Is Climate Change Our Fault?

If you were to look only at what is above you would feel very worried and guilty. There are mechanisms throughout the planet that exacerbate the problem which were kicked off by humans. This shows that a small temperature rise can lead to a massive temperature rise. An example of this is the increase in temperature has caused the snow and ice over dead vegetation to melt. These plants, once they have died, release methane - this is known as permafrost

. This methane was trapped and therefore not released into the atmosphere. The snow melts and the methane is released. Methane is four times more potent than CO2  which makes it more of a threat. As the temperature rises more methane is released and this continues indefinitely. This is called a mechanism and makes it obvious why a small temperature rise can lead to global climate change.

The surface of the Earth reflects some of the Sun’s light. White surfaces reflect more light than other surfaces. The reflectivity of an object is called albedo. The seas are warming which is melting the Arctic from beneath. The Arctic is white because it is made out of ice. The reduction of the ice has lead to the global albedo being reduced. This then causes the Earth to warm up and the North Pole melts even further. Glaciers are also retreating which also reflect a lot of the sun’s light. This is occurring almost everywhere on the planet such as the Andes. The Peruvian glaciers have lost one fifth of their mass in less than 35 years. The ice turns into water and the glacial melt water goes down through valleys which may cause more floods when the river begins to meander (bend). This is because the river slows down and the excess water has nowhere to go apart from sideways. A lot of farm land would be affected and so would settlements. When the water reaches the sea the levels would rise as well. As more ice melts the higher the temperature goes.

Other factors that are not controlled by humans can account for climate change. A Serbian Scientist called Milutin Milankovitch. He stated that the Earth’s orbit around the sun was not always the same. Due to the gravitational pull of other planets over the Earth, the Earth changes its course around the sun. The amount of solar energy reaching the Earth varies according to this.

Inter-stellar dust prevents sunlight from reaching the Earth. This causes the Earth’s temperature to change or to change its normal patterns. The dust would decrease the Earth’s temperature and could cancel out the effects of global warming.

Sunspots are dark spots on the sun’s surface and they are large bursts of magnetic energy. The sunspots go up and down on an 11 year cycle. We have a cooling effect when we have large amounts of sunspot activity. In the last 10 years we have had a lot of sunspots but the Earth’s Global temperature has remained around the same. This could mean that the effects of Global warming have been balanced by sunspots.

Volcanic emissions also are a major factor in climate change. Scientists say that increased volcanism several million years ago may have lead to the downfall of the Dinosaurs. This is because volcanoes when they erupt they release soot and dust. This then could increase the atmospheric albedo. It would have to be a very large eruption and could lead to the temperatures going dramatically down. 

The Earth is on a cycle in which there are short peaks and troughs over thousands of years. The temperatures fall and rise extremely rapidly. Many factors can effect the global climate such as volcanism and the reflectivity of the Earth. A small temperature rise which may have been kicked off by humans may rapidly increase due to all these natural mechanism which give us positive feedback.

There are also natural factors on the Earth that will bring down the temperature or slow down climate change. An example of this is the forests are are getting smaller and vegetation reflect the least amount of light. As the forests disappear, they are replaced by deserts which have the highest albedo on the Earth. This may bring the temperature down therefore it is negative feedback.

Overall, humans are to blame for the initialising climate change but the other factors may exacerbate the problem. Positive feedback will drive the temperatures upwards like seen in the past. Humans have not been to blame for climate change as all the cycles have been kicked by something. This time it has been humans, other times it has been volcanoes.

How does Climate Change affect Mankind?

Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1880’s, humans have released millions of tonnes of harmful greenhouse gases. These gases are given off by factories burning fossil fuels, car emissions and agriculture. The burning of fossil fuels give off gases that allow radiation from the sun to pass through it but not to return back into space. This in turn causes the warming of the Earth. Car emissions are also a contributor to the rise in these gases. Agriculture burns rice and biomass which causes it to be the sector that releases 30% of the world’s total methane emissions. Indigenous people of the Amazon practice slash and burn which gives the soil nutrients for farming. Foreigners also do this but it is common that the fires go out of control or the use the land for too long thus depriving a region of a forest of nutrients. This leads to more CO2 emissions and less O2 being taken out of the atmosphere since trees perform photosynthesis.

Since there is more radiation trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, this makes the probability of cyclones occurring increase. This is because of the radiation heating the Earth, the air temperature near the ground increases and then the warm air rises. This condenses to form clouds which could cause more rainfall and floods. Thunderstorms increase in frequency due to the convectional rainfall.

Once the moisture of the storm evaporates, huge amounts of heated warm air are twisted in the atmosphere. This is the formation of a hurricane and is a reason why they have become more frequent in recent times. In 1980, there were 45 hurricanes, they have been on the rise and in the year 1997 there were 105 hurricanes. More cyclones would destroy homes, businesses and cause the death of many people. A recent (2005) example of a hurricane is Katrina, the main road to leave the area collapsed although there has been a mass evacuation beforehand. All sorts of power failures occurred and most importantly water was in short supply. People were trapped on their roofs and even in their houses. The official death toll was around 1,400 which is a huge amount considering it was a rich country economically (USA). This is a very worrying prospect as the countries that may suffer the most are poorer than the US such a Bangladesh and the countries around the Gulf of Mexico.

Although there is some goods news which is that the number of cyclones has decreased substantially in the past couple of years (1997-2000). They have gone down from 105 to 75 but it does seem that there is a cycle in which the number of hurricanes go up and down.

The number of natural disasters has shot up in a relatively short period in time. Climate Change has no effect on the amount of Earthquakes as this is determined by tectonics. In the years 2010 and 2011 the number of earthquakes has increased dramatically but this probably due to one earthquake causing another. This is similar to a chain-reaction or domino effect. For example the earthquake in Haiti brought the Chile earthquake closer. The earthquake in Christchurch could have contributed to the one in Japan. This has occurred because earthquakes are a release in pressure.

Floods ,on the other hand have risen recently, this may have been caused by climate change. The melting of the polar ice caps has made the sea levels rise which causes more floods especially in low countries such as Bangladesh. The North Pole is losing 150 to 250 cubic kilometres of ice annually. Bangladesh is a LIC (low income country) and relies heavily on agriculture (rice). The success of a season is down to the monsoon. Since the number of cyclones have increased more rain makes the crops rot and therefore useless. Too little rain causes the crops to die because of lack of water. If the season is a total failure not only would the people left hungry but they will not be left with any seeds for the following season. To add insult to injury the sea levels are rising and the risk of flooding is becoming more threatening. They have already experienced floods before with devastating consequences but more floods might even wipe them off the map. The Government needs to borrow money but if the natural disasters continue to occur they will not have any money to spend on improving the country’s defences and infrastructure. This is a vicious circle which seems to have no end. In a three year period (1996-1999) the floods have increased by about 60. They are also declining but this could be because it is on a cycle as well.

There is also a serious problem on the other end of the spectrum. This lack of water known as droughts. Where places are getting more water, others are receiving less. Heat waves and extreme droughts have occurred more often in places such as Southern Spain.  The young and elderly would be hit the hardest as they are more susceptible to suffer from heat waves and deprivation of water.

Humans pump out huge amounts of Carbon Dioxide which in turn reacts with the water making it become more acidic. The natural process in which the Oceans are neutralised is algae. They photosynthesise so they remove CO2 and give back O2. The ratio of oxygen in the water may be vital to some living creatures. The seas are warming and in the 125 years they have increased in temperature by around a degree Fahrenheit. This makes it harder for the algae to survive as they do not have their ideal temperature. They can go to cooler waters by going deeper but then they do not have sunlight. Less oxygen may cause species of fish to move away from their normal habitats, they may go to depths that they cannot be fished and they may even die. This could occur if their natural food died out which then would affect the food-chain entirely. Humans consume a lot of sea creatures every year and if it were to be in short supply there would be a problem with food distribution. If the algae die then the sea would become more acid. As the sea becomes more acid it becomes increasingly difficult for algae to survive.

Humans will suffer from climate change and we are not sure what will be the consequences. We should prepare to stop humans from the poorer countries from getting hit hardest by this. But we are not to worry so much as we humans are extremely adaptable and have thrived in several different environments. We have survived the last Ice Age with primitive techniques and technology.

Climate Change?

This is my presentation on climate change I hope it is useful for people who want to know more about the subject.

Top 10 Films of 2000s

This information is courtesy of IMDb. 

No. 10 WALL-E

Info
WALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL·E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future. He eventually falls in love with another robot named EVE, and follows her into outer space on an adventure that changes the destiny of both his kind and humanity

Review
Personally I hated this film but I know many people who absolutely loved it. For me, it just wasn't that engaging. But I guess that if it is good enough to come 10th then some people must like it.

No. 09 The Lives of Others

Info
The Lives of Others (German: Das Leben der Anderen) is a 2006 German drama film, marking the feature film debut of filmmaker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film involves the monitoring of the cultural scene of East Berlin by agents of the Stasi, the GDR's secret police. It stars Ulrich Mühe as Stasi Captain Gerd Wiesler, Ulrich Tukur as his chief Anton Grubitz, Sebastian Koch as the playwright Georg Dreyman, and Martina Gedeck as Dreyman's lover, a prominent actress named Christa-Maria Sieland.

Review
It's a very interesting film different from the usual, but do I think that it is good enough to be in the Top Ten. No.

No. 08 Amelie

Info
Amélie is a 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Its original French title is Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain meaning "The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain". Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story of a shy waitress, played by Audrey Tautou, who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better, while struggling with her own isolation. The film was an international co-production between companies in France and Germany.

Review
I have only watched this film in french and without subtitles. So my understanding of the film will be quite limitewd but I must say it's a bit messed up. A thing to note : this is the second foreign film on the list.

No. 07 Spirited Away

Info
Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi?, literally, The Spiriting Away of Sen and Chihiro) is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows a sullen ten-year-old girl who is in the process of moving to a new neighborhood, and chronicles her adventures in a world of spirits and monsters

Review
Well I am an anime fan myself and this is one of the best english animes I've seen. I would encourage any anime fan to see it if you haven't already.

Unrelated Note
I just want to take this moment to pay my respects to the Japanese people affected by the earthquake and tsunami, I encourage everyone to give what they can to help them.

No. 06 The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers

Info
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is the second film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy that was preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and concluded with The Return of the King (2003).

Review
So the first of the LOTR series on the list, and I can agree with that. The LOTR series is one of the few films which I can say the director and producers really tried. You can see this in the finished product.

No. 05 Memento

Info
Memento is a 2000 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan, adapted from his younger brother Jonathan's short story "Memento Mori". It stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man with anterograde amnesia which renders his brain unable to store new memories. During the opening credits, which portrays the end of the story, it is shown that Leonard kills Teddy (Joe Pantoliano). The film suggests that this killing is in vengeance for the rape and murder of his wife (Jorja Fox) based on information provided by Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss).

Review
A film by Christopher Nolan, one of my favourite directors. This is a really good film and this should be an example to all directors of what a psychological thriller should be.

No. 04 The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

Info
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2001 fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson based on the first volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955). Set in Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord Sauron, who is seeking the One Ring. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood). The fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance as Frodo and eight companions form the Fellowship of the Ring, and begin their journey to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor, the only place where the Ring can be destroyed.

Review
I am a fan of all LOTR films and they are probably the best fantasy films ever.

No. 03 City Of God

Info
City of God (Portuguese: Cidade de Deus) is a 2002 Brazilian crime film directed by Fernando Meirelles and co-directed by Kátia Lund, released in its home country in 2002 and worldwide in 2003. All the characters existed in reality. The story is based on real events. It was adapted by Bráulio Mantovani from the 1997 novel of the same name written by Paulo Lins. It depicts the growth of organized crime in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro, between the end of the '60s and the beginning of the '80s, with the closure of the film depicting the war between the drug dealer Li'l Zé and criminal Knockout Ned. The tagline is "If you running the beast catches, if you stay the beast eats."

Review
Personally I can say that I have NOT seen this film and I don't particularly want to. But I guess if it is good enough for No. 03 then it must be something good.

No. 02 The Lord Of the Rings: Return Of The King

Info
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is the concluding film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, following The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Two Towers (2002).

Review
I completely agree that this was the best of the whole series. I can't say anything else apart from; the last in the Lord Of The Rings series.

NO. 01 THE DARK KNIGHT

Info
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins. Christian Bale reprises the lead role. The film follows Bruce Wayne/Batman (Bale), District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), and Police Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and their struggles and journey in combating the new rising threat of a criminal calling himself the "Joker" (Heath Ledger).

Review
The Dark knight is probably the most EPIC film ever, apart from Inception. But the thing to note is that they are both directed by Christopher Nolan. I probably have the world record for seeing this film the most times. I do not know how many essays I have missed the deadline for because of this film. And I just want to say Heath Ledger, what an actor.

The Printed Word is in Decline!

Newspapers and Magazines are in decline due to the direct competition of the internet. A newspaper , you used to buy it to find out what was going on around the world but now the internet has changed everything. You can just walk over to your computer and search for whatever news you are interested in. This can range from sport to more serious issues such as the Arab Uprisings. The Newspaper cost money whereas when you search on the computer it is completely free. Newspapers only give you the view of one journalist but the internet allows you to read the opinions of many people through blogs and other similar innovations. The newspaper  businesses future looks bleak but they can do something to prevent their companies from going bust. They could shift the entire company  on line. All the articles  could be placed on a website and gain money through advertising.

Magazines on the other hand look a bit stronger as many of these  magazines are all about gossip. Many people love to read about things like this but  it is not safe from potential competition either. They face the same problems as newspapers but since the latter started before it might be their end. Magazines are newer than Newspapers therefore it will take longer  for a change to occur. This is simply down to human laziness and unwillingness to change!

What is Evernote?

This is a program which can be downloaded onto both mac and windows computers. It can even be found on smartphones such as iphones. It facilitates a rapid and easy way to make clear and concise notes which can range from something huge to something small. It is also free to download which makes it even more accessible to the public. The free version allows you to make over 500,000 notes and on the other the possibilities are limitless. It is extremely useful if you think of something very good or an excellent idea you can simply jot it down regardless of where you are. It is also very useful if you come across something truly inspiring. This can be a sound or an image which you can record or take a photo of respectively.

It also works like a sort of album in which you can organise your notes in any particular way you wish. These notes can be organised into different notebooks and you can even put tags on the notes as well. When you name a notebook it immediately becomes searchable and extremely easy to find. You do this by typing in keywords or titles and as if by magic the note that you intended to find appears.

This may all seem amazing stuff but I believe that it is no different to a notebook or camera. They do the same thing and are a convenient as Evernote. A phone performs these exact functions without this program or application. On the other hand, you can never lose it which is very likely with small cumbersome notepads. You can enter Evernote from any computer in the world as long as it has a decent internet connection available. You can reproduce it by printing several times and you can also send your outstanding ideas to friends, family and co-workers. I have downloaded it and it may seem very helpful but in the full week I have possessed it I have found no possible need for it. I think it is a good idea but I just don't believe it will be a successful one as it is simply mimicking the functions that other devices do already and probably to a much higher quality.

Will Facebook Continue To Reign Supreme?

All social networks are fashionable but how good the company is, is measured in time. The time that it is fashionable. Facebook has been with us since the year 2006. It soared rapidly to the peak of social technology and managed to have half a billion people on the network. They did not put advertising on it at the early stages so they had no income. When it was an officially 'cool' website Mark Zuckerburg decided to place adverts on site. Now it has one of the highest incomes of any business and the best business plan which could make it a sustainable company. It is multi-billion dollar business but will it still have this in four, two or even one year.

As I have mentioned before all these successes are for a period of time. Before Facebook there was something My-space. This was popular but since the arrival of the Facebook it has been completely erased as the leading social network. The question on every person's mind is will there be a network capable of challenging Facebook and eventually replace it.

The only way to achieve this is by improving some of the controversial topics surrounding Facebook such as privacy settings. They would also need a 'cool' and catchy name for the network. The only way to succeed is to think big but all companies have to start small. Facebook started in a University in America and expanded rapidly. Once you have one person saying it is 'cool' millions will follow.

If Facebook want to still be the leading power in this type of business they must get rid of the problems that fly over them at once. They must re-invent themselves and give the public something new that will capture their imagination.

After a long eight year reign over a billion computer screens the Facebook era could reach its end in the near future!

Is Wikileaks a force for good?

Wikileaks was created in the year 2006 by Julian Assange.  It publishes secret or classified or private  information. It receives it through anonymous news sources and leaks. It works under the slogan 'We open Governments' and at first it was possible to edit it whoever you are. Now it has become a bit more traditional as only selected writers can publish any articles. It now is surrounded by controversy and cold blooded people control it.

Many people will say that they want to know what their governments and politicians are up to after all they did elect them into this position. This occurred in Britain with the expenses scandal. Members of Parliament were claiming expenses to which they were not entitled to. There were some ridiculous cases where a person had claimed a large amount of money to build a moat around his duck house. 

The Government repaid everything immediately and the situation was done and dusted which is the positive side of Wikileaks and things like it can do.

 On the other hand, in Tunisia, a small amount of corruption was uncovered and this sent the country into a revolution. The president had to flee the country and many people were killed in riots and police trying to defend their positions. Many lives were lost and I believe that it is not worth to send people to their peril just to expose corruption. Even worse Egypt is in a revolution of its own which has been a knock on effect from Tunisia. More people have been killed and another so-called democracy is overthrown. 

I also believe that with no government these countries will be influenced by crime and terrorist organizations will shelter in these places. This will place the West in danger and even further loss of life will occur. Wikileaks has inadvertently set off a chain reaction which will in the end hit them the hardest.

Wikileaks hacks into people privacy and will expose whatever they find there. I believe that a person's private conversation and life should be respected and kept private. Nobody wants their private facts to be released as it can be highly embarrassing and stain that person career forever. This could prevent him from getting a job and could even end up in suicide.

What do you know about E-books?

The largest E-reader manufacturing country is China and the company that produces the most of these items is called Hanwang. There are 41 E-reader manufacturers in China and 3 in Hong Kong. The founder and chairman of Hanwang , Liu Yingjian, models his business on Apple's iPad. His company will share a 20/80 with the publishers. Hanwang is not part of Amazon and unlike Amazon the Hanwang book city (online library) mostly has public domain books. This means that the books do not have copyright over them meaning they do not ask for consent for selling books to customers. 

Hanwang has recently experienced a good relationship with lots of the popular Chinese Newspapers. They allow their customers to read newspapers and magazines. This is very popular amongst the users as they do not even need to get out of bed to get a Newspaper or a journal. Although, all is not well as three major publishing groups have made a stand against this powerful company. They are trying to promote their own e-reading devices which are attempting to compete with Hanwang.

In 2009, Hanwang sold 270,000 E-books and some estimated that sales would reach the 3 million mark. Many thought that these people were mad and that this business would not thrive. They were wrong as the total amounts sold surpassed this massively. 

Everything you need to know about 'Fair Use'

A doctrine in the United States Copyright Law is called 'Fair Use'. This states that a person has limited access and use to material regardless of him acquiring permission from the right holder. Examples of this is when teaching or studying as extra knowledge is always helpful and desirable. This is supposed to provide a balance between taking other people's creations and creating with their creations. Like most laws people are unclear about it and many would appreciate a concise answer to what 'Fair Use' is. It is described as a shadowy territory whose boundaries are disputed. This law existed before computers but now with cyberspace, the governments and their laws have not kept up with modernization. This causes many young people to be avoiding the law on a everyday basis. All this aside we must learn to understand this and also rely upon it if we are the creators. Thousands want common sense to prevail but it seems less likely as the people who are Presidents or Prime Ministers are part of the previous generation. They grew up without computers and were unable to create in the same way we do. Years ago, before televisions and modern technology, it was a Read Write (RW) culture. The generation of are parents did not have this integrated into their society but know everybody has tools to create and the difference is they know how to use them in a way that has changed the world extremely rapidly. 

Before you throw your hand in the air and say what is the point, you must realize that this is the law and people have sued and will continue to sue individuals. This has occurred many a time on sites such as a YouTube which I'm sure you know of videos that had to be taken down because of copyright issues. But to every law there are exceptions and for example common sense has been employed in the Library area.

Research has found that the key goals of teaching media literacy were compromised of unnecessary copyright restrictions and lack of understanding about copyright law. Fair use, provides broad protection for people working in education. However, due to our lack of knowledge and understanding about the law’s protections, their ability to share, teach, and have students produce media-rich texts was severely frowned upon. Not only that, but the researchers found that teachers’ lack of knowledge was passed on to students as well as colleagues, perpetuating “copyright folklore” that often sees the law as much more restrictive than it is. 

The problem is not the law itself but the understanding of the law. If one person doesn't understand the law properly then he or she passes on incorrect information about it to their friends and families. This is why many schools and public organisations have the wrong idea about fair use and just do not condone any 'plagiarism', I know I have definitely seen and had problems with teachers over such issues. If you are wanting to take and use information created by others think of three questions.

What is the character of the Use?

Nonprofit, educational and personal are all good reasons for fair use but commercial reasons would tip the scales considerably as there you would be taking advantage of other people hard work for economic reasons. Then in the case of movies and music, I see parodies, criticizing and reporting as fair but all of these would be 'unfair' for the copyright order if these were to have an economic impact on the secondary creator. I believe that if we do not take other peoples' ideas and expand and improve them then we will never advance as a society or in a technological aspect as well. An obvious example of this is Computers, they started of as huge things which had to be in air-conditioned rooms. Now we have tiny laptops that have touch screens in addition to all the other cool gadgets. All the items found here are things that have been improves gradually over time thus allowing an advance throughout the entire planet.

How much of the work will you use?

More than a small amount would favour asking for permission but a small amount of information would be suitable. A classic example of this is when a teacher copy and pastes something from the site for an educational purpose which will help their pupils.

If this kind of use was widespread, what effect would this have on the market for the original or for permissions?

This is apparent in the film market and music one as well. If people continue to copy the creativity of other through piracy nobody would ever create anything new as it would not be profitable and would not give him or her the same sense of satisfaction, it would give them the opposite a sense of injustice. This is obviously not 'fair use' and rightly it is not condoned by governments and the film and music industry. This is the most important question which you should confront yourself with when you are in front of the Computer screen.

Fair Use is a good law but has been misinterpreted by millions thus causing even more widespread confusion. The two extremes or arguments are counterproductive as if you do not allow fair use at all nothing amazing or improved would be created. This would make the world boring and lifeless but on the other hand in a world where you could take anybodies work with no consequences you would see a similar result. Since there is no motive to create as at once people would take it for themselves.

Why was Bullfighting banned in Catalonia?

The matador walks onto the arena, wearing his brilliant costume. Outwardly dazzling, in his heart he musters the courage to fight a fierce, ferocious, feisty beast and defeat it in noble combat. Firstly he must confront his fears and allow the bull to approach him. They will dance together in a centuries old ritual. The crowd will applaud skill, accuracy and elegance and praise the matador’s heroics. Here man and beast become one but only one will be victorious. Only one will return boasting victory. The other will be remembered and given his rightful place in history.

This spectacle will never be seen again in Catalonia’s bullrings, which for centuries have been packed to the rafters. No longer will the matador receive applause and admiration from the crowd in the colourful stands of ‘La Monumental Barcelona’. The orange sands of the bullrings will witness the glorious festival no more. I have been there myself, sensed the drama and become engrossed in the atmosphere for the last time.

Why? Bluntly, Politics! The Catalan Government voted 68 to 55 on the 28^th of July 2011 in favour of banning this outstanding sport. Catalans who oppose bullfighting say that the battle itself is a sham. The bull is lost, confused and tamed, resulting in him being unable to injure a fly let alone a grown man. They say that they do not enjoy watching a harmless animal being tortured mercilessly. The families of dead or severely injured matadors would disagree. A 'corrida' is a fair fight where the bull has its sharp, strong and sturdy horns ready to impale anything in its path. The matador has ‘banderillas’ and a sword to keep the wild yet noble beast at bay. It is a historic ritual between man and beast and not the slaughter of an innocent animal which has no defence whatsoever.

Is banning bullfights what the Catalonian people want? Apparently not. Politicians should represent the people’s views yet the last ever ‘corrida’ in Barcelona was packed with supporters of the traditional sport. Over twenty thousand anxious admirers arrived to watch the calm, precise and thrilling display of the top Spanish matadors: Jose Tomas, Juan Mora and Serafin Marin. Thousands more fans were unable to attend since it was a full house, and organisers said that they had never had so many people wanting to go to a bullfight. This shows that there are strong foundations for the spectacle: a bullring is not simply an empty stadium where farm animals are butchered.

So why has the ban been put into place? One reason: the power of celebrities. I believe the Government would have done nothing about bullfighting and nor would have the Catalans if famous stars had not become involved. Ricky Gervais and Pamela Anderson both petitioned the Catalan Parliament to ban Spain’s most emblematic symbol and with big names came big support. Gervais and Anderson had never been to a bullfight and knew little about the sport. Suddenly they saw themselves as having the right to change the heritage of a country, the language of which they could not even speak.

They did it in the name of ‘animal rights’ yet Gervais is not a vegetarian: as a meat-eater he condones the existence of butchery and the meat-processing trade which provide far more horrific and squalid conditions for the animals than bullfighting. Before the fight the Iberian Bulls would have lived three years of being treated like Gods as they were being prepared for their glorious and great moment. When the time comes where they must enter the bullring they have the best possible chance of victory. They are not tortured or blinded beforehand or given any sort of handicap. If the bull fights valiantly and with honour it might not even be killed. It can be spared and then it spends the rest of its days simply fertilising eggs for new bulls to be born. This is the life of despicable, revolting and barbarous cruelty Gervais and Anderson have criticised for breaching ‘animal rights’.

This selective breeding is crucial since the genes of the most successful bulls are the most likely to produce great bulls in the future. Bulls are constantly improving in size, power and bravery and the matadors must match them showing that this is not simply a fight between two fantastic creatures but an arms race of two different species. Moreover the Iberian Bull owes its very existence to bullfighting and if they were to become wild they would not know how to find food for themselves. On top of that the risks of releasing such ferocious creatures back into the wild would be enormous. Casualties among the country dwellers who encounter them could be high. This therefore proves the idea of banning bullfighting in the way these animal rights group suggest is completely unfeasible. The Animal Rights arguments don’t make sense. So what’s the real reason for the ban?

The real reason is that in Catalonia, politicians have tried to distance themselves as far as possible from anything remotely to do with Spain. They want independence, arguing that their culture and origins have no affiliation with that of the Spanish. This pursuit of independence has led to the Catalans trying to remove anything which is associated with Spain. Bullfighting was clearly one of the most obvious targets and so the Catalan Parliament passed its petition for the banning of a sport that started in Crete around 2000BC. The link between Spain and bullfighting and the attempts to destroy the connection between Spain and Catalonia were ultimately what led to this. When the petition was passed, in their eyes, it was the start of their ‘freedom’.

Is there really a case for Catalonian separatism? The movement dates back to the 1930s when the Spanish Civil War began. Catalonia was a communist stronghold and since the far right won the war Catalonians have had a hatred and distrust of the Spanish Government ever since. Franco also wished to outlaw the Catalan language as well.

However this 'grudge' is no longer applicable as the Government has changed. It is time to move on. Franco’s hated fascist regime, which sought to ban Catalan, is long gone. Just as contemporary Germany has moved on from its NAZI legacy, so Spain must leave the Civil War behind.

Moreover if banning bullfighting is about detaching Spain from Catalonia, then surely other fragments of Spanish Culture should be eliminated as well. Picasso was Spanish and yet in Barcelona there is a museum dedicated to him. The museum receives millions of tourists and in this instance the Catalans have decided to label Picasso’s works as part of their culture and history. This is a clear case of hypocrisy to do with only one thing; money.

But why if the Catalans are worried about money, especially in such harsh economic times, would they ban bullfighting? Moreover according to some estimates produced by campaigners against the banning of the beautiful sport, it created 300 million Euros for the Catalonian economy.  But the politicians believe the ban will bring many more tourists to their region, because Catalonia will be seen as more advanced than Spain and responsible for banishing the ‘horrific, degrading and sickening’ murder of a defenceless, harmless and innocuous animal. In addition the people that earn the majority of the revenue from these ‘corridas’ are seen as Spanish and the general belief is that the cash benefits the Spanish economy rather than the Catalonian one.

In places like Seville and Madrid you will not find a single person who is against bullfighting. It is intrinsic to their culture and a symbolic festival. People turn up to the bullrings with fantastic, elegant clothes and marvellous hats just as British people do at Royal Ascot. These are times of celebration and prestige. The Stadium begins to fill. The crowd sit and wait. The matador appears waving his courageous hand. Then the doors open. The beast emerges from the shadows. He runs towards the matador with all its might and power. Ole! Ole! Ole! The matador thrusts his ‘banderilla’ into his back. Ole! Ole! Ole! Minutes go by. The music begins signalling the final, mysterious act. The Matador throws away the red cape. The bull steadies himself. The matador shows no signs of fear. The bull suddenly lunges itself towards him. Two tonnes of muscle are about to strike him. He pulls out his sword. Plunges into the beast’s heart. It collapses and the matador has won.

It is far more than just a killing; it is a celebration of culture, religion and the progression of man. Surely a two tonne giant would annihilate a small, insignificant, featherweight of a person? The matador musters courage and uses skill, intelligence and agility to out-manoeuvre a frightful beast that would paralyse any man with simply its presence. It is a sport of bravery and those who cannot understand these values which we, as honourable and respectable people, hold dear in our hearts are not able to enjoy the spectacle. The crowd do not jeer at the sight of blood but applaud the matador for how cleanly, precisely and rapidly he inserts the blades and how close he allows the bull to get to his body whilst being in utter control.

The Catalans did not ban the ancient sport in order to uphold ‘animal rights’. The Catalans did it for political reasons and their long lust to be separated from the splendid country that is Spain. It is a huge pity that this historic part of Spain is so ashamed of its wonderful, intriguing and dazzling heritage. This magnificent sport will never cast its ray of beauty on Catalan soil. The masculine matadors will never set foot on the orange sands and the glorious sound of ‘Ole’ will become faint in the memory.

Hinkley Nuclear Power Plant: Solution or Disaster

There are those that have called the Government plans of expanding the nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point, Somerset, as foolish. It has potentially devastating consequences as shown with the Chernobyl and Fukushima  meltdowns. They made the surrounding area unlivable for lifetimes. Moreover there is the more practical problem of disposing of nuclear waste which could contaminate the environment if not disposed of properly. Conservationists see it as a backward step for the British Environmental Policy.

From a pragmatic view, some see the foreign owners (EDF Energy and Chinese investors) of the plant as Britain losing dominance and financial capability to even meet its own energy needs. There is also an underlying distrust of foreign ownership which cannot be easily explained. In addition, a nuclear plant has not been built for about 50 years and some are calling it an out-dated technology.

However, the 'strike price' of double the current price of electricity has caused by far the most outrage. This is surely a dangerous move on the Government's behalf guaranteeing high energy prices for the consumer or taxpayers money being diverted to the subsidy. Is this actually the case? Did the Government get a bad deal?

The environmental issues will never go away but regulations and technology have improved drastically since the days of Chernobyl. Moreover, it is worth reminding that it took both an earthquake and a tidal wave to cause only a partial meltdown at the Fukushima Plant in Japan. Hinkley Point will be much less at risk from these natural events since it is in the UK so meltdown concerns should be minimal.

Foreign investment could prove a masterstroke as the Government is building a plant for nothing therefore not increasing debt yet stimulating the economy through the creation of jobs (estimated at around 30,000). Even though there have been no new nuclear plants over the past decade it cannot be said it is out-dated. It is one of the most efficient and sustainable energy sources in the world. The 'strike price' does not deserve the stick it is getting shown by four of the 'Big Six' energy companies already raising their prices by about 10pc. The plant will be fully operational by around 2023 and if prices rise at the rates they are now this plant will guarantee a cheap source of energy for the UK. The expansion of Hinkley Point will lead to it producing about 7pc of the UK energy demand.

People will always be skeptical of a previously disastrous projects and high prices. However, in 10 years, this may be looked back on as the first step to achieving energy self-sustainability.

UK Universities: Value for Money?

Value for money is a pressing issue for me – and anyone thinking about university.

Tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year, expensive accommodation and lost wages are only some of the costs to consider.

Moreover, the emphasis has shifted from teaching to independent study and research. I find this a lazy attitude as universities should take an active role in their students' learning, especially when the costs are so high. 

I will apply to university next year. My choice of university primarily depends on the courses they offer, since it will be easier to succeed if I enjoy the subject.

The course should be engaging, challenging and flexible. There must also be an adequate complaint system in place that compensates me if I feel short-changed. Many students are experiencing this, as shown by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator receiving record numbers of complaints last year.

Fees are a secondary concern for me, as getting a degree will probably get me better jobs and higher wages. Graduates, according to the Office for National Statistics, will earn on average £12,000 more a year than non-graduates. But a degree does not guarantee a job, and I may in five years' time be unemployed and weighed down by £27,000 in debts. Then, I might not be so dismissive of the fees.