Off The Record

@Offtherecordni facebook.com/offtherecordni

FR

Issue #2 Oct/Nov 2013

EE!

Comment and Opinion | Politics | Arts & Culture | Northern Ireland

New monthly magazine!

#2

A personal guide to your:

Quarter Life Crisis

Student life is over, now what?

Belfast Day 2013

Photos from:

To Frack or not to Frack?Also Inside >

In Discussion:
We attend a debate on fracking and environmental issues!

Belfast forgets about flags for a day and embraces international culture. We were there to take some snaps!

The Failed Economist

>The Real Cost of Osbornes Growth

> You have a degree, but no job. Now what? > > >

thE Quarter life crisis

party conferences 2013

Our verdict on the main party conferences

the blunders of edwin poots

The first of many - his stance on adoption

VERSE CHORUS VERSE review

Lynn Gilmour reviews the new album!

& Much more!

2 Off The Record

ISSUE #2
Local Politics International Politics Main Feature The Failed Economist Discussion

Welcome to Off The Record, Northern Irelands newest indie print magazine dedicated to politics, arts and culture. Consisting of up to date and cutting edge comment and opinion, our writers and contributors will work day and night to bring you the best content available! Enjoy!

The Grid: A Month in News

Comic Con Belfast!

Arts and Culture

Thats right, the worlds biggest comic book, sci fi, movies and gaming show is coming to Belfast on the 7th/8th June 2014 at Kings Hall.

Potential Exploris closure

NIs only aquarium and seal sanctuary is facing closure due to financial issues and investment problems. Can you put a price on marine life?

Twitter goes public

Those capitalist swine, some may say. No doubt under pressure to actually make some money, Twitter is now trading on the Stock Market.

Editors note:
For a print magazine, it didnt take us long to crumble into focusing a little more on the online side of things. So, we did what every thirteen year old girl does and started a blog! This will be a separate entity from the magazine and the general aim is to showcase blog posts from members of the public. By giving folk a voice and a place to publicise their opinions, we hope to start some healthy debate. So, this is a call. If you want to contribute a blogpost, email us (check back page for contact info) or give us a follow on Twitter! We are (as always) rather excited to get this issue out there. It doesnt matter if you are reading this on your iPad or in paper form in your hands, we are just glad you are reading. Thank you for your time. Jason A Murdock

Ian Paisley Jr spends money

Quite a lot, in fact. The most of any MP. Travel, accommodation and staffing cost over 200,000. Asked about this he said: Hey, this haircut is expensive*. *Not true.

America shuts down

In a fantastic display of co-operation and democracy, the US has effectively shut down after not being able to co-operate or be democratic on the issue of the debt ceiling.

All Hail George Osborne

Yes, they were right. They have saved your lives. The war is over. The war on having no money is over. Because now we have like, 0.000007% more than last year. Go buy some Champagne. Now.

Investment conference NI

Cameron came over and promised jobs. Villiers talked about... something. Martin McGuiness and Peter Robinson held hands.

Greenwald quits Guardian

Content

Glenn Greenwald has quit The Guardian to work on a new online based project. We wish him all the best in the future!

Oprah, world renowned peace maker and lovable woman claimed that atheists cannot experience awe and wonder. She then burst into flames.

Oprah: Atheists have no feelings

Page

11

Page

The Failed Economist - p.10 the Quarter life crisis - p.8 role of victims - p.3 party conferences - p. 7 edwin poots - p. 6/7 VERSE CHORUS VERSE - P. 14

Inter-Party Fracking Debate

We attended an inter-party debate on environmental issues including fracking. Find out how each politician sided on this often controversial topic

Richard haass talks begin

We take a look back at the Haass talks and ask why we need a Washington endorsed helper? We also have a timeline showing previous US/NI relations

seamus tucker comic - p.16

// Comment and Opinion on Northern Irish Politics

Local Politics

Have YOUR say! Blog today for Off The Record! See @offtherecordni for more details 3
NI21 By: Paul Wyatt Member @PaulWyatt94

ecently up on The Hill the issue of defining a victim came to R the fore again when the compensation which was awarded to the family of Real IRA man Kieran Doherty was up for discussion.

The role of victims in society

a terrorist organisation to be regarded as showing public support.

Im sure you wouldnt be surprised if I told you that not an awful lot of progress, in fact not really any, was made on the issue. Maybe thats another topic for another day but surely sometimes you must ask yourself what on earth is the point of us paying the salaries of the folks on The Hill for them just to spout out entrenched positions with closed ears and who have no notion of listening and trying to understand their political foes. Anyway. The DUPs position on the issue of compensation to victims was summarised by DUP MLA Paul Givan. Payment of compensation is an expression of public sympathy and support for the innocent victims. In no way is a payment of compensation to anyone that was involved in a terrorist organisation to be regarded as showing public support. Id invite you to divulge yourself into the detail of what Paul Givan has said. Mr Givan appears to be creating a false link in this case which simply doesnt exist. He outlines that the payment of compensation is for the innocent victims, and then goes on to create the link between innocent victims and payment of compensation to anyone involved in a terrorist organisation. Either the DUP dont quite grasp who the compensation was awarded to, or it appears to me that the DUP are presenting us a case in which they do not believe Kierans family were innocent victims.This is because the compensation payment in this case was awarded to - and this is the important bit - the family of Kieran Doherty. Not Real IRA member Kieran Doherty, which Paul Givan almost seems to be suggesting when he says In no way is a payment of compensation to anyone that was involved in

This raises an interesting issue. If like MLA Paul Givan you believe that compensation should be awarded to innocent victims only even though we are yet to agree on what a victim is how do we test if a family member, who has lost a loved one is an innocent victim? Take the case of Kieran Doherty who was killed by his own organisation. Should we make Kierans family distance themselves from supporting the RIRA? Do we make them do this in public or private? Alternatively, should we be more compassionate and empathise with any family that has lost a loved one as a result of the bloody sectarian conflict, whether it be by the IRA, UVF or whoever. Why can we not say that losing a family member in such grim circumstances must bring an unthinkable amount of pain and actually, you should be compensated. Is the DUP so deep in their trench that they would deny recognising a familys grief in the form of compensation because they feel that they have a duty to stamp on anything that could be spun by their political competitors to be seen as supporting terrorism. Whether or not you agree with this analysis, its imperative that listening and debating takes place on the issue of victims because ultimately, when push comes to shove progress must be made on this extremely sensitive issue. Progress isnt made by itself, and especially wont be made by any political tit-for-tat, whataboutery, up on The Hill.

The Slow Death of NI Tourism: Is the end nigh for our aquarium?

Either the DUP dont quite grasp who the compensation was awarded to, or, it appears to me that the DUP are presenting us a case in which they do not believe Kierans family were innocent victims.

Despite its perfect location for marine biology and the fact that it acts as not only an aquarium, but also a seal sanctuary, Exploris is facing closure due to a lack of private investors and high financial cost to the tax payer. So, in a time when the PSNI can spend 50,000 a day on policing the Twadell camp, how do the public feel about the potential closure? We took to Twitter to find out!

4 Off The Record

ichard Haass, highly acclaimed American Diplomat was invited to our shores to chair inter party talks over three issues: flags, emblems and dealing the with past. Mr Haass and his team have been given three months to succeed. It is all too easy to see the driving motivation behind these talks emanating from a Westminster government that has quickly lost patience over our politicians inability to focus their attention on economic issues. With a UK coalition government existing almost solely as a result of the financial crisis of 2008, it is easy to see why London looks on in bemusement as we continue to bash each other over the head, wrapped up in the flag of your choice and with a continuing refusal to accept the conventional wisdom that above all, the economy comes first. Secretary of State Theresa Villiers recently stated that:

A Diplomatic Affair
by Jason Murdock & Jason Ashford

can we expect the electorate to be sold the idea of a shared future when our politicians cant even share a couch? The same politicians keep emphasising that the role of the recent G8 Summit in Fermanagh raised our international profile. What they neglect to acknowledge is how the rest of the world, scratching their heads in confusion, also caught a glimpse of Northern Irelands true colours dysfunctional, divided and desperately searching for leadership. And so, our politicians turn to Mr Haass to provide the leadership which they so potently lack. The former US Envoy to Northern Ireland has a very impressive CV and is an extremely well experienced diplomat, however in these times of crisis, sometimes it seems that any American will do. With the rumoured visitation of VPOTUS Joe Biden, it seems that NI/US relations are at an all time high since Clintons administration. Upon the realisation that the reins steering the peace process have slipped from the control of local hands, expect American involvement only to increase in the coming years not forgetting it is a process that was perceived to those outside of the UK to have long run its course. It would be naive to assume that the peace process ended with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, or even St Andrews. However, in the fifteen years since, what could we reasonably have assumed? What progress was possible? Surely the foundation of a democratic, normalised state. I would bet that no-one would have predicted the destruction of the hard-line minority, but it would have been reasonable to assume that the leadership would not be dictated by their every whim. A perfect example of a dog being shaken by the tail. Nor had we expected that when things became difficult, our elected leaders would so quickly turn back to Washington for answers. We take a look into the past relations between the United States and Northern Ireland:

I firmly believe that its the economy which remains the number one priority for many people in Northern Ireland, and its clear that Northern Ireland will never reach its full economic potential when sectarian division keeps fuelling street violence and the kind of disgraceful attacks on police officers weve seen this year. The presence of Mr Haass in Belfast is another example of an attempt to normalise Northern Ireland that has also cemented our American cousins coveted title of external mediator. Some have had more success than others, however there seems to be an idea gaining traction that an American accent and a well pressed suit is all that is needed to fix our problems. Why is it then that fifteen years after the Good Friday Agreement we still feel it is necessary to ask Uncle Sam for assistance when our own politicians cant get answers to even the most basic of problems. Instead, we have constant bickering over the same old issues. How

The Special Relationship >

Oct 1968
NICRA march in Derry marks the beginning of the troubles

apr 1970
Alliance Party formation

sept 1971
UDA formation

JAN 1972
Bloody Sunday

dec 1975
End of Internment

1981
Armalite and Ballot box speech

Jun 1994
Gerry Adams granted US Visitors Visa after previous failed attempts

Aug 1969
British army arrive in NI

aug 1971
Interment without trial 342 people placed in camps

(30th)sept 1971
DUP formation

mar 1973
Border Poll57% turnout, 98% in favour of union (SDLP boycott)

aug 1977
Jimmy Carter gives speech on Northern Ireland

Jun 1994
Gerry Adams granted US Visitors Visa after previous failed attempts

MAR 1994
Clinton calls on the IRA to lay down arms

Come say hello! @offtherecordNI

Is it time for our politicians to stand on their own two feet?

Off The Record is a progressive publication. We believe firmly in the power of dialogue and deplore any attempt to subvert the democratic will with violence and intimidation by bullies and cowards. In most circumstances we would fully welcome inter party talks to resolve the stalemate at Stormont. However, the fact we have turned once more to an American (from a country that is not top of the making governments work checklist) shows how little progress we have actually made and how entrenched our leaders are. Every day the leaders of loyalism and republicanism fail to condemn the actions of the violent wings of their movements we will remain stationary how can we ever change when those in power cant get over the troubles of their youth? There is the inescapable sense that the conflicts of the troubles remain as relevant in the heads of our politicians as they ever were, and how can we expect a sincerity in a handshake when behind the scenes they are firmly sitting in their opposing camps. All of these notions progressiveness, democratic process and willingness to forgive remain that, simply notions. When a flag can trigger a year of rioting, you know there is a deeper problem at play. Three months later, what can we expect? An optimist would say that we will find a resolution to the flag protests, this in turn will lead to the celebration and respect (on both sides) of democratic decisions. Emblems of the past will be taught to be loved, the curbstones will be painted red, white and green. The future will be rich and carefree due to the countless amount of sheer investment we will receive from becoming a true blueprint for turning conflict into coin. High speed rail will take over from slow speed translink. Kevin Bacon will give us 4G networks and we can ride the M2 into the sunset. Children will line the streets and play together, and the peace walls will tumble down. Coffee and flowers for all. The sun may finally come out. Too much? Reality dawns. Good luck Mr Haass, it seems we cant expect much.

> Previous US Envoys

George Mitchell
1995 - 2001
Conflicts are created, conducted and sustained by human beings; they can be ended by human beings

Richard Haass
2001 - 2003
Disagreements are fine, disagreements are to be expected, but again disagreements are to be dealt with verbally and done within a legitimate and accepted political process

Mitchell B Reiss
2003 - 2007
We try to keep our eye on the main objective here - which is moving the peace process forward and keeping the focus on the people of Northern Ireland

2007 - 2009

Paula Dobriansky

Northern Ireland knows the world is watching and thats a good thing, because today they have a lot to show the world

Declan Kelly
2009 - 2011
By achieving devolution and a peaceful Northern Ireland, a new economic future could be made possible for all citizens of Northern Ireland

aug 1994
IRA Ceasefire

1994-95
NI Politicians Trimble, Hume and Adams increase visits to US shores

OCT 1997
USA drops the IRA from list of terrorist organisations

2001
Richard Haass appointed Special Envoy to NI

aug 2008
President Obama questions the need for an NI Envoy position

dec 2012

Flag riots begin after Union Flag democratically removed from City Hall

sept 2013
Haass cross party talks begin, with no restriction on dealing with NI legacy.

dec 1994
Mitchell appointed official economic advisor and envoy to NI

jun 1997

Clinton calls for renewal of IRA ceasefire. SF announce candidates for General Election

apr 1998
Signing of the Good Friday Agreement

nov 2007
McGuinness and Paisley to meet President Bush in D.C

09-11
Envoy position left vacant

JUN 2013
Pres. Obama vows to back those who choose the path of peace during the G8

Off The Record

We take a look at one of Edwin Poots recent blunders - his personal agenda against gay and unmarried adoption.
With the news that Edwin Poots is to take his fight against the extension of adoption rights to gay and unmarried couples to the Supreme Court, it was the latest in a long line of DUP blunders that only furthered the perception that the party is not only out of touch with the more moderate of the electorate, but even with the laws of the UK. What is it about the LGBT and unmarried community that Poots dislikes so much that he campaigns for such blatant inequality? Is the Health Minister letting his biblical leanings dictate policy, or is he pandering to the will of the so called PUL community? Whatever the case, the answer lies in educating the moderates to teach that their vote can actually make a difference. It is difficult to see the strategy at play when analysing the move by Edwin Poots to take his case against the extension of adoption legislation

The Elected Fundamentalist

to the highest court in the United Kingdom. According to BAAF Adoption and Fostering in Northern Ireland, the numbers of children under public care is on the increase. Between 2011 and 2012, the figure grew by five percent, and at last count, the split in demographic is fairly equal when it comes to gender 52% boys, 48% girls. The figure of those in the care of foster parents again, at last count was 74%. So, for an MLA of one of the major parties in Northern Ireland to take such a passion in acting against getting more children out of the care system and into the arms of loving parents be it gay or straight baffles even the most tired of minds. It only rings true when the notion of traditional values is given as an explanation, the go-to excuse usually provided to pander to the will of the godly and to swiftly collect their ballot. However, one must remember that even Jesus supposedly had two dads.

Edwin Poots

by Jason Murdock

If there is an ever growing resentment that Northern Ireland remains stuck firmly in the past, there must also be a resentment that for each crooked MLA to have gained these positions in which they are demonstrably unable to perform, there must exist the bleak realisation that they have been voted in democratically. Indeed sirs and madams, perhaps by your friends, your family and dare I say yourself. The recent (rather excellent) Belfast Telegraph polls not only backed up the notion of a disillusioned electorate, but also one that is largely not interested in their current political options. On each poll, the number of dont knows/dont cares was staggering. This means one of three things: that current MLAs are not educating the population on their activities, that the general public have no interest in what happens on the hill, or perhaps that the current crop of vote chasers offers them with no option but not to vote. What does that have to do with Edwin Poots? Well, the recent petition to oust the Health Minister from power aptly titled Give Poots The Boot is currently sitting at over eight thousand digital signatures, which as it turns out is more than actually elected the man in the first place. The moderates are out there, but they only choose to act when the hardline act provocatively in liberal affairs be it gay pride events, abortion clinics or right wing groups attacking minorities. One cant help but feel this needs to be quickly addressed if change is to occur. In light of the huge numbers of those that choose not to vote (sometimes reaching over 40%!) the votes they discard could very well keep the next Poots-alike out of power.

It is for this reason that this author reluctantly signed the petition, but still retained the full realisation that Poots wouldnt care about it let along acknowledge it. Perhaps the answer lies in a bit of tough love politics from the moderate parties most likely Alliance, the Greens and NI21. It simply must be noted that every time a person votes based on the views of their parents, of outside opinions, or does not use their vote, they share part of the blame for allowing the country to stay under occupation of the hardline. In the past, there was no option but to vote along tribal barriers (no one could compete) but now we have a chance to change that notion. The like of Edwin Poots did not sneak in the backdoor of Stormont, he was put there by good old democracy. This is not mentioned to rub salt in the wounds, but simply to acknowledge the power of real democracy over taking two seconds from your daily Facebook routine to click an online petition. If he was a man of principle, this may make a difference, but his actions to date have distinctly ruled out that possibility. The lack of statement from Poots or the DUP on this matter only leads one to believe they will only change if society that is the voting society forces change upon them. There is a distinct amusement to be cherished in witnessing a staunch Unionist so blatantly disregard the accepted norm of the United Kingdom. As reported by the Belfast Telegraph on the week the story broke unmarried couples in England, Scotland and Wales can apply jointly to be considered for adoption, irrespective of sexual orientation. Indeed, it was only June of this year that on his first

attempt block equality legislation for adoption cases that the Court of Appeal ruled that the department had put forward no justification to exclude same sex couples as parties eligible to adopt as a couple. Still, Edwin Poots has continued to fight the decision. His rationale for spending 40,000 in legal fees (but estimated to be sum to over the 100k mark) is the aforementioned traditional views of family life held by the general public. To back this up, Poots directed the confused faces to a poll that is over seven years out of date. So, based on these proclamations, one would imagine that the electorate is firmly against unmarried and gay adoption. Not only does this not seem to be true, but condemnation not only stems from LGBT groups and those pesky liberals, but also from the other political parties many of whom have jumped on his wasting of public funds. If the Twaddell civil rights camp wasnt enough to persuade you that Northern Ireland is not firmly in tune with the 21st Century, perhaps Poots denial of adoption laws and a personal vendetta against reality will help. Like an out of date pill, or using Viagra to cure a headache, his endeavours will be largely pointless. However, it cannot change the fact that we currently have a Health minister that shows a blatant disregard for the LGBT community and unmarried couples. The bottom line is that his reasoning is based on perceived traditional values and out of date statistics that owe less to UK legislation and more to the also outdated books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

National Politics

Have YOUR say!

Blog today for Off The Record! See @offtherecordni for more details

// Comment and Opinion on International Politics

> Conference Season:

We take a look at the three big party conferences - Tory, Labour and Lib Dem - and attempt to decipher the messages in order to ask the big questions 1) What energy source powers Nigel Farages grin? 2) Will Nick Clegg be able to smile convincingly and 3) How does Ed Miliband look in a miners uniform?

Off The Record Verdicts

Conservatives
Big policy announcement: Everybody under 25 earning or learning
David Cameron has been plagued by the right wing of his party and Boris Johnson ever since becoming the leader of the Conservatives. This years conference was no different. As much as he is willing to declare his love for BJ these days, Cameron must surely grind his teeth every time he hears the name Farage. To the right of the right of the Tories, old Nigel made an appearance at the conference in Manchester, albeit it on the fringes and not as part of the actual programme. Farages UKIP has forced Cameron to address the issue of Europe more often than he would have liked in the past year. Hes an intelligent man and knows his history, so hes bound to know that, generally, when a Tory leader is forced to talk a lot about Europe it splits the party massively and gets them arguing with each other instead of the opposition. However on the plus side, he did have economic growth to parade as part of his told you only we could fix the recession which is going to be central to the campaign message in 2015. With Boris on one side and Farages UKIP gaining ground on the other, the question then is can the party maintain the discipline needed to not fracture before the next general election? If they cant, if they dont recognise Cameron as one of their key election assets, then they may soon have to get used to doing conferences from opposition. From this conference and the attendance at Farages fringe event, the signs dont look great.

> Reviewed by Jason Ashford

Labour
Big policy announcement: Freeze of energy prices
Ed Miliband is quite good at conference speeches. Even if he keeps losing out in the polls to David Cameron as to who seems the most prime ministerial, Ed has always been pretty good at the big set piece speech at conference.. He spoke this year for over an hour without notes or autocue. Hes also come out swinging vowing to bring back socialism to Britain, much to the chagrin of the right wing press. His main message was Britain can do better a necessary tone for opposition as the government has been basking in the news that economic growth has returned to the UK for two quarters running this year. However instead of being cowed by this, Mr Miliband was aggressive in his criticism of the governments economic record pointing out that good economic news has meant little for normal people. With his well publicised row with the Daily Mail over comments they made about his dead father hating Britain, Mr Miliband has shown that he has the backbone for a political fight. The downside of course, is that after the immediate positive press that comes after conference, Mr Miliband finds it difficult to convince the idea of him in the Prime Ministers chair as plausible. By adopting an aggressive and populist stance, he will hope to have changed that.

Lib Dems
Big policy announcement: Free school meals for children in reception, year one and year two.
Ive heard a lot of people say that they feel sorry for Nick Clegg. Caught between a rock and a hard place, his party has been burdened with the hopeless task of being the nice side to the nasty Tory party. In truth we should really feel sorry for the party. See, outside of Nick Clegg, they dont have anyone to lead them. There isnt really anybody waiting in the wings who could pick up the ball should the Clegg brand become too toxic in the run up to an election. So when the Lib Dems talk about their ambition to go back into government in 2015, its far too easy to look awkwardly at your shoes and pretend you didnt hear. Hence why the Lib Dems get to announce the free meals policy, something to draw out some of the toxicity thats plagued the party since 2010. Still Clegg gives a good speech!

OTR rating-6/10
Reactions to Poots stance
Stephen Donnan Alliance Activist @SteveDonnan

OTR rating-7/10
NI21 Statement @NI21Official

OTR rating-5/10
Banning people from applying to adopt simply because of their relationship status is discriminatory and illogical. It sends a message that unmarried couples or same-sex couples are less able to raise children whilst studies consistently show that this isnt the case.Unmarried and same-sex couples in England and Wales were given the right to apply to adopt by the Adoption and Children Act 2002. NI21 believes that now, 11 years later, its time for Northern Ireland to move forward and adopt the same position

Edwin Poots has demonstrated no regard for the public purse or for children in need of loving parents. His own personal prejudice has Cost Dept of Health upwards of 100K at a time when nurses bursaries are being cut, A&E depts and care homes are being closed. My sexuality shouldnt be the last word on whether I have the moral fibre to be a father, not should anyone elses. I am confident the Ministers ridiculous, offensive and irresponsibly costly challenge to the NI High Court ruling on adoption will fail.

Off The Record

Feature

: n w o y r e v r u o y o t e A guid
Investigations & Analysis

tevenson by Rachel S 7 nso @RachelSteve

s i s i r C e f Quarter Li
It seemed so simple. Get a degree, land a brilliant job! Well, it seems that an increasing number of graduates are finding this is no longer the case. As a result, there has been a focus on the quarter life crisis. In what previously would have been a case of your dad buying a motorbike or growing a mad beard, now seems to be affecting those coming out of the halls of university. Rachel Stevenson, Psychology Graduate, investigates this phenomenon for Off The Record Magazine. Youve finally graduated! Waved goodbye to your friends, packed up 3 years worth of belongings and moved out of your student digs. At last youre ready to land your dream job, travel the world, get on the property market, maybe even get married and start a family. The world is your oyster, right? Fast forward 6 months, and youre living back at home with your parents, still temping in a job you hate for minimum wage, with little hope of setting up that savings account you promised yourself youd open with your first months salary. Suddenly a round the world trip, or having enough money for a deposit on a mortgage seems about as likely as the proverbial flying pig! Struggling to cope with anxieties about jobs, unemployment, debt and relationships, many young adults are experiencing a quarterlife crisis, bearing all the hallmarks of the midlife crisis, this phenomenon characterised by insecurities, disappointments, loneliness and depression is affecting more and more twenty to thirty-somethings shortly after graduating. A research survey undertaken by Gumtree.com found that 86% of the 1,100 young people questioned admitted feeling under pressure to succeed in their relationships, finances and jobs before hitting 30. Two in five were worried about money, saying they didnt earn enough, whilst 21% wanted a complete career change. 32% felt under pressure to marry and have children by the age of 30. It seems that the dreaded Three-O is looming over our 20s in a way that it hasnt for previous generations. Growing numbers of young people are struggling with pressures previously felt by those in their mid-forties, says Damian Barr, author of Get It Together: A guide to Surviving Your Quarterlife Crisis. The truth is that our twenties are not as they were for our parents. Being twentysomething now is scary fighting millions of other Graduates for your first job, struggling to raise a mortgage deposit and finding time to juggle all your relationships. There are no experts because no other generation has experienced the quarter-life crisis. No generation has graduated into as much debt. It would seem that a lack of opportunities in the current economic climate is the root of the problem; however it could be argued that young people today are actually faced with far more choice than ever before. By the age of 25 most of our parents would have settled down, secured a job for life (an almost foreign concept in todays job market) got married and started a family. Whereas todays generation of graduates have a lot more choice; to go travelling for instance, or go on to further study, perhaps an internship or maybe even become an entrepreneur! Recent graduates are more likely to swap and change jobs before settling into a career, and many are delaying getting married and raising a family giving them greater opportunity to meet the one.

Did you enjoy this feature? Come voice your opinion @offtherecordNI

settling into a re fo e b s b jo e g n a h c ely to swap and k li re o g them m in iv re g a s y te il a u m d fa ra a g g t n in e is c Re married and ra g in tt e g g in y la e d re a he one. t career, and many t e e m to y it n u rt o p p greater o
The emergence of this so called quarter life period is not dissimilar to the emergence of the concept of adolescence. The concept of adolescence became current in the very early 20th century with the publication of a book by G. Stanley Hall (1904). This was the first discussion in which adolescence was described as applicable to a specific time period and as having a distinct set of behaviours. Adolescence as a distinct phase of social development is thus a relatively modern phenomenon one that is characteristic of advanced industrialised societies and extended educational systems. This stage arose when it was recognised that young people held norms and beliefs that were different from their parents and that appeared to be a period of confusion or ambivalence that represented a transitional period from childhood to adulthood. Prior to this distinction, children entered the work force at young ages and there was no stage that represented a waiting period it is this waiting period that came to be seen as a separate stage of life adolescence. It was believed that this time period represented a time of anomie because the norms of childhood were no longer applicable, nor were the norms of adulthood. According to Seeman (1976), anomie denotes a situation in which the social norms regulating individual conduct are broken down or are no longer effective as rules of behaviour. With no norms for behaviour available to guide individuals, people often become unsure and confused by which norms of behaviours are expected of them. Similarly, Graduates today are faced with the same confusion; the thought of being thrust out into the real world can be frightening. For many, life as a student was predictable and stable. Now, upon graduation, youre expected to find a career, a place to live, and be able to support yourself. The sheer amount of choice creates an inordinate amount of confusion and anxiety; there are a bewildering number of choices and no definitive way of deciding which one is right. According to Barr, twentysomethings are at greater risk of depression than any other age group. Although one in five people will be affected by depression at some stage in their life, the Depression Alliance estimates that as many as one in three twentysomethings are depressed now. No wonder. No other generation has had so much choice or such great expectations thrust upon them. Luckily Barr is on hand with some helpful tips and advice for surviving your quarter-life crisis: Firstly, The decisions we make dont need to be popular they just need to be right. For us. Feeling like you should be having, doing, or being more is the essence of the quarter life crisis, so try not to become fixated with what you feel you should be doing or what your peers are doing, instead focus on your own goals and what you want to achieve in life. Secondly, Your identity will always be partly defined by what you do, where you live, and the people you surround yourself with. But if you rely too much on any one part of the equation and something goes wrong you immediately lose a sense of who you are. So try not to define yourself entirely by your relationship, job, or salary etc. - these are just aspects of your life and are by no means a measure of how well you are doing in life. And finally Its not about whether your friends think youre fine, youre family approves, your partner is pleased, or your boss praises you. Its feeling good about yourself whatever youre earning, wherever you live, whoever and whatever youre doing. Never has so much been expected of a generation yet never has it been so hard to achieve it. Things are hard for us twentysomethings the very least we can do is be easy on ourselves. And take some comfort in the fact that you are not alone; there are thousands of other graduates in similar situations, struggling to get it together amidst their own quarterlife crisis.

10 Off The Record

The Failed Economist

By Jason Ashford | @otrjasona

The Real Cost of Osborne's Growth

Dear readers have you heard the news?! After eight years of soul crushing, country destroying recession, after eight years of hearing the phrase the greatest financial crisis since 1929 so many times it actually became legal to shoot people who used it, were okay! Breathe a sigh of relief, everything is now all right. In the second quarter of 2013, economic growth in the UK was double what it was in the first quarter. For the first time since...that unfortunate episode in 2008, there is hope in the UK economy. All the naysayers (yours truly included) who thought the Tory led experiment of austerity was a suicidal, ideologically driven assault on the people of the UK, have clearly been proven wrong. Since the announcement I have told myself twice a day that I have been an idiot for not realising that the only way is Austerity and you shouldnt have disagreed in the first place you bloody commie peasant.

See the Tories are very keen for you fair citizen to know that theyve rescued the economy with austerity. The message is that economic growth has been achieved only because the big smart boys were allowed to look after the money again. Now Im not a fan of Gideon and Daves economic plans, but Im also not a complete idiot. The Tory led coalition government has returned the economy to growth with their austerity measures. Congratulations and good cheer! Well good cheer might be a bit strong. See the economy as a whole grew by 0.7% in the last quarter, but where has that growth really gone? Are you any better off? Its very easy to think of economics as a numbers game that doesnt really affect real people. When the boffins talk about the economy shrinking by 7.2% since the onset of the recession, they seem to be talking about something in the abstract. Know what it really means? It means that while weve been surging through our astounding 0.7% growth, this summer has actually seen a record number of people using food banks. In a western European country

So yes growth is good, but growth without kicking the majority of the population in the teeth would have been much better
at peace. It means that the unemployment rate is still 7.7% (a figure thats misleading as it doesnt take into account the wasted potential of people working on zero hour contracts, this summers other big scandal). The governor of the BOE actually expects it to take another three years for that figure to drop even to 7%. What this 0.7% growth figure means is that average real disposable household income is actually 0.7% lower than it was a year ago. That means on average peoples income, taking into account inflation of prices, is actually lower than it was a year ago. 0.7% growth in Q2 of 2013 is a good thing, but heres the kicker. What did it cost? Were seeing hospital closures, the systematic destruction of the welfare state, the ever increasing use of payday loan companies, increased poverty and misery. The alternative, focusing on minimising the negative effects of the economic crisis on normal people did not appeal to the neo-liberal economists in government. So yes growth is good, but growth without kicking the majority of the population in the teeth

would have been much better.

Speaking of people suffering because of politicians getting it wrong about moneyAmerica is closed. Well at least all the nonessential services of the US government are closed, leaving 800,000 government employees stuck on furlough for the foreseeable future (special forces who pop into African countries to capture terrorists are obviously termed fairly essential). As the Republican party is full of politicians who have the mentality of paranoid 1950s children, terrified of universal health care lest it somehow resurrect Khrushchev, they have decided not to agree to the budget to try and force Obama to pull back his Affordable Healthcare Act. Obama in response has told them to go to hell and called their bluff. Thankfully this hasnt really bothered anyone. The international markets sort of shrugged and said so what?. Just before we went to print, Congress agreed a deal to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling until the new year. This would make great satire, if only it were funny.

Discussion
// Off The Record | In Discussion

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11

Fracking Debate - Friends School Lisburn

11th October 2013

From Left to Right: (Speakers) Anna Lo, Basil McCrea, Ross Brown & Niall Bakewell
Reporting by Jason Murdock and Jason Ashford

Im not a scientist but were the words first uttered by Sammy Wilson, which was perhaps a depressing sentence to hear from a former Environment Minister on the subject of fracking (See side box for more information on what fracking actually is). Mr Wilson was one of five speakers gathered in Friends school in Lisburn for a debate focussed on the often controversial topic of fracking. With Australian company Tamboran having recently been granted a license to explore for shale gas reserves in the Lough Allen Basin, the topic has once again been thrust into the political conversation. Alongside Mr Wilson was Basil McCrea (NI21), Anna Lo (Alliance), Niall Bakewell (Friends of the Earth) & Ross Brown (Greens). Fully aware that in a couple of years the students in the room were soon to be voters, each of the speakers were very keen to impress. The Jesuits say give me the boy before the age of seven and I will give you then man, but with politicians it seems to be give me the kids before they are seventeen and I will give you the votes.

What on earth is fracking?

Fracking or hydraulic fracturing is the process in which oil and gas companies drill into the ground to extract natural gas from the shale rock that lays thousands of feet under the ground.

Step One
Water, sand and additives are mixed at the surface and pumped at high pressures down the well bore.

Step Two
The fracturing fluid flows through the perforated sections of the well bore and into the surrounding formation, fracturing it

Step Three
The plugs are removed from the well bore and the wells pressure is reduced during the flowback process, leaving the sand in place to prop open the fractures and allow natural gas and/or oil to flow toward the surface.

Step Four
Produced water, collected during the flowback process and throughout the life of the well, is properly disposed of or treated and re-used in future hydraulic fracturing operations.

12 Off The Record Join the conversation! Find us @OfftheRecordNI

On paper, the process of hydraulic fracturing offers numerous benefits; job creation, self sufficiency, energy security, and an untapped source of cheap energy. On the pro side was Sammy Wilson and Basil McCrea. Wilson based his arguments on mainly non-scientific sources, while McCrea made clear his decision to endorse the process was based on scientific reasoning, his background as a Chemical Engineer and acting as chair on an All Party Group of Science and Technology. It should be acknowledged that even though the arguments are both in favour, they have come to their decisions via different paths. Basils stats are based largely on the reports of the Royal College of Engineers, and Sammy Wilsons are based on the appeal of economic benefits. These promises of job creation and economic growth were fairly vague and based mainly on the experience of the US energy market. He also was very keen to point out that not exploiting shale gas would be a massive waste of our natural resources and that opting for green energy instead would add 487 to every households energy bill. Where he got this number is not entirely clear. This is just one more example of the scare tactics that both sides of the argument partake in, however it is the pro-fracking lobby that is more keen to label their opponents are scaremongers. This hypocrisy was evident when after accusing the Greens of scaremongering, Basil McCrea in the next breath talked of the lights going out within three years without massive changes to the current system of energy provision. It is quite clear that what both sides have in common is the use of fear tactics to grab the attention of the electorate. In an argument based on hypothetical costs and benefits, hyperbole is deployed to make the arguments seem relevant to people. The crux of the argument made by the anti-fracking side of the panel made up of Anna Lo, Niall Bakewell and Ross Brown comes down to whether or not you believe we should be pro-actively moving away from the use of fossil fuels. Fracking is simply a new way of exploiting long dead dinosaurs, but on the anti-fracking side, the emphasis is on using renewable energy. Their arguments, both economic and ecological focused on the negative side effects of fossil fuels and the dangers unique to fracking. You see, the reason fracking is controversial is because there is scientific evidence that it can lead to poisoning of the water supply with heavy metals such as bromine, and even earthquakes. The pro fracking team was quick to point out that the earthquakes caused by fracking in Lancaster were only a 3.4 on the richter scale and that there is bromine in all water anyway, just in very small amounts. This kind of justification that can lead to escalation is very dangerous as how long will it be until politicians are justifying something as just a 4.0? Some of the most persuasive arguments made by the pro-fracking lobby are economic. While Northern Ireland sputters out of recession, the allure of a magic fix that will not only create brand new jobs by exploiting an underused resource but also drive down energy bills by increasing the supply of natural gas, is almost too good to be true. According to Niall Bakewell, thats exactly because it is. He spoke convincingly, deconstructing the economic arguments one by one. First of all, he claimed that any job creation would not benefit Northern Irish people directly because gas companies would look to exploit any fracking sites in NI quickly and so will ship in specialist engineers from other countries where expertise is much greater in this particular type of energy extraction. According to Bakewell, we simply dont have the engineers who know how to get the gas out of the ground, and the companies arent going to wait around until we get trained up. He painted a picture of American and European engineers flying in getting the gas out while we watched the profits draining out of Northern Ireland with little or no beneficial impact for the people of the province. Even more worryingly, he said that we could find ourselves extracting gas while our homes go cold. Mr Bakewell was referring to the fact that NI exists in a European energy marketplace and that companies could simply ship the gas to any part of the Union where they found profits to be higher. There were numerous quotes from the leaders of energy companies that stated, quite clearly, that fracking would by no means lead to lower energy prices. The point is that the gas will not stay in Northern Ireland as these companies exist in a competitive, international market. In response to this, Mr Bakewell pointed out that while fracking creates 3 jobs for every 1 million spent, the retrofitting of buildings to be more environmentally friendly creates 17. Even more alluring is the fact that NI is not short of builders with the expertise and experience to do this type of energy conservation, who are looking for work, especially considering the bruising the construction industry has taken post 2008. He pointed out that this is not only more environmentally friendly, but our industrial past puts us in a perfect position to pursue this course of action. Mr McCrea based many of his arguments on the RCE report that stated that fracking could be carried out safely as long as there was strict regulation on the companies involved in the drilling. Bakewell had answered this earlier when he spoke of the regulatory bodies charged with oversight of energy companies, in the past, being either impotent or incompetent. For an example he cited the ecological damage done at the gold mine outside of Omagh as a perfect case of these bodies being unable to prevent pollution. Mr McCrea stated that no government intends to poison their citizens as its bad for votes, however it should be noted that large energy conglomerates are not well known for having this kind of moral compass. The best indicator of what could happen, is what has happened.

Have YOUR say! Blog today for Off The Record! See @offtherecordni for more details
At the end of the debate the principal of Friends School Lisburn was heard to ask some of the assembled students who they thought had won. Amidst the embarrassed laughs of school children thrust into the role of judges of politicians, the truth was quite clear, neither side had won. Both came out fighting, passionately defending their corners. The style points surely went to the two political heavyweights Mr McCrea and Mr Wilson, but in terms of pure argument, the anti-fracking lobby of Mr Bakewell and Mr Brown had more than held their own. For example, while Mr Wilson attempted to make the decision seem simple by asking why we would turn our backs on a resource that is on our front doorstep the anti-fracking side were quick to muddy the waters by exposing the inherent short termism of this approach, something admitted even by the fracking companies themselves. The person who was most impressive though, was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Ms Lo. Well known for her personable disposition and rationality, Ms Lo urged caution. While admitting she was not a definite no to fracking, she was firm in her resolution that we need to protect our society and environment from a process that has a severe deficiency of research. What Off The Record can only hope, is that such level headed arguments prevail on the assembly floor.

13

NI21s (kind of) surprising stance on fracking

There are issues that will forever overshadow the public perception of a politician or a political movement. Certain issues are so emotive and partisan that they form an integral part of the backbone of any party. Fracking is one of these issues. It will probably come as a surprise to some supporters or potential supporters of NI21 that they are pro fracking. Generally speaking, throughout the world, liberal parties have tended to side with the antifracking lobby. It is unclear whether this is an official party policy decided by members or is just of particular interest to Basil McCrea. Would the average person, tempted to vote for N21 declare themselves to be pro-fracking? NI21 formed on the promise of focusing on what mattered to ordinary people, namely the economy. The promise was to form a party focused on economic growth and prosperity and this has clearly resonated with voters in the province. However in putting potential economic growth ahead of ecological safety, has Basil gambled too far? He should be commended for not sitting on the fence, but it will be interesting to see if this alienates any potential supporters. Is it possible to differentiate between an official NI21 policy and a Basil policy? Will his decisiveness be seen as strong leadership and win over those who are quick to accuse him of fence sitting?

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14 Off The Record

Arts &Culture

// The very best of NI music, comedy and events

Album Review: versechorusverse

By Lynn Gilmour
Assistant Editor for BandsNI.co.uk which recently launched! Go check it out for all the latest on the local music scene in NI.

rom the confident opening bars of Our Truth Could Be Their Lie to the deliberately soporific closing lines of Close Your Eyes, Fall Asleep, Tony Wrights accomplished debut album under the guise of VerseChorusVerse takes the listener on a captivating musical journey; one that encompasses lightness and dark; joy and grief, and everything in between. For his latest venture, the artist formerly known as a member of And So I Watch You From Afar, has chosen the potentially lonely, yet often life-affirming path of singer-songwriter, writing from the heart and inviting us to follow along and share the experience. Released with the support of fans via PledgeMusic, the album is steeped in belief: belief in life, love, hope and in music itself. For those who like life-affirming, footstomping tunes, No More Years offers a loud and clear message that its vital to tread your own path through life: I wont wait no more years, so I dont waste no more tears. The pace slows with the heartfelt Help Myself, a ballad of failed romance and self-preservation: I cant help you now, but Ill help myself, by turning my head every time youre around but youre always around.

For me, the standout tracks on the album are the two that follow next: We Spoke With The Night, a soaring song about faith, trust and hope, we took a leap with our eyes closed; and Three, a powerful, haunting and darkly menacing track which we can surely assume refers to Wrights departure from ASIWYFA heavy heart, leaden feet, leaden hands / places to go, people to greet / torn asunder, contract to meet / three against one aint no fun. But, as so often with life, the album swiftly leads us to a more optimistic place. Big Red Van encourages us to join together to change the future. All we need is a big red van to take these plans all across the land / just think of all the things well see, people well meet when we sail the sea. The message is clear; learn from others errors, make some of your own, and do better the next time. This track also contains a beautifully vitriolic line, possibly my favourite on the album, presumably levelled at those who wield power, but lack honesty: I wish you all the luck in the world / as the story unfurls, youll need it. Likewise on You Cant Win Back Your Freedom If Youve Never Been Free At All, there is a tangible sense of optimism

and a call for the masses to rise up: be free from your servitude and saved from your debt / all icons to fall. The pace slows once more with a lament called Common Prayer. This is a stark but engaging track, from Tonys audible inhalation of breathe at the songs opening, to the haunting lyrics woven around the simple acoustic guitar: The Devil dont want me / take him, just leave me and later, Lover, come find me / lover, come save me. On Unified Unity (Sing for Seeger) peace is the focus. While clearly a homage to Pete Seeger, and his famous version of what became the American Civil Rights anthem of the 1960s, We Shall Overcome, this track can be seen as a plea for peace in Northern Ireland too: We can overthrow it, without a bullet, hand in hand in unison / its achieved by talking and not by bombing. An inspiring, thoughtful, emotional, passionate album from an artist with the imagination, talent and drive to ensure that his future musical adventures will be filled with songs of hope, lives well-lived and, above all, honesty.

Continue the conversation! @BandsNI

Have YOUR say! Blog today for Off The Record! See @offtherecordni for more details

15

Belfast Day
Sunday 29th September 2013 - Belfast City Hall

Ciaran Lavery EP showcase and Interview

Off The Record loves new things. In fact the only thing we love more than new things is soulful singer-songwriters (they make us feel warm inside okay?!). So when we found out Ciaran Lavery had released a new covers EP called Other people wrote these we had to catch up with him to find out all about it. So Ciaran, where did the idea for a covers EP come from? The idea of a covers EP has been something Ive been interested in doing for a long time. Any time Ive seen a band live Ive always found it extra special when you hear them rework a cover, unlike the original so I guess in a way it stemmed from that How did you pick the four songs on the EP? I was drawn to them each in a way because of individually how fun they seemed to work with. Also, I was born in the 80s and though after years of suppression, I grew to love a lot of the music that came out of that decade, the cheesier the better really. Is there a difference between recording cover songs and recording your own stuff? The whole process of reworking already written and established songs is very different from recording material self written firstly because the pressure is totally off. I didnt worry at any stage about not doing the originals justice. I remember having the conversation with Mike Mormecha (the producer) that I wanted us to mix instruments together that you wouldnt ordinarily get, arrange things unlike what you would expect, turn things slightly on their head. I think we did a pretty good job. So does Off The Record! Other people wrote these is available for free on Soundcloud. Go get it! Links to the EP and the whole, unabridged interview will be available on our website.

16 Off The Record

Contact Off the Record

Jason A Murdock

Editor/Writer [email protected] 07447471459

jason ashford
@otrjasona

FearIN and Loathing THE HALLS OF STORMONT

By Keith Boe

@KJBoe

The furious misadventures of seamus tucker:

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