Taser Guns - A recipe for disaster

Amnesty International voiced their concerns last week of the possible introduction of Taser guns in the United Kingdom. They were very right to do so.

I didn't actually know too much about these guns or what they could do to threaten our society.

I decided to do a phone interview for Smoke Radio with Steve Ballinger , a press officer from Amnesty UK to find out what their viewpoint is on this.

He was a very interesting interviewee and was clear on where Amnesty stands on this issue.

Lethal weapons only for special trained officers

They do not actually oppose the introduction of Taser guns full stop but they are campaigning to ensure that only the specially trained officers will be given them.

The Amnesty International UK Press Release says:-

"Stun guns are potentially lethal electrical weapons. The pistol-shaped Taser delivers 50,000 volts of electricity into a person’s body. The result is excruciatingly painful, causing a person to fall to the ground and, at times, lose control of their bodily functions."

Death from a Taser gun

Since 2001, Amnesty have found that over 300 people in the United States have died after being shot by a Taser gun.

This itself is enough to convince me that this weapon should not be introduced in the police force in England and Wales.

Amnesty investigated the death of a man from the the U.S. who was believed to have suffered an extremely painful death after being shot by a Taser.

Amnesty Press Release

Here are the guidelines from the Amnesty International press release for the introduction of stun guns in England and Wales:

Officers carrying Tasers are trained to firearms officer standards on an ongoing basis

Tasers are used as a weapon of last resort – in situations which fall only just below the point when lethal force should be used.

Roll-out is highly restricted and then only to specially trained officers

The Home Office has demonstrated how the use of Taser will be consistent with its obligations under international human rights guidelines and what policies and procedures are in place to prevent misuse of electro-shock weapons.

As usual, I am in agreement with Amnesty on this issue.

I do believe that the police force have a duty to protect themselves and citizens but the introduction of these guns could cause more damage than good.

After interviewing the people of Harrow at the local shopping centre, some very interesting viewpoints were given.

One lady was concerned for those with pacemakers as it could be life threatening if they were to be shot at.

Another was worried about them being used in public places such as in a football match. She said that innocent people could be hurt if they were shot on accident.

This is why Amnesty have issued this press release and have had discussions with the Home Office.

If Taser guns are to be used by the police force, it should only be for those who are specially trained and in circumstances where no other option is left.

Yes we are losing our freedom

It's funny how things happen when you lease expect them to.

My last blog was about the Terrorism Act, Section 44 which gives the police the right to stop and search anyone that they want.

A day after writing the blog, myself and another student were pretty much interrogated by staff at our town shopping centre.

Our weekly newsday

As a weekly task, we are sent out with audio equipment to interview local residents about a variety of topics. This weeks topics were transport in London and Taser guns (see next blog for more information on Taser guns.)

We were able to conduct a small number of interviews with some very friendly people until we were approached by security who wanted a word with us.

After answering questions about what this piece of equipment was, what we were doing, what questions we were asking, where we were from; we went to see management.

In the dingy basement was the managers office. Again we were questioned.

Both aspiring journalists, we were sort of exited about the prospect of being given a warning under the Terrorism Act as it would be an interesting piece to write about. Sad really.

But the truth is they let us go on. I don't think they thought we were possible terrorist suspects. We promised to leave within fifteen minutes.

A step in the wrong direction

Even so, we both felt a little uneasy about being stopped as we had. It has got to the point where two students doing some harmless interviewing are being questioned in a local shopping centre.

After this weeks attacks in Mumbai, security should and will be at the top of the governments list.

But when two girls are being questioned for walking around with a voice recorder, it answers the question of my last blog perfectly.

Yes we are losing our freedom.

Are we slowly losing our freedom?

I heard a student last week talking about his experience of being stopped by the police in the streets of Harrow, for having a digital camera in his hand.

Under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, the police have the right to stop and search anyone in a specific area.

Prior to this, they only had the right to do this if they had 'reasonable grounds' to be suspicious. It is now a power that the police hold in all circumstances.

I was unsure what to make of all this.

Public safety top of Met agenda

Following the 7/7 bombings and other threats of terrorism, it must have been at the top of the Metropolitan Police's agenda to ensure that this would not happen again.

There has been a 50% increase in the number of British Transport Police patrolling the Tube in the last two years according to an LU spokesman.

Rubbish bins were also taken away so that suspicious packages could not be hidden in them. It was announced last month that new 'bomb-proof' bins would be introduced.

These are all reasonable measures to tackle the threat of another terrorist attack. But is giving the police the right to stop and search a person even if there are no 'reasonable grounds' to do so, a step too far?

For a student to be on the streets taking pictures of the local area for a project, and to be stopped by the police, is in some ways a breach of all of our civil liberties.

I am unsure why he would have been stopped in the first place as I am not sure what harm a Sony digital camera could have on anyone. But there you go.

Where have our civil liberties gone?

We are living in a society where our civil liberties and human rights are being threatened.

They are being threatened by both sides - the extremists who are trying to harm us and the government who are attempting to protect us, but are harming our rights by doing so.

It is crucial that the government take safety measures to ensure that we are safe in society but I am not sure whether this has been taken one step too far.

I will be on the streets of London in the next few weeks both taking pictures and filming for various projects.

It will be interesting to see whether people feel that I pose a threat and need to be searched, taking photos with my camera - something that has been part of our culture for the last hundred years.

I asked two students what they thought of the Terrorism Act 2000, Section 44

Dominic Masters, Student

"Unless the police have reason to be suspicious of someone, they shouldn't have the right to stop and search them. It is taking away our civil liberties. Everyone is becoming too suspicious of everyone."






Gwenno Rees, Student

"It is important that the police have these powers as they are there to protect us. As much as I wouldn't like to be stopped under the Section 44, they need to exist for our own safety."

Brand New Show - Cakes & Crisps

Cakes & Crisps is the latest addition to Smoke Radio, the University of Westminster's own station.

The show, which is aired between 1-2pm every Tuesday, comprises of mainly music, entertainment and fiery discussions about any topics of the week.

The three presenters are Faye Lyons-White, Kirstie Nicols and myself, Ffion Rees.

The show is in it's third week and has been going well so far, although we are still experimenting as it is all new to two of us. Faye was actually involved with her student radio at Leeds University and won silver for Female Presenter of the Year.

Other than that I am still in the process of learning. It's hard to know what exactly our audience wants to hear.

With three of us presenting the show each week, we decided that the best entertainment would come with us chatting about our views on the important issues that have been in the news or anything that has affected us young people of Britain.

For example last week, the topics varied from Laura leaving the X-Factor, changing your name for charity and the long term effect that i-pods could have on your hearing.

The great thing is that the three of us are friends from our Broadcasting course but are all very different people.

Faye is very outgoing and straight to the point and she is obsessed with Hollyoaks. Her own blog has been very successful as she writes about every single episode, updating anyone who missed it. She is also interested in current affairs and always has an interesting view on things.

Kirstie is a biker chic and has a blog purely discussing issues that effect riders. She has already discussed her experiences on Cakes and Crisps and I am sure that more will come.

I am interested in political issues and current affairs and tend to have a view on just about anything. Faye is hoping to introduce a 2-minute Welsh lesson once a week on our radio show where I will teach a few funny or crazy words, just for something different.

If you are interested in listening to Cakes and Crisps we will be on air Tuesdays 1-2pm. Go to smokeradio.co.uk for more.

WaterAid Madagascar

All Images: WaterAid / Marco Betti


















The WaterAid Madagascar project is one of many examples as to why this fantastic charity came to existence over twenty years ago.

It's main aims are to tackle water and sanitation problems in poor countries, and to provide hygiene education as a means of preventing the spread of disease.

WaterAid works in conjunction with local teams and organisations in 17 countries including Ethiopia, Nepal, Mali and Madagascar.

There is a strong emphasis in the importance of working with local communities to ensure sustainable developments.

I began working for WaterAid over a year ago, as a volunteer speaker. This gave me the opportunity to visit schools, churches and youth groups to share the work of WaterAid and to plan fundraising events.

When moving to London, I decided to apply as a volunteer fundraising assistant. This position has given me an interesting in-depth insight into the work of WaterAid and the specific projects in which they have in each country.

One which has caught my attention is the WaterAid Madagascar project, where the images above and below were taken.

This charity has many projects based in both rural and urban areas of the 17 countries and Madagascar is no exception. There have been significant developments in this country over the last year.

President Marc Ravalomanana considers water and sanitation to be at the top of his agenda which makes work for WaterAid much easier.

Partners in Madagascar have been busy designing water wells and sanitation facilities in many communities and it is estimated that WaterAid will impact on the lives of around 30,000 people in this country this year.

This is one WaterAid project of many that are successfully reaching the targets set and are planning to reach even more people than originally thought.

The impact that this charity is having worldwide is phenomenal and it is growing more and more each year.

If you are interested in getting involved in raising money for WaterAid, you can take part in running, triathlon, trekking, singing events and much more.

You could also organise your own event suitable for what you are interested in.

For more information go to http://www.wateraid.org.uk/

Review of Hairspray, Shaftesbury Theatre

The Shaftesbury Theatre, Image: Ffion Rees

Based on the issues surrounding racial segregation in 1960's America, I knew that I would no doubt love the West End musical Hairspray.

It's soulful, rhythm and blues music makes the show upbeat and the audience has no shame in standing up and dancing along to every song.

Having started in 1988, this musical still remains one of the most popular shows for both young and older audiences. It has won 27 Major Awards including the prestigious 2008 Olivier Award for Best Musical.

The story is set in Baltimore, 1962 where racial tension is clear and the The Corny Collins Show is still segregated.

Young Tracy Turnblad wants to become star of the show and decides to audition, even though her strict mother disapproves.

Tracy quickly become the most popular member of the show and fights for the right of her African-American friends to be able to take part.

The show only allows black children to appear on the show once a month when they have "Negro Day". She successfully integrates The Corny Collins Show.

Performed everyday in the Shaftesbury Theatre, the cast include Michael Ball, Ben James-Ellis and Liz Robertson. It should no doubt be at the top of your list of musicals to see.

There are plenty of themes with importance particularly the issues surrounding race but the humour and music means that it is easy to watch and more fun than serious.

I would highly recommend Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre, it is one that should not be missed.

The Royals...a Welsh perspective

A conversation sparked debate in our radio class today regarding the royals. The discussion was in short whether in fact they are an important part of British society and have a place in the news.

Coming from an anti-monarchy family, I was rather lost as to what my own opinion was of the whole institution.

Comments from classmates varied although apart from myself, an Irish student and a half -Spanish half -Welsh student, the majority were in agreement that this tradition was an important one.

They bring money to the country, tourism and are part of centuries of tradition. Somehow I still can't seem to agree with them.

From an old mining village in south Wales, I grew up in a strong Welsh culture where there is still anger over the fact that we don't have a Welsh prince, we have an English one with the title of being ours.

I never really thought about it all too much and tended not to have a strong viewpoint on this.

But what I realised today was that a number of English people have great respect for the royals and all that they bring to the country. And that's great.

For me, I realised that I didn't feel this passion and proudness of a tradition that goes back ten centuries ago.

Maybe this is because I consider myself Welsh before British.

It could be because my first language is Welsh and this is were my proudness lies.

Or maybe it's because secretly I am hoping that we will have another 'Llywelyn', a prince of our own who knows what it is to be a proud Welshman.

Palin's relationship with the press

Sarah Palin has lashed out on the press for her negative portrayal that was endorsed worldwide.

She points out that a free media is part of a democratic society although twisting her words was 'unfair' in attempt to make her appear stupid.

An example of this was when Palin most recently had said that Africa was a country but she insists that this was taken out of context.

Following Obama's win this week, the Republicans have been in disagreement as to why they lost and whether the choice of Sarah Palin contributed to this.

John McCain was scrutinised by many for the way in which he had chosen Palin. He had interviewed her by phone and met her once, then gave her the position as running vice-president.

The media in some respects made a joke of Palin, although a number of her interviews were no doubt comical.

Journalist Katie Couric was witness to this when interviewing Palin and some have argued that this was the beginning of the decline in poll numbers for the Republicans.

During one interview she was asked what newspapers she reads and was unable to name one, using "I read all of them" as an answer. In another renowned interview, she was unable to name any other court case in the U.S. other than Roe v Wade.

Although I have to admit, I was always very wary of Sarah Palin, it seems a bit late for the Republican party to be criticizing her. Surely they should have questioned her ability early on when it seemed she was continuously making mistakes.

The Republicans clearly want to work on improvements for the future when the next presidential election comes around but it seems that all the American people want right now is change.

Palin has offered her help to the media to improve their relationship "I want to ... help restore some credibility there".











Image: Ffion Rees

New era for the USA

I was pleasantly surprised in the late hours of Wednesday morning when it was announced that Barack Obama would become the new President of the United States. In fact I was ecstatic.

For once I was pleased that I had made a bad judgement. Although the polls were in favour of Obama, I still had my doubts as to when it came down to it, would people vote McCain over Obama.

I have to be honest, it was the 'race issue' that I thought would be the decider of the election.

My faith in the American people was close to nothing and I had expected that some would vote Republican rather than having to vote for an African-American.

Turns out that this was an incredibly bad judgment that not only I, but many others outside the U.S. had made.

It is clear that during this time of economic downfall, the people knew that Barack Obama could offer what McCain could not. The latter wanted to introduce tax-cuts which would have been of great benefit for rich America but not so great for the poor.

Obama has been clear from the start what his policies will be and why.

I believe that his promise to withdraw troops from Iraq and sort out the health care system as well as reaching out to the poor was what won him the election.

After seeing images across the news of all kinds of voters turning out in epic numbers, Obama has made history by becoming the first black president of the United States.

He is without doubt what the U.S. needs at this time of complete crisis, both economically and socially.

Increased gun control is urgent

Following the deaths of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's' mother, brother and nephew, I can't seem to wonder whether it's just me who's been thinking about this huge issue of gun crime in the States.

Of course rare incidents like these happen worldwide and often cannot be stopped but it seems to me that this has become far too common in American society.

A string of shootings have taken place over the last few years, but Hudson's case is one of the most recent and was most covered in the media.

Prior to this I believe it was the Virginia Tech shooting that received huge speculation worldwide and caused concern for parents and students in the U.S. for their safety.

When Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people at Virginia Tech using two semi-automatic handguns, the first thought that came to me was how did this person get access to these weapons.

It turned out that he was sold them at a local store on two separate occasions. The law in Virginia states that those with mental illnesses are prohibited from buying guns.

Pro-guns activists argued that if the other university students had been allowed weapons on campus, they would have been able to protect themselves and others from the killer.

As a student myself, I can comfortably say that I would feel much safer on campus knowing that nobody had been able to buy weapons legally rather than knowing that everyone around me had them.

These pro-guns Americans are living in the past and need to realise that the need for carrying a weapon is not a fair argument anymore. With students, families and young children being killed far too often, this should be enough to make them realise that something needs to be done.

We will find out in around ten hours who will become 44th President of the United States. Those in favour of gun-control can be confident that Obama will tackle this issue without sitting on the fence.

He attended the memorial service last week for Jennifer Hudson's family, who had supported him throughout his campaign. Let's hope the Americans make the right decision because at this moment in time, tightening gun laws will be one of his priorities.