SATURDAY 24th JULY 10am – 2pm White Park, Gorgie Road
To book your FREE place, email: gorgiearts@gmail.com
Art in the Park with Gorgie Arts
Day: July 18, 2021
Keep your keys safe
Where do you keep your keys? Near the door, on a hook, in a bowl near the door? Would they be easily accessible to thieves?
Consider the security measures you have in place and #DontMakeItEasyForthem.
Out of sight is best.
Black Widow passes the Bechdel Test … but which Hollywood heroes have failed?
- More than a third of films over the past decade fail test for representing female characters
- More than a quarter of movies released in 2021 and assessed on bechdeltest.com failed to meet the test’s requirements
- Of the films assessed in 2016, 43.6% failed the Bedchel Test – the highest rate in the last ten years
- Some of the past decade’s highest-grossing films, such as The Avengers, Monsters University and Bad Boys For Life have all failed the test
More than a third of major films of the past decade have failed to pass a basic test for representing female characters, a new study has found.
To mark the release of Marvel Studios’ Black Widow, gambling community hub CasinoGrounds analysed how many popular films from the past decade pass the Bechdel test, which means the movie or media must have two named female characters, who talk to each other about something other than a man.
Collecting user-submitted data from bechdeltest.com, the study shows that over the past 10 years, more than a third of the 1118 films assessed on the site have failed the test – a total of 36.4%.
Of the 33 films assessed so far during 2021, nine have failed the test, a total of 27% – including A Quiet Place Part II and F9: The Fast Saga. This figure is currently higher than the total from 2020, in which 21.5% of films measured failed to meet all three of the test’s requirements.
The two lowest performing years over the past decade were 2014 and 2016, in which 40.7% and 43.6% of the films assessed failed to achieve a passing “grade”.
Bechdel Test – Failure rates over past 10 years
| Year of release | No. of movies assessed by Bechdeltest.com | Number of failed movies | Percentage of failed movies |
| 2011 | 372 | 139 | 37.7% |
| 2012 | 352 | 126 | 35.8% |
| 2013 | 413 | 143 | 30.4% |
| 2014 | 390 | 159 | 40.7% |
| 2015 | 332 | 126 | 37.9% |
| 2016 | 325 | 142 | 43.6% |
| 2017 | 270 | 90 | 33.3% |
| 2018 | 238 | 82 | 34.4% |
| 2019 | 229 | 77 | 32.2% |
| 2020 | 116 | 25 | 21.5% |
| 2021 | 33 | 9 | 27.2% |
Assessing the five highest-grossing films of each year from the past decade, there are four years in which all five films pass the test – 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Last year, only two of the year’s five highest-grossing films passed – Sonic The Hedgehog and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.
Perhaps some of the most surprising failures from the past decade come from the most renowned movie franchises – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Monsters University and Jumanji: The Next Level each failed to tick all three boxes of the test.
And although Black Widow passes the Bechdel test, Marvel Studios’ 2012 epic The Avengers – which also saw Scarlett Johansson assuming the role of Natasha Romanov – did not.
Commenting on the study’s findings, a spokesperson of CasinoGrounds stated: “With more emphasis being placed on the importance of gender quality in recent years, it is encouraging to see films like Black Widow leading the charge in creating strong female characters in Hollywood.
“There are certainly some surprising passing entries from the highest grossing films, and some equally surprising failures. Hopefully, the future holds even more positive representation of women in film and media overall”.
Casinogrounds.com is the leading online gambling community, which promotes safe and responsible practise and discussions around gambling.
Rugby club entrepreneurs bid to kick old working habits to touch
Ambitions to roll out model to more sports clubhouses
TWO senior figures at one of Scotland’s top community rugby clubs have launched a new remote office venture, transforming under-utilised clubhouse facilities and offering salvation for home-workers.
“Breakout” has re-imagined the vast top floor of Currie Chieftains’ Malleny Park clubhouse, creating a stylish, safe and comfortable workspace, able to be used by anyone working outside the office.
The idea emerged during lockdown, with Mark Cairns, Head Coach of the Balerno-based club realising that the long-term future of work was changing, with many homes unsuited to home working, with many put off by the stress and environmental impact of daily commutes.
At the same time, the club had been hit by the pandemic, with the clubhouse – like thousands across the country – sitting dormant.
Edinburgh-based Mark, CEO of Breakout, is also the founder of Coach Logic, a sports analysis and communication platform, and like millions of others has worked from home for much of the pandemic.
The 37-year-old father of two, said: “In all honesty I was getting fed up with my home slowly becoming my office. I was finding it difficult to switch off from work, when I realised the club could be a great working space.
“We hope to inspire more spaces like this. There are a lot of sports clubs with underused spaces, which are normally utilised in the evenings but almost never during office hours.
“Many are in semi-rural and suburban locations, surrounded by families but requiring a sizeable commute to city centre workplaces.
“Hopefully these clubs can see Currie leading by example. We think we can slowly but surely, make a positive change for a lot of communities.”
“Our values and mission are very clear – we want to impact people’s work life and environment one space at a time and we think introducing the Breakout idea to the world is a step in the right direction.”
Fergus Scott, current captain of Currie Chieftains first team and general manager of Breakout, said: “Mark and I have put in a lot of hard work to make the co-working space a reality.
“We have received a lot of support from the local community as well, as more people are having to work remotely from outside the office, so the idea of having a space like Breakout is massive for them.”
The Breakout co-working hub has also partnered with coffee specialists, Forth Roasters, to offer quality sit-in and takeaway coffee and snacks on site.
Andy Russell, managing director of Bureau, which has provided contemporary furnishings and is primed to work with Breakout at future sites, said: “People have always seen co-working spaces as a city centre-based business.
“But the pandemic has enforced a new trend of remote work environment, which made the opportunity for suburban co-working spaces to emerge, and there isn’t better space than your local sports club.”
The Breakout team are now on the lookout for the next sports venue which they can transform into the next remote co-working centre.
For more information on Breakout, visit: https://breakout.club/
Move to Level 0 is ‘encouraging milestone’, says business chief
Scotland moves to a ‘modified’ Level 0 from tomorrow, Monday 19th July.
Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said: “The confirmation that Scotland will move to Level 0 on 19th July marks another encouraging milestone towards the full re-opening of Scotland’s economy and business’s ability to recover.
“The fact remains though that the modified framework deviates away from what businesses had been preparing for and moving the goalposts at this late stage will cause uncertainty, negatively impacting on business confidence and recovery.
“The postponing of the phased return of offices will be a bitter blow for employees and employers alike, many of which had been getting ready to welcome employees back into offices from next week. T
“his will also sound alarm bells for those town and city centre businesses, reliant on office worker footfall and custom, who now need to wait another month until those workers start to return.
“Scotland’s hospitality sector, one of the hardest hit by restrictions, will be concerned that anticipated restrictions were not lifted, including little reprieve for the night-time economy, with challenging restrictions on trading remaining.”
On changes to rules for self-isolation and quarantine, Liz Cameron said: “A greater four-nations alignment on international travel restrictions and self-isolation is positive, however, until all restrictions are lifted many businesses operating in Scotland’s travel and tourism sector simply won’t be able to open.
“The international travel industry is vital to Scotland’s wider tourism and hospitality sectors, and it’s essential that financial support for these businesses is not only continued but enhanced to allow them to fully recover when restrictions do finally lift.”
On moving beyond Level 0, Liz Cameron said: “Our view is clear that we should continue on the path set out towards the lifting of all restrictions on the 9th of August as planned.
“The role of the Scottish and UK Government must evolve to enable businesses and communities to operate with autonomy, according to personal circumstances, business preferences and sectoral requirements.”
STUC General Secretary, Roz Foyer, said: “We welcome the more cautious approach set out today by the First Minister. The trade union movement has consistently called for a cautious approach to easing restrictions, based on the data in conjunction with vaccine uptake.
“Many workers will be breathing a sigh of relief at the continuation of mandatory use of face masks. However, for hospitality staff, many of whom will not yet be fully vaccinated, the announcement of larger indoor events may understandably cause fear and worry.
“When planning for the return to office working, we need employers to work with trade unions and employees to consider a phased and flexible approach for their return to work, ensuring workers’ health and wellbeing is protected while working from home or in the office.”
BBC’s commitment to Scotland to be discussed with MPs
BBC spend in Scotland has fluctuated in recent years and, despite Ofcom praising the BBC’s ability to support Scotland’s creative economy, the BBC missed its spend quota in Scotland last year.
In addition, recent reports have suggested that control of two BBC Scotland studios could be taken over by BBC Studioworks in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
The Scottish Affairs Committee held a previous session with BBC Scotland in 2018.
MPs will use Monday’s session to explore topics including:
- The BBC’s commitment to Scotland;
- The BBC’s performance in Scotland;
- UK Government support for public service broadcasting;
- The impact of the rise of streaming services and social media;
- How an increasingly digital world could impact the ease at which non-English content – such as BBC Alba and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal – can be found.
Ofcom has found that people in Scotland watch the most broadcast television of any UK nation, with BBC One productions being the top three most-viewed shows in Scotland in 2019.
Witnesses:
Tuesday 20 July, from 10am
- Steve Carson, Director, BBC Scotland
- Louise Thornton, Head of Multiplatform Commissioning, BBC Scotland
- Gary Smith, Head of News and Current Affairs, BBC Scotland
University study identifies genes linked to severe Covid-19 risk
An international group of scientists have discovered 13 DNA sequences that are associated with people developing the most severe form of Covid-19.
The identification of the sequences – known as genetic markers – could provide targets for future therapies using repurposed drugs, experts say.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh joined a global effort to compare the genetic information of almost 50,000 Covid-19 patients with samples provided by healthy volunteers from biobanks, clinical studies, and direct-to-consumer genetic companies like 23andMe.
The team found key differences in 13 genetic markers of Covid-19 patients compared with healthy volunteers. The genes partially explain why some people become seriously ill with Covid-19, while others are not affected.
By pooling the large amount of data from 25 countries, the scientists were able to produce robust analyses more quickly, and from a greater diversity of populations, than any one group could have on its own.
The team also identified factors such as smoking and high body mass index as reasons why some people suffer from Covid-19 more acutely.
Of the 13 genetic markers identified so far, two occur more often among patients of East Asian or South Asian ancestry than in those of European ancestry.
One of these two markers, near the FOXP4 gene, is linked to lung cancer. The different FOXP4 sequence associated with severe Covid-19 increases the gene’s expression, suggesting that inhibiting the gene could be a potential treatment strategy, experts say.
Other genetic markers associated with severe Covid-19 included DPP9, a gene also involved in lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis, and the TYK2 gene, which is implicated in some autoimmune diseases.
The latest findings come from the COVID-19 Host Genomics Initiative, which have been published in Nature.
The initiative has grown to be one of the most extensive collaborations in human genetics and currently includes more than 3,300 researchers and 61 studies from 25 countries.
The University of Edinburgh led study GenOMICC (Genetics of Susceptibility and Mortality in Critical Care) is one such project that contributed data to the COVID-19 Host Genomics Initiative.
GenOMICC started in 2015 as an open, global consortium of intensive care clinicians dedicated to understanding genetic factors that influence outcomes in intensive care from diseases such as SARS, influenza and sepsis.
Throughout the pandemic it has been focused on Covid-19 research in partnership with Genomics England.
Researchers will continue to identify additional gene regions associated with infection and severe disease, and will begin to study what factors lead symptoms persisting in some patients for months.
GenOMICC is funded by the charity Sepsis Research FEAT, the Intensive Care Society, Wellcome, UK Research and Innovation, Scotland’s Chief Scientist Office, the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Institute for Health Research.
Dr Kenneth Baillie, GenOMICC’s chief investigator and Academic Consultant in Critical Care Medicine and Senior Research Fellow at University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, said: “By working together across the whole world, we are able to accelerate discovery for the benefit of patients.
“This new international analysis builds on the colossal effort made by patients and intensive care research teams across the whole UK in the GenOMICC study.”
Picture (top): kirstypargeter via Getty Images
Cllr Kate Campbell: “We’re making Edinburgh a Living Wage city”
Councillor KATE CAMPBELL, Convener for Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, writes about Edinburgh’s ambitions to be a Living Wage city.
Fair work. You’d think in Scotland in 2021 we wouldn’t need the ‘fair’. Just the concept of work in one of the most prosperous, democratically developed and progressive nations in the world – it should just include a presumption that work will be fair.
But sadly, that isn’t the case.
We’ve too many workers in our city paid the minimum, not the living wage – that’s around 38,000 people who earn less than £9.50 per hour. Many don’t have job security or guaranteed hours. Many have little or no access to training or development and lack any form of representation through trade unions.
I’m not going to pretend that the City of Edinburgh Council alone can fix this. We can’t. But there are some things we can do.
Firstly – we’re going to make Edinburgh a Living Wage city.
Step one is to acknowledge all the fantastic employers in our city. We need to champion the people and organisations who recognise the value of their staff. And the benefit of investing in them. And we need to come together to promote those benefits.
We’re setting up a group of existing living wage employers across different sectors. We’ll work together to understand the barriers that prevent organisations becoming living wage employers, and how we can break down those barriers. And then we’ll put together an action plan.
It’s clear that in Edinburgh tourism is a major employer, and we know that hospitality is one of the areas that has historically struggled to pay the living wage.
But hospitality businesses have also been hit hard during the pandemic – reduced capacity due to social distancing, closure due to lockdowns, outbreaks and the need to self-isolate.
As labour shortages arise from Brexit there will be a need for businesses to offer more to retain skilled staff. Fair work and the living wage will be absolutely key.
Over recent years we’ve seen customers ask more of businesses – sustainability is a good example. People want to spend money with organisations that they believe are contributing to saving the planet, or at least working hard to mitigate any negative impacts from their activity. It costs more – but customers value sustainability so it pays for itself.
So, it’s important that as customers we are asking for the same ethical values of fair employment – because as citizens we will all benefit.
The pandemic has hit many hard but people on the lowest wages, and small businesses, have undoubtedly borne the brunt. Let’s all be part of the recovery to a better city. It’ll be hard for some businesses to make the leap to becoming living wage employers – so let’s make sure we support and encourage them.
This article first appeared in the Evening News
Self-isolation for ALL travellers returning from France
Beta variant may evade vaccines, experts warn
Decision taken to protect public health in Scotland
Fully vaccinated travellers returning to Scotland from France will still be required to self-isolate from tommorow (Monday 19 July).
The decision follows concerns about the persistence of Beta variant cases in France, given this variant – also known as B.1.351 – may evade vaccine protection. It means that anyone who has been in France in the previous 10 days will need to quarantine on arrival to Scotland in their own accommodation and will need a day two and day eight coronavirus (COVID-19) test, regardless of their vaccination status.
From Monday 19 July, travellers from other amber list countries will not be asked to self-isolate if they have been fully vaccinated through the NHS in the UK and 14 days have passed since their second vaccination.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “Nobody wants travel restrictions in place for any longer than is absolutely necessary.
“We have been clear that the green, amber and red lists can change at short notice. It important we act quickly to limit the risk of importation of variants of concern which could undermine the rollout of our vaccine programme.”
UK Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We have always been clear that we will not hesitate to take rapid action at our borders to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the gains made by our successful vaccination programme.
“With restrictions lifting on Monday across the country, we will do everything we can to ensure international travel is conducted as safely as possible, and protect our borders from the threat of variants.”
It was announced last night that Mr Javid has tested positive for Covid.
Mr Javid met with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor on Friday, and both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak should be self-isolating.
By good fortune, though, our heroes won’t have to go through this tiresome self-isolation inconvenience – it seems the plucky pair are participants in a ‘pilot programme’ in which daily tests replace that tedious self-isolation. How fortunate is that !!
BUT WAIT …
REVERSE FERRET ALERT!!!
CHANGE OF PLAN: The prime minister and chancellor will now self-isolate as normal after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for coronavirus.
Case numbers continue to rise ahead of the lifting of rules on social contact in England tomorrow, so-called ‘Freedom Day’. Respected epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson said this morning that 100,000 cases per day are ‘almost inevitable’.
Some freedom …
More information on international travel and quarantine
Threipmuir Reservoir: body found
Police in Edinburgh have confirmed that a body has been found in the Threipmuir Reservoir following a recovery operation after a man was seen getting into difficulties in the water around 5.35pm on Wednesday, 14 July.
Formal identification is yet to take place, but the family of the man, who have asked for privacy, have been made aware.
There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
Thriepmuir Reservoir car park and the path alongside the reservoir, is now reopen to the public.