Taiji: Small town, Big secret

Along the idyllic coastline of Taiji, Japan, there is a cove which hosts one of the most unknown, inhumane animal slaughters. Every year, from September to April, dolphins are found, manipulated, and either taken for a torturous life of captivity, or butchered for their Mercury poisoned meat.
Every morning, at sunrise, a dozen fishermen set out in their ‘banger’ boats, in the hope of finding a pod of dolphins – ranging from the traditional Bottlenose Dolphins to the less common Striped Dolphins. Once a pod is located, the fishermen exploit the dolphin’s primary sense – sound. They build a “wall” of sound, which directs them to where they are netted into the holocaust venue – the cove.
 the blood of the affectionate, magnificent mammals, turns the ocean red – indicating a “red cove” day.
Stressed, starved, and scared, the dolphins huddle together in attempt to protect their family, while trainers from marine parks around the world examine them by measuring and comparing, in attempt to find the dolphin which will generate the most money. Those who don’t live up to the standards of the animal abusing organisations are butchered and the blood of the affectionate, magnificent mammals, turns the ocean red – indicating a “red cove” day. This ends the horrendous ordeal the dolphins have suffered, and their meat is then taken to the butcher house to be prepared for selling in Japan.
The dolphin drive hunts are considered to be a part of the Japanese culture, however, the documentary “The Cove”, proves that a lot of the Japanese population are unaware of the hunts. Half of the time, they are not aware that they are even purchasing dolphin meat, as it is often put on the market as expensive whale meat, when in actual fact it is dolphin meat which contains dangerously high levels of Mercury. This results in a lot of mercury poisoning within the population, which can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs and immune system. The exposure of the high levels of mercury from the dolphin meat is a reason in itself why the dolphin hunts should cease.
Although the awareness of the slaughter is increasing across the globe, there was still 631 of the innocent, intellectual mammals slaughtered and 118 taken for captivity in 2015. By buying a ticket to a dolphin show, you are giving the fishermen fuel to continue this massacre, as they can secure up to £150,000 for a dolphin. Be a voice for the voiceless and say no to captivity. End this holocaust. Let the dolphins live in liberty, after all, “All good things are wild and free.”
“All good things are wild and free.”
By Bethany Alexander

5 Tips You Need Before You Submit Your Personal Statement

Plan ahead.

At times it can appear as though your school life revolves around deadlines and your UCAS application is certainly not something you want to do in a hurry. So to avoid a last minute panic start early. On the UCAS website you can find a sample structure for your personal statement which is a good place to start your planning. Allow yourself plenty of time so that you can re-draft the statement a few times before submitting.

 

UCAS Resources

https://www.ucas.com/sites/default/files/personal-statement-mind-map.pdf

https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/when-apply/writing-ucas-undergraduate-personal-statement

Know what is expected.

When you begin to write your personal statement it is important that you understand exactly what is expected. In your statement you should address 2 points: motivation; why you want to study the course, and suitability; why you will be successful at College or University while studying the course. While tackling the motivation section try to avoid using general phrases such as ‘I have a passion for’ and instead focus on the specific areas of the course which interest you or what career you wish to enter into by studying this course as this displays and greater knowledge of the subject and the course. Another point to consider is the character limit. For a UCAS personal statement the word limit is 4000 characters, including spaces, which initially can seem like a lot but disappears quickly once you start writing.

Do your research.

Make sure that you display an understanding of what skills are needed or helpful for the course you wish to study. Some skills such as communication skills and time management span almost courses however it is important that you prioritise the key qualities when writing your application. For help selecting the relevant qualities for your course look at the overview and structure of your course on the University or College website.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Allowing others to read your personal statement, from a parent or guardian to a supportive friend, means that they may notice sections which could be explained better, flow nicer or points that you have missed. Sometimes you will find that it is easier for a friend to recognise your best qualities than it is to find them within yourself.

Give Evidence.

When you state that you have a particular quality that needs to be backed up with evidence. At first it can seem difficult to write about yourself without coming across as arrogant or over-confident however by showing where you have displayed a skill it suggests that this is not just your own opinion of yourself but something you have developed over time.

For example instead of saying ‘I have excellent communications skills’ expand on this by saying ‘I have developed my communication skills through my role as House Captain which required me to express my ideas about how the House system could progress at weekly meetings’.