Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from June, 2016

How we deal with international grief

Floods of sympathy for the victims of recent attacks in Orlando, Florida (Image: Fox43.com) Grief is a natural emotion that comes in different forms. Whether there is a death, life-changing injury, a job loss, we all have our own ways to express how we truly feel. Grief is something we will all encounter in our lifetime and this used to be dealt with privately. We choose to express our supposed negative emotion to a local or wider network of people. Before social media was introduced globally, we used to grief without the whole world knowing in an instant. Even when we mourned complete strangers, like those who lost their lives on 9/11 for example, many of us were shocked and saddened about the tragedy that occurred, but we didn't have platforms to go overboard with our sympathy. This is where I'd like to reflect on two recent circumstances that has led people to go extra lengths to show their respect and offer condolences to people who most of us will never me

Filling the EU void in an unprepared Britain

As the EU referendum reaches its climax, is Britain prepared for either outcome? (Image: Telegraph) Last week marked exactly four years since I left Bangor University. And when I departed after nearly three years living and studying there, the city in North Wales was in the process of change. They had one particular, ambitious development at its heart that would benefit their local community. This development was Pontio. Pontio is an arts and innovation centre that comprises of a theatre, cinema, University facilities, a bar and restaurant. This building replaced the ageing Students Union that, as a first year academic in 2009/10, I sensed was falling apart and needed to change; and Theatr Gwynedd that had been closed for a number of years previous. But now, the city of 20,000 has a theatre to showcase local talent rather than relying on lecture theatres. And the locals can no longer rely so much on rail fares to watch the latest blockbuster in Llandudno Junction or Holyhead,