Peace Gig

On Saturday, I was at the best gig of my life so far. I went to see my current favourite band, Peace, at Glasgow's QMU. The venue itself wasn't the best, and it would've been better at the Arches (Rest in Peace) but that didn't take away from Peace's ability to put on a brilliant gig.

My friend and I managed to get right at the front, at the left hand side. The first support band was called Yak, and their music was wild and noisy, still good though. Then after Yak went off, Splashh came on, I already liked Splashh before this, so I knew a lot of the songs. They were excellent, and I met them at the end of the night.

Splashh came off and everyone was getting excited as it was only a matter off time until Peace came on. Someone spotted Sam through a gap in the curtains that were covering the backstage area and the crowd quickly noticed and became even more excited. Then the band came on and broke into "O You". Lead singer Harry Koisser was wearing tartan trousers - suitable for where he was playing!

The setlist was one of the best, and it included 'Bloodshake', '1998' which was phenomenal live, 'Wraith' and 'Follow Baby'. The band also played a few acoustic songs, which was something they'd never done on tour before. The final song was 'World Pleasure' and it finished with the legendary bass solo from Sam Koisser. The audience chanted 'SAM SAM SAM SAM'  as he flawlessly played the solo, creating the perfect finish for the gig.

After the gig, many lucky fans (not including me sadly) met the members.

Overall, it was an AMAZING gig and I'm saddened that I now have to wait a long time to see them again!

Florence + The Machine Concert

On Monday (the 14th) I went to the best concert of my entire life so far - Florence + the Machine. It was at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow & I had been waiting to see this band since I was 12, and they are important to me. The gig was unforgettable, and I wish I could go back to it.

The support act was a band of three sisters called the Staves, who were excellent. They have an album out & everyone should go check it out!
But the moment that Florence came on was a heavenly one. The other members of the band, or the 'machine' came onstage, and my love for them came flooding back. Rob, the guitar player was wearing a white shirt and black jacket and he just looked the the coolest guy ever. Then Isa, the pianist and Flo's best friend came on. Then came Tom the harpist, Mark the Bassist and Chris the Drummer. Then Florence came on the crowd cheered and screamed as their idol was standing metres away from them. The band opened with 'What the Water gave me' which is one my favourite songs.

The thing I love the most about Florence is her happy & carefree attitude, not to mention her voice. But I love how she is herself all the time and she seems like the kind of person everyone would want to have as a friend.
When she played 'Rabbit Heart', she got the whole crowd (even those who were sitting) up on their feet and dancing. It was an amazing moment. Then she climbed up on the barriers in front of the crowd for those who were lucky enough to be in the front row. I was in the 6th row, but it was still really close to the front.

In the concert she played many songs from her new album such as 'Ship to Wreck' and 'Delilah' but she also played her classics. When she played 'Dog Days are Over' the crowd went mental, and it was a really amazing atmosphere. She went of for five minutes & the crowd began chanting for her to come back on and do some more songs. So they all came back on and played 'What Kind of Man' from the new album. Hearing Rob's guitar in this live was something I'll never forget and the crowd was one of the best concert crowds I've been in. This was truly an unforgettable night & to everyone who is still to see her - you're gonna LOVE it!

Labour Leadership Results

As you all probably know already, the new Labour leader has been announced, and it is Jeremy Corbyn.

Personally, I wanted Andy Burnham to get it, but I put Corbyn as my 2nd choice. I know that many people aren't happy with the results, but we need to unite as a party. Jeremy has some very good policies, and with a strong cabinet and good advisers, we could see Labour gain more seats in 2020 - to possibly even lead to a victory. I am going to positive and professional about the results, as this is what the party decided, and we cant change that. So instead of fighting, Labour need to stand together and help Jeremy lead the party.

Policies
Jeremy's policies are often described as pretty 'radical' and by others, 'the best that Labour have seen in a long time'. Here are a few of them;

• Have the UK leave NATO
• Scrap Trident
• Avoid bombing Syria
• End Austerity
• Consider bringing in a 'maximum wage'
• Tackle the issue of large companies avoiding tax
• Create a National Education service
• Scrap Tuition fees
• Renationalise the energy sector
• Introduce rent controls in places like Central London
• Protect the BBC from further cuts
• Remove any element of NHS privatisation
• Supports the idea of Northern Ireland leaving the UK and joining the Republic

You may or may not agree with those policies, but being an active member of the party can mean that Jeremy is able to implement the policies you want. So we should unite as a party, and take out the Tories in 2020.

My Manifesto

My Modern Studies class is doing a mock election, so I have written a manifesto of my main policies. Here it is!

Introduction

Britain needs changed. The Tories have ruined this country for the poor, and we need to do something about that. We can’t have another Tory government. Or the gap between the rich and poor will continue to extend.

I believe every person, regardless of background, should have an equal opportunity in life. I believe that Britain needs to work as a team, to create a strong and successful economy.

I believe I am the best candidate for Prime Minister because I have the public’s interest at heart, not mine. I am the best candidate because I can deliver this change that we need.

Gone are the days where we are all competing against each other. Here come the days where we are competing with each other.

 Economy

This country cannot hold up under a Conservative Government. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing at a dangerous momentum. Britain needs a fair and balanced system, and a successful economy

Create a fairer and more balanced tax system

Currently the tax percentage for the highest tax bracket is 45% and the percentage for the lowest tax bracket is 20%. This is unfair and unbalanced. I, as Prime Minister, would change the tax percentages to this.

£0 to £31,785 = 15%

People with the standard Personal Allowance start paying this rate on income over £10,600

£31,785 to £90,585 = 20%

£90,585 to £150,000 = 40%

£150,000+ = 50%

Implement a Land Value Tax

This means that those with a large amount of uncultivated land to their home would be taxed. The tax 5% extra tax would be added to their income tax. This will help lower the deficit, and prevent austerity.

Implement a charity Tax

This would be a 3% extra tax on those earning over £35,000. The money collected from this tax would go towards aid in the country and abroad. We would be sure to let taxpayers know exactly where their money would be going. The tax is optional for those earning under said amount.

Scrap the Bedroom Tax

The bedroom tax is shocking and unfair, and puts people in poverty into even more debt. It needs to be removed.

Increase the Minimum wage

The Minimum wages currently sit at this

Year	21 and over	18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice*
2015 (from 1 October)	£6.70	£5.30	£3.87	£3.30
2014 (current rate)	£6.50	£5.13	£3.79	£2.73

This in unfair, and allows companies to exploit young workers. The Minimum wage needs to be balanced out to create fair living standards. Here are our Minimum wages.

Year	21 and over	18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice*
2015 (from 1 October)	£9.00	£9.00	£8.50	£6.70
2014 (current rate)	£6.50	£5.13	£3.79	£2.73

Increase Public Spending.

I will make this clear, I am very anti-austerity. Austerity allows the government to make unnecessary cuts to things that everyone relies on, such as the NHS and Transport services. As prime minister, our cuts will be small and will only be implemented in the case where we have no other choice. Money will come from raised tax and the successful economy we will create.

Give out free business start-up packages

With Grants of up to £10,000. We want small businesses to flourish in the country.

Make sure every unemployed person gets into work

In order for our country to succeed, we need everyone paying their equal part. We will build more centres to help unemployed young people get help and get a job. We will work with schools to make sure every child is getting a fair education, and knows where they can go to get a job. We will create thousands more jobs across the country, to help get everyone into work.

Offer an apprenticeship to anyone who wants one

Many people do not have the skills and capability to cope with higher education. But these people are just as valid as everyone else. We will make businesses open up apprenticeships, to create more opportunities across the country.

Make it compulsory to pay interns

We will make in law to pay interns. The minimum wage for an intern under our government will be £4.50 per hour.

Education

The standard of education is something that also could be improved. The Conservative government has made it increasingly difficult for those from a low-income background. The curriculum across schools needs to be modernised and changed to help every child have an equal opportunity in life.

Scrap the Exam System

Schools are turning pupils into exam machines, spoon feeding them information and bringing down stressful deadlines. Learning shouldn’t be stressful for anyone. Schools need to have a good balance of learning and skill development. Under our education methods, schools would do smaller tests throughout the year, and teachers would record a pupil’s progress throughout the year. Their final grade would be a reflection of their progress and ability to continue up into university.

Increase teacher’s salaries

Because the above methods would cause a teacher to have to do more work and possibly work longer hours, we will be fair and increase their salary. The average teaching salary can fall anywhere between £19,468 and £42,291. This can also fluctuate depending on the subject the teacher teaches. We will change this so that every teacher is earning at least £30,000. 

Make school travel free

It’s not fair that those who have to rely on bus travel to get to school have to pay every day. The cost may be small, but it all adds up for families who have smaller incomes. We will make all school travel free (unless you choose to send your child to a school that is not in your catchment area)

Compulsory lessons on voting

Something I would definitely do would be lower the voting age to 16. This means we will have to make sure every 16 and 17 year old is capable of making an informed decision. We will create compulsory workshops in school where pupils will learn about how to understand polices, how to vote, and how to make an informed decision.

Scrap, or definitely lower tuition fees

I have a strong goal for this. By 2020, I want the average tuition fee to be sitting at £4000, not £6000. By 2025 I want the figure to be down at £2000 and in 2030, I want the figure to be £0. We want Britain working as a team, and it’s not fair that we charge students ridiculous amounts of money to educate them. Tuition fees put capable students off going to university, and this will change if I am prime minister

Re-introduce grants

Whilst we are lowering the tuition fees, we will re-introduce grants. These will help students from a poorer background afford to get the education they need to get on in life. It’s not fair that someone can be more successful simply because of the money behind their family’s name. This will change, and we will bring back the grants that the Tories unfairly removed.

Domestic Policy

I would make changes to the basic workings of our country, in order for us to be a successful and united nation. Here are some of the things I’d do

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Being Scottish myself, Scotland is very important to me. But I believe in unity, so I would keep Scotland part of the UK. Under my government, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would have more devolved powers so they could control their own taxes. I would assure that they are all getting a voice in Westminster, so they can help decide what’s best for them.

Non-Dom Status

It is completely unfair that individuals who have this can avoid tax. If we want to be a successful country, I will abolish Non-Dom Status.

Renationalise the Railways

Private railways hasn’t helped one bit. As prime minister I will renationalise the railways, and make travel fair for everyone.

Equalities

I am a strong strong believer in equality of the sexes, equality of race, equality of religion, equality of class and equality of sexuality. We are all different, and instead of ignoring that difference, we should embrace.

Amplify minority voices

Gone are the days where straight white cis men do all the talking. I will have a government where every demographic will have a fair and amplified voice.

Teacher Children about Gender Identity and Sexuality

We will implement education about gender identity and sexuality so that children can discover who they are, and won’t feel uncomfortable. We will destroy heteronormativity and cisnormativity so that children who are LGBT won’t feel invalid or unhappy. We will work with parents and other pupils to assure that LGBT children are happy and healthy, along with their non-LGBT peers. This education will also promote tolerance and help bring down LGBT-phobic bullying.

Focus on Tolerance

Make sure children are taught about being tolerant and respectful to other races and religions. There is too much racist bullying found amongst young people today, and this needs to change. I will make sure that children are learning about this in school.

Abolish the Wage Gap

Currently, women and people from BAME (Black and Minority ethnic) background are paid less that men and white people. This is shocking, sexist and racist. I will clamp down on wage gaps and make sure companies are paying their employees equally.

Work with Mosques to help prevent religious extremism

If we want to stop ISIS and other terrorist groups who claim to be Muslim from radicalising young Muslims, then we will work with Mosques across the country to stop this. We will also make sure everyone knows that Islam is a peaceful religion, and this will help to prevent islamophobia – a huge issue today

Make sure schools accept their transgender pupils

Allow pupils themselves to change their names on the register without parental consent. Many transgender children don’t want to come out to their parents, and we shouldn’t pressurise them to do so. I would make it illegal for a teacher or member of staff in a school to deliberately use a transgender child’s birth name.

Make sure every LGBT child can come out safely

Coming out is a huge thing for an LGBT child. We want to make sure that every child has an adult who they can get advice for. We will also make it illegal for parents and family members to deliberately use their transgender child’s birth name. We will assure that LGBT children are protected from harm, regardless of their family’s views.

Defence

As UK citizens, we want to be same from harm. But we want a moral approach to this. I am anti-war, and will only allow it when it is justified.

Scrap Trident

I want a nuclear free world. And getting rid of our nuclear arms will help achieve this. It sickens me that we put the burden of Trident onto Scotland when we will never use it. Nuclear weaponry is completely unnecessary. Not to mention the fact that it costs the country £2.4billion to service it every year. This money could be used for public spending instead.

Commit to spend more money on anti-terrorist defence and improve our strategies

Everybody is aware of the danger that Britain faces – attacks similar to the 7/7 bombings could happen to us any day. That’s why we need to update our anti-terrorist strategies. Our defence budget should be focused on our country, rather than focusing on sending air strikes to the Middle East.

A smarter, more organised and humane way to stop ISIS

ISIS are an absolutely beyond disgusting group, and we are going to continue our attempts to put a stop to them. Drone Strikes are unreliable – they can cause the death of civilians and fail to hit targets. We need a more precise strategy, so we can take out the particular members of ISIS, who have the plans. If we take out these people, the group will have no motive, making it easier for the groups fighting against them to stop the group.

Health

The NHS helps over 1 million patients every 36 hours. It is a service that the majority of the country rely on. Look at America, they don’t have free healthcare and those who can’t afford to pay health insurance end up in huge debt. We can’t let the NHS be privatised. We absolutely can’t and we absolutely won’t.

Employ more Nurses and Doctors

Nurses and Doctors are some of the most important working people in our country, and we need to assure that there are enough. We will encourage more young people to get into medicine and nursing, through schools. We will put a stop to NHS cuts, which can lead to unfair redundancies. We will increase our arsenal of hospital staff, so we can make sure every person has easy access to healthcare

Bring Social Care into the NHS
It is wrong that we make those who need social care pay for it. We need to support these people, and that’s why I want Social Care brought into the NHS. By 2020, I want the cost of Social Care for everyone cut in half. By 2025, I want Social Care to be included in the NHS. This will happen under my government.

Commit to spending more money on Cancer Treatment research

In 2012, 161823 people died of cancer. This is a shocking and unacceptable statistic. Charities such as Cancer Research are working so hard to bring this number down. If I am prime minister, I will spend an extra 1 billion per year on Cancer Research. Together, we can stop cancer from taking the lives of thousands of our people.

24/7 GP access

This is something that needs to be done. We will make sure that everyone has 24/7 GP access under my government. To achieve this by 2020, we will train Doctors and GP staff to work nightshifts.

Commit to spend more on Mental Health Support

Those suffering from a mental illness are just as valid and important as someone suffering from a physical illness. We will invest millions into suicide prevention services. We will increase the number of high standard psychiatrists in the NHS. We will work with schools to make sure children who are susceptible to mental health issues are able to get the support they deserve.

 Foreign Policy

Britain needs to have a good relationship with all of the other countries across the globe. To do this, we need a strong foreign policy.

Commit to spending more money on foreign aid

There are too many humanitarian issues across the globe and this needs to be stopped. Along with our Charity Tax, we will increase our foreign aid spending, to help support charities such as UNICEF and Save the Children, who are crucial in this world today.

Keep Britain in the EU, but encourage change in the EU Laws

Being part of the EU is a very good thing for Britain. It allows us to easily work with our neighbours to help solve issues in the world. It allows to easily financially support each other. But the EU need to make sure every EU country is getting a fair voice, and I would campaign for this.

Allow refugees to live in Britain

As Prime Minister, I will give full support to people coming here fleeing conflict and extreme poverty. We will allow a large but feasible number of refugees to live in the UK. We will help provide education for them to build their skills, in order for them to get a job and start life here in Britain. We also need to work with the EU to make sure every refugee has a safe place to live. We will construct safe places for refugees to stay in North Africa, whilst we make sure they are able to get a good life in Britain and other EU countries.

Environment

The shocking truth is that we are slowly destroying our environment. We need to stop this, and these policies will help this.

Commit to spending more money on finding a renewables source of energy

We will spend £2billion per year to help projects who are searching for renewable energy through wind and wave. This is a crucial part in preventing global warming, and we will play crucial part.

Spend millions on the construction of wind turbines

Many people dislike wind turbines, and argue that they are an ‘eyesore’. I disagree with this, and I will strongly encourage these opinions to change. It costs £2.7 million to build an effective wind turbine, and by 2020, I want to have constructed 10,000 extra wind turbines.

Ensure the protection of our natural habitats

We want to make sure that Britain’s wildlife are safe and protected. To this, we will put more money into organisations such as the RSPB. We will work with local councils and encourage the public to get involved in the conservation of British Wildlife.

Prohibit Fracking

Fracking is an extremely dangerous and unreliable source of energy. There are many risks to fracking. Up to 600 chemicals are used in fracking fluid, including known carcinogens and toxins such as Lead, Uranium, Mercury, Hydrochloric Acid and Methanol. 72 trillion gallons of water and 360 billion gallons of chemicals are needed to run our current gas wells. During the process, methane gas and toxic chemicals leach out from the system and contaminate nearby groundwater. Methane concentrations are 17x higher in drinking-water wells near fracturing sites than in normal wells. There have been over 1,000 documented cases of water contamination next to areas of gas drilling as well as cases of sensory, respiratory, and neurological damage due to ingested contaminated water. So we would immediately put a ban on fracking. (Information above from http://www.dangersoffracking.com)

Increase the number of green spaces across the country

We will increase the number of safe parks and nature reserves in Britain, so families can have more places to have days out in. We will also spend more on building allotments, which will lower the allotment waiting lists. This will allow families without gardens to grow their own produce.

Safe Communities

It’s our job as a government to assure the safety of every individual in the UK. We will implement these changes to help assure this.

A fairer justice system

We will revamp the justice system, so that criminals will receive the punishments they deserve. We will make sure that courts are working effectively with frequent inspections.

Make jail more of a punishment, but continue to help jailed criminals rehabilitate and change

Jail is a punishment, so it should feel like one. We will make sure that prison inmates are aware of how wrong their crimes were, and we will make sure prison staff are working with the inmates and encouraging them to change their ways.

Change Drugs Laws

To me, people who rely on drugs need help, rather than a punishment. I will change law so that those found with drugs for personal use will not be prosecuted, but will be immediately checked into a rehabilitation centre. This will be very different from jail, and drug user will have much more freedom. Those found with drugs for selling will be prosecuted. We will work with schools to make sure that children know the risks of drugs from a young age, and help bring an end to drug related deaths and illnesses.

 Housing

Housing is a right, and that is a fact. Every single person in the world should have a roof over their head at night, and we will help achieve this in Britain.

Commit to have every homeless person in a house or flat by 2025

This is a huge goal, but I am optimistic, and I will achieve this as Prime Minister. We will achieve this through the construction of affordable houses across the country.

Build more affordable and eco-friendly homes

We will construct 2 million more affordable homes by 2020. This is another big goal, but we will make sure we are funding this and this will help stop the housing crisis that many young people in Britain face.

Allow councils more autonomy to build houses

We will allow councils to borrow money to construct houses, but we will make sure the borrowing isn’t going to negatively affect our economy. We will use this tactic to achieve our housing goal.

 So why again should you vote for me?

Because I can deliver the change this country needs

Because my policies will help improve the lives of every individual in our country

Because united, we can make a difference 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Today I am writing about my favourite movie; "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and why it is my favourite movie. If you haven't seen the film yet, there are spoilers in this post.

The movie was released in December 2013, and was directed by Ben Stiller (Night at the Museum, Meet the Fockers.) Stiller plays Walter, an introverted and shy middle aged man called Walter Mitty who works at LIFE magazine, as the negative assets manager. He doesn't have much luck with his love life, and relies on an online dating site to try and meet people. But there is this woman named Sheryl who works with him, and he is trying to ask her out, and he just can't pluck up the courage to do it. To get away from this monotonous lifestyle, he dives into his own little world of day dreams, imaging crazy situations happening to him.
Then one day, he finds out that the company are going digital and that they're only going to make one more issue. The photograph for the the cover is missing, and Walter is in charge of finding it - or he'll lose his job!
So he goes off to Greenland to try and track the photographer & during his visit away, his daydreams slowly become a reality as he find himself doing many insane things such as skateboarding down a road in iceland and diving into a shark invested ocean.
In the end of the film, Walter has become a more confident and streetwise individual and although he gets fired from his job, he helps to get the final issue published with the correct cover photo. And Walter also finally plucks up the courage to ask out Sheryl.

So why is this movie my favourite? Well, first of all, the cinematography. The film has a unique feel to it, and is almost like a Wes Anderson movie, just less colourful. The entire film is just very aesthetically pleasing and you get to see the beauty of Iceland and Greenland throughout it.

Another reason, is the inspiring story. The entire plot is a metaphor for how everyone should live their lives. It shows how we should see life as an adventure and take every opportunity we can take. The film inspired me quite a lot to be a more outgoing person, as I felt like I was going through the same changes and Walter did when I was watching it.

The character, Walter Mitty, is one of my favourite characters ever written in a movie, as he has depth and weightiness. You also get to see his character changing into a more positive one.

So overall, the movie is a must watch and you can buy the DVD from most DVD retail stores. You can also buy it from Amazon for a reasonable price. So take Walter's advice and...

Stop Dreaming. Start Living

Should Society be doing more to teach boys not to commit sexual assault?

One in five women in the US have reported being raped in their lifetimes. This is definitely a shocking statistic. First of all, many will argue “But of course men can be raped too?” and that is very true. However, it is statistically more likely for a woman to be raped than a man, and this essay is going to focus on the female victims, whilst male victims are still of course just as important.

I strongly believe that society isn’t doing enough to teach boys not to rape when girls are constantly told to dress appropriately and to never stay out late. Would you want your son to end up in jail for this horrible crime?

Two US scientists, Craig T Palmer and Randy Thornhill argue that rape is a natural urge. This is wrong because if it was a natural urge, all men would be doing it, which they are not. The scientists go on to say that rape is an act of sex rather than violence. Although many men claim they do rape to have sex, it is not an act of sex. Sex is when two consenting adults have intercourse. Without consent; it’s not sex, it is rape. Rape hurts the victims physically and emotionally. Then the scientist say that it is a mating strategy used amongst animals. However, animals have no sense of moral judgement and rape is clearly morally wrong, so comparing wild animals to humans isn’t a valid argument. So despite the research and the time that the two scientists put into this, rape is completely and utterly inexcusable.

As I have been growing up, sex education in school has been very conservative and based on using abstinence as the best contraceptive. That’s like saying, the safest way to ski is to not go skiing. We as a society need to destroy the idea that sex is disgusting. It’s something that we as humans do for reproduction and also enjoyment. There was also very little focus around the issue of consent, and I still know boys who make rape jokes, which are absolutely disgusting. They say the jokes are harmless, but what if a rape victim had been sitting near then. It would’ve brought back vivid images from their traumatic experience.

As a teenage girl, I have been told all my life “are those appropriate clothes?” and “don’t stay out too late” but most of the boys that I’ve spoken too have never been sat down and told “Never rape anyone. Always ask for consent”

Many argue that some woman are just asking to be raped by what they're wearing but this is clearly wrong. A woman is wearing short shorts because she feels confident about her legs, not because she wants to be raped. And if a woman wanted to be raped, it wouldn’t be rape. Woman out late could be walking home from a nightclub or work and is not asking to be raped. If a woman says no to you, even if you’re her husband, she means no.

Many women say that when they report rape to the police, they are treated unfairly. They say that the police often question them on what they were wearing and why they were out, when obviously none of those things matter. When a person is robbed, the police never say “Why did you have a TV anyway? It was asking to be stolen” do they? An even more shocking fact is that 98% of rapists never go to jail.

Another factor to take in is that children as young as 10 and 11 can rape. Many argue that children do not know that they are doing something wrong. If this is the case, we have failed as society and we need to teach boys about consent from an earlier age. Others argue that since most of these crimes committed by children are more like sexual harassment then the child should be able to get away with it. This is ridiculous. If someone throws a tennis ball at me, giving me a bruise, I don’t say “Oh that’s fine, at least it wasn’t a bowling ball”

In 2009, and 8 year old girl reported to the authorities that she had been sexually assaulted in a park by two ten year old boys. In 1998, a ten year old girl reported that she’d been gang raped in her school toilets by a group of boys her age. So we can see that there are examples of children committing sexual assault and a few more google searches can prove this even further.

So what should society be doing? Schools should be teaching children from an earlier age about consent and why it is crucial. We should make sure that parents are able to talk to their kids about sex and about consent. If parents are unable to do this, we should make sure every child has an adult they can talk to. We should destroy that toxic idea that a woman’s clothing excuses men to harass or rape her. Finally, we should train PSE teachers more so that sex education will be more relaxed, less conservative and centred around consent. Because we all know, telling people to abstain is not the best way forward at all.

So we as the human race need to lift ourselves from these sexist ideologies and start making changes, so that every woman will be safe from rape and that every man will live their life without sexually assaulting a woman.

Fidlar TOO Review

Today I am going to be reviewing the new Fidlar album that was released today. The band were formed in 2009 in Los Angeles, California. They are described as skate punk or garage punk and are made up for four members;

• Zac Carper - rhythm guitar, vocals
• Brandon Schwartzel - bass, backing vocals
• Elvis Kuehn - lead guitar, vocals
• Max Kuehn - drums

The band released their first album, 'FIDLAR' was released in 2013, and received great reviews from most music magazines. 

Their second album starts off with '40oz On Repeat', which was released as a single before the album came out. It talks of the singer's struggle with his love life and how he tends to deal with life with alcohol (hence the title - a 40oz is a large bottle of beer). The music video for this song is one of the best videos this year so far, and not to mention Elvis Kuehn's amazing guitar solo near the end of the song. This is the exact song you need to open an album.

Next we go on to 'Punks'. This one has Zac screaming the lyrics throughout the song, and has a very determined sound to it. The guitars are heavy and really bring out Fidlar's strong punk influence. It's only 2:42 minutes long, but full enough. Another great song here.

West Coast is the third song on the album. This song is played in major and has a definitely more upbeat sound to it. The lyrics talk of skipping school and going wherever the weekend would take them, having a good time. But in the 3rd verse, the singer speaks of his hate for the suburban 9-5 city life and how he feels trapped inside. This is definitely my favourite song on the album.

Next up is 'Why Generation'. This one starts of less heavy that the others, and just has a different feel to it that the other songs. But of course it's still as excellent as the other songs on the album. The guitars are something that makes this song really good. The lyrics speak of this generation's struggles to live in the world, as it is changing so quickly. The song offers yet another brilliant guitar solo in the middle of the song. 

Now he have 'Sober'. This song is more spoken, rather than sung and the lyrics are angry and show a great insight into the singer's life and day to day experiences. The drums in this one are brilliant, along with the bass, especially towards the end of the song.

Next up we have 'Leave me alone'. The lyrics speak of Zac's struggle with love in general, and there are brilliant guitars in it. The drums are loud and vocals increase in intensity throughout the song, which is something I like. This is another one of my favourite songs from the album, most definitely.

'Drone' opens up with a brilliant bassline. The guitars are loud and messy, which really shows the old Fidlar coming through. There is an amazing drum solo in the middle of the song. The lyrics speak of how the singer doesn't want to be the same as everyone else, and won't follow the crowd when he sings 'I don't wanna be a drone.' This is another brilliant song, and so far there hasn't been a bad one yet. 

Up next is 'Overdose'. The song is definitely not as heavy as the other songs, with much darker lyrics. The singer speaks of how he relies of drugs to deal with his issues. The lyrics "I can't breathe" show how the singer struggles with life, or has done in the past. The guitars in this song are unique and the song has a different feeling to it from all the others. Depressing lyrics, but a well written song overall. 

'Hey Johnny' goes back to the loud sound that the other song's have. This song has a much older sound to it, but you can here Fidlar's unique sound in the guitar riffs. I would love to hear this song live, with it's loud drums and continuous lead guitar. Another brilliant one here. 

'Stupid Decisions' is a slower song, but still as heavy as the others. The lyrics speak of the singer's bad decisions throughout his life, represented by a metaphor of a night out where he took too many drugs. The bass is really good in this one. 

The next song on the album is 'Bad Medicine'. The guitars are heavy and fast, making it a wild but brilliant song. The song has a tempo change in the last quarter which adds to it. The bad medicine probably stands for drugs and again shows the singer's reliability on them. 

'Bad Habits' is the last song. The guitars are really good, and the the vocals remind me of 'Awkward'. The songs starts of light and slow but becomes loud and heavy. The lyrics again speak of how the singer needs to figure out his life, and he's freaking out about. He sings about his 'Bad Habits' and how he accepts them and how they make him who he is. Again, it would be a brilliant one to hear live. This song brings the album to an excellent conclusion. 

Overall, I think the album is absolutely brilliant and well written. Each song has a different sound, and give different insights into the singer's thoughts. In conclusion, I am going to rate the album;

                                      9/10

Fidlar are touring the UK in November and you buy Too from your local record store or from online! I highly recommend that you buy this album, because you'll not regret it!

 

The Magic of Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series become an important part of today's culture, and has gained fans from all corners of the world. But what is it that has made the story of the boy who lived so popular?

One of the main things is how you can relate to at least one of the characters. Children who have had broken childhoods can see how Harry pulled himself out of his difficult adolescence. They see Harry as a sort of role model, someone they can look up to.

Harry himself is a very brave and courageous character, making a strong role model. He stays loyal to his friends, and always puts them first. But what about the other characters?

For kids who grew up feeling as if they were a 'nerd' or a 'swot' and who have been bullied for it, Hermione is someone to look up to. She found life difficult in the first three books and didn't have many friends. But in the later books, she still kept her intelligence but learned to treat it like a strength. Hermione became a powerful and empowered character, who makes good practical decisions. 

Kids who grew up in low income families could look up to Ron Weasley, because he had the exact same experience. Ron grew up in a simple home and was always given hand me down clothes. But he still made the most of what he had. Ron became Harry's most loyal friend and stood by him during all of his troubles. Ron became a loving husband and caring father, showing that your upbringing shouldn't hold you back at all.

Neville Longbottom grew up without his parents, and suffered bullying and self esteem issues during his first four years at Hogwarts. He was never particularly good at magic, but he did find something he was good at; Herbology. To follow this, Neville actually grew up to become a Herbology teacher at Hogwarts. He also increased his confidence hugely, particularly in the fifth book. He learns to stand up for himself and becomes more skilled at using defensive spells. So Neville shows you that even if you aren't happy with yourself for now, things will change, and it's worth waiting for. 

My favourite characters are Neville and Luna Lovegood.

I love Luna because she always keeps herself positive and upbeat, and that's the kind of person I aspire to be. In the battle of the Department of mysteries in the 5th film, Neville uses the immobilization spell; Petrificus Totalus. Luna takes her time to praise Neville for his move, something I think is a very important thing to do for someone, particularly in a tense situation like they were in.

So in conclusion, I believe that the magic of the Harry Potter franchise won't be dying out any time soon. They are captivating stories with beautifully written characters. JK Rowling has defined a legacy.

Andy Burnham

Last Wednesday I attended an talk by Andy Burnham in Glasgow. Burnham is one of the four candidates for the Labour Leadership, and I am a proud supporter of him.

First of all, let's learn a little more about Andy. He was born in Liverpool on January 7th 1970, the son of a telephone engineer Father and a receptionist Mother. Andy joined the Labour Party when he was 14. From 1994 until the 1997 general election, he was a researcher for Tessa Jowell. In 1998 he became a special adviser to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith. He stayed in this position until 2001 when he was elected into the House of Commons. 

Burnham is currently the MP for Leigh, Greater Manchester. He is also the shadow secretory of State for Health, and has had these jobs from 2001 and 2011 respectively.

Burnham states that he joined the party as a teenager because he was inspired by the Miner's strikes, and their attempt to fight back at Margaret Thatcher's government. He is a feminist and wants to have an equal number of men & women in his cabinet. Andy is also a supporter of LGBT rights, and voted for same-sex marriage 2013. He opposes nationalism, believing it's an 'ugly brand of politics.'

He has been married to a dutch woman named Marie-France Van Heel since 2000. The couple have a son and two daughters.

He is a big fan of football, and has supported Liverpool Club Everton FC for all of his life.


Policies

Andy's main policies are:

• Abolish tuition fees and bring in a graduation tax
• Establish a true living wage, which would be the same regardless of your age
• Ban forced Zero-hour contracts and unpaid internships
• Lower the voting age to 16
• Keep Britain in the EU
• Encourage the EU to work together to combat the migrant crisis and help refugees get to a safe place to fulfil their lives
• Renationalise the railways
• A ban on fracking and investment in "the Green economy"
• Establish National Health and Care Service, bringing social care into the NHS
• Allow councils to borrow more to build homes
• Establish a re-balanced and fairer tax system

During his talk, he stressed how he felt that Labour was "crumbling apart" and he would bring the necessary changes to re-unite the party. He admitted the mistakes that Labour had made in the past and explained what he'd do to change that. Because this talk was in Scotland, many audience members asked about how Labour would re-build itself in Scotland. Andy said he would give the new leader of Scottish Labour, Kezia Dugdale, the autonomy she needs to make Labour strong again in Scotland. He admitted that there was an element of trust lost between the party and the public, and he would help bring back that lost trust. Because many voters are now just asking "But what does Labour even stand for anymore?" Andy wants to build a solid answer to that question, and increase the Labour vote in the country.

To me, he is a very honest and confident speaker. He answers questions properly, and doesn't try to avoid giving the answer, like many other politicians do. He is definitely a man of the people and believe that Labour has become too London-centric. I have voted for Andy in the Leadership contest, and I believe he is the candidate to lead the party to a victory in 2020.

During the question session, I asked him "I understand that you would lower the voting age to 16. But how would you make sure that young people voting are able to make an informed decision and not just vote by random or go with the crowd?" Andy answered saying he would implement compulsory politics education in schools so that 16 and 17 year olds would learn about what the parties' policies are, and learn how to make an informed and confident decision. At the end of the event, I was lucky enough to meet him and I managed to get this photograph!

So if you ever have the chance to attend one of his speeches, definitely do, they're worth going to. Maybe this will persuade you to vote for him, as you still have eight days left to do so! To sum it up, Andy Burnham has...

The Best policies for the UK and the strongest Leadership Qualities for a Labour victory in 2020