iblog

Kayleigh: Celebrities such as Girls Aloud, Leona Lewis, and Penny Lancaster have all posted personal clips on YouTube aiming to help people who are being bullied.

The clips were made because of the increasing number of ‘happy slapping’ videos that are being filmed with mobile phones and then published online for all to see.

The stars are asking people to use the beat bullying channel on YouTube which is designed to help children who are being bullied. On the channel, children and teenagers can share their own experiences of bullying and can give each other help and advice.

Many people are bullied online, through social networking sites and emails. Many young people have also received death threats by text messages.

Singer Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud said:

“Happy-slapping may be funny to you, until it is a member of your family sat at a bus stop being slapped. How would you feel if someone made a humiliating video of you or a member of your family and put it online for everyone to see? This year more than 20 people will take their own lives in the UK alone because of bullying. It’s not funny.”

Penny Lancaster said on her clip: “My main memories of school are when I was bullied. I had one boy race his bike up against the back of my legs and I was bleeding and I couldn’t really hide that so I’d go home crying, it was very traumatic.”

Beatbullying director Sarah Dyer said: “The Beatbullying YouTube channel will revolutionise how young people access information on how to avoid being bullied and, importantly, on how to avoid being a bully. It is frighteningly easy for a young person who would never consider being a bully in real life, to do something online which they think is funny or humorous but in fact is a terrible act of bullying.”

I am really glad celebrities have done these videos. Bullying isn’t acceptable and maybe bullies will think twice when they see their favourite celeb disapproving of their behaviour. Bullying is a serious matter, and many children and teenagers take their own lives because of it. I hope this videos will help tackle bullying in Britain.

Rushda: Designs for London’s new Olympic stadium have been unveiled. As the picture on the left shows, the centrepiece will be a giant sporting bowl which will have seats for an audience of 80,000 and the stadium will be located in Stratford, in East London. Construction will begin next April in order to be ready a year in advance of the events.

Apparently the costs of the stadium will be a huge £496 million even though the previous budget stated £280 million. Many feel uncomfortable with the idea of this much being spent for a singular construction, but budgeters have reassured everyone that after the Olympics the top tier of seats will be lifted off and the stadium will be able to be used as a standard sports venue with 25,000 seats.

The stadium has been designed by HOK Sport, the same architects who designed other world-famous sports venues such as Sydney Olympic stadium and Wembley stadium. Chair of the Organising Committee, also a former Olympic champion, is excited about the project and thinks the plans for the stadium are modern and practical. He says:

“It’s a stadium that delivers on everything we said we would deliver on: a stadium with track and field as its primary legacy; a stadium that will be reduced from 80,000 seats in Olympic mode to a 25,000-seater community base.”

Though I’m no huge sports fan, I’m glad the excitement and patriotism for 2012 is still going strong, especially after the embarrassing and shocking logo (which, we are reminded, will not change despite thousands of protests). However, I am reluctant to believe that the design for the stadium will melt many hearts - after all, it IS essentially an unwarranted sum of money to pay for what looks like a very bogstandard and uninspiring stadium. It seems that the organisers behind 2012 want to emphasise coolness and youthfulness in everything they produce (see the promotional video for yet more of the same). Yet ironically this is what is making the young people cringe most!

Kayleigh: Students are annoyed as more and more university tutors are starting to use Facebook and MySpace to contact them.

Students feel that their private lives are being invaded and want to keep their academic life and social life separate.

Research done by The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) showed that universities are trying to connect with students in new ways, and in recent years social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become very popular with young people.

This is the latest move in the technologically-driven world. Tutors recently started presenting lectures as podcasts and started texting students to give them academic advice.

Gareth Ruston, 20, Police and Criminal Investigation student at the University of Central Lancashire, thinks there are good and bad points of tutors being able to contact him in different ways. He said:

“I like the fact that i can text my tutor if I’ve forgot to ask something, but I don’t want them looking at my Facebook, it’s my private space for me and my friends!”

But JISCs head of communications, Dr Philip Pothen says the move is a good thing. “Universities need to have this kind of information.They need to know how today’s students learn; how they take in information.”

One tutor who uses Facebook to contact her students is Gilly Salmon, professor of e-learning and learning technologies at Leicester University. She said:

“I’m very interested in it as a potential way for students working together remotely rather than having to be in a physical space.”

I’m not convinced though, I like it when a tutor contacts me through my university email, but I would certainly not want them contacting me through my Facebook or MySpace, in fact, I’d hate them to even see it. Employers are also looking at it now, which just adds to the worry, one friend of mine has completely changed his Facebook and Myspace because of this revelation!

Rushda: Most people have probably heard of the mysterious English guerilla artist known as “Banksy,” famous for his engaging street graffiti. The graffiti has appeared in London and many other cities around the world. Few would, however, be able to say exactly who this elusive figure is, the topic being one of much controversy in the past. Well, finally someone believes to have caught the artist on film, the picture of him can be seen here.

No reliable picture has ever been taken before and the passerby who took it is familiar with Banksy’s works. He is convinced that it is him. The photograph was taken in a place called Bethnal Green and shows a man at work, painting together with an assistant, scaffolding and truck. Banksy has always taken strong steps to disguise his true identity but now evidence suggests that the man in the picture is him. In the picture that Banksy has painted, a flower on the wall made of double yellow lines which carry on from the lines on the road can be seen together with a picture of an artist next to it.

Banksy has mystified and charmed hundreds of people with his graffiti, with many works fetching hundreds of thousands of pounds at auction. Even Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been buying Banksy pieces. However, it is true that his “artwork” has always been controversial, both in content and the fact that it is unauthorised in many places. Indeed, Tower Hamlet council have decided to treat all the work as graffiti and paint it over. As a spokesman says:

“As ever, priority is given to the removal of offensive graffiti.”

Personally, whatever the consensus on the paintings is, what makes me wonder the most is whether the mystery of Banksy’s identity is itself part of what makes his works so famous - and indeed if this is the case, whether the popularity will be diminished once he is unveiled.

Rushda: Recent studies into the rapidly increasing use of mobiles has revealed that, on average, Britons send 1,000,000,000 text messages in a single week. Indeed, according to figures from the Mobile Data Association (MDA), roughly 4,000 text messages are sent every second. The total over a week is 25% more than a year ago and in fact now totals the same amount as sent in an entire year in 1999. This leaves one only to wonder what will happen in future.

When asked what accounted for the popularity of text messages, head of MDA Mike Short said:

“It’s convenient, comprehensive, it’s on every handset and network and it is cost effective.”

It is easy to forget how we used to manage without it, as text messaging has now become an integral part of many people’s lives. It really is convenient for all those things that you want to say that don’t warrant having an entire conversation. Furthermore, the study also found that text messaging is fast becoming popular in businesses as well as a way of contacting lots of employees at once. As Mr Short explains:

“It’s a lot more convenient for a business now to notify lots of their employees about an urgent message using a text message.”

The UK now “sits within the top 6 of the global league of countries sending text messages,” and it is no surprise why. We live in a fast world where constant ability to communicate is key - whether it be mass texting within companies or short notes to a friend to say you will be late. Though text messaging may not be the most elegant or romantic form of communication (espclly whn typng lik tis), no one can deny how useful it can be.

Kayleigh: Emily Nakanda has resigned from the X Factor after footage on the popular website YouTube emerged showing her beating up another teenage girl in a ‘happy slapping video.’

The news was announced on the official X Factor website this morning, after fifteen-year-old Emily was seen to be punching and swinging the girl round by her hair whilst her friend recorded the attack on her mobile phone. Not only this, but she was also shown in another video with a 6-inch knife threatening to cut out a boy’s eyes. In the video she says,

“I will cut your eyes out! Yeah! Cut you! We’re gonna cut you!”

Her mother, Louise Friberg, is said to be horrified by the videos and told press:

“As a family we are heartbroken and are very disappointed with Emily’s behaviour, we feel that there is no choice but to withdraw Emily from the competition. Emily and all the family sincerely apologise to both Anna, her school and all the fans that have supported Emily. Emily regrets her actions but there is no way, as a family, we can excuse her behaviour. Emily is very sorry to have let the show, Sharon and the viewers down.”

Emily is the youngest contestant to have ever appeared on the X Factor and was very proud to represent her age group. However, after the stories of the videos had emerged in the tabloids she thought it best to quit the show.

Sharon Osbourne, one of the judges and Emily’s mentor on the show, told the press:

“I am deeply saddened by this whole situation.”

The videos have now been taken off YouTube.

Rushda: Art enthusiasts will be excited to see that one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings, The Last Supper, has been put up on the internet at a 16 billion pixel resolution. The 15th-century artwork can now be seen here in fine detail, 1,600 times more detail than traditional 10 megapixel cameras.

The work, which is displayed in Italy’s Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and viewed by 350,000 tourists a year, can now be seen by experts on their computers as though it were mere centimetres away. The picture can be seen without all the graininess associated with zooming in on ordinary photographs. As art curator Alberto Artioli explains:

“You can see how Leonardo made the cups transparent, something you can’t ordinarily see. You can also note the state of degradation the painting is in.”

Perhaps now Da Vinci code enthusiasts will be able to analyse the painting for themselves and put their minds to rest at last - or perhaps bring to light a further conspiracy.

Virgil: Yesterday saw the release of Apple’s latest operating system, codenamed “Leopard“ and more formally known as Mac OS X Version 10.5. The sixth major release of Apple’s flagship core product, and successor to the widely acclaimed “Tiger” (Version 10.4), the £85 piece of software hopes to rival the much-slated arch enemy Windows Vista.

With over 300 improvements on its predecessors (but most of them merely enhancements and improvements on the familiar) it is understandable why veteran technology writer Walt Mossberg dubbed the operating system “evolutionary, not revolutionary.” He goes on to say:

“I believe it builds on Apple’s quality advantage over Windows. In my view, Leopard is better and faster than Vista, with a set of new features that make Macs even easier to use.”

Apple has sold 2.2 million of its desktop computers (Macs) in the last 3 months, and hopes that this new release will boost sales even further. Nik Rawlinson, editor of MacUser magazine, optimistically writes that “when Tiger was launched it earned Apple $120m very quickly and all the expectations are that sales will be double that.” Nevertheless, one Mac user interviewed at the MacLiveExpo, held in London, commented that:

“I never buy any operating system when it first comes out. I normally wait until it has been out for six months or a year. Tiger does what I need it to do right now. I’ve not seen anything in Leopard to make me want to buy it immediately.”

Whether Leopard will have what it takes to outdo rival operating system Windows Vista from Microsoft remains to be seen. Whilst the market for Macs is still far below that of desktop PCs, 99% of which come pre-installed with Windows software, the abundance of handy features that Apple’s new super-user-friendly system provides may begin to tip the balance. As Rawlinson writes:

“Vista has been quite a disappointment for many people and Leopard could be the reason many people make the switch to Macs.”

Unfortunately, if only the “switch to Macs” didn’t necessitate switching so very much more too, Apple might have more luck - but as usual they uphold a silent policy of making sure that if one thing you own is from Apple, so is everything else too.

Rushda: The winner of this year’s Man Booker prize has been announced. Surprisingly it was neither of the two favourites from the bookmakers - Ian McEwan or Lloyd Jones - but Irish author Anne Enright for her book The Gathering. The Booker prize is one of the most prestigious in literature and is awarded for the best work of fiction in English from a British author in the last twelve months. Enright has received a £50,000 reward.

The book is a melancholy look at a grieving family in Ireland. Chair of the judges Sir Howard Davies believes the book is a masterpiece as it is “powerful, uncomfortable and, at times, angry.” He says:

“The Gathering is an unflinching look at a grieving family in tough and striking language. The book is powerful, it pulls you along and it has an absolutely brilliant ending. It has one of the best last sentences of any novel I have ever read.”

Like most people, the author herself, a former television producer who’s written three novels before this one, is surprised by the winning. After all, over 90% of all wagers at the Bookies were for Ian McEwan and Lloyd Jones. Enright says:

“I am still churning it through. Tomorrow, I’ll wake up and go ‘whoopee’. I was ready for anything - possibly anything except that.”

Congratulations to the author for such a spectacular recognition for her works. No doubt I will try and get hold of a copy in the near future!

Rushda: At a time when music piracy laws are making everyone feel like a criminal for downloading free music, it is refreshing to see that there are some bands who are on the side of the public, either by offering their music for free or by allowing the listeners to pick the price at which they’d be willing to buy it. This is the case for Rainbows, the much anticipated seventh album from alternative rock group Radiohead. Fans can log on to the band’s website and download the album at a price they choose which is anything from nothing to one hundred pounds.

In this interesting experiment, Radiohead have refused to reveal to the public what the average amount is that they are receiving for the downloads at this stage. It is certainly clear that there will definitely be many freeloaders untouched by any ethical idea of paying a reasonable amount for it. However, it is also clear from the massive success of Radiohead’s previous albums (the last three of which went straight to number one) that Radiohead has a huge fan following who will go to great lengths to show how much the band’s music is worth. Not only this, but some are even paying for the music simply because they believe the idea is a good one - regardless of whether they like Radiohead or not!

Bryce Edge, one of the managers for Radiohead, says that he trusts the band’s fans and knows they will not be let down. He says:

“We’re prepared to take a risk and we might come out looking very foolish. But we believe if your music is great, then people will pay for it.”

Though I’m no Radiohead fan myself, I do admire this new liberal attitude with their music. Though, of course, it is much of a marketing strategy as it could make people more willing to pay the band, it is still quite a risk and it shows that Radiohead have that much faith in the quality of their music.