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/

Young Exeter Promotions Gig Press Release

The Holiday Plan: Hailing from Indie Label Safety Second, the first thing to note about the headliners ‘The Holiday Plan’ is their raw vocals. Seeming to focus on the music a lot more than their image which is a rarity these days. A blend of punk grunge and indie fills my ears. Ripping it up in High Wycombe is certain. After a hiatus, the band are back together and looking stronger than ever, I wouldn’t be surprised if a tour follows this intimate headline show you’d be a fool to miss this!

Of course the support bands are something to shout about as well!

Agent Buzz: Arriving from Oxfordshire, the PJ’s vocals will draw you in, melodic and beautiful. Taking in similar influences as the headliners they’re live tracks definitely set you up for a good time.

The Monacles: Teenage Angst is expressed thoroughly through their track ‘Conflict’, local boys show their youth in the vox department but their enthusiasm and passion overshadows that, along with their ability to drive the guitars right through your body. Let some steam off while you watch these.

Small Machine: They list their influences as ‘their influences, their instruments and their noise’, couldn’t have put it simpler. Be interesting to contrast their live performance to their studio versions. They stand out from the rest of the bands with their blending of quick quirky numbers with progressive style songs,

Leskye: This is for fans of punk acts such as the Gallows, Cancer Bats and Comeback Kid. Touring relentlessly in July, they will definitely be bringing their A-game as this is one of the first of the tour, be there early to catch them before they escapade onto bigger tours.

Seasons : Hello pop-punk, gang backing vocals work in the way bands such as New Found Glory, The Blackout and even Lostprophets pull it off. They would fit nicely on the warped tour, they’ll have you bopping along and singing along after a few listens.

A night of five simply fantastic bands if you’re into the punk/grungey styles, all take an influence from Nirvana I would say, so if that’s your thing (which it should be) check these guys out live!

The Holiday Plan (www.myspace.com/theholidayplan)
Agent Buzz (www.myspace.com/agentbuzz)
The Monacles (www.myspace.com/themonaclesmusic)
Small Machine (www.myspace.com/smallmachine)