A labryinth of thought

Diabetes-Not So Sweet After All.

2010-12-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

By Louise Weeks

George, a typical, elderly man sitting in his chair.

Photographs of family in the South of France beam from behind the glass of photo frames. Unrecognizable artwork done by grand children that resembles abstract art, decorates one wall. No doubt these items adorn your grand-parent’s home, these possessions make George Bullock and his wife Rose appear to be a normal, elderly couple. Piles of doctor’s prescriptions are kept in a disordered arrangement on the living room table. Tangerine and mud coloured pill bottles opened and unopened, are scattered across the majority of surfaces in the house. This is the only indication that they are not a normal elderly couple.

“I would like to see my wife’s face again, it is the one thing I truly miss”.

What makes this couple, in particular George Bullock so different, is the severity of the diabetes they have. George knows more than anyone the cruelty that diabetes can inflict upon its sufferer. Ten years ago George became blind, an affliction which has dulled his wife Rose’s face. The one thing he wishes he could see again. He squeezed his wife’s hand in a silent recognition of affection between them and mumbled “I would like to see my wife’s face again, it is the one thing I truly miss”.

If in another cruel twist of fate, in 2009 from an ulcer growth on his foot George was admitted into hospital, near death, with his organs gradually shutting down from the poison circulating his body. This traumatic episode lasted nine months, in this time George was confined to his bed. Due to the length of his confinement, his leg muscles deteriorated and he was unable to walk. Furrowing his grey, bushy eyebrows he commented with a tone of urgency, as if he was desperate not to relive the experience. “It was terrible, I couldn’t breathe properly, and I had an ulcer on my foot that they couldn’t heal, I thought I was going to die”.

In hospital George had three operations and a skin graft. The first two operations were a failure, whereas the skin graft and third operation, as I am told, were a success. However when I looked down at his two bandaged feet, that were barely visible, and still swollen, I couldn’t help but question how much of a success the operation had been. Before me sat a man in his wheelchair shrunken by the operations and ravages of diabetes, when in his youth, George had been a commanding presence. Only the slight feistiness in his voice echoed this once overpowering persona.

George sitting in his wheelchair with nothing but time to fill his days.

George’s poor quality of life made my composure falter slightly when I asked about his life since coming out of hospital. He replied with no sadness, but acceptance that he does not have “a very good one, because all I do is sit in a wheelchair all day”. It sounded like any lingering vitality for life George felt had disappeared. Just like his ability to walk properly.

“I feel afraid for my children, because I wouldn’t wish this disease on anyone”

When asked about his dependency on his wife he searched for her hand that was right next to him. This was also where she had remained throughout the interview, at his side. George talked with a bitter tone regarding his dependency on his wife, as if the burden was upon him rather than his wife. “It’s awful, because to have someone look after you all the time, it’s not fair”. The way he had his hands folded neatly over his chest, and the slightly upward tilting of his chin made it obvious that George was a very proud man. This confession of weakness was clearly difficult for him to admit.

Looking at a magazine lying open on the coffee table in front of George, it reminded me of the various diabetes campaigns that I had seen. All of the advertisements I had seen had failed to capture the seriousness of the condition. Where was the sufferer’s with stumps where a foot should be exhibiting the extreme repercussions of this condition? I felt overwhelming sense of annoyance growing as I thought more, and more, about this. I asked George whether he thought that Diabetes was taken as seriously as it should be, and what he would say to those people. He replied with unprecedented fierceness that made his voice shake with the strength he was embedding in every word. “People should know that diabetes is serious, because its life threatening, you can die with it”. Until people like George are used in these campaigns of awareness I can’t help but feel that diabetes will continue to be portrayed as a mild condition. A condition that only discomforts it sufferer’s slightly. Rather than something that completely alters the sufferer’s life.

Looking off to one side, George looks as if he is trying to locate a point or place in time that he cannot see. He stares off at the bare, magnolia, painted wall. Trying to see a time when diabetes may be considered more of a serious condition, than it is by most people now. George cannot see five centimetres in front of him, let alone five years into the future. This concern with the future is something that seems to be bothering George as his brow furrows in thought, maybe worry. Finally after a long moment of silence, he expresses that which has kept him silent, by saying with a hushed voice, barely audible “I feel afraid for my children, because I wouldn’t wish this disease on anyone”. Leaving George and Rose I was left with a less than sweet feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Further Links:
Diabetes Uk- http://www.diabetes.org.uk.
NHS Diabetes- http://www.diabetes.nhs.uk.
Diabetes Support Group- http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk.
Information and Diagnosis- http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/diabetes/basics/327.html.

A Day in the Life of...A Mechanic

2010-11-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

The mechanic was chosen as the focus of the collection of photos because of the admirable nature that is embedded in his work routine, and the importance to draw attention to a person whose selflessness goes unnoticed , because of its roots in common practice. The intended message of this photo essay is to convey the hardships this man endures such as the cold and dirty conditions in order to provide for his family, and how his routine even though considered normal is very admirable.

2010-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

The angle of the photo between the bars, in which the mechanic is centered between them, was created to imply that he is imprisoned by his job, as the bars resembled those of a prison cell, in addition the stripes and pools of light which were created with the bars complemented the imprisonment image. The photo filter on this image was adjusted to add an orange tint to the photo this was done to add brightness to the image, to complement the plain expression on his face to imply that he is at ease with his job and his environment, despite being under a car.

2010-11-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

This photo was staged with the intention of creating some variety in his position, by having him lying down as opposed to standing up; similarly the camera angle was taken so that the mechanic was raised above it slightly to convey that despite his vulnerable position that he is powerful and proud. To create a dark image the mechanic was placed under the car to make the photo appear darker in order to communicate a feeling of restriction with the dark lighting and car on top of him. All colour was taken from this photo and replaced in black and white. so it matches the rest of the collection. The photo was cropped to get rid of the feet and draw further attention to the mechanic. Another change to the photo was the decreasing of the brightness by 108% and the increase of contrast by 100%, this was done to add more clarity to the photo, as before the image appeared fuzzy.

2010-11-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

The angle of this photo was taken so that the camera was looking down on the mechanic whilst he was on the phone to give an insight into the relationship of power between the mechanic and his customers, in which he is powerless, the muted lighting in the office also shows the lack of power because it created a softness to his face. The colour of the photo has been taken away and replaced with black and white to match the rest of the collection, creating unity. The image has also been cropped cutting off the background in order to ensure that the mechanic is the clear focus of the picture.

2010-11-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

This image was staged because it can be argued that it was interesting to show in a backdrop of metal a delicate disposition to the mechanic through his crouched position whilst he ate, this was done to show his modesty respectability. The camera angle was positioned so that it was level with his position to convey modesty; the mass of light on him was used to complement the modest look. This image has been cropped to eliminate the car parts on the right so that it creates an interesting geometric element to the photo, with vertical lines in the background , and only a hint of curves from the car parts on the right . This picture has also been converted into black and white to match the rest of the collection.

2010-11-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

To create a sense of perspective, in which the shot started off looking wide and narrowed gradually, was created by photographing from a great distance from the subject, so that the position of the car and the wall created a natural narrowing effect. To get a darker image the subject was placed at the back of the workshop where it was darker, to create a feeling of sincerity. This picture was not staged because the mechanic looked awkward when he tried to pose, therefore when left to act naturally he looked more at ease. The contrast was increased by 92% and the brightness was decreased by 30% using photo shop, this was done to add more clarity to the picture and highlight the darker tones and white. This effect was created to show the duality of the workplace , as it can be considered both a strenuous hardship and a positive method of providing for a family.

2010-11-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

2010-11-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

The photo was taken so that it captured a dark space of the workshop with light spilling through the door, this lighting was used to create a duality between hope and hopelessness, this impression was further created by using a wide shot to capture the varying light in the room. The brightness was decreased by 27% to make the workshop appear darker, this technique was used to imply that the workshop is an unpleasant place to be in , and that outside lies the promise of happiness when he leaves , which is conveyed by the light filtering through the door , another effect highlighted by this alteration.

A Day in the Life of....A Mechanic

2010-11-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

The mechanic was chosen as the focus of this collection of photos because of the admirable nature that is embedded in his work routine, and the importance to draw attention to a person whose selflessness goes unnoticed, because of its roots in common practice. The intended message of this photo essay is top convey the hardships this man endures such as the cold and dirty conditions in order to provide for his family , and how his routine even though considered normal is very admirable.

Adama Smith Vs John Maynard Keynes

2010-05-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

Finally! Economics that I can mentally grasp without the creation of a mind numbing migraine. However all of this doesn't help in understanding the credit crunch. The theories that are about to be discussed are either labelled as localised or national, by this I mean that the ones I have deemed localised do not seem to consider the nation as a whole, instead they seem more suitable for small populated areas, not necessarily urban, whereas the national are suitable to be adopted by all. Adam Smith it can be argued, who represented the classical economic branch, had some valid points such as economic success is determined by sun spots and trade, this makes sense as it infers production conditions and distribution play key roles, however this perspective seems like it is best suited locally, as individual areas conditions are only considered, and important factors like money are only considered tokens. This shows that only small scale things are considered, whereas John Maynard Keynes ideals seemed best suited nationally as it had principals that were not dictated by area, and could be controlled by all regardless of the poor or high trade channels in certain areas or high or low productivity. Keynes believed that money was good for the economy and that the market should not control the value of money; that its should be set by the government who effect it by spending money, thereby effecting interest rates.

Von Hyak on the other hand can be placed into another category it can be suggested that he falls into the more practical group, rather than the academic theorists, as his approach to economics was dominated by a form of area planning, for example if a road was to be built it would be considered how many people live in that area, therefore how many people may use it. This seems like a very good idea as it implies that economics should be interchangeable and adapt to suit all areas.

Upon researching this topic the names mentioned above seemed the architects of economics, however a name not mentioned in the lecture was Thomas Robert Malthus, who agreed with Keynes by claiming that in order to stimulate the economy and generate jobs money must be spent, if money is saved it will cause high unemployment. I just thought I would mention this as it seems like they are from similar schools of thought, and I felt the need to impart some wisdom before I finished this blog.

The Vienna Circle/ logical positivism

2010-05-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

A lot of heavy concepts to grasp, especially after the Easter break, when most people have let their minds lapse into laziness. However one thing in particular interested me the most, which was the 'law of non contradiction', which is the law of logic which states that something cannot be and not be at the same time. Confusing stuff. Upon researching this concept I discovered some stuff not discussed in the lecture, which I think may be relevant, so I will disclose this to you now. There are another two laws closely associated with this: the law of bivalence, which says something is either true or false, whereas the law of the excluded middle is similar but states that if something isn't true then its opposite is, this law can also be logical or in semantic form. Three laws which seem very similar, however they dictate the form of an answer, I can see how this relates to journalism as it focuses on the validity of a statement, which is what journalism does, and what we as journalists have to do.
Aristotle's argument on this subject is interesting, however I disagree, he stated that if we did not consider the law of non contradiction that we would not be able to distinguish differences, but I find this to be a little condescending, as everything has some form of duality, white and dark, life and death, surely through natural observation this can be learnt, I think the law of non contradictions is more suited to a form of arguments or debate, not something as simple as distinguishing the difference between a metal table or a wooden one.

It is also important to note that this subject is closely associated with religion, which is what accompanied it in my numerous Internet searches on the subject.

Gonzo journalism assignment: Bordon and Whitehill residents weren't seduced by the words of Damian Hinds.

2010-04-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

The hall where the local conservative Mp for East Hampshire was about to hold a conference for the residents of Bordon and Whitehill was partially bare, with chairs only filling half of the hall. At the front there was a table and chair ready for the guest speaker, with a conservative campaign poster propped up against the table leg, other than that there was no conservative campaign posters to be seen. Placed on all of the chairs were leaflets, on one side depicting David Cameron and a quote, and on the other side five bullet points telling the reader what they intend to do. The residents attending the meeting were all greying, wrinkled and noticeably disgruntled. Damian Hinds entered the hall with a confident stride, shaking hands and introducing himself to every single person in the room, until he reached the table at the front of the room. A surprisingly youthful appearance was present on the Mp, with only a few traces of grey indicating his maturity; the formality of the meeting was shown through the sophisticated suit he wore. As he reached the front of the room he stared down perplexed at his watch and said: “let’s give it another five minutes, give others a chance”, despite this, ten minutes passed before he was forced to start the meeting. It was easy to detect the slight disappointment he felt at the number of people in the room, as in the minutes that were spent waiting for others to appear he mentioned that “at the meeting in Binstead there were not enough seats”, clearly he thought this would be the case today.
To re-establish the formality of the meeting Damian reintroduced himself with his political title included this time. Before he even started, he made a brief observation on the noise next door, as a constant thud could be heard, which was a blend of feet stamping on the floor and the prominent bass of music speakers, a woman shouting could also be heard during the intervals in the music. This prompted Damian to make a guess at the on going activity next door “it seems we are competing with an aerobics class next door” he added. To add structure and give a rough time guide of each segment of the talk he went on to outline the direction of the meeting stating that his approach was not to “waste time slagging off the labour party, which they seemed to be doing a lot of at the moment”. This joke to break the ice caused a wave of laughter through the room, melting the icy disposition of the meetings participants, transforming serious expressions into toothy grins, which after a minute or so transformed back into frosty stares. Through out this, he looked bold and enthusiastic, despite the grim faces of the local residents, who held his gaze unconcerned with his intimidating presence. However when he moved on to talk about the three key areas of the conservative manifesto his confidence seemed to falter, he was vague going into little detail and merely stating what they would change, but at no point did he mention how they would create these changes. Economic policy was the first thing he mentioned in which he said “We are opposed to the national insurance scheme that Labour is proposing” general nods of approval followed this comment. Then listing what they intended to change he stated “we will give help to small businesses, restrict child tax credits” he listed just a few points from the manifesto, with animated hand gestures, he did this for his topic on family, again listing what would be done. The final topic followed the same structure, but this time a sincere apology was embedded in the plans “we intend to restore people’s faith in politicians, and recover from the expenses scandal” he announced, to which he then added "that this will not happen again". A firm edge in his tone makes it clear that Damian is trying to distance not only himself, but others from being associated with the scandal. This seemed to increase the tension in the room, as this brief overview did not seem to inspire any confidence.
The main bulk of the meeting focused on the issue of turning Bordon and Whitehill into an Eco town. Damian started this topic off by stating that the armies plans to move out of the area provoked the plans and that the land was to be used for housing. This sparked outrage as the mutterings “not big enough” of the residents spread through the room, showing the general view was that the town was not big enough for this kind of development. The mention of a referendum by Damian helped to ease the distaste for the project as it offered some form of hope to those present that the plans may still fall through, to show his position on the matter he quickly announced, “I am in favour of a referendum”. However this offered no reassurance, an elderly gentlemen with thick rimmed glasses, a knitted green jumper that partially covered his brown trousers asked “what can you personally do about this”, to which Damian replied: “I personally can’t do anything about this, it is a decision made by the local council”. To try to settle the outbursts of droning “mmmm’s” he tried to reassure the less than impressed listeners with this statement “that only when the army moves out of Bordon and Whitehill will the Eco town be a possibility”.
Eyeing the clock at the back of the hall nervously his speech slowed, as he muttered in between his closing comments “I need to go”, to which he drew the meeting to a close before apologizing for his departure, thanking people as he power walked out of the hall to his next local meeting. The unsatisfied looks upon the faces of those vacating the building conveyed the impression that the promises made had not completely seduced them, and that doubts still remained surrounding the controversial issue of turning Bordon and Whitehill into an Eco town.

Wilhelm Reich's impact during the 60's and seventies on American culture

2010-03-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

Unintentionally disturbing, some of the clinics patients enactments of their inner self's natural and baser instincts was rather comical, as they resembled that of a child playing monsters. The idea that by transforming yourself could result in a change in society and politics, is a plausible concept, because if you change yourself to become a more caring or less materialistic person, in order to better yourself, your political views may change from capitalist (materialistic and consumer driven) to communist as you have abandoned your old, more selfish character that embraced capitalism into someone who embraces equality. Now if this happened on a colossal scale it could lead to a dramatic change in society. However the idea that you can change or better yourself, by indulging in your less than respectable characteristics seems ludicrous to me, I prefer the German philosophical movement epistemology, which emphasizes that one must use experience to gain a sense of who they are, this it can be argued is a more positive method.
Another idea the documentary explored that I thought was a good plan, was the controlled confrontational group sessions between racist people, as this gives people the chance to voice their opinions, expel any negativity and resolve their problems. The fact that these sessions proved unsuccessful shocked me, because it gives people a chance to work through their differences in a safe environment, but I guess it didn't offer a method to undo prejudice. Perhaps I underestimated the power of hate?

Wilhelm Reich

2010-03-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

How refreshing. After a semester in which Freud's theories dominated the course it was a welcoming change to learn the views of Wilhelm Reich, which countered those of Freud's. However the idea that the orgasm is the universal principle, which explains everything, is a view I strongly disagree with, I agree that the orgasm does propel most people's behaviour, but not everything can be reduced to this simple formula, for example how can you explain or reduce the September the eleventh terrorist attacks to this principle. It is my view that people are more complex than the way we are portrayed by Reich, with conflicting issues and uncertainty driving our actions rather than just desire, this gives a very primitive impression. In addition I found the debate about whether we should release our repression and unconscious, causing a division within my own mind, as both arguments are valid. I agree with the fact that we should rid ourselves of any inner turmoil as it regulates our well being, however, Freud's theory of the dangers of acting on our unconscious I agree with too, because if people acted on every impulse it could lead to random and constant acts of selfishness, which cannot be the dominant factor within a society, which is dependent on charity and compliance.
Finally the pairing of repression with a brief mention of dictatorship was a logical compliment to the topic, because it is the device used to establish control, and if you consider it the Nazis even used sexuality and child birth to create fear and control families, for instance the Nuremberg laws dictated who it was appropriate to marry and have relations with.

The Ascent by Larisa Shepitko

2010-03-10T03:38:00.000-08:00

Once again due to the delights of food poisoning I missed the lecture and the screening, now trying to watch The Ascent online with subtitles was proving difficult, so my own observations of the film based on what I have read will have to suffice. The obvious connection I spotted was the biblical parallel which is shown when Rybak betrays Sotnikov and then tries to hang himself, because of the overwhelming guilt he feels at betraying his comrade, this to me mirrors the story of the last supper in The Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus is betrayed by Judas of Iscariot who then commits suicide by hanging himself. This I thought was done to show the frailty of comradeship and loyalty, and the natural human instinct to do whatever is necessary to save ones self, this also reminded me of the issues brought up in Space Odyssey, which also looks at the things (war and violence) we resort to in order to preserve our own existence. I also thought the theme of betrayal, which I liked, was very unique in a World War two set film, as most portray an image of unfaltering loyalty between comrades.
A differing view on the biblical reference made in the film is that of Dave Kehr who states that it works on many deeper levels, but there is the presence of a redemption through suffering theme. This I do agree with, but because of the betrayal of a comrade is so out of place in a film like this I believe that this is the dominant reference, because it is almost like Shepitko wants it to deliberately stand out.

Counter culture and exsistentialism

2010-03-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

Due to my erratic health I was unable to attend this lecture, however I will attempt to discuss the topic of the lecture to the best of my ability. First of all the subject of counter culture I found to be an easily understandable concept as there are examples of it in our own culture, for example the racial gangs in particular in London that fight for territory and hierarchy in terms of organised crime, this represents youth culture that goes against the established order of the labour party and shows more of liberal individualism.
I thought linking this concept to the sixties was a good example of this, as every aspect of the sixties represented this, for instance the anti Vietnam war protests went against America's capitalist image, as the protests in a way encouraged Communism and its right to be established, so that peace may be maintained. Finally the frequent drug use and hippy movement went against the American cultural ideal of the 'American Dream', as it encouraged people to be unproductive and lazy, stopping them from achieving great things with hard work and ambition.

Existentialism works with counter culture as it encourages people to follow their own path and break the established culture if necessary. I am not sure whether this was touched on, but does the philosophy also acknowledge the repercussions of people doing whatever they want to? As it seems to me that counter culture and existentialism could be quite destructive, by encouraging people to act selfishly and not consider others could lead to break downs in society, the home, workplace etc. Therefore although this is a rather pleasant philosophy on a selfish scale it cannot work on a wide scale level, as it works against the needs of the majority.

Space Odssey

2010-02-24T05:11:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the most complex films I have ever watched, with messages and ideas embedded in every scene, making it hard to watch it for entertainment value, instead I found myself analyzing it constantly. Two scenes in particular left a rather strong impression upon me. The first being the scene where Dave is disengaging H-A-L who has betrayed them by murdering Frank and boycotting the mission, this leads Dave to shut H-A-L down and in the process he is shown to be dismantling human logic, by destroying the computer built by man comprised of human knowledge. Now this struck me as mirroring the first scene, as man is having to start from the beginning and develop alone without the aid of technology, is this commenting on technologies overwhelming grip over the human race? Or is the film saying that we don't need technology in order to advance? Either way I couldn't help but feel that this film was slightly opposed to technology, because it eventually showed it betraying man, also by featuring food in paste form, new age toilets etc it conveyed technology as being responsible for creating a bland and sterile existence.

The second scene is the apes discovery of the bone as a weapon; which results in their progression and the act of war. This I thought was a very truthful representation of how we as humans have progressed, which is what I feel the film was trying to show, in particular how we use acts of war to get what we want and define our progression, for example the Iraq war which in my opinion was a war created to obtain their oil, and enable the continuation of our own progression .The use of an obelisk I found also to be very interesting as the obelisk symbolizes in Egypt the beginning, where the first rays of light shone on the earth, this is significant as its appearance at the beginning and later on in the film poses the question: are we really advancing? Or are we just constantly rebuilding after failed attempts to progress?

The compatibility of art and science

2010-02-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

A brilliant opening debate for the first lecture and something which I have often thought about myself, however I would say that the lecture has caused my view to change and consider that there can in fact be no unity between science and art. To simplify, based on the notes I have reviewed this incompatibility seems to me to be present because science sticks rigidly to rules and principles, which outlines its theories, whereas art is about breaking boundaries in order to explore new possibilities of beauty. In addition the artists themselves often pursue lives that satisfy every spontaneous whim often breaking rules which people are bound by. Just a few examples of how I came to this conclusion include: Kant's idea that the common people should be bound by morality, except artists, leaders and creative people who should make their own rules. Also the mention of religion and beliefs causing tension between the two spheres further shows the incompatibility between the two, as the artists with their Buddhist or like Schopenhauer Hinduism beliefs, are looked down upon by the traditional christian scientists.

I would just like to comment on Kant's view of equality before I conclude, the view that artists are not bound by morality is something which I strongly disagree with as I understand that it is necessary to explore new domains to create and understand beauty, but I don't see how ones profession raises them to the status of a god, as that it can be inferred one becomes if they are not bound by the laws and conscious ties of most people, like all things there should be boundaries which should not be crossed by anyone. For example the poem 'The Laboratory' by Robert Browning is about murder out of revenge, does this mean that artists should embrace murder to better understand it?

Written video blog

2010-01-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

For an advert not to be considered Orwellian these days seems to be suggesting a laughable concept. By this I mean they all impose an image upon the consumer seeing it by controlling their desire and how they think. All adverts employ short euphemisms called newspeak in order to brain wash, by telling the consumer that the product is what they are telling them they need to have, whether that is due to the products efficiency or essentialism; thus eliminating any negative connotations or words associated with the product to project this positive image. A particular advert that illustrates this point is the advertisement surrounding Dasani water which was produced by the Coca Cola company, which slogans included: 'Dasani water. Can't live without it'. This creates the image that you desperately need it, this means that the Coca Cola company is telling you what you need because they know what's best for you, another of their tag lines which is Orwellian in its controlling voice is: 'Dasani. Treat yourself well. Everyday'. This means the company is having an input in your everyday life style by telling you what to drink, furthermore by using a healthy, smiling, young person in its advertisement it reinforces the message that the product is good and beneficial to your health. By using Dasani in the slogans it emphasizes its importance to you the consumer almost as a figure of authority, which can also be deemed as part of an Orwellian advertisement tool because it makes it into an icon for the consumer to listen to, much like the Coca Cola company itself.

The scandal that surrounds the product which resulted in the recall of 500,000 bottles and the abandonment of the launch. Due to traces of bromate chemicals in the water caused by adding calcium to Dasani; which with long term consumption can cause cancer, the recovery from this scandal also shows the effectiveness of the Orwellian newspeak in the advert as the notoriety of the scandal doesn't match the debacle itself, this is due to the efficiency of the Orwellian advert as all the negative connotations surrounding the scandal has been pretty much dispelled. However it could be argued that its continued launch and sale in Europe also helped its recovery as the advertisements continued to circulate spreading the positive image intended.

1984 screening

2009-12-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

What a brilliant film! Everything about the film helped to reinforce the topic of the lecture which I found helped me to memorize the terms by seeing them, for example Chris talked about filtering language to cut out forms of resistance by abolishing certain words; which means if there is no word for the emotion or idea it cannot be expressed. This was shown through Winston's job in which he looked through newspaper articles and reported anything that could be construed as resistance. In addition the final part of the film part of the film where Winston is asked during his reprogramming how many fingers he is holding up and Winston replies the correct answer but the questioner wants him to admit that it is 5 by replacing the word five with four. This reinforces the principal that if you control words and language you can control what people think and say.

At the end I was left questioning what had happened because I felt it was a bit obscure, which was created by the scene where Winston writes the sum two plus two but leaves the answer blank. This I believe does indicate that Winston is eventually brain washed as he hesitates to put the answer, indicating that his mind set has changed as before he would have put four without hesitating.

Another thing that could be inferred is that this film bears a strong resemblance to Lang's 'Metroplis' which shows the robotic conditioned workers in uniforms drifting along to work. This was also Hitler's favourite film and it is easy to see that he based some of his ideals of a perfect Germany on the film, therefore the programming of people it seems has actually been translated from screen to real life. An issue I think Orwell foresaw happening in the modern age.

1984

2009-12-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

This lecture I found to be incredibly interesting from an English students perspective, because although books produce emotion within readers through emotive language I never considered it a form of manipulation before; which programmes the reader to feel a certain way or be persuaded to see something from the writers point of view.

I also felt this connected well to the lecture on Freudian philosophy for example writers manipulate language to express their views and insecurities, which shows some evidence according to Freud of people dealing with core issues through language, as that is what makes up their thought processes and shapes their ideologies. Projection is the term I would associate with this form of manipulation, just a reminder for those who have forgotten, projection is a way of dealing with a core issue a sort of defense mechanism which causes the subject to push their issues onto others in order to deal with it themselves and make others feel equally bad. This is the term I would use because the reader is having to endure the projection of ideas by reading a text which results in manipulation, as their perspective may be changed after reading that text.

In addition I felt this novel connected really well with Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' as the reference of using language to programme and control people's behaviour is a prominent theme in Huxley's novel. For example by playing certain things to children in their sleep and banning literature and art, anything which would encourage people to think for themselves and manipulate them to think differently which in the novel was considered dangerous. It also has communist undertones as well which is shown through the worker's alienation towards the products they have forged. Therefore these two novels share certain parallels which I would recommend other people take a look at.

The Grapes of Wrath

2009-11-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

I found the viewing of the Grapes of the Wrath to be the most the useful in understanding the novel read before it, however in the lecture it was suggested that the story is written in a newspaper form but I disagree with this as it seems to me it is written in the poetic narrative of most novels. "To the red country and part of the grey country of Oklahoma the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth". I would argue that it is does state the stages of development and situations mixed with poetic descriptions giving the novel more of a diary feel, as the news is reported free of poetic description completely.

In addition I was shocked at the portrayal of the ranch work camps in the film as they closely resembled concentration camps, for example the barbed wire fences and the guards patrolling the fences at night. I am not positive why the camps were portrayed this way but I can only guess, I'm not sure whether it was meant to contribute to the aim of creating a distasteful image of the government to audiences, in order to further impress upon them the wrong doings of the government, which is already shown at the beginning of the film when the government takes the farmer's land which does the belong to them.

Also some of the images of poverty were disturbing but extremely effect at conveying the destitution of the people, which I feel strays from usual depictions and establishes new, bold and hard hitting images that have a greater impact on the audience, I am of course referring to a starving man being breast fed to cure him of his starvation. This depiction is so effective because it is so savage and shows the possible extremes those people endured in order to survive.

"Rosebud"

2009-11-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

What a stark contrast the representation of Lord Northcliffe is in 'Citizen Kane' compared to 'The Real Lord Northcliffe'. Northcliffe in 'Citizen Kane' is violent, cold (at times) and obsessed with his work, which presents a more realistic character that has good and bad aspects within his personality; which is a huge contrast to Owen's glowing account that shows a two dimensional character that only works and travels.

The main allure of the film for me however was the mystery surrounding the name "Rosebud" which is shown at the beginning of the film as Lord Northcliffe's dying words, the meaning of these last words is searched and debated throughout the film. I think that the significance of this word is that it demonstrates his mourning for his childhood bliss, and the sled"Rosebud" represents the last regret that passes his lips; that he could not remain stranded in those days. Another indication is the snow dome he drops, which resembles his snow covered childhood home. Another interpretation could be that his method of producing the news which can be best shown in this quote ""You provide the pictures, we'll provide the war". This could indicate that the interweaving layers of a rose represent the intricate lies or believed truths that were created to match a picture in order to create a story. Martin Baggs agrees that "rosebud" does represent everything that Kane lost, which was replaced with money.
If anyone else has anymore information on the mystery of the "rosebud" please let me know.

'The Real Lord Northcliffe'

2009-11-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

I found this book to be a very interesting insight into Lord Northcliffe's life, it was useful because in the lecture we looked at Northcliffe's achievements and the account looked closely at his characteristics, demeanour and habits.
However these recollections I personally found to be overly biased and complementary , it tended to leave out key facts that would have tainted his memory , for example it mentions his death but fails to mention how he died of syphilis. Which could be considered a less than dignified way to die.
Another disappointing aspect of the book is although it goes into great detail about his personality it only touches slightly on his business ventures, for instance it describes his management of 'The Times' and his conversion of 'The Daily Mail' into a women's paper, but it fails to indulge the reader with details on how the deal was secured, how he heard about the deal and his adjustments to the position. I feel this was a general failure of the whole book , however the lecture cured me of the ignorance the book failed to satisfy.

I am now eagerly awaiting the screening of the film Citizen Kane to do an overall comparison as it will be intriguing to see where these two forms agree and differ. If anyone has any contrasting views or even anything to add I would love to hear what you have to say.

Follow up to modernism lecture

2009-10-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Although I was disappointed that we didn't have a screening of James Joyce's Ulysses, I thought the documentary that we watched on Utube about the parts of the brain and its functions was a perfect follow up to the lecture before on Freud. As we looked at the type of physcological problems that the brain itself developed, and then the week after we explored the brain and its functions. It would have been interesting though if the material could have gone a little further, for example we could have looked at examples or cases where these pyscological conditions have caused people to act in extreme ways damaging to themselves or others.

The videos of the self afflicted wounds and people voluntarily being crucified was surprisingly unnerving, however this is not the first time I have seen or heard stuff of this calibre being enacted. At the worst end of the spectrum is the actual practice of sacrifice in India to Kali the Goddess of destruction, which at its worst two hundred years ago a boy would be sacrificed everyday at the temple in Calcutta, and I know this is going off topic slightly but I truly believe that religion is the root of all evil. If u look at the crusades, the genocide in Yugoslavia etc, all of these events are the product of religion.
However I do understand the theory of self mutilation in religion, it helps the sufferer to understand Christ's pain, and grow disciplined from their suffering, however doesn't this clash with the whole idea of self mutilation or acts of impurity against the body being a sin. It seems to me that their are a lot of contradictions within religion.

James Joyce's ulysses

2009-10-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

Upon reading this text I wondered how it would be linked to a certain theme on our course, but the concept of putting a Ulysses and modernism together is a perfect combination as they complement each other so well. This text's content also displays some of the many modernist themes discussed in the lecture such as physcology.

The style of writing is a perfect example of modernism because at the time it broke the old conventions and transversed into a new style, as it was a new form of writing it didn't conform to usual textual formats such as chapters, and didn't necessarily have a fast pace plot. The content itself can also be considered very modernist as its concern was reflecting everyday life rather than concocting a grand series of events, and some of these events that are described would be considered highly inappropriate to be placed in a work of fiction, therefore its content is modern because it fearlessly and openly discusses taboo issues and breaks the boundaries whilst creating something new at the same time.
Furthermore the lewd references also connect perfectly to Freud, who was mentioned in the lecture as a modernist pioneer, as a lot of his theories connect to sex e.g. the Oedipus complex, penis envy and would have been seen as taboo, it can be inferred that this book connects so well because its lewd content is a perfect example of what Freud was preaching for instance I agree with the point made by Jean Kimball in the article 'James Joyce and the Otto Rank: The Incest Motif in Ulysses' which states that there are incest motifs throughout the book, this clearly connects to the Oedipus complex.

If you would like to read other Ulysses's to compare with James Joyce's Ulysses I recommend reading Virginia Woolf's 'Mrs Dalloway'.

David Icke. Prophet or mentally disturbed?

2009-10-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

Whilst watching the documentary on David Icke today his persona or people's perception of him seemed to be slightly fractured, it was suggested that he may be an con man/ opportunist, a prophet or insane. However I would also like to suggest that he is someone that is unintentionally breeding anti- Semitic hatred. But before I answer this question I will just recap the theory that we listened to him preaching in the lecture, which is basically that the Illuminati and certain people who are in positions of power and members such as George. W. Bush are reptilian humanoids that control us.
Firstly I would like to look at the ideas that he is a prophet or a con man/opportunist, I would like to explore these two things together because I feel they have the same answer, which is, hope. If David Icke is a con man he preys on the hope of people down on their luck who need someone to blame for the state of the country, or the financial state of their own lives, and he does this by providing an imaginary figure and a powerful elite of people who are wealthy, and who naturally, people will find it easy to resent. It is the same for the prophet figure, he provides and leads people with hope by pointing out a problem and a solution, he also possess the qualities of a prophet for example he is an outcast, mostly disbelieved and unappreciated. However I will discuss this point more later.
As for the claim that he is insane the fact that he preaches some of the ideas he does is evidence enough, as I feel even if you did actually believe some of these things, you would keep quiet to maintain people's image of you.
Finally, is he doing this to breed anti Semitic hate? Well...I personally would not like to believe it, but over the years anti Semitic propaganda has displayed Jews as almost reptilian like as a metaphor I assume to insinuate that they are sly and devious.Even if he is not intentionally indicating at this he has an Neo Nazi anti Semitic following. This I feel particularly worried about as they have obviously heard his theory and interpreted it as an attack against Jews in positions of power, this worries me because it could lead to extremists or militant followers who intend to act out the will of their follower David Icke, which could lead to violent attacks against the Jewish community.

Another question that kept plaguing was why so many people attended his lectures despite the absurdity of his claims. Then it occurred to me that it could be something as simple as the fact that he is giving people someone to blame for all that he sees as injustices in society that offer them contentment, this occurred to me when we were discussing Russia, as I remembered that religion was used to keep the peasants happy "religion is the opium of the masses". Well, his conspiracy theory is working to the same effect, he is keeping people content, by offering answers. However I can't stop asking myself this question: are people really that desperate for answers and someone to lead them?

Germinal

2009-10-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

New year, same problems. Although a very interesting lecture I found the material very difficult to comprehend in such a fast pace session, which was a problem I had encountered last year.

However I did see a connection between the philosophy and Germinal, which I think isn't particularly subtle. The idea of revolutionary change in Germinal, is represented through a miner's strike which Zola naturally took an interest in because it showed the world had not reached perfection as people were revolting through strikes, its foundation (the workers) were unhappy and were causing society to crumble. Which is what D. Sandy Petrey argues in his article 'The Revolutionary Setting of Germinal' by saying

"Strikes became the primary symbol of socialist revolt. Zola consequently left his study of the commune to La Debacle to incarnate the movement of the proletariat in a strike, a subject whose vast dramatic potential had never before been exploited in a novel".

This I feel connected really well to the Young Hegelians because they preached against Hegel who claimed the world had reached its ultimate perfection, well, surely if people are rebelling against the system that is already in place it cannot be perfect, as a perfect society would please everybody. However this connection may not have been as obvious to others, if not I would be very interested in hearing other impressions. Tell me what you think?

Is it all about money, money, money?

2009-05-19T05:15:00.000-07:00

For many years now, I have being saying that when I can vote I do not intend to as politics is completely corrupt; and that the politicians are not really interested in the country's welfare, but merely the welfare of their wallets. Due to the Telegraph's coverage of Mp's spending of the tax payers money I have been proved correct. Now before I begin my criticism I would like to offer praise for the Telegraph, as it was them that started and lead the way for these series of exposes on government spending. It is disgraceful the amount of money spent on idiotic and non essential things, the worst without a doubt being Douglas Hogg's use of government money for work to be conducted on his moat. Is this useful spending of tax payers money? I think not! I also find it ridiculous that these crooked politicians have not been severely disciplined. The question I am asking and one which I believe everyone is questioning is why have they not lost their jobs? I think it is clear that the government need to do something along these lines to regain the public's confidence.

One more question that has also bothered me is, if it hadn't been for Jackie Smith being exposed for wrongly spending tax payers money on adult films, would there have been an investigation into other spending? Is the Jackie Smith scandal to blame?

I was just debating this very subject in an essay a couple of weeks ago, when contemplating, why should we obey the state? I came to the conclusion that we should, however one of the many arguments that divided me slightly was the fact that because the government abuses its power; does it deserve the power and cooperation it has? How can you trust and obey an institution when it does not lead the example?

Journalism Website

2009-05-15T10:35:00.001-07:00

http://journalism.winchester.ac.uk/

Is ignorance bliss?

2009-05-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

Before I start this criticism I should make a confession, which doesn't serve as a defense, but rather my own understanding of how it could happen. As before I was a journalism student I will admit freely, I was unaware of popular news topics and found myself questioning others in conversation when popular news topics were brought up, however once I started this course my interest in news was sparked. But before I found that or thought the news wasn't relevant to me and I was fairly content to be ignorant.

I bring this up as the other day I was discussing an issue I found to be personally worrying, Swine Flu, to an English student who I also share lectures with, and to my horror she had no idea what I was talking about. Now it is important to remember that at the time the crisis level ranging from one to six was at level five and there were fifty three cases, constantly increasing in the UK, and this girl still had no idea. This made me question whether it is better to be ignorant, or knowledgeable? As I am following the reports of this topic and as a hypochondriac worrying myself about it, when my friend is strolling around ignorant of the problem and carefree.

Therefore although it is important to know what is going on in the world, does the media make things worse by emphasizing a problem too much? As u need to consider whether all this knowledge eases your mind, which for me personally it doesn't, or if you are content with simply not knowing, because it preserves your ideal image of the world and your peace of mind before you lay down to rest. Is knowledge a gift or a curse? I say curse.

Council Meeting Observations

2009-03-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

My initial thoughts before I attended the council meeting was that it would be formal but not to the same degree as a court room, and that humour and public participation would be discouraged; however I was wrong.
Upon entering the room a couple of minutes late I was smiled upon by a group of councillors, a clerk, administrator and people of other positions who I could not see. They all sat around a conference like table in the centre of the room, their positions or name was shown on a card in front of each person; the head of the table the chancellor I believe was the driving force behind the motions and the topics of discussion, I assumed my position as the observer on the left side of the seating area allocated for the public. At the back of the room was a lone woman making notes on what was said.

The meeting started with a presentation by two other council members from other parishes. The presentation speaker gave his presentation occasionally referring to a screen with pictures of the local area; which his presentation was about. However a particular observation that I did make was that these two fellow councillors sat in the public seating area beforehand and when their partner was giving the presentation, but not at the table with the other councillors.
Points of the meeting were referred to as item followed by digits, then they were debated or described with a proposal being made; which was then seconded by a member causing it to go to a vote either being favoured or voted against. The word extension I believe was uttered a couple of times but I did not fully understand what it meant. My observations were fairly limited on this part as it was so fast pace it was hard to follow at times. Half way through the meeting a break was offered for ten minutes worth of public participation, but because no one had anything to ask the meeting continued. It followed this pattern for the next hour and half, until the members of the public were asked to leave so that they could discuss the last two points.
At the start of this blog I mentioned my misconceptions, so now I will comment on how I was wrong.To begin with jokes were made between the councillors giving the meeting a light hearted atmosphere, also the warmth and welcoming disposition of the councillors soon washed away any feeling of intimidation I had. Overall I found this experience very educational.

A picture speaks a thousand words.

2009-03-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

In a previous blog I commented on a particular article and praised the Daily Mirror for excellent coverage of a story and their selection of a picture to convey the emotion of tragedy, however one of the pictures they used in their tribute to Jade Goody; which was published on monday the 23rd of March, was herrendous. The picture in question showed Jade Goody being carried away in a body bag. I can appreciate that the picture must have been very difficult to get and is possibly a very exclusive picture, but I just can't help but feel how inappropriate it was to show that picture, as it is too morbidly shocking and may be very hurtful to some of the readers having to look upon it. I may be over reacting, so please let me know what you think. Do you feel it was appropriate to use that picture?

I will end on a positive, despite the Daily Mirror's use of this picture I felt overall the tribute they put together was very touching, the wide range of information did justice to the legacy Jade is leaving behind and it gave her memory the full credit it deserved. But most of all the faces of her family and friends shows how much she will be missed.
I was discussing with someone in our lecture the great legacy Jade will leave behind through her very public battle with cervical cancer; however they disagreed by saying it showed a lack of dignity by selling her struggle to the press. Which I feel is a valid point. Please let me know what you think, did Jade do the right thing making her terminal illness so public?

Next week I will blog about the council meeting I will be attending on the 3oth of March.

Nature or Nurture?

2009-03-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Monstrous, tragic and shocking were just some of the words that came to mind when I first read the story of the shootings in Germany executed by loner seventeen year old Tim Kretschmer. However this story is just a chilling reminder of previous school shootings and raises some important questions the first being: do gun laws need to be more strict? And are these school shooters born killers or moulded into murderers by their peers?

To answer the latter question are killers born or made I think that it is important to look at where the killer fitted in the social hierarchy at school, as this will tell us whether they were bullied or loners; which I know is a common stereotype but if they were bullied or victimised it would make sense that there would be a strong motive for targeting members of the school they attended. So here are a few examples of previous cases, the Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung-Hui and Kimveer Gill according to psychologist Robin Kowalski they did fit the typical profile for school killers, for instance they both were rejected in some way whether that was through bullying or other means, both had an obsession with guns and weapons, they were premeditated and methodical. Therefore to some degree it does seem that these killers are created through years of bullying, which raises the question do children need to be taught the repercussions of bullying rather than what it does to the victim? As both of these examples the killers deliberately planned out their revenge.

My final point is do gun laws need to be more strict and are parents reckless with their guns if their children are able to access these weapons? As Kretschmer got the guns he used from his father's collection of eighteen guns. I personally for a long time now have thought that gun laws are too relaxed as it seems anyone can walk into a shop and purchase a gun. I also think that America's whole attitude regarding guns is important, because they seem very gun happy and emphasize the need for guns as a form of protection and to be used on a regular basis...well Britons don't have that attitude and we have had no school shootings, however we do have a severe knife problem. So is it American's attitude that arms the hate fuelled teenagers with the tools they need to carry out their revenge? In conclusion I think it is important to look at the society in which these killers come from as I feel that it is partly responsible.

A Life time of Guilt

2009-03-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

Stories revealing scandals in government or celebrity faux pas I will admit do not intrigue me, however stories of bizarre tragedy do, and this particular story I will blog about left me feeling that it is unfair how high the price of a simple mistake or accident can cost someone so dearly; and that the mistake will leave them wounded for the rest of their lives.

I am of course talking about the tragic story of Leon Holder the baby who was crushed by his thirteen stone dad; who tripped over one of the baby's toys. I cannot begin to imagine the intolerable guilt his father, Sam Barwick must be enduring, but I can't help but feel that it could have been avoided. For instance why was the baby playing on the floor? Does it not seem obvious that the baby was at risk from being trampled on? I know this implies negligence which I am not inferring, but I just don't think a baby should play on the floor. I was also looking at the age of the parents the father, Sam is twenty and the mother, Katie is nineteen, and I have been debating ever since whether the parents age has anything to do with the fact the baby was playing on the floor? Would older parents have foreseen the potential risk. Either way the fateful irony of this tragedy greatly saddened me.

Before I draw this blog to a close I would just like to give praise were its due, I think the picture The Daily Mirror used to accompany this story was genius. The image of a toothless smile from a child who is clearly happy and wearing an 'I love Daddy' bib amplified the tone of tragedy and horror the article was clearly aiming to produce. Well done.

2009-03-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

I was left feeling relieved that Tuesday's lecture wasn't another philosophy themed lesson, instead I found the overview of British history interesting enough that it subdued my fatigue; as it filled in gaps of knowledge that my education had left unfilled; the other things mentioned was just a pleasant reminder. Now I know we are supposed to blog about the lecture and start a debate, but I'm not going to do that. I will instead talk about something that I have read and was recommended to write about it in another less than motivating comment left on my blog. However I will say that if you would like to know more about British history I recommend that you look at some of the works of Greek and Roman historians in particular Tacitus's Agricola; which comments on the military invasion of Britain by the Romans and Britain itself and its inhabitants at the time. "The Britons were formerly governed by kings, [54] but at present they are divided in factions and parties among their chiefs; and this want of union for concerting some general plan is the most favorable circumstance to us,in our designs against so powerful a people. It is seldom that two or three communities concur in repelling the common danger; and thus, while they engage singly, they are all subdued". This extract from Tacitus is also very useful because it gives a Roman perspective.

As I said previously I will now talk briefly on a subject which doesn't interest me at all, but a subject which I was recommended to talk about. I was shocked to read that the comedian Billy Connolly stated in an article that he had over a hundred pairs of shoes. I was truly puzzled because it is common for women to have an obsession with either bags or shoes, but a man, is that normal? Is this obsession or vanity? This line of questioning reminded me of a particular topic I have been studying in English regarding feminism and specifically gender. Feminists argue that gender is an illusion and a product of society; which tells us that we should behave a certain way because of our sex, for example girls should like dolls and boys football. Is this prejudice I feel a product of society programmed into me? As I am ashamed to admit I personally feel that if a man has too many shoes that I would perceive him as more feminine than other men. However it may just be to do with vanity, as it is all about what you wear most places. If any guys have a similar obsession please let me know; as it would be great to hear a males perspective.

Empiricism

2009-02-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

I must admit that after Tuesday's lecture I was left feeling a little confused, the long winded and over complicated explanations didn't particularly help with my understanding of the subject; so in my hour of doubt I turned to the Internet for confirmation. After researching for just a couple of minutes I was able to understand that empiricism is a theory or idea based on sensory analysis and is scientific, whereas an a-priori is more faith orientated. After gaining a better understanding of the topic, I started looking for examples of quotes or debates on the subject, without much success.

However I did remember that David Icke was mentioned in the lecture and I remember I was intrigued at the bizarre associations his name was linked with, for example his lizard theory, so with curiosity as my motivation I visited his website. Upon reading some of his articles such as his theory that Barrack Obama is using hope and change as a mind control device my interest in him grew further. "Barack Obama is a purveyor of 'hope' because his masters want the people to accept what they are given now in the hope that good times will come". Well... to some degree that is true, don't all politicians get into power by enticing us with the promise of change for the better? However I wouldn't go as far to say that he is using it as a mind control device, that implies his intentions may not be completely noble and that he has complete power over the masses; which isn't true either, he doesn't, not everyone voted for him. Icke also states that he is dangerous and threatens to lead Americans down a dark path; as I am unable to find an empiricist view on the subject I will take that position in the debate. I think its wrong to say that Barrack Obama is going to lead America down a dark road, because he hasn't done it yet, or given any indication that he will, and he has only been in power a short period of time so it seems unfair to judge his time in power already.

I would advise anyone looking for a spokes person for a-priori opinions to look at David Icke's article's as there is quite a selection, and many of them are quite enlightening.

2009-02-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

After reading about the death of yet another toddler (Sanam Navsarka) at the hands of an abusive parent, I feel disgusted that it has taken a well documented case like baby P to spark public interest in child abuse. As in my opinion more cases have emerged as being unnoticed since baby P's death. It has also made me question how much violence needs to be inflicted upon a child before people take notice? Was it the severity of baby P's injuries that made people finally take more of an interest?

Another potential question that has bothered me since reading about Sanam is; does the failure to prevent these abuse cases reveal a flaw in the system? As surely if a lot of children are not being helped, it must be due to the incompetence of care workers, as it states in 'The Sun' that Sanam's injuries were unnoticed by care worker's. "Sanam was seen by care workers three times in the month before she died. They met the couple to discuss another relative who was in care- but failed to spot Sanam's injuries".