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June/July 2011
DEBATES LISTINGS REVIEWS
TA P S L RE TEC U ST AR S AU D W RA FO IN NT R T : OF ON A FE S O RS F
Should God tell us how to run the country?
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A note from the Editor Ripples of the Arab Spring are still being felt across the Middle East with Syria’s Bashar al-Assad the latest Arab dictator to use brutal force to cling to power and put down a wave of revolutionary demonstrations. With over 1,300 deaths so far the UN has condemned Assad’s regime and imposed sanctions. However, with civilians being murdered every day many feel economic measures do not go far enough and military intervention is necessary. Can the West even handle a new Syrian front or are sanctions the right plan of action? The Archbishop of Canterbury has been in the news this month sharing his views on the NHS and the Coalition Government. Many have welcomed the Church’s intervention, while others have accused the Archbishop of breaking a sacred covenant separating the Church and State. This now opens the floodgates to a much broader question of does religion have a place in politics in the 21st century? Another issue that has sparked controversy this month, especially among parents, is whether children are being sexualised too early. The Mother’s Union has put pressure on the Government to protect children from nefarious marketing. Are children being exposed to sex too young or is it a parent’s responsibility to decide their own level of exposure. And finally, another year, another Wimbledon. The country has rallied behind surly Scot Andy Murray. Can a Brit finally end our 75 years championship drought or is British failure at SW19 as much an institution now as strawberries and cream, Pimm’s and white outfits?
Robert Lyons In-Debate Editor
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Contents
June/July ‘11
Issue 9
5
9 WIN: A Tastecard for 2 FOR 1 deals or 50% restaurant offers!
14
19
31
THIS MONTH’S DEBATES
IN- ADDITION
5 Are sanctions effective on rogue nations?
12 Fantasic Facts
Using the economic bomb
28 Chessie’s London Treats 29 It’s No Debate
9 Does religion have a place in politics?
An Archbishop speaks out of turn
30 Crosswords & Sudukos 30 Let’s Talk 31 This Month’s Competition
14 Are we sexualising children too early?
Mothers ask David Cameron to Let Girls Be Girls
IN-LIST 23 Brain Food Listings
19 Can a Brit win Wimbledon?
Murray says it’s his year
25 Mind Fuel Listings 26 Inspirational Listings 27 IQ2 Debates
Image: Syrian Press Office
It’s a little known fact that... THERE are five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the U.S.). TEN other members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. SINCE its creation, China has used its veto six times, France 18, Russia 123, the UK 32 and the U.S. 82. OTHER countries who demand a permanent seat at the council are Brazil, Germany, India and Japan. UNDER Article 27 of the UN Charter, all matters require the affirmative votes of nine members. THE five permanent members of the Security Council are five of the top ten largest arms exporting countries in the world.
NEWS
Are sanctions effective on rogue nations? By Jules Norton Selzer
W
ITH 1,300 Syrians murdered in the last three months, the government of Bashar al-Assad shows no sign of relenting its ruthless crackdown on protestors. In response, pressure is mounting on the EU to widen its sanctions against the regime, while similar calls for travel bans and asset freezes have been made against the governments’ of Bahrain and Yemen. Amongst this cacophony of injustice, we must revisit a question that has vexed political commentators for decades – do economic sanctions ever work? Sanctions have been controversially used by Western powers, especially the United States, to exert political and economic pressure on “rogue”
nations, such as Cuba, South Africa, Iran, Zimbabwe and North Korea. Many see sanctions not only as ineffective in forcing a regime to change its policy, but as counterproductive. They harm impoverished citizens, the very people they are supposed to be helping, and embolden despotic governments. Arguably, however, economic pressure can play an important role as “smart” sanctions, alongside other measures, can propel dramatic change such as ending apartheid in South Africa. So is the symbolic power of blacklisting a country internationally underestimated? And in an era where military intervention is so unpopular, is there another option? >> I N -D E BAT E / 5
Are sanctions effective on rogue nations?
1
The symbolic power is enormous
FOR
BY far the biggest value of economic sanctions is their symbolic power. The UN sanctions against Iran in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010 sent a clear and potent message that its actions are not accepted by the international community. As Stephen Walt, an esteemed US academic attests, their chief value is as a foreign policy “signal” rather than an economic lever. This signal can be used as a crucial tool to increase diplomatic pressure on Syria and Bahrain – just as it did with Zimbabwe and North Korea in the past. The international sanctions placed on South Africa in the 1980s isolated the government and helped bring apartheid to an overdue end. Similarly, global sanctions placed on Serbia, after Slobodan Milosevic’s cruel campaigns in Bosnia and Kosovo, hastened Milosevic’s downfall and subsequent extradition to face an international war crimes tribunal.
2
They must be universally and effectively applied
SANCTIONS can be effective, but to work they need to be universally applied. As American diplomat Nicholas Burns points out: “The reason why they are perceived as failing is because many countries are effectively ignoring them or, like China, undercutting them.” Likewise, earlier sanctions against Iran in 1996 “failed” because of a waiver which meant it could still access Western technology through European firms. The lesson from this is not to do away with sanctions, but to apply them more intelligently. The Peterson Institute of Economics highlights that “smart” sanctions involving modest goals have a 50% chance of success. Any prospective sanctions against Syria will need to prescribe to certain principles – a broad coalition of countries involved, promise of sustained measures over a long time, a disproportionate effect on innocents and that these sanctions can be backed up by military force.
3
They must not exist in isolation
SANCTIONS are an important tool in foreign policy, but as Professor Adam Roberts, a research fellow at Oxford University, says: “They work best in combination with other factors.” This can be seen
6 / I N - D E BAT E
in Rhodesia and South Africa where, alongside social forces at work, they played a part in the change from white minority to black majority rule. However, the end of apartheid is a rare example as sanctions should be judged on their success in achieving specific stated objectives, rather than inflated expectations for regime change. Robert Carswell, the former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, claimed the successful end to the 1979 U.S. Embassy siege in Tehran was down to the stated objectives to “defrost” Iranian assets in exchange for hostages.
4
It’s our only option
5
People must be patient
THE spectre of lengthy and disastrous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq still looms large over the international community. In the current climate where military action is so unpopular, economic sanctions are a credible instrument for governments to use. Diplomat Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Britain’s ambassador to the UN between 1998 and 2003, says the fundamental reason for the popularity of sanctions is that “there is nothing else between words and military action if you want to bring pressure upon a government.” Sanctions against Yemen, Syria and Bahrain are tougher than a diplomatic “telling off” and demonstrate a willingness of the EU and U.S. to rise above their commercial interests and make economic sacrifices. They also offer flexibility by keeping diplomatic channels open with countries rather than simply isolating them – a useful balancing act.
THOSE who dismiss economic sanctions for failing to make a decisive and instantaneous impact must be aware they are not intended as a quick fix. It took nearly three decades from the first UN resolution urging sanctions in 1962 to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990. Their purpose is to send a signal and not, as is commonly perceived, to exert economic leverage. This means that often it can be difficult to explicitly quantify the effectiveness of economic sanctions. The current war in Libya demonstrates that even NATO-led military force can struggle to oust a tyrannical regime. Therefore, we must be realistic in our expectations of economic sanctions. Rather than simply dismissing them as an ineffective weapon of the rich, we must accept they are viable, but imperfect, tools of foreign policy.
News / In-Debate
WHETHER it be against North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Burma, Sudan, Syria or Zimbabwe, sanctions rarely achieve their political objective – to undermine a regime or initiate its removal. The Peterson Institute’s estimate puts the success rate at about 30%. In a world of cold power politics, the reality is that regimes are brought down not by trade embargoes but by force of arms. For a government like Bashar Al-Assad’s that is willing to murder its own people, sanctions will not make a difference. In Milosevic’s Yugoslavia, Saddam’s Iraq and Taliban controlled Afghanistan, it was military action that forced them from power. This starkly illustrates the limits of sanctions on regimes that show scant concern for the welfare of their people. Ivan Eland, from think tank the Center on Peace and Liberty, says: “The U.S. overuse ineffective, and potentially counterproductive, economic coercion for symbolic purposes.”
2
They hurt ordinary people
THE most damning consequence of economic sanctions is that they hurt innocent people the most by cutting them off from food, medicine and other necessities. Sanctions imposed on Iraq between 1991 and 2001 led to widespread devastation, precipitating the deaths of up to one million Iraqis. While a 1999 study suggests that post-Cold War sanctions may have contributed to more deaths than all “weapons of mass destruction” used throughout history. Dictators tend to redirect the pain of sanctions onto the backs of those least able to weather them. Manuel Noriega did this when harsh financial sanctions were imposed against Panama in the 1980s. Louis Kreisberg, a social conflict analyst, says that they can “widen the conflict, add to its destructiveness and sometimes prolong it.” Any sanctions on Syria are likely to follow this pattern.
3
Sanctions are counterproductive
ECONOMIC sanctions are worse than ineffective, they are actively counter-productive. The Economist Blog argues that they create a “rally round the flag” effect, whereby “the infliction of indiscriminate suffering tends to turn a populace against the proximate cause of its devastation, not the underlying causes”. For decades Fidel Castro
has been able to blame poverty on the coercive economic measures imposed by the US. Similarly, Robert Mugabe’s rhetoric about “neocolonial” sanctions has been remarkably powerful in Zimbabwe. While dictator Kim Jong-il has thrived on North Korea’s political isolation and used it as a propaganda tool. By increasing their seclusion, sanctions make it easier for dictators to blame external enemies for a country’s suffering. In the case of Iran, sanctions are likely to push dissatisfied, young and culturallyattuned Iranians back into the fold of the ruling Islamic theocracy.
4
Constructive engagement is a more useful tool
5
Economic sanctions are selective
THE simple truth is that constructive engagement is more likely to reap rewards than the demonizing effect of sanctions. The success story of the last few decades has been China’s integration into the global economy. Although the bloodbath in Tiananmen Square in 1989 was reprehensible, the West’s reaction was to use trade and cultural exchange to inspire a regime shift rather than impose isolating sanctions. Trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and participation in international institutions contributed greatly to undermining dictatorships and fostering democracy in the Philippines, South Korea, Argentina, Chile and in Eastern Europe in the 1980s – and is likely to do the same in other autocratic regimes.
AGAINST
1
They hardly ever achieve their prescribed aim
ECONOMIC sanctions are the default mechanism for publicity-conscious Western governments who want to be seen to be “doing something”. Scholar Daniel Fisk argues: “Economic sanctions are a policy instrument with little chance of achieving much beyond making policy-makers feel good about having done something for a particular domestic community.” Sanctions are often imposed on countries the US and EU dislike. For example, the US supports despots in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. However, it chooses to impose sanctions on Belarus because it maintains close ties with Russia. And even when sanctions do work, as is the case of apartheid South Africa, the resulting political upheaval has more to do with internal social forces than sanctions.
I N -D E BAT E / 7
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It’s a little known fact that... AT the end of 2009, there were 19,504 clergy: one priest for every 2,500 people in England. IN the 2001 Census there were over 170 distinct religions counted THE Queen is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. IN 2007, Britain ranked 15th out of fifty countries with the largest percentage of people who identify themselves as non-believers. THE Bible is the most-shoplifted book in the world. ‘JEDI’ is an official religion, with over 70,000 followers in Australia. ACCORDING to the 2001 Census, those of no religion are the second largest belief group at 15.5% of the population.
POLITICS
Does religion have a place in politics? By Dr Nicola Davies
T
HE Archbishop of Canterbury has been in the news this month voicing his opinions on a number of political issues. He criticised the coalition government for burdening Britain with “radical, long-term policies for which no-one voted”. He raised concerns over the “extremist atrocities” faced by Christians in the Middle East and also stated that benefit cuts risk dividing society into the “deserving” and “undeserving”. While the Archbishop, obviously, believes religion can guide politics towards the greater good. Many, on the other hand, want new laws to reduce the influence of religion on issues relating to family and criminal
matters. Lady Cox, cross-bench member of the House of Lords, has proposed a bill opposing Sharia law and the belief by some Muslims that it supersedes the law of the land. As a result, British law stands at a precipice as two of its most fundamental covenants the separation of religion and state and the right of religious leaders to freedom of speech are pitted together in opposition. So, does religion have a role within politics? Is religious input necessary for the greater good of humanity or does Sharia law provide an example of how religious morals should not be allowed to influence secular society? >> I N -D E BAT E / 9
Does religion have a place in politics?
1
The Archbishop is in a position of moral standing
FOR
IT could be argued that 21st Century society lacks a moral structure. Indeed, there appears to be a widely held consensus that religion can bring morality to modern society. This is the opinion of a number of prominent public figures, including the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Lord Harries, the former Bishop of Oxford and author of Faith in Politics? Rediscovering the Christian Roots of Our Political Values. In particular, Lord Harries believes that religion encourages taking politics and voting seriously, something which is currently lacking within society. He states: “The Christian faith is not just about what goes on in personal relationships...It actually has something important to contribute to public life, not least helping people to take public life seriously.”
2
Religion has an historic and global link with national governance
IN the 1960s, it was predicted that as western societies progressed religion would disappear. Yet, this has not been the case and Jurgen Habermas, German sociologist and philosopher, has spoken of the “unexhausted force of religion”. The United States is perhaps the best example of how religion still has a significant presence within society. Despite there being a constitutional barrier separating the church and state, the majority of Americans want their leaders to be religious. A poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 72% agreed with the statement: “The President should have strong religious beliefs.” -It is clear from these figures that the Church represents the views of many people.
3
The Archbishop has the same right to free speech as everyone else BRITAIN is a nation that supports freedom of speech and equality, and these rights should be extended to the Church. Lord Harries believes that all religions should be treated equally and that freedom of speech for religious groups and their contribution to politics “is essential for the health of our democracy.” The
10 / I N - D E BAT E
religio-politics blog “Archbishop Cranmer” is all for freedom of speech for religious leaders. It was quick to blog: “Three cheers for the Archbishop of Canterbury... [Dr Williams’] is braving not just Conservative and Lib Dem politicians, but the National Secularists and the British Humanists who believe religion should be eradicated from the public sphere.”
4
Involvement in politics is essential for greater good
5
The Church offers consistency
RELIGIOUS groups dedicated to ending world poverty, debt and suffering cannot do so without some involvement in politics. The power of faith groups can be seen with initiatives such as the Living Wage, where they successfully lobbied the Government to increase the minimum wage. Furthermore, few would contradict the Church’s view that families are fundamental for a healthy society. The Mothers’ Union – a religious group that are part of the Church of England – have carried out a number of campaigns dedicated to helping families. Their campaign, Bye Buy Childhood, focused on the prohibition of child access to sexualised media, and their most recent work has been on Let Children Be Children – a report to the UK government carried out by their Chief Executive Reg Bailey. In the report the Union emphasises their wish to see the end of children being targeted and exposed to “sex sells” marketing.
OVER the centuries, the Church has endured every form of civil government known to man. While nations and governments come and go, religion has prevailed. Indeed, the Church – the world’s oldest living institution – has a history of maintaining the same hierarchical structure, the same doctrine on faith and morals and the same sacramental system. The core set of beliefs within the Christian religion are the 10 Commandments, which is believed to literally be set in stone. In contrast, the political system is an ever shifting conveyer-belt of policy and legislation, much of which is trial and error. Few policies ever live up to the rhetoric used to pass them into law.
Politics / In-Debate
THE influence of religion in politics has declined in recent years as society has moved away from the Church for guidance and secular ideas have become more dominant. In March 2011, the House of Lords held a seminar chaired by the Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman, on the interaction between religion and politics in the 21st Century. During this seminar, it was argued that advances in science and technology have made religion redundant. For example, historically, people used prayer when confronted with illness. Today, we contact our doctor. We also live in a world of civil rights and free market economics, would we want to have these freedoms curbed by religious institutions based on the rules that they follow?
2
Religious moral positions can be subjective
MORALITY and religion should not be assumed to sit side by side, nor should it be assumed that the values derived from religion are better for protecting the underprivileged or discriminated. Indeed, it could be argued that Sharia law discriminates women by giving a woman’s testimony only half the weight of a man’s. In fact Lady Cox was so concerned that “Muslim women are suffering discrimination” that she proposed a bill that bans this Sharia practice. In addition, many international disputes have a religious factor, including the Middle East conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian cabinet minister, claims former U.S. President George W. Bush told him: “I’m driven by a mission from God. God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.’ And I did, and then God would tell me, ‘George go and end the tyranny in Iraq,’ and I did.”
3
There is a conflict between religion and secular values
THERE are a number of important issues whereby religion and politics are directly opposed and cannot reach consensus. For example, in the 2010 British Social Attitudes Survey, 71% of religious people and 92% of nonreligious people stated they believe in assisted suicide for people with incurable disease. In addition, 29% of religious people believe pre-
marital sex is wrong, compared to 3% of nonreligious people. A current example of conflict between secular and religious values is the right of homosexual couples to marry and adopt children – this goes against many of the deeply held views of some religions.
4
Mixing religious belief with political action is wrong
5
Britons do not want religion to be involved in politics
THIS perspective was voiced by Daily Mail columnist Stephen Glover, who said: “The primate of the Church of England, and the leader of the 70m worldwide Anglican Communion, should not enter the hurly-burly of politics.” He goes on to state that the Archbishop of Canterbury has created “a storm” that may “harm his office and the Church of England”. Religious beliefs impact upon the actions of an individual by adding an inherently irrational element to their thought process. This is why Tony Blair’s admission that his faith was“hugely important” in his decisions during the Iraq War garnered so much criticism as it was argued his decisions should have been based on what was good for the country, not on his religious beliefs. We also have to remember that if we open the political doors to one religion, then surely we have to listen and accept practices from all religions? Three political parties bickering over what’s right and wrong is messy enough, but can you imagine if there were eight factions arguing over policy – nothing would ever be achieved.
AGAINST
1
The historic link is less relevant in the 21st Century
IN the 2010 British Social Attitudes Survey, 75% of respondents said their religious leaders should not attempt to influence their votes, and 67% felt that religious leaders should stay out of all government decision making. Almost half of the British population (45%) took the view that laws and policy-related decisions would be worse if religious leaders were involved. There is also contention around the issue of whether religious faith can lead to intolerance as 73% of Britons believe that “people with very strong religious beliefs are often too intolerant of others.” Agreement was highest among the nonreligious (at 82%), but even 63% of religious people agreed with this statement.
I N -D E BAT E / 11
F A N T A S T I C F A C T S Stonehenge is In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she accepted.
1500 YEARS
Due to the earth’s gravity it is impossible for mountains to be higher than 15,000 meters.
Whale oil was used in automobile transmission fluids as late as 1973.
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE is the historical figure most often portrayed in the movies. He has been featured194 times.
older than the Colosseum.
Pepsi-cola was originally called ‘Brads drink’. The letter J does not appear anywhere on the periodic table of elements.
BRUCE LEE WAS SO FAST that they had to slow the film down so you could see his moves.
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Uncopyrightable ...is the only 15 letter word that can be spelt without repeat
The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised their visors to reveal their identity. The Vatican is the world’s smallest country, at... 0.16 miles (0.44km)
In 2011, July has five Fridays, five Saturdays & five Sundays. This happens once every 823 years!
According to Genesis 1:20-22, the chicken came before the egg. IN ANCIENT TIMES STRANGERS SHOOK HANDS TO SHOW THEY WERE UNARMED.
Indonesia consists only of islands
BERLUSCONI, CLEGG, LORD SUGAR... ARE THEY TERRIBLE LEADERS?
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It’s a little known fact that... IF Barbie were translated into human terms, she would be 5ft9 and have, a 33in bust, 18in waist and 28in hips. IN America there are over 3,000 child beauty pageants every year. THE term “watershed” is called the “safe harbor” in the United States. BRATZ Baby dolls have caused controversy by having “Babyz Night Out” fashion packs, and Bratz “Brattoo Parlors”. ASDA, Debenhams, Argos, John Lewis, Next, Marks & Spencer, Peacocks, Sainsbury’s and Tesco - have signed up to stop offering “sexual” clothes to children. AN advertising associaiton review found that 65% of children aged12-15 use the internet unsupervised.
NEWS
Are we sexualising children too early? By Lucy Mapstone
I
T’S a fact of life that we all get older. And as we age, we mature from children into teens and eventually adults. But are we too eager to grow up and, more worryingly, has this led to children being sexualised too young? Concerns are widespread for the speed at which youngsters are now not only introduced to sexual imagery, but also aspire to undertake in it. However, it may be argued that this is just the way things are in 2011 and that the responsibility of letting your child become sexualised (or “sexually available”, as parenting website Mumsnet puts it) is down to the parents – if a parent is fine with letting their offspring wear padded
bikinis at age nine or watch sexually themed music videos, while still learning to read, that’s their choice. The government has expressed a growing concern about our highly commercialised world taking away the innocence of childhood – the recent report created by Reg Bailey (the male head of the Mother’s Union) asks for businesses and broadcasters to reconsider what children are subjected to, this socalled “wallpaper of sexual images that surround children”. Are we sexualising our children too early or is this speedier progression into adulthood something that we should just accept as inevitable, ethical or not? >> I N -D E BAT E / 15
Are we sexualising children too early?
1
Images of semi-naked pop stars bombard children
FOR
SWITCH on a TV music channel and most likely you will be greeted by the sight of a young female pop star writhing around in little clothing and singing suggestive lyrics like: “Come on rude boy, can you get it up, is it big enough?” And this is before the watershed. Children are impressionable; if they witness their favourite pop star dancing on stage in nextto-nothing, grabbing their crotch and singing about sex in an overt way, then they are going to believe this is normal and something to be mimicked. Music artists are some of the most influential role models in a child’s life. Pop music has always been somewhat sexually inclined, but in recent years it has become even more obscene. Songwriter Mike Stock recently said: “Pop music in this country is dominated by American acts who have taken sexualised imagery, dance moves and lyrical content way beyond the limits of decency.” It has descended into “pornography”.
2
Shops sell adult-style clothing in children sizes
A NUMBER of shops sell padded bikinis and tops emblazoned with suggestive slogans such as “Dive In” for children as young as seven. Many retailers, like Primark, have now agreed to stop selling such inappropriate clothing to preteens, but it only happened after intervention and many are still selling items that are too evocative for the age at which they are aimed. Action is being taken – TV presenter Anna Richardson campaigned on Channel 4 show Stop Pimping Our Kids. While Prime Minister David Cameron is backing the Bailey Report, which highlights commercialism as the root of the problem and suggests changes that must be made over the next 18 months. Penny Nicholls, from The Children’s Society, said: “Research shows that commercial pressures towards premature sexualisation and unprincipled advertising are damaging children’s wellbeing.”
3
Celebrity magazines and TV shows are bad influences
THE media’s fixation with footballer’s wives (aka WAGs) as well as reality TV shows like The Only Way Is Essex encourages young women to aspire to do little with their lives other than look attractive
16 / I N - D E BAT E
and marry a rich footballer. Young, impressionable fans of Katie Price or Chantelle Houghton now favour fake tans, big breasts and kiss-and-tells over an education and career. A study conducted in 2010 by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) revealed that 60% of children aspired to be David Beckham, while a third of girls desired to be like Paris Hilton. ATL spokesperson Mary Bousted summed up the issue: “Children think they can use their bodies rather than their minds to get to high places in life, because this is the example being set by the showbiz industry.
4
Services are available to sexualise children’s images
5
Children have a lot more access to explicit content
AN offshoot of celebrity culture is the desire of children to have beauty treatments to look glammed up and ultimately older. Child protection consultant Shy Keenan calls this new trend “outrageous” as “it gives children a complex about the way they look from age one”. Trendy Monkeys, an Essex-based salon for under-13s, gives young girls the chance to have fake fans, facials and other treatments. While other beauty services throughout the UK give girls the chance to have pamper-parties in their very own homes or in pink limousines. Some even serve fizzy pop named “Kids Bubbly” in champagne glasses. Clearly, the traditional birthday party with cake and party games has fallen out of favour for something more grown-up.
ADVERTISING was highlighted in the Bailey Report as a significant factor in youngsters losing their innocence. Part of the Mumsnet campaign Let Girls Be Girls has seen them try to get shops to move lads’ mags higher up on shelves and covered with paper bags. Currently, many of these magazines – that display nude or scantily clad women – are at eye-level. Some retailers have agreed to make the changes, but WHSmith, the UK’s largest magazine seller, refuses to join the campaign. “WHSmith argue that a 1.2m high shelf – the height of an eight-year-old child – is a sufficient barrier. This is disappointing,” say Mumsnet. Many strongly feel that subjecting children at such an impressionable age to explicit images of women encourages future immoral behaviour.
News / In-Debate
“MY job is to be a role model, and that’s what I want to do, but my job isn’t to be a parent.” Those were the immortal words spoken by teen star Miley Cyrus in an interview. And perhaps she has a point. The former Hannah Montana star is doing her job, which is to sing, act and entertain. She needs to be mindful of her audience but she isn’t doing anything her contemporaries are not. The entertainment industry is highly competitive and if wearing hot pants on stage allows her to stay successful, then so be it. Another recent debate that has raged in the media concerns the infamous raunchy performances by Christina Aguilera and Rihanna on The X Factor – hundreds of viewers complained. However, after an investigation, watchdog Ofcom stated that their routines were in fact “suitably limited”. The simple truth is if you don’t want your kids to see this stuff, then don’t let them watch it.
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Young children don’t shop for themselves
AS Grazia columnist Fiona McIntosh concisely put it: “Since when did [eight-year-olds] have spending power? If you don’t want your child to wear a padded bra, then don’t buy her one!” For all the campaigning and complaining, the fact of the matter is, parents buy their children clothes. And if they wish to purchase adult-style clothing for their child and allow them to wear it then it is their decision. Is peer pressure to blame? Probably – but parents still have complete ownership of what they have. If their child is ranting about wearing an inappropriate item of clothing their mates have they can just say no.
3
Celebrity culture encourages children to aspire to something THE world is changing, some may argue for the worse, as fame is now the ultimate career goal. Many look down on the likes of Katie Price, but she is a businesswoman first and foremost and has built up a £40m empire through her business acumen and gutsy perseverance. Why should this be seen as negative? Plenty of young girls and boys look up to Ms Price – yes, she may have been a glamour model
in the past but that’s behind her now in favour of a more lucrative, varied career. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but if she can inspire young minds to aim high and better themselves it can’t be a bad thing.
4
We shouldn’t stop children trying to improve themselves if they want to WE mustn’t completely shield children from reality, and perhaps it’s time to shed our traditional British prudishness. Michelle Devine, founder of the Trendy Monkeys salon for young girls, has stood up for her right to pamper her young customers. “I will do spray tans if parents want them,” she admitted. And they do. Parents taking their children to these kinds of establishments also fully stand up for their right to allow their daughters to be made-up however they wish. They see it as no different from letting them take ballet or wear a certain style shoe. This is the fundamental core of this situation – if children are becoming sexualised it is because parents are letting it happen. Does a spray tan equate to being sexualised? It could be said that it’s just a heightened awareness of looking nice, rather than trying to attract sexual attention.
AGAINST
1
Sexual imagery in music isn’t aimed at children
5
Media is something to be approached with caution
THIS is another issue that lies in the hands of parents. There are methods available to protect children from seeing things, and if parents don’t choose to implement them then that’s their fault. A positive outcome of the Bailey Report is that anyone sold a phone or computer has the chance to opt for high protection from sexual content and that consumers will have “an active choice over whether they allow adult content or not”. Parents will now have a choice, so again the responsibility is in their hands. Also, let’s not forget that kids are naturally curious – they will seek out naughty things no matter what. Trying to shield youngsters from everything that may be damaging is like fighting a losing battle – maybe it’s time to bite the bullet and accept that this is how it is. At least children aren’t expected to raise offspring of their own before they’re adolescents – that kind of positive progress surely outweighs the gradual sexualisation of the youth.
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Image: Wimbledon/Unknown
It’s a little known fact that... THE first Wimbledon champion was Spencer Gore and he received 12 guineas for his triumph. IN 1930, Brame Hillyard became the first man to play wearing shorts. THE first ever player to be disqualified from the men’s doubles was Tim Henman in 1995, for hitting a ball in anger which struck a ball girl. ONLY eight lefthanded players, six men and two women, have ever won a Wimbledon singles title. ANDY Murray was a keen footballer and at the age of 13 he turned down the chance to play for Glasgow Rangers. MURRAY was only 18 when he broke into the world top 100 - becoming the youngest British player to do so.
SPORT
Can a Brit win Wimbledon? By David Whelan
S
PORT has not been kind to Britain. No matter how much we sing “It’s coming home,” football prefers it abroad and despite having home advantage every year a male British player has not won Wimbledon in 75 years. Memories turn to Tim Henman’s four semi-final appearances and Rusedski’s one fleeting attempt. British failure at SW19 is as much an institution as strawberries and cream, Pimm’s and white outfits. We’ve become so obsessed with our defeats that we forget that Virginia Wade won the Women’s title in 1977. The British mentality is to focus on the underdog and, right now, that’s the male British tennis ace. The fact that Fred Perry, the
last UK champ to win Wimbledon back in 1936, played in an era of wooden racquets and tennis suits speak volumes for how the sport has passed us by. So why as a nation do we expect success when the last time we were even close was before Hitler invaded Poland? Apart from three-time Grand Slam finalist Andy Murray, Britain has only had two male players reach the final of a grand slam, which is not exactly a recipe for success. How can our players know how to win on the biggest stage when their very presence on that stage is a rarity? And is our expectation impeding their progress, rather than ushering it on? Can the hurt ever end? >> I N -D E BAT E / 19
Can a Brit win Wimbledon?
1
Andy Murray is the finest Brit player since Fred Perry
U.S. OPEN final in 2008, the Australian final twice in 2010 and 2011. Semis at Wimbledon and the French. Prize money of $15,908,927. 17 careers titles and a highest ranking of World Number 2. No male British player since Fred Perry has done better and, at the age of 24, John McEnroe thinks his best is still to come: “When Andy Murray first came on the scene three or four years ago you heard people say that he could win majors and he’s putting all that together now.” Murray’s run-up to this Wimbledon is his finest yet. He battled valiantly to reach the semi-finals of the French Open and claimed his second Queen’s Club trophy, prompting Wimbledon’s 2001 winner, Goran Ivanisevic, to say: “Andy is ready to win it. There are no excuses now.”
2
The London Olympics will boost UK tennis
FOR
BRITAIN is dominated by team sports – like football, rugby and cricket – leaving individual sports like tennis behind, a problem Tim Henman is keen to rectify: “You have to take the ones who are in the first XI football, the first XV in rugby, the first XI in cricket, and get them playing tennis.” The Olympic Games, which historically celebrates the individual, promises to do just that. The Legacy Action Plan of 2008 promised “to make the UK a world-leading sporting nation”. Couple that with the 2010 Places People Play initiative, which vowed to “bring the inspiration and magic of a home Olympic games into the heart of the local communities, encouraging more people to get involved in sport,” and we could have a revival in British competitiveness. Any planned sports competition for young people will surely get more racquets in hands, and hopefully unearth a few diamonds in the rough.
3
The rise of tennis super stardom
IN JANUARY 2008, a worldwide advertising campaign for Gillette debuted in the UK, starring 14-time Major winner Tiger Woods, France’s all-time leading goal scorer Thierry Henry and, perhaps the greatest of the three, 16-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer. The more popular a sport gets, the more people
2 0 / I N - D E BAT E
play it. Simple as that. And tennis is definitely on the rise. With icons like Greg Rusedski, Tim Henman and Andy Murray, Britain can claim a steady stream of great ambassadors for the sport. Former Head of Performance at the LTA, Jeremy Bates, puts it simply: “There is no magic trick. You need lots of kids, 400 or 500, to push them into the top hundred. Then you can start talking about getting Wimbledon champions.”
4
Don’t forget the girls
5
Someone could do a Ward
YEAR after year we talk about whether a British man can win Wimbledon, but who is to say a female tennis player like Laura Robson can’t come of age and win it? At 17, she has years to get to that level. Jennifer Capriati, former wonderkid and Wimbledon champ, thinks Robson should just “go out and enjoy it” and “savour the moment”. While Virginia Wade reckons the lack of attention on Robson will only help her: “They’re keeping her out of the public eye a little. She hasn’t played quite so much so that should protect her a little bit from burn-out.” Paul Newman, The Independent’s tennis correspondent, believes Robson is not alone: “There is good reason to expect as many as six British women in the firing line [to win Wimbledon].” Elena Baltacha won the AEGON 2011 Nottingham Challenge, her highest ranked tournament yet, and Heather Watson has crept into the top 100. The future is brighter than we think.
JUST think what Andy Murray could achieve with the sort of luck James Ward received during his run to the semi-finals of Queen’s this year. Ward, World Number 192, beat defending champion Sam Querrey and faced off against Nadal-slayer Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the last four. With Ward showing the Brits how it is done, it isn’t against all probability that a more talented Brit might get the same luck in the big one. Andy Murray reckons he needs to plays his “best-ever tennis” to ever win Wimbledon, a feat that doesn’t come easily: “It’s so difficult to do – and that’s why no Brit’s done it for so long.” But what if Nadal gets injured, as he was in 2010? What if Fed gets too old? With the belief and a little bit of luck, anything is possible, a sentiment Murray shares: “I’m going to Wimbledon with the feeling that I can win the tournament.” Good lad.
Sport / In-Debate
THE best Murray can hope for is the semi-finals. Jim White, of The Telegraph, described the Wimbledon semis as “a glass ceiling with the names Nadal and Roger Federer engraved on it.” Bjorn Borg described the current top four as “the golden generation”– so to win Wimbledon, Murray will have to beat a higher ranked player in two consecutive matches, players who are regarded as some of the finest ever. Unlikely. Murray has a losing record against both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, 4-10 and 3-6 respectively. Even though he has an 8-6 lead over Roger Federer, he has still lost two Grand Slam finals to the legend. As Boris Becker points out, the situation is even worse than that: “[Australia 2011] was his third Grand Slam final and he has never won a set.”
2
Britain has never been a force in tennis
TO THINK that we have a divine right to win Wimbledon is as misguided as to believe we will automatically win the World Cup. Since World War II and the Open Era in 1968, no British man has won the singles event of any Grand Slam and the women have faired only a little better with three. Coach Nick Bolletieri, who founded the world’s first tennis academy in Florida in 1978, believes the “solace for Britain” is that we’ve, “never been great anyway. That’s a fact, not a criticism.” Between 1978 and Federer’s first Wimbledon win, in 2003, just two countries – the United States and Sweden – won half of all the men’s singles Slam titles. And let’s not forget in 2010, the first time in Wimbledon’s 134-year history, only one Briton reached the second-round. With such a historical lack of talent, it’s unfair to expect a winner any time soon without a radical change in our national training facility.
3
The Lawn Tennis Association is a shambles
IF YOU listen hard enough, you’ll always hear a member of the British tennis establishment criticising the LTA. Tennis pundit John Lloyd said the LTA has “failed miserably over the past 25 to 30 years”, and described it as “the biggest scandal in British sports”. Lloyd thinks the LTA has produced
zero top quality players. There’s an obvious trend backing Lloyd, as Judy Murray sent Andy to train at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona after the way LTA treated his older brother Jamie. Our best Brit is Spanish groomed. Meanwhile, Simon Broady – father of the Liam who won the Wimbledon Boys’ Doubles tournament in 2010 – pulled both his children from the LTA system due to the “hostility” they received. Britain has only one-seventh of France’s indoor courts and Bolletieri suggests “a British academy in Spain? Clearly, something is terribly wrong.”
4
China is coming...
5
We are a nation of bottlers
OVER 166 million Chinese watched Li Na win the French Open in 2011. That’s nearly three times the population of Britain. The following day, the People’s Daily, a Beijing-based political magazine, broke tradition and featured Li Na’s face on their front-page. Alexandra Willis wrote in The Independent that “by such signals does the world come to understand that China, at the highest levels, is starting to learn to love tennis.” China now has a singles Grand Slam winner to go with their Doubles wins at Wimbledon and the Australian Open in 2006. And let’s not forget the 2004 Olympic Gold for their Doubles team. They already outstrip us, and this is before the boom has even begun. As Li Na herself says, inspiration is the progenitor for success: “Now the children have more confidence to play professional tennis.” According to the China Tennis Association, the amount of registered players is growing by 15% a year. That’s only going to get bigger now.
AGAINST
1
Andy Murray is only the fourth best in the world
ON JUNE 19, 2011, England’s Under-21 Football side lost to the Czech Republic after being 1-0 up with 3 minutes to go. We’re a nation of sporting failures, a group of self-pitying nearly-men who think we deserve better. Yet, historically, our football sides have been incredibly consistent at failing to win anything. Tennis is no different – we are always so close and yet so far. As Boris Becker pointed out, Murray has yet to win a set in three Grand Slam finals. Perhaps that’s because we have no real tradition of winners. Becker, a six-time winner, thinks that “to win a Grand Slam or get to number one in the world, you need someone in your corner who has done it before.” Britain’s bench is regrettably thin.
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Do atheists have souls?
Should we ban the burqa?
Should science decide our moral choices?
Can you be good without God?
Is anything sacred?
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LISTINGS / Brain Food L I V E TA L K S , E V E N T S , D E B AT E S & I N S P I R AT I O N A L L I S T I N G S
Our listings section has been sourced from some of the leading institutions in London. We have fine combed next months upcoming events and brought them all together here. Every one is guaranteed to get your blood pumping and your brain ticking. Feed your mind and get stuck in! For information on any event please visit the event providers website.
Business
Emerging Markets and Climate Change
Monetary policy and banking fragility
Gresham College – 6th July, 6pm
This lecture considers the economic impact of climate change on and by the largest “emerging markets” of the G20, such as China, India and Brazil. Simply stabilising emissions in these countries would make a greater contribution to reducing warming as an 80% emissions reduction in Western countries.The lecture addresses how the economic structure of the problem leads to particular strategic dynamics within the international negotiations.
LSE – 27th July, 6.30pm, Free
The severe and prolonged downturn in the UK has happened while inflation has stayed relatively high. This creates huge challenges in setting monetary policy. David Miles will analyse those difficulties and consider how banks can be best made more robust. David Miles joined the MPC at the Bank of England in 2009 and was Chief UK Economist at Morgan Stanley.
Reflections: Paul Mason
Front Line Club – 26th July, 7pm, £12.50 BBC Newsnight’s Economic Editor Paul Mason joined the BBC in 2001 and will be at the Frontline Club to discuss a career which has seen him cover the corporate scandals at Enron and Worldcom and the rise of Aymara nationalism in Bolivia. He will be talking to former BBC executive Vin Ray about his journalism and those who have inspired him.
Outstanding Leadership: Vision and Values Cass Business School – 14th July, 4pm
Outstanding leadership requires a strong sense of purpose and vision as a clarion call. People can achieve amazing amounts of ‘what’ if they have the right and a big enough ‘why’. This workshop will explore the components of a powerful vision and will explore ways to co-create and communicate it within the workplace.
Neal Ascherson and James Marriott: Beyond the Oil Road
South Bank Centre – 3rd July, 1pm, £8/£4 James Marriott and Neal Ascherson discuss the future of oil in Europe - a pressing geopolitical question of the 21st century. The event will explore the cultural, social and political effects of this substance at the heart of modernity and the implications of moving beyond oil. James Marriott’s works for PLATFORM, an organisation devoted to social and ecological justice and Neal Ascherson, is a leading historian of the wider region.
The Mad Men We Love to Hate: Our changing relationship with advertising RSA - 7th July, 6pm, Free The relationship between the advertising industry and ‘the consumer’ has changed significantly over the past 50 years. Our expert panel will consider how and why the world of Mad Men has been consigned to the history books. Is this the result of a more empowered public and shifting patterns of consumption in a fast-changing economic and communications landscape?
Politics + Society Have the elites failed? Lessons from the Arab spring for Israel and Palestine RSA - 14th July, 6pm, Free
The most intractable conflict on the planet still refuses to be solved and time is running out on a negotiated solution to the dispute. The RSA together with the OneVoice Movement examines if hopes for peace lie with the grassroots rather than the political elites. Speakers to include: Dr Claire Spencer, Chatham House; Con Coughlin, executive foreign editor, Daily Telegraph; Tal Harris, OneVoice Israel; and Samer Makhlouf, OneVoice Palestine.
ESU Reform Club Debate - Lords’ reformation English Speaking Union – 5th July, 6.30pm
Speakers include Lord Boateng, Lord Watson of Richmond, Dr James Dray and Tara Mounce. Dr Dray holds a PhD in electoral reform from Oxford University and Tara, a fellow Oxford graduate, was declared the 3rd best speaker at the World University Debating Championships in 2006.
James Harkin and Mark Leckey: The Conquest of Cool
South Bank Centre – 1st July, 7pm, £8/£4 From Ben and Jerry’s to hipsters to guerrilla marketing techniques, the relationship between radical subcultures and the mainstream has never seemed so confused. James Harkin, author of Niche, and the writer behind the Guardian’s Big Idea column, discusses the future of the market with artist Mark Leckey, who won the Turner Prize in 2008 for Industrial Lights and Magic.
European Security and Defence: Lessons from the Last Decade Chatam House – 1st July, 8.30am-6pm
The past decade has witnessed a number of trends which have prompted national and European wide reassessments of defence and security policy, most lately Libya. The participants will ask what lessons have been identified from this period and what - if any - lessons have been learned? And what does the financial crisis mean foresourcing of defence?
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LISTINGS / Mind Fuel L I V E TA L K S , E V E N T S , D E B AT E S & I N S P I R AT I O N A L L I S T I N G S
Art + Literature Iain Sinclair Futurology
South Bank Centre – 6th July, 7.30pm, £14 As London looks forward to 2012’s Olympics, the self-styled ‘greatest show on Earth’, Iain Sinclair projects his vision of the post-games future by visiting the ruins of previous grand projects. Iain discusses his new book, Ghost Milk: Calling Time on the Grand Project with fellow travellers.
Gilbert and George
South Bank Centre – 1st July, 7.30pm, £14 From the beginning, Gilbert and George wanted to communicate beyond the narrow confines of the art world, adopting the slogan ‘Art for All’, and ever since becoming household names in British cultural life. Gilbert and George’s work encompasses a huge range of emotions and themes, from rural idylls to a decaying, urban London, and from sex advertisements to religious fundamentalism. Come hear them in conversation with the critic and writer Michael Bracewell.
Powerful Portraits: What’s in a Face? LSE – 6th July, 6.30pm, Free
Portrait photographer Platon shares his experience photographing an eclectic mix of presidents, politicians, celebrities and artists through to his award winning portfolios for the New Yorker. He will also discuss highlights from Power his book of over 100 Heads of State including Barack Obama, George W Bush, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg, Vladimir Putin, Muammar al-Gaddafi, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Hugo Chavez, Robert Mugabe and Silvio Berlusconi.
The Universes of Alan Moore
British Library – 4th July, 6.30pm, £7.50/£5 Alan Moore’s vast forthcoming novel Jerusalem is set in a four dimensional world of overlapping history, personal life and local geography, working class angels and demons. It builds on a remarkable body of work, including The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and V for Vendetta which have made him one of the most influential writers in the history of comic novels. He joins comedian and writer Stewart Lee to discuss many aspects of the real and unreal, time and space, people and places.
Alexander McCall Smith
South Bank Centre – July 3rd, Purcell Room, 1pm, £10 National treasure Alexander McCall Smith is the author of The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency series which has sold over 20 million copies. One of the world’s most popular and prolific authors, McCall Smith puts his pen down for an afternoon to share and discuss his work. The event is chaired by critic Alex Clark.
Science + Tech What is the Internet Doing to our Brains?
Untangling string theory Royal Society – 5th July, 5.15pm
Have you ever wondered just what String theory is? String theory is often talked about as the ‘Theory of everything’, unifying quantum mechanics and Einstein’s theory of general relativity. But the theory has proven difficult to test and even the Large Hadron Collider is unlikely allow scientists to see strings or prove the existence of up to 11 dimensions. Yet, while developing string theory, several interesting spin-offs have occured that may be useful in understanding other areas of physics, from plasmas to superconductors.
RSA - 4th July, 6pm
With the internet now an integral part of everyday life for many people, what does the latest research reveal about the impact on our well-being? Is there a link between playing violent games and becoming violent? Can ‘brain training’ games work? Are social network sites infantilising our brains? Leading expert in neuroscience Dr Paul Howard-Jones assesses the extent to which the scientific findings support popular fears and anxieties about what technology is doing to us.
Exchanges at the Frontier with V.S. Ramachandran Wellcome Collection – 7th July, 7.30pm, Free
V S Ramachandran is Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San Diego. He has been described as the Marco Polo of neuroscience, thanks to pioneering (and often controversial) research into phantom limbs, mirror neurons and neuroplasticity. Join him in conversation with philosopher A C Grayling to explore the limits of what we know about human consciousness.
Living With Technology
School of Life – 26th July, 7pm, £20.50 Every day technological advances open up new ways in which we can access information, communicate, work, play, relax ….live, while providing yet another demand on our already pressured time. Author, game theorist and expert on all things digital, Tom Chatfield, is here to explore how we can harness the creative potential of new media whilst remaining alert to its pitfalls.
Science Question Time Imperial College – 5th July, South Kensington Campus,7pm, Free At this, the third Science Question Time in London, we’re inviting speakers and the audience to discuss impact. We’re looking at impact in its broadest sense - from economic to academic to political, as well as public engagement. The discussion panel includes: Ehsan Masood - editor of Research Fortnight and Research Europe; Philip Campbell - Editor-inChief of Nature; Jonathan Haskel, Professor of Economics at Imperial College; Clare Matterson - Director (Medical Humanities and Engagement) at the Wellcome Trust.
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LISTINGS / Inspirational L I V E TA L K S , E V E N T S , D E B AT E S & I N S P I R AT I O N A L L I S T I N G S
Inspirational
Human language vs Chimp communication
Royal Society – 10 July, 3pm, £50 th
Henry Wellcome:His life and work Wellcome Collection – 28th July, 6pm, Free Who was Henry Wellcome, and what drove him to collect more than a million objects during his lifetime? Find out more about our founder as an individual, a businessman and a collector through his personal papers in the Wellcome Library. Ross MacFarlane from the Wellcome Library will be speaking.
An Evening with Michael Atherton LSE – 27th July, 6.30pm, Free
A conversation and Q&A with cricketer Michael Atherton. Renowned as a shrewd and resolute captain of England cricket, Atherton moved effortlessly into the commentary box and Fleet Street, proving himself every bit as capable with the pen as with the bat. Mike Atherton played his entire career for Lancashire and England, winning 115 Test caps and captaining his country 54 times.
Kill/Capture missions in Afghanistan
Front Line Club – 6th July, 7pm, £12.50/£8 Following the targeted killing of Osama Bin Laden a panel of experts we will be examining the effects of the kill/capture missions on the ground, looking at how they are conducted and how the intelligence is obtained. Chaired by Paddy O’Connell of BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House, and with Kate Clark, senior analyst for the Afghanistan Analysts Network and Stephen Grey, investigative writer and broadcaster.
David Adjaye:Talking Architecture V&A – 8th July, Sackler Centre, 7pm, £9
Hear David Adjaye OBE, the awardwinning British architect, discuss his career challenges and cultural ambitions with Lucy Bullivant, architectural curator, author and critic. Adjaye is an architect with an artist’s sensibility and vision, responsible for buildings including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver, the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO and the ongoing Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History in Washington DC, USA.
26 / IN-DE BATE
A human child’s extraordinary capacity to acquire spoken language is one of the great mysteries of our species. The most well-known speaking gene is one called FOXP2. Interestingly, chimpanzees carry a different version of FOXP2 from humans. Could genetic differences like this explain why there are no talking chimpanzees? Or do primates complex calls represent a form of language in itself?
TIME OUT LIVE: Thriller Night
Shaw Theatre – 20th July, 7.30pm, £10 If you’ve got a killer thriller idea itching to get out, but you’re at a bit of a loss on how to get the words on the page, the Time Out Live masterclass will show you how to write the perfect thriller. Featuring Chinese-American physician-cumnovelist Tess Gerritsen; Mark Billingham, who wrote ‘Sleepyhead’, which saw the birth of his character DI Tom Thorne. Plus, crime thriller writer Simon Kernick.
Editors Pick ED: The Milibands and the making of a Labour leader LSE – 12th July, 6.30pm, Free
Ed Miliband is perhaps the least understood political leader of modern times. Mehdi Hasan and James Macintyre’s book reveals where he has come from and where he is going. Mehdi Hasan is Senior Editor (Politics) at the New Statesman and is a former current-affairs editor at Channel 4. James Macintyre is Politics Editor at Prospect.
Julian Assange in conversation with Slavoj Žižek
Front Line Club – 2nd July, 4pm, £25/£20 Discussing the impact of WikiLeaks on the world and what it means for the future, for this very special event WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange will be in conversation with renowned Slovenian philosopher, Slavoj Žižek. Focusing on the ethics and philosophy behind WikiLeaks’ work, the talk provides a rare opportunity to hear two prominent thinkers discuss some of the most pressing issues of our time.
I’m Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59 LSE – 20th July, 6.30pm, Free Comparing Google to an ordinary business is like comparing a rocket to a wheelbarrow. No academic analysis or bystander’s account can capture it. Now Douglas Edwards, Employee Number 59, takes us inside the Googleplex for the closest look you can get without an ID card. Edwards, Google’s first director of marketing and brand management, describes it as it happened.
Dartmouth House Lunch:Ed Hicks English Speaking Union – 28th July, 12.30pm, £50
Ed Hicks, Head of Film, TV and Radio at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (“RADA”), will give a Dartmouth House Lunch on the current challenges facing the British Film Industry, the difficulties of modern day film-making and the insider’s guide to the “tricks of the trade” used in a variety movie blockbusters.
11 N 20 SO N A M SE TU TE AU BA E D
LISTINGS / IQ2 Events L I V E TA L K S , E V E N T S , D E B AT E S & I N S P I R AT I O N A L L I S T I N G S
The 2011 autumn season is our starriest yet with big name speakers including Umberto Eco, Jimmy Carter, Steven Pinker, Pervez Musharraf, Bernard Henri-Lévy and many more. Standard tickets are £25 and £12.50 for students. Tickets available from www.intelligencesquared.com. The War on Terror was the right response to 9/11 6th September, Cadogan Hall
Have the efforts of the West to eradicate Al-Qaeda worldwide simply been fuelling the flames of hatred and violence? Or is the US right to be pursuing its hard line against militants in countries such as Pakistan and Yemen? Former President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, is proposing this highly provocative motion.
#iq2war
Cycling Festival
8 September, Royal Geographical Society th
The bicycle. It’s a passion, an obsession, a career, an instrument of self-torture. The most articulate amateur and professional cyclists will be celebrating this extraordinary partnership between man and machine. Will Self, Geoff Dyer, Graeme Obree, Bella Bathurst and Patrick Field saddle up for this fantastic evening.
#iq2bike
Legends Live - Jimmy Carter in conversation with Jon Snow 5th October, Royal Festival Hall
Jimmy Carter is a Nobel Prize winner, author, humanitarian, professor, farmer, naval officer and carpenter. In this special Intelligence² interview with Jon Snow from Channel 4 News, President Carter will talk about his career as president, and the past three decades as a senior statesman and ambassador for the Carter Center. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear President Carter relate some of his remarkable stories and share his views of global politics today.
#iq2carter
Legends Live - Umberto Eco 19th November, Royal Geographical Society The writer and semiotician’s new novel The Prague Cemetery is published in the UK this autumn and is Eco’s biggest seller in Europe since The Name of the Rose. The book is an historical pseudo-reconstruction set in a 19thcentury Europe teeming with secret service forgeries, Jesuit plots, murders and conspiracies, and covering everything from the unification of Italy, the Paris Commune, the Dreyfus Affair to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Eco will be discussing this and other works and inspirations with Paul Holdengräber, Director of LIVE at the New York Public Library. #iq2eco
Great Minds - Steven Pinker
1st November, Royal Geographical Society Can violence really have declined? The images of global conflict we see daily on our screens suggest this is an almost obscene claim to be making. Extraordinarily, however, in this riveting talk to accompany his new book The Better Angels of Our Nature US cognitive scientist Steven Pinker shows violence within and between societies – both murder and warfare – has actually declined from prehistory to today.
#iq2pinker
Bernard-Henri Lévy
13th December, Royal Geographical Society Bernard-Henri Lévy is France’s best-known public intellectual. The philosopher, publisher, journalist, film-maker, and novelist known in France affectionately as BHL, will be talking about the causes he passionately believes in and has campaigned tirelessly for: from his first reports in Bangladesh to his investigation of Daniel Pearl’s death in Pakistan, his several journeys to a Sarajevo surrounded by Serbian militias, forays into the “forgotten wars” of Africa and elsewhere, and his more recent exploits.
#iq2bhl
All events start at 6.45pm with doors opening at 6pm. For more information and to book tickets please visit www.inteligencesquared.com/events or call 0207 792 4830. I N -D E BAT E / 27
Chessie Felber’s London Treats E AT
DRINK
DO
Venn Street Records
Zilli Fish
WITH double doors opening up into the street, Zilli Fish has a fresh feel that is perfect for Summer days and nights. As a fish restaurant Zilli Fish is always aware of the importance of quality ingredients, all of their fish is bought directly from Billingsgate market to ensure the freshest possible and they do their best to only use fish obtained from sustainable sources. So, with a clear conscience their international style menu can be enjoyed to the fullest. Traditional fish and chips is naturally a favorite but my personal choice is the yellow fin tuna dressed in sesame seeds, teriyaki and pickled ginger. For those less interested in Asian fusion, who could possibly resist fresh spaghetti and lobster?
Tel: 0207 734 8649 36-40 Brewer Street, London W1F 9TB www.zillirestaurants.co.uk/fish 2 8 / IN-DE BATE
Carter & Bond HAVING always featured bars North of the river, it was time to give all you Southeners a little love - and this comes in the form of Venn Street Records.
WITH the daylight hours at its peak right now, it’s important to keep the 5 o’clock shadow at bay for as long as possible. We have a solution for you: top barber Carter and Bond.
The site has been remodeled into a rock ‘n’ roll drinker, whose bare-brick walls are splashed with neon, retro album covers, flyers and music memorabilia. It’s hard not to look around and take a trip down memory lane or sing along with the classic anthems that have haunted us for decades.
So let’s face it, no man really enjoys going to the barbers as we can all think of better things to do but Carter and Bond actually make male grooming enjoyable as they take things back to the old school.
The cocktails are pretty cool and cover twists on some classics with options including my favorite the tongue-in-cheek kitsch AC/Daiquiri. But the highlight for me is actually their beer selection which is far worldlier than their cocktail naming skills! Enjoy the new spot, it’s lively on the weekends and has even livelier music hit on Sundays!
Tel: 0207 738 8645 78 Venn Street, Clapham, SW4 0BD www.vennstreetrecords.com
Their shaving experience is far from pampering and they tend to be more functional than luxurious, this is where the products and treatments are introduced. The facial scrubs and masks are the best in the West so you can only imagine the outcome when you combine that with the best shavers from the East. We wouldn’t normally care for a barbers shop but we felt so relaxed here and came out ‘Silky Smooth’ to quote the Zohan.
Tel: 0207 727 3141 83 Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QH www.carterandbond.com
It’s No Debate. Goodies and gadgets you can’t argue with!
2 FOR 1 or 50%
Secret Cinema eat your heart out!
Nomad
Tastecard
WHAT better way to celebrate the coming of Summer than with outdoor film events across the capital? When it comes to outdoor film screenings, London has plenty to choose from and movie buffs are spoiled for choice. However we wanted to introduce you to one of the most inventive ideas since Secret Cinema: The Nomad.
TASTECARD have very kindly offered us two of their fantastic cards to give away this month, with all of the benefits included.
Not a person but an actual huge inflatable screen that can be transported around the country. Cool no? Venues include Regent’s Park, Kensington Gardens and Richmond Park and if that doesn’t sway you, the films definitely will. There are seventeen and not one a stinker: Fargo, Wall-E, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Birds and more. The good news doesn’t stop there, by following the The Nomad around England, you are helping to support future generations in a very different part of the world. The Nomad financially supports the fantastic work of trailblazing charity, The Sustainable Institute - pioneering sustainable living and learning in South Africa. For a guilt free good time, grab a blanket and head outside to see movies in the open air.
www.whereisthenomad.com
For those of you that have never heard of Tastecard before, then let us just say it is worth having one. We all feel a little strapped for cash at the moment and what better way to save the pennies than to get 2 FOR 1 or 50% off food orders at over 5,000 of your favourite restaurants and bars. All you have to do is simply “flash” your card at any participating eatery and your food bill will be automatically halved! You can use your taste card at restaurants such as: Zizzi, ASK, PizzaExpress, La Tasca, Strada and GBK, to establishments from Marco Pierre White, Pascal Proyart and Mark Baumann... the choice is absolutely huge! They have also made 3 very handy Smartphone apps helping you to make the most of your tastecard and access their huge list of restaurants while on the go. You should definitely consider getting one or at least trying you luck in our competition.
www.tastecard.co.uk/trial/indebate
I N -D E BAT E / 2 9
Let’s Talk
These are a selection of extracts from reader’s comments from last month’s issue. Join the debate on Facebook, Twitter or Email us at letstalk@in-debate.com and get your views featured. “Quite frankly I have stopped caring, but simply, they should be allowed. Someone’s personal life is ‘personal’ and not matter who they are we have no right to intrude.� Tom Pritchard, Moorgate “Nice topic but really they shouldn’t be allowed. I am fed up of the rich always demanding secrecy. You shouldn’t be able to pay for someone’s silence, it’s immoral.� Cheryl Stokes, Dulwich “He’s not dead! but when do they kill him, then yes they can assassinate him. No one cares about him.� Dave, Bromley “The Americans continue to think they can do anything. This has to stop now, everyone has the right to a fair trial and proper judgment.� Sup_view, Twitter “Bye Bye Clegg! The man has destroyed the Lib Dems for the next 100 years. Get him out now!� L86P, Twitter “Interesting debate, but cut him some slag. Put your self in his shoes... it was either some power now or no power for a long time. He made the correct decision.� Loraine Popostanious, Maida Vale “Ah nothing drives me up the wall more than seeing a smug Sepp Blatter becoming president unelected. We should stand up to FIFA.� Jamie D, London “This is a great poster to the Middle East isn’t it? Man stands unopposed! Aren’t we supposed to be supporting democracy?� Avi Grant, Hendon
News Crossword No.9
Across
Down
1 Hard blows (7) 5 Eclipse (5) 8 Ornamental Carp (3) 9 “Tomorrow� musical (5) 10 She’s the word (3) 11 Over The Top (3) 12 Leave scene of motor accident (3-3-3) 14 Jerk (6) 15 ___ Earheart, Aviator (6) 17 Twitter’s MrsLRCooper (4,5) 18 Coastal Indian State (3) 20 Ticket to Ryde 21 Home of Ladies’ Day (5) 22 A little drink (3) 23 Troubled Middle Eastern country (5) 24 Europe and Asia (7)
1 Japanese City (5) 2 Corporate tell-tale (7-6) 3 Ballroom Dance (3-3-3) 4 Upper house of congress (6) 5 Deception (3) 6 Number scientists (13) 7 Country home to Transylvania 13 Puts forward (9) 14 Essential festival footwear (7) 16 Overused (6) 19 Greek letter (5) 21 Alias (3)
NOTES
Follow us on: For solutions to this month’s crossword just email us at letstalk@indebate.com
3 0 / IN-DE BATE
Sudoku
For solutions to this month’s sudoku just email us at letstalk@indebate.com
No.17 EASY
No.18 HARD
WIN - A Tastecard THE wonderful people at Tastecard have given us two one-year memberships to give away to two lucky readers. Your Tastecard will enable you to enjoy 50% OR 2 FOR 1 off in thousands of UK restaurants - including: Zizzi, ASK, PizzaExpress, La Tasca, Strada, GBK, Ashoka, Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Prezzo, to establishments from Marco Pierre White, Pascal Proyart, Cyrus Todiwala MBE and Mark Baumann... there is a very big choice! With a Tastecard all you have to do is simply ‘flash’ your card at any participating eatery and your food bill will be automatically halved!
THE PERFECT WAY TO START OR FUEL YOUR DAY!
To enter into the competition and get your hands on a Tastecard it couldn’t be simpler *. All you have to do is e-mail your Full Name, Address and Age to: letstalk@in-debate.com While you wait for the results you can also try it FREE for a month at www.tastecard.co.uk/trial/indebate but why not do both! *Terms and Conditions: Two winners will be chosen at random and the draw will take place on the 29th July. Closing date for entries is the 28th July. The winner will be notified via email on the day or close to the day of the draw. The Tastecard is for a one-year membership only and is not transferable into cash.
I N -D E BAT E / 31
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