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DIT Student Union Dublin Institute of Technology

1994

The DIT Examiner: the Newspaper of the Dublin Institute of Technology Students' Union January, 1994

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License e DIT Examiner The Newspaper of the Dublin Institute of Technology Students' Union January '94

Bishop Street is due to With four months to Graffiti just isn't what is Woody Allen returns open its doors this go, the exams are used to be, at least not to top comedy form in week. We take a look already looming. Most in the DIT. The writing his latest film, inside to see if it lives can deal with the pres- on the wall says it all Manhattan Murder up to expectations. sure but for some it and a lot of it isn't very Mystery just becomes too much nice

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designated for storage, given over to the "It's a bit ridiculous having storage space students. The room, which is on the in the basement; how are they going to same level as the union could get heavy equipment up and offer space for a 150 people, down?" he wondered. says Mr Feely, and would be ''We are Asked about the possibility ideal for pool tables, video determined of extra space being allo­ games and a general recre­ cated in phase two of the ational area for students. to get the Bishop Street project, Mr Hickey told the area. Mr Feely was unequivo­ DIT Examiner that cal. "The space is need­ "proposals the students' Whatever it ed now. No-one has any union are making with takes, we idea how soon stage two regard to utilising the will be started." The building are receiving haven't Students' Union has sent consideration. That's ruled out a letter to DIT President how the situation stands Dr Brendan Goldsmith at the moment." any form of appraising him of the situa­ The front of the OfT's new site. According to Mr Feely, the action '' tion. he Students Union in the College approached College of Commerce area had always been allocated "We are determined to get the T of Commerce, Rathmines will Principal James Hickey with a proposal as a storage area but the union had area. Whatever it takes, we haven't fight "tooth and nail" for extra space to have a large room, currently not realised how small the students area ruled out any form of action," in the Bishop Street site, which is due actually was. said Mr Feely. to open this week. Declan Feely, Convener in Rathmines told the DIT Examiner that at present the space provided offers room for about Canteen C.oncern in Kevin Street 50 students and that this is is simply not sufficient. "Facilities as they exist are totally inadequate and will lead to over­ he Students' Union in the College crowding in other areas, the canteen for T of Technology, Kevin Street has example." he said. expressed concern that the moving of "As it is we could actually be losing out some courses from College of in square footage compared with the Commerce Rathmines to the new site current facilities in Rathmines." in Bishop Street will cause huge over­ crowding in the Kevin Street canteen At present the union, which will be and snackery. located in the basement of the new "From information we have received, building, has three offices at its disposal, we believe that up to 120 students may as well as space for a students' union be moving into Bishop Street this shop and a recreational area, which will A quiet moment In Kevin Street's canteen week," said Deputy Convener Ciaran be seated, be~een the two for students. Crosbie. term just as Rathmmes was helping out nificant. "The bottom line is that our The first office is envisaged as being "No canteen facilities have been pro­ Kevin Street. people are not going to destabilise Kevin open plan and easily accessible to stu­ vided for these students yet. Our can­ "I am acceding to a request from the Street canteen." He said that if the Kevin Street stu­ dents. This will be the administration teen is already ridiculously over crowd­ director of Kevin Street to alleviate dents' union had a problem with the area where a secretary will be based. ed and the influx of extra students will problems by given them facilities in canteen, it should talk to the director of Application forms, USIT cards and sec­ be ludicrous. It is typical DIT short Bishop Street which is probably going ond hand books will be available here. sightedness to allow students in before to cause concern among my staff and the college. Mr Crosbie pointed out that there is The second, larger, room will be the proper facilities are there for them." students nothing to be done about the potential convener's office and also a place where Mr James Hickey, Principal at the Initially, four courses will be making meetings can be held. Next to this is the College of Commerce is anxious to the move to Bishop Street; advertising, overcrowding. "All DIT students are allowed use the welfare and deputy convener's office. begin the move to the new site; he has public relations, transport and legal facilities of other sites. Our problem is While Mr Feely readily accepts that the said that it would be irresponsible to studies During the Easter Break, it is not with the studeRts but with the way new facilities are a "vast improvement' have the site available and not make use planned to move the library facilities to the authorities have handled the trans­ on those the union currently has and of it. He emphasised the move towards the new site. After the break the Degree fer. that people are "looking forward to integration within the DIT. "The direc­ in Advanced Business Studies and the "They had the perfect opportunity to tors are trying to get students to consid­ Certificate in Business Studies will be moving from the squalor, he argues that make a fresh start, to ensure nothing with 1,300 full-time students in the col­ er themselves as DIT students. among the courses making the move. Mr Hickey emphasised that the ini­ like this happened. We don't see why rege, the space provided for them is sim­ He pointed out that Kevin Street was tial number of students will not be sig- this should be happening." ply inadequate. The union has helping Rathmines out in the short Thumbs UJJ

for Knees rJj? = ~e evening began somewhat inauspiciously when the tallest man in the build­ T mg, who also happened to have the biggest hair, sat right in front of me and refused to slouch. The D.I.T. Rathmines Christmas Variety Show was about to start and you could have cut the tension with a whisk. Most of us didn't know what to expect but we didn't expect too much. After all, it had been organised in three weeks and there were not many seasoned variety show veterans in the cast. Occasionally pickled, yes, but even then only in public houses. It wasn't looking good. Showtime thing was any good. Theatre folk, eh? was officially eight and it was already Always needing reassurance. Yes, edging towards quarter past; Matt luvvies, It was any good. It won't win Donohoe, looking, in his make-up Tony's but so what. strangely like Bono's Macphisto ere- The cast's worries assuaged, Derek ation, kept peeping nervol\sly in, sizing and Maire then returned to introduce up the audience, preparing to work An Cos Eile, who restarted things in them like a true pro. .8ut the natives lively traditional manner and this was followed by a series of sketches and Survey Results songs from the Rathmines Drama Society, the high point of which was undoubtedly the strangely titled "Come back Michael Jackson, All is Forgiven," ''A s Expecte d'' replete with the kind of double enten­ dres that made Julian Clary the man he is today. A lmost half the Kevin Street students who took part in a recent survey We had been told that a face we all .l'\..conducted by the students' union said that the quality of the food in the can­ knew from Rathmines would be mak­ teens is no better than adequate. ing an appearance in the show, and A little over 47 per cent of those surveyed described the food in the canteens as what an appearance! Gerry Byrne hip 'adequate'. Just over 10 per cent said it was 'poor' while 27 per cent described it as swivelled his way into the stage and fair­ 'very good'. Of the staff members who responded to the survey, 31.5 per cent said ly chewed the scenery and the micro­ Love In the bog that it was 'poor' and a almost 37 per cent described it as 'adequate'. One tenth phone as he blasted Grease at us. More thought it was 'excellent'. were getting restless, shifing in their songs from the hit musical followed but Cianin Crosbie, deputy convener in Kevin Street Students' Union said that the seats, willing the curtain to open. And nothing could have prepared us for the survey results were as the union had expected. "People are happy with the portions then, finally, it did. penultimate act, innocently introduced of food and the staffing but the quality is not great. The quality of the food and hot The opening number was sombre, as as a Barber Shop Quartet. Billy Joel's drinks was only considered adequate." was the dancing but it picked up with a "The Longest Time" was the chosen The quality of the hot drinks in the canteen and snackery was deemed 'adequate' medley comprising the Bossa Nova, victim and with it the quartet of brave by 46 per cent of students and 21 per cent of staff. A further 21 per cent of staff Jailhouse Rock and the Bee Gees.We young men provided the single most described it as 'poor' while almost seven per cent of students felt it was 'excellent'. were off and running and ... it was real­ enjoyable set of the whole evening. Following the survey a meeting of the canteen committee was held and it was ly, honest to God, enjoyable. Getting up on a stage is not an easy Nervousness was apparent on the thing and a capella singing is, decided that a sub-committee be set up to examine the pricing mechanisms and the face of some of the dancers but that metaphorically, about as naked as you variation in quality of the service, with a view to possiblly reducing certain prices. can get. The tmth may sting a little, but The most common comments made by students in the survey were complaints soon passed and Matt once again proved himself no mean Irish dancer, it has to be said - they were hilarious., about the unchanging play list in the juke box, overcrowding and the over pricing of setting the audience a whoopin' and a far more entertaining than Mr Joel tea and coffee. hollerin' in the process. "These price increases, especially on Theatre, for want of a more appro­ the tea, hit most people the hardest. priate term, followed. "Love in the Bog" People have one dinner a day but maybe was a bizarre pastiche of Romeo and seven or eight cups of coffee. It's the sec­ Juliet in which Lar Moran found his ond time this year it has happened. They niche in drag, Fr Brendan Duddy raised it at the start of term and now absorbed himself DeNiro-like in his again." role of local matchmaker and the ubiq­ One of the reasons for the increase in uitous Matt, as Romeo, proved that as the price of coffee was that its price rose a swordsman he makes a great Irish on the commodity's market. But Eanna dancer. It was a lively, ribald event. 6 Bcadaigh, Convener in Kevin Street The two hosts for the evening, Derek Students' Union, argues that even if this "isn't my bow tie only gas" Doyle and is so, the canteen buys in bulk. "Surely Maire "right, ok?" Goldsmith were han­ the increases aren't going to affect them dling the links with aplomb and they immediately." y • th informed the huddled masses - the hall There were several other comments ou re e one····· was a little chilly - that the next group ..... thot I want about the snackery, few of them complimentary. They ranged from the lack of cUsh­ up were, generally, new to Irish dancing could ever be. ions on the seats, a desire for longer opening hours to unhappiness with the general and could we be patient. We could, and After that, with time running out, it conditions in the snackery. they gave it a great shot, though one or became a little frantic. The cast "For something that is used so frequently, the service provided is poor: seating, two looked like they were jumping over swarmed onto the stage and performed food, cleanliness," said Mr Crosbie. hedges trying to escape from some­ a medley of well known songs, some The Students' Union is very happy with the response rate from students. Out of thing. festive, some simply up-tempo. But 800 handed out, 257 were returned, a response rate of just over 32 per cent. "IT's "World Cup Fever" was hot on their really, did we have to have "Feed the the best response we've had from students." However, the union is equally unhappy clicking heels, a two-hander featuring World"? at the level of staff response. "We are very disappointed with the staff response. The Shane Walsh and Aoife Nf Broin as a A little rushed at times, a little self­ survey was aimed at both staff and students." husband and wife living through the conscious and sometimes downright trauma of the Republic's last match gas, but it must be counted a qualifie~ against Northern Ireland. It was played success and as I walked down the com­ Editor John Carroll with exuberance but Roddy Doyle has a doc of St Louis' Convent the cast, Advertising Manager Cathy Ledwidge lot to answer for. The play could have launched into Sinatra's "New Yor k ' Production Richard Whyte been retitled "Fuck". slyly changing the place name to Photography Clare Cavendish An intermission followed and the Rathmines. It sort of summed up the players went around, still made up, ask­ evening. Printed by The Meath Chronicle. ing all and sundry whether the whole

2 1HE

n the words of that great, all purpose cliche, it was a dirty job but burning in their hearts and their to God for salvation was exhorted. You I someone had to do it. This time however, one of the English's lan­ trousers hanging around their knees. can imagine the responses. On to Kevin Street, College of gauage's most overused phrases seemed highly appropriate, unfortunately A brief mention for the College of Technology, the new building in partic­ Marketing and Design. Pristine, a so, for I was seeking the humour beloved of college students, despite ular. It seems their hearts just aren't in it whiteness Daz would kill for, complete­ their wide-eyed protestations of New Manishness (it'll become clear in a over there. Presumably the walls are reg­ ly clean and shiny. One can say no moment why I restricted myself to male humour). I speak of the humour ularly cleaned but this never stopped the more. that dare not speak its name in an era of mutual respect, politcal correct­ dedicated scribbler. Apart from the From there to the College of Catering usual crude vi trio! directed against ness and the ever present fear of a fully justified retaliatory slap in the in Catha! Brugha Street and another apprentices (one person, for the sake of gob. I speak of toilet humour, and where better to fmd it than toilets? disappointing collection of lame literary the future of the country I pray it was creations. One student had recreated one person, had spelt the word himself as the mysterious "Arseman" selective tour of DIT colleges' and had drawn a bum to prove it, while toilets was undertaken and much it seems, judging from the writing on A was learned of the wit, spelling the walls that Billy Bunter and a chap ability and political leanings of the aver­ called Galactic Cowboy attend the col­ age student graffiti artist. Graffiti per­ lege. Or perhaps the latter is the name sists, despite the best efforts of cleaners of a band. Pearl Jam definitely is, to render impossible its writing. Yes, the though one wonder how they'd react to captive audience is still showered with the news that their name was the only abuse, gags, anatomically fantastic draw­ item of graffitti on the walls in one of ings and general invective but one ques­ the toilets in the old building in College Graff/ttl as It was meant to be tion kept returning: where has all the of Technology, Bolton Street. A very one wall. It seems the British Labour good graffiti gone? Apprentice with one 'p' three times) poor performance. Let's start with Rathmines, College of Party leader has a fan, though he cer­ there wasn't much - a disappointing But its a neat musical link to the Commerce. The walls of the cubicles in tainly wasn't the perpetrator of the range beginning with an elaborately College of Music in Chatham Row. I the old building have been painted a anguished plea written boldly on the underlined signature, "PAULIE", and admit I did not check out the toilets but deep oxblood colour to discourage the door: "1993- The Revolution will not ending with the old chestnut which the romantic in me hopes that the walls graffiti scribbler (these people are not be televised due to the fact that the rev­ goes some thing like "if you notice this are filled with notes to spontaneously artists) but determination and bloody olutionaries cannot get it together. notice ... " It had been imaginatively composed pieces of music that will, mindedness is a formidable combina­ Wake Up!" The picture is not a pretty signed "N. Otice" Killer stuff indeed. sadly, never see the light of day. tion, even if it's not matched by a corre­ one: newly galvanised students rushing Elsewhere, the end of the world was (Given the transient nature of spondingly high level of wit or style. out of the toilets, up the stairs and out predicted (six years from now for those graffitti, some of the stuff noted here is "John Smith!!!" had been scratched into onto the streets, the fire of revolution who want to plan ahead) and a turning pro' ably gone - do not mourn. NOBODY OFFERS D.I.T. STUDENTS Dublin A BETTER COACH SERVICE FROM DUBUN

SAMPLE STIJDENT BUY YOUR TICKET .-'~·""., ' ., MONTHLY RETURN FARES IN THE COllEGE BUS~ Tickets available in the WATERFORD £7.00 D.I.T. Student Union Shops at WEXFORD £7.00 Kevin Street, Bolton Street, £9.00 ( exQ BALLIN A Cathal Brugha Street, DUNGARVAN £9.00 Mountjoy Square, SLIGO £9.00 Rathmines. GALWAY £9.50 For group bookings and DONEGAL £10.00 travel information call Busaras (01) 366111. LETfERKENNY £10.00 Remember, you need an I.S.I.C. Card LIMERICK £10.00 I ,,,, with Travelsave Stamp to avail of BELFAST £10.50 Student Fares. ENNIS £11.00 Ask about reductions on other CORK £11.50 services with your I.S.I.C. Card. TRALEE £12.00 Fares correct at time of going to press.

STUDENT TRAVEL INFORMATION

3 Pressure Point t's January. Already. All of a sudden the halcyon days of the first three months I have vanished. Damn it, they were there only yesterday. Now it's 1994 and exams are looming. Sure, for most they are are four months away but they are no longer a comfortable 'next year' away; the deceptive buffer represented by a changing digit is gone and that simple fact is enough to set stomachs flipping lazi­ ly over. The greater part of the student body can deal with the pressure but for an unfortunate minority it is the time when desperation begins to set in.

Each year, more than 2,000 students that maybe you or I could handle attending DIT colleges avail of the might be a trigger for them. It cold be counselling and medical service. One something quite trivial, seen as an over­ quarter of these express suicidal reaction by some people. But these are Manhattan by numbers thoughts. The person two seats ahead of students who have been under on going you could well be seriously considering pressure, three or four years, or longer." suicide as the only solution to his or her There are also those crises which are problem triggered Festival Fever and you by a sud­ probably den change wouldn' t in personal he ninth Dublin Film Festival opens on Tues~ay, 22 February and seems set even know environ­ T to live up to its reputation as a lively, provocative and entertaining event, it. ment, such with films from Russia, Spain, the USA, Colombia and Burundi, amongst other Such tor­ as the countries. mented death of a Highlights are sure to be Robert Altman's latest, Short Cuts, a three hour story of people are parent, and ordinary lives with an amazing cast; Pedro Almodovar's Kika, which features not flirting still others American actor Peter Coyote; The Joy Luck Club which come leaden with kudos; self-con­ that are self Kalifornia, with Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis; the Vietnam-France collaboratio.n Mui sciously originated Du Du Xanh (The Scent of Green Papaya} which won the Camera D'Or (Best with the to a degree. First Film) at Cannes last year, and Marcello Mastroianni's We Don't Talk About It. idea of "For exam­ One to watch out for is the the Russian film I Wanted to See the Angels, which killing ple a stu­ adopts a film noir style and sets out to highlight the bleakness of post-perestroika themselves dent who life as American pop culture rushes in to fill the void. Sounds good. says Susan just doesn't Incorporated into the festival this year will be a Spirit of America Season, a Latin Lindsay, a s t u d y American Season, a series of workshops an Irish Cinema Showcase and a number of student comes to seminars, one of which is entitled, Poverty and the Media. I know all about it. counsellor me for The festival has a happy habit of providing something for everyone and this year in the DIT. help, ask­ students reap the benefits of the its largesse. A discount price of £2.50 is available "They ing for rad­ for students on presentation of a valid student card on weekday afternoons at the actually have a plan of action. ical study methods. Some people and I Screen Cinema only for film festival presentations. Fortunately out intervention is timely know some staff would say that they enough to prevent some of them from only have themselves to blame but that's going ahead but we don't know how not helpful. You have to look at why may we're not reaching." A recent Irish they are doing this; it's like they are in study showed that between 12 and 15 self-destruct mode." students in every 100,000 will commit Not surprisingly, stress as a result of RIGHT, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU STRAIGHT. suicide due to pressures of college life. difficulties with studying is quite com­ Since it is widely agreed that many sui­ mon. Many students come to college ill IT'S A NEW STUDENTS' CLUB - cides are reported as accidental death or equipped with the study skills appropri­ SOUNDS PREm MOULDY I KNOW, death by misadventure, the real figure is at~ for third level. Time management

probably higher. becomes a huge problem, as does the BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S CUSTOMI BUILT At present, about 20 students a week high number of contact hours. In short, - NEW BAR, NEW FURNITURE, NEW turn to the DIT's counselling service for third level education is a far cry from help. "Some of them are once offs, look­ the world of the Leaving Cert and LIGHTING, NEW SOUND, NEW PEOPLE, NEW ing for reassurance, some take longer, teachers who tell you what to do. ~ GODDAMN BUILDING. STAR TREK LOVE up to 20 sessions. I have had a couple of "They've had quite passive learning D ~ SEATS. ULTRA•DEFINITION TV WALLS. students for a year and a half. Abuse skills, absorbing everything like sponges cases, fo r example, take a long time." and then regurgitating it in exams, and POOL AND VIDEO GAMES. IT'S ALL THERE, D Ms Lindsay has noticed that the ser­ that could be encouraged to a degree BELIEVE ME - OR BETTER, SEE IT FOR vice is getting very busy very early on in but reinforced with some teaching YOURSELF. RIGHT, THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER - the college year, unlike the past. It is methods. We try to get them thinking now busy all year round, though there about how they're learning." . 1. CHEAP BEER (AS IN INEXPENSIVE), 2. NO•SHIT•GREAT•SOUND•IEST•MUSIC AND It's not only college that is new; are peak periods, n amely just after 3. DEADLY TEMPLE BAR LOCATION. NEXT, THREE OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER - Christmas and just before the exams. everything seems to change when you "Christmas can be a funny old time at reach 18 or 19. A. YOU'LL IE TREATED WITH RESPECT, B. YOU'LL IE FED IF YOU WANT IT AND C. . ~ orn e and there's also the post "It's a very formative time, a time YOU'LL IE TREATED WITH RESPECT. I KNOW I SAID THAT ALREADY BUT FOR MOST ':hristmas assessment." The new year when you start thinking about where PEOPLE IT'S IMPORTANT - FOR STUDENTS IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. ANYWAY, CLUBUSI d so marks the point at which days, you want to go and what you want to Neeks and months seem to blur into do. Relationships change. Very often IS PART OF THE NEW NATIONAL STUDENTS CENTRE. AND ERUPTING SOON ~ac h other with terrifying speed, only you move from stable relationships into DOWNSTAIRS - THE fURNACE ·creeching to a halt when that first uncharted territory." - DUBLIN'S VOLCANIC GIG >aper is turned over. From the numbers making use of the More first year and final year students service, men and women, can we AND DANCE PLACE ALSO HOT vail of the service than others but no assume that the Irish are losing their OFF TH E ARCHIT ECT URAL ·ear is pressure free and in some cases it long and proudly held tradition of bot­ s only the added pressures of college tling up their emotions, quite often CONV EYOR BELT. IT HOL DS hat bring out a problem that is deep using a bottle to do so, and their dis­ 800 STEAMING BODIES HOLDING LOTS OF THAT CHEAP BEER - REMEMBER? )Oted. trust of those who make a living from "There are different types of crises. listening and understanding? 'here is the old one, present before the Lindsay, with the benefit of 11 years ~ CAYlr ~ (()) ~ rA1 IL 5) 1f lUJ [D) lE ~ 1f 5) ( lE ~ 1f ~ lE ·udent comes to college. Often these counselling experience, thinks so. Fewer ·e very family orientated. When they and fewer people ask her, with suspicion 1-2 ASTON PLACE, TEMPLE BAR, DUBLIN 2. )me into college, the normal pressures in their eyes, whether she has a couch.

4 hear nothing Stevens the buder (Anthony Hopkins} tells a probing journalist at peaking about tasies, the marriage might fall I a crucial point in The Remains of the Day. He is speaking of his master's too SManhattan Murder apart. His scepticism turns to shock cosy relationship with the Nazis just prior to World War II but he may just as well Mystery, Woody Allen has said when his wife seems to prove her theo­ be speaking about his whole life, and in particular his inner voices, which even if that after his recent heavily publicised ry. he does hear, he determines to ignore, as they might interfere with his role as per­ personal troubles he wanted to do While Allen still takes a little time fect buder to Lord Darlington. Stevens is a man who thinks he knows his place, something light, something fun; a film out to explore the fragility of marriage and that is standing ramrod stiff at the feet of his master (employer is not the without the heavy philosophising of and relationships in general, he gives up right word, it conveys the wrong kind of relationship - Stevens sees Darlington as Crimes and Misdemeanours or the most of the screen time to laughs (he his intellectual and moral superior}. painful domestic bitterness of wrote the screen play, from an old idea, But in 1958, when the film opens, Stevens has had time to re-evaluate his past Husbands and Wives. He has succeed­ with Marshall Brickman}. And there are and though it is almost unbearable, he has to admit that he made mistakes, and ed, delivering a relatively light, unde­ plenty of them. The film is littered with missed his chance for love with the strong-willed, questioning, housekeeper, Miss manding and very funny film merciful­ one liners and Allen even reverts to a lit­ Kenton, played by Emma Thompson. From there, as he journeys across England ly free from the angst that appears to de of the physical comedy he did so well hoping to coax her back to Darlington Hall where he is working under a new bedevil the man. in early films. It's a lot less frantic but employer, a former Congressman (Christopher Reeve}, he recalls the 1930s, when everything was much simpler but oh so complicated. As a film about the English system, specifically the arrogant thoughtlessness of the aristocrats and the unquestioning subservience of the lower class, The Remains of the Day is competent and a little obvious. As a story of repressed passion and missed opportunities, it is an emotionally checked tour de force, acutely uncomfort­ able to watch at times but at the same times utterly compelling.

Allen and Diane Keaton play Larry no less successful. and Carol Lipton, a sophisticated New M;nhattan Murder Mystery is a York couple whose marriage may just be curiosity in a way, a hybrid. Its got the going a little stale around the edges, a sense of fun and the sheer riotous come­ development that Larry seems content dy of early 70s Woody Allen but it's to ignore. Carol, however, sees chance blended with the maturity and character to inject some excitement into life when development of his later work. The she begins to suspect that their elderly Liptons are a very believable married neighbour may have bumped off his couple and they laugh at each other in a wife, who has seemingly died of a heart way that Allen creations haven't done attack. Egged on by a friend who has for quite some time. Also the mystery at fancied her for years (Alan Alda} she the heart of the film is engrossing becomes an amateur sleuth, to the ini­ enough in its own right, so the sense of tial exasperation of her husband. He the ridiculous is kept in check, just It confides in a self-confident, sexy author has the feel of a film that was fun to whose book he is publishing (Anjelica make, (Keaton in particular seems to Huston} but begins to see that if he revel in it), and its certainly great fun to doesn't at least indulge his wife's fan- watch. And hardly a' neurosis in sight.

ing, dope using hedonist. Stevens is so uptight he makes us uptight, always doing the correct, if not the right, thing, the set jaw and hooded eyes letting nothing unto­ ward escape the lips and only a little light in. Stevens is as controlled as Hannibal Lector was but at least the good doctor cut loose occasionally. The relationship between the two is painful and so familiar; we know they should get together and so, we can see, do they, but Stevens can't let.himself and so they Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's script, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro's Booker-prize win­ express themselves in arguments, he trying to make her see her place, she imploring ning novel, is crisp and perceptive, but what takes this ftlm to a higher plane is him to wake up and do more than make the coffee. But this is a man whose whole Hopkins' performance. This is not to denigrate Thompson, whose character is the existence is based on the premise that he is less than others. His pain is palpable and object of Stevens' torturously repressed desire and who is by turn tough minded, Hopkins might just feel a little uptight on Oscar night. With this and Shadowlands, ~rustrated and ultimately defeated, but Hopkins is amazing. His character was he could well be contending with himsel£ Finally, some words about the sets, cos­ uptight in Howard's End, but compared to Stevens, Henry Wilcox was a free-wheel- tumes and overall look of the film: Merchant-Ivory.

5 A Site for Sore .FJyes

nly the veterans will really know. It · was an unusual tour, if only OThe newcomers, the nervous because our two guides were so very dif­ rookies with the shiny docs and the so­ ferent. Fr Brendan Duddy, who has casual-you-can-spot-us-a-mile-away acted as a colour consultant (oh yes, its expressions, they'll never understand, all been taken very seriously) waxed will never be able to hold court around ecstatic about this and that, especially an open fire, the audience enraptured, the huge studio on the fourth floor and talk with passion and maybe a lit­ where the communications students will de nostalgia about the old days, when a no doubt endeavour to create small free seat in the canteen meant some­ video masterpieces. Meanwhile, Bill thing had been spilled on it, when it Hennessy, resident engineer, ambled seemed as if thieves should along looking surprised at our sur­ be given a set of keys to prise. the union shop, such The entrance hall is was the frequency of huge, curved and very the break-ins, and bright, the light provided when a free seat in the by a massive curved win­ library... well, who can dow which looks out on the remember that far back? back of the building. The newcomers won't Direcdy in front of it are a One of the new lecture halls know how it used to be set of wide, irregular steps, because, for most of them, the kind of place where stu- onto the street and affords a distracting onto this project, though it would take the virgin territory of dents hang out pretending view of the city. It is a temporary loca­ more than the wearing of a hard hat to Bishop Street will be their first glimpse not to be petrified about impending tion and will be moved when phase two qualify anyone as an expert on the mat- of third level splendour. The good exams. of the building is complete but for now . ter. That said, it doesn't take a degree in burghers of the College of Commerce Downstairs is the location for the stu­ it should suffice. anything except common sense to see are finally moving; after years of talk dents' union offices and shop (of which Onward to the fourth floor and one that the new, soon to be opened site on and more of building, the new site is more elsewhere) and from there we were of the lecture halls, a place that positive­ Bishop Street is a tremendous boost for ly screams "COLLEGE". Curved rows almost ready. Sure, there's dust every­ shown to the first floor, temporary the DIT in general and the College of of comfortable blue seats (with arm where, and bare walls and builderly home for the new canteen. This too is Commerce in particular, and while the curved and looks down to the hall on rests!), wide writing spaces and a slot in things such as trowels and hard hats hoary old veterans of Rathmines will be lying about, but these are minor matters one side and the street on the other. the ceiling for a retractable screen. This able to gaze into middle distance and and certainly not enough to deter a There are two kitchens, main meals at floor is also the location for the afore­ wax lengthily about the hard times, the reporter and a photographer on their one end and fast food at the other. mentioned studio which Brendan shiny newcomers can ably retort: "yes, · quest for knowledge, truth and some There was so little happening up here Duddy thought was only gear. And it nice pies. And so with hard hats that hats hardly seemed necessary. cannot be denied, thought has gone but I can get a seat in the library." jammed on firmly, we entered the build­ The library area is located on the ing. third floor, and this too looks down

DUBLIN I NSTITUTE OF TECHNO LOGY S TUD ENTS UNION STIJDENTS UNION SHOPS

Slick post mod interior eh? OPEN WHEN YOU NEED US. 6 or those of you who like your Anyone who's seen Mamet's films isappointed that UB40's January go from there? Fcomedy scatological, to say the Glengarry Glen Ross or House of D30th gig sold out? Fear not, all oving Hearts, who seem to least, then the Tivoli Theatre is the Games will know what to expect in the ye students with more money than M have had more line~up changes place to be on any of the following way of quick fire, over lapping dialogue sense. An extra date has been added; the than Spinal Tap, play- Midnight at the dates: 7~12, 14~19 and 21~28 February. often made up of four letter words. phenomenally successful reggae ban will Olympia on the 18th and 19th of On those dates the hugely popular Stanley Townsend, Lorcan Cranitch also play in The Point Theatre on February. The Hearts have proved time Brendan O'Carroll takes the stage and (seen recently in TV's Cracker) and January 31st. and again that they can deliver the Andrea Irvine are the three actors chal~ does his particular thing. As the posters ossibly the most recognisable goods live like few others. This is likely lenged with bringing off Mamet's pecu~ warn in no uncertain terms, the easily, Psound in popular music (some to be further proof, not that we need it, and not so easily offended, need not liar style. And an admirable job they do. would say samey) UB40 have been but its nice to have the opportunity to apply. Sharp, superbly observed and very around a long time and have delivered a reassure ourselves. funny in a very tough kind of way. If string of hit singles over the years. he unique, and uniquely talented you liked The Player, you'll love this. £6 Visitors to the Point this weekend will A nother long established Irish act, T Ennio Ma,rchetto, returns to for students with ID. not doubt have a chance to sing along these shores for three shows this week~ with Ali. "I cahh~nnt help fahh~linng in ./"\stockton's Wing, play the end. His is a one trick affair, but what a ore American theatre at the love wihhh~th you" Each to his own. Harcourt Hotel on Saturday, 29th trick, and when he can create so many M Andrew's Lane Studio, with January. Seems like they've always been people with so little visible effort, who Cloud Nine's production of Neil n the same night as UB40's sec~ with us. I can remember them from Self can gripe? Simon's wry, touching Brighton Beach Oond gig, The Frames play one of Aid. Remember that? e says that his current show, Memoirs, first in a trilogy of thinly those increasingly trendy unplugged sets H involving a flick of the wrist veiled autobiographical plays. You may in The Baggot Inn. I'm beginning to ohnny Duhan, a fine singer/song~ here and a snip of paper there to create a already have seen the film of the play, wonder why. Not why The Frames in writer takes the stage with Conor bewildering array of famous characters, starring Jonathan Silverman. Simon can particular, just a general why? And if the ByrneJ in Mother Redcap's on the same came to him in a day dream. he dreamt usually be relied on to deliver the one answer is because we saw it on MTV, night. He too has been around fo'r a that a paper Marilyn Monroe cam flying liners and Brighton Beach Memoirs is then we should be quite worried. long time but never seemed to achieve It from above. Using only scissors and no exception. runs until February the success he deserved. paper he has create over 100 characters, 15th; D ootsy, Bluesy and Ballsy; just including the Mona Lisa, Madonna and ~orne of the words that might eformed and rejuvenated after Pavarotti. He plays the Olympia on begin to describe Mary Coughlan and n Friday and Saturday at Midnight and at hakespeare's The Merchant of fans to have a chance to see her in ~orne hard times, and now re~ establishing themselves, Asian play the 8pm on Sunday. Tickets are an off~ SVenice opened in the Riverbank action on February 4th, when she plays putting £11. Theatre this week for a limited run. The Olympia at Midnight. Shew has same venue on 25th and 26th of Never really like this play but depictions the attitude, the emotion, but most February. The management at the he Project Arts Centre is current~ of Shylock are usually good talking importantl}, -~e has that voice. And if Olympia don't encourage bopping in Tly running a searing production points. that can't kel. e interest of the pos'"~ the aisles. Good luck to them that week~ of David Mamet's Speed the Plow. pub Olympia ct d well, where do W\. end.

'94 STUDENT WORK AND TRAVEL PROG

(;HARTERHOUSE BUSINESS CENTRE "Confidential Secretarial Service"

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working and travelling throughout the US. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5.p.m. Applications will be accepted from lJlth ~ ~. Submit fully completed applications on or before 02 Feb and save £50 off the total cost. Get the details 38 Camden Row Dublin 2 and brochure from your local SU or Usit office. (30 yds from Ryan's Pub) Usit, Aston Quay, O'Connell Bridge, Dublin 2 Tel: (01) 679 8833 or your local Usit office Tel: 4783771 (2lines) Fax: 4784942

7 ., - ., - • ------·------...... ------~ ------.-...-.------w ------""*"' - -

he DIT Colleges various rag weeks will be briefly rearing their heads in the coming weeks before slipping back under the table, T happily oblivious of the hangovers to follow. In their ceaseless attempts to render their members paralysed with alcohol and/or a laughing stock throughout the country, the students' unions have been scheming, concocting, devising and engineering all manner of events. And students everywhere, if at any stage, your conscience or your sense of dignity begins to niggle, remember only this: it's all in a good cause. Here then is what we have so far. Deadlines being what they are, a full listing was impossible at time of going to press.

Bolton Street will be conspicuous by their absence. and longest) and card and flower to the leisure plex in Coolock and a They'll miss the comedian in the delivery service on Valentine's Day, a lunchtime gig. The Furnace is the On Monday, February 7, Rag Week Yarn Hall and the Pub Quiz in The stretcher race and a bout o~ Bouncy kicks of with the first round of the place to be in the evening, with a Four Seasons. Boxing, a variation on Sumo Sega competition. This will continue comedy improv. beginning at Thursday is the final full day of Wrestling. Paranoid students can throughout the week and the final 8.30pm and a Valentine's Disco events. There'll be a fashion show, a look forward, and every other direc­ will be on the following Thursday. from 11 pm 'till late. bed push, Mr Blobby will be making tion, frantically, for the Hit Squad. A Monday also features a gig by The Tuesday's events include hypnotist an appearance and its also Rag Ball Slave Auction is also planned. Frames, another by a rap band and a Barry Sinclair and a mystery bus night. Films will be shown every fay The hopeful band highlight will be play in The Four Seasons. Later, per­ pub crawl. during the week, including the day The Big Geraniums. fectly sane people can throw caution On Wednesday, there will be a of rest and recriminations, Friday. to the wind and dignity in the dirt at lunchtime gig, a walking scavenger the Karaoke session in the Yarn Hall. Cathal Brugha Street. Kevin Street hunt, battle of the bands, the ever­ Tuesday's featured band are The No sooner have Bolton Street gone Kevin Street's rag week also begins popular slave auction and the ever­ Pale. For the less musical there is to bed for the week than Cathal on Valentine's Day. But prior to that embarrassing karaeoke. Twister in the main area and some­ Brugha gets started on the 14th. is the Fashion Show, which takes Thursday's highlights will be the pre­ thing called a Blow Up and Press Details are still being finalised, but place on January 31 in the Gleeson ball in the Wexford Inn, featuring Dolls Competition. A Hen and Stag the NSC's club The Furnace has Hall. This is what we know so far of the Glam Tarts and the Joshua party will also be staged. been booked for the Rag Ball on the Rag Week: Trio. The ball itself will be held in Wednesday arrives and by now some Thursday, 17th February. Probable On Monday there will be a three­ that den of iniquity known as The the faders can be spotted, the rest events include a 'snogathon' (best legged fancy dress pub crawl, a trip Olympic Ballroom. THE IRISH TIMES

C olllpetition

PRIZE: The first 5 correct entries drawn will each receive a £20 gift voucher far DITSU Students Union Shop.

RULES: Only open to members of the DIT colleges. Employees of DITSU and THE IRISH TIMES ACROSS DOWN are not eligible to enter. 1 Choosing (6) 2 Steal (7) No Photocopies - 5 Scarcity (6) 3 Fe(4) 10 Barbed whale· spear (7) 4 Person with exceptional ability (6) Entries close: Fri February 4th 11 Young tree (7) 5 Famous film-maker (6) 12 Object of adoration (4) 6 Cleopatra's snakes (4) 13 Nine goddesses of the arts (5) 7 Of little consequence (7) SEND TO: THE IRISH TIMES I DITSU I 15 v (4) Crossword Competition, 8 Become smaller (6) 17 Bashful, timid (3) 9 Is of the some opinion (6) The DIT Examiner, 19 Its capitol is Topeka (6) 14 Movable window screen (7) DIT Students Union, 21 Toles from Aesop (6) 16 Eastern half of new Guinea (5) DIT Kevin Street, THE IRISH TIMES 22 Plait of hair (7) 18 High winds (5) THE STUDENTS NEWSPAPER 23 Leader in feudal Japan (6) 20 Transgression of moral low (3) Dublin 8. 25 Word of warning (6) 21 White lie (3) AVAILABLE FROM 28 Turkish tasselled cop (3) 23 Calm and tranquil (6) N~------­ 30 Furrows (4) 24 Eight-sided ~gure 31 Wall pointing (5) 26 Do away with (7) COLLEGE ------32 Horse's horny foot casing (4) 27 Endeavor, exertion (6) 35 Persistently ~nding lauh (7) 28 Plontsuch as mushroom (6) 36 Obstacle, fence (7) 29 Its capital is Lusaka (6) YEAR------37 Right, acute and obtuse (6) 33 ledge beneath window (4) DitsuDUBLIN INSTITUTE Of TI!CHNOLOGY STUDENTS UNION 38 Lock of emotion and intrest (6) 34 Operatic solo (4) COU~E------­ S1liDENfS UNION SHOPS STUDENTNO. COMPETITION NO. 1 8 This Sporting Life

* There will be a rugby tour to London, every Monday and Thursday from 4- * The G.A.A. has also been busy at Cathal Brugha Street. Brussels and Amsterdam from the 6pm. New members are always wel­ D.I.T. level. On the weekend of the 19th-27th March come, with women players an urgent 26th and 27th of February it will * At present, water safety classes are requirement. The club is planning a being held in Sean McDermott Street host the Trench Cup (inter-varsity pool between 8-9pm on Wednesdays. trip to Cork in early March and there football event) in the V.E.C. grounds Students from all DITs are welcome. College of may also be an inter-D.I.T. blitz in in Terenure. Closer to home, there * Plans are afoot to hold an inter-DIT Commerce e will be an inter-class seven-a-side Golf competition in April, with ..~ ,,., [ h Gaelic football blitz in mid-February Lecturers taking on Students. Watch * The sporting world in Rathmines .,~ :,. - watch the notice boards for details. this space for further details. is very busy, as usual, and the *More inter-site sports activities on following are some of the * The trials for the D.I.T. Swimming Wednesdays with the respective vol­ upcoming events involving team will be held on the next two leyball teams battling it out in the the sports clubs 1n weeks (so Joe Diggins says) and the Belvedere Gym between 5.45- Rathmines. ' D.I.T. team will travel to Cork in 6.45pm. early February to compete in the *Also in the Belvedere Gym is ladies' * The Soccer 'B' team have two com­ Inter-Varsity competition. Rathmines soccer (Mondays, 5.45-6.45) and petitive matches coming up, one \ . students can avail of the swimming men's soccer (Mondays, 6.45-7.45), against Dundalk R.T.C. on .~ pool in Rathmines on basketball (Wednesdays, 6.45-7.45) February 2nd and an away match . \ I Wednesday Mornings 7.30-9.00am and Badminton (5.45-6.45) against the N.C.I.R. on February Thursday Mornings 7.30-9.00am ~ ... *New to the Linen Hall on the same 16th. Thursday Afternoons l.00-2.00pm night is aerobics between 6-7pm. ~ ~ ':t ;~ for free! * The weather has, as usual, played havoc with the sporting fixtures but * 'The Bashers' are hoping to go to CO MAD National Basketball Arena in Tymon still we battle on. Due to the bad Twickenham on the weekend of the Park, Tallaght, in the near future. * COMAD's basketball team take on weather, the class soccer league is 18th and 19th of February to play a behind schedule. However, the first match and later support Ireland in the Galway RTC on Thursday, February * Some of the facilities provided in the 3 in St Patrick's Drumcondra. round is almost complete, with only rugby international. two games left to be played. There Leinster Cricket Club are once again * HESF annual swimming gala in available to Rathmines Students this Donaghmede on the first weekend in will be a meeting in early February As usual, keep an eye on the notice for the second round draw. term. Squash courts are available March. between 2-4.30pm but please book boards for details of all upcoming sport­ * More swimming: Irish intervarsities your courts through Herbie. ing events. You can contact your sports will take place in UCC on the lOth * The basketball club is as active as ever, officer, if you have any queries regarding and 11th February. with training in the Church Hall any event.

GRANT BoosT FOR DIT

The Dublin Institute of Technology it to receive the biggest single grant from the proposed £120 million spending programme on third level education which the Government is forwarding to the European Commission for approval. The programme is to be part of the National Development Plan. The DIT will benefit to the tune of £11.75 million and it is intended that the money be used to the provision of hotel training, tourism and marketing and design facilities within the institution. The European Union funds are designed to augment works funded by the exchequer which will amount to £16 million this year. Announcing the pro­ posals, the Minister for Education , Niamh Bhreathnach said that most of the projects will be completed during the first four years of the National Plan. All seven of the state's universities and its 11 regional technological will benefit under the spending p;oposals.

GENDER POLICY WARNING

The DIT has been warned by the Minister for Education, Niamh Bhreathnach about the low number of women being nominated to Governing Bodies. Last Autumn, The Minister requested a 40 per cent quota for women members. Ms Bhreathnach has made it known that in future she will require greater female representation on the Governing Bodies of the DIT and the country's Regional Technical Colleges. legislation establishing the DIT as an independent institution last year has a clause stating that governing bodies have an "appropriate" gender balance but no specifics are given. The Minister has no powers of selection, except for chairpersons, but she has the power to approve nominations.

VOTING RIGHTS MOTION

A private members' motion is to be tabled in the Dail which would extend the right to vote in Seanad Elections to the colleges of the Dublin Institute of Technology, as well as Dublin City University, the Universities of Limerick and the regional technical colleges. The motion is to be tabled by Fine Gael and brochure from your local SU or Usit office. :nd the party's spokesman on education, Mr Jim Higgins has said that it is Usit, Aston Quay, O'Connell flagrantly unjust' that graduates of these new colleges and universities Bridge, Dublin 2 Tel: (01) 679 8833 should be allowed vote in the Seanad Elections or your local Usit office .. 9 ; ' .ll4. P..i. ng .u. '!!: .. $. t.u.d.~n. t. ..$. ty./g. or most students, money is a commodity that attains near mythic proportions; they've heard of it, perhaps Fsaw some once but surelay it can't exist in the amounts they've been told. Even when when it does make a guest appearance in their lives, it tends to be stretched thinner than their soup. But what happens to a student when he or she is given, actually presented with, £20?. An interesting question which we decided out­ ght to be answered. A willing student was found and the money changed hands. Can you guess what he did yet?

t seems that Socialism has finally wouldn't have given us repeats. And friends agreed to go to the bar. It's not I come to Rathmines student union there's nothing in the regulations that that I doubt my sexuality, but I couldn't politics. After years of mis-spending says you can't go on the piss on the eve look a barman in the eye and ask for of an exam. cash they have finally started sharing "Sex on the Beach" or a "Slow the stuff. Having decided that I can cram on Comfortable Screw". After sampling the Anyone who's familiar with student the way, I repaired to Whelan's Pub, first six drinks from the menu, a politi­ politics can imagine my suspicion at much more conducive to Studying than being offered £20 from union funds by Rathmines library- temporarily flooded cal decision was made that the chances Declan Feely to spend as I saw fit. No and permanently overcrowded. But it's of passing the following day's exam have strings. "Just write an article on how not nice failing your exams on your own already receded, so the notes are put you spent it," he said. A bit like Blind and so I managed to find an accomplice. away. Date. "All we ask is that you come back Free beer can win hearts and minds. My accomplice had discovered a soul and tell us how you got on." We arrived during reggae season. mate at the bar and I had realised that The suspicion faded fast, followed by There's something about reggae that £20 is bugger all when trying to sample a sudden instinct to just grab the money makes it hard to study to. And looking every cocktail on the menu. The bar is before the fool changed his mind. You at the meagre, beer-stained lecture notes forget what you've been told about spread on the bar, I started to feel dis­ full of depressed couples who probably accepting money from strangers; this heartened. It brought back memories of went on the piss the night before an man's holding £20, asking me to spend staring into the Grand Canal a week important exam years ago. I spent clos­ it and then tell him how I did it. Free before last year's summer exams, search­ ing time in the Norseman - no bad money, I thought. Fair enough. I haven't ing for lecture notes. I remember the music and less couples. The union's seen £20 since Christmas Eve. guy who lost them remarking that it money is gone and has thankfully run But life is never that simple. There's wasn't really organised searching for out before bouncers, kebabs and taxi­ always a snag. The money has to be your notes in the canal a week before men got any of it. content with this vic­ spent tonight and I've got a final exam your exams. Now I knew how he felt. at 9.30 tomorrow morning, and was A change of scene was needed. tory, I beat a retreat to the suburbs, sort of depending on a spot of late Happy hour was just starting at the cursing Declan Feely and wondering cramming to get through it. Ah well, if Chicago Pizza Pie Factory. The music is how bad cocktail hangovers are. God had meant us to pass exams, He worse but the cocktails are cheaper. My By Neil Leslie PRIZE

The winner of the competition will recieve a case of Moosehead lager worth over ~50.00.

Five runners up will each receive a Moosehead T-shlrt and Moosehead baseball cap.

Q:The animal most associated with Canada is ....?

C:Atl-.0 14tl 4CER 1 The Moose 2 The Koala Bear

/j)~~fj:, 3 The Herring

Rules Only open to members of D.I.T.S.U. Employees of D.I.T.S.U. and Gulnness are not eligible to enter.

Send Entries to Guinness/DITSU Competition The DIT Examiner DIT Students' Union DIT Kevin Street Dublin 8

Name ______College ______Year ______Course ______Student No. ______

Answer

10 Childs Pll{y?... It is human nature, though certainly not common sense, to look for a scapegoat. When an event occurs that is beyond the comprehension of right thinking members of society, a convulsive act that forces people to stop in their tracks and look on with sheer horror, then the active search begins. The world might be falling apart, we think, but it can't be that bad, and so we try to rationalise the event, make sense of it and prove to ourselves that this sort of thing would not normally happen, that it was an aberration caused by some sort of malevolent influence. It makes us feel a little better, though God knows why.

he murder of two-year-old encourage them to hit people with irons James Bulger by a couple of 10- and throw marbles under people's feet? Tyear-olds was such an act. The This is not a flippant question. brutality of the murder and the age of There have been countless studies, some both victim and killers shocked all who saying that the influence is deep, that followed the trial. And all did. the difference between real and cinema No-one could make sense of it. Despite violence becomes blurred, that films the reams of stuff written about plant ideas in the minds of children. deprived backgrounds, lack of parental Others conclude that children know guidance, a leader and follower relation­ that what they are watching is fake, that ship and the general malaise affecting - it couldn't happen and it shouldn't be society, the enormity of the crime was done. In other words, nobody knows difficult to comprehend. And that was for sure. terrifying. But when it was learned that And then we get something as chilling, videos of a violent nature were often in gruesome and shocking as the Bulger the home of one of the boys, Jon murder. There are similarities to the Venebles, and that one of the most manner of that boy's death and certain recent had been Child's Play 3, the the two most contentious, the former Smith banned Abel Ferrara's Bad acts in Child's Play 3 - the killer doll press, especially the tabloid press, had a because it is the film cited by the Jodie Lieutenant on the grounds that it was was splashed with paint and James field day. They closely compared scenes Foster-fixated would be assassin of "blasphemous and profane". The Bulger had paint thrown on him; his from the film with aspects of the last Ronald Reagan, John Hinkley (he said appeals board backed his decision, body was placed on a railway line and moments in James Bulger's life; they he watched it over 50 times) while the deciding that "it was unsuitable for gen­ there is a comparable act in the film. reprinted the sleeve for the video, hon­ latter was banned in Ireland in 1973 eral consumption in Ireland". That kind And then there is the .size of the victim. ing in on the evilly-contorted eyes of and may possibly never be released here­ of statement raises the hackles of a lot of But let us try to distance ourselves from Chucky, the killer doll in the film. because of a later, still in force, ban on people but it is not for discussion here. the event for a moment. How often did Graphically, it looked great. It sold distribution in Britain imposed by Mary Whitehouse may have put away those two children go to the railway papers. But anyone who believes that Kubrick himself Unfortunately, Britain her accusing finger but there are plenty embankment? Would it have simply the death of that two-year-old boy came and Ireland Aie grouped together as far still prepared to do the pointing and been the place they would go to? And as a direct result of one of his killers as film distribution is concerned so that watching a ludicrous, shabby, fifth rate leaves us out in the cold also. Kubrick what about the paint? Was it already horror movie that didn't even get a cine­ had been dismayed by the comments by there? Did they plan to use it? It could ma release here, is kidding themselves in certain judges that the violence in his be argued that the boys took ideas from the worst possible way. film had caused copycat crimes to be the fUm and incorporated them into the committed. murder. But Jon Venebles has consis­ It is worth noting that there is less phys­ tently denied seeing the film and his ical violence in these two films than in father has also said this is the case. the others (there is only one murder in Furthermore, Jon Venebles was the A Clockwork Orange) so bloodletting weaker of the two, the follower. He has can't be the issue. yelling, declaiming the pernicious influ­ said that his favourite film is The But the violence disturbs. ence of cinema and television on people, Goonies, a harmless children's adven­ Violence, however, does seem to be the well, some people. Few could argue that ture yarn. issue with Reservoir Dogs, Quentin there are fllms that people under a cer­ Films have become more violent, there Tarantino's literate, astonishingly paced, tain age should "not have access to. And can be no argument about that, and the and rather violent debut. There was a there are some that most of us wouldn't likes of Child's Play 3 need violence. The debate about the influence of cine­ degree of furore over the violence when want to have access to anyway. The laws The sad fact is that without copious ma and television on people has been the film came out and it tended to focus exist but they are difficult to enforce, bloodshed and plenty of gruesome mur­ going on for as long as the media have on the lingering death of one character, especially with regard to video rentals - ders this sort of trash wouldn't make been with us. Who knows what effect shot at the beginning, and a torture we all know that kids see things that we any money. But can we say definitely, as D.W Griffith's portrayal of black people scene, the climax of which takes place would rather they didn't. As far as gratu­ the judge in the Bulger case did, that in Birth of a Nation had on the folk off screen. The violence is casual but it itous violence goes, they do become exposure to violent videos may in part who watched it. Did Little Ceasar solves nothing, and nobody wins, saves desensitised to it, not even blinking be an explanation as to why Jon encourage desperate young men to talk the world or gets the girl because of it. when a man falls into a vat of acid and Venebles and Robert Thompson com­ - funny and become gangsters? We all How many violent, big budget, star­ is then turned to mush by a car, as in mitted murder? Screen violence may have seen the anti-German and Japanese drenched Hollywood films can you say Robocop. But does this desensitising have reached an all time high (or low) films made during the war years and that about? process go any further than encouraging but there were more shocking murders know that they served to boost morale, The point is that the video release of a blase attitude to screen violence? If committed by c~dren in the seventies, at the very least. But with the develop­ Reservoir Dogs is being held up while that is its extent, then, while far from when video recorders were a rare and ment of media studies in sociology and Man Bites Dog, a Belgian (and there­ ideal, it cannot be deemed harmful. If, very expensive item, than in the 80s, some very high profile cases, the debate fore arty) film about a serial killer and however, they become unable to distin­ when everyone bought one. Cinema really took off in the 70s. Peckinpah the camera crew that follows him guish between reality and fantasy, then and video violence, as unpalatable and made Straw Dogs, Kubrick gave us A around, is on the shelves as I write. Now we have to look again. Of course, when unnecessary as it often is, cannot logi­ Clockwork Orange, Don Siegel intro­ this is a fUm that cle~ly lost the run of we were children, we were exposed to cally be seen as a causal factor in those duced us to Dirty Harry, Michael itself; there are an incalculable number hitherto unseen level of screen violence. killings. Screen· violence has not Winner offered Death Wish, William of killings and a thoroughly repulsive We turned out ok, didn't we? brought about a more casually cruel and Friedkin shockt>d us with The Exorcist, gang rape sequence. Not a peep. It's for­ Home Alone is the most successful cynical society; rather it is a product of - and a young Martin Scorcese shoved eign, you see and so not many people comedy of all time, a film that has a that society. We could do with less of it Taxi Driver in our faces. All are violent, will see it. Certainly not the type who'd child hero and a high level of the kind but really we have to look a lot closer to ~orne gratuitously so, but Taxi Driver be influe~ced by it. Lord, no. of violence normally only seen in car­ home to explain why people do the and A Clockwork Orange are probably Most recently, the film censor, Seamus toons. Children love it, but did it things they do. 11 Double Time

here is a clause in the contract of "If there are, then it will come to our T employment signed by teaching attention in the future, such as the end staff in all VEC schools and colleges of the academic year. We will have to which relates to external work. It address the whole area." It is an area states: "Extern work shall not be that need to be regularised, he says, with undertaken without the consent of the each case being being examined individ­ Committee, normally obtained before­ ually and treated on its merits. hand. This consent shall not be given What about the argument that such unless it is dear that such work shall individuals are working at the very heart not conflict with or affect the efficient of their specific area of expertise, that discharge of the appointees duties they are at the coal face, viewing devel­ under the committee." opment close up? Dr Goldsmith agrees that this view­ point has some validity, brut also points out that "it's not as simple as that." The Department of Education has stayed well away from this tricky area. A spokesman told the DIT Examiner that "it's up to the colleges themselves. We Pictured (I to r) are Jai Morrissey, Brian Murphy (Bia Nua Ltd), Ciara McGowan (Martian Tee Shirts) and winner John Donnelly. don't instruct them, they run their own show." DITSU and the TUI have rather more strong views on the issue: DITSU President Deiric 6 Broin Award Winner believes that the situation is detrimental to the students. "We've no problem with people The winner of the fifth Enterprise Development Programme competition, run by working one day a week but with a five the Project Development Centre in association with the DIT, was announced at a day week, it doesn't work as far as I'm ceremony last week. concerned. The students suffer." He is Mr John Donnelly of Airtect Ltd. He received a cheque for £1,000 spon­ He also believes that there is an ethi­ sored by the Bolton Trust. cal question to be addressed. "In an era The runner-up was Jai Morrissey ofJai Morrissey Shirts OMS). E.ddle Conlon, TUI At the award ceremony Professor Ray Kinsella, chairman of the DIT's governing of high unemployment, should lecturers body said that the project development's pioneering programme "enables entrepre­ Whether or not the holding of an be allowed to hold two jobs? It is repug­ neurs with a supportive environment and practical training in business skills. This nant in the extreme that some people external full time work position by a full high voltage combination of bright ideas, support and training means that job creat­ time lecturer conflicts with or affects the can have two highly paid jobs while ing products and services can be fast-tracked into the market place. efficient of duties of the lecturer is diffi­ graduates with excellent degrees can't cult to gauge but even leaving this aside, find work." He says that it is a situation the issue of double jobbing is a con­ that exists in all DIT colleges but seems tentious one, to put it mildly. The term most prevalent in Bolton Street College itself is enough to compel some people of Technology and Rathmines College to hold forth with righteous indigna­ of Commerce. IGHT, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU STRAIGHT. tion. It is a fact of life in all walks of life, DITSU is currently preparing docu­ and that includes the DIT where there mentation on the issue. IT'S A NEW STUDENTS' CLUB - are some full-time lecturers who have The TUI takes a similar line. Mr full-time businesses outside the college. Eddie Conlon, acting chair of the SOUNDS PREm MOULDY I KNOW, The nature of the work undertaken is Dublin Colleges branch of the union, BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S CUSTOM BUILT normally closely related to the area on says that with the unemployment situa­ which they lecture and for this reason it tion as it is, it is not justifiable for a per­ - NEW BAR, NEW FURNITURE, NEW can be argued that they are most closely son to have two jobs, "especially at the LIGHTING, NEW SOUND, NEW PEOPLE, NEW in contact with development in their level of salaries we're talking about ~ GODDAMN BUILDING. STIR TREK LOVE field and can pass this knowledge onto here". their students. The flip side of the argu­ "In principle we're not opposed to tL:' SEATS. ULTRA·DEFINITION TV WILLS. ment is that their work is concentrated people having permission to practice as A~~ POOL AND VIDEO GAMES. IT'S ILL THERE, outside the college and that the students long as it doesn't affect their students on BELIEVE ME - OR BETTER, SEE IT FOR are relegated to second place. It can also the one hand, or its not detrimental to v be argued; and this is the position their colleagues, for example, in relation YOURSELF. RIGHT, THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER - adopted by the TUI, amongst others, to time tabling and so on." 1. CHEAP BEER (IS IN INEXPENSIVE), 2. NO•SHIT•GREIT-SOUND•BEST•MUSIC AND Where time tabling which could that in a time of high unemployment, it 3. DEADLY TEMPLE BAR LOCATION. NEXT, THREE OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER - . is not justifiable for one person to have favour those working full-time outside a two well paid jobs. college has been brought to the atten­ A. YOU'LL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT, B. YOU'LL BE FED IF YOU WANT IT AND C. Whatever about the ethical debate, tion of the TUI, all Mr Conlon will say YOU'LL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. I KNOW I SAID THAT ALREADY BUT FOR MOST the position of the DIT has been clearly is that the union "successfully addressed PEOPLE IT'S IMPORTANT - FOR STUDENTS IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. ANYWAY, CLUBUSI outlined by its President, Dr Brendan the situation when it arose and as far as ' IS PART OF THE NEW NATIONAL STUDENTS CENTRE. AND ERUPTING SOON Goldsmith. I'm aware the people are happy with the "There shouldn't be anyone with a time tabling arrangements." DOWNSTAIRS - THE fURNACE full-time practice outside the system. He accepts that there is a strong argu­ - DUBLIN'S VOLCANIC GIG Anyone who is should be doing so with ment for some outside contact with the AND DANCE PLACE ALSO HOT approval and in that area there are very discipline being taught but "the balance clear conditions attached. They may has to be clearly in favour of teaching." OFF THE ARCHITECTURAL specify that a person does one day a So the TUI has a clear policy regard­ CONVEYOR BELT. IT HOLDS week. This may vary, but a person ing double jobbing but as far as Mr 800 STEAMING BODIES HOLDING LOTS OF THAT CHEAP BEER - REMEMBER? should not be running a full-time prac­ Conlon is aware, the issue hasn't been tice outside the college." seriously discussed within the last three There have been in the past and there or four years, though "particular cases (LJJ [[)) continue to be people who are in this have arisen where some people have felt [N] rAl1r ~ (Q) [N] (A)[L § 1r [E INJ1r § <( lE [N] 1r ~ [E very position within the DIT. So what is they've been disadvantaged because their 1-2 ASTON PLACE, TEMPLE BAR, DUBLIN 2. going to happen in the future? colleagues were practising."