US Gun Laws: Is it Time for Change?

The US Congress voted against background checks for gun owners yesterday, despite President Obama publicly stating his views for such checks. The debate comes after a number of shootings in the US, particularly the school shooting in Connecticut that left primary school children dead. As Congress currently has a Republican majority, it is no surprise really that the result is against the motion.

Despite the decision, it appears the majority of US citizens would favour background checks for gun sales. It is of course a sensitive issue in America due to the 2^nd Amendment to the Constitution that states that US citizens have the right to bear arms.

However, what was most baffling about the decision made was that for the most part it wouldn’t impede this right. The only way an American wouldn’t be able to access a gun legally is if there was significant evidence that they would pose a threat to society at large, and surely the public would want protection from that?

From an outsiders point of view (not being American myself) it seems that there are people in the US, particularly the Republicans that are holding on too tight to the past. Is it not time to let go? The whole point of society is progression so that we can adapt to whatever comes our way and surely introducing such a law would only do this. The majority of Americans would still be able to buy a gun if this legislation was put in place. Yes the checks may take time, but in the end for most people should they choose to want a gun for self-defence their rights wouldn’t be affected.

By introducing this legislation you are protecting the weak and the vulnerable which after the shootings at the school in Connecticut along with others in the past, that’s surely who we need to be thinking about here? Such easy access to guns puts everyone in danger, with or without guns. Keeping those unfit to have weapons from arms will help make society that little bit safer. This is not the government bubble wrapping its people, this is them protecting them from what is horrific and unnecessary harm.

Obviously the 2^nd Amendment is there for a reason and to meddle in such issues is going to affect some freedom, put by limiting those people’s freedoms you are allowing for the rest of society to fulfil theirs in all aspects without fear of a violent and sometimes fatal reaction from those unfit to bear arms.

The amount of gun crime that we hear from the US is ridiculous and needless. By bringing in something as simple as background checks for gun sales you are keeping society safe from gun violence.

This legislation is the only way forward and hopefully at some point the Republican party and its supporters will see that.

Up In The Air, 30 Seconds To Mars

After a four and a half year wait, 30 Seconds to Mars have finally released a new tune. Their new single Up In The Air was sent to the international space station two weeks ago and now the people of earth can finally hear it.

The song is very much a step in a different direction for the band. After the success of their last record This Is War and their record breaking tour (over 300 shows in one album cycle) can 30STM repeat or exceed their success with the new record due out later this year?

Looking at comments on the new single it seems to have received a mixed review. The majority of fans appear to love it and are happy with the evolution of the band and the new music they're making. There are of course those who would happily have another This Is War or maybe even another A Beautiful Lie. Whatever your opinion the band seems pleased with the results.

Hear the new single below and watch an interview with Jared Leto at SXSW about the new music:






I do not own anything. These videos/audios belong to their right owners. :)

Prime Minister's Questions

So I watched Prime Minister's questions earlier today and two things stuck out for me:

1. David Cameron almost never answers the question that's actually been asked. He just tries to big-up Conservative policy anytime he can.

2. Both the coalition and the Opposition can fire attacks at each other about the economy, but all it did was make me realise that actually, neither side is going to get us out of the economic mess. Cameron spent the time saying that its a mess that the previous Labour government got us in to, whilst Ed Miliband pointed out all the flaws in the current policy. So as it turns out, as long as all of these (mainly) Eton posh boys are in the Commons, nothing is going to get sorted.

SAG Awards 2013: The winners

Award season is now in full swing after the Golden Globes two weeks ago and now the SAG awards, held last night in Los Angeles. Ben Afflick's Argo won best film award and Daniel Day Lewis won best actor for his role as Abraham Lincoln in Steven Speilberg's new film. 

The award for best actress went to Jennifer Lawrence for her role in rom-com, Silver Linings playbook and Anne Hathaway took best supporting actress for her role in the well acclaimed Les Miserables movie.

For TV it was Modern Family and Downtown Abbey that were the big winners and 87-year-old Dick Van Dyke to home the lifetime achievement award.


Full list of winners:

Movies:

Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"

Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Supporting actor: Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"

Supporting actress: Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"

Cast: "Argo"

Stunt ensemble: "Skyfall"

TELEVISION:

Actor in a movie or miniseries: Kevin Costner "Hatfields & McCoys"

Actress in a movie or miniseries: Julianne Moore, "Game Change"

Actor in a drama series: Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Actress in a drama series: Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Actress in a comedy series: Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Drama series cast: "Downton Abbey"

Comedy series cast: "Modern Family"

Stunt ensemble: "Game of Thrones"

January Exams: Yes or No?

Its New Year. Celebration and jubilation's. Or if you're a student, January exams, but for one of the last times.

As part of the educational reforms its been decided that January exams along with resits are going to be scrapped at GCSE and AS/A Level. But should January exams be scrapped?

I think not.

The problem at the moment is not that exams are too easy as I hear so often from my parents or people of the older generation in general, but that there is more opportunity to get it right. Therefore, resits should be scrapped. So why get rid of January exams too?

This is ultimately going to mean three hour exams at the end of two years, which considering its fact that our average attention span is around 20 minutes is a stupid idea. There are subjects which require an awful lot of knowledge and understanding of that subject that simply can't be crammed into one exam at the end of two years. January exams aren't whats making exams 'easy'. Its the ability to retake the exams as many times as you like as long as you pay a small fee.

Good luck to anyone taking exams this January, (if your in sixth form/college just make sure you don't have to retake the year!)

Gig venues losing tour dates

Recent figures show the number of gigs at major UK venues has dropped significantly in the past year.

The number of gigs taking place in big UK venues has almost halved in the last year according to Tixdaq.

One of the major factors causing the decline, is the opening up of new markets in South East Asia and Eastern Europe. More and more artists are flooding to these new markets, taking part in several gigs in these areas on one trip. The music festival in Manila is just one example of this new market. Bands like The Maine, This Century and The Pretty Reckless have all played at the festival this year and the bands keep going back for shows.

A problem with UK venues according to AEG Live are the size of UK venues. "It's facilities - it's as simple as that. In Murrayfield, it's 55,000 people in a city the size of Edinburgh.

"How many groups can sell 55,000? As a band or as a punter you don't want to be there with 20,000. It's miserable."

It's true bands never want to see a load of empty seats, especially those still growing as bands or artists.

One of the UK's leading rock bands, You Me At Six just played their biggest headline show ever on Saturday (8/12/12) at Wembley Arena. The reason for doing so was that it was their final night of their Sinners Never Sleep album cycle and the last that we'll hear of the band until 2014. It was this that helped the concert to sell out. Its doubtful that we'd be seeing them play a venue the size of Wembley Arena every show, despite them becoming one of the UK's biggest rock bands of the moment.

For a lot of artists it seems that they prefer to play small gigs. British rock band, Young Guns, played the Festival Republic tent and Reading and Leeds in the summer and in a number of interviews said they preferred playing to an overflowing tent than their opening set on the main stage in 2010.

The Leveson Inquiry

Lord Justice Leveson has called for a new independent body for the press after saying that “the press need to act”.

A campaign has now been launched by inquiry witnesses for MPs to implement a new body.

In his report, published on November 29^th, Lord Justice Leveson said that the press needed a new independent regulatory body that should have the power to investigate any breaches and be able to sanction newspapers. This new body should then be backed with legislation to determine whether the body is doing its job properly. This legislation would mean a legal duty put on the government to protect freedom of the press.

Newspapers that refuse to sign up this new body will be required to face direct regulation by Ofcom, the media watchdog.

The body should be independent of current journalists, the government and commercial concerns. It should also not include any current editors or MPs or other government members.

The report also suggests that a “whistle-blowing hotline” should be set up for journalists who feel under pressure to do something unethical and have journalists’ contracts include a clause protecting them if they refuse to perform unethical practises.

The report has split the coalition with Prime Minister David Cameron firmly against statutory control, whereas Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg, along with Opposition leader Ed Miliband, wants to see Lord Justice Leveson’s proposals implemented with a new law on the press.

Cameron believes that setting up such a body will only show how difficult it is to regulate in such a controversial area. Both Clegg and Miliband believe the opposite will be achieved.

 The Department for Culture, Media and Sport are currently drafting a bill that is thought to take a few weeks for it to be completed.

On Friday, the newspapers came out welcoming a new regulatory body, but supported Cameron’s opposition to the law-backed legislation, rejecting the idea of statute and involving Ofcom.

Gerry McCann, father of missing girl Madeline, has said to the BBC that, “The press has been given enough chances, and in my opinion Lord [Justice] Leveson has given them another chance to put a structure in place which they are happy with."

Actor Steve Coogan wrote in the Guardian: “By rejecting Leveson's call for statutory regulation, Cameron has hung the victims of crime out to dry. He has passed on the opportunity to make history. He has revealed there isn't an ounce of substance in his body, that he has one eye on courting the press for elections in years to come, and doesn't know the meaning of conviction.”

We wait to see the future results of the Leveson report and the effects on the press.