Religious Intolerance

or Righteous Ignorance

Gail Mabo:
Artist, Actor and Advocate

Capital Punishment:
The Right to Kill

Tsunami:
Are We Safe?

Whose Mad?
Our Latest Victim

Cryonics Can Science Cheat Death?

2007 Volume 1. Issue 2 - FREE

www.gomadmagazine.com.au
 PAGE?DICEY?PPDF!-

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#9

#-9

R E E F  B E E F P U R CH A S E
 ......................................................................................................................................................

GOMAD M A G A Z I N E
Editors Letter

Volume 1 - Issue 02
2007

CEO
Sean Fitzgerald
Welcome to the new-look second issue of
EDITOR GOMAD Magazine.
Jenny Lui
It’s been an interesting stretch between the first
DESIGNERS and second issue, so stretchy that we’ve made
Aimee Wu it all the way to the far reaches of North Queens-
Amy Lu land. Since our launch issue, GOMAD Magazine
Benjamin Karnaghan has received greater interest and success than
Guilietta Mellissari initially anticipated so we have now expanded our
Kimberley Lois audience to include James Cook University cam-
puses in Townsville and Cairns.
MARKETING AND ADVERTISING
Moses Chikazaza Our mission is to grow our publication and extend
Mr Garro our distribution as far and wide as possible so on
Raymond Caddies behalf of the GOMAD team, I would like to extend
Tino “Trigga” Gaka a warm and humid welcome to the North Queens-
land student community.
CONTRIBUTORS
Alex Lui In this issue, students can explore the pros and
Allira Caddies cons of Cryonics, compare major Religions, review
Ivan Lee a brief history of Techno or discover the wonders
Kadence Buchanan of Byron Bay. We aim to cover topics relevant to
Kenny Williams the student community, so if you are a student and
Mingsia Lee wish to contribute feel free to contact us at
Rosaleen Kong GOMAD.
Tania Lui
Xylish We are rapidly growing our community and
Yvonne Volante working to expand the world of GOMAD
Magazine. We wouldn’t be able to do this without
GOMAD Media a little help so I would like to recognise the
Griffith University outstanding effort from the GOMAD team, current
Level 1 Community Centre, N661.31 clients and the student community because
Nathan Campus without you we would all be sane.
170 Kessels Road
Nathan QLD 4111 Till the next issue…

All Enquiries: Jenny Lui

Phone: (07) 3735 7612 Editor GOMAD Magazine
Fax: (07) 3735 4262
Email: gomad.media@gmail.com Let me know your thoughts on GOMAD Magazine,
Site: www.gomadmagazine.com.au email gomad.mag@gmail.com

04
 Contents
.......................................................................................................................................................

17 Gail Mabo
07 Quick Fiction
Obsessions - The life of an obsessive Artist, Actor and Advocate
compulsive
18 TR3ND
08 Medical Science Vs Myth Cool gadgets and fun things
Can Cryonics cheat death?
19 Smashin’ Fashion
The Duck’s Nuts or the Dog’s Bog
10 The Secret Life of a Lecturer
Beth Tinning – Lecturer, Author, Activist
and Mother 20 The Law
Capital Punishment – The right to kill

11 Overview: Major World Religions 21 The Environment

What unites us and what divides us An inadequate Tsunami alert system

12 Religious Intolerance 22 Events Calendar

Righteous ignorance and rebellious What’s going on around Brisbane?
indifference
24 A Lesson in Techno
13 Uni Chick A brief history of Techno
The journey of a fresh(wo)man
26 Whose Mad?
Who WINS the MAD bomb?
14 GOMAD Cover Competition Winner
Kenny Williams – The man with MAD vision 28 Health
Is coffee bad for you?
15 Design GOMAD’s Front Cover
Go mad and create the next cover 29 Travel
for GOMAD Byron Bay, the surfing capital of Australia

GOMAD.magazine 05
 Pg 7 - Short Story.pdf 5/06/2007 5:27:54 PM

Quick Fiction
.......................................................................................................................................................

Her gesture though somewhat forced was heart-warming and

sincerely appreciated. It was unusual for her to add to or change her
routine, it was like she was pushing herself to gain the much sought
after 'normality' favoured by society.

I watched her obsessive routine, l watched her break free. On this particular morning, she walked out onto the balcony and
started to water the dandelions, she looked stressed and was visibly
She and I had very little in common but I felt strangely close to her
shaking. This morning was different, she got up at five past six
even though we had never spoken a single word, the only acknowl-
instead of six sharp, I also noticed she turned the faucet off before
edgment we had was understanding and comforting looks across
leaving the balcony door open when it is usually left closed.
our neighbouring buildings. The both of us lived in this prison like
Completely out of routine she watered her flowers from right to left
home for those in need of special assistance; well that's how the
and halfway across I could see she was crying. She kept looking
authorities refer to it but it's just their way of keeping the irregularly
over at me with that distorted smile like she was trying to please me
challenged from being a part of 'normal' society. I used to hate it
or prove something. I began to feel sick as she leaned over the
here, so I tried my absolute hardest to be unco-operative, difficult
railing, it was low and she was bent far over the edge. Her unco-
and a complete nuisance but there's really not that much a paraple-
ordinated movements were enough to make me call for help
gic can do to rebel against the system. In the end my efforts just
because this morning just didn't feel normal or routine, but I was
made me feel exhausted and childish. The most frustrating part of it
obsessed and couldn't take my eyes off her. It was all too much; the
was that my loving carers thought it was disturbingly cute like
break of her intensely followed routine, her constant disturbing
watching a toddler throwing a tantrum because the poor baby
smile through her quiet sobbing. I could see she was trying far too
couldn't reach its rattle. This petty humiliation was extremely vexing
hard and it was killing her.
so I fought back with penetrating stares of hatred and resentment
and eventually they would leave me alone.
She dropped the watering jug over the railing and let out a painful
scream. She then cupped a single dandelion in the palm of her
It was in this time of solitude that I discovered my so called lady
shaking hands and lowered her head to smell its sweet scent. She
friend who lived in the 'cell block' across from here, her room
didn't get up, she just kept leaning over the railing with the
levelled with mine on the eighth floor so it was clearly visible for her
dandelion still in her hands, burying her stiff head in its dying petals.
to see me and vice versa. I became mesmerized by her unbelievable
She began to shake violently and with a final heart shattering
C daily routine. She seemed perfectly normal by superficial standards
scream she threw herself over the railing. I watched her fly, leaping
but in actual fact her flaw was in her mental ability. She was an
M
gracefully with outspread arms; in mid fall l saw her look at me still
obsessive compulsive who made a simple chore like washing her
clutching the dandelion in her outstretched hand. The pain must
Y
face intriguing but also deeply upsetting.
have been very great. Her tragic glide to heaven was perhaps the
most beautiful thing I had ever seen, yet the saddest.
CM

MY
Every morning at six o'clock sharp she would enter the kitchen, turn
on the faucet and take the glass on the left hand side of the sink and
CY
wash the glass thoroughly for fifteen minutes. Next she would fill
CMY
the glass so the water would sit just below the top of the rim; this
took a further ten minutes. Her precision and time put towards
perfection was astounding. Shortly after filling the glass she would
K

proceed to drink the glass of water in exactly twelve small sips with
the faucet still running. Then would follow the same routine of
washing and rinsing the glass and placing it to the left of the sink,
after this she would reach under the sink for a bright blue watering
can. She would fill the jug and when it was almost full she would
pull the jug away from the stream of water and leave the faucet
running as she walked towards the balcony doors. Sliding the left
door open, she would step outside and then close the door with her
left hand while holding the jug in her right. Walking to the edge of
the balcony she would gently lean over the railing to water the row
of dandelions in the overhanging flowerboxes. Her obsessive
behaviour was fascinating. She moved slowly and carefully from left
to right so each flowerpot received the same amount of water. Then
it was back inside the kitchen to place the watering jug under the
sink, then she’d wash her hands, switch off the faucet and stand
there watching it until it stopped dripping. This was painful to see
because it could take anywhere between five minutes to half an
hour. She completed this exhausting task four times a day which left
her with no spare time, just a repetitive overdone routine.

Once she saw me watching her; feeling embarrassed I gave her a

warming smile, she paused momentarily then carried on with her
watering. It soon became part of her routine to glance up at me
while watering her dandelions, eventually she returned my greeting
with an awkward unused smile.

GOMAD.magazine 07
 Medical Science Vs Myth
......................................................................................................................................................
............

CRYONICS …
CAN SCIENCE CHEAT DEATH? Ming Sia Lee

cryonics patient was frozen after his death. Are scientists anywhere close to reviving him?

W ithin a capsule in
Arizona, a dead
man’s body is being
environment interests Mr Pascal. “Going to the future

cryopreservation as “going to sleep”. “Cryonics prevents

preserved at -196 you from being irretrievably dead, and when you’re
degrees Celsius. revived, it’s just like waking up from a sleep,” he says.
He is Dr James Bedford, The catch is, we don’t know how long he’ll be
cryopreserved for, and chances are he might sleep
undergo cryonic forever.
suspension. Dr Bedford
died from cancer in Breakthroughs
January 12, 1967 and
it has been more than When Dr James Bedford was suspended in 1967, he
four decades since he was frozen in dry ice at -79 degrees Celsius, and stored
changed the concept of in liquid nitrogen at -196 degree Celsius. According
death forever. to Ben Best, director of the Cryonics Institute, vast
developments to cryonics have been made.
Today, clinical death is pronounced when the heartbeat
and breathing cease – even when other cells in the “Dr Bedford didn’t get the best conditions for he was
body aren’t dead. Cryonics is about freezing someone’s preserved without cryoprotectants. Now people can be
body to keep those cells alive once the heartbeat stops.
Thus if you subscribe to cryonics, then Dr Bedford isn’t cells with cryoprotectants so that tissues can be cooled
really dead although he is legally deceased. He merely to low temperatures without forming ice inside them.
has his body frozen to prevent physical decay, until This reduces the freezing damage of biological tissues.

life. Hibernation could also be used

in cryopreservation as it reduces
Dr Bedford now lies in the Alcor Life Extension cellular activity radically.
Foundation in Arizona, and he’s not alone. Five Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson
Australians and many others have since followed Cancer Research Centre have
his lead, and they lie in cryonic facilities in America induced reversible hibernation
on mice, and anticipate trials

Preserving bodies or corpses? years. This has led the Cryonics

Society to question whether
“the development of such
Association of Australia (CAA), has signed up for hibernation technologies can
cryopreservation, or cold preservation, when he dies. produce a shorter-term form
He believes cryonics is an alternative to “accepting of suspended animation,
amounting to a cryonics without
revived, but not when you are buried or cremated,” he extreme low temperatures”.
says.
Most notably, owner of nanomedicine.com, Robert A.
David Pascal, secretary of the Cryonics Society in New
York, wants to live longer because he grows wiser revived from suspended animation at 2040.
with age. The thought of awaking to an unfamiliar

08
.......................................................................................................................................................

The Basic Procedures are “troubling ethical aspects”

to this. “If you could argue that
someone who’s frozen isn’t dead,
then there might be a problem in
distributing their assets,” says Dr
Grey, specialist of environmental
and bioethics.

There will also be problems of

resource allocation if cryonics
becomes popular. He questions:

on a large number of expensive

If someone in Australia signs up for cryopreservation,
the patient is encouraged to relocate close to a
cryonics facility upon impending death. Otherwise, Mr
Young says patients are taken to the mortuary when
pronounced dead, and funeral directors involved
in cryopreservation take care of them. “They wash
out all the blood in the body, and replace it with
cryoprotectants,” he says. “Then the patient is put into a
refrigerators in which we’ve got
frozen corpses? “That gives us
fewer resources to look after living
people. “It’s important to accept the reality of death. I
think it’s part of the human condition,” he says.
Religious conflict
Mr Pascal is a Roman Catholic and does not see cryonics
wants him to “choose life over death”. “If you have a
choice to live longer, we can do even more good things
for others,” he says.

The two leading cryonics facilities are the Cryonics Senior lecturer at the University of Queensland Dr Rick
Institute and Alcor. These cryonics facilitators chill the
body further and put it into liquid nitrogen. The patient “God is about life, and death is not something God
wants,” he says. “Anything that provides good quality
One can choose whole body preservation, or a life, if what we agree is life, is what God will be happy
cheaper alternative is to preserve the head, or with.”
“neuropreservation” as it’s called.
He says prolonging one’s life happens in hospitals
Perhaps you may wonder how one will function with constantly – when doctors use medication and,
just his head or brain in the event cryonics works. through medical operations. “If we can do it to a person
According to Mr Young, some cryonicists believe when
technology is advanced enough to revive people, it will for 500 million billion seconds?” he asks.
also be able to clone a new body with the person’s cells.
It’s a theory debated within the cryonics community Future
too. In fact, cryonics experts have said cloning is a
Who knows if we will see Dr
primitive technology that will long be obsolete before
James Bedford in 2040? Scientists
any revival is made possible.
believe we will soon run out
of natural resources, and will
Is it quack science? Dr Bedford wake up to such
Professor John Morgan, member of Australian conditions? We don’t know, but
Health Ethics Committee, does not believe cryonics one suspects that if a seemingly
far-fetched theory like cryonics
people to want to perpetuate life,” he says, “and they becomes a reality, the world will
(cryonicists) have the inability or refusal to accept that
life will end. “Australians are empirically minded people, resources too.
and I don’t think they will subscribe to that.”
University of Queensland Dr William Grey says there

GOMAD.magazine 09
 Secret Lives
......................................................................................................................................................

The Secret Life

of a Lecturer By Allira Caddies

Dumping condoms, tampon smuggling

and cushions on the floor
First impressions of James Cook University lecturer and tutor Beth Tinning are
deceptively simple. With an open smile, swish of glossy black hair, perky pregnant
belly and tutorial room littered with embroidered cushions and comfy fringed rugs,
you would never guess that you were in the company of an accomplished author,
international HIV prevention worker and passionate women’s right activist.

In the last ten years Tinning has gone from a volunteer with a women’s shelter, to
an international HIV-prevention project worker, community welfare researcher,
advocate for better domestic violence law reforms and JCU lecturer. She has
facilitated the artistic expression of domestic violence survivors in the publication
“Dragon Whispers”, has spoken with her ‘much smarter’ sister Cassie at the
‘Borders and Bridges’ seminars in Melbourne and has started a family with her
partner of 13 years, Eddie, who has recently overcome an injury that left him
confined to a wheelchair for several months? We catch up with Beth to explore
the secret life of this lecturer…
Beth Tinning

From her humble beginnings as a graphic design
graduate, Tinning only discovered her true passion for
human right advocacy after graduating from university,
when she volunteered with a women’s shelter on the
streets of King’s Cross, moving homeless women to safe
houses. Without any qualifications in this area but driven
by determination to make a difference, Tinning was
eventually employed by the shelter. Twelve months later,
she moved interstate to take up a new position based
in St. Kilda, Victoria. Tinning began implementing peer
support programs for homeless young women in St Kilda,
helping to develop an advisory group of youth workers
and working under the wing of the ‘Prostitutes Collective
of Victoria’ to prevent the spread of HIV-AIDS among sex
workers in these areas.
It was through this work that Tinning was approached by
Meena Seshu, who was implementing similar HIV
prevention programs in India and encouraged Tinning to
apply for a project work position in South India through
Australian Volunteers International. Her surprise
acceptance into the position sparked perhaps one of Tin-
ning’s most colourful experiences to date.
Saying goodbye to her boyfriend in Australia and armed
with correspondence materials for a degree in social work,
a few kilograms of tampons (“I was told that they didn’t
sell women’s products there!”), boxes of condoms and a
sexual aid (to demonstrate contraception) Tinning began
two years of project work in South India. She was totally
unprepared and terrified “the plane landed…you could
smell the pungent ‘smell’ of India outside. I realized that
I hadn’t thought about this at all and I thought, Oh my
God, what have I done?!” The challenges of India ranged
from the absence of English signs to resistance from South
Indian authorities in regards to working with ‘hippy white
women’. Tinning says “Although I had studied a little Hindi,
I hadn’t learned any Marathi, the local language, and
stupidly assumed there would be English signs – which
there weren’t!”
The HIV- AIDS program that Tinning worked in became so
successful that authorities reduced the program’s
condoms rations by 50%. “Because the word was getting
out about condoms and the spread of AIDS, we were
going through maybe 300,000 condoms a year in
comparison to other areas that were using maybe 100,000
– they thought that the sex workers were on-selling them”
Tinning explains.
The subsequent increased AIDS risk from the lack of
sufficient contraceptive supplies spurred Tinning’s team
into action and they gathered a days worth of used
condoms, piling them in to plastic bags and into the truck,
and drove 17 hours to the health department head
quarters in Mumbai to dump them on the official’s desk
“I got a days worth of jail for that’ Tinning laments.
During her travels, Tinning also gained a unique insight in
to life as an Australian woman. She says “Coming back
from India, where voluptuous is beautiful, I saw a picture
of Pamela Anderson in Baywatch in the plane on the
way home – running on the beach with her skinny body
and fake breasts…what really hit me, was that Australian
women were more abused than Indian women, just in a
different way’.
But life hasn’t all been about HIV prevention and
international travel. In the last few years Tinning has
focused on the issue of domestic violence law reforms
in her role as a tutor/ lecturer of Social Work students at
James Cook University, and started a new ‘project’ in
Townsville with her ‘boyfriend from Australia’ who has since
become her long-term partner of 13 years and the proud
father of their ‘pink squirmy thing’ which is due in August.
With a new baby on the way and her life moving in
exciting new directions, who knows what will happen next
in the secret life of this lecturer…

10
...........................................................................................Overview:
...................Major
...........World
...........Religions
...................

Prominent World Religions -

What Unites Us and What Divides Us

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

are totally contradictory to their religious

GOMAD.magazine 11
 Religious Intolerance uni chick
......................................................................................................................................................
............

Intolerance can often be Subtle

We have all likely had experiences with overtly prejudiced people who are very brash and forthright in their religious
intolerance and criticism about other religions and belief systems. These are the people that will argue little religious
points of contention until they are blue in the face never letting anyone else having a say and definitely never even
considering any other point of view. Some will go out of their way spew their hate and even hurt others.

Fortunately, as more and more of us are examining and searching

for our own spiritual nature, we are becoming more tolerant of other
religions, other spiritualities, and other belief systems. This is often
an unexpected part of the spiritual journey. During our search, we
usually come into contact with various opinions and gain some
understanding of differences and similarities within these systems.
We may also come in contact with intelligent individuals who hold
different viewpoints from our own. As we learn to understand the
viewpoints of these other individuals, we learn to respect and
tolerate their alternative beliefs. In return, we come to expect
respect and tolerance from others. This brings the issue of tolerance
to the forefront of our minds and we soon feel the need to speak out
for religious intolerance.

Unfortunately, sometimes when we speak out about religious

intolerance, we sometimes subconsciously add a subtle tone of
intolerance to our words which destroys the initial message. The
basis of such statements is that we all want people to be free to
choose their own religious and spiritual beliefs. However, deep
within ourselves we also want others to choose the right religion,
namely our own. Basically, it’s like giving our significant other a
choice to have a romantic evening with us or go out with his or her
friends. If he or she makes the right choice, we are happy that we
didn’t have to actually say what we wanted but if he or she doesn’t
make the right choice he or she will likely be paying for it for
weeks.
Nonetheless, subtle intolerance is still intolerance. To some degree,
subtle intolerance may even be worse that those loud obnoxious
jerks spewing religious hate. Usually, we view overt intolerance as
personal insecurity, lack of education, and lack of self-control. Thus,
we rarely take the opinions of these individuals seriously. However,
those who actually think they are helping the cause are actually just
being misleading with their prejudice. It doesn’t actually reduce the
incidents of intolerance ; it just tidies the appearance a bit.

12
 Uni Chick
.......................................................................................................................................................

Uni Chick

GOMAD.magazine 13
 Front Cover Competition Winner
......................................................................................................................................................

Design: Kenny Williams

Who are you?
I am Kenny Williams and I like
to design. I am currently in my
second year of study at Griffith
University completing a Bachelor
of Design, specialising in
Communication Design. As well
as my current studies, I have
completed a Certificate IV in Film
and Screen Media.
How did you get into design?
I started out shooting video and
editing video. I soon got inter-
ested in video composition and
using graphics in programs like
Avid and After Effects. The next
progression was to go to
Photoshop and so I leaped head
first into the deep and have never
looked back.
What do you like?
Designing anything, music, surfing,
making stuff that looks hot sh*t,
drinking beer, getting my work out
there at any chance and pimping
my folio, and the opposite sex.
Explain your design entry:
I was really just trying to stay
within the theme guidelines,
keeping with contrast between
the colours, the objects,
between organic and synthetic
styles, between life,(the vines
growing and the butterfly’s
flying) and death ( the skull,
dead wood in the cross) and
trying to incorporate something
about religion in there too.
This thing just grew in front of
me and I just watched it
unfold, that’s what it seemed
like anyway.
Where can we see more of your
work?
To see more examples of my
work please visit my online port-
folio at www.designlots.com

What do you hate?

Rude people, selfish people, slow
computers, no swell and talking
about myself.
No beer and no surf make Kenny
go something, something, “crazy”
don’t mind if I do.

14 25
 Cover Design Competition
.......................................................................................................................................................

Cover Design Brief

THEME: Colour, Culture, Nostalgia, Future
FILE FORMAT: A4 Size, PDF Format, CYMK
DEADLINE: Midnight, Sunday 20th July
DETAILS: Online submission on with a brief design
concept, short bio and photo of yourself.
Email to gomad.competition@gmail.com
Enter as many times as you wish

*Entry is open to all Queensland TAFE and University students. *By submitting your work, you are agreeing to the disclaimer and terms and conditions. *Competition closes Midnight, Sunday
15th July. Deadline dates will be strictly adhered to, late submission will not be accepted. *Winner will be notified by email, and design will be published in GOMAD Magazine Volume 1
Issue 03 on 13rd August 2007. 5. The winner releases GOMAD from any and all causes of action, losses, liability, damage, expense(including legal expenses) cost or charge suffered, sustained or
in any way incurred by the winner as a result of entering the competition. All care is taken with submissions; however no responsibility will be taken for loss or damage. *GOMAD’s decision is
final and no correspondence will be entered into.

GOMAD.magazine 15
 www.brazilianbeauty.com.au
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.......................................................................................................................................................
Gail Mabo: Artist, Actor and Advocate
Gail Mabo is the fourth child of
Edward ‘Koiki’ Mabo and Boneta
Mabo. Her family originates from Mer
(Murray Island) in the Torres Strait,
from the Paidram Clan which bares
the totem of a shark.
Gail was born in Townsville to a
political activist and land rights
campaigner who became a famous
figure in Australian history. Gail’s
father, Edward Mabo played a pivotal
role in a landmark decision of
Australia’s High Court that overturned
the legal concept of terra nullius
(no-mans land). He challenged the
law’s assumption that no-one owned
land before European settlement and
his efforts created the term ‘native
title’.
As the mother of seven children,
Gail believes in educating younger
generations about the history of land
rights and of the legacy her father
left. She received funding from the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Arts Board to develop a dance
performance called Koiki, based on
her father’s life. Gail’s father inspired
her to dance and share her culture
with all Australians so upon leaving
high school, she joined the Aboriginal
and Islander Dance Theatre. She
has since appeared in short films and
acted in two landmark theatre
Meet: Gail Mabo
productions, Jimmy Chi’s Bran Nue
Dae and Jack Davis’s No Sugar.
Currently, Gail is a final year student
in the Diploma of Visual Arts at
Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE in
Townsville where she is
embarking on her first solo exhibition.
The insightful exhibition showcases
Gail’s interpretation of colour, pat-
terns and cross sections of the earth
and also celebrates the anniversary
of Mabo Day.
Sunday 27th of May was the 40th
anniversary of the 1967 referendum,
27th of May till the 3rd of June marks
Reconciliation Week and Sunday
June 3 is Mabo Day. Gail describes
the Referendum as a change to do
something, Reconciliation week as a
change in attitude and Mabo day as
a change in thought. Perhaps Gail’s
artwork will also inspire a change
in thought. Her exhibition, Doodle
Dreaming is at the Perc Tucker Re-
gional Gallery in Townsville until 17th
June 2007.
GOMAD.magazine 17
 TR3ND
......................................................................................................................................................
............

18
 Smashin Fashion
.......................................................................................................................................................

GOMAD.magazine 19
 The Law
......................................................................................................................................................
............

Capital Punishment - The Right to Kill by Xylish

Nearly 10 years ago, the 1998 death of Karla Faye Tucker by lethal
injection for the charge of double murder brought about intense
debate on capital punishment and its gender biases. Some states
consider execution by lethal injection a more humane technique
than electrocution, though humane or inhumane the sufferer
always dies in the end and the traumatic experience of knowing
your receiving the death penalty is suffering enough. However,
Tucker, being the first woman executed since the Civil War makes us
wonder whether this type of punishment is rational or even
necessary.

Tucker became the 145th person to be put to death and only the
second woman since 1976 when the Supreme Court of Texas
allowed the reintroduction of state sanctioned killings in 1982.
Many argue that women are dealt with more leniently than men in
capital cases, and it would be assumed that the Supreme Court is
gender bias when US figures indicate that since the turn of the
century, 12 per cent of all murders are committed by women, yet
they account for only 0.05 per cent of all executions. On the other
hand, the other 88 per cent of all murders are committed by men
and it is a known fact that men are generally more aggressive than
women, which is a point to consider by those who argue over
gender leniency in such cases where political correctness is taken as
seriously as the charge of punishment. Nevertheless, how the legal
killing of a human being is considered the ultimate penalty for
someone who kills people seems somewhat hypocritical from the
point of view of those against capital punishment for the simple fact
that the only way to stop killing is to stop killing.

The prime consideration in justifying capital punishment is its

effectiveness as a deterrent. If such penalty doesn't reduce crimes
punishable by death, it can only be justified on the basis that it is the
most economical way to remove a dangerous criminal from society.
Perhaps executing someone who has murdered or committed
treacherous crimes is the only proper societal compensation the
Supreme Court can offer for the requital of those who were
murdered by unsafe individuals in society. More so, the sacrifice of with money and to sanction the death penalty just to save a few
one person hardly equalizes all of society's faults and killing for the dollars is tantamount to putting down a family pet simply because
sake of economic reasons means comparing the value of human life you no longer have the finances to take care of it.
To justify it on the theory that "two wrongs don't make a right", to
legally kill someone because they illegally killed someone is
contrary to our understanding of humanitarian principles.

Mankind's inhumanity to others in the name of crime prevention is

savage, barbaric and merciless. There is no other living creature on
earth that has shown such deliberate cruelty to its own or to other
species, and to relate, the death penalty was actually used more
frequently after the advent of Christianity, despite its emphasis on
mercy. Yet religion, beliefs or the sincerity of the plea seems to play
no part in the decision of capital punishment, only the criminal
evidence and charge of manslaughter.

The ultimate death of born-again Christian, Karla Faye Tucker, brings

us no comfort in the fact she murdered two innocent individuals
while under the influence of illegal intoxicants. Nonetheless, most
believed she was sincere in her final plea, but the Supreme Court
rejected her request even with appeals made by well-known
Christian leaders like Pope John Paul ll.

Although those of us who are against Capital Punishment could not

have prevented this legally planned death, perhaps political support
can be gained to put a stop to the death penalty and to introduce a
punishment less severe, but for those supporting Capital Punish-
ment we pose the question - "Why do we kill people who kill people
to show that killing is wrong?".

20

.......................................................................................................................................................
INADEQUATE TSUNAMI ALERT SYSTEM
The tsunami warning issued to the east coast of Australia at
9.17am Monday April 2nd, following a 7.6 magnitude
earthquake in the Solomon Islands, highlighted the lack of an
adequate tsunami warning system and action plan in
Australia.
The High Priority emergency warning was issued on the
Bureau of Meteorology website and also on television and
radio with tsunami waves predicted to hit areas along the
coast before 11.00am. Though at 10.00am, schools
universities and TAFE’s as far north as Townsville had not
been evacuated.
The roads leading to hills and ranges around the Townsville/
Cairns area were congested as locals rushed to the highest
ground possible to avoid disaster. It was a stark contrast to
beaches that remained open and populated, highlighting the
lack of an action plan or an adequate warning system.
Professor Jon Nott from James Cook University Cairns praised
the Bureau of Meteorology for alerting the public to the
potential tsunami threat even though “residents had no idea
of what to do in response to that information because there
is no plan…as a community we were not at all prepared to
deal with this risk." He said.
Environment
by Allira Caddies
Professor Nott was also concerned about panicked residents
inadvertently blocking roads out of Cairns as they attempted
to reach the Atherton Tablelands, when all they needed to do
was reach higher ground. Professor Nott suggests the need
for evacuation plans and maps to higher land areas in the
event of a tsunami. "In my own beach-side suburb, we would
have been safe at several of the local parks, even in the event
of a major tsunami."
James Cook University has also received $5.46 million from
the federal government toward installing early detection
radars around Australia which could provide information on
the size of a tsunami and warnings of when the tsunami
would hit. The installation of these early detection radars has
begun and is expected to continue for the next five years.
In the mean time, individuals need to be informed and
vigilant. There is no use having evacuation plans and systems
in place if people head down to the beach with binoculars
after a warning is issued … take responsibility, listen to
warnings and take them seriously.
GOMAD.magazine 21
 Events Calendar
......................................................................................................................................................

at) Various locations

around Noosa 15-24
entry) FREE and ticketed events,
please check website
e) : info@noosalongweekend.com
w): www.noosalongweekend.com
The Noosa Long Weekend
at) Brisbane Convention & at) Hilton Hotel,
& Exhibition Centre, South Bank. Queen Street Mall
entry) To be confirmed
at)Murray Duus Park
entry) FREE Edinburgh Castle Road
e) i: ski@travelplan.com.au,
www.travelplan.com.au/page.ski/id/2617
w) www.ticketek.com.au
p) 132 849 9 Wavell Heights
entry) Adult $15; Child (2 - 14) $5;
Powderfinger Album

2
Family (2 Adult and 2 Children) $35
Launch Party w) : www.unitedswords.com.au

International Ski Expo

DREAM DAYS AT
THE HOTEL EXISTENCE
23-24
Brisbane Medieval Fair
at) Port Office Hotel, at)Brisbane Entertainment Centre,
Edward Street Boondall
entry) FREE* at) RNA Showgrounds,
entry) $59 per person Bowen Hills
($5 Administration & Postage fee)
w) www.ticketek.com.au entry) Adult $2, concession $1
w) www.blinkdating.com.au p) 132 849 e) CustomerRelations@racq.com.au

5 Dalai Lama w) www.racq.com/motorfest

Via Video Link Only
(Live event sold out)
13 24
Blink Speed Dating RACQ Motorfest

at) Suncorp Stadium,

Milton
at) RNA Showgrounds,
entry) Various, please check Ticketek
Bowen Hills
entry) $2 per person or $5 per family of four p) 132 849
e) info@festitalia.com
w) www.festitalia.com
Festitalia 1 w) www.ticketek.com.au

State of Origin 3 6
at) Brisbane Regent Cinema
Palace Centro Cinema at) RNA Showgrounds, Bowen Hills
entry) $15
e) biff@biff.com.au
Ju
l6
-A
entry) FREE
p) (07) 5535 2022 21-22
w) www.biff.com.au ug e) interchange@onthenet.com.au
Brisbane International 12 Tertiary Studies Expo
Film Festival (BIFF)

22 25
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 A Lesson in…
......................................................................................................................................................
..........

A Lesson in Techno…
“Young men with shaved heads and pigtails, stripped to the waist,
are executing vaguely oriental hand movements. Freeze-framed by
strobes in clouds of dry ice, revivalist hippies and mods are swaying
in the maelstrom. Rastas, raga girls, ravers there is no stylistic
cohesion to the assembly, as there would have been in the (g)olden
days of youth culture. So what is this noise that has united these

…Techno
teenage tribes?”

Essentially, techno or dance music is a selection of electronic sounds

created by technology that compels you to dance, hence the name dance
music. Humans create it but in its most definitive form, it sounds as if it were
made by robotic machines. That is not to say that dance music is devoid of
emotion. “We have a soul, even though it’s electronic and mathematic “
Kraftwerk.

Africa Bambaataa

Most people have a different
vision of what techno is - underground
mainstream, brilliant or crap, but it
would be undeniable to ignore its
Derrick May
influence on contemporary music. All
music whether it is Country or
Classical is fundamentally electronic.
It is played through radios, turntables,
Discmans, mini-disc players, iPods,
mobile phones and manipulated in
recording studios.
Electronically produced music has
existed for decades, dating from
the 1920’s with the invention of the
Theremin. It has infiltrated its way into
the mainstream where the major-
ity of top 40 songs are dance styled
pop. People from the mainstream
are getting a taste of dance floor
energy and are rapidly converting to
be dance music enthusiasts. They are
becoming aware of the history of the
rave culture and taking part in this
electronic dance phenomenon that
has allowed the limitless possibilities of
technology to manipulate and cre-
ate new sounds.
The greatest influences on the pro-
duction of dance music have been
John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen
and Kraftwerk. Cage and Stock-
hausen questioned the credibility of
electronic noise as sounds of music.
Cage had particular interest in eve-
ryday sounds and experimented with
electronic noise in 1939. He encour-
aged people to embrace their aural
environment and appreciate noise.
“Electronic instruments will make
available any and all sounds that can
be heard.” John Cage. Stockhausen,
often referred to as the grandfather
of electro, believed there was no
such thing as silence because sound
was constant. He also experimented
with noise sounds as music with an
interest in the texture and character-
istics of sound. Both contemplated
the possibility of producing organised
noise by mixing natural sounds with
electronic noise. Cage and Stock-
hausen were pioneers in technologi-
cal sounds that did not exist in orches-
trated music. Their ground-breaking
experimentation led to the splitting of
sounds and the prolonging of sounds
by reverberation and repletion.
Kraftwerk, a ‘four piece band’ from
Dusseldorf Germany, took electronic
noise several steps further. In stage
performances, they used handheld
consoles programmed with electroni-
cally reproduced acoustic sounds
and samples. They emerged in the
early 70s and gained international
success with ‘Trans-Europe Express’
in 1977. Kraftwerk believed every-
day experiences were musical; they
considered driving a car to be like
operating a musical instrument. Their
experimentation with noise sounds
created an analogue electro funk
sound. Africa Bambaataa, a DJ from
New York, took the Kraftwerk sound to
pop music status my mixing Trans-Eu-
rope Express’ with black funk sounds
in African American/Latino clubs
in New York. In 1982, Bambaataa
released ‘Planet Rock’, which he
described as Black Electro Funk, just
one of the many possible creations of
electronic music.
Techno is a sub-genre of the
generic term Dance. The Dance
genre spawns an array of sub-
genres such as Detroit Techno, House,
Jungle, Trance, Hardcore, Ambient,
Drum’n’Bass, and Acid, all of which
have sub-sub-genres. Detroit techno
originated Detroit as a result of riots
in 1967 caused by oppression and

Karlheinz Stockhausen

24
.............................................................................................................................................................
cultural and racial differences.
The aftermath of the riots and the
desolate, industrial lifestyle in Detroit
caused DJ/Producers Juan Atkins,
Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May
to create the Detroit Techno sound in
the mid-80s. Its developmental sound
was a form of escapism, a sound that
reflected the city’s continuing disin-
tegration. All three were seen as the
successors of Kraftwerk and Bam-
baataa. Taking the techno electro
funk sound to dance floors across the
nation, they combined the sounds of
the past with the technology of the
future.
Fast forward to the early 90s, the
distinctive sound of the rave scene
was Hardcore. The features of this
genre are easily identifiable with
Kraftwerk
beats per minute ranging anywhere
from 150bpm to 200bpm. It was often
characterised by a jackhammer-
like bass and lyric samples reflecting
the drug use associated with raves.
Hardcore sound seemed like it would
never die, evidently, people were
looking for something harder. What
they were looking for was Gabber,
the sub-genre often referred to as the
bastard child of Hardcore. Gabber
music is the hardest breed of techno
with beats per minute starting from
250bpm and rising. The DJ/Producer
Moby produced a track called
‘Thousand’, with 1000bpm. The lyrical
content of Gabber is usually sped-
up angst ridden swearing looped
throughout the song. The genre is
frequently referred to as riot beats,
deathcore or gabber punk. Its drug
induced culture led to the birth of
Jungle.
The Jungle sound was created in
England when people sho had taken
drugs for several years started to ex-
perience the damaging side-effects.
Suddenly, music went dark and hard-
core rave music evolved to Jungle.
It was a combination of sped-up Hip
Hop with breakbeats and the synthe-
sized sounds of techno. From the ex-
plosion of Jungle came similar genres,
Drum and Bass and Breakbeat. Both
genres put more emphasis on either
Drum and Bass or Breakbeat. When
the Jungle scene became too hard,
ravers who knew the harmful effects
of drugs were looking for something
new. In this bleak period of dance
came Ambient Techno. It existed
earlier on with track like ‘Moments in
Love’ by Art of Noise, but now it was
re-emerging to give a generation of
burnt-out ravers something softer and
lighter. Incidentally, Ambient Techno
created more sound awareness in the
dance scene. Its focus on the texture
and shape of sound developed a
deeper consciousness of sound and
its components. Many thought Ambi-
ent Techno was a metaphor for es- The Berlin Love Parade
capism, creating a new atmosphere
and environment. ‘Ambience is an together in a phenomenal reunion.
atmosphere or a surrounding influ- The first Love parade to unite East
ence: a tint…’ Brian Eno. and West was in 1991, for the first time
divided Germans danced as one
House music emerged in the early 80s celebrating freedom and together-
when disco died in 1978. There was ness. The festival, which draws huge
a following of Rare groove and Hip crowds from all over Europe and the
Hop but suddenly, the beats slowed world, is often called the liberation
down and DJ/Producer Frankie dance of the East Germans. The very
Knuckles, opened a club in Chicago first parade had a turn out of 150
called ‘The Warehouse’. Resident people; it is now attended by more
DJ’s mixed disco cut-ups from the than 1.5 million in locations all around
70s with up-beat R’n’B. This blend the world.
of sounds was coined with the term
‘House Music’ after people went to The explosion of this hedonistic culture
The Warehouse and wanted ‘House’ surpassed the expectations of many.
records. From House music came The first dance music styles tran-
Acid House. The standard sound of scended conventional style barriers
an Acid House track came from the – boundaries had been broken and
TB303 otherwise known as the acid genres crossed. The appeal of the
box. It was an electronic synthesizer music was in its ability to reassemble
manufactured by Roland. The 303 eclectic electronic sounds that re-
tried to mimic acoustic sounds which defined conventional musical styles
became the staple sound for Acid and tastes. Since the late 40s, when
House. From the 303 evolution came the atom was split, alchemists across
Garage, Speed Garage, Handbag the world discovered everything was
and Progressive House. Progressive forever changed. Sound could be
House featured deeper, faster beats cut up and re-assembled in ways that
and elements of Hardcore. never existed before permitting the
Garage, which grew from gay clubs experimental mixing of natural sounds
in New York, is much the same as with electronic noise. The concep-
Handbag. It has a strong influence tion of electronic music has defined
from Disco and almost always fea- us, given us myriad choice of musical
tures a vocal. Speed Garage mixed genres and encouraged us to em-
Garage and Drum and Bass rhythms. brace our aural environment.
‘Machine music is the only way
The culture of Dance music has forward’ Juan Atkins
gained strong cult following and
caused a chain reaction across
the globe uniting ravers at festivals,
clubs, pirate radio stations, full moon
raves, internet, etc. One of the most
famous festivals is the Love Parade
which is held annually in Berlin. The
parade began in 1989 a few months
before the wall came down. In a
time where youth were surrounded
by political propaganda and bound
by division and separation, techno
became a means to express dissatis-
faction and also bring them
Rave Party
GOMAD.magazine 25
 Whose Mad?
......................................................................................................................................................

Samir Govil Not mad unless provoked

21
Nothing so far
IT – Programming

Bachelor of Business Irritating people

Smart, Short, Sensible Pirate

Bomb

26 25
Are you stressed out?
Life getting you down?

North Queensland

is here for you!

Telephone Counselling
24hr/365 days

13 11 14
Personal counselling appointments
also available. Call Lifeline North
Queensland to make an
appointment on 4779 9911.

North Queensland
 Health
......................................................................................................................................................
............

Is coffee good or bad for you?

Did you know that coffee is the primary part of dietary antioxidants?
Now let's be clear: that does not mean that your morning coffee is a
substitute for fruits and vegetables. But serious java drinkers will
surely get a jolt from the news that coffee is a top resource of
disease-fighting antioxidants. Current analysis reveals that, taken in
moderation, coffee is a safe beverage that may even offer some
health benefits.

Coffee is one of the few beverages that is consumed world-wide. It is

consumed in most countries of the world and coffee is the second
most widely traded commodity in the world (behind petroleum)
and one of the most widely consumed beverages. It may be a world
commodity that is second only to oil, but an excellent cup of coffee
tastes a lot better than an excellent cup of petroleum, and in today's
world of high fuel prices, a lot more fun to consume.

So, can we call coffee a health foodstuff? Well, that may be stretch-
ing it! Caffeine, which is the "guts" of the coffee, is one of the world's
most widely used drugs, and it has been part of the human diet for
centuries. Caffeine is one heck of a stimulant and is the element that
gives coffee and many other beverages their jolt. It is definitely a
central-nervous-system stimulant. It acts as a mild stimulant to the
central nervous system and both regular and decaf coffee can
irritate the stomach. Drinking caffeine in boundless amounts as
coffee or tea (which may actually have more caffeine than coffee)
over a short period of time has been shown to raise blood sugar. So
if you are prone to blood sugar issues, beware! And, if you are
pregnant or breast-feeding, lower your current caffeine intake to less
than 300 milligrams a day or three cups of coffee, or to be safe, cut it
out altogether.

But you should be able to look forward to a daily day cup for reasons
beyond the caffeine rush. The general conclusion is that moderate
amounts of caffeine do not lead to arrhythmias and drinking a
modest account of coffee should not increase your risk. Check with
your health professional to be sure, though. So, is coffee bad for
you? Surely you should be aware that some experts argue that
coffee is unhealthy, and nobody is saying coffee is entirely benign.
But if you have reasonable health and enjoy drinking coffee, an
excellent cup of coffee is worth it. Time to refill!
Yvonne Volante

28
 Travel
.......................................................................................................................................................

Byron Bay by Kadence Buchanan

The Surfing Capital Of Australia

If surfing is your thing, then you must check out Bryon

Bay, the Mecca of surfing in Australia. There you will find
a place where surfing is not just a sport or favorite
past-time but a lifestyle and local obsession.

Set against a back-drop of warm weather year-round

and spectacular beaches, Byron Bay is an inviting venue
that promises a laid-back lifestyle. Why, you can even go
native and be part of a teeming “alternative” community
whose ranks are constantly being bolstered by an
increasing number of writers, artists and filmmakers.

Byron Bay is nestled at the North Coast of New South

Wales in Australia. It boasts of four main beaches. Byron
Main, the most popular of the four, is perfect for surfing
newcomers because of its smaller swell that usually
breaks close to the shore. It has non-stop breaks and is
great for swimming.

The Pass is the next most popular beach in Byron Bay

just south of Byron Main. It is a favorite of long boarders
who comb the beach in droves during summer.

Watego Beach is hidden from view and, as such, is ideal

for surfers who want to avoid the crowds. The challenges
it offers are more difficult for surfers, which is why the
most advanced surfers prefer Watego Beach.

Finally, there is also Tallow’s Beach, the most isolated of

Byron Bay’s four beaches. Most tourists have not discov-
ered it yet especially since it is only visible from Byron
Bay’s headland. It is rare to find outsiders wandering
around Tallow’s Beach but the locals just love it.

Aside from surfing, Byron Bay is also a great scuba diving

venue and one of these rare places where you can sit
back and occasionally catch a whale or two passing by.
At night, dolphins come out to play and it is not unusual
to see these friendly creatures swimming side by side
with people.

There’s also an excellent fine dining restaurant on Byron

Bay called Fins which offers succulent seafood and an
impressive wine list. Fins is one of Australia’s best
restaurants.

Fins Restaurant offers fresh local seafood spiced with

local herbs and supplemented by an attractive wine list.
The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide has
awarded FINS with two chef’s hats every year since 1998.
Fins also received a Restaurant and Catering Award of
Excellence as "Best Seafood Restaurant All Regional
NSW" in 2005 as well as the award for "Best Seafood
Restaurant in Australia" in 2004. So be sure to check out
Byron for the surf, scuba and seafood.

GOMAD.magazine 29
 Townsville Recovery Services
DRINKING TOO MUCH?
- NEED A HELPING HAND?

If you’re feeling stressed, alone, helpless or a little depressed, we can help you. If you’re experiencing difficulties in
relation to your alcohol and drug use, The Salvation Army would like to offer you assistance.

Asking for our help may be the smartest choice you’ve ever made. Don’t let alcohol and drug use hold you back from
achieving at Uni. Make a choice to take back control of your life. Give us a call and we can work together to get you
through Uni successfully.

Townsville Recovery Services - Male Out-client Service

Phone: (07) 4772 3607
Grace Cottage - Womens Out-client Service
Postal Address Street Address
Phone: (07) 4721-0151 P.O. Box 803 312-322 Walker Street
Salvo Care Line Phone: 1300 36 36 22
(24 hour Counselling)
TOWNSVILLE 4810 TOWNSVILLE 4810
The Salvo’s Website: www.salvos.org.au

Helping University Students

make ends meet
www.salvosstores.org.au

Come and shop at Salvos Stores and get:

Quality clothes at basement prices
Fantastic ideas for costume parties
Furniture, electrical & bric-a-brac
“You’ll be surprised what you’ll find”
Townsville/Thuringowa Regional Family Stores
Cairns
Mega Store - Woolcock St, Currajong Mackey – 48 Gregory Street
Family Store, 64-66 Hoare Street
Ph: 07 47257360 Ph: 07 4957 3064
Ph: 07 4051 8315
Flinders St - Townsville City Charters Towers – 4/81 Gill Street
Family Store - Smithfield
Ph: 07 47211188 Ph: 07 4787 3228
Shop B, 1A Smithfield Shopping Ctr
Captain Cook Highway
Herveys Range Road - Kirwan Atherton – 46 Main Street
Ph: 07 4038 1299
Ph: 07 47235783 Ph: 07 4091 3224
 Join Us
.......................................................................................................................................................

WE WANT YOU!

Are you MAD?

mad; adj. • batty, beserk, bonkers, crackers, crazy, daft, deranged, eccentric, extreme, frantic, hysterical, insane,
loony, mental, nutty, odd, possessed, queer, rowdy, screwy, touched, unhinged, wild.

Are you CREATIVE?

Are you able to use your mad ticker to concoct original ideas and imaginative creations? Do you have a
natural talent for finding the absurd in the mundane? We’re a few clowns short of a circus so if you fancy
yourself as a writer, designer, photographer or artist bursting with creative flavour than we want you to join
us and GOMAD!

Send in your original creations and a short bio on yourself and we’ll see if you are a prime candidate for
unnatural selection.

Email: gomad.mag@gmail.com

GOMAD.magazine 31
ADFINALart.indd 1 3/4/07 1:02:47 PM