Archive

Physics Penalises Kickers’ Conversion Rates

Posted 4:25pm Sunday 23rd September 2012 by Bella Macdonald

Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr stadium is transforming into the House of Pain for rugby goal-kickers, after a series of feeble goal-kicking attempts from world-class athletes have left players embarrassed and pointing fingers in all directions. During the test match between the Springboks and All Read more...

Councillor Apologises for Calling Herself Old, Blames Senility

Posted 4:25pm Sunday 23rd September 2012 by Claudia Herron

Age Concern Otago has condemned two Dunedin City Councillors for their self-deprecatingly calling themselves “old farts” and “old fellas”. The comments, which were made by Councillors Fliss Butcher and Richard Thomson during a full council meeting on Monday, were interpreted as offensive to the Read more...

Alligator Attacks Terrorise Dunedin

Posted 4:25pm Sunday 23rd September 2012 by Josie Adams

There is a strange and terrifying underbelly to Edinburgh’s progeny that we are only just discovering. This week, in news from Dunedin FL, we reveal the insider’s scoop on the alligator attacks that have been terrorising the city. Like its Celtic namesake, the alleys of the city have become a Read more...

Emerson's: Pride of the South since 1992

Posted 4:25pm Sunday 23rd September 2012 by Callum Fredric

Emerson’s has reaffirmed its status as Dunedin’s premier brewery after ten of its finest brews were honoured at the Sutton Group Brewers’ Guild of NZ Awards 2012. The Regional Best Bitter won the trophy and a gold medal in the British Ale Styles category, with silver medals going to Emerson’s Read more...

PLEDGEIT

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Staff Reporter

God, if there is a God, can be a bit or a dick. He blesses creative people with all the talent in the world, but no sales skills; no sense of self-promotion. And so they create, and suffer, and die sad lonely deaths in cold houses without ever being recognised in their lifetimes. As all creative Read more...

Student Politician Loves Spandex

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Gus Gawn

We have reached Issue 24 of Critic for the year. That means only three more to go, and it’s fair to say that the well of relevant local sports stories has run a little dry. With that in mind, I made the short trip across the hall from the Critic office to ask OUSA Exec board member Angus McDonald Read more...

Fantasy Sports: The Anti-sex

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Gus Gawn

Lurking just out of the sight of the casual sports fan is an ominous subculture: a pointless pursuit that robs sports fans of not only a high percentage of their waking hours, but also a good deal of their dignity, not to mention their allure to the opposite sex. I’m talking about fantasy sports: a Read more...

Otago Succeeds

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Margot Taylor

A series of tertiary league tables released by the Tertiary Education Commission place the University of Otago first in two out of four performance areas. The study was conducted to reveal how taxpayer-subsidised students in New Zealand are performing in tertiary study. The four performance Read more...

OUSA Is So Gay

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Zane Pocock

Candidate nominations are open for the election of OUSA’s 2013 Executive, from 9am this Monday 17 September until 4pm this Thursday 20 September. Voting is set to occur over the same time period in the week after nominations close. During the election period there will also be a referendum on Read more...

Student Jewry Sentences AUSA President to Insincere Apology

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Callum Fredric

Arena Williams, the President of the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA), has been forced to apologise after taking a 10-day trip to Israel, funded by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC). According to its website, AIJAC “endeavours to highlight and counteract Read more...

Otago University's Two Dirty Little Screts

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Callum Fredric

Two University staff members cancelled their plans to speak at an OUSA Environment Week presentation on the University’s use of lignite coal, apparently after discussions with the University’s communications section. Energy Manager Hans Pietsch and Environmental Sustainability Co-ordinator Dr Read more...

Students Engaging in Hubba-Hubba with no Rubber

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Josie Adams

Results are in from a 2009 University of Otago Department of Preventative and Social Medicine survey which questioned nearly 3000 17 – 26 year old university students across New Zealand about their sexual practices. With no update in national sexual health and behaviour data for over 20 Read more...

Trespassed for being NORML

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Bella Macdonald

The grass is no longer greener on the University of Otago’s side after the Uni issued several Trespass orders against members of National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) – without explaining why. On Wednesday September 12, Police issued trespass orders to a handful of Read more...

College Has Inferiority Complex

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Zane Pocock

Dr. John Kernohan, chairman of the Presbyterian Commission, which is currently governing Knox College, says that the fort-esque student hall may have to pull up the drawbridge for the last time if they are unable to raise the $10.8 million of funding needed to undertake earthquake strengthening, Read more...

Environmental Bandits Pollute Otago Campus

Posted 4:57pm Sunday 16th September 2012 by Bella Macdonald

Generation Zero have tested the theory that all publicity is good publicity, after defacing University buildings with promotional propaganda on the evening of Sunday September 9. Generation Zero members from the University of Otago have been punished by the Proctor after their publicity stunt Read more...

Uni Games

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Gus Gawn

Photo Caption: This is Mikey. She did real good at Uni Snow Games. That’s why there is a photo of her. Not cause she’s blonde. Promise. For the first time in eight years Otago University did not win the Michael Forrestall Memorial Shield for the best team at the Uni Snow Games. Numbers were Read more...

Joyce to The World

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Zane Pocock

The University of Otago is under pressure from Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce to increase international student numbers. With international student enrolments at Otago falling by 18.8% between 2007 and 2011, Mr. Joyce called for the University to look “very closely” at its efforts Read more...

A Week to Green Out with your Buds

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Zane Pocock

OUSA will be keeping the Greenies happy with the inaugural Environment Week starting on Monday September 10, being held “in an effort to raise student awareness of critical environmental issues, and inspire them to take action.” Scitell, a new series of lectures being launched by the Read more...

Slutwalk II: The Sluts Strike Back

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Josie Adams

On Saturday September 1 Dunedin’s second annual Slutwalk hit the streets. Beginning outside the Dental School, the marchers progressed along George Street to the Octagon, where they were addressed by speakers on the topics of slut-shaming and victim-blaming. The “Slutwalk” movement began last Read more...

Shady Sheik speaks at Islam Awareness Week

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Callum Fredric

Last week, the decadent city of Dunedin was treated to the spiritual guidance of hard-line Islamic Sheik Shady Alsuleiman. The sheik was invited by the Muslim University Students’ Association (MUSA) to deliver guest lectures for Islam Awareness Week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Castle and Read more...

Beloved Bars Bullied by Bureaucracy

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Claudia Herron

The future of many local bars remains uncertain as substantial fee increases under the new alcohol law reforms threaten their livelihood. New legislation will see bar owners fronting the full cost of licensing applications, which are currently 50% subsidised by ratepayers. Critic spoke with Read more...

Rabbi’ng Shoulders with Alternative Faiths

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Margot Taylor

The ninth annual open Peace Lecture was held last week in the St David Lecture Theatre. Israeli Rabbi Adi Cohen, who is part of the Wellington Progressive Jewish Congregation, delivered the lecture, entitled “Words, Concepts, Deeds. Peace as a way of living”. The lecture was organised by the Read more...

Asset Sales Delayed by Water and Wind Claims

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Staff Reporter

In a move that is bound to have special resonance for students, the government has decided to delay the controversial partial sale of Mighty River Power (MRP). Following a Waitangi Tribunal report that was delivered to the government on August 23, but is yet to be made public, the sale is now Read more...

QUAN dethrones COMO as Most Failed Subject

Posted 4:03pm Sunday 9th September 2012 by Bella Macdonald

Full table of pass rates by subject available here: >>University of Otago Pass Rates by Subject 2009-2011 Picking papers has become even easier at the University of Otago after figures stating the average pass rate for each subject were released under the Official Information Act (OIA). Read more...

Look for your name in this club rugby finals wrap

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Gus Gawn

An extravaganza of club code at University Oval wrapped up the local competitions two weekends ago. Southern took on Dunedin in both the Prem 2 and Prem Colts finals, held on a sun-soaked but slippery uni oval pitch. It was a remarkable achievement that the Dunedin club’s teams qualified for the Read more...

Signs of life in Otago rugby

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Gus Gawn

The Otago Rugby Union has been chewed up and shat out this off season. For a while it looked like they might not even be able to afford a team, let alone win any games. But with the ITM Cup already underway and an exciting win against Northland, things are looking up. Critic asked injured student Read more...

Skiiers and Snowboarders Ski and Snowboard in Snow

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Bella Macdonald

With winter in full flight, around 100 students from New Zealand universities gathered to shred up Wanaka for the 2012 University Snow Games, held from August 26 — 31. The winter games have been held annually since 1945, making this the 67th year of competition. With the 2013 World Read more...

Let them smoke pot!

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Zane Pocock

Data from the “Dunedin Study” has shown that under-18s who regularly smoke marijuana are at risk of permanently reducing their IQ. The same dip doesn’t occur in those who become frequent users after 18, supporting previous research which has suggested that marijuana is particularly harmful for the Read more...

Homo-Haters Horrified by Humanitarian Hubris

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Callum Fredric

August was not a good month for Family First. The lobby group’s mensis horribilis began with the Family First-affilitated “Protect Marriage” website, which opposes gay marriage, being blocked as a “hate site” by the Dunedin City Council’s automated web filter. Family First spokesman Read more...

Alcohol gets its reform on, but not really.

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Staff Reporter

After months of debate, research, and whatever else it is that Members of Parliament do, they finally dealt with New Zealand’s binge drinking culture by making absolutely no changes at all. In the first effort to create change by changing nothing at all Justice Minister Judith Collins Read more...

Farmers hate the young

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Josie Adams

On 18 August student anti-climate change group Generation Zero was brutally suppressed by The Man in response to their latest publicity stunt, a “bus” of recycled cardboard containing some of the organisation’s members, which travelled around Dunedin calling for the Government to invest in smart Read more...

Speight’s Brewery to Increase Production of Mediocre Beer

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Claudia Herron

A major re-development of Speight’s Rattray Street Brewery will enable the brewing of over 24 million litres of beer per year for thirsty scarfies. Lion Breweries has been granted resource consent for the next stage of the $29 million re-development following completion of the first stage back in Read more...

Parliament gets FABULOUS!

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Zane Pocock

Labour MP Louisa Wall’s Marriage Amendment Bill, which aims to legalise gay marriage, passed its first reading in a landslide 80-40 conscience vote on the night of August 29. The vote drew a packed public gallery at Parliament, and with many tuned into Parliament TV social media outlets went Read more...

Boy Racers Engage in Antisocial Behaviour

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 by Margot Taylor

On Friday August 24 a large contingent of boy racers took to the roads surrounding Dunedin. There were a reported 1000 “hooligans” in 400 cars participating in Dunedin’s “Big Cruise”. While many claimed that the event would be an opportunity for young car enthusiasts to show that they are merely Read more...

Five sports writers worth reading

Posted 4:33pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Gus Gawn

The thing about sports writing is that there’s a shitload of it out there, and most of it is complete garbage. I call it “down the pub syndrome”. In the past, semi-literate sports hogs would reserve their moronic ramblings for down the pub. Not anymore. There are enough “user content” sports sites Read more...

What if Nadzeya Ostapchuk is innocent?

Posted 4:33pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Gus Gawn

We knew it all along, didn't we? That hideous she-beast from the wilds of Belarus could never beat “our Val” without cheating. They're all cheats over there, aren't they? Bloody communists. She looks like a man! She’s a filthy cheat! Ban her for life! And so on. It seems like everything just Read more...

University explores subconscious undercurrents of religion

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Charlotte Greenfield

A recent study at Otago’s Department of Psychology suggests that the fear of death subconsciously makes us more religious. Among atheists, thoughts of death correlate with an increased receptivity to religious belief at an unconscious level and growing scepticism at a conscious level. For Read more...

SOULS

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Zane Pocock

SOULS – the Society of Otago University Law Students – is holding its Annual General Meeting this Monday August 20, followed by elections for the ten volunteer members of the 2013 Student Executive. The AGM will run from 11am to 5pm in the 8th Floor Common Room of the Richardson Building, and will Read more...

Mid-semester Crime Roundup

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Callum Fredric

A serial burglar from Christchurch had a pretty sweet routine going – drive down to Dunedin for a couple of days, saunter into student flats through an unlocked door or window, steal laptops and other goodies, then head back up the highway to safety. But his luck ran out on Saturday August 11 when a Read more...

Nuclear Radiation Gives Survivors Oratory Superpowers

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Josie Adams

On Friday the 10th, Dunedin was honoured to play host to two survivors of the infamous Hiroshima bombing. Shigeko Niimoto Sasamori, 80, and Michimasa Hirata, 77, were children – thirteen and nine, respectively – when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” onto the Japanese city Hiroshima on Read more...

Dunedin Has “A Bit of a Peeping Problem”

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Bella Macdonald

Dunedin police have advised the University to amend its internet porn ban after six reported sightings of sexually frustrated Peeping Toms masturbating outside bedroom windows at a number of Dunedin flats. Since the year began, six offences of “peeping or peering” have been reported to the Read more...

Orange Election Guy Demands Change, Human Flesh

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 19th August 2012 by Callum Fredric

The Electoral Commission has released a draft proposal paper on changes to the MMP electoral system. The paper contains several recommendations that, if implemented, could dramatically alter the battleground for the 2014 election and beyond. The two most significant recommendations are that Read more...

Sharks almost win, Eels slightly better

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Gus Gawn

Hayden Parker will never have to pay for another beer at the Taieri Rugby Club after he kicked the Eels to a show-stopping victory in the Premier club rugby final last Saturday. Parker’s 47-metre penalty with time up on the Forsyth Barr Stadium clock capped off a 24-22 comeback victory, sealing his Read more...

Rugby Analysis

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Mavis Shamwell

I’ll start with the names: “Eels” and “Sharks”. We all know that in the animal kingdom this would be an unfair fight, but in the Club Rugby finals it seemed like a pretty even match. This made it difficult for me to decide who to support (my usual rule is to go for the underdog). That said, the Read more...

Religion in Sport? No Way.

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Gus Gawn

Religion is everywhere in sport. If you watch any sport at all, it’s impossible to avoid seeing someone thank the big man upstairs for letting them make all the people they have beaten feel like shit. Luckily in New Zealand we like to keep it to a minimum, and thankfully when a prominent Read more...

Somewhere in Dunedin An Executive Waits

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Staff Reporter

OUSA has set the voting dates of September 24 to 27 for the election of next year’s OUSA student executive. Nominations will be open from September 17 to 20, with the results to be announced on the evening of the 27th. Each of the ten positions on the executive is up for grabs, and with Read more...

Community Law Centres Face Judgment

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Zane Pocock

New Zealand’s Community Law Centres are engulfed in a shroud of mystery after the Ministry of Justice indicated that it will move to cut down to 10 and 15 Community Law contracts across the country, instead of the current regime of 25 individually funded centres. Supervising Solicitor Caryl Read more...

Rich Domino’s Sign-Wavers Get Richer

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Margot Taylor

Students have earned $780,735 more through the Student Job Search scheme in the last 12 months than in the previous 12-month period. Figures released earlier this week show that students earned $3,785,938 through SJS for the 12 months to August, which is 26% higher than the $3,005,203 earned Read more...

Mongrel Mob Abuse Public’s Trust

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Bella Macdonald

The Mongrel Mob are due for a stern slap on the wrist after being accused of having their fingers in too many pies. Police allege that Mongrel Mob members obtained money from a government funded anti-violence program, run through the Whanau Ora scheme, and used it to buy cannabis. Over a Read more...

“Treatygate”

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 12th August 2012 by Callum Fredric

Critic has obtained documents from controversial race campaigner Louis Crimp, setting out a plan for a $2million campaign aiming to make New Zealand a “colourblind” (racially neutral) state. The campaign will be split into two distinct “brands”, known as “Treatygate” and “Colourblind State”. Read more...