Degrees North Magazine - University Of Sunderland Students' Union
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DN update….. hello loyal readers of DN :)
I am pleased to infom you, that very shortly we will have a new issue out! the Education issue!
And….. if that wasnt enough…..we have DN radio..officiolly starting next week! Its a One Day Radio station playing all day every Friday…. so watch this space.
Lee
Editor
Monday 4
thFebruary, 6pm – 9pm
North Shore, St. Peter’s Campus,
Charles Street, Sunderland, SR6 0AN
check it out, get your selfs down!
Opens tonight!
Raiding My Brother’s Wardrobe.
Subtlety best describes my brother’s wardrobe. He mixes some heritage style with a grunge-esque image though tries to steer clear of the hobo effect (the beard does not help!). Sporting a classic tweed jacket from River Island, i added a tartan shirt and mustard jumper from the vintage Jack & Jones collection. Finishing the look off with grey Levis jeans and military style boots from the All Saints archive collection, it was simple to see my brother expresses his calm personality through the subtlety of his style.
Walking into Corner 93 you think you have stepped back in time. It is a pre-loved clothing boutique, based in Seaburn. They only buy and sell designer, best on the British High Street and Vintage treasures from old troves.
Once you enter you will understand why they call the clothes treasures. I loved the clothes that much I had to purchase a fur coat. “We truly do love our fashion and have a passion for seeing clothes being re-loved.” This is their statement which you have to admire.
Katharine Elisabeth Oliver
Christmas in Ukraine
In Ukraine most people celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar on 7 January. Festive days last for 12 days till 19 January. There are no gifts, garlands, ribbons or Santa these days. All this comes at New Year. At night from 31 Dec on 1 Jan family and friends gather together and celebrate New Year with a banquet, champagne, salute and sparklers. This night Santa (that is called Father Frost) comes with the gifts too.
Ukrainians celebrate Christmas Eve on 6 January: people dress Christmas tree and decorate it with toys and garlands. All family gathers together. It is not allowed to altercate, fight or get drunk. The main stage of this day is Celebration Dinner that is cooked for Holy Evening. It is not permitted to eat until the first star will appear in the sky (because this is when Jesus Christ was born).
Celebration Dinner consists of 12 traditional dishes (in honor of 12 apostles of Christ), but their amount and ingredients differ according to locality and family affluence. Dishes are cooked without eggs, sour cream, milk, butter and meat and traditionally they are following:
1) Borsch (soap with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, parsley and where the main ingredient is a beetroot. Some people use tomato as the main ingredient)
2) Kutya (grain porridge main components are wheat, poppy seeds, nuts and honey)
3) Dumplings (with sauerkraut or beans)
4) Fish: fried, baked.
5) Marinated mushrooms
6) Millet porridge
7) Beans
8) Potatoes
9) Cabbage rolls
10) Pampushka (a small round bun to eat with the soup)
11) Braised cabbage
12) Uzvar (a drink of boiled dried fruit (apples, plums and pears))
After dinner, people start to sing Koliadky (Christmas carols). So In the evening you can see a lot of youth dressed in the national costumes on the street of cities and villages. Last time caroling is most common among children: they go around houses and ask hosts a permeation to sing a carol. The hosts generously treated carols singers by giving cookies, candies or even money. Another tradition that is hold after dinner is that children must bring Kutya to relatives and friends who live not far from them.
In the morning of 7 January all family or several members go to the church to pray. After church services family again gather for a dinner, which is not Lenten anymore.
Different concerts are being organized on Christmas days across the country. Here are several of them:
At weekend on the main square of Kyiv a free open space concert of traditional songs is taking place.
Christmas Festival “Great Carol” lasts on 7-29 January at western city – Lviv. The festival aim is a popularization of Christmas traditions all over Ukraine.
There is also the Christmas Festival “Ukrainian Christmas”. The aim of it is to promote Ukrainian Christmas carols that are performed in modern arrangement by contemporary singers.
З Різдвом Христовим! (Merry Christmas)
Religion! There’s that word again we seem to be hearing it a lot lately what with Christmas just around the corner and all the festivities going on, but did you know that two thirds of teenagers nowadays actually don’t believe in god[i]. Surprised? I’m not, nowadays children have more access to the media what with the internet and TV’s their bound to be doing their own research about the religions they’ve been brought up to believe in, and as we all know friends have a lot more influence these days than what parents do. But what happens to those teenagers who are more bound by their religion than others, whose parents don’t let them make up their own minds about what they want to believe in? Whose parents would rather see their own children out on the streets then support their beliefs?
We all seen what happened in Eastenders a couple years back when Syed’s family found out he was gay there was outrage, how could he? He was meant to be a respectable Muslim! Well not any more he was thrown out onto the street, his mother set fire to his belongings and out right dis owned him, the shame she felt he had brought onto the family. Things are different nowadays you might say, we are much more opened minded then what people use to be? Maybe so but religion is still religion and some people have very firm beliefs. The majority of my family are Roman Catholic which is what I was Baptised, I also made my first Holy Communion and my First Confession, I went to a Catholic Primary School, I went to Church twice a week (not that you would think it). I even went onto a Catholic High School but that was before I began to question my religion and God for that matter. I then decided to move to a Community High School and decided I didn’t want to practice my religion anymore but because my parents are so supportive they didn’t mind, I had their full support but not everyone is so lucky. How about Damon Fowler who was an atheist in America he was ostracised by his parents, friends and the community because he made a complaint about prayer being in the graduation ceremony as government sponsored prayer is illegal and unconstitutional in public schools. He was threatened and harassed, his own parents disowned him; you should know that most of these people were Christians as well[ii]. Now correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the Christian faith teach their followers to love thy neighbour and don’t do upon to others that you shall not want done upon to you, so where were these people’s morals when they ostracised this boy? I thought schools were supposed to teach children to stand up for what they believe in and to never be afraid to question things and speak their minds? And that is exactly what this boy did but look how he was treated and we wonder why people are so scared to stand up and be counted for! Talk about practice what you preach or not!
Just the other day I was on the metro discussing this article with a friend when the young man next to me who said he couldn’t help but over hearing (or he was just nosing in however you want to look at it) but he had been ostracised by his family (coincidence?). He went on to say how his parents were Roman Catholic but he had decided to become a Mormon, he never gave any specifics as he didn’t want to go into detail but it just goes to show how it’s not as uncommon as people think. Our society is always going on about inclusive practice and embracing other cultures, children in schools are taught about all different religions from Roman Catholic to Hinduism. They celebrate Diwali, Chinese New Year as well as our societies main festivals such as Christmas and yet when our own children or when someone in the community either falls in love with someone from a different religion, culture or decides they want to follow their own path rather than the one they have been told to follow we turn on them (it’s like feeding time in the zoo, talk about throwing someone to the lions). Growing up is hard enough and even harder if you have a strict religious background but everybody is only human and being your own person and being happy should be much more important than conforming to what everybody else says. It takes a lot of guts for young people to stand up for what they believe in and to go against their parents (and I don’t just mean the usual teenage rebellion) and to go against their religion. We should be proud of these people for having a voice and for not conforming to societies norms because how boring would the world be if we all followed every single rule that was laid out for us and if they’re not breaking any laws or bringing harm to others then why shouldn’t they be their own person ? There are a lot worse things they could be doing. Don’t get me wrong I completely understand how bounding some religions can be and how hard it can be for parents and other people of the community to except such changes but times change, society changes and things move on and sometimes you just have to move with the times and realise what’s more important.
[i] Two thirds of teenagers don’t believe in god (2009) date accessed: November 2012 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/5603096/Two-thirds-of-teenagers-dont-believe-in-God.html
[ii] High school atheist ostracized by town (2011) date accessed: November 2012 http://freethoughtblogs.com/greta/2011/06/08/high-school-atheist-ostracized/
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology follows the practise of the Scientology belief system.
It all started out in New Jersey, USA, by a man called L. Ron Hubbard in 1953. The religion promotes lots of beliefs and practises created around Hubbard’s self-help system, Dianetics. Scientology teaches that we (the people) are actually “immortal spiritual beings that have forgotten their true nature.”
The teaching of the story Xenu is about alien interventions and civilization in Earthly events described as the space opera. According to Scientology beliefs, the story of Xenu started with when Xenu, the dictator of the “Galactic Confederacy” brought billions of his people, known as ‘Teegeeack’, to Earth 75 million years ago in a spacecraft. Xenu then stacked all the people around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs. It is believed that essences of these people remained and they form around people in modern times. The essence of the “spirit” is also known as “thetan”. A Body Thetan is another thetan who is ‘stuck’ in, on or near a human “meat body”. Scientology teaches that all human bodies are covered in lots of these misplaced thetans.
In 1967, Hubbard detailed the story in the book Operating Thetan, which is a spiritual state defined as “knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time (MEST). The book is split up into 14 levels, but only the first eight are known to the public. To reach every level, a specified donation must be made to the Church. After completing every level of the book the reader will eventually reach the state of ‘‘Cleared Theta Clear’’, a spiritual state which is described as: “A thetan who is completely rehabilitated and can do everything a thetan should do, such as move MEST and control others from a distance, or create his own universe.”
Moving up the levels is more commonly known as ‘The Bridge to Total Freedom’ or simply The Bridge. This takes place in training sessions known as auditing, and it is a lifetime commitment to move up The Bridge. In these sessions people have to open up and re-experience consciously painful or traumatic events in their past, this is in order to free themselves of their limiting effects.
As the specific donations are pricey it mostly attracts richer people such as celebrities.
by Tom Lamb , Tom Mannion
As soon as the Christmas Lights were switched on around the town centre it was obvious that Christmas had definitely arrived in Sunderland! And it was still only November…
Around the same time, The Bridges brought back their late night shopping, giving more opportunities for everyone to get their Christmas shopping done; bringing into town the dazed and confused boyfriends/husbands who still don’t know what to get their significant other for the festive season and wishing they’d come into town when Ann Summers was still open! And the super organized mothers who you can see mentally checking off everything on their to do/buy list, the new toy shop, The Entertainer, has just opened providing every single toy any child might ever want; whilst the older teens and 20 something’s are more concerned with the new large scale Primark next door! Both conveniently placed within a stone’s throw from Krispy Kreme for when it all just gets too much!
It wasn’t long into December when the Snow Globe appeared in the centre of The Bridges. Now this is no ordinary Snow Globe, but a giant blow up with complete with the artificial snow inside, and it’s not just decorative-oh no! The staff, festively dressed as Elves surround it and for a small fee you can go inside the globe and get your photo taken. To buy the actual photo in any sort of memento was obviously another charge but would make a unique keepsake or unique present for a loved one!
This year the Empire Theatre’s seasonal pantomime is Peter pan starring the presenter of Children’s TV Show ‘I can cook,’ Katy Ashworth and Ex-Emmerdale favourite Tom Lister means that there should be something for all the family! And you can’t go far without seeing the promotional posters or stickers advertising the panto! So if you haven’t heard anything about it by now, what have you been doing?! Personally I loved going to the panto every year when I was younger and always had an amazing time! But at the age of 20, even if I found a friend to go with me, I think we’d look out of place!
If you haven’t had chance yet, get yourself down to Mowbray Park for an evening! For anyone who doesn’t know where this, keep walking down the road from Passion and Independent, and there’s the Winter Gardens which has the entrance to the park next to it. Wrap up warm, it’s getting cold outside! But the Christmas lights inside the park look truly magical once it’s dark, and from the photos I’ve seen from my friends who have been there’s an illuminated sleigh for you to sit inside! I’m going tomorrow night and can’t wait! Keeping up the festivities in Mowbray park from the 20th-23rd December there will be real life Reindeers, which I’m slightly disappointed I’ll miss but I’ll be back in Derbyshire by then to spend Christmas with my family! But if anyone is around, they should be worth a visit!
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2013!
BY Charlotte Pell
Culture of Hong Kong By Dianna Ho
At the top of the popular tourist attraction of The Peak, you can see one of Hong Kong’s most famous views, and from the promenade of Harbour City you can witness this amazing long stretch of brightly lit sky scrapers and huge neon company logos such as Panasonic and Samsung. In this 24/7 buzzing Metropolitan City, where nothing is ever shut and even in both day and night, one can see the energy this famous city brings to whoever goes there. If you stop at Mong Kok, where the people are so many you can only see the thousands of heads bobbing here and there, as hagglers and stall assistants call for your attention in the famous ‘Lady Street’, showing you their merchandise as you bask in the warm heat, smelling the aromatic smell of street food stalls selling spicy fish cakes to hot-from-the-oven ‘eggy ‘ pancakes.
That is the difference between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. The culture. The culture is rich and diverse in Hong Kong ranging from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds from the Portuguese culture in Macau to the Western bars in Soho.
One of deepest culture, however, lies within the busy chaotic streets where these people work hard every day for a living and would do their very best to get a customer to buy one of their goods. Whenever you pass by a stall, even if you glance at their merchandise, they would come near to ask you to come and look closer, even if you don’t want to buy you can still look. To gain a living is very important to these people, unlike the culture here in the UK, if one is unable to work then they can receive benefits and other help, but in Hong Kong there are none or little benefits available. So everyone is required to work and earn a living. Along the narrow streets, one is able to spot an old lady selling her home made yummy dumplings and desserts, or a crooked elderly man picking up rubbish or collecting cardboard which can be exchanged for money.
This is just in the city area, if you go to the rural areas where there are no big malls or big towering buildings, you would be faced with a calm and serene place dotted here and there with old crumbling yet strong houses with traditional doors and courtyards, where mainly the older generation sit outside and watch the world go by; and there still remains the fishing occupations of some of the elderly members, using their known means to fill the table with food.
The people there, are a lot different than those in the UK, other than the obvious that the majority in Hong Kong are Chinese, there are differences in which the people act. The British are deemed to be one of the politest countries stereotypically, with the language full of polite vocabulary and queuing up in an orderly fashion. Of course, this is like this in Hong Kong, but in the streets everywhere people are bustling about and shout to other neighbouring stalls and people they know, everyone they greet is either an ‘uncle’ or an ‘aunty’, which links in to the emphasis on the closeness of family traditions and respecting elders. As the old saying goes: ‘everyone is a Chinese person here’, meaning that since everyone is Chinese we must help each other; similar to the British saying of ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’.
Due to worldwide globalization, many people are similar to that of the culture in the UK; they like to go out and shop, spend money and time on their interests and with their friends. Whilst there are a lot of popular night scenes which is similar to UK, there are arguably more activities available for people to do. For example, visiting the neighbouring islands like Lama Island or Cheung Chau, where you can take the famous Star Ferry there from only 50p per trip. Arriving there, one can savour the delicious dim sums, especially the well-known dish called Cheung Chau dumplings, and take a fun ride in one of the tricycles, and explore this exciting place where the origin of ‘bun snatching’ comes from.
And of course, we cannot forget the two popular tourist attraction of Ocean Park and Disney Land, which is brimming with people from all over the world. Ocean Park just celebrated its 35th year anniversary whilst Disney Land only opened in 2009. Ocean Park has improved the viewing area for the giant pandas, which are absolutely adorable, whilst Disney Land has many amazing attractions from the Light-year Rollercoaster Mountain to the Winnie-the-Pooh fun ride. Hence this city is definitely bustling with constant things to do, boredom is not an option! Especially in the time of the Chinese New Year, where the place would be teeming with people preparing for the days of celebration and feasting, of joy and happiness, of fire crackers and lion dance. One would be sure to check out the fireworks and late night events during this period.Another difference in culture is that the young people like to spend time in the amusements, and of course, spend a lot of money on the latest gadget; everywhere you turn one can spot someone with the latest mobile or ipad, with the phone shops buzzing with people from all ages checking out the
new technologies and also keeping up with the latest ‘style’ is a must too. Another difference is the timing of the lessons of their schools; usually the children get up about 5am since classes start at 6am and ends about 12pm which is quite different from that in the UK, and there is an importance to do well. Small children about the age of 5 can be seen carrying rucksacks bigger than themselves with many heavy books inside, and attending extra classes from piano lessons to language tutorials.In the afternoon you can see many young people going around eating, shopping together or doing another popular activity which is to go out to the beaches and have BBQ’s, or hotpots (food cooked in a big bowl of soup) in the busy restaurants. Speaking of food, you can never go hungry when you are in Hong Kong; the culture there emphasises on FOOD. Everywhere you go, you can be sure that you will find a little stall selling some hot wonton noodles or a huge buffet restaurants offering tasty grub. Another cultural difference is that whenever it gets really busy in a restaurant or in any café, you are given the choice to ‘dap toi’ meaning to join on to another table with people you don’t know. This is a very common practice in Hong Kong, unlike in the U.K where one would just wait for another free table, but if there is absolutely no tables free and you are in a rush then you must ‘dap toi’. In Hong Kong, it also very common for the people to wake up from as early as 4-5am, not only for work but to buy groceries and ‘chui sui’ (chatting and gossip) with the locals. Be sure you go to the local bakeries and find the freshly baked scrumptious goods such as the famed egg tarts ad sausage buns or to the local market cafes and eat the renowned ‘boatman’s’ congee.
Basically, the culture of Hong Kong is that it is all about living 24 hours, 7 days a week. Someone once said that Hong Kong is the City that never Sleeps, it is always brimming with activity and with life. The people there are hard working, waking up early to buy groceries and to go to school. They are crazy about their gadgets and especially love their food, which is absolutely delectable and there is so much to do there, and most of all the culture is rich and deep made even more prominent by the people who lives there.
