National Event: Comic Relief and Political Issue: HS2

National Event-Comic Relief

As part of my ppp blog I had to blog about a national event of political issue, I decided to blog about Damien Hirst giving his diamond skull a red nose. Red nose day itself will be on the 15th March, so get buying your red noses and t-shirts. Hirst has created and signed 50 limited edition prints specially for Comic Relief. They are lithographic prints. The prints will go on sale for £2,500 and will be portrait-sized. One of the prints called 'For the love of Comic Relief' will go on display at the Tate Gallery this weekend. This is the third time Hirst has collaborated with Comic Relief. The prints can be viewed online at http://damienhirst.com/ Hirst said 'it’s good to be able to laugh at myself; if you don’t laugh you will cry and it’s good to bring humour into fundraising,' taken from http://www.rednoseday.com/whats-going-on/news/damien-hirst-creates-limited-edition-prints-celebrate-25-years-red-nose-day accessed 22/02/13. This shows how Hirst is willing to have a bit of fun whilst raising a bit of money at the same time. Although I don't normally like Damien Hirst I admire what he's doing for charity.  

Local Event: HS2

HS2 stands for High speed 2 and refers to the plans for a new high speed rail network stretching from Leeds to London. Phase 1 will link London to the West Midlands via dedicated high speed services and  is expected to open in 2026. Phase 2 will extend high speed services to Manchester and Leeds and provide direct high speed services to a new Heathrow Airport station and is expected to open 2032-33. The trains will run at speeds of up to 225 mph with the potential to run at speeds of 250 mph. Although it is clear that the current rail network is in need of an update, this plan has attracted criticism from across the board. With a number of campaigners calling for it to be scrapped altogether. STOP HS2 has warned that the new rail line will cut through some of the most beautiful countryside and vibrant villages in England, it also claims that the HS2 proposals are seriously flawed from a business, economic and environmental viewpoint. However, the government remains convinced that HS2 is the way forward and is the most effective way to provide much-needed additional rail capacity across the country, whilst at the same time supporting economic growth, creating jobs and helping to reduce carbon emissions from the transport sector.