My favourite place on earth

It seems silly and unorthodox to me that I haven’t approached this subject sooner. It seems completely unfair that my heart hasn’t bounced and pondered over this very incandescent, I feel. Everyone holds a torch for somewhere and my torch is elevated for California. As an English born-and-bred girl of the world, I cannot possibly speak of life in California, as I have no frame of reference. I can talk of love and hopefulness, that’s what us Brits do best.

When I was a wee gal, I enthralled in a stunning obsession with the WWF (now commonly known as the WWE), in which a strange fantasy about San Diego began. This was for the meaningless reason that ‘Rey Mysterio Jr’ originated from there. He was my favourite. Probably because of his mask. Probably because he wasn’t so hench. Probably because he was different.

Since then, the name has played on certain strings of my heart. I’ve yet to find a negative. So, after a lot of overtime at work, me and my friend headed on a quest to California where we visited: Pomona, we visited LA, we rode a tram in San Fran, we were inspired at Alcatraz, we were in awe at Beverly Hills, in love at Universal Studios, confused by the early morning heat in Valencia (Six Flags theme park) and taken aback by the Grand Canyon. Really, there aren’t enough boasting-positive-breath-taking adjectives in the world to describe it and the California deserts.

To anyone who lives in the Sunny State I am sure this is all very stereotypical of a tourist attraction.

Let me explain. Here in England we have do have beautiful landscapes like: the Valleys and hill tops in Northern Wales, the acres of countryside in the South west of England (Devon/Cornwall), the shimmering views of the Lake District and these are just to name a view. There are many beautiful places in our part of the world, none are comparable to the masses and masses I saw in the summer. Being in a theme park in Valencia and seeing mountain upon mountain, all sides, all ways for miles, this is just something I couldn’t get my head around. It’s the same way I couldn’t get my head around the fact that New York City is always alive, the height of the buildings, the flashing lights at 4am, at 6am, at midday….it’s a completely different culture. One that I want to indulge in and lose myself in and breathe in.

I’m keeping this short and sweet, because the feeling of love is not one that can be duplicated, it is not one people can fully relate to (as people experience feelings to different to everyone else), it is not one you can confirm a concrete definition for. Here I’ve dealt with the concrete land, a place that encompasses all my happiness, but of course, my favourite place to be is in the cuddlin-arms, and that is where we’re all happiest.

Life-Impact

How much of a life-impact do the things we ‘enjoy’ have on us?

People ask me on a regular basis because of the part-time job I have, what else I do. When I tell them I’m at University, they ask what I’m studying, why I am studying English Literature, what made me do so, what I want to be etc.

An obvious answer, I enjoy literature - I want to write. But, recently whilst in a mist of stress and confusion, as anyone who has been to University (or College) will know the feeling all too well, that there are no clear choices as to why I’m here.

I could date back to my childhood yet for simplicity, I’ll withdraw and I’ll backtrack only as far as the summer before I started University. I was working as a Marketing Assistant for a Language College, and I’d applied and successfully been accepted for a place on a Marketing Degree at a prestigious University. I was heavily into my music back then, not that my love has dwindled, (it has just been sidelined for more important responsibilities). I unfortunately cannot remember how, albeit the path of a British Indie-Rock band called ‘Maximo Park’ aligned with mine. Incase you’re interested in knowing more about them, all that is really important to know is that they are lyrically very good. Many of (if not all) of their songs being able to be read stand-alone as poems and very beautifully at that. I was in aw, I grew up with simple lyrics to simple music (pop-punk). This band single-handedly transformed my future musical collection, I no longer looked for one-liners or ‘fun and meaningless’ lyrics, I instead dominated my collection with romantic poems, songs filled with picture-perfect metaphors and imagery that left my jaw dropped. Of course, I still enjoyed music for the musical goodness it had and classical music remains my favourite genre, but something had changed and made an impact on my mind in a way that nothing ever had before.

A few months after this discovery, I was hit by some bad news, as I’d never really experienced anything negative in my life before, I did not know how to deal with this. I’m not one that could douse myself in alcohol or junk food, so I decided to write in a complex style, much more complex than I had ever written before. I decided to follow this project through to the end even when my melancholy sadness had evaporated.

Alongside my writing and the starting of my Marketing degree, I concluded in my mind that I was undertaking the wrong degree. In a rapid turn of events, I dropped out of the University and was very very fortunate to be accepted onto a course just a few weeks after the start (the degree I’m currently taking).

Two and a half years later and I still find the same thrill in writing as I did that day I tried to cure my unhappiness, and now write when in all variants of moods. This is hardly a biographical acknowledgement as my career has barely begun, though one silly YouTube search a few years has shaped how I’ve spent the past three years of my life, the people I’ve met and the interests I’ve made. I’m intrigued in myself to see how far those first three minutes I spent listening and watching that music video, can take me.

How is maths important in our lives?

I want to start off by saying that this is not going to be a long fragmented piece about how you-need-to-learn-maths-at-school-kids because one day you may have to do some simple adding and subtracting. Y’know, when you grow up and get a real job and have incomes/outcomes and budgets and life to deal with. No, this is going to be an article about the real maths we encounter. The - how many minutes in an hour, how to tell the time on a 24 hour clock (which to my horror is still a major task for some of the population, how? I’m not sure either.) The real Maths in our lives. The schedules. Do you make schedules? Yes of course you do. And, do you stick to them? Perhaps sometimes, depending on what you do for a living, I suppose?

As soon as you mention the word timetables or schedules, an instant groan appears across the sweat-drenched acne-ridden teenager in the corner who now has to slave away from his Warhammer for a night. Or, the middle-aged bearded man who has to peel himself off his rotten sofa, drop the weed he was going to smoke and concentrate on a given task. I may be a bit harsh here, though it’s the lack of freedom which is the main contributor as to why many object the idea of scheduling.

Infact there are several kinds of freedom and usually a misunderstanding between two of them leads to a confusion.

First: the freedom to choose, to perform a free act.
It means that a human person cannot be forced to perform any free act against his/her will. This a negative form of freedom, because it is freedom from external necessity (such as physical coercion)

Second: the freedom to determine oneself to form oneself and one’s act. This is a positive freedom for one’s goal.

According to: The Augustine Club, at Columbia University.

Apparently a common understanding of the latter explanation can lead you to believe you’re not free at all. Let me explain with an example we’ve all experienced once or twice before. It’s a sunny day, so one might be tempted to enjoy a day at the beach or the park. There is nothing freer, in my opinion than being at one with nature. Although if you spend the day have fun then it could result in failure in your exam. Therefore, if you study then you become “free” to pass the exam and the new (or revised) knowledge could enable you to pass and better fulfil your goal in life.

Schedules are important because they me the: “ability to do what I want with my life as a whole”. In a mixed up kind of way, Maths is essential in our life, and no, I did not take Maths further than the compulsory.

pont des Arts and other magical beauties

Pont des Arts, and other magical beauties

The ‘Pont des Arts’ is a famous bridge, which crosses the Scine River in Paris. When you stand on the bridge you are apparently at the centre of Civilisation. On one side you can see the institute of France, a College which was built in 1670 and is a seat for education. On the other side you see the Louvre – the Palace of Art. If you look up stream then you are greeted by the Cathedral of Notre Dame. As a writer, artist – really anyone in the arts, to stand here is a dream come true. Many people have walked along the bridge just to feel inspired and take in what the city has to offer. Many great Novels have been written based on this spectacular landmark. One to note is Wilhelm Hauff’s Novel ‘Die Betterin vom Pont des Arts (1826; The True Lover’s Fortune; or The Beggar of the Pont des Arts), which he wrote while on a journey through France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Another example, of a place so inspiring the words just fling out of people’s minds onto their paper is Venice. Venice’s attributes are best described by Sergei Diaghilev, he said: “all that is real is in constant contact with magic and mystery”. There are many different explanations to this critique of Venice. Venice is built on water, reflections are darting off of the water so that you are never alone, the cobbled streets bring out the subtlety or blunt tones of your feet as the sound echoes its way into your ears and the translucence of the city toys with your vision. Just as the water will fall through your fingers so will the City. Light and darkness are never more prominent than in the Venetian City. Housing home to a magnificent cemetery that has buried the likes of Stravinsky amongst many other famous names and playing with the idea of what we see being light and dark. In terms of morality, sin, redemption etc. we are mis-led by the fact that we are enjoying the view. The patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (or Saint Mark’s Basilica) is a beautiful stature. It is one that many visit but it is full of stolen property. An arsenal of stolen property, even. Venice used to be the centre of trade, and therefore the Venetian Empire took from the world anything possibly could. They claimed it was done for spiritual reasons however.

The list of novels then which are set in Venice is remarkable. A few include: Michelle Lovric ‘The Remedy’, Donna Leon’s ‘Death at la Fenice’, and Michael Didbins ‘Dead Lagoon’. If you’re interested, a man called Jeff Cotton has compiled an extensive list of Novels set in the City along with various interviews and accreditations over at: fictionalcities.co.uk/venice

Going back to the Pont des Arts, and the centre of civilisation A question over what is civilisation needs to be asked. Civilisation is something that you are born into. Like a pack of wolves they are a civilisation, despite the fact they are hunting and killing food which is considered to be ‘uncivil’ by some. There has to be a higher acceptance, or morality that the way things are being done is correct. When a breakdown in civilisation occurs and conflict emerges, we start to question the human truths. Stolen items are in these magnificent buildings in Paris, these buildings were constructed by working-class people. The higher people are accepted but the lowers are doing the work. All that being said Venice and Paris are beautiful cities that continue to enlight and motivate hundreds every day.

The Element of Fear

“Try laughing, so that whatever scares you goes away” hosts Japanese Film, ‘My Neighbour Totoro‘. This is referring to a haunted house in the middle of a deserted countryside. This is very much still a shared concern amongst people, as portrayed in the Horror Movies: ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (1974), the recent ‘The Stranglers’ (2008) amongst many others, just pick out a handful of Horror Movies and this will be a running theme - away from humanity and surrounded by nature.

According to the Dictionary, Fear, is: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Fear is still a physical feat, but has it escalated past that, mostly? In a world where we are so concerned that our Iphones boot up correctly, the internet connection runs smoothly on our flashy hi-tech laptops (which it ironically isn’t as I type this…and yes I freaked out, it’s been down for many hours now), and when our Facebook refuses to load due to a technical glitch, so we cannot spy on the world or inflict the world with our life stories. What makes the news regarding youngsters at the moment are protests, demonstration movements and of course, looting. Granted that this is just a minority but the video games we have been playing for years such as, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Halo and Red Dead Redemption are all factors into why I feel a lot of people fear things that will never cause pain but, lack the fear when perhaps it would sensible to fear.

I’m no different - I’d happily walk down a side road at midnight on my own, or crossover a motorway at peak time or order a McDonalds for Breakfast. Okay, so the last one’s a lie, I would only ever order one of those in a fatal emergency. I’m not slating the company, just all fast-good outlets. My point being that the things that worry me most (excepting a few obviously) are things that really don’t matter. So, my Cell has no signal or battery - the other person isn’t going to die if they have to wait an hour longer for a text/call. Despite this known fact, I still feel as if rapidity is the correct and if not the only way.

A few common fears amongst people seem to be: death (themselves or people close to them) and an epidemic. Countlessly I’ve loaded myself into an early morning train and been greeted with an abundance of sniffles, coughs and hanky-shakings. I instantly attempt to shield my mouth and nose before realising I’m in an enclosed space and therefore the bacteria will succeed.

Not afraid of rollercoasters, or being in a Vehicle driving too fast down the M27 or M25 (British Motorways), but afraid of catching a cold, whether my clothes match or whether the flying insect above my head is going to drop onto me. Are all my fears wrong?

A scientific answer to what fear is could be “Fear has a certain contagious feature to it, so the fear in others can elicit fear in ourselves. It’s conditioning, like Pavlov and the salivating dog.” In other words, we can be drawn to fear, so perhaps it is still that we fear these things, but we’ve become immune to the feeling, so therefore do not feel it as fear. We feel it as a similar emotion to those we feel everyday.

Posh.

It is human nature to want to be something you are not. Recently I’ve grown an obsession with TV Sitcom ‘Frasier’ . Incase, you are unfamiliar with the show, firstly - why? Secondly, find it…re-runs happen regularly on both UK and US TV, I know. The show centres around two Psychiatrist brothers and their problems in dealing with ‘normal’ people. I use the term not in a sense of sane or insane, I mean posh and standard -the everyday person, whom makes up their family and friends. The brothers consider themselves to be of high society and almost frown upon a cheap champagne or a mix-match or clothes, or a piece of furniture which does not fit in with the décor of their room/s,

It’s like a universe out of my galaxy - I know that is a completely un-scientific sentence, but take it. The cavalier, the etiquette, the 1961 Colheita Port. These are all things many of us will not have experienced much of. So, when questioning what it is to be post, I found that one response, which became a regular statement was to “be outraged at everything”. Was this true, I thought to myself? Using ‘Frasier’ as a reference, I found that many rants were amidst including: “My suede shoes, you spilled latte on them, they’re ruined”, “for god’s sake that wine has spent more time in the bottle” and personal favourite “my favourite pair of socks has been reduced to one argyle”.

While I am back-tracking in historical time, at present I am watching ‘A Room with a View’ which is a 1985 film adaptation of E.M. Forsters’ 1908 Novel. It is a tale about a young woman in the repressed culture of Edwardian England, set in Italy and England. It is a story of both Romance and a critique of English Society at the beginning of the 20th Century. I mention this as it shows how the civilised world then, are nowadays perceived as snobbish. Look at that hairstyle, look at their attire, she/he has no prospect you cannot marry into that family.

As time has moved on, has the way the higher-class are different? The Royal Family in England are at least trying to make an effort to be relatable to our nation, though whether successful is debatable. But, they are not perceived to be uptight, they do occasionally mingle with those lesser than them, but still do not marry into much lesser families.

What do you think? And, how is it in America? It’s a subject I’m a little lacking in knowledge in and would be interested in.

Anime - explanation?

Anime is popular. Simple and concise sentence. Anime is popular around the world. Anime conventions despite being on a grand scale in the UK, are nothing compared to the amount that occupy the Americas. I’ve scoured the databases for lists and in California alone, there are handfuls yearly. [Soft Break][Soft Break]My question is why do people enjoy Anime? To me it’s a comic and a relief away from the stress in my everyday life. It is more relaxing than a simple film or novel, as it is a reminiscent of my childhood. The reason it sticks in my mind is the over-exaggeration in not only the dialect of the characters (and the over-emphasised punctuation following it), but also how their faces are filled with more emotion than humanly possible - the wide mouth, the drooping eyes, the tears sprawled across the face, the boldened font to the side of a character when the ‘anger’ emotion is being portrayed. The way that the characters are minimised.

The reason I love Anime is the same reason everyone my age loved Pokemon, and Digimon, and Yu-Gi-Oh when they were younger. The believable and the un-believable stories have a paradigm. The way how you believed that when you grew older there was a chance you could be a Pokemon Master, and that that life was real, but the way that you are able to distinguish between the character who head multiplies in size, and the one drop of sweat on his forehead when he is furious, from being realistic.[Soft Break][Soft Break]The current Series I am reading is called ‘Chocolat’, the customised backgrounds, which are a slide away from the story and a continuity error (if Anime cared for that). The little side boxes which are the internal thoughts of the characters, are so sarcastic, which in turn reminds me of the British Comedy and British Humour. [Soft Break][Soft Break]The dazed-knocked out look is something that defines the genre in full to me. It is in a way something I wish that could be translated into real life. The swirly eyes, the lines and tears across the face, the wide mouth and the the steam hat us eluding out of them as they are mercilessly dragged across the floor by a non-sentimental character.

To wrap up, Anime is popular as it is aimed at Children, Teenagers and Adults. There can be simple storylines such as in Chobits (where a robotic character attaches to it’s master and in-turn “loves” him), or complex story lines such as the feature-film ‘Paprika’ (where refrigerators are dancing, dreams within dreams within dreams are happening). Regardless of the story, one thing is certain and that is the precision of the art-direction, it is simply superb. No faults. Whether you are a frantic lover of Anime or have yet to see anything other than the few TV programs that you by-chance caught as they were on your prime-time Television sets, I would recommend nipping down to your cheapest DVD shop and purchasing something. It’s really like no other genre, in my opinion, gives you a lot of time for interpretation.

Gadaffi - In Iceland?

Gadaffi in Iceland?

Upon looking through the new sites to see what was occurring in the world, I scoured the social networks, to see if anything interesting was happening to the people I know - which almost never is. I came across a status saying ‘Gadaffi’s body in on show in a freezer In a shop”. I try to keep away from political news as much as possible, as it usually depresses, yet this I just had to research. Human curiosity, killed the cat, yeah?

It seems that this is infact a true story, much to my horror. Libyan ex-autocratic ruler, was on display in a commercial freezer as “Libyan authorities argued about what to do with his remains and questions deepened over official accounts of the long time dictators death”. (The Times of India) It seems that this delay came because fighters from Misrata (a city brutally besieged by Gadaffi’s people during the Civil War) had laid claim to his body, which ruined the scheduled plans of a burial on Friday.

So, in Misrate where the body is on show, which was allegedly an initial attempt to keep it out of the public eye, until the masses became aware of the location and so was put on display. What bother me most about this charade and I’d like to point out, I’m not defending him as a person, but no dead body should be paraded. There are families lined up to take photos with him, separated visiting hours are allowed for select people. Now, I understand the term redemption and the need for it, however I could almost see a tacky portable fair with a Ferris Wheel and five bucks for a “viewing and candy floss with the dictator”, and that thought makes me feel sick. Let him be.

Another example of this, though ever so very different is Michael Jackson. I mention him as he is still currently in the news for other reasons. His funeral is the reason I highlighted his name here. For it was not only shown on TV, it was made into a Prime Time TV show, almost like a musical, as Singin in the Rain. Hosting performances from the biggest musical acts, riveting speeches from celebrities who many may or may not have met the King of Pop before. The Golden Casket was on show for the stars on the stage, those lucky enough to be in attendance and for the whole world to view. Why? Do we really need to see where a man who most of us never had the chance to know is lying there, just because he has made some albums, that a lot of people bought. Yes, I love Michael Jackson, I would consider Bad, to be one of my favourite albums, and believed him to be a lovely man, I still don’t need to see his funeral, I wasn’t invited, so why am I being invited via my TV. Reluctantly I watched, as I was a fan. My real problem with this, apart from the fact it had me teary-eyed when I witnessed his children crying during their emotional-yet-scripted speech to all. The fact the money was being made is my problem, he was being promoted on the day we were meant to celebrate his life, it all felt a little too showbiz to me. And, I’m the first to understand the Michael lead a showbiz life, but sometimes tradition is better left unhampered.

Romance - alive or just hovering?

Is romance dead? A sentiment that is asked time and time again. The act of romance is made chemically possible due to the Dopamine (a catecholamine neurotransmitter) which is thought to be the “pleasure chemical”. This means this is the one that gives you the feeling of pleasure when your attracted to someone. You can have this feeling for multiple people but there is something else which is vital to this equation.

Norepinephrine, another chemical which produces the adrenaline and excitement inside of you and is generally what makes you focus all of your efforts on one person, opposed to the variants.

I’ve undergone a tangent, but these are the reasons that certain events feel romantic, because of who it is with (which feels right due to the chemicals inside our brain), not necessarily what the action is. Therefore romance is always hovering, perhaps we’ve lost the traditionalist ways however. Though, I dismay there are still some signs of romantic happenings.

Just last week I was given a mixtape - yes, on a tape - remember those?, by my partner. He recorded it on a tape recorder himself, then customised the tape cover - writing personal notes. This is cheaper than a bouquet of flowers, cheaper than a romantic meal out, cheaper than Champagne but I dare you to find those more personal.

So, is Romance dwindling, or did that just feel romantic to me? Romance in the modern world includes relationships happening on the internet, proposals occurring on social networking sites such as twitter, or love songs sang/read allowed on platforms such as YouTube. I suppose some of these could romantic but none at intimate.

Also, the American idea for valentines day and romance, though I do enjoy the idea of it is interlinked with materialism, as it is around the world for every prestigious holiday. It seems that to give some chocolates, flowers or a card is a done thing, and if you do not do it, you portray a sense of caring less about your spouse than your friend who managed to go to Wal-Mart and purchased half-price gifts.

To me, it is hovering and the next time you wish to buy something for a loved one, buy a blank card and pour your heart onto it, or make them chocolate opposed to purchasing from a retail store. The best and most memorable presents are not infact the gift but the person that is in them.

Surveillance: are we just wasting tape?

Surveillance of the UK and USA: are we just using unnecessary tape?

It seems like every corner you turn, we are constantly being witnessed by someone, or other. Whether you’re in a supermarket, walking along the high street or wandering up your own front porch: there is a high possibility that you are being caught on camera (and not in an ironic way). Now, we’re told this is for protection, I think not.

Current news stories in the UK have been arising concerning our said privacy and how people in officials can abuse it, because of power. What a beautiful word. An undercover police officer recently spent 7 years living at the heart of the environmental protest movements where he was “playing a front-lie role in some of the most high profile confrontations” according to Rob Evans of the Guardian. The problem is he worked in authority and to support a movement which is therefore promoting a not-so-neutral view on things. The officer, Mark Kennedy, adopted a fake identity to disrupt the “UK’s peaceful movement to combat climate change”. After changing his image and gaining a fake passport, he attended the G20 protests in London among with almost every other major demonstration in the UK, where he not only became an activist but also helped to organise and fund some of the protests.

This ultimately shows just one story in a line of hundreds where peoples trust has been broken through an authority and surveillance scandal.

In the UK, this story comes at a time when hacking has been at the fore-front of the media for a while. Incase you’re not familiar with the story - ex-newspaper ‘News of the World’, were caught hacking household names, politicians, celebrities of all agendas and even some working class people, just to be able to gain an exclusive news story. Many people of authority argued the pros and cons and legalities of this until it eventually led to the editor giving a full confession and the closure of the paper.

But, is it any wonder? In America you could walk for miles and feel free, feel like the only people watching you are those you catch sight of.

Where, Britain is ‘Surveillance society’, boasting that: “Per capita there are more surveillance cameras than in any other country in the world - more than a million according to a recent estimate” (BBC News), and that article was written over ten years ago. Think about all the recent demonstrations, conflicts between government and the working people and I’m sure that number has increased considerably.

What is happening with all of these images they have of us? We aren’t the only country wondering. To be surveilled but the info unveiled. In the US Air Force, recent claims that “data collected by US government satellites and aerial surveillance platforms has increased 1500% over the last five years, but the American government’s ability to process the information has only increased by 30%” (Defence Web)

Therefore, are we really protected more or are we just using a lot more tape than before, because we can and have the power?

Should the News be Sexy?

For this piece, I am going to focus on the UK mainly for the reason that it is where the majority of my news reading/coverage takes place. I follow comedian-writers mainly such as Charlie Brooker and David Mitchell, to name but a couple. These are predominantly not the kind of writers I’m talking about with this headline, however I will indulge and see if there are any issues in their articles too.

I’ll backtrack – picture this, walking in a convenience store, tracing your feet past a rack of newspaper from; conservative to the highly commercial, right-wing to left. All are part of the corporate machine, some however are not bothered about wasting artists and writers’ integrity, it seems.

The array of awful puns for headlines such as – Match of the Pray (a play-on British Football show ‘Match of the Day’), End of an Eire after 14 years (a story that Irish group ‘Westlife’ have split up) and my favourite recent story ‘X-Factors Cocozza is up to Frankie Pankie’.

The latter referring to the sliding ratings of the show, as it has recently declined due to ‘poor talent’ according to the some news sources. So, this week to get this “talent show” more viewers and to make it even more of an entertainment show – they called for Frankie Cocozza to let loose to save the show. This news story is a story about him going to a club, drinking a few beers after an all-day rehearsal and leaving in a taxi with three ladies whom he apparently back to one of the dorms of and stayed until the next morning. Scandalous!

This is all very sexy and interesting if you want to read about a recent celebrity and what he’s doing outside of the show, which I’m sure happens with X-Factor USA – but is it really essential? Is this news?

There are currently so many news outlets, official and unofficial, that to stay competitively in the make they have to have differing news stories from the others, different twists on the same events. It is hard though to find numerous news stories every day, so stories are invented, exaggerated and twisted, including gossip to meet the deadlines.

Luckily, the papers I read are generally lacking in the celebrity news, though there are still some cases of whether news is still news or if it is all purely glamorised entertainment?

Take for example a Charlie Brooker article in the Guardian which is entitled: ‘When even Weetabix has turned evil, you know the world is in a sorry state.’ The article discusses the Celebrity Endorsements on say an Activia Yoghurt – “you think of Martine McCuthcheon and make positive connections”. Or, perhaps an article by David Mitchell in the Observer, entitled: ‘Keep your lion, Flanders – it’s a better look than a pair of slippers’, which combines a serious issue of the stereotype of Belgium, taking an issue of their official symbol, whilst questioning: “what’s their tulips-and-cannabis, corruption-and-fornication, sausages-and-genocide, paella-and-castanets equivalent?”

What I am trying to say here is that no matter the seriousness of the article or paper, they seem to be covered by entertaining tit-bits. An inappropriate joke here or there, which I’m not complaining about, it is one of the main reasons I read the Guardian.co.uk as it features the three newspapers which can be witty and comic at once. Still, next time you look at a newspaper, try and find a story that isn’t one-sided or in the shadows of an alluring image or joke, try.

Prince Harry in San Diego

It seems our very own Prince of the British Monarchy has headed out to California this October. Prince Harry is spending the next two months with his army unit in the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, training on the Apache attack helicopter. After only a few days, he allegedly hit San Diego, by attending various bars and events to take in the sights and scenery of California. He’s been named as being civilised though, so don’t feel like this gives him a bad name.

Despite, this news it is strange to note that UK news about Harry involves a shopping trip to San Diego where the young purchased a pair of shoes. Weird eh? Except the shoes he purchased were a pair of Vibram FiveFingers shoes. For those of you who are out-of-the-loop of fashion, such as myself, they are shoes which are meant to mimic running barefoot without damaging the persons toes. He is not a trend-setting in Hollywood unfortunately, as it has already been grasped by the likes of Leonardo Di Caprio, Scarlett Johansson and Kate Hudson. It is common knowledge that Harry is not a fan of shoes and prefers being at one with nature and indeed barefoot.

I decided that I would do some research on whether these were a good purchase for our Prince. It seems that it 2009, a book was written called ‘Born to Run’, by Christopher McDougall. The main thesis that the book taunts is: if you can more intensely feel the impact when your feet hit the ground your body will naturally make the adjustments to lessen said impact. I’ve been informed that there is virtually no shock absorption, which means a gradual build-up must occur. If you are to purchase these shoes, your toes are liable to ache at first, you should also cut the regular mileage you run at first, to avoid major aches and pains at first. However, the general consensus is that after your feet are used to it, you can then run in a freer sense and the flat surface will not hurt your more mobile feet. It seems that Harry has made a reasonable purchase.

Anyway back to the location on hand, why is it that San Diego seems to be the place to escape to?

Many say that San Diego is an easy getaway for people living in LA, it apparently is quicker and easier than Vegas but holds some similarities. Christine Donovan, the director of Heritage Programs at the Hotel del Coronado said that “San Diego is a vacation-feeling place in a way that L.A. isn’t. In Los Angeles, it seems like business is going on all the time, and I don’t think San Diego gives that impression.”

It’s this feeling of security, mixed with the peace but enough of a party atmosphere that would have attracted the Prince. It is also common knowledge to me that the British Monarchy is hugely popular in America, for reasons unbeknown to me. The Brits raved about the wedding but we were beaten by shear passion to the Americans, this is probably one of the reason why Harry is openly going out in places like San Diego - the love.

Drive

A faux or Pass?

Romantic film viewers, such as ,myself will claim Ryan Gosling as the man who is Noah (from the Notebook), they elegant, committed man who we all wish to find - the Romeo of our generations, if you like. I was a lit bit dumfounded then when I witnessed Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive’. I will mention his name numerous times in this article as every aspect of him: his presence, his hair, his aura is all undeniably beautiful in this feature film.

He plays a multi-talented, slightly shady bloke who is a Hollywood stunt driver and a mechanic. He is also a real-life bona fide stud. The film directed by Nicholas Winding Refn also Co-Stars Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks who all par considerably high next to Gosling.

What gripped me most is the lack of the dialogue and infact a large portion of the story is bought to life through the panning and the wide-view shots of the city and characters. The cinematography and the simple-but-very-well-received poignant stares by the actors make this film what it is, very enjoyable with a powerful story that keeps you reeled in throughout. If you watch the film with this in mind, this will take you back to the Classical Period. This isn’t the only contemporary film takes me back to a better [lace, alas it is the only one I have watched recently which has achieved.

Think back to ‘Calamity Jane’, when Doris Day would give such snarling looks at Bill (the man of her dreams but also the character in her nightmares), think of Jimmy ‘James’ Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Rope’, as he tears the truth from the antagonists through his mere eye expressions. Those were the days when dialogue was used when essential not to fill a void, which unfortunately is how I feel about the script in a lot of modern films, not all though.

So, to go with this dated-back feel that had found me. I also want to point out the track. As the intro hits and we are shown an array of images, of Gosling in a car looking intent and of California’s cultural heights, a bass sounds. As he looks calm and collected in his car as he speeds once the traffic lights have changed, the bass keeps building, the tension hangs for a long time, another reminder to me of the Hitchcock days. The whole period of time where it is sounding puts me on edge, I therefore say a great intro to a film.

The whole soundtrack is spectacular. My favourite scene is cemented by a beautiful song, see if you have the same reaction.

Fact or Fiction?

A new internet story has emerged recently, which took me aback. I read the article entitled ‘Woman claims watching 3D Film made her pregnant’. Whilst I am aware this is most likely a false news article, topped off only by the husbands unveiling comment “I see no reason not to believe her as these 3D films are very lifelike”. Despite this ridiculous attempt of a news story, it left my brain spinning. How realistic are films? Will people believe anything if produced in a well-manner? Some common misconceptions I found on my research that many people share include: Danish Pastries come from Denmark (infact they originate from Austria), humans evolved from monkeys (infact we share 94% of the DNA with them so are more likely cousins), Goldfishes have short memories (infact they have been trained to navigate mazes and can recognise their owner after just a couple of months), hair and fingernails continue to grow after death (another common myth which is possibly as the skin shrinks after death which gives a false impression of the growth of the nails), stars twinkle (infact the light from the star enters our atmosphere it gets refracted, so we interpret the bending light as ‘twinkling’). None of these are true, but I imagine the majority of people have believed one or more of the above.

To look at how realistic films are. I feel I should first look at realism and documentaries. How many of the things in documentaries are completely true? The truth seems to be bent. In Filmmaker Eric Steel's attempt to film the beauty of San Francisco's Golden Gate, he captured 19 suicide deaths and several failed attempts. It is apparently the No.1 suicide landmark, but what infuriated the officials of the Bridge is the fact his video was intended "to capture the powerful, spectacular intersection of monument and nature that takes place every day at the Golden Gate Bridge. ... "

I suppose in warped way what my point is, is how you may be believed to watch something showing beauty, but infact be witnessing the death, but if what the poets say you cannot have beauty without death, then I guess this captures the beauty of the Gate.

It's safe to say that the public are becoming more attuned to the way we are tricked through the media. Renowned Movie mogul Michael Moore, often leaves audiences with doubt on what is true. A few facts stated in his film include: the majority of the Obama campaign money came through Wall Street employees, he claimed that the criticism that Barack Obama would pursue socialism increased support for socialism among young people by Election Day, in a public opinion poll he claimed that in response to his movie 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Bush's approval ratings declined, when infact they increased for 8 months. The above two are also false. It's does show you though, that it seems mostly irrelevant of the facts as a small number of critics actually point these falsities out, and instead the impact of his films and what are cinematically available for the viewer are the reasons for the controversy surrounding them. Films I'd recommend that support these ideas include: Bowling for Columbine (2002), Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), Sicko (2007).

So, in this tangible article, I have loosely tried to inform readers that voyeurism and

hedonism come much before fact and fiction issues.

Wall Street vs UK Riots

Wall Street Movement vs. The UK Riots

What started off as a mini-attempt of chivalry in Tottenham escalated into a full-UK bombardment, The riots grew overnight, despite the News footage and Police being less on show than a builders bum who regularly bends over. Until the third and fourth day of the devilish antics were upon us, you could have easily - had you been a certain type of citizen - ignored all that was going on under our noses in our nation. Said person: ignorant. Unfortunately by the time Monday and Tuesday arrived (Riots started on Saturday), we were plagued and pummeled by conspiracy theories that this shop was going to be destroyed, this area being dismantled and this ‘person’ (who was tweeting with grammar as appalling as a dogs, was somehow going to be the one harmful source in this whole riot because they used the phrase ‘let’s riot’). I’m not sure if it’s me being cynical but I find it incredibly dubious myself, and for the police to believe that ‘one’ person was behind these riots. To summarise, a man was allegedly shot by a policeman after shooting him, proof had only found that the victim was shot, and secondly this proceeded the tuition fees protest. Here’s a one sided view to the tuition fees protest: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8123194/Student-tuition-fee-protest-turns-violent-as-Tory-headquarters-evacuated.html

The riots over here escalated into violence, and I’ve used this as a comparison to the Occupy the Wall Street Movements. The British riots were largely due to the fact that people are working for small wages, ethnic minorities who have not had a stable upbringing, who are in gangs and therefore uneducated so do not make it onto higher education because they’ve been distracted and not encouraged or given self-belief at a young age, and according to the government turn to knives and violence. There are some statistics behind that but that it is a tad far-fetched to assume.

On the other side of the Ocean, Wall Street, which refers to the money guzzlers of New York, or perhaps those more fortunate than you and I, is currently home to the latest string of tabloid news stories. It seems that over in America the protests are surrounding private establishments and are about the taxes if you had to pin-point an idea, though are most likely about the economic system as a whole.. Obviously, a fuss is kicked up stating that the rich should pay more, which seems fair. The sources that I’m currently engulfed in are saying it’s not a ‘Tea Party, it is instead a ‘mobocracy’. The same news broadcasters who have denied coverage of the event for days, roughly 12 days it took for any real mainstream overload to reach us.

‘Capitalism: A love Story’, a film by Michael Moore, is now jumping from its hind legs. Michael in an interview with The Vancouver Sun, has summed up the difference between the News Coverage and the truth, the people who aren’t supporting the protests to those who are etc.

He suggested that those at the top ‘don’t understand something that happens when it’s not happening within the system’. They feel like protestors are just causing a raucous and do not know ‘what they really want’. But according to Moore, the group [those involved in the movement] are ‘very much in touch with the majority of Americans.

The trouble with people is they are entirely one-sided. Either completely pro-the riots and lack understanding of people who sit at home and watch the news – and claim them as the ones responsible, even though they’ve probably lived a similar life to you, except they’ve managed to secure a relatively-well paid job and therefore have health insurance. Or, on the other hand there are those who oppose it and label people with an array of taboo words who get involved. In my analysis, there doesn’t appear to be a difference between the way the papers and general public perceive the riots on either side of the Atlantic. However, the actual – physical location of these movements seemed better placed in America.

On October 15th we will be Occupying the London Stock Exchange. At the same time thousands continue to occupy Wall Street and hundreds of cities from Paris and Madrid to Buenos Aires and Caracas are staging actions and occupations together for a global day of action. For more information: http://occupylondon.org.uk/