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(07/11/10 10:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As an integral part of the West Coast jazz scene in the 1950s, bassist Max Hartstein played with such jazz legends as Bob Cedar, Leroy Vinnegar and Buddy Parker. Along the way, Hartstein also honed his skills as an artist, capturing the essence of his fellow musicians in a series of pen and ink drawings.Thirty-six of these drawings are now on display at The Venue Fine Art & Gifts gallery, where a reception was held Friday for “The Art of Jazz.”Walking into the gallery, guests were greeted by the cozy ambiance of The Venue’s rooms filled with art, jewelry and various types of gifts. In the background, the smooth sounds of Hartstein’s 25th Century Jazz Ensemble filled the air as guests made their way into the room showcasing his drawings.Refreshments provided by The Venue complemented the open atmosphere, where various citizens of Bloomington and passers-by could casually chat about the drawings and what had brought them to The Venue that evening.“One thing I love about Bloomington is all of the art, of all kinds, that is available,” Bloomington resident Linda Barchet said.Anyone curious to learn more about Hartstein or the drawings themselves could speak with gallery curator Gabe Coleman.“For being quick drawings, they’re really incredible,” Coleman said. “They have a lot of information, but it’s very simply put.”Upon closer examination of the drawings, Coleman’s comment rings true. Each sketch contains several quickly drawn penstrokes that culminate in an intimate depiction of Hartstein’s musical companions. The portraits on display featured jazz greats such as Lee Katzman and Bill Summers. Some of the other drawings included images of ensembles playing at various venues, particularly the Jazz Cellar, where Hartstein often played. Still others included depictions of the crowds in the venues listening to music. Just as the drawings of the musicians left viewers with a feeling they knew the players intimately, the images of patrons at the Jazz Cellar and other locales offer the sensation that they were in that place and time, listening to Hartstein and his friends.“These drawings really have a sense of motion in them, and musical motion as well,” Coleman said. “They really capture the essence of the musicians and the crowd.”Max Hartstein’s drawings will continue to be on display for the next two weeks at The Venue, and the images are available for sale.
(07/08/10 12:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three different groups, three different cultures, one single concert.The Lotus Education and Arts Foundation sets out each year to put on a public event that will generate excitement about world music and preview the annual fall Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. This year’s Summer Night of Lotus, which will take place 7 p.m. Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, will feature the music of local singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer, world-renowned sarod player Amjad Ali Khan and sons and tango ensemble Tangamente.Tickets for the event are $20 and may be purchased online or at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater Box Office on Kirkwood Avenue. Proceeds from the event benefit the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation.Momentum for this year’s lineup began to build when Lotus Executive Director Lee Williams spoke with Newcomer about her trip to India in summer 2009. While touring the country, Newcomer met Khan and his family at one of her concerts. After hitting it off, they agreed that if they were ever in the U.S., the Khans would try to visit Newcomer.As things began to come together for the Summer Night of Lotus, the Khans agreed to take part, playing a set with Newcomer at the event.“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to have Amjad Ali Khan,” Williams said. “He’s probably the most famous living player of the sarod in the world, and we feel honored to present someone like him.”In addition to the international collaboration presented by Newcomer and the Khans, the Summer Night of Lotus will also feature tango ensemble Tangamente, led by musical composer, pianist and anthropologist Alfredo Minetti. Tangamente is best known in Bloomington for its Zero Hour Tango Fest, a two-day festival in March that incorporated music, poetry, singing and dance.Tangamente will open the concert, followed by Newcomer and the Khans. Minetti, Newcomber and Khan will also take part in a free public event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Monroe County Public Library called “Music and Spirit Without Borders.” This event will run as a roundtable discussion on cross-cultural collaborations in music, leading into the performances on Friday.In conjunction with the three musical performances, the Summer Night of Lotus will feature the release of this year’s Lotus Festival T-shirt and pin, designed by Bloomington artist Joel Washington. The long-awaited lineup for the fall Lotus World Music and Arts Festival will also be released.“The Summer Night is about getting people excited about what’s on stage, then looking forward to the lineup for the fall,” Williams said.
(05/31/10 3:11am)
Protesters pitch tents in London's Parliament Square. The residents of "Democracy Village" settled in the square May 1 and, despite several attempts by police, have not left.
(05/31/10 2:55am)
On June 2, 2001, Brian Haw set up camp in London's Parliament Square,
protesting against the war in Iraq. Now, nearly nine years later, Haw
has been joined by a host of activists in the square, collectively
forming what has been dubbed "Democracy Village," comprised of over
forty tents and activists campaigning for a variety of causes.
(05/20/10 12:11am)
The recent decision to allow an abortion advertisement to air on British television next week has sparked quite the controversy.
(05/12/10 9:57pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just last Thursday, citizens from the United Kingdom took to the polls, casting their votes in the 2010 election. The results—305 Conservative, 258 Labour, and 57 Liberal Democrat seats in Parliament—came as no great surprise as public opinion polls leading up to the vote had indicated the definite possibility of the election resulting in a hung parliament.However, few would have predicted the events of aftermath.With no party holding the official majority in parliament, the leaders of each of England’s major parties were left to deal with the shift in numbers. In hopes of bringing a shift in policy, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are working to negotiate a plan to form a sort of coalition, joining forces to create a new government for the UK after thirteen years of the Labour party holding the power.In light of these events and in anticipation of the changes to come, former Labour Party leader and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced his official resignation on Tuesday, leaving Conservative party leader David Cameron to follow him. Announcing his resignation publicly outside of his office at 10 Downing Street in London, Brown addressed the public stating that, “In the face of many…challenges up to and including the global financial meltdown, I have always tried to serve, to do my best in the interests of Britain, its values, and its people.”Following the announcement, Brown made his way to Buckingham Palace, where he handed his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II. Shortly after, the Queen approved of David Cameron as Prime Minister and his decision to appoint Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg as his deputy, forming the first coalition government for the UK in seventy years. With the change in power official, speculation continues about the changes that will ensue over the next several months.In his first address at Downing Street, Cameron thanked Brown for his years of service to the British government and spoke to the public about the coming months, stating, “I think the service our country needs right now is to face up to our big challenges, to confront our problems, take difficult decisions, lead people through those decisions, so that together we can reach better times ahead.”
(05/07/10 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1986, residents of Zurich awoke to find their city covered in lion statues. In 1998, the animals struck again, and residents experienced “Cow Parade” for the first time as local artists decorated 800 fiberglass cow statues and placed them around the city as a public art project. Since then, the “Cow Parade” phenomenon has exploded worldwide, with exhibitions of a variety of different animals and themes seen around the world during the past couple of decades. This week in London, it was the “Elephant Parade” that descended upon the city, this time not only as a public art project, but also as an effort to raise awareness about the endangered Asian elephant. Author and advocate Mark Shand, who reportedly rode his own elephant across India in the 1980s, is the driving force behind the project, which began preparation and planning last fall. The installation includes 260 elephants, each of which has been carefully designed and decorated by such artists and fashion designers as Marc Quinn, Tommy Hilfiger and Jack Vettriano. Scattered throughout the city, the displays are accompanied in some places by volunteers canvassing for signatures to petition for government action to deal with the threats Asian elephants face. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are roughly 41,000 to 52,000 Asian elephants left in the world, a population which has fallen significantly since the ’80s. Preserving their habitats helps to save the population from dwindling further, but this is expensive. This is where Shand’s project comes in. The exhibition, which will last through the end of June, will raise public awareness of the issue, and a few of the elephants will actually be auctioned off in a charity event culminating at the end of the display. Proceeds will benefit Asian elephant conservation.
(04/25/10 6:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As chaos ensued in airports around the world this week due to countless delays and cancellations caused by the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull, I enjoyed my last few days in Accra, Ghana, before attempting to return to London. When I reached the airport Tuesday night, I was told that I could either take my spot on my connecting flight to Amsterdam and then find my own way home from there (with the airline not liable for any costs incurred by my transport beyond Amsterdam) or I could wait in Accra until the next available flight that they could guarantee me a seat on back to London on May 3.Seeing the lines of people who had been stuck for the previous five days, I opted to take the flight to Amsterdam and found a bus back to London the following evening, counting myself lucky to have been on one of the first running flights to Amsterdam since the disruptions caused by the volcanic ash cloud. Although it cost me a bit extra to get home by the bus, my experience was relatively positive in comparison to many passengers who remain stranded in airports around the world as airlines struggle to meet the demand for flights back to the United Kingdom.Now that the ash cloud has cleared enough to allow for most flights to and from the U.K., one would think that those passengers who have been stranded would be able to get back safely and quickly. However, this is not the case for everyone.Those passengers who have not yet found their way home by means of alternative transportation and are still waiting for flights are, in some cases, being left stranded for much longer than expected. British Airways is a prime example of this, a case in which passengers who are still stranded are receiving no preference compared to new, paying passengers on the market when it comes to giving out the remaining seats on scheduled flights. So those who are left waiting can either take their chances and wait until there is a flight with empty seats or spend money to purchase a new seat on a flight home. The latter promises a cost of more than 2,000 pounds (more than $3,000 U.S.) in most cases, with passengers unsure if they will be reimbursed in the future for the price of rebooking such a flight.Such situations have moved beyond being merely an inconvenience for some passengers and are instead now a medical problem as medication runs out and doctor’s appointments are being missed. The Guardian reported one passenger stranded in Beijing “suffers from diabetes and who is running out of medication and money. Moreover, BA has lost his suitcase with his spare needles. ... There was another passenger undergoing cancer treatment, whose medical needs were also ignored.”Although only time will tell how the situation pans out for passengers and airlines alike, one thing is clear — with so many unhappy customers facing problems related to this disaster, airlines need to do something differently to prevent similar conditions in the future.
(04/06/10 9:06pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A simple YouTube search yields several videos for Matt McAllister’s moment of glory in history — he holds the Guinness world record for most T-shirts worn at once. The top video of McAllister clad in 155 tops has more than 12 million hits and spurred one of those viewers to go on to set a world record of his own.Inspired by McAllister’s feat, a British man from Whitburn decided to make his own mark in world-record history, setting out to break the world record for most pairs of underpants worn at the same time. The previous record of 200 pairs of underpants was held by an Australian television presenter.On April 1, Gary Craig, who has given himself a new name to match his feat, Geordie Pantsman, set out to break the record in a nightclub in South Shields, simultaneously raising money for the St. Simon’s Community Project and the Cancer Connections charities by gathering sponsorships and donations both on that night and in the weeks leading up to the event.As more than a hundred people gathered in the club to show their support for Pantsman and witness the event, he began by putting on a pair of size large underpants and finished with a pair of size 4XL underpants, the 211th pair. The whole demonstration took 25 minutes. Afterward Pantsman spoke with excitement about his accomplishment.“It feels pretty sore at the minute,” he said, “but I’m absolutely delighted.”In four to six weeks, his attempt should be verified by the Guinness World Records group, putting him in the history books as the man who has worn the most pairs of underpants at the same time.
(03/29/10 9:11pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As part of the goal to get 15.4 percent of Britain’s electricity from
renewable sources by 2015, the government has approved construction of
the London Array, a wind farm to be positioned 20 kilometers off the
coast of southeast England in the Thames Estuary. The region (Kent and
Essex counties) has the highest demand for electricity in the U.K.,
with an estimated 750,000 homes consuming power every year. If
successful, the wind farm will be one of the largest offshore wind
farms in the world, with about 300 turbines generating enough energy to
power the entire area.Preliminary
studies and research regarding the wind farm and its placement began in
2001, with a number of environmental studies assessing the potential
impact the farm would have on the area. After careful consideration of
the risks and benefits, permission was granted for the project to move
forward in May 2009.Since then, work has continued, funded
primarily by the project’s three shareholders — E.On, DONG Energy and
Masdar. It is estimated the project will cost £2 billion over the
course of its construction, and it is expected that the construction
phases will generate hundreds of new jobs for residents of the Kent
area, namely those living in coastal towns.The recent assignment of
contracts to companies MPI Offshore and A2SEA have led to the goal of
beginning construction on phase one April of next year. It is estimated
this phase should finish in 2012, with 175 turbines constructed for a
joint capacity of 630 megawatts of power. The second phase, once
approved, will complete the farm and bring the total capacity up to
1,000 megawatts, making it the world’s first gigawatt offshore wind
farm.The project’s success remains to be seen, but it is clear the U.K. is serious in pursuing alternative energy sources.
(03/07/10 7:44pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As nature ushers in spring with warmer weather and longer days, people all over India and Indian diaspora populations around the world celebrate the beginning of March with Holi, the festival of colors.The festival holds both religious and social significance as it is based in the mythological legends of Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap, and Radha and Krishna. Socially, the festival offers an opportunity to bring communities together for a joyous occasion. In fact, it is said that Holi is a time when “even enemies become friends” for the throwing of colors and celebration of radiance in the universe.Specific Holi rituals vary from region to region, with some choosing to light Holi bonfires and spend evenings in prayer with family, while others choose to celebrate with the ritual of throwing colors.In the U.K., where the population of Indian immigrants is well over one million and growing, Holi celebrations are widespread. Students at the University of Kent celebrated this year on March 3 with the traditional throwing of colors, gathering students of a wide variety of backgrounds from the community to celebrate the holiday.Students who came to the celebration wore white T-shirts in preparation for the color- throwing. Organizers passed out dishes of brightly colored powders including vibrant yellows, pinks, greens and blues, and the color throwing began. Even students around campus who were not celebrating Holi could hear the shrieks of laughter coming from festival participants as they ran around outside throwing the colors and enjoying the revelry.One student reminisced on old times as she enjoyed the celebration this year.“I haven’t played Holi in eight years,” second-year Diana Davis said. “But this year’s celebration at Kent Uni was great. I had a lot of fun.”
(03/01/10 10:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>An old Victorian tea set. A jade axe. The Rosetta Stone. These seemingly unrelated objects have one distinct commonality — they are all a part of the History of the World project’s 100 items chosen to represent world history through a partnership involving the British Museum, the BBC and hundreds of local museums throughout Britain.As an outreach to communities, the project has also selected 10 items from each region of Britain to represent history. In Kent, these objects range from a Bronze Age boat to a World War II football, viewable at local museums throughout Kent.During the featured exhibitions of these objects in their local museums, the project has also added an interactive component to inspire local people to “take part in history.” At local events around the country, community members are encouraged to visit their museum and bring along objects they have at home to add to an online database of items for the History of the World project.This database accompanies the project’s exhibits at museums around the country and a series of television programs that will take viewers through two million years of history in 100 episodes.On Feb. 20, the Museum of Canterbury hosted representatives of the BBC, bringing in hundreds of community members with a wide variety of historical artifacts and colorful stories to share along with their objects.“Most people have something at home with some historical significance,” said Steven George, a representative of the BBC watching over the event in Canterbury. “And having this event brings a lot of people in who would maybe never even set foot inside the museum.” One woman from the Kent area brought in a World War II Jewish star that had been passed down to her from her great uncle. Her great uncle, she said, served in the war and helped to liberate several camps in the Netherlands. “What’s interesting about this is that the writing on it is in French, and I think that’s pretty rare. It must have come from a French prisoner,” she said. “I brought it in because I think it’s an important part of history, something that should be shared with others.”A number of other interesting items were added to the database from the Canterbury event, including a set of World War II love letters from one woman’s grandparents. The event overall was a great success. Nearing the end of the day, George reflected on the event, saying, “It’s been a real thrill to be here ... to take part in history.”
(02/24/10 11:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In New Orleans, Mardi Gras festivities mark the last day before the official start of Lent. In Spain, the week-long Carnival festival ushers in the season. It’s all about Fat Tuesday — the day where it’s OK to indulge in your favorite things, as you’re about to give up excesses for the next 40 days.In the United Kingdom, “Shrove Tuesday” is more affectionately known as Pancake Day, following a longstanding Catholic tradition of using up indulgent ingredients in the kitchen, such as fat, butter and eggs, by cooking a food that contains all three — pancakes.But, like most holidays, Pancake Day is not only for the religious. Grocery stores throughout the United Kingdom stock up on ready-made pancake mixes and toppings in preparation for the rush that comes with the chance to enjoy the annual treat.“We don’t normally eat pancakes, but almost everyone does on Pancake Day. It’s the one time a year that I eat them, mainly for the tradition and the fun of it all,” said Sarah Packwood, a British student who celebrated Pancake Day with her flatmates this year.The British pancake is somewhat different from the American pancake. Although made of similar ingredients, it is thinner and much more like a French crêpe. Traditionally, it is topped with lemon juice and sugar, although many people get creative with their toppings, using berries, Nutella, jams or maple syrup. The worse it is for you the better — it’s all a part of the spirit of the celebration in preparation for the Lenten season.While describing the celebration in her flat this year, Packwood noted the variety of toppings they used on their pancakes. “We bought loads of toppings — strawberry sauce, nutella, lemon juice and sugar. One of my housemates even made a blueberry and peach sauce to put on the pancakes. It was amazing.”In some villages and towns across the United Kingdom, Pancake Day is even more than a small gathering at home. The whole community takes part in an annual tradition of pancake racing, where participants flip pancakes in a pan while running through the streets. Although I didn’t witness such racing in Canterbury this year, I was fortunate enough to experience Pancake Day with a group of British students, and I have to say that Shrove Tuesday never tasted so sweet.
(02/15/10 7:51pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This week is designated as “reading week” for many students at the University of Kent. During this week, there are no classes and students are encouraged to use the time to catch up on course work, which may include reading, essay writing and preparations for the exams at the end of the year. Each department has its own designated week for this purpose, although each week usually falls around the middle of the term.Whenever I explain this to a friend in the States, I generally get the same response — “Well, isn’t that just your spring break?”No. We have a spring break, too. It’s a month long, in April.There’s actually a whole week off from classes just for students to catch up on their schoolwork. And students actually use it for that purpose (well, most students anyway).When asked about last term’s reading week, one Kent student said, “I used reading week to work on a presentation and an essay I had to do. I didn’t study the whole time, but the break from the pressure of classes and work was nice. I got a lot done.”Other students take advantage of the opportunity to go home for a week during the time off, especially those who live in neighboring countries such as France and Germany. “It’s always nice to go home during reading week. I can relax and catch up on my reading without the distractions of the campus life,” one French student said.It might not seem like a big deal, but consider what happens halfway through the semester at IU — midterm exams. I’d trade those for reading week in a heartbeat. Rather than piling on assessments midway through the term to weigh down and stress out students as they are trying to get a grasp on the material, universities in England do the opposite. With a system that contains less assessment and much more self-directed learning, the reading week encourages self-study and reduces stress rather than adding to it, fostering a better learning environment all around.I’m not here to say that the system in England is necessarily better than IU’s system; they both have pros and cons. However, I do think that each side could learn a lot from the other, and reading week might just be the best thing IU could adopt from the English higher education system. I’m sure I am going to miss it next year.
(02/07/10 8:51pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As our world’s supply of natural resources continues to dwindle and the race to find alternative forms of energy ensues, one U.K.-based company seems to have found a solution that capitalizes on the one thing busy cities like London have plenty of – pedestrian traffic.In a city of more than 7 million people, it is estimated that more than 11 trillion steps are taken each day in London. Imagine harvesting that energy into something that could be used to power essential urban infrastructure like tube stations, bus stops and crosswalks. Pavegen Systems has done just that with the invention of foot-powered electricity generators in the form of green pavement slabs.These green pavement slabs are made of rubber produced from 100 percent recycled car tires. In the center of each slab is a small disc, which compresses approximately five millimeters when stepped on. The compression of the slab leads to the conversion of the kinetic energy of the pedestrian’s footstep into electricity, which can then be stored in either an internal battery or sent along a wire to a light source. Groupings of slabs in the vicinity of an area requiring electricity (i.e., a tube station) form networks of energy that can be harvested to power the adjacent facility.These sorts of groupings have already been tested and deemed a success in London thus far. The next testing will take place this summer when the slabs will be installed on staircases in a major tube station in an attempt to harvest the power of pedestrian traffic on these staircases to supply a portion of the tube station’s energy needs. Although it has not yet been revealed in which tube station this test will take place, Pavegen Systems has said it is a “major tube station” and that the goal will be providing “at least 25 percent of the station’s power” from these pavement slabs.These tests are part of a partnership between the city of London and Pavegen, with the ultimate goal of installing around 16,000 of these pavement slabs in the city by the 2012 Summer Olympics.
(02/02/10 1:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As part of a year-long series of articles examining women in the 21st century, the International Herald Tribune newspaper recently featured working mothers in Germany, discussing different social and economic pressures that German mothers face as part of both modern society and the workforce. In the article, journalist Katrin Bennhold made note of the new policies that arose as a result of the work of Ursula von der Leyen, family minister during German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s first term in office.Under von der Leyen, a number of changes took place, the most interesting of which is what Bennhold calls her “signature measure,” the idea of Elterngeld, or “parent money.” This incentive offers an opportunity for mothers and fathers to actually share up to 14 months of paid parental leave. There’s a twist that makes things even more interesting – if the father does not opt to take at least two of the months of “paternal leave,” the couple will only be paid by the government for 12 months.This new policy has lead to an 18 percent increase in fathers who take paternal leave, changing the way that we look at the parents’ roles in child raising.While Germany is not the only European country offering such policies, it seems to be part of a trend in policies aimed at sharing benefits for parents of newborn children. Just last week, British government officials announced a similar plan for a law that will allow fathers to take up to six months of paternity leave, making it possible for mothers to return to work sooner than before.More specifically, this will give fathers the legal right to a three-month paid paternity leave at the end of the mother’s nine-month maternity break, effectively replacing the mother at home and allowing the woman to return to work. After the three months, fathers will be allowed an additional three months of unpaid paternity leave, providing families with newborns a total of 12 months leave from work.The changes are expected to apply to families bearing children beginning in April 2011. However, such changes do not come without controversy. On the one hand, the British Chambers of Commerce argue the additional measure adds unnecessary pressure to businesses in a difficult economic time, especially when paired with seven other measures that have been proposed during the past year regarding regulation of business that lead to additional costs.On the other hand, the proposed changes have received applause from groups like the Fawcett Society and Equality Minister Harriet Harmen. Even Business Minister Peter McFadden supports the changes. “The balance between work and family life has changed for the better in the past decade, and these changes will give parents the chance to share their leave and will give families a useful element of flexibility and choice,” he told a Daily Telegraph reporter. While only time will tell whether the measures hinder businesses in England with the addition of regulation, it is certain the measure is one of many up-and-coming pieces of legislation worldwide that continue to change the way we view the role of parents in modern society and the workforce.
(12/16/09 7:55pm)
One student passes on the candlelight to the student next to her during the candlelight carol service at Canterbury Cathedral.
(12/16/09 7:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CANTERBURY, England – The month of December is a magical time in Canterbury.As the cool winter air sets in and students begin to feel the pressure of impending end-of-term exams and essays, the city begins to show signs of celebration, ushering in the holiday season. Store shelves are stocked with Christmas essentials – mince pies, Christmas puddings and Christmas crackers for holiday parties and celebrations. The city center is transformed from what is already a quaint English town into something more as Christmas lights adorn the High Street stores and the annual Christmas market sets up shop, selling warm sausages, mulled wine, and various Christmas gifts to passersby. At various points along the main cobblestoned streets of the city’s center, groups of carolers sing for donations to support local charities and the Salvation Army band play traditional Christmas tunes for the general public to enjoy. In the heart of the city lies Canterbury’s famous Cathedral, with a life-sized nativity scene set up near the entrance for the duration of the season. It is here that the largest annual gathering of staff and students from the University of Kent takes place every year, at the University Carol Service.On Tuesday, more than 2000 people including students and staff from the University of Kent as well as members of the community gathered in the Canterbury Cathedral to celebrate the Christmas season. Ushered in by the music of the Salvation Army Band, each guest received a small candle and a program containing the evening’s carols and readings.The service began in silence and by candlelight as the dark halls of the cathedral were gradually illuminated by the thousands of tiny lights. Shortly after, the great cathedral was filled with the angelic voices of the University Chamber Choir singing the first song of the evening. As the service progressed, a variety of different groups from the community and campus added their contributions to the celebration. The highlight of the service came mid-way as six different groups from the University came together to sing “Silent Night” in six different languages. Beginning with a verse in English, the carol was also sung in Swahili, French, Spanish, Greek, and Japanese, showcasing the diversity of students in Canterbury and celebrating the ability of peoples from all over the world to come together and sing of “peace on earth.”As I left the cathedral with my candle still lit and walked through the city back to the University, I couldn’t help but feel that there is something beautiful about the way Christmas is celebrated here.
(12/10/09 4:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON - More than 50,000 people gathered in London last Saturday for what has been called the “greatest demonstration for climate change in the U.K.” Protestors of all ages and walks of life came together for a series of events known as The Wave, culminating in a three-hour march through the streets of London to encircle the Houses of Parliament. The message from protestors was that the world will be watching this week as leaders meet in Copenhagen to address the climate change crisis at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or “COP15.”The Wave officially began at 9 a.m. with bike rides to the protest organized by the London Cycling Campaign. Religious services at the West London Synagogue and Methodist Central Hall Westminster that morning led up to the event as a group of demonstrators gathered at Speaker’s corner in Hyde Park for the Climate Emergency Rally. The rally featured several speakers, including Simon Hughes, a member of the British Parliament, who spoke with a sense of urgency to the crowd gathered in the park.“The economic crisis and climate crisis are interlinked,” Hughes said. “We need to change the way we live our lives.”Meanwhile, in Grosvenor Square, protestors assembled to hear speakers from worldwide organizations, including Oxfam and Christian Aid, committed to fighting climate change. Stressing the effects of climate change on individuals in developing countries, Oxfam speaker Barbara Stocking said, “For poor people, climate change is not something in the future.” Encouraged by the speakers and led by groups beating on drums, the march toward Parliament began at 1 p.m. Many people participating in the march carried placards and banners, demanding carbon cuts and an end to coal usage. As the swarms of protestors made their way through the busy streets, their numbers seemed to grow as people arriving from all over the United Kingdom joined in. The massive march ended at 3 p.m. as protestors dressed in blue reached Parliament, chanting and waving to catch the attention of politicians. Following the march, Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with 24 members of The Wave privately to discuss their demands for action in Copenhagen.In many ways, the event was considered to be a great success, especially in conjunction with similar events occurring all over Europe to put pressure on politicians for action in Copenhagen. On the other hand, some believe that the real success of such actions will be unknown until the conclusion of the Copenhagen summit on Dec. 18. Only time will tell whether or not world leaders will succeed in reaching any sort of binding agreement to address the climate crisis.
(12/10/09 3:14am)
Demonstrators were encouraged by slogans and videos projected on a large screen by the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition Saturday in London on Grosvenor Square. The group members were marching as a part of The Wave, an activist movement to encourage British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to represent their concerns at the UN climate change conference this week in Copenhagen.