Media Access students put their creative wits to test in this final Photoshop project assembling a composite image with ‘a subverted meaning’.
No more White House by SARAH FRANCIS
Posturing fools by SAIKOUBA CEESAY
New broom by JUBRIL ADEWALE
The Obama expectations by CLARA IWEH
Why Ronaldo dives by JOAO FERNANDES COSTA
In Iraq the Gods are marines by SOUADA SHALEF
Global warming by YODIT YONAS
SARAH FRANCIS on an Anglo-Indian triumph
Slumdog Millionaire is a must see movie. It’s directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy and stars Dev Patel from the Channel Four show Skins playing the main character Jamal.
Jamal is an 18 year old boy from the slums of Mumbai who finds himself in the hot seat of the Indian version of the TV show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Answering all his questions correctly, Jamal is well on his way to winning 20 million rupees, but is he doing it only for the money?
The show’s host Prem Kumar, played by Anil Kapoor, refuses to believe that this poor, slum born kid genuinely knows the answers and must be cheating.
So the minute the show has run out of time, Prem has Jamal arrested and taken to the police station.
Forced to go through each question again and explain how he knew the answers, Jamal’s life story begins to unfold and this is the device used to keep us on the edge of our seats throughout.
There are a many twists, turns and tragedies in this film, but it is definitely a feel good rags-to- riches drama, which has already been given top ratings by the film critics, won four Golden Globe awards and is a UK smash hit.
Dev Patel’s performance is brilliant and his BAFTA nomination for best male actor, competing with the likes of Brad Pitt, has definitely proved his talent at a young age.
He is surely well on his way to a successful film career.
His Mumbai based co-star Freida Pinto plays his love interest Latika and is up for best supporting actress at the BAFTAS. She has had minor roles before, but Slumdog is most definitely her starring debut.
Slumdog Millionaire stands out because it has Bollywood and Hollywood elements mixed together, something that’s totally new.
And the locations, content and style of the film are pretty unique too.
A great directing job from Danny Boyle.
HEADSET CONTRIBUTORS on the media coverage and other issues coming out of Gaza
Pro-Israeli media outlets don’t focus on why Hamas was firing the rockets into Israel and refuse to condemn both sides and the pro-Palestine ones only blame Israel for the violence – so both can be said to be biased. But it’s revealing to look at the Stop the War and similar websites and compare them with pro-Israeli ones, which do not focus on the history of the region. History after all is what provides a context for the causes of the conflict.
BERNARD SHEERAN
There is a pro-Israeli Zionist agenda in the UK and US media which would like us to think Israel can do no wrong. It seems to blame all Palestinian deaths on the Palestinians, rather than blaming the people who actually dropped the bombs on those innocent lives. The BBC even posted an article on its website blaming Hamas for the bombing of a UN school, saying Hamas were firing rockets from inside it, without any evidence. Even if this had been so, they could have sent ground troops in rather than bombing it. Fox News say that Hamas started this war by firing rockets into Israel in early December as if nothing happened before that. They have hidden information that this is a war that has been going on for decades and that Israel has oppressed the Palestinians, preventing food and supplies from going into Gaza. As far as I’m concerned, networks like Al-Jazeera have presented the war fairly because it has reported how homes, mosques, schools and government buildings and hospitals have been targeted by Israeli jets. People might say that it has a pro-Palestinian bias, but I think they are reporting the truth and if the truth is pro-Palestinian, then so be it
AHMED AHMED
From a political point of view I think it is impossible to say who’s right and who’s wrong. All I know is that hundreds of innocents are dying and no one is trying to provide useful suggestions to stop this. Each party in the conflict has its own agenda – Shiites will believe in what Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah) is saying before he even says it. Large sections of the Arab public do not care anymore, because things have gone on in the same way for the past 61 years, since the foundation of Israel, and also because it’s lost trust in the leaders. And on the other side you have people who back Israel because they believe in the Israeli project, no matter what the outcomes and costs will be.
ZAIN AL JANABI
The Israeli military’s massacre of 1,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, has been ignored by world leaders. They could not protect them against their cowardly attacks and the Israeli government should stand trial for their crimes against humanity, including the use of chemical weapons. The people of Gaza have the right to resist and protect their territorial integrity. They are under oppression and occupation by Israel’s soldiers who wage war on innocent women and children and closing down the borders to stop any aid getting in. These people are totally innocent and the UN and international organisations should make the Israelis pay for the damage and the massacre of innocent Palestinians.
SAIKOUBA CEESAY CEE07073917@student.cnwl.ac.uk
From what I can see from the media coverage, most outlets are taking Israel’s side in the Gaza war. I totally disagree with this because innocent people are dying. I wish the Israelis would forget about politics, religion and land just for once and realise what they are doing. As a Muslim, I feel very strongly about this. I was shocked when I looked at the Israeli website infolivetv, which has a section which is totally devoted to “terrorism”. This is absolutely so ridiculous – they post articles on their website about terrorism when they themselves are the terrorists! Now that Obama is President I just pray that things will change for the better, but have low hopes. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan is still going on and it’s like no one cares.
SAMERA RACHYAL
HEADSET contributors give their slant on
the era of Obama
The Obama victory is of great significance. Maybe Dr Martin Luther King’s dream of a person being judged by who they are rather than the colour of their skin has been realised. His win will promote unity and raise the aspirations of all American youth across racial lines and it could also go some way to heal the scars caused by slavery and the subsequent struggle for equal rights. Yet the weight of expectation now rests heavily on his shoulders. The American public want him to make their country great again, fix the economy without raising taxes, withdraw troops from Iraq and offer free healthcare to the poor. And there’s the pressure to respect the Kyoto Agreement on tackling climate change too – so he’ll have to please most of the people, most of the time. Not an easy task; it was a close election and half the country is yet to be swayed by Obamamania. The relationship between Britain and the States should now become strictly professional and all the previous brown-nosing must come to and end. This would be a positive, as this country would not be bullied into war and meddling in global affairs which don’t concern it. This is a moment that many thought would never be achieved but it has, so if we have all come this far what’s not to say that everything else won’t change? Remember, in January the White House will house its first Black family…
SIRENA REYNOLDS
Regaining the American Dream is the most ambitious promise made by Barack Obama. His powerful speeches and drive for change has made Americans and people all over the world believe in him and the mantra “Yes we can!”, chanted by the crowds when he won the election. The dark shadows of the Bush administration are clearing away and Obama’s election gives a new opportunity for America to polish up its image. The president elect has made a lot of great promises such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in new technologies. And he’s promised to pull the army out of the unjust war on Iraq and tackle unemployment. There’s already great debate in the media as to how he will do all this. But what is clear is that at this point Obama wants to make the public a part of his plan to bring about change. If that happens, America will gain new respect in the world.
ZUL ZELAMAT
With the election of such a strong minded and positive president, the world expects a better America. And in that country, Obama can be looked up to by black youth as a role model like Martin Luther King. Obama is expected to sort out the economic crises afflicting the world along with the situation in Iraq. At home, the expectations are that he will do something about taxation and unemployment. I think these expectations can be fulfilled. But it’s going to take time and people shouldn’t forget that Obama isn’t God, he’s human and we all make mistakes. The fact that everyone is only seeing the positive is good, but it puts so much pressure on Obama. If he fails, it will be such a big let down.
SAMERA RACHYAL
I have a lot of expectations of Obama although I’m realistic about what, and how much, he will actually be able to do. On the one hand, I think that he will be able to change a lot – Iraq, Afghanistan and the issues around global warming. But, on the other, I see him as just another puppet like Bush. Powerful groups like the arms manufacturers, who make obscene profits out of war, pull the strings. And they use their influence to control the likes of Bush and, inevitably I fear, Obama. It will be very interesting to see how the Gordon Brown and Obama relationship will develop. Bush and Blair were very similar in their views, particularly on Iraq. Obama wants a gradual troop withdrawal and there may be some differences of opinion about the timescale. I’m sure Obama’s presidency will have a big impact on my life. I’m very aware of current affairs and how they are managed by the media and I hope that Obama will maybe change those perceptions. But at the back of my mind I feel as though things will never change – they might even get worse.
SAFFA MAHMUD
There are so many expectations with Obama’s election. Not only is he the first black American president, he brings hope for a change internationally by ending America’s interference in other countries like Iraq. Domestically, the gap between white and black American rights is now surely going to be transformed too. Yet even if Obama does fulfil his promises, America is never going to stop being the world power and it will continue to interfere in other countries’ politics because that is what America does. My country, Serbia, was a victim of America’s interference which destroyed its heart and soul with the removal of Kosovo from its rule.
But the hope remains that Obama will control the world better than previous presidents, not least because we have never seen so many people get involved in his election, particularly the younger generation and many black citizens who in the past would not have voted. They showed so much hope in the arrival of Obama that it is hard not to share their optimism.
KRISTINA TEODOROVIC
Obama is not the ‘typical American’ in that he is both black and has a Kenyan background. This can only be beneficial to the US because he is bringing a different perspective and cultural mix to the White House. Unlike previous presidents, Obama will serve everyone. And if the domino theory is correct, as America changes and develops under his leadership, so too will other nations. Obama doesn’t come across as an angry man and won’t be waging new wars any time soon. Too often in the past world leaders have adopted the excuse that ‘if America is doing it, then it is OK,’ but with President Barack Obama as world leader there can only be greatness to come. Obama is of course a symbol of hope for black people everywhere. They can breathe a sigh of relief, as he is showing that all black people are not the same and shouldn’t be stereotyped. Yet as a black woman, I feel a sense of shame that it has taken so many decades for a black person to be considered on the same level as a white person in order to even run for president. I have to question why have we waited so long. Will it become the norm that black people, finally, will be able to better their lives without having to contend with the constant issue of race? This was typified by some newspapers focusing solely on Obama’s racial background, ignoring the fact that he had to fight for his supporters votes just like McCain did. The main focus should not have been on Obama’s skin colour, but his values and what he can bring to America. But voters saw something newspapers like The Sun didn’t. They recognised his desire for change and his unmatched determination to achieve it.
LEIKISHIA LETANG-REID
Obama’s message of change resonated not only in America but around the world and like many I was glued to the updates as the campaign unfolded, although I’d never been much interested in American politics before. Why? Because Barack Obama is the first Afro-American president. He was able to unite a country that had so much racial division and, to some in America, he was an answer to their prayer that one day they would see their kind holding the highest post in the land. And Obama’s election is proof that the racial divide in America has been bridged. Expectations are high: if Obama is to keep his promises of change, resolving the ongoing financial crisis and ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will be the proof. Elsewhere, Obama’s election will most certainly affect the lives of my relatives back in Somalia where Ethiopian troops, funded and supported by America, are still in occupation. Many hope that Obama will bring about the kind of change President Clinton brought about in 1993 when he pulled US troops out of the country following his election.
MOHAMMED HASSAN
In a nation that was founded on genocide and then built on the backs of slaves it was an unexpected moment, shocking in its simplicity. Barack Obama, a good black man, said he would bring change to Washington and the majority of the country liked the idea. The racists were present throughout the campaign. But they are no longer the majority and we will see their flame of hate fizzle out in our lifetime. Of course, a black president in the White House is of historic significance and not to be underestimated. But I have concerns not only for the new president’s safety but how he is going to improve America after the Bush administration brought America to its knees, faced by adversaries in every corner of the earth. Yet now Americans – whether Hispanic, Asian, white or black – believe they can get back the America they were proud of and loved so well. They are tired of fighting wars for the Bush junta to gain control of important, but declining, natural resources. Their hope is that Barack will pull the troops out and create dialogue with groups and nations dubbed terrorist by the media, which has never raised questions about the corrupt governments in power in such countries. These issues have to be faced immediately and resolved. Will real change happen? Of course it’s great that a black man could win the election and promise a transformation and, hey, maybe he will make America a better place. But presidents don’t control the economy. Bush, a front man for all his dad’s friends who were pulling the strings, certainly didn’t. And who’s to say Obama isn’t going to be controlled by the illuminati, just as George Bush was?
CHELSEY BETTS
The election of Barack Obama as President came after the most lengthy, expensive – and exciting – election in decades and its significance goes way beyond America’s shores. Obama’s youthful looks and memorable speeches brought out more voters then ever before: young and old, black and white all voted for the man they believe will deliver the change he has so often promised. Like many, I hope he will deliver. Eight years of Dubya wrecked America’s image because of the wars in Iraq and elsewhere and these must end. He could also help sort out the financial crisis, which he has made his number one priority, and bring down the violence plaguing American society. But, as an Obama supporter, I question the level of expectation placed on him to deal with all these issues. By the time of the next presidential elections in 2012, I do not think he will have fulfilled many, but I do believe he will do his best to change the country for the better. In Britain, I think his win can encourage more people from different ethnic groups to try and realise their aspirations their dreams. And it could lead the way for more running for parliament and, some day, the leadership of a major party and the country.
BERNARD SHEERAN
Looking at what the Bush administration has done to America and the impression it has left across the world, it is no wonder the American people are looking for a change of direction and what better way to do it! But are they expecting too much? Or is it too little, too late? Obama has already said he will be looking to reverse many of George Bush’s policies, but can he make a difference to an economy that looks to be on its knees? Many Americans are now daring to hope that their loved ones will return from war and that climate change issues will be looked at more realistically and seriously. If there are to be changes, then everyone must be patient. Obama will need to be elected for a second term in office because there’s no quick fix – four years is just not enough.
ABUL ALI
Obama represents all the people and all the races, that’s why his victory was celebrated all round the world. Obama has raised the confidence of black Afro-Americans and become their role model. A positive of his foreign policy is the withdrawal of US soldiers from Iraq and the closure of Guantanamo Bay and his plans to transform the health care system to make it affordable to every American is welcome. Obama’s victory was a crushing one for the Republicans but I don’t think the new Democrat rulers will make any significant changes to the good relationship between Britain and the US. But his election will be a motivation for black people in this country to think that one of them could be Prime Minister in the coming years.
SAIKOUBA CEESAY
Obama’s speeches are truly inspiring and just what Americans need to start believing in their country again. The US has always pushed the idea that it is a land of freedom and opportunity, yet what this election showed was the opposite: for many Black and Hispanic Americans it was the first time they had voted in their lives. I was struck by a woman aged 103 who’d voted for the first time in her life. She wanted change, she said, and was so proud that the first time she voted was for a black man. Now, this comment could be taken in two ways – she voted Obama because he’s black and no other reason or, like most Americans, she’s tired of being dragged into wars she doesn’t want and suffering in the country. I believe she voted for change and if it comes in the form of a black man, all the better. Minorities in America have never had it easy, so this was their chance to show the world that they are ready to stand up and be counted as Americans,
NARIMAN OMARNUR
It’s been a long time coming. At last America has a black president and it couldn’t have come at a better moment – ‘crunch’ time. The world needs change and Barack Obama is going to make the change that everybody is looking for. The expectations of the American people are an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and better health care. For Blacks in particular, it will mean more self-confidence and the belief that finally they will be living in a nation where Martin Luther King’s words, echoed by Obama during his campaign, ring true: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” And his election could see more black people in Britain’s parliament and more courage to strive for the jobs that they want.
JUBRIL ADEWALE
Obama has had this saviour like image placed on him and he has been compared to great American leaders of the past. I only hope he can deliver the promises in his policies for change. During the next four years, he will probably get a lot of criticism for his methods and strategy compared to a white president. Black people are often only portrayed as being successful in music or sport and that’s what he will be up against.
DAYNA NEMBHARD
The fact that Barack is the first African American president makes this election an historic moment, which may change the way politics are played out in the US. But, as a Mexican, his triumph comes with many questions. In my country, there is a saying that when America catches ’flu Mexico gets pneumonia and the question being asked back home is whether he is really capable of helping America in an economic crisis which is having such a negative impact beyond its borders. This is where my worries really start. Obama is taking on the leadership of a country undergoing an agonising period and a population that has to change the way it lives and consumes. It’s also a population that is expecting Obama to deliver positive changes in a period of just four years. But are the people who voted for him really aware of all his policies, do they really know what he has planned for the economy? Or was the vote for change simply a desperate move in desperate times?
ADRIAN DURAN
Headset Online 