make-believe.org

kg

just call me miranda spunky

SLS

This is the most hilarious and brilliant bit of writing I’ve read in ages.

Vince

Ugh. Beat me to it, you quick-typing killjoy.

Ian

Haha, that was fantastic! Pure genius.

j

hooray!

jxn

Wow! That’s the second rave revue I’ve heard of farrago so far this year! I must get me one!

P.S. Any info on how I can trademark the glimpse in my eye!?

Daniel Reeders

A quick comment on Miranda’s article about Rohan, which manages to be both breathless and a puff piece — that’s some feat of asthmatic rhetoric!

Let’s just say I’m 6’3 and I don’t stand eye to eye with Rohan. Not even close. I’m not talking politically, either.

mes ongles

I agree: this year’s first Farrago contained biased, brainless fluff. The layout was, shall we say, unfortunate. However, this piece is scarcely better. Your comment on Miranda’s name is just as irrelevant as her description of Rohan.

If you have a problem with Farrago, your wit would be better spent improving its tone. I’m sure the editors would welcome an article. If (as your approach indicates) you have a problem with Miranda herself, it would be more polite to email her than to publish snide articles about her.

That said: your sarcastic rhetoric is damn funny.

Peter

Mes, I don’t think politeness is what is at stake here.

M A-B is a public figure; she is one of four editors of a very public magazine, she writes about public issues, and she was elected to the role. If that doesn’t make her ripe for picking, I don’t know what would.

Pheebs

If you’re so dead set on how the Ferrago should be, then why didn’t you get elected?

Isn’t it kind of petty to be taking apart a single person rather than the editorial team as a whole?

Yes, the Ferrago was a little bit of a let down this first release, but had you also talked to the editorial team, you would know how much trouble they had to get it together due to printers, computers etc etc.

And the Ferrago is an open submission paper, if you think you can do so much better, then get writing, because it’s not always easy to get a uni writing that is so picketted against you.

Hacky McHack

[Comment deleted by request. I’ll accept anything right up to and including nasty, but not downright defamatory, folks. -Joseph]

Joseph

Ouch!

Vince

Well, they’ve got a point, Joe. Send something to farrago and see how far it gets.

Who knows, your damn funny sarcastic rhetoric might be a hit on the very pages you disdain. Irony so delicious!

Joseph

But why? I’ve got my own forum right here. The only outcome I could reasonably expect is guilt by association. If I thought I was preaching to the converted here, I would, but I know and relish the fact that I’m not.

I did write something for Farrago once, a few years ago. It was called “Action and Reaction.” It was a critique of Farrago, of course—on that occasion for being too reactionary and unreflective in their very left-wing political views. Needless to say they didn’t print it. I’ve still got it around somewhere on my hard drive; I’m not game to look for it though.

I have mellowed somewhat in recent years.

student

I have to say I am shocked and flabbergasted at how CRAP the first edition of farrago was this year.

I consider myself an independent voter at Uni (ie I try to listen to each party). I thought farrago last year was left-wing, but so obviously put together by talented and passionate people concerned with cleaning up the union, that it made up for some of its more questionable stuff. I will even go so far as to say that in all my time at uni (since 1996) it was the best farrago there was.

That opinion has only been confirmed by the new farrago. I am not great at grammar, spelling or anything to do with layout/magazine creating, but then, I’m not putting out the major student publication in this state (and probably Australia). On that “Are you a modern man” quiz, which, with a first question about a man’s girlfriend, excluded gay men and single men, there was a page where three sentences just stopped mid-sentence.

Did any of the editors read the magazine?

Not only was the spelling and grammar woeful, the layout (boring columns with huge white spaces) smacked of being rushed and was very unimaginative. All this was coupled with some dubious, inexperienced and naive ideological constructions. In particular, the article about the gap between the rich and the poor, where a poor person was defined as someone who can only afford one extra storey on their house and one car, while their rich neighbour can afford three levels and two cars! Forgetting the facts that truly poor people have trouble renting a bed to sleep in, buying food to eat (I’m on noodles), saving money for a concession-card so they can afford public transport (I’m still a week away from having the $87), really rich people and really poor people do not live in the same neighbourhoods! Can you imagine the Redfern housing estate in the same street as your friend’s family in Brighton? Somebody would have to move.

We have gone from one farrago that was raising hell and warning us that at the very least, MUSU was collapsing (which, over the holidays, it did). It also warned us that crazy people were trying to stop farrago publishing its version of events. Now we have a farrago denying that anything ever happened in anyway and that everything is perfect.

I feel sick. The whole MUSU thing makes me feel sick.

They seem to be doing things that I would consider evil (lies, cover-ups, distortions, bribes, mocking, inciting hate) yet they don’t seem to think there is anything wrong with it. Is my moral compass so screwed up that perhaps I am wrong? Has the enlightenment, and then modernism, and then post-modernism missed some people? Is it possible to live in Australia in the 21st century and not believe in fairness and equality and truth and honesty?

Why the fuck am I so worked up by crappy student politics? I need to take a chill pill.

Vince

I blame the parents.

Well put, student. The most frustrating thing about MU student politics is that is so clearly a proving ground for the slice of youth that’s been told that hard-edged ambition and other kinds of self-elevation are not only acceptable but vital to the survival of society.

Even before the decline of MUSU, student politics was something that attracted only a modest section of students. Uni people more long-toothed than I can correct me, but is it fair to say that before about three years ago, those in power held to their positions because of the oppurtunity it gave to express ideals? Without wanting to sound too reprehensive, since that aspect of student politics evaporated, idealistic or at least conscientious types have tended to be less willing to lower themselves into the mire in order to clean it up. Plus there are some vicious little fish in that particular cesspool. So there aren’t any real challengers to the throne - even now that the Union has been carved up. I remain convinced that the people now in power aren’t supported by a loyal or even mildly enthused constituency - therefore they are eminently beatable. But the right opposition needs to be there, or else year after year, they’ll keep coming right back round, like a record baby round round round round.

jxn

What impressed me most in the Orientation Week 2004 edition of Farrago was the deliciously hagiographic account of student office bearers. Julian Barendse’s preference for voluntary membership of ‘the new representative organisation’ (ie. union) suggests a fantastic expression of his ardour for ‘freedom of choice’ and that cherished neo-liberal virtue of ‘value for money’. What need for representation? The money in one’s pocket is surely more useful.

John Osborn’s reference to ‘students as consumers’ being the ‘major stakeholders’ of the University suggests that the neo-liberal tour of duty within the unnecessary student union is not yet completed. However we can all be glad our office bearers will be assisting to ‘mould and shape the new student organisation’. The less cynical amongst the audience might ask themselves why this would be necessary given the nature of the union.

The guide to MU Clubs and Societies may prove interesting to those perplexed by Farrago’s adoration for our noble office bearers. The Melbourne Union Liberal Club is the only political party listed (and possibly any longer affiliated for all I know) and the description contains the helpful suggestion of where to contact the Club. The only explicit description of where to find any club member; “simply drop by 1st floor of Union House were most of the Student Office-Bearers are from the Liberal Club.” What an exiting year we are in!

student

Not to mention that in that list of clubs and societies was a listing for “Free Beer”. What happened to “More Beer”? A twenty year-old (AFAIK) club with only moderate political aims. Farrago last year said that Free Beer was a front club for Student Alliance (or SAC or whatever they were called) and that More Beer had turned down a bribe (or had been caught (I forget)). Is it true that More Beer have been disaffiliated?

Also I was talking to CHAS, which, as one of the most harmless clubs on campus (the Sci-Fi club) were so upset with the way politics were ruining the union they actually ran in the election!

One of them said that they submitted an entry to that farrago list AT THE SAME TIME as one other club. One club (which did not compete in the elections) is listed in farrago and CHAS is not. Is that suspicious?

And notice the return of farraguette (MU Weekly) (which “the crazy people” hated last year), but only after the ALP started putting out their own one-sheet publication which was highlighting the poor job of the farrago editors.

If I wasn’t directly affected I would find this all fascinating. It’s like Rome at its burning-down-fiddling best.

I think this stuff comes straight from the top. Student politicians think they can get away with it because our federal politicians do it (and also “men” like GW Bush)

Timmy

Imagine my surprise when I found this article. I agree 100%. As a new student at Melbourne, I was expecting something more than that shoddy magazine I got in O Week.

laura

well. ferrago?

i was in tears when i read the o week edition of farrago.

wildily amusing and yet so, so depressing.

i think it’s all been said.

random trivia: apparently three members of the editorial team are from one on-campus college.

Jake

As an editor of Farrago for 2004, I realise that by contributing to this post I’m likely to cop considerable flak and that I’m unlikely to change any of your opinion’s on the way we’ve been performing this year. Regardless, I’ve decided to contribute so that I can at least debunk some of your concerns and let you know that your concerns with the magazine are being taken on board.

I think the best way to tackle the critisisms outlined above is to address them one-by-one. So here goes…

1. Quality of Issue 1.

There’s no doubt that edition 1 of Farrago for 2004 was below average. Personally, I was as disapointed with the finished product as many of you. There are many reasons why the publication was of a low standard, and each of these were tied to a short pre-publication schedule and issues with printing. In terms of articles, the first edition featured articles that might not have been published had the editorial team had access to better-written articles, but as it was we flat-out writing as prior to the commencement of the semester few external writers had contributed. Subsequently, I and the other editors directly wrote several articles which diminished the time available for layout design.

We arrived in the office (admittedly with one or two articles pre-written) about a fortnight prior to our printing deadline, and did not anticipate problems with computers and so forth. One out of the 4 editors had previous experience with Mac computers, and so for the rest of us it was a considerable learning curve that slowed our work. On top of this, moving to a colour format for the mag meant that half of the photos we had laid-out were unsuitable for printing, which we were informed about the night before printing - hence the lack of colour.

All of these problems no doubt could have been fixed had we spent a longer period of time working on edition 1, and for that I apologise. Having said that though, we are not fully paid for the summer period as editors, and in order to support myself personally in Melbourne for this year, it was necessary for me to continue working at home for as long as possible until our full-wages commenced.

I also acknowledge that a substantial proportion of the content in Issue 1 was right-leaning in its political view, and I again attribute that to a lack of contributed articles. Obviously, two of the editors elected are members of a conservative faction of student politics, and the degree to which they’ve asked friends to contribute at the last minute shows, and unfortunately makes the issue politically-leaning. The number of right-wing articles are not a reflection of an editorial direction for 2004, and I personally would like to publish articles from a diverse opinion base if possible.

No intentional bias resulted in the make up of the clubs section either. Most political clubs opted not to submit, for whatever reasons of their own. Some clubs did, and they were published. Clubs that did sumbit profiles and were not published

have every right to be disapointed, though I would suggest (I’m not entirely sure but could check) that they have included a profile that we cannot publish for ethical or legal reasons, or, possibly 1 or 2 were left off for space reasons on the page. I apologise directly to CHAS if this was the case with their profile.

Lastly, our new layout is still in the development stage. Having consulted several graphic designers, we have arrived at the conclusion that we do not want to print articles over pictures (it makes articles difficult to read and if printing is poor can wreck a publication) and we would like to ‘tidy up’ the presentation. As with any process this is ongoing and will develop with each issue. Look forward to a better designed issue 2.

2. Lack of MUSUi content.

It is correct that we hardly touched on the MUSUi changes and liquidation in Issue 1. The dynamic nature of the changes meant that as soon as we’d started writing an article it was no longer accurate, and we were assured that this would contiinue during the printing process. We decided it was best to wait until we could publish accurate articles. On top of this, we’ve been subsequently asked by the liquidator not to comment on the interna changes to MUSUi, and as he’s now running the union (and is my employer) we’re weary about writing anything that could compromise ongoing legal investigations or further complicated the union’s relationship with the university or community. In fact, I’ve probably just breached Vin’s guidelines now…..

3. MU Weekly.

Obviously, with a significant learning curve to ride, we were underprepared to start production of two publications simultaneously. We had always intended to publish a weekly news sheet, and we followed the lead of the 2003 editors by bringing it out a fortnight into Semester 1. I wasn’t aware that the ALP club had published anything, so that had no bearing on the timing. If anybody out there has a copy, I’d love to see it, so if you could contact me via farrago@union.unimelb.edu.au or drop a copy into the office I’d be most appreciative.

We have changed the name from Farraguette to MU Weekly simply because we received a complaint from a group of students that said the previous name was homophobic and slanderous - probably insinuating that the previous name was too close sounding to an existing word. We’ve come up with the new name to avoid that problem. Hopefully the new name will identify the publication down the track as a good source of laughs, competitions and news.

4. Personal references.

I fully expected coming into this position to be exposed to personal attacks similar to those directed at Miranda above. I expect that each of the 3 others did also. However, I’d encourage each of you to at least keep an open mind abou the sorts of people we are, because really non of you know all of us well enough to make meaningful comments about our backgrounds or personalities. To label us as a group of similar individuals would be inaccurate. The stereotype that we are from privilaged, conservative backgrounds does not reflect who we really are. I for instance am not a member of a single club on campus, am not affliliated with a political party off-campus, do not study politics (zoology rules!!), did not attend a private school, did not grow up in Melbourne in fact, so the stereotype does not fit. I’d like to think my political opinions are hard to pin down too, though to tell the truth I’m more interested in trying to publish an interesting and informative magazine than push a political view, so don’t expect too many political articles from me this year. Miranda and Jess knew each other prior to Farrago, Alon and I came to the team as individuals interested in the challenge. Yes, I did attend Ormond with the girls, but we hadn’t interacted in that environment due to an age gap of a couple of years. College is a convenient place to live for country students and is a lot of fun, I wouldn’t read too much into it.

I don’t expect this message will get through to everyone, but I hope those of you that are generally concerned about Farrago this year will take a few minutes to consider our position. It’s much easier to pay out our work for 5 minutes than sit here for weeks putting it together. We had a shot and came up short, what would be really helpful now would be some assistance from others wishing to contribute articles and change the magazine for the better when future issues come along. I’m always open to critisism, so if you have a genuine concern please drop me a line or pop into the office and I’ll endeavour to address your issues. I’ll also continue to log in here now that I’ve found the page to keep up to date with readers’ thoughts.

Cheers for reading if you’ve got this far,

Jake the Ed

chas rep

I’m sorry, but I refuse to believe that you “ran out of space” in order to publish the entire details of club profiles.

I mean, how much bloody margin space do you need???????? It’s ridiculous.

Robert

“On top of this, we’ve been subsequently asked by the liquidator not to comment on the interna changes to MUSUi, and as he’s now running the union (and is my employer) we’re weary about writing anything that could compromise ongoing legal investigations or further complicated the union’s relationship with the university or community.”

Am I the only one that finds that disturbing? The most significant issue facing the student body in god-knows-how-long, and the student newspaper is barred from commenting on it?

The editors have a positive duty to breach that order!

Joseph

Yes. Exactly.

Jacky Bailey (Farrago Editor 2003)

Hey,

As one of the Farrago Editors from 2003 I’ve got some thoughts on Jake’s position.

This time last year I thought our first edition was very disappointing. Like Miranda, Jake, Alon and Jess we only got into our office a week before the print deadline. None of us had used a mac and only Ben had any layout experience. We were desperately trying to create a magazine, as well as find our feet in an almost entirely hostile office. Unlike this year’s editors we didn’t have the support of other office bearers who had run in the elections with us — we had people who ranged from indifference to open contempt to work with.

Now, however, I don’t think our first edition was bad at all. We worked damn hard (despite also having to support ourselves — just like Jake) and we learnt fast, leading to rapid improvement over the year.

Now that I think about it the 2002 Editors hardly had it easy. Imagine trying to work with Darren Ray breathing down your neck all the time. It was probably even worse than having to venture past Alex Lew’s office to get to work every morning. They only had two active editors, yet managed to produce a decent looking, readable magazine all year (well, until they were forced to resign), from first edition to last.

Believe me, Jake, I understand better than most could how difficult it is to be a Farrago Editor. I understand the pressures of finding advertising, attempting to please about 30,000 people who all have a completely different idea about what Farrago should be, negotiating with printers, layout, deadlines, lack of quality contributions, internal arguments and all the rest. I know what it’s like to work my arse off for weeks on end only to find it’s not nearly as good as expected. But don’t expect me to pity you for the difficulties you put up with.

We had to deal with all of it, as well as harrassment, personal threats, having my pay cut (and we’ve all got rent to pay) and more. Yet we still brought out a Farrago incomparable to yours. At one stage we had to sleep in the office in order to stop them changing the locks. I don’t think you’ve got any real comprehension of our determination to make Farrago good, that had to cut through all those difficulties.

Part of being an Editor is accepting that some people are going to hate your magazine no matter how hard you try or how much work you do. Part of it is also trying hard and doing masses of work. So far the student body hasn’t seen any sign you’re doing either of those things.

If you want proof of the lengths we will go to for a good Farrago, pick up a copy of Bizarro Farrago. When you’re reading it please keep in mind that we had no budget, no swanky office, no advertising agency, no laser printer, no scanners, no digital cameras, no resources, no pay cheques and the whole thing was put together in two weeks. Yet we can still create an excellent magazine because we’re willing to work hard and we care about it.

Jacky Bailey (Farrago Editor 2003)

Also: Has more than one edition of MU Weekly even come out? To give people some perspective Farragette only took one editor an afternoon to put together and MU Weekly is even smaller so it can’t be that hard for them to get an edition out every week!

Fin

As far as I can tell, there was only one MU Weekly… the O’week edition, which came out in week 3…

Keith Tan

Jacky, you said it yourself that it is unfair to judge people based on their first edition. Moreover the Union wasn’t in liquidation when you and your team were in Office. However the 2nd edition is now out after some teething problems- I urge you to have a look at it (or even a small glance) and judge it on its own merits. I would go as far as saying that it is an impressive effort.

Keith Tan

Jacky, you said it yourself that it is unfair to judge people based on their first edition. Moreover the Union wasn’t in liquidation when you and your team were in Office. However the 2nd edition is now out after some teething problems- I urge you to have a look at it (or even a small glance) and judge it on its own merits. I would go as far as saying that it is an impressive effort.

grug

…except for all the pro-zionist propaganda that we’ve grown to love from Alon Cassuto.

And trying to twist a story about UHT, implying that they have been treading on UMMTA’s toes, which is complete and utter crap.

Joseph

It’s out now, is it? I’ll have to wander over and pick up a copy. I dunno if anyone would be so kind as to keep a copy of Bizarro Farrago aside for me? I might have time to hunt around on campus tomorrow, but just in case I miss it…

Antechinus

Where can I get a copy of Bizarro Farrago? Please tell me!

Keith Tan

random places around union house. mostly in the eye-watering orange stands or the big purple containers near the stairs.

Antechinus

Finally I managed to hunt one down in the Rowden White Library (on the ‘supplement’/uni magazine table). Beautiful pictures and layout, though I was slightly disappointed by its strong allegiance to its particular political party. At least the editors were open about it.

As for the Farrago censorship, what’s going on there? How does this one liquidator fellow have the right to decide what the Farrago editors can print???? DOES he have this right? Apart from being the one to pay the printers (obviously not ideal, but necessary at the moment, due to the state of the union &c.), he shouldn’t have any input. Or so it seems to me…..

shredder

Why don’t you all go back to your Toorak mansions and read ‘Home Beautiful’ or something. I’m not particularily fond of the publication, in fact, I believe it needs a lot of work, but shit, these guys are trying as hard as they can.

Can any of you comprehend the pressure that they’re under?

Have you ever tried to work with a liquidator?

And as for ‘Bizzaro’… yeah, make fun of someone because of their weight, or their clothing, because you editors are soooo perfect!!

As I said, I might not like Farrago, but I certainly appreciate the work put into it, because I know that those guys are trying hard.

Alon

thanks guys…

Also, if you have any comments (letter to the editor style) about ANYTHING, please send them in to farrago@union.unimelb.edu.au

bob

im gay