similar to those who stereotype “Dubaians”. Many a time I have had to correct the assumption that all Scots eat haggis for every meal, wear kilts for comfort and speak with an accent reminiscent to that of Mel Gibson’s Braveheart.

Interestingly enough, despite countless palpable differences, Dubai is actually Dundee’s ‘sister city’. The two cities are linked for commercial and economic endorsement. Much to my excitement, I actually discovered a café next to Caird hall in the city centre, which promotes this international bond.

Through my uncommon international circumstances, I’ve managed to build an awareness and appreciation for both Dundee and Dubai, my two homes.

The Sandpit I Call Home Alexandra Dewar NO. 24 - OCT 2011

PAGE 17

Hong Kong:

And that time what I went Swing Dancing Naomi Bridges

W

hen thinking of a cosmopolitan, businesscentric city like Hong Kong, social dancing is probably not the first thing that pops into one’s mind. Power meetings in power ties discussing who has the power in this power company are probably further up your list of associations. So I was surprised as anyone to find that Hong Kong loves the 1940s and wants to spread the word.

It wasn’t long into the start of term when I first tried it out, I’d been invited to a welcome meeting at a fellow gap year’s church group and thought I’d go along to try and meet some new people. I was looking forward to being around adults because I’d spent the morning teaching the children about different weather words and the different seasons. One girl named Tinky had replied confidently that after Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter came.....fish. I didn’t make up either of those things, sometimes the children just liked to shout out English words that they knew. Also, all the children pick an English name that they are called in their English class and some of children and parents came up with some quite imaginative ones.

In one class there was a little boy called Heman, or so I thought. The class teacher, Ms. Kong informed me that it was a typing error on his name card and that his name was actually Herman. I pointed to another child and said “Oh, so is he actually called Brian then?”

“Oh no, no, no.” She replied. “He’s called Brain.”

But I digress, teaching children is fun but it’s nice to go into the city and be around grown-ups.

The welcome meeting was nice, and everybody seemed lovely, but then one girl I was speaking to with

The Magdalen

my flatmate popped out.

“So, does anybody here like swing music?”

“I love it! Why?” “Want to come Swing Dancing with me?”

And so it was that I found myself on the elevated walkway’s that lace Central and into the basement of Hong Kong’s first skyscraper, Jardine house. A white structure on the North Side of the Island, it’s circular windows have earned it the nickname amongst the locals “House of 1000 Orifices”. In the basement is an Italian restaurant and every Wednesday night the tables get pushed back and the hot jazz gets played loud. I walked in amongst a throng of dancers and food being brought out left, right and centre. A live six-piece jazz band joined the group on the first Wednesday of the month, but my first visit was with just the sound system and an iPod. I’d missed the free lesson beforehand and was quite content to watch everybody around me dance but the instructor didn’t let me rest on my laurels for too long. I was up on my feet and learning the basic step in no time but regretting my choice of tube-top pretty quickly. After a whirlwind number I sat back and watched the better dancers around me, resolved to come back next week and quite soon I became an addict.

If Hong Kong taught me anything, it is expect the unexpected and you never know what you may find round the corner, in a basement, in the park or down the road.

I missed dancing so much after I left I decided to start up Dundee University’s very own Swing Dance Society to share a little piece of it. *PSST* we meet on Sunday’s at 4pm in Mono.

Peculiar Pastimes

W

hether you’re an expert, experimenter, or even an experimental expert, sometimes you just want to have some fun! Make the impossible, possible and wow your friends!

We have a few suggestions here to accommodate all your needs and requirements, from the timeless Mentos classics to making flaming fireballs, this is the amazing and unbelievable science How To Guide!

Mentos Volcano What you’ll need: • Mentos sweets • A 2 litre bottle of Diet Coke What to do: • Simply drop the Mentos into the Diet Doke and run away while gazing in wonder at the massive foam eruption!

Why not add a twist to the classic?..

Attach two bottles of diet coke to the back of a skateboard, carry out the above experiment and off you go!

Solid Liquid What you’ll need: • 100 ml water.

• About 166g corn starch What to do: • Spend about 12 minutes stirring the ingredients in a bowl to get a smooth mixture.

• The result is scientifically referred to as a “non-Newtonian fluid dilatant”.

• Touch it – it looks like a fluid, but punch it – it’s as stiff as board!

NO. 24 - OCT 2011

NADIA FERNANDES

Hot Ice What you’ll need: • 1 litre of white vinegar • 4 tablespoons of baking soda What to do: • Mix the ingredients in a pan of some form.

• Heat the solution until it is boiling, then keep applying a low heat until you see a crystal skin form on the surface.

• Remove from the heat, pour into a new contained and refrigerate until chilled.

• Touch it…

Juggling Fireballs What you’ll need: • 2x5 inch cotton ball, secured with cotton thread • Naphtha lighter fluid (e.g.

Ronsonol™ or Zippo™) • Non-stick frying pan • Matches What to do: • Soak the cotton balls in the lighter fluid, and place in the frying pan and light with the matches.

• Amazingly enough, the flame is actually cool enough to pick up with your bare hands – this literally is a handheld fireball!

• Take care to extinguish by suffocating the flame before the cotton itself starts to burn.

PAGE 19

Cesspits of Postmodernism Conversations with Charles Thomson ana hine

L

ast year I transferred to Duncan of Jordanstone and went directly into second year of the Art, Philosophy, and Contemporary Practice course. During Freshers Week I came across Charles Thomson’s e-mail address and decided to send him an e-mail asking for advice about Art College.

Thomson is one of the co-founders of Stuckism, a British art movement started in the 1990s and still active today. Their core idea can be found in their Stuckists Manifesto of 1999 in which Billy Childish and Thomson stated that; “Artists who don’t paint aren’t artists.”

According to legend, the name originates from an argument between Billy Childish and Tracy Emin. They were dating in the early nineties and one night had a discussion about where to go that evening. Emin suggested seeing a performance piece. Childish asked what sort. Emin, excitedly, told him that an artist was taking cocaine live on stage. Childish wasn’t impressed, claiming that that wasn’t art. An argument ensued in which Emin accused Childish of being “stuck” artistically, since he was a painter.

Later in the pub Thomson and Childish decided to found a movement to celebrate painting and traditional art forms in the face of the contemporary art landscape.

That movement was Stuckism.

Here is our conversation, quoted from e-mails with the permission of Charles Thomson.

Ana: If you put your e-mail on the internet sometimes people e-mail who aren’t like supposed to so I’m sorry if this isn’t the correct way to do this. I was wondering if you could maybe give me some advice - I’d like to be able to make a living as an artist, but make art The Magdalen

that is good as opposed to being shocking or pseudo-philosophical.

Your group seems to be one of the only sane voices in contemporary British art and since I’ve just started I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to keep my work honest, relevant and of a high technical standard without dying in a gutter somewhere.

Charles: Er, sign on? Or get a low grade non-mentally demanding part-time job to pay the rent. If you really want to commit career suicide, join the Stuckists (easy and painless, at least in the short term). The most important tip is not to go anywhere near an art school.

They are cesspits of postmodernism, the enervation of meaning and value in a festering pool of relativism and soullessness (so as to speak). You basically have to decide whether you want to make art or make a living. Everything has a bottom line, i.e. if you have to choose, what do you choose? Emin chose fame and fortune. The rest of us chose art. I hope that helps. The thing is - do what you really want to do and you won’t regret it. Do what you should or what other people say you should and you’ll never be truly fulfilled.

Ana: Jesus, thanks for the quick and helpful reply. Surely you need to go to art school so as to, like, learn how to paint? ? Is there a group in Scotland?

Charles: You will be fortunate if you find an art school where you learn how to paint (though they do exist). At most art schools you will learn how to not paint. It is actively discouraged and regarded as reactionary. You will however do well there if you display suitcases, put a video of an underpass on a loop, build a castle from broken prams or sit in a room humming - that sort

of thing. You learn how to paint by painting. You can accelerate progress by learning from other painters, also by studying some good books. There are only a few basics.

The rest is application, invention, ingenuity, improvisation, and - most importantly of all - trusting your impulses and feelings and allowing them to make the painting.

A group in Scotland? Well, there would be if you started one! At the moment: http://www.stuckism. com/world.html#Scotland They may not be active.

Ana: Are there any books in particular you would recommend?

Any specific painters I should look into? I’ve been looking through the history of your movement and it’s very encouraging to see the work you have all been doing - it’s very good. I think it would be adverse to the aims of the idea of Stuckism to set up a group before I am a good artist.

Charles: Books: Basic primers on technique - oil or acrylic, stretching canvases etc. You just need essential info. Art is about doing it. “I think it would be adverse to the aims of the idea of Stuckism to set up a group before I am a good artist” - on the contrary. Stuckism is a group of accomplished artists. It is also a school of developing artists.

It’s a way to learn and grow through interaction. Basically, it’s up to you - if you want to - to start getting involved, contributing, communicating with people. You will find they are generally helpful.

Ana: Thanks for being so helpful and all the info. Hopefully see you soon - I’ll definitely look into getting involved.

Charles: Good. Stuckism is DIY. Best way.

“The most important tip is not to go anywhere near an art school.

They are cesspits of postmodernism, the enervation of meaning and value in a festering pool of relativism and soullessness (so as to speak).�

NO. 24 - OCT 2011

PAGE 21

The Fourth Wall Is A Door Interactivity in Gaming (and why this is important) Tom Colquhoun

B

ack up a sec.... why talk about games? This is an art section after all. If you’ve ever met me, you’re probably aware that I’m fairly outspoken on the issue of games as art. The next stage of art in fact. Interactive art, massreplicated and ubiquitous within popular culture. Obviously not all games are art (just because Darren Aronofsky is making films doesn’t make ‘Megashark Vs Giant Octopus’ art; In the same way ‘Shadow Of The Colossus’ in no way justifies ‘Street Fighter’) but the potential is simply staggering. If we, the game buying public, make our support for innovative and ambitious games known with our wallets and our voices, there are going to be some amazing creations.

To achieve this we’re going to have to weed out some common flaws: it feels like 99% of videogames on the market are made with the lowest common denominator in mind, and we need to eschew getting in writers who know the difference between a plot and a Michael Bay script, or voice-actors who didn’t learn from Keanu Reeves, in favour of pouring thousands of pounds into software development to get that gun in your hand to look reaaaaaaally shiny.

Does a game really need to include dialogue, voice-acting and a plot to be exceptionally good art? Ha. You’re obviously aware of Minecraft, right? Minecraft took the gaming world by storm when it emerged in fully-playable beta almost 2 years ago. In fact it’s still not technically been released yet. Despite selling over 2 million copies, and making creator, Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, wealthier than he could ever have dreamt of, the game is still awaiting a final release. So why the unprecedented popularity?

Freedom. Creative and imaginative freedom. Within the slightly-fantastical gameworld, it’s possible to do anything, build anything. If you can dream it, you can make it. But that’s not why it’s good interactive art. Ok, it is. But it’s not the point I’m trying to make.

The point I’m trying to make is that Minecraft appeared with little or no warning or explanation a short time ago. Since then a terrifyingly huge fanbase has sprung up, all with their own ideas, mods, theories and requests.

And Notch listened. Plenty of mods have now been incorporated into the game. In response to the popularity of ‘roleplaying’ servers (where players emulate

fantasy worlds within Minecraft, giving each other quests and fighting monsters). Notch has also announced the upcoming ‘Adventure Update’, which will create more dramatic terrain, villages and dungeons, among other (secret) things. In response to a common MC-related creepypasta regarding ‘Herobrine’, Notch is putting NPC’s into the game. He put his creation out there in its earliest stages of gestation, but by no means prematurely. He let everyone for whom Minecraft is important help design it with him.

And it worked.

Videogames offer us freedom, both as purveyors and creators of art. Be it the freedom to put ourselves in a character’s role, and share their experiences firsthand; the freedom to build our own narrative through play, decide our goals and objects and pursue them freely; the goal to inject whatever meaning we want into the smallest detail without the heavy stick of canon coming crashing down; or the freedom to shape the very game itself.

So join me in my optimism. And be very, very excited.

“Nothing is real. Everything is permitted.” -Vladimir Bartol

“Videogames offer us freedom, both as purveyors and creators of art.”

The Magdalen

Dos & Don’ts

O

Megan Hutton-Smith

ctober is upon us, and it means only one thing: Halloween. The crucial question arises: what to dress up as? It seems that our decisions on what we are going to wear can result in our night being either a hit or miss.

So to avoid a disappointing Halloween night, here are a few dos and don’ts as to how to master your Halloween costume.

How many more Halloweens are you going to dress up as the same boring, predictable and clichéd characters? Witch, vampire and sexy kitten have all been worn to death, so why not be creative with your choice? Invent a new concept on a typical costume or take a classic idea that one step further or create an entirely new one. Doing this will automatically attract more attention and people will be impressed with your efforts.

Following on from this, don’t wear something that will take longer than a sentence to explain, if they can’t piece together what you are, it’s probably too obscure and unrecognisable.

This way, you avoid the awkward conversation of trying to explain that hardly known TV character from that programme that no-one has heard of.

Although being creative has its benefits don’t break your bank just to fund your outfit.

It’s probably best to look into making your own outfit rather than paying money for a pre-made costume, it will work out cheaper and may end up looking better! Use

what you have already and raid your wardrobe (or your friends) for plain clothes you can adapt to make your outfit base. However, don’t be that one annoying person every year that makes little effort, or even worse, dresses up as themselves for Halloween.

Do keep it simple, realistic and most importantly, achievable.

Painting your entire body in bright blue paint may seem like a good idea, but hand prints on the walls and sofa half an hour later, the idea may not seem as good as it once did. But don’t confuse keeping it “simple” as a means of wearing as little clothing as possible. Do leave something to the imagination, an over bearing flash of flesh may actually prove more scary or gruesome than a ghost or monster costume (and not the desirable kind of scary…).

If you don’t want to go it alone this Halloween, get a group of friends together and do a group costume theme. Abide by the rule; friends don’t let friends make a fool of themselves - alone. So if you’re not confident enough to pull off that ‘I’ve-put-too-much-effort-in’ look, safety in numbers is always a good option to rely on.

Perhaps the most important do of Halloween dressing up is to make sure it’s fun. The idea of dressing up is meant to be enjoyable, not to be seen as a chore. Take advantage of the holiday and use it as an excuse to go crazy and dress like an idiot for the one night you won’t be the only one looking like a fool.

DESIGN BY CASSIE MORRISON

GLENN MULLAN knows how to wear denim.

This do-it-all denim style is one of the top fashion trends for 2011.

Glenn is wearing his vintage Levi’s denim jacket with sheepskin interior. Paired with skinny black jeans and chic Sole Brogues shoes, this look shows how to work denim. Summer’s biggest trend for menswear was, in fact, denim shirts, which came in different cuts and shades. All Saints designed some great half-sleeve denim shirts, which are ideal for a night out (just pair with skinny jeans or chinos).

However, if you don’t have the legs to pull off skinny jeans, or you just don’t like them, then don’t you worry as one of the key looks this Winter is baggy jeans, as seen at Diesel.

Our very own Fashion Editor went on the hunt for the latest fashion trends around campus. We took some photos of the best-dressed students both during the daytime and at Skint.

ERICA BRADY charms with her River Island dungarees.

In the spring/summer collection of 2010-11, Ralph Lauren brought back denim dungarees with a new, baggy cut. Paired with silky blouses and nude heels, the look was given a feminine touch. While some can’t get enough of the classic dungarees - such as Alexa Chung - others can’t get past the involuntary flashbacks to their childhood. Erica gives her dungarees a casual look with her green jumper, while her flat shoes and knee socks give it a more geek chic look.

A Great Plenty of Denim

The Magdalen

“If you don’t have the legs to pull off skinny jeans, or you just don’t like them, then don’t you worry...”

Campus Katarzyna

Come on Retro!

FRED MAZET is fashion forward by mixing skateboard brands.

This Brixton black and white top paired with skinny jeans and Emerica shoes shows how unique Fred’s style is on campus.

Nowadays, many of the skateboard brands have started to become more popular in the fashion world, such as Vans footwear.

Many celebrities choose to mix their style up with skater influences - Pharrell Williams and Linkin Park spring quickly to mind.

Some of the street brands have produced great pieces that would give your look that extra edge.

Style Nazarewicz

KATY JONNSTONE knows how to shake up the ‘70s look.

In 2011, Chanel was the fashion house which brought back the chic ‘70s look. The collection included caramel tailoring, silky dresses, and high-waisted shorts and skirts which are ideal for an hourglass shaped body. Stella McCartney’s collection focused on tied scarves and delicate silk blouses paired with wedges, channelling the ‘70s vibe once again. Katy does an amazing job at pairing her white blouse with black high-waisted shorts to balance out her figure.

Her silky Primark scarf and French Connection wedges give a subtle nod to the ‘70s trend.

“Channelling the 70s vibe.”

NO. 24 - OCT 2011

PAGE 25

Game On!

My experience at GAMEFest 2011 Kyle Balfour

G

AMEFest is the annual British video games convention run by retailer GAME. I first found out about the convention through their website, and being a long time gamer, this seemed like the equivalent of a metal fan being at this year’s Sonisphere. So, after 2 months of waiting, saving, and finding someone to join me, we were finally ready to leave for Birmingham. One seven hour ‘notas-gruelling-as-I-thought’ journey down, and after spending about 20 minutes wandering around looking for a taxi, we eventually arrived at the hotel. After figuring out exactly where to go, and realising we were sort of in the middle of nowhere, we were ready.

At last, the time had come, and as we approached the NEC, we could see the waves of people marching towards the centre. As we walked up to the entrance, I was awe struck by the many booths, exhibitions and consoles; not to mention the fabulous purple and lilac decor: “Yep, this is definitely GAMEFest” I thought. My friend and I wasted no time at all, and we delved deep into the hall to get a sample of the attractions the show had to offer.

Before anyone wonders, no I didn’t get a chance to play Modern Warfare 3, or Battlefield 3; and nor do I care for either game. If you’re a fan of either series, you’ve probably already pre ordered it, and don’t need me to tell you to go out and buy it. Though there is no doubt at all that both of these games were the heavy hitters and easily the biggest draws of the entire convention. There were queues waiting for up to 2 hours each, as well as Modern Warfare 3 easily

The Magdalen

securing the biggest stall.

However, what I did manage to see were various trailers, gameplay demonstrations, and occasional hands-on tryouts. The tryouts included Saints Row: The Third, and Rage - both of which are shaping up to be fantastic games.

Demos included Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, which looks to be more Assassins Creed goodness; Rayman Origins, which looks very interesting; and trailers for Prey 2, Skyrim, and Arkham City, all of which look awesome.

However, the best part of the whole convention was the swag.

Everything from labelled bottles of water to branded t-shirts to personalised dog-tags. GAMEFest had an interesting and vast variety of free stuff up for grabs. The Bethesda stall even handed out free bags that were perfect for carrying it all. The best pick up was a real vinyl record, featuring the ‘Sounds of San Francisco’ from the Driver stall. Now I just need a record player...

For me, GAMEFest was a wonderful and enjoyable experience: a friendly, light and pleasant atmosphere throughout, plus I was surrounded by great people (despite the occasional oddball or underage child chancing a peek at the over 18 stalls). Waiting in lines for certain stalls was actually made fun purely from the conversations me and my friend shared with the people standing next to us. My only regret was that there wasn’t enough time to see everything. That said, I greatly enjoyed GAMEFest 2011, and hopefully I’ll see you there next year!

Dundee University Video Gaming Society catie suiter

G

enerally for me Thursday nights are quite quiet, but last week I had the pleasure of joining in with the Video Gaming Society: a group of awesome people who share a love of games. Despite the fact that there were a lot of people there (usually over 30), it was really friendly and relaxed. It was a fun atmosphere where you could play your favourite games on your favourite consoles while meeting new people. Every week Ross Manthorp, Aled Duncan, Jamie Kean and Kari Shouur (all four of whom are co-presidents) run tournaments and casual matches of the most popular multiplayer games, creating friendly rivalries. On the 25th of September they ran an all day LAN party, which saw Mono transformed into a gaming competition hub, where they ran tournaments for such games as League of Legends and Starcraft II, with prizes for the winners.

The consoles used weekly are all provided by the committee along with the games, but I was told by the boys that they strongly encourage people to bring along their own games if there’s anything you want to play that the committee doesn’t already have.

Everyone had a chance to participate as there was a console in every available space.

While I was there we asked most of the players about their favourite games under a selection of categories: First Person Shooter; Fighting; Racing; Platforming; RPG; and Indie.

As I’m sure you can imagine, we received a wide range of answers and there was a lot of debate. For example TimeSplitters was voted the best first person shooter, while Super Meat Boy the best Indie game. We then asked each person of their honest opinion on their NO. 24 - OCT 2011

all time favourite game, no judgement and no holds barred. Those answers ranged from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age and Silent Hill. To say that these people are of a diverse taste would be a little obvious. I’d have to say that baring that in mind, I felt like I could talk to each and every one of them without being judged on my own tastes (which aren’t great for someone who works in a video game store).

For anyone that wants to get involved in the society, they meet weekly around the back of Liar Bar at the couches from 7:30pm until the Union closes every Thursday, and can be contacted on Facebook (Dundee University Video Gaming Society).

BEST FPS TimeSplitters – 3 Bioshock 1 – 2 Half Life 2 – 2 Battlefield 2 – 2 Doom 2: Hell on Earth – 1 Metroid Prime 3 – 1 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 – 1 BEST FIGHTING Marvel vs Capcom 3 – 3 Street Fighter 2 – 2 Street Fighter 3 – 1 Rival Schools: united By Fate – 1 Super Smash Bros Melee – 1 Super Smash Bros Brawl – 1 Marvel vs Capcom 2 – 1 Tekken 6 – 1 BEST RACING Burnout 3 – 2 Crash Team Racing – 2 Mario Kart – Game Cube – 2 Mario Kart – Wii – 1 Mario Kart – N64 – 1 F-Zero GX – 1 Gran Tourismo 5 – 1 Forza Motorsport – 1

BEST PLATFORMING Super Mario World – 2 Super Mario Galaxy – 2 Crash Bandicoot – 2 Super Meat Boy – 1 Super Mario Sunshine – 1 Jak 2 – 1 Prince of Persia: S.O.T – 1 Super Mario: 6 Golden Coins – 1 BEST RPG Pokemon Red – 1 Okami – 1 Final Fantasy VII – 1 Fallout – 1 Zelda: MM – 1 BEST INDIE Super Meat Boy – 3 Minecraft – 2 World Of Goo – 1 Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney – 1 Amnesia – 1 ALL TIME FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME EVER Ocarina of Time – N64 – 3 Halo 3 – 2 Metal Gear Solid 3 – 2 Mass Effect 2 – 2 Starcraft 2 - 1 Starwars: Battlefront 1 – 1 Unreal Tournaments – 1 Golden Sun The Lost Age – 1 Call of Duty 4 – 1 Devil May Cry 3 – 1 Borderlands – 1 Final Fantasy VII – 1 TimeSplitters – 1 Freelance PC – 1 Zone Of the Enders 2 PS2 – 1 Age of Mythology – 1 Earth Defence Force – 1 Dragon Age – 1 Silent Hill – 1 Dark Cloud 2 – 1 Phoenix Write Ace Attorney – 1 Warcraft – 1 Soul Calibur 2 – 1

PAGE 27

Amnesty International Melina Nicolaides

“...I’m not the one who personally killed your son, your father, your brother. I am innocent. All I can ask ... is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth...” said Troy Davis four hours before his unwarranted execution.

I’m sure by now everyone is fully aware of the wildly unreasonable situation surrounding the Troy Davis case. Since 2007,

A

mnesty International, the global organisation that helps protect Human Rights, campaigned vigorously for a new trial or clemency.

Amnesty International, who’s policy is to “generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated”, is a leader among non-governmental campaigning organisations. Famous for their peaceful protests and letter writing campaigns for others suffering in the same situation as Troy Davis, Amnesty embodies the idea that any one individual can make a difference.

Dundee is fortunate in that it has a subset of Amnesty within the University. Ayla Iridag, Dundee University Amnesty International Society’s president, said. “DUAIS is a small part of a worldwide movement that campaigns for humanity and human rights...

With the 50th anniversary of the organisation and the recent execution of Troy Davis gaining

The Magdalen

worldwide coverage, now is the best time for us to show solidarity and raise awareness of human rights injustices around the world. “ DUAIS hosts a number of activities that raise awareness for issues ranging from Women’s Rights to the death penalty. Last year the society hosted numerous film nights and a Comedy Night in the Doghouse which fundraised and collected donations for Amnesty.

This year the society plans to hold the UK’s first ever Human Rights Education Day where all participants will be awarded a certificate. Different speakers will come in throughout the day to raise awareness and share their knowledge on various human rights topics. “We hope to make it an annual event. Many employers are keen to have a knowledgeable workforce, who are aware of equality and diversity and what it means in practice. Having this event on your CV will get the attention of employers” comments Iridag. The Education Day will be held in the D’arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre, in the Tower Building on 15th October 2011, 10am - 4pm.

Ultimately, Amnesty International’s purpose is to protect individuals wherever justice, fairness, freedom and truth are denied. They are just ordinary people standing up for humanity.

To get involved, the society meets every Friday in the Carnegie Suite.

To contact the society directly, find Dundee University Amnesty International Society on Facebook.

‘Coming Up In The World of Film’ Christina Fuehrer

Paranormal Activity 3 Release date: 21 October 2011 Mainstream audiences still seem keen on certain franchises, considering that, annually, (just in time for Halloween) there has to be a new Paranormal Activity release. Although third instalment doesn’t promise to come up with something entirely new, it manages to keep the franchise alive by releasing a prequel with a strong connection to the previous two films. Its tag-line ‘Discover the secret behind the activity’ pretty much sums up the plot. Paranormal Activity 3 goes back to 1988, when Katie and Kristi are kids. While attempting to get video proof of ‘Bloody Mary’, the sisters are confronted by the malicious demon who will go on to haunt them in the first and second Paranormal Activity films.

Footlose Release date: 14 October 2011 The habit of remaking something that worked tremendously well in the past continues with Paramount’s attempt to reboot the Footlose franchise. In collaboration with MTV, Writer/Director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) delivers a new take on the famous 1984 classic with Kevin Bacon in the lead role.

The basic story remains the same: Ren MacCormack (Kenny Wormald) moves from Boston to the small southern town of Bomont where he experiences a heavy culture shock; rock ‘n’ roll and dancing have been banned from public life and his innate, rebellious nature will eventually shake up the people.

Contagion Release date: 21 October 2011 One of the most anticipated and at least ‘original’ releases this autumn is Steven Soderbergh’s film Contagion. The director (famous for such films as Traffic and the Ocean’s Eleven series) brings the fear of a global, devastating pandemic to a whole new level. Contagion is centred on the global threat of a deadly disease, which won’t stop spreading. In order to deal with the outbreak and its effects, the CDC eventually contracts a team of international doctors. The film’s A-list cast, including Matt Damon, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotilliard and Kate Winslet.

The directorial chair holds a high promise to the audience, and one can just hope that it will enthral its audience as quickly as the pandemic spreads.

NO. 24 - OCT 2011

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark Release date: 7 October 2011 The month’s beginning marks a theatrical remake of 1973 TV film Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark.

Written and produced

by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth; Hellboy) and collaborating with directorial newbie Troy Nixey, they attempt to give the story a new, fresh look adapted for the big screen. The plot revolves around a young girl, Sally, who is sent to live with her father (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes). The previous owner of their new home mysteriously vanished and Sally soon discovers the reason for his disappearance.

PAGE 29

Kasabian - Velociraptor

The Return of Evanescence

Kevin Fullerton

Martyn simpson

s we move on from the indie landfill of the mid-noughties, Kasabian sound more and more refreshing with every album release.

Boldy standing out of the crowd, Kasabian are still viewed as unfashionable in the current trend of late-eighties/early-nineties revivalism. However with their fourth album Velociraptor! they do so with a shrug of the shoulders and a flick of the Vs as they unleash more of their unique combination sixties tinged psychedelia and laddish Brit-pop.

A

A

But that’s not to say that Kasabian haven’t moved on since their first release back in 2004. Their willingness to experiment with new sounds and styles is what has always put the band ahead of the indie-rock pack, and Velociraptor! is no different in that respect. While always technically rooted in their trademark sound, Kasabian move with confidence through other musical landscapes.

‘Neon Noon’ and ‘I Hear Voices’, for instance, are loaded with heavy synth and drum machines, while ‘Switchblade Smiles’ borrows some thumping tribal beats combining it with an unnerving undercurrent of electronica. Throughout all of these shifts vocalist Tom Meighan’s voice holds the album together with its familiar Liam Gallagheresque whine. Meighan has managed to up his vocal range, and on occasion, sounds markedly more melodic in his delivery.

There are some slip-ups throughout the album though. ‘Velociraptor!’ and ‘Re-wired’ sound more like a band desperately trying to capture their glorydays of chart success. With its chant-worthy chorus and simplistic, memorable lyrics; it feels like a band pandering to their audience.. However these duds are few and far between, and the fact that Kasabian have once again managed to package a series of potentially niche sounds into an accessible album is something to be critically lauded.

The Magdalen

fter five years and multiple band member changes, Evanescence are back in the collective consciousness this month with a selftitled album. It will be the first new material that the band has released since their 2006 LP The Open Door. Although the first single from their upcoming release ‘Do What You Want’ has not fared well in the singles charts (an unimpressive No. 72 in the UK), it is easy to forget how big this band actually were during the mid-2000s. They first exploded onto the scene in 2003 with their début album Fallen, and their single ‘Bring Me to Life’. The band enjoyed great success during this time, achieving accolades on both sides of the Atlantic. Three years later, they followed up their phenomenal success with The Open Door, an album that utilized singer Amy Lee’s classical roots with piano-laden songs and even borrowing a large part of Lacrymosa from Mozart’s Requiem.

But in 2011 the music scene has changed dramatically. No longer are rock acts such as Muse and Biffy Clyro dominating. Instead, the charts are packed with R&B and dance music. However, number one singles were never the main goal of Evanescence.

‘Do What You Want’ itself is not a reinvention of the wheel, but it has all the hallmarks of what Evanescence do best: crushing riffs, Amy Lee’s powerful voice, and endlessly catchy tracks. As far as live acts go, the band have always been at the top of their game, and the release of the new album will inevitably see them return to our shores to remind us why they are one of the world’s top acts.

Evanescence will release their new album on October 11th. They will also be playing at the O2 Academy in Glasgow on November 8th with support from The Pretty Reckless and Fair To Midland.

10 Ingredients For Your Student Kitchen (But not including pasta) MHAIRI RUTHERFORD

Baked Beans

Buy if you: Want to conform to the student stereotype.

I happen to think baked beans are a very versatile and tasty ingredient. They also provide a little bit of nutrition in your diet.

They’re perfect for using in chilli; adding sweetness and substance.

It’s a mere 75p for a big tin in The Prem.

Oil

Buy if you: Plan on cooking anything.

Sunflower oil or olive oil, it’s up to you. Sunflower oil has a higher smoking point so is good for stir fries. Olive oil tastes better so is a good option if you like eating pizza and pasta. I’m crazy so I have both. Lidl is a good source for good quality, affordable oil.

Sea Salt

Pepper

Chilli Powder

Because the salt would be lonely otherwise. It’s a good ingredient for seasoning.

Gives your pasta bake an extra kick, makes for more interesting beans on toast, and is obviously a must have for making Chilli. The chinese supermarket is an excellent source for spices and it’s much cheaper than leading supermarkets.

Buy if you: : Like pepper.

Garlic

Buy if you: want to make pasta sauces, among other things.

Big, cheap, bulbs are available from the Chinese supermarket.

Keep in the cupboard, not the fridge, or it grows things.

Cumin

Buy if you: Want to make curry, fajita seasoning.

It’s useful for making baked bean curry., which is not as horrible as it sounds. In fact, it’s quite nice.

Soy Sauce

Buy if you: Eat 8p noodles, make stir fries.

Buy if you: Eat food.

No dear, not your kg of table salt your parents gave you when you moved out, which has the ability to destroy most dishes, and reduce food to a dehydrating salty mess: rock salt. I like Maldon (around £1.65 for a box to last you the year).

It’s salt that doesn’t taste of salt. Sea Salt develops the flavour of your food opposed to overpowering it with salt. It’s a cooking must have.

NO. 24 - OCT 2011

Soy sauce is a salty liquor with almost mystical properties when it comes to enhancing the flavour of cheap noodles. It’s also the secret ingredient to making a certain vegetarian micro protein taste more than edible. I use it in stir fries and Asian style marinades, and buy it cheaply at the Chinese supermarket on Gellatly Street.

Buy if you: Like spicy things.

Smoked Paprika

Buy if you: Make fajitas, Chilli, Mexican style food.

Admittedly this sounds more like a Nigella thing to have in the cupboard than a student ingredient. However, it really is a great ingredient for making your own fajita seasoning (thus saving money) and it gives Chilli a real depth of flavour. It’s a useful ingredient, not a pretentious one, and has many uses.

Passata

Buy if you: like pasta bakes, pizzas, Chilli. Passata is sieved tomatoes, an alternative to using chopped tomatoes. It’s the basis of easy pasta sauces, the pizza baguette sauce from the Magdalen’s 21st issue and a key ingredient Bloody Marys, if you suddenly find yourself a bit peckish for one.

PAGE 31

Player Profile

name: ali irvinE AGE: 19 COURSE: Biomedical Sciences HOMETOWN: Edinburgh 1. What sport do you play?

Hockey 2. Where do you train?

Depends where I am. Normally at Riverside or Dundee International Sports Centre.

3. How do you socialize with your teammates?

We drink copious amounts of beer.

4. Is it hard to have a balance between your studies and your sport?

Sometimes, but I don’t have a job so that helps. If you are organized and if you want to manage your time well, then you will manage.

5. What is the best part of being in the Hockey Team?

The social side. Away trips on the bus are legendary.

Clare Mccaughey

The Magdalen

Give Sport A Go Clare Mccaughey

H

aving attended the freshers’ fayre and, hopefully, having participated in the “Give it a Go” day, you will have probably found a sport that is the right fit for you. From football to fencing, there are hundreds of sports teams out there looking for you!

If you want to be part of a team then you have a variety of clubs to choose from (the most popular being volleyball, rugby and hockey), but if you are keen to try something completely different, why not attend kayaking, equestrian or even rucksack? Being part of a team is a vital quality that many employers look for; nevertheless if you would prefer to participate in something by yourself, there

Player of the Month To nominate a player from your team, contact Clare at themagdalen@dusa.co.uk

are many sports that you could be involved in. Perhaps playing golf on a beautiful Scottish afternoon tempts you, or maybe trampolining to great heights is something that has always attracted you. Take up boxing and fight your way to the top, or dance the night away with last year’s sports club of the yearThe Dance Club.

Whatever appeals to you, now is the time to get involved. There is nothing nicer than waking up in the morning and knowing you will be participating in a sport that you are passionate about.

The University of Dundee boasts a variety of different sports teams, no matter what your talent.

GIVE IT A GO!

Competition For your chance to win a Sports Union beanie hat, answer the following question on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/ themagdalen Q. Who won the title of ‘Sports Club of the Year’ in the academic session of 2010-11?

JOKE CORNER: Why do rugby players like smart women?

Opposites attract.

Are You Ready For Some Football!? greg smith

I

n the National Football League (NFL), the end of February usually marks the beginning of the off-season. This allows every team in the league to make changes to their rosters, begin business transitions and head to training camp in spring. However, this was not the way the 2011 NFL off-season began. The NFL was locked out for a little more than 18 weeks due to a labour dispute regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NFL Owners and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). After months of negotiations and proposed deadlines the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director Demaurice Smith announced that a new CBA had been approved by both sides and the lockout was finally over.

Fortunately for NFL fans, this new CBA means that football will go the next 10 years without another NO. 24 - OCT 2011

lockout. Good times!

The NFL Season has officially begun and sports fans are already buzzing. One of the biggest headlines during the off-season was that Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning will be missing a large part of the season due to neck surgery. His return is questionable. There are many teams in the NFL that rely on their quarterbacks to help lead them to victory, such as Tom Brady from the New England Patriots. During the 2008 season, Bill Belichick, coach of the Patriots, showed that he could still coach a team without their star quarterback (Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening game and was replaced by 2 string quarterback Matt Cassell for the rest of the season.

The Patriots finished the season 11-5 but missed the playoffs).

The point of all of this is without nd

Peyton Manning the Colts are not a playoff contender. Colts Owner, Jim Irsay, announced a week before the regular season began that the Colts’ starting quarterback in week 1 would be former Tennessee Titans Star, Kerry Collins, who, ironically, recently announced retirement but came out of it to play in Manning’s place. Collins is a worthy veteran with years of experience under center but it will be a very difficult task to lead the Colts to a Division championship and a playoff spot the way Peyton has done every year. It is not farfetched to say that the Colts could very well be a team below .500 this year. They may also find themselves handing over the Division Title to the Houston Texans who are poised for a big year.

The 2011 NFL Season is sure to be an exciting one, so make sure to tune in every week and help the NFLUK Nation grow even bigger!

PAGE 33

Charity Fundraisers and Friendy Matches SPORTS UNION NEWS Sports Fayre

O

ne of the highlights of the Freshers Week calendar, from the Sports Unions’ point of the view, is the annual Sports Fayre. This is where students and especially the Freshers get a chance to meet all the clubs that are a part of our Sports Union. Plus, there is always the added bonus of getting some free pizza during the day if you time your visit well!

The atmosphere at the Sports Fayre this year was absolutely amazing and the clubs themselves have to take full credit for this.

Whether it was by blaring loud music from their stand, having a net set up so that people could practice their shooting accuracy in netball, or getting a club member to break dance in the middle of the hall (nice work Trampoline), it definitely added to the general buzz and vibe going about the hall.

It says a lot about how well the The Magdalen

clubs promoted themselves that some came away from the day worried about the sheer volume of people that signed up and showed interest in their club.

All in all it was a fantastic day and a brilliant way to start the year for the Sports Union.

Give It A Go The Sports’ Union annual Give It A Go happened on Wednesday of week 1 and saw a fantastic turn out across all disciplines.

It is the chance for

pretty sensational throughout the day, with exciting and surprisingly clear-eyed Freshers moving throughout the building looking for the Squash courts or the Dance studios.

It was great to see such enthusiasm for sport at Dundee University and we can only hope that all Freshers that took part in Give It A Go will have been sufficiently enthused to matriculate for a sports club in the coming weeks.

Charity Relay any student to try as many sports in one day for free. In total over 1200 students took part in the Give It A Go day with Dance, Badminton and Tennis all having over 100 people turn up for their session on the day.

The atmosphere at the ISE, riverside and on campus was

The annual Sports Union Charity Relay down at Riverside Sports Grounds was an even bigger success than last year. 22 teams took part this year with all proceeds going to Right To Play.

There were three race categories, men’s, women’s and mixed with prizes going to the top team in each one. There was also a prize for the best dressed team.

With encouragement from Piper the runners took to their task and set off on a surprisingly sunny, if windy, day. With Batman, Superman and the McPate taking part in the race it was going to take something pretty special for any of the other runners to get anywhere near the top.

As is always the case with these Charity Relays the most fun comes from seeing people struggle round the track in their fancy dresses.

The Cobra Kai’s of the Karate Club looked very fetching in their tutus, Women’s Rugby looked ready for bed in their onesies (might explain their overall time), Cricket looked quite frankly ridiculous running in full pads and a helmet, Surf looked like a fish out of water carrying a board around a grassy field and Men’s Rugby were……well you know.

Athletics dominated the events with a winning team in each race category and Surf

won the best dressed prize. Special mention to both the Athletics Gold Medal lads who did surprisingly well for a team of sprinters (though having Batman and Superman on your team helps) and Trampoline who showed the BUCS Outdoor clubs how it’s done with a fifth place finish.

Almost £200 was raised for Right To Play, a huge thank you to all the NO. 24 - OCT 2011

“The Cobra Kat’s of the Karate Club looked very fetching in their tutus.”

clubs that took part and for making the event such a success.

The Upcoming BUCS Season The 1st of October sees the start of this season’s home BUCS fixtures for Dundee University Sports Clubs. With a number of clubs either in the top Scottish league in their respective sport or looking for promotion to the top tier this is going to be an exciting year for

Dundee University on the playing field.

A number of clubs have already had pre-season friendlies including Golf, Ladies Hockey 2nd XI and Men’s Football 1st XI who have all come away with wins. This is hugely encouraging and hopefully is a sign of things to come.

PAGE 35

MANIFESTO

Who are the DUSA Executive?

E-Learning

Housing

Often refered to as ‘The Exec’ they are seven students or recent graduates who were elected by you, the student body to ensure that your views are represtented at the highest possible level. They support the University of Dundee students in their academic endevours and activites, whether it be through a society or student media. The Exec work for you!

We will support the University in it’s implementation of an improved virtual learning environment, taking advantage of technologies such as iTunes university (iTunes U) and lecture capture.

DUSA will be launching a national drive to increase awareness about the issues students have with their landlords. We will be working with MP’s/ MSP to spur advocation of students housing rights.

In time for the semester two housing rush we will be launching a accommodation finder website called Student Pads. DUSA is committed to making renting as a student as hassle free as possible.

The Exec‘s manifesto outlines the projects, campigns ,activities and priorities of the coming year.

Improving DUSA’s services

What are we up to this year?

As per our manifesto document (grab a copy from Level 4 offices) it’s going to be a busy year! Find below a snippet of what we will be up to.

Sexual Health Awareness Week A week long campaign aiming to raise awairness of sexual health and issues surrounding sexuality.

Exam Feedback We want to make it easier for students to access feedback on their exams and papers so that they have a base upon which to improve their grades. DUSA pledges to talk to those authority figures within the University and individual schools that are responsible for overseeing the marking of papers and feedback protocol.

Rag Week RAG, Raising and Giving, week is a fun-filled week of activities where volunteers, students and the external community club together to raise money for charity. Check out the schedule on dusa.co.uk

Your opinions are invaluable in the running of your union. We will be creating new channels of communication where you can provide important feed back on anything - from food to nightclubs.

Pick up a copy of our manifesto on Level 4, The Union, and while you are there stop by for a chat and let us know if you are having any problems with being a student here.

Your Exec.

adverstise here - themagdalen@dusa.co.uk