editorial: jan/feb 10
Welcome to Lucid’s first issue of 2010.
In this edition, we go behind the headlines to dissect the first ten years of the 21st century, uncovering the meaning of the Noughties. What does this first decade tell us about where we are today? Who, or what, were the big winners and losers between 2000 and 2009? What will be the decade’s lasting legacy? In a series of articles looking at everything from the era-defining events to the impact of the enlargement of the EU, we attempt to bring you the stories that will make you think and the issues that should be on your radar.
What we know of Australia and what we know of its Indigenous population are two contradictory things. The image of sun, sea and surf as portrayed in Aussie soaps is incompatible with the reality of life for many Aborigines, who continue to live in abject poverty and suffer from the effects of this existence. Marcelle Ventoura visits The Block, an Aboriginal ghetto in Sydney to visually chronicle the destitution and traces the history of their plight in words.
On the other side of the world, Sylvia Arthur visits Copenhagen, the Danish capital and discovers a world of culture crammed in to the compact Scandinavian city. With an abundance of jazz clubs and art galleries, Copenhagen also has a wealth of museums, best among them being the stunningly beautiful Louisiana, a short train ride outside the city, which offers an irresistible combination of art, architecture and nature.
Contributor Pol Rochester parties with Russian media elites in central London to celebrate a newspaper’s fourth anniversary and finds that, contrary to what we’re led to believe, they’re not all vodka-swilling tabloid clichés.
Celebrity transgressions make for great tabloid fodder but what is it that makes us, the public, collectively forgive one celeb sinner over another? Athena Kugblenu considers the rules that govern our forgiveness of people in the public eye in her considered take on life in the spotlight.
Also in this issue, check out our entertaining interview with talented brass band, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, a collective of eight brothers from Chicago who don’t just play their instruments but party while their doing it. Just don’t call them a jazz band!
Finally, we’re pleased to announce the launch of a new sister publication in the run up to the General Election (probably) in May. Lucid Politics.co.uk will run from 18 January for six months and will feature news and analysis on the key issues and people in British politics. So, log on soon and have your say on the issues of the day.
Until next issue,
