News!

Auteur House honoured at ASPA’s

Nexus made three winnings at the annual Aotearoa Student Press Association Awards, held at Victoria University in Wellington on Saturday September 24^th.

Nexus picked up 1^st place for Best Reviewer, 3^rd place for Best Editorial and 3^rd place for Best Cover.

Dr. Richard Swainson took out first place in the Best Reviewer category for his film-oriented piece Auteur House, with Judge Margaret Agnew commenting that “Richard’s entries showed he was fantastically film literate. Although a little verbose, he has a nice overall reviewing style.”

Nexus Graphics Designer Dave Nixon said he was happy with the achievement and gives thanks and gratitude to the multiple design interns who offered their services throughout the year.

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Left Vs Right

Is Don Brash’s recent declaration on the legalization of marijuana a ploy to get votes, or is it a step in the right direction for New Zealand?

Left

Don Brash, leader of the Act Party and ex-leader of National has spoken out supporting a discussion on cannabis legalisation.  As he put it, “has the sky fallen in?” 

The demon Dr. Don Brash feeds off votes, hence its current shriveled state.  If we can deprive him of votes just a little while longer he will slowly turn to dust leaving a horrible mess around the Act Party offices and his empty shell of a home.  His need is so great he is stalking his prey with cunning and skill, an example of hysterical strength but he also has a point. 

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The Horror of Hamilton

With an emotionally scarred Luke

The Lair of the Magic 8-Ball - ??/??/??

This week I invoked ancient rituals and danced with death itself to bring you this exclusive insight into the depths of one of Hamilton’s unholiest locations; the lair of the Mighty Magic 8-Ball itself. I can’t tell you where it was or when it was, because I can remember neither. But I can recount the horrors I experienced.

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Chair leg of Truth

With the Chair Leg

The other week, I was walking to university when I saw a girl sitting in her car on the side of the road, in tears. In the passenger seat was a male, presumably a boyfriend, who was visibly enraged. You could see the anger ripping lines through his face. Whatever the reason, this guy was flipping his lid at this girl (who, if memory serves, is named Michelle), which is not on. Ignoring all the emotional bullshit people play with each other, outward aggression as a weapon against someone you care about is not cool.

I could have stopped it, to tell you the truth. I’m a reasonably big guy, assertive, and I can throw a punch or two. Instead, despite an upbringing that taught me about chivalry, and a childhood watching movies where the hero is supposed to save a damsel in distress, I kept walking. I wasn’t in a hurry. I didn’t have anywhere I needed to be. I had all the time in the world to stop walking, knock on the car window, and tell the guy to pull his head in.

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A Fresh Look at Humanity

With Merely Human

Part 1: An Introduction

So who am I, and why the pseudonym?

I am the man sitting three rows behind you on the bus. I am the girl who glanced your way as you crossed the road. I am your lover, your least-favourite lecturer. Do I wish to hide behind this mask, seeking protection from your reaction against the hurtful things I am to say? No, indeed. For all the things I am to say arise from a place of compassion, of empathy and understanding, of unconditional love. None of this is meant to harm. None of this is communicated with a desire to bring about change. It is intended only to stimulate thought, to initiate discussion, to open up fresh perspectives. Come, won’t you explore with me what it means to be human?

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Diary of a Raver

With Gig Girl

One breezy summer night, an eighteen year old girl named Ashley, was at her best friend’s house drinking. Her and all of friends had been drinking since early that afternoon and all of them were feeling pretty tipsy from sitting in the sun gossiping. Ashley felt pretty happy and content as she sat in the setting sun drinking her wine, lapping up the last of the sun’s rays.

By midnight, Ashley and her friends were all feeling pretty drunk, and they thought that would call a taxi to head to town. Ashley and all of her friends were pretty skint being students, so their goal of the night was to try and get as many free drinks as possible from guys to keep their night going. Ashley had her sights set on trying to find a hot single guy.

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Boganology 101

By Burton C Bogan

Someone asked me the other day what the difference was between a Bogan and a Metaller. I know what I wanted to say and that was “Nothing”. However, I recognise this isn’t something that everyone agrees with. To start with, associating the term Bogan with Heavy Metal music is something that is distinctly New Zealand. Sure Australians usually associate Hard Rock with Bogans, but not necessarily Heavy Metal.

The other issue is that a lot of Metal fans get insulted when someone calls them a Bogan. They don’t feel that they embody that working class sentiment that Boganism carries with it. Some like to stress the intellectual side of the music, the technical ability required to play and in some cases listen to Metal, and stress their individualism while dressed entirely in black just like every other Bogan.

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Words of Wisdom

With Mr Minty Fish

WARNING: The following contains controversy of all descriptions. If you are easily offended, this is not your jam. Now in keeping with the theme of horror, let me say the scariest thing you will hear all week.

"The condom broke. I'm pregnant. You're the father."

As students, we are hard wired to take relatively serious situations and joke about them. If your mate has a moustache, he is instantly a paedophile. If you look at someone oddly then you're a rapist; and if your flatmate pisses off to her boyfriend’s house at 11pm you jokingly tell her not to get murdered.

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Hate It or Love It

With Gucci Mane

The only thing I love about horror, apart from killing zombies on Black Ops on Cheaper Tues, is Hamilton’s Riff Raff statue on Victoria Street. Riff Raff is the main character from the famous musical, “The Rocky Horror Show”, written by local Richard O’Brien and he represents the standard of dress required for Shine Nightclub. When I first saw him I thought he was looking at his watch - coincidentally I passed by him one night, realised he wasn’t wearing a watch and that he was probably looking at the insistent guy below him insisting that he do a few rails and go with him to listen to some dubsteps. Well let me just tell you right now that Riff Raff is not a ‘pinger’, and his skirt is tiny so therefore he definitely goes to the Outback.

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Auteur House

With Dr Richard Swainson

Who are the great screen couples?  No combination of actors in recent times comes readily to mind.  Though there's no shortage of romantic comedies these days - indeed, sometimes it seems like Hollywood churns out nothing else but - seldom do studios repackage a rom com team. 

In the studio years of the 1930s and 1940s things were different.  Certain pairings were continually repeated.  Musicals - by definition romances - particularly lent themselves to this.  Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made 10 films together. 

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