Swallowed whole: satire and the media
Last week, the German public broadcasting company ZDF released a press statement clarifying that its comedy programmes contained comedy and not news, while the German public debate on Greece’s financial…
Twenty-First Century Apathy
This week more than most, campus has felt remarkably quiet. It could be described as post-election melancholy, as campaign posters are blown away by the wind, and one-time activists are…
Where is my money going to go?
Charitable giving is something which the UK is particularly good at advertising and participating in. Recently, Comic Relief broke records yet again for the amount raised this year, with the…
Combating Edinburgh’s Homelessness
When I moved to Edinburgh last September, I was surprised to see so many homeless people on the streets and was interested in seeing what was being done to alleviate…
The bullies behind computer screens
When Lizzie Velasquez was 17 she came across a YouTube video entitled “The World’s Ugliest Woman”. Not knowing what was in store, she clicked on the video, purely as part…
Uncovering the Humanist Philosophy
Few can have missed the irony when the former Archbishop of Canterbury, arguably the most recognisable figurehead of religious England, recently urged the government to reconsider their plans to leave…
Falling Stars: The Politics of Celebrities
Jeremy Clarkson recently caused uproar by allegedly both verbally and physically abusing a Top Gear producer at a hotel in Yorkshire. Witnesses state that Clarkson “ripped into” Oisin Tymon, threatening…
SeaWorld in deep water after whale cruelty
SeaWorld almost closed two years ago when the documentary Blackfish unveiled the animal cruelty occurring in the park, causing a huge public movement advocating the protection of animal rights. Blackfish…