Archive
Debatable - 14
Posted 4:09am Wednesday 6th July 2011 by John Brinsley-Pirie and Nathan Thomas
Debatable is written by the Otago University Debating Society, which meets for social debating every Tuesday at 7pm in the Commerce Building. This week’s motion is “should New Zealand become a republic?”. John Brinsley-Pirie argues the affirmative while Nathan Thomas argues the negative. Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 13
Posted 3:51am Wednesday 6th July 2011 by Michelle and Barak
Critic sets up two lucky students on a blind date. Michelle So prior to meeting my date at Toast, I had a cheeky double gin to boost my smalltalk potential. I ignored my flatmates’ advice to “get fuckin’ maggot” because I didn’t want to bring my Read more...
Editorial - 13
Posted 1:01am Friday 1st July 2011 by Editor
Apathy. Meh. It’s presidential election week at OUSA, and we’ve gone all political-bonanza on this issue. Inside, we offer full election coverage: from the forum (pg 7), to Qs and As with the candidates (pg 12 onwards), to election analysis with our pundits (pg16). Read it. Ask the candidates Read more...
Diatribe - 13
Posted 12:55am Friday 1st July 2011 by Amelia Pond
Race relations in New Zealand is delicate discussion territory. I don’t pretend by any means to be an expert on the subject. I’m not a law student, I have never studied the Treaty outside of fourth form social studies, I am not Maori, I’m as pale and pasty as they come and I am originally from Read more...
Debatable - 13
Posted 12:54am Friday 1st July 2011 by Tarsh Turner and John Brinsley-Pirie
This week’s motion is “Southland lignite should stay in the ground”. Tarsh Turner argues the affirmative while John Brinsley-Pirie argues the negative. Affirmative The development of Southland’s lignite deposits represents a major threat to the global climate, and will not Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 12
Posted 11:47pm Monday 30th May 2011 by Ann and King Kong
Critic sets up two lucky students on a blind date (courtesy of the lovely people at Toast), complete with a bar tab and positive vibez, in an attempt to prove that Dunedinites can date. The only catch: the love birds each divulge all the salacious details of their date in a short snappy article Read more...
Editorial - 12
Posted 6:21am Thursday 26th May 2011 by Editor
LET’S GET PO-LITICAL If you’re reading this, it means the apocolypse, as predicted by various Christian groups in the US never occurred. Oh well. Better luck next time, crazies. This week’s issue is the food issue, and if there’s one thing I like, it’s food. Like the food editor, Nigella Read more...
Debatable - 12
Posted 6:18am Thursday 26th May 2011 by Todd Dickens and Keegan Burrow
This week’s motion is “Should the US have shot Osama bin Laden?” Todd Dickens argues the affirmative while Keegan Burrow argues the negative. Affirmative Sometimes it is simply not good enough to do your best, you have to actually succeed at doing what is necessary. Obama knows this. He took Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 11
Posted 6:01am Thursday 26th May 2011 by Jay Z and Beyonce
Critic sets up two lucky students on a blind date (courtesy of the lovely people at Toast), complete with a bar tab and positive vibez, in an attempt to prove that Dunedinites can date. The only catch: the love birds each divulge all the salacious details of their date in a short snappy article Read more...
Editorial - 11
Posted 7:08am Thursday 19th May 2011 by Editor
It’s OUSA Diversity Week, to celebrate, we bring you the Diversity issue. It’s easy to underestimate the importance of diversity issues in 2011. After all, homosexuality isn’t illegal anymore, civil unions have been established (more on this on page df) and there’s a small possibility that, as a Read more...
Diatribe - 11
Posted 6:49am Thursday 19th May 2011 by Anonymous
“Despite current usage, the word [homosexual] is an adjective describing a sexual action, not a noun describing a recognisable type.” (Gore Vidal) I am a man, I have romantic relationships with men and I have sex with men. At the same time, I do not think of myself as “gay”, Read more...
Debatable - 11
Posted 6:45am Thursday 19th May 2011 by Will Cheyne and Clare Burn
Debatable is written by the Otago University Debating Society, which meets for social debating every Tuesday at 7pm in the Commerce Building. This week’s motion is “We should allow disabled parents to select embryos that will produce disabled children”. Will Cheyne argues the affirmative while Clare Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 10
Posted 5:00am Thursday 12th May 2011 by Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez
Justin Bieber The evening kicked off at home with a couple of pies, some good music and a 15 box to calm the nerves. The flatmates showed more interest in the grand event than in either the Royal Wedding or a free sausage from the Christians. Showered and shaved up and down, I was Read more...
Editorial - 10
Posted 10:06pm Monday 9th May 2011 by Editor
Happy Families It’s the month of May, which, aside from heralding the downward slide into assignments and exams, also happens to be New Zealand music month. To celebrate this, we’ve put together a music themed issue. The Copyright Amendment bill, the best New Zealand bands, the music Read more...
Just Another Fucking Hipster
Posted 9:59pm Monday 9th May 2011 by Robert Smith
No social factor is contrived to be so important, or used so divisively, as one’s music taste. Seemingly above all other things, the particular pressure oscillations of air that one grants unhindered passage into one’s auditory senses is THE defining social boundary. Imagine walking into a Read more...
We should ban offensive material in songs
Posted 9:54pm Monday 9th May 2011 by
This week’s motion is “We should ban offensive material in songs”. John Brinsley-Pirie argues the affirmative while Tiho Mijatov argues the negative. Affirmative By offensive, what I mean is violent and denigrating material. I don’t care about some dude swearing or telling Read more...
Editorial - 9
Posted 3:45am Monday 9th May 2011 by Editor
Since U Been Gone Welcome back to the second half of the semester. I hope you had a wonderful break. We sure did. The one down side to the public holidays are, of course, that on your days off you can’t necessarily do the things you might have wanted to do. I, for instance, wanted to catch Read more...
Diatribe - 9
Posted 6:29am Thursday 5th May 2011 by Adrian Green
It wouldn’t be a New Zealand public holiday without the obligatory reports on the dead, maimed and general carnage on our roads. Death, destruction, cars, explosions and sometimes alcohol; it’s everything we love in our media all wrapped up into one nice little news nugget, ready for nationwide Read more...
War can never be justified
Posted 6:23am Thursday 5th May 2011 by Jack Montgomerie and Rebecca Gates
Debatable is written by the Otago University Debating Society, which meets for social debating every Tuesday at 7pm in the Commerce Building. This week’s motion is “war can never be justified”. Jack Montgomerie argues the affirmative while Rebecca Gates argues the negative. Affirmative Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 9
Posted 5:51am Thursday 5th May 2011 by Prince William and Kate Middleton
Critic sets up two lucky students on a blind date (courtesy of the lovely people at Toast), complete with a bar tab and positive vibez, in an attempt to prove that Dunedinites can date. The only catch: the love birds each divulge all the salacious details of their date in a short snappy article Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 8
Posted 4:13am Wednesday 27th April 2011 by Hugh Hefner and Anna-Nicole Smith
Critic sets up two lucky students on a blind date (courtesy of the lovely people at Toast), complete with a bar tab and positive vibez, in an attempt to prove that Dunedinites can date. The only catch: the love birds each divulge all the salacious details of their date in a short snappy article Read more...
Work work fashion baby
Posted 4:19am Tuesday 26th April 2011 by Julia Hollingsworth
Welcome to the fashion issue. As you may be aware, Planet Media (the umbrella parent company of both Critic and Radio One) underwent a review last week. While the recommendations are not yet public, there is a strong possibility that the panel will recommend that Planet Media be assimilated into Read more...
The Lads
Posted 4:10am Tuesday 26th April 2011 by Luke MacLean-McMahon
How is it that sockless boat shoes, ankle-skuxing and flat peaks have become a fashion statement? The current trends on display in and around uni are shameful, if not completely fucked. At least in the days of Canterbury NZ track pants and Kathmandu puffer jackets, comfort and practicality were at Read more...
Summer Lovin' - 7
Posted 7:31am Thursday 14th April 2011 by Kurt and Courtney
In a city where romance consists of drunkenly holding hands while walking home and dates are a post-town pre-root Big Mac, it seems dating, at least in the American television sense, is dead. In Summer Lovin’, Critic sets up two lucky students on a blind date (courtesy of the lovely people at Read more...
Editorial - 7
Posted 5:47am Thursday 14th April 2011 by Editor
If I have one drug-related pet peeve, it’s when people casually but not so casually bring up drugs constantly in conversation. You’ll be discussing something uncontroversial like tractors, or the weather, when next thing you know, the un-subtle drug taker drops their drug consumption habits into the Read more...
Diatribe - 7
Posted 5:45am Thursday 14th April 2011 by Richard Kennedy
If you are a student in New Zealand there exists a magic number. Or, rather, two magic numbers. If you live at home this number is $82,953.82, or if you are away from home the number is $89,936.68. Congratulations if your combined parental income is less than this! It means that you have just gained Read more...
We should legalise all drugs
Posted 5:40am Thursday 14th April 2011 by Keiran Bunn and Thomas Mitchell
Keiran Bunn argues the affirmative while Thomas Mitchell argues the negative. Affirmative Illegal drugs can be loosely broken into two categories: those which do minimal harm, for example marijuana, and those that do a lot of harm, like amphetamines or heroine. Both of these groups of Read more...
Editorial - 6
Posted 5:04am Monday 4th April 2011 by Editor
What’s this? A “Supernatural” issue with no reference to vampires? It’s not that we aren’t cool enough to pick up on the vampire trend, it’s that we’re just too cool to report on a dying phenomenon. The fanged un-dead phase that sprung up as a result of the notorious movie Twilight (one of the Read more...
Diatribe #2
Posted 5:01am Monday 4th April 2011 by Niki Lomax
On the 25th of March some 500,000 people took to the streets in London to protest the proposed cuts to public spending by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government led by David Cameron. Half a million people (the figure reported by the Guardian) is an awful lot of people and, one would Read more...
Diatribe
Posted 4:54am Monday 4th April 2011 by Sharon Lequeux (on behalf of SEA Otago)
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” -- Dr Seuss, The Lorax Submissions on the Dunedin City Council’s Draft Annual Plan 2011/12 are due next Tuesday, April 12. This draft plan contains info on what the council plans to do in 2011/12 and Read more...
This House does not believe in an afterlife
Posted 4:38am Monday 4th April 2011 by Nancy El-Gamel and John Brinsley-Pirie
Nancy El-Gamel argues the affirmative while John Brinsley-Pirie argues the negative. Affirmative I often hear the line “I don’t believe in an afterlife, I believe in science” and my response to these people is threefold. Firstly, there needs to be an Read more...
Editorial - 5
Posted 4:29am Monday 28th March 2011 by Editor
Diatribe
Posted 4:26am Monday 28th March 2011 by Dan Stride
Being an elected student representative is pretty hard yakka. Especially so in a year where the National government appears hell-bent on destroying Students’ Associations with the Voluntary Student Membership bill (VSM), in collaboration with ACT. So when I encounter claims like those made by Read more...
Does money buy happiness?
Posted 4:23am Monday 28th March 2011 by Bry Jones and Jack Montgomerie
Bry Jones argues the affirmative while Jack Montgomerie argues the negative. Affirmative Pink Floyd had it right when they said “get a good job with more pay and then you’ll be okay”. It is a happy thought that happiness is distinct from the evils of money, that Read more...
Editorial - 4
Posted 3:19am Monday 21st March 2011 by Editor
GIMME GIMME MORE This week’s issue is our Gluttony issue. Or rather, it’s our review issue, which was since renamed when we realised we had neglected to review anything not related to fatty delicious drunken indulgence. Hence: gluttony. Oopsy daisy. Inside, we continue the 11-year Read more...
Diatribe
Posted 3:15am Monday 21st March 2011 by Danielle Duffield
If you think Pamela Anderson, the Dalai Lama and John Banks have nothing in common, think again. Although the Dalai Lama and Banks aren’t likely to take their kits off for PETA anytime soon, all three are vocal opponents of factory farming. Now, with our government’s call for submissions on their Read more...
Should we subsidise healthy foods?
Posted 3:12am Monday 21st March 2011 by John Brinsley-Pirie and Tiho Mijatov
John Brinsley-Pirie argues the affirmative while Tiho Mijatov argues the negative. Affirmative In New Zealand we need to face the harsh unpleasant truth; we are fat and as a nation we are only growing fatter. This is possibly the most serious health issue facing New Read more...
Editorial - 3
Posted 4:36am Monday 14th March 2011 by Editor
I GOTS ME A TATTOO It’s sort of hard to know what to write about for a “criminal” themed Critic. Like, criminal activities are real bad for society and stuff, but I don’t wanna be all intense about it. As one buddy of mine pointed out, without criminals, many quality crime shows (see page 9) Read more...
Smoke Nazis
Posted 4:33am Monday 14th March 2011 by Ed Rodgers
It's 1964. The US Surgeon General's report into smoking came out and shockingly announced that smoking was now officially bad for you. Somehow in the preceding millennia of tobacco smoking, human beings failed to realise that sucking a byproduct of fire into your lungs would not have pleasant Read more...
Should prisoners have the luxuries of outside life?
Posted 4:30am Monday 14th March 2011 by Nick Gavey and Kurt Purdon
Nick Gavey argues the affirmative while Kurt Purdon argues the negative. Affirmative I strongly oppose supplying prisoners with bottles of Moet, caviar, 600-count Egyptian cotton sheets, or personal shopping services. However if “luxuries” mean things that every other New Read more...
Editorial - 2
Posted 3:40am Tuesday 8th March 2011 by Editor
Face. Book. Facebook is a strange old beast. Nowadays, Facebook is essentially a form of socially acceptable stalking. According to our incredibly scientific poll (see Bunch of Fives, page 39), 3/5 students Facebook stalk often. Before Facebook, eavesdropping was frowned upon, and following an Read more...
Editorial - 1
Posted 3:39am Tuesday 8th March 2011 by Editor
oh hi there I’m Julia, the editor of Critic for 2011. Welcome to issue one, the “summer” issue. Critic is the student magazine of Otago University, and was established way back in 1925 as a way to keep the uni in check. Since then, Critic has widened its scope, and now attempts to prevent the Read more...
Diatribe
Posted 1:54am Tuesday 8th March 2011 by Kari Schmidt
Aside from the generic “pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps” shtick, people generally characterise New Zealanders by their penchant for whining. Yet, according to the Human Development Index 2010, we are the country with the third best living standards in the world. We’re lucky enough to have Read more...
Sport Potato - 21
Posted 2:56am Monday 20th September 2010 by Tim Miller
There has always been talk that American sports are over-hyped and too glitzy. Sports such as rugby and cricket are the sports of gentlemen and true sports fans love the sport for what it is, not for the cheerleaders at halftime. It is easy for the bright lights of American sports to blind the Read more...
The Conservatory - 21
Posted 2:49am Monday 20th September 2010 by Edward Greig
Michael Laws leapt in to control the possible story over his apparently scandalous relationship and resulting text messages. His claims of there being political motivation behind the story seem a little odd, though. As Laws is not running for Mayor of Whanganui again, the only person with political Read more...
La Presidenta - 21
Posted 2:46am Monday 20th September 2010 by Harriet Geoghegan
Dear [insert MP here], University of Otago is full of intelligent, enthusiastic (not always) young people who are working incredibly hard to get a tertiary education and put back in to NZ society. In two days on our campus we asked students to tell us what they were working towards, how much Read more...
Te Roopu Maori - 21
Posted 2:43am Monday 20th September 2010 by Critic
Kia ora whanau, E ai ki te korero kua mutu tenei wahanga o te tau, kaore i roa kua mutu te tau, a, kua hoki matou ki te kainga, kit e matou whanau mo te hararei, tera pea te mahi mo te tau kei te heke mai. Engari ko te wawata me mutu pai ai tenei tau. Kia kaha ra whanau. So, apparently Read more...
The Green Finger - 21
Posted 2:40am Monday 20th September 2010 by Dominic Szeker
Climate change denial: it’s as frustrating, intellectually twisted, and unfalsifiable as creationism, but way more dangerous. Climate change doubt: it’s just lazy. New Zealand research company UMR released one fucked up report this year on public opinion of climate change. They begin by Read more...
Should We Implement a Mandatory Carbon Labelling Scheme for all Commodities?
Posted 2:36am Monday 20th September 2010 by Hana Nyhof and Paul Hunt
Hana Nyhof argues we should; Paul Hunt disagrees. Hana: We have access to good information around how carbon emissions are shaping the global environment so it seems bizarre that we don't encourage this information to be distributed as widely as possible. Let's assume there are Read more...
Apocalypse How? - 21
Posted 2:25am Monday 20th September 2010 by Iain Dangerfield
Scenario #7 – Animal Uprising Animals: we all love ’em, but in many ways humanity has been quite rough on our furry little friends throughout the ages. Sure, we like to pet them and hug them, but we also like to eat them, wear them, ride them, test makeup on them, and occasionally shoot Read more...
Soapbox - 21
Posted 2:23am Monday 20th September 2010 by Samuel JK
To govern, in the simplest of terms, is to direct and control the masses. For centuries people have appreciated the fairness of majority rule. In a democracy you have a say in who you are governed by, which should theoretically mean that policies are implemented which bring about the Read more...
Top - 20
Posted 4:55am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Richard Cheese
Top 5 Artists Who Would Could Out-Scarfie Any Scarfie Some people are such loose units that they deserve to be called honorary Scarfies. Here is a handful of them. 5. Caravaggio: This Italian Renaissance artist murdered a young man named Ranuccio Tomassoni in 1606 Read more...
Editorial - 20
Posted 3:44am Monday 23rd August 2010 by April Dell
Art and politics – two things that don’t mix. The geniuses at OUSA scheduled Art Week and the elections in the same week. We wanted to cover both so we’ve bought you a magazine that tries to pay both service. Indeed, we are your one stop shop for all your OUSA election needs (sorry, we’ll return to Read more...
This Week Matthew, I'm Going to Be... - 20
Posted 3:40am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Matt Chapman
...a bogan. The life of a bogan revolves around bourbon, cars, and rock/metal music; and since you can’t really wear either of the first two, wearing a t-shirt that has AC/DC written in big letters is going to be your best choice to start your bogan ensemble. Especially if Read more...
Sport Potato - 20
Posted 3:38am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Tim Miller
We all know that the hard sports like rugby are played by jocks, and that those who wish they were jocks play football. What do those at the bottom of the food chain, the nerds, play? A quick internet search comes up with a plethora of different games and activities, but it was hard to Read more...
Soapbox - 20
Posted 2:51am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Gareth Thomas
Dear OUSA Executive and members of the Wannabe political tribe, Stop taking yourselves and the job you do so seriously. Having been a student at Otago University (barring a seven-year gap when I actually worked in the pharmaceutical industry, using my PhD and BSc (Hons) for 13 years, I Read more...
The Conservatory - 20
Posted 2:16am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Edward Greig
An increase in regulations promoting warmer houses may be populist, but it isn’t necessarily good for everyone, nor is government support actually needed for good housing. In student areas in particular, there is a demand for the slightly run-down, cheap flats. Some people want rubbish flats Read more...
The Green Finger - 20
Posted 2:12am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Dominic Szeker
Oceans are awesome, in both senses of the word. They are incredibly enormous. Their depths will crush you faster than Judith Collins crushes boy racer cars (but without wasting tax dollars). Waves lapping at the shores will change landscapes more tirelessly and repetitively than Bill Read more...
Should We Make All Art Free from Censorship?
Posted 2:10am Monday 23rd August 2010 by
Alec Dawson argues we should; Will Chisholm disagrees. Alec: The arts are where the opinions and views of our society are born and shaped. Art, theatre, film, and all forms of writing are what challenge people and their ideals and often cause important changes in societal Read more...
Apocalypse How? - 20
Posted 2:03am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Iain Dangerfield
Scenario #6: Erosion of Family Values When we think of apocalyptic scenarios we often imagine huge, unstoppable disasters that are completely out of our control, like fiery death raining down from above or the release of Big Momma’s House 3. But there is another apocalyptic Read more...
Editorial - 19
Posted 2:00am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Ben Thomson
Being a celebrity in New Zealand is like being a virgin at St Margaret’s – it’s not that hard and they’re, well, everywhere. This week we explore this country’s recent infatuation with the cult of celebrity, which is fuelled more than ever by the gossip pages in the Sunday papers. Read more...
Top - 19
Posted 1:59am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Richard Cheese
Top 5 Reasons Why Celebrities Shouldn't Endorse Things This magazine is called the Critic. Not the goddamn Complimenter. So that’s what I’m going to do: criticise those celebrities who deserve it. 5. It can go horribly wrong. Celebrities are a Read more...
Sport Potato - 19
Posted 1:56am Monday 23rd August 2010 by Tim Miller
While watching grown men wrestle each other over an oval shaped ball, has it ever occurred to you to ask: what is the point? When examined closely, modern professional sport seems to have little point to it at all. Noam Chomsky, the hero of the left when it comes to media matters, describes Read more...
The Conservatory - 19
Posted 11:41pm Sunday 22nd August 2010 by Edward Greig
Weeks like this don’t come often enough between elections. By now, Chris Carter will probably be gone from the Labour Party, and it’s certain that he signed the death warrant in his own handwriting. His attempt at bringing about a leadership change or getting back at Phil Goff for demoting Read more...
This Week Matthew, I'm Going to Be... - 19
Posted 11:24pm Sunday 22nd August 2010 by Matt Chapman
...a stoner. David Skegg is yet to discover that the most profound philosophy that occurs at Otago Uni does not in fact take place in the philosophy department, it in fact takes place at Union Lawn at 4.20 pm. That’s right; this week, Matthew, I’m going to be a stoner. Read more...
The Green Finger - 19
Posted 11:12pm Sunday 22nd August 2010 by Cameron Birnie
The 90 000+ classified US military documents released by Wikileaks last week have revealed a refreshingly honest if startlingly grisly picture of the realities on the ground in the ‘War on Terror’ in Afghanistan. Ubiquitous cover-ups of civilian deaths, extrajudicial assassination squads, the rise Read more...
Should we ban celebrities from participating in political campaigns?
Posted 10:52pm Sunday 22nd August 2010 by
Harry Misselbrook argues we should; Kurt Purdon disagrees. Harry: The main problem inherent in allowing celebrities to participate in political campaigns is the fact that celebrities cause voters to vote for a certain political party or candidate based on their like Read more...
Apocalypse How? - 19
Posted 10:50pm Sunday 22nd August 2010 by Iain Dangerfield
Scenario #5: Pandemic It seems a year can’t go by without the threat of another pandemic, each one promising to have a more devastating effect than the last. Bird flu. Swine flu. Bieber fever. And yet things never quite turn out to be as bad as expected; life inevitably goes on and we Read more...
Editorial - 18
Posted 2:26am Monday 9th August 2010 by Ben Thomson
YOU ALL LOOK RIDICULOUS Draaaaaama! The fall-out from the referendum continued last week, and depending on which way you looked at it, it was hilarious, pathetic, or both. I’m going with both. For the uninitiated: two weeks ago a referendum was held and Read more...
Top - 18
Posted 2:19am Monday 9th August 2010 by Richard Cheese
Top 5 Necessary Characteristics To Produce The Ultimate Religious Cult Did you know that ‘Brian Tamaki’ is a perfect anagram for ‘I am a bit rank’? Coincidence? I think not. He is pretty fucking rank. 5. Money: Read more...
This Week Matthew, I'm Going to Be... - 18
Posted 2:18am Monday 9th August 2010 by Matt Chapman
...a Muso Of the many kinds of ladyslayer that can be found in Dunedin, there is no one more prolific and talented than the man who knows his way around a musical instrument. So this wee,k Matthew, I’m going to be a Muso. And because Musos are inherently songwriters, this column Read more...
Sport Potato - 18
Posted 2:16am Monday 9th August 2010 by Tim Miller
Muttiah Muralitharan has become the first cricketer to reach 800 test wickets, taking his final and 800th wicket with the last test delivery he will ever make. That’s about as dramatic as it can get. Now, you out there who know even a small amount about cricket will have heard of Murali, Read more...
Soapbox - 18
Posted 2:11am Monday 9th August 2010 by Louise Pearman
‘Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.’ - Richard Armour Last week I found myself pulled from my nerdy life as a PhD student into the joyful arms of student politics. Two years ago myself and others worked for Read more...
The Conservatory - 18
Posted 2:07am Monday 9th August 2010 by Edward Greig
Writing from the past, I can’t determine the full fall-out and final result, but for now I am celebrating the recent OUSA referendum result. Firstly it is about time the Executive was reduced in size, as 17 members is now beyond ridiculous, and a move to online SGMs can only increase the Read more...
La Presidenta - 18
Posted 2:05am Monday 9th August 2010 by Harriet Geoghegan
I had a bit of writer’s block this week so opened up the floor for suggestions. I got a few and couldn’t decide so here’s a bit of all of them: Exec Restructure – don’t worry. It’s all going to be Okay. OUSA <3s minorities and wants to represent them all. We’ll Read more...
Te Roopu Maori - 18
Posted 2:04am Monday 9th August 2010 by Fallyn Flavell
“He taonga to tatou reo, pupuri kia whakapakari.” Te pai o te wiki kua pahure. Ka rawe te rongo i to tatou reo huri rauna i to tatou Whare Wananga – tau ke koutou ma! Ka nui nga mihi ki te roopu whakarite mo te wiki o te reo Maori 2010 – ka wani ke! He mihi hoki tenei ki etahi o nga Read more...
The Green Finger - 18
Posted 2:03am Monday 9th August 2010 by J.R Holmes
As you read this, look at the date. It’s approximately two weeks before 20 August, right? You have until then to get yourself enrolled, in Dunedin, on the Electoral Roll. Many of you have already, but many have not. If you are first- or even second-year, I urge you to get on the roll. You will Read more...
Should Governments Refuse to Recognise Scientology as a Religion?
Posted 2:00am Monday 9th August 2010 by Oliver Dickie and Carlos Chambers
Oliver Dickie argues they should; Carlos Chambers disagrees. Oliver: In no way should Scientology be recognised as a religion. It is a financial scam that uses intimidation tactics to silence critics, has complete disregard for authority, and presents serious health risks to Read more...
Apocalypse How? - 18
Posted 1:57am Monday 9th August 2010 by Iain Dangerfield
Scenario #4 – Robots Ever since the dawn of technology, when people realised they could use tools instead of small orphans to perform everyday tasks, there has been concern that these implements could turn on their human masters. In the past people feared simple things, such as being threshed Read more...
Editorial - 17
Posted 1:34am Monday 26th July 2010 by Ben Thomson
Last week was historic for student politics at the University of Otago. The Critic office sits in the Union Building slightly apart (and most definitely aloof) from the OUSA offices that inhabit the same building. Once a year, when elections are on, the place turns into a hive of activity as Read more...
Top 5 - 17
Posted 1:30am Monday 26th July 2010 by Richard Cheese
Top 5 Strangest Sexual Fetishes Some people enjoy watching people sleep. Others enjoy much more refined things, such as having small Asian females yelling profanities at their genitals in an oriental dialect (you know who you are!). But some of these fetishes take “whatever floats your Read more...
This Week Matthew, I'm Going to Be... - 17
Posted 1:28am Monday 26th July 2010 by Matt Chapman
...a jock Guys who play sport get chicks. Guys who play sport get mates. Guys who play sport are cool. You want to be a guy that plays sport. So this week, Matthew, I’m going to be a jock. Dunedin jocks have a very unique style that has evolved out of years of refinement and Read more...
Sport Potato - 17
Posted 1:26am Monday 26th July 2010 by Tim Miller
With the World Cup come and gone, many of you football lovers out there will be looking for your next fix of the beautiful game. Look no further than the 19 September, when the Homeless Football World cup kicks off in Rio de Janeiro. The tournament is organised by the Homeless World Cup Read more...
Why Today's Youth Have No Respect For Authority
Posted 1:24am Monday 26th July 2010 by Mia Watkins
If you're a parent disappointed with your children, read this, then look at yourself. Respect, what is it? An attitude of esteem, consideration or regard. A respectable person is generally thought to be deserving of the respect of others. Today's authority figures aren't respected because they don't Read more...
The Conservatory - 17
Posted 1:22am Monday 26th July 2010 by Edward Greig
Following their investment of settlement funds and businesses, iwi are becoming economic powerhouses. It is time that the government recognised this and took advantage of this large pool of capital. Some iwi have hinted at being supportive of PPPs and the benefits of iwi-government Read more...
La Presidenta - 17
Posted 1:21am Monday 26th July 2010 by Harriet Geoghegan
Tena koutou katoa, Nei ra te timatanga o te wiki whakahirahira to t_tou reo rangatira, Te Reo Maori. Anei nga wero Kia ora koutou, Ko Ariana Te Wake toku ingoa, ko au te mangai mo nga Tauira Maori o nga Akonga o Te Whare Wananga o Otago. Greetings to you all, Read more...
Te Roopu Maori - 17
Posted 1:17am Monday 26th July 2010 by Fallyn Flavell
Tena koutou katoa, Nei ra te timatanga o te wiki whakahirahira to t_tou reo rangatira, Te Reo Maori. Anei nga wero 1. He wero tenei kia koutou e mohio ki te korero i roto i te reo, mena i mohio koe ki tetahi atu matatau ki te reo, korero korua tahi i roto i te reo Maori. Tuku imera, Read more...
The Green Finger - 17
Posted 1:15am Monday 26th July 2010 by Dominic Szeker
For most of human history, it was likely that you would live and die a stone’s throw from the place you were born. You would kill your dearest for a mule and ladies would spread their legs quicker than Courtney Love if you had a pony. Today, much has changed, and much has improved. We skate, Read more...
Should we abolish the Maori quota for limited-entry courses at universities?
Posted 1:06am Monday 26th July 2010 by Will Cheyne and Nick Gavey
Will Cheyne argues we should; Nick Gavey disagrees. Will: What is it exactly that we are trying to achieve with race-based quotas? The answer must be that there is some benefit to the community as a whole in having more of a particular race represented in limited-entry courses. But what is Read more...
Apocalypse How? - 17
Posted 1:03am Monday 26th July 2010 by Iain Dangerfield
Scenario #3: Asteroid Strike! Asteroids: where do they come from? Where are they going? These bizarre flying lumps of rock have perplexed mankind for centuries (almost as much as fucking magnets: just how do they work?) and are as dangerous as they are mysterious. Like a drunken munter Read more...
Top 5 - 16
Posted 3:41am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Richard Cheese
Top 5 Ways To Get Rid Of A Bad Root This one is for the ladies. Surely many of you have taken a guy home that was so bad in the sack that you just wish it would end. Well, here are a few techniques to speed up that process. These happen to me all the time so I can assure you that they work. Read more...
This Week Matthew, I'm Going to Be... - 16
Posted 3:36am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Matt Chapman
A Modern-Day Pirate. Being a pirate is far more than just growing a beard and punctuating every sentence with ‘arrr’; it’s a way of life. So here are a few pointers for actually becoming a modern-day pirate. Take this ‘on board’ and you’ll be pimping Read more...
Sport Potato - 16
Posted 3:28am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Tim Miller
It’s that time of the year again, when the Tour de France hits our television screens and the evening news. Of course everyone is impressed by both the athleticism of the riders and the lovely French countryside, but the major talking point will undoubtedly come back to drugs and doping. The Read more...
Accounting and Finance Department Merger
Posted 3:26am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Logan Oliver
The closure of the Design Department saw the Registry picketed by a motley collection of jawboning student politicians, unkempt art students, and hangers-on from the International Socialists. As I’m in finance, my mind clearly works differently to the aforementioned rabble, so would someone please Read more...
The Conservatory - 16
Posted 3:23am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Edward Greig
Local body elections are coming up, and for most people they will go unnoticed. For many, who they vote into local office comes down to name recognition, rather than any great understanding of personality, promises, and performance. Take Dunedin for example: despite an apparent groundswell Read more...
La Presidenta - 16
Posted 3:21am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Harriet Geoghegan
So here it is: the week that will show whether or not OUSA is an organisation beyond repair or too resilient to change, and the week that will define my success in this role. This week we are asking students to vote in two referenda: one to reduce the size of the Executive and one to reform the Read more...
Te Roopu Maori - 16
Posted 3:18am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Fallyn Flavell
Kia ora whanau, Pehea koutou? Ko te tumanako he pai te timatanga o to tatou whahanga tuarua o te tau. Kua tutaki tatou i a tatou ki nga waenganui i tenei wahi ataahua, ki nga karaehe, ki nga tima hakinakina, a, ki nga paparakauta hoki. Nei ra te timatanga o te wiki tuarau o tenei whahanga, a, me Read more...
The Green Finger - 16
Posted 3:16am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Dominic Szeker
Gerry Brownlee recently gave the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras exploration rights to the Raukumara Basin, just off the coast of the North Island. Apparently this decision is motivated by economic growth for all New Zealanders. Don’t confuse this with a long-term vision of economic growth Read more...
Do Animals Have Rights?
Posted 3:14am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Danielle Duffield and Nick Gavey
Danielle Duffield argues that they do; Nick Gavey disagrees. Danielle: When Mary Wollstonecraft published “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” in 1792, British philosopher Thomas Taylor responded by publishing a satirical piece entitled “A Vindication of The Rights of Read more...
Apocalypse How? - 16
Posted 3:11am Tuesday 20th July 2010 by Iain Dangerfield
Scenario #2: Obesity As a species, humankind is steadily growing more and more overweight, and who can blame us? The number of irresistible fatty treats companies keep pumping out is growing and we are powerless to do anything about it. Who hasn’t seen an ad for KFC’s new Triple Read more...
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