Comments for WORLDbytes - The School of Citizen TV

Comment on Made by Migrants: Brunel by A

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:45:21 +0000

And without his father having migrated to the UK London wouldn’t thrive as much as it does.

Comment on Made by Migrants: Brunel by A

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:44:26 +0000

This video is so interesting. Now I know who Brunel university was named after! It’s interesting to see how the first underwater tunnels were made, Brunel’s clever thinking and how hard people worked and how they were willing to risk their lives to make things better for everyone by creating a solution to the transport problem and Brunel’s determination to prove that his idea would work.

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by viola

viola — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:23:13 +0000

I am a bit confused by the video, as the debate has tackled many wide issues without coming up with any sort of conclusion. This clearly shows that environment is an important topic as much as it is all but limited to nature. It is social, it is political and it is economic. And it is an open debate. Indeed, I just checked the Battle of Ideas website and the next upcoming festival will have a debate on the use of cars. One of the end sentences presenting the discussion is: “Or should we give up on the freedoms and thrills that motoring has brought in favour of more ‘sustainable’ forms of transport?”. It recalls some of the opinion about flights as a right for our freedom. Personally I am very concern with climate change. It is worth searching alternative means of transport, and making them more sustainable. But I agree with some of the speakers that said that most of the population will not support flights reduction. And there is a need of a more grassroot approach; the big powerful are not going to solve anything with carbon credit scheme, just their interests. COP15 is the example of the failure of top-down decision.

Comment on Tales from the Missionary Hut: The Oxy Johnny by Viola

Viola — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:56:39 +0000

I have come across many times to interesting inventions with the weirdest material which you would have never thought about. And some could really be potentially revolutionary. Scarce equipment in developing countries is not a problem to be resolved by just sending them money or doctors or other things; research and creativity can bring alternative solutions. A friend of mine has developed a sustainable brick made with banana tree leaves to be used in Rwanda. Some comments below seem to defend the importance of giving everyone access to “developed” technical equipment and I don’t think the video is going against this. We should all receive good health care. The reason why in some countries it is lacked goes well beyond condoms or oxygen machines. It’s a matter of political and economic interests, as while some technical progress are funded and promoted, many are kept silent and hidden.

Comment on The Big Society in Action by Viola

Viola — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:23:03 +0000

I like satire and spoof, as they gets to the point in a very fresh and easily understandable way, which can push people to think more critically about issues that might be normally taken for granted. Improving young’s’ lives, what a mission! Rather than forcing people to do things that from the top seem to be necessary and relieving, the government should question itself on why young people get less involved in their surroundings. Can’t it be that maybe it is the adult world that should believe more in new generation and leave us space to live and socialize instead of shutting them down?

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Viola

Viola — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:19:15 +0000

It looks as a very stimulating event. The video gives good overview of both participants and speakers. Everyone seems to agree that there have been very interesting debates about hard topics, and that the importance of maintaining the discussions going is fundamental to share ideas and develop your own opinion, like the guy that changed idea listening to the speeches. I had some doubts about the lady speaking about free speech, because as much as I agree that there should not be state interference, it must also be taken into consideration that people like BNP have a power to speak bad against other humans (like migrants), who in turn don’t have the same power to respond and to make their voices equally heard.

Comment on Freedom to film by Gido Karow

Gido Karow — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:59:39 +0000

A very imporant and very well produced report. Now I would like to see the investigative version trying to get the officials in front of the camera. I would want to see the masked insider talking about the inner works in councils throughout London in regards to this matter. Is this just a big money maker for the councils or what’s really behind it? What does Boris have to say about this? Mix public opinion with political voice. I am sure if you are nagging long enough, you will get him for a quick interview too. Get a few experts to put the legal realities into perspective too. MAT mentioned photographers carrying cards with information: Great idea … help others and do the research, publish the info on your web site.

Overall … GREAT VIDEO
… if you work in the media field, you have to see this!

Comment on Hidden London: The Real Battle of Cable Street by Gido Karow

Gido Karow — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:37:10 +0000

Great piece of documentary film making! Well done!

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by Aare

Aare — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:02:18 +0000

Restriction of air travel in my mind is an important topic. I do not have an opinion yet, whether it is good to restrict or not, however I agree that air travel pollutes and pollution causes climate changes and as a result people globally suffer as well as our natural environment suffers, So it is much about our levels of acceptance. As I said restriction of air travel is an important topic and as such it should be discussed more and more until we find a solution or an acceptable balance between our need for mobility and our acceptance of the worsening climate situation. It should be discussed, and not forgotten behind other, more easily solvable problems. It is a complex issue for whole world – we have gone wrong in many ways and one of these wrong steps has been too big centralization and urbanization. In current electronic age, people could actually live less centralized and urbanized manner and still take care of all of their private and social needs. Therefore I think that we need to invest into the technology that enables us more balanced living and better life standards where ever we are on the globe.

Comment on Tales from the Missionary Hut: The Oxy Johnny by Aare

Aare — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:59:52 +0000

This oxy Johnny in this DIY spoof is a great invention,… for an ordinary traveller in a place with difficult to access medical care. There is absolutely no reason why it isor should be a development issue. In a normal situation ( i.e. without a war , epidemia, etc) emergency medical equipment should be available in all countries medical centre’s, may it be called developed or developing.

I do not know whether it is true or not, but I heard that during war times, when donor blood was not readily available, in tropical regions a cononut water was a liquid that was transfused into wounded soldiers as it was clean and it had the necessary level of nutrition. This was OK DIY solution for war times but nowadays donor blood should be used. It is the same with the oxy Johnny – DIY solution is ok if nothing better is available. But there is better one available, … for developed world, …as it should also for developing world.
Right of being healthy is a basic human right and is should, as a priority, be guaranteed worldwide.

Comment on The Big Society in Action by Aare

Aare — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:55:42 +0000

As I understand it a drive for “A Big Society” means encouragement and development of the third pillar of society – non-governmental sector( NGO-s), whereas public and private sector are two other sectors that carry out social actions.
In the light of government budget deficit and need to cut public spending it is definitely nice idea from government side to ask NGO-s to do more in social development and maintenance, however this initiative hardly ever works in top-to-bottom manner, as it is supposed to work bottom-to-top manner.

If motivation, self-initiative, care for one’s surroundings and constructive “feeling of belonging” is neglected for long time it is unreasonable to expect that it will start to flourish immediately when government starts to encourage these fragile traits of human nature. Of course it do not mean that so called “social jobs” are entirely meaningless; I think they have a role to play re-energizing society.

However government could to much more in what they really should do – educate people how to do socially beneficial activities, provide encouragement and provide financial sources where people can apply if they want to carry out “A Big Society” type of actions. It is kind of “giving fish or fishing rod” type of dilemma government is tackling with and it seems that they incline towards giving fish.

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Aare

Aare — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:54:14 +0000

Its an excellent collection of opinions of participants of the Battle of Ideas event, whether they participated as a member of panel or as a member of the audience.This approach gives good overview of the topics covered at the event through the mouth of participants; it makes clip very lively and emotional, it intrigues and mirrors heated verbal action that was probably taking place during the debate. It also characterizes well wide range of people who are interested to participate in events as such and assists to verify the “hotness” of any particular topic that was discussed.
I also liked the structure of the clip as it starts with introducing some participants and their expectations before the event, then continues with reflections during the event and ends with people’s recollections after the event.Very good flow indeed!
I would suggest to add in the beginning short overview of all the topics covered during the event (maybe as a Powerpoint slide) and to end with some major conclusions, if there were any.

Comment on Bitter Sweet Sixteen by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:41:50 +0000

The government wants to make sure to prevent poissble paedophiles of targeting children/vulnerable people. We all respect that but doing checks on teens is to radical. The way that they going is the wrong one they should alarm soviety if there is a possible paedophile in your area, or the police should monitor paedophiles who have been arrested before or have shown suspicious behaviour. You can’t read a persons mind or find out what they are, so this whole system is a bit pointless.

Comment on The Suffragettes: Where is Sylvia? by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:29:42 +0000

It’s hard to believe that we women take for granted were fought for so greatly. It’s dissapointing that Sylvie did not get a proper remorial or even respect. Just because she agreed with the Bolsheviks, the early foundation of the communists. Therefore she was erased from history because her beliefs were not in line of the British.

Comment on The More the Merrier by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:02:29 +0000

The only problem is that due to the recession there are over 2 mn people who are unemployed, the “foreigners” are more willing to settle for jobs that aren’t paid that wel. As a result we ar eresenting them, funny because just a couple of years ago we asked those immigrants to fill the economy gap because the’re was a great ask for docters, builders etc, But now we are saying that they are getting the jobs that should go to ” the real British people”. We have the right to move where we want to move. So if the immigrants are willing to get a job and contribute to their new society leave them to it. I know for a 100% that if there was no recession, we would still ask those immigrants to come and get those job that we “Brits” don’t want to have. We have the right to move if that means because we going for economical reasons, to find shelter against a war or just to exeperience another’s culture and after to want to stay, we should congratulate it, not punish it.

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by Marcia

Marcia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:10:31 +0000

Climate change will not truly be addressed in my opinion until the average Joe is given information that is understandable and is not told what to do by different sides. Instead consulted and treated like thinker not an idiot. At the same time we need to also address industries that fly food from the other side of the world to the UK because of what people want and not what they need. The notion of carbon rationing will probably have more loopholes in it then any legislation ever created. And how do codify such legislation on carbon emission that will not keep the less fortunate at the bottom of the scale.

In order to tackle climate change we need to look at all the factors that contribute to destroying the climate. Flight is a right we all have, and how to tackle it without seeming to discriminate against those who won’t be able to afford it, while crippling the economy of the third world countries who export food by flight, will be difficult.

As a member of society of I understand the importance of regulation of flight due to carbon emission, however as an individual I believe I have the right to fly wherever I wish (which is selfish, but aren’t we all just a bit selfish) . And this in my opinion is where one aspect of the problem is to be found.

For Flight is the opium of the masses?

Comment on Debating Matters India by Marcia

Marcia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:15:43 +0000

Wow, what a group of thinkers and only between the ages of 16-18. What about Debating Matters UK. This is what the government of today should be aiming to do within the United Kingdom. Absolutely stimulating, it shows what the youth can do today if given the opportunity. Debates like this should be more open, I have never heard of this till today. How many youth (and adult) know the difference between the European Union and the European court of Human Right (because these are two separate bodies that are run by different people and stand for different ideology) apart from what we always hear about in the tabloids?

Because both bodies have an impact on what happens within our society and we need to be discussing this and how we can get our point of view across to the elected.

Why aren’t our elected rulers going to every college and secondary school within the UK and promoting this. Student from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England should have open debates. Arguing their views with one another, maybe they can be greater understanding between the borders. It those not mean liking what they say, but understanding what they say. Loved this mini documentary, the government should take note.

Comment on Debating Matters India by Nuura Axmed

Nuura Axmed — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:47:27 +0000

This concept is giving students a platform of talking about issues and their ideas/opinions about it. The teenagers are excited and passionate about their beliefs that they are not scared of getting in to a debate with the public and the great experts. They really know that talking to people means and not talking at them. The concept of freedom of speech is a 100% exercised here because even teenagers are having a voice and expressing what they think. By making it a competition and involving judges (great experts) it gives them a platform a place where they have the intention to put their ideas and passions in real words, and it’s great that the judges are giving constructive criticism and pushing the debaters to perform to their full ability. In my opinion this should be organised on every sixth form college and secondary schools, because everyone can debate you don’t have to be a politics student or sociology student, you just have to be passionate have figures and do the homework.

Comment on Tales from the Missionary Hut: The Oxy Johnny by Marcia

Marcia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:45:05 +0000

University are meant to house some of the brightest student, the best of the crème de la crème. After watching the spoof and reading the article concerning the sustainable mask. I have one word HIV. The biggest threat to human health in the third world, the sheer lost of generation after generation to such an illness is unbelievable. This illness would have people believing that the people that the third world needs condoms to protect themselves, rather than squander them in such a fashion. Yes oxygen tanks are difficult to carry around. But why shouldn’t the third world have the best of the best in medical care. After all, the western world heavily depends on them for its natural resources and cheap labour. So we should attempt to come up with better invention for them. To ask the west to use condoms oxygen mask, I am sure will be at the European court of Human Right, arguing how it infringes our Human Rights to proper medical care. So why do we suggest that Africa uses it?

One more thing, the third world those not have an unlimited supply of condoms and if it did why do we keep giving them more?

Oh yeah to stop the spread of STD, with its limited supply they are suppose to make oxygen mask?

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:31:09 +0000

As one of the attendees said: “We live in a democracy,” meaning majority rules. We all know about global warming and that is a factor that triggers natural disasters. Therefore carbon dioxide emission should be addressed at the moment the third world is being affected the most not us the west, even though we contribute the most to the emissions. So restricting flying it does not make any sense because we all have the human right to move where we want to move. Also flying is not used only used for leisure but also to get in contact with the masses that are affected by natural disasters to give aid. The approach it’s too radical, because the majority will never agree to it.
Also how much of the emissions of flying is of the total output greenhouse gases.
The world wants real figures that are not doubtful but real figures of how much us humans are contributing to global warming and natural disasters. The society needs to be re-educated and stop being so selfish. Society is a selfish one that only cares for status and the good-life unfortunately but giving real figures and seriously shocking people and making an impact, that could lead to sustainable changes in our lives to make sure that we think about our planet in a way for all.

Comment on The Big Society in Action by Marcia

Marcia — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:03:50 +0000

This is another look at how well the government knows the youth of today. The notion of a big society on the surface may look great, however in reality it will be difficult to enforce and tackle. In order to stimulate the youth the government must introduce volunteer work that they are willing to do. The point of volunteering is take part in activities that the young person believes in. Suggesting (in government talk Enforcing) what they must do will only cause to destroy the already fragile relationship between government and young people. And on another note, in a big society you can’t help but leave some behind, so who are going to get cut off?

Comment on Tales from the Missionary Hut: The Oxy Johnny by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:00:16 +0000

The oxy Johnny video is actually showing that people in the third world should use the materials that they already have to address the big problems. The engineering students of Nottingham University have invented this. In this spoof it’s shown that oxygen masks are not greatly out there for patients form the third world. Therefore the patients should make a mask from condoms. First of all there is the use of condoms, we have all seen the news and the articles about how HIV/AIDS it’s one of the biggest issues and greatest diseases out there. Also that most of those people don’t have the access or the funds to gain condoms. So why would they instead of using it to protect themselves from STD’s mainly HIV/AIDS to make a flimsy oxygen mask? It’s the responsibility of the medical world/doctors to have that basic principle in the hospitals. What the engineering students are actually saying that patients of the developing world are not good enough for proper equipment that we in the West have. Therefore they can have a flimsy condom mask instead, there is no way that we in the West would use something like that. It’s a human right to get a proper treatment and not something that is second rate. Also the engineering students only made a project for a grade, I’m all for any person to make a contribution to the developing world but this is not worth it.

Comment on The Big Society in Action by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:00:02 +0000

David Cameron is trying to “better” the world in a radical way. He is targeting the youngsters who are not contributing back to their community. In my opinion and as it is shown in the video that you can’t force youngsters to do community work. Because by forcing someone the whole meaning of volunteers is gone. Every charity/establishment wants people who are passionate about their beliefs/area. They don’t want people who are there against their will, otherwise they will be more reluctant to do their work, and therefore others are undermined. I understand where David Cameron is coming from, but if the youngsters want to contribute back to society they are old enough to reach out and to get in contact with others. Otherwise creativity and passion is at a lost here and that is unacceptable.

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Nuura

Nuura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:55:16 +0000

The great thing about the battle of ideas is that there is a wide area of topics up for debate. It gives people who don’t have a “high post” a chance to express their views and at the same time to debate with others. Also in the video almost every person leaves with a feeling that they have learned something, for one lady it even made her re-think her opinion. Therefore the battle of ideas is a great concept because it makes a impact on every person.

Comment on The More the Merrier by Cardell

Cardell — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:52:16 +0000

Sereotypes play a big part of why non EU citizens find it hard to move into the U.K, especially todays terrorism fear which seems to always be from one particular group of people whereas if you lok at the whole population, its only a small group yet everyone blames the whole community. I personally think thats wrong but we lead to be paronoid, which is why racism still exists, even though it mat not be overt, it still there.

Comment on Tales from the Missionary Hut: The Oxy Johnny by Jane Marshall

Jane Marshall — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:21:55 +0000

Yes do send to the smug inventors how amazing the S.L.A.G wins it again

Comment on The Big Society in Action by Sarah Kelly

Sarah Kelly — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:20:12 +0000

Yep agree with below…voluntary work is not exactly voluntary either…Oh & the supervisor is hilarious

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Stella

Stella — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:13:18 +0000

Think this event is a brilliant idea. A refreshing injection of well-needed political debate and open discussion in a spirit of free enquiry and imagining a different kind of society. I really hope to attend the next one in October.

The quote this film ends with from the speaker at one of the debates is genius: “Let us take on the mantle of Prometheus and master the secrets of life”

Comment on Bitter Sweet Sixteen by xtina

xtina — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:44:27 +0000

Very interesting subject. Me personally, I’ve never had to have a CRB check. Probably because I haven’t worked with young or “vulnerable” people before. So the idea of vetting young 16 year old is shocking!

Comment on The More the Merrier by xtina

xtina — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:48:42 +0000

OK. So its accepted for a British person to retire and migrate to somewhere like Florida, yet its illegal for a non EU citizen to retire and live here in the UK?… Why is that? I agree with bolitrioko, “We are all citizens of this world”

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Sally

Sally — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:58:31 +0000

The 2010 Battle of Ideas looks just as promising as previous years – thought provoking and thoroughly jam packed with exciting and contraversial topics.

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by Mia

Mia — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:38:21 +0000

In response to the last comment, who said that flying is worth the cost of natural disasters? I think they said that there is no cause and effect, no link between us flying and natural disasters. Millions of lives are affected by poverty, and therefore natural disasters, as they lack the infrastructure to protect them from these disasters. More developed countries have man made defences against such things, so let’s make sure everyone in the world is not at the whim of nature. Going back to flying, we are getting cheaper and cheaper flights, meaning so many more of us can afford to see the world, not enough though, so we should be arguing for more cheap flights if we think the world is for us all.

Comment on Tales from the Missionary Hut: The Oxy Johnny by Lucy

Lucy — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:32:52 +0000

Aha, we get to see the S.L.A.G ‘behind the scenes’ now, brilliantly funny as always. But where do you find these absolutely disgusting ideas for people around the world? I just can’t believe this is real yet I clicked on the link to it and it is. Very very funny, do keep it up, do you send these missionary huts to these smug inventors?

Comment on The Big Society in Action by jacob

jacob — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:28:21 +0000

Thi s is funny and cringe making as I can just see this happening for young people in Cameron’s Big Society! Stupid jobs for us stupid people who without government telling us…oh sorry i mean helping us…to do something constructive with our lives we would be lost. All the talk about leaving us alone amounts to doing exactly the opposite.

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Gabriella

Gabriella — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:23:37 +0000

I have just had a look at the Battle of Ideas website and there are so many debates going on during the weekend it’s hard to know what to pick. I love the guy who said he changed his mind during a debate becuase of what he heard and that there is lots of audience contributing just as much as the speakers. I am definately going.

Comment on A Taste of the Battle of Ideas by Helen Garston

Helen Garston — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:00:06 +0000

I have to say it does look an impressive event

Comment on Think Big by Christina

Christina — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:52:41 +0000

You should see how Ghana looks now, President Kufuor did so much in helping to improve the country

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by Sally

Sally — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:48:30 +0000

As the questions from this debate reveal, many people champion flying as a symbol for modernity and opportunity. However, it is shocking that, as one person from the audience declares, that flying is worth the cost of natural disasters that affect millions of lives in poorer countries. This does not mean that we should ban flying or stop travel but we do need to find practical solutions to such environmental problems.

Comment on A Letter to Geldof by Christina

Christina — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:32:02 +0000

Wow! I’m actually shocked! I remember hearing about Geldof coming to Ghana to campaign awareness about the people of Besease, but had no idea he would just abandon them and not continue to help like he had promised. It makes you wonder what all these other “charitable celebrities” are really doing to help make a difference

I’m glad I’ve seen this clip and hope it was shown at the G8 summit

Comment on The Fight over Flight: what’s the problem with air travel? by Steve

Steve — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:17:38 +0000

The scorn of Hillman Mayer for the recreational and commercial need for exotic travel or just plain jet-setting is more than a question of CO2 emissions. The argument against flight is an attack on the basic right of individuals to transcend material constraints. The aeroplane’s triumph of human ingenuity over gravity should be a cause for celebration. Instead, the desire for air travel is transformed into a modern day sin. As a member of the audience points out: the call for a ban on flights is no less shocking than a call for a ban on housebuilding. While Greens hide behind planning laws to delay the transformation of housing, they dare not call for an end to the construction industry. The popular refrain that flying is beyond the pale is simply another way of saying that the masses need to learn their place on earth and get their heads out of the skies.