Drivers' tales of plates problems

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/6714891.stm

Drivers’ tales of plates problems

Cloned car identities and stolen car number plates are headaches for a growing number of British drivers. Mark Hutcheson, a 24 year old student from Cardiff, said his car’s plates were cloned around 2003. He believers those who copied them used the plates to commit some robberies in South Wales. Whenever there were police cars at the side of the road, he got flagged down. It frustrated him because he had to explain himself over and over again, which took at least 15 minutes every single time. Now he has not be pulled over for about two years, and he believes the culprits were caught around that time. If that was not the case, Mark would still be pulled over on a regular basis.

Comment:
I had never heard of this kind of crime before. ( yes I know, I am little naive) It shows me again how sick our society is. Nowadays it seems we are not save anywhere and our personal belongings aren’t either. Except in our house maybe, safely locked up with the alarm system switched on. I wonder how the culprits can manage this. Is it possible that they copy it while you are driving? Otherwise you have to take off your car plate as soon as you leave the car. Take it with you like you do with other valuable belongings. Very handy huh, when you go shopping..................

driver dies in welding van blast

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/6694385.stm

Driver dies in welding van blast.

A driver was killed when a van carrying welding equipment exploded in a County Durham market town. Windows in shops and homes were left shattered and wreckage was strewn across the centre of Wolsingham. Homes near the scene were evacuated after the blast. It is not yet known what caused the cylinders to explode when the driver stopped his van near the shops. It is confirmed by the police that the driver died in the incident. Catherine Dipper, a woman who lives near the shops were the accident happened woke up by the big explosion. When she went out to investigate she found out that every front window of the house had been blown in. She checked on her son, who sleeps at the front side of the house, right away. He wasn’t injured, but he was completely covered with glass. Luckily no other people died or got wounded by the accident.

Comment:
I think it is not such a big news topic, but the reason it struck me was because my friend lives in Durham. I went there three weeks ago and I know the place where the accident happened. She could have been there easily at that time and got hurt or even could have died! It is a miracle anyway that no other people died or got wounded; that there is only one victim. It was also a miracle that the little boy who slept at the front side of the house where the windows had blown in remained unhurt. What a shock it must have been for the mother. I feel so sorry for the victim. It was such a sad, random accident. He has probably left behind a family!

soldier dies in Afghanistan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/6694679.stm

Soldier dies in Afghan operations.
L/Cpl George Russell Davey, from the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment has been killed in Afghanistan. He and five other soldiers were hit by an explosion after clashes with Taleban during offensive operations in Garmsir overnight. They were taken away under fire and G.R. Davey was pronounced dead at the scene. Davey, only 23 years old, was father of two daughters and husband of Joanna. It is said that George Davey was a hard working, brave and humble soldier. He was a “pillar of strength” who had recently shown his fearlessness in suppressing the enemy at close quarters while under intense fire on a mission in the Sangin Valley.

Comment:
When I read these articles about Afghanistan I get the chills. My son, 20 years old, is a Sergeant in the military. Five more months and his education will be finished. Then he will be prepared for going on a mission somewhere. There is a big chance that they will send him to Afghanistan. I am scared and I don’t want him to go there. He says it is part of the job and he really wants to go. But I think that these young men don’t know exactly what is going to happen. These young men don’t have any experience. And I wonder if they are, at such a young age, ready for such a responsible, scary and dangerous job.

Private sector 'to loan teachers'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6694215.stm

Private Schools need to do more to earn their charitable.

Mr Johnson, a Labour deputy leadership candidate, says that private school need to do more to earn their charitable status. It is not enough to lend state schools their playing fields, they also have to open up their science labs and lending the state school their teachers. State school teachers think it is patronizing of Mr Johnson to imply that state school teacher need the extra help of private school teachers. They think they don’t really need private school teachers in the state system. It is an insult to suggest that state school teachers are not doing as good a job as private school ones.

Comment:

I fully agree with the state school teachers. It is ridiculous to think that private school teachers have had a better education and have more expertise. Some might have but not all. Are private school teachers able to teach a class of 30 to 35 pupils instead of 15 pupils which is normal at private schools? How are they going to manage that? I would like to see that! Teaching a class of 30 pupils is much more demanding it makes an appeal to your teaching skills as well. I do not like the separation of state school and private schools in the UK at all. It should not be “a one way street”. Private schools can learn a lot from state schools as well. Make a good use of each other’s facilities and talents.

Airpot users are charged twice

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/6694127.stm

Airport users are charged twice.

Passengers flying from some regional airports are being charged twice for services. The Air Transport Users Council says growing numbers of airports are charging fees to cover development and security on top of their ticket prices. The fee has to be paid in order to provide better facilities and to deal with the increased terrorist threat. This charge is the only way to raise the needed funds. The money is also needed to invest in facilities which have been neglected for many years. At Newquay Cornwall Airport passengers over the age of 16 have been charged 5 pound since 2005. Norwich International followed in April this year. Adults are to pay 3 pound and children between two and 15 are to pay 1 pound. The Air Transport Users Council and airlines say they are concerned about the additional passenger charges.

Comment:

I went to NewCastle a few weeks ago and luckily I bought the ticket in December already. I chose a cheap Airline (yet2.com) because I did not want to spend too much money on it. I booked my flight so early in order to spend as less money as possible. So I don’t like it at all when I have to pay extra money at the airport for their developments. As a customer you are paying extra money after all, which is included in the price of your ticket. So another extra charge at the airport is not fair. I don’t care about all the shops at the airport so I don’t want them to spend my money on it! I do care about security, so when airports only spend the extra charge on the development of security it is fine with me.

teachers want bullying answers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/education/6677657.stm

Teachers want bullying answers.

Teachers recorded their experiences on cyber bullying and death threats by mobile phone and on websites on a webpage. They showed it to Schools Minister Jim Knight to prove it really happens. The teachers union, the NASUWT, called for more effective ways to stop the abuse. Besides teachers’ self-esteem and health is seriously affected, the chance of getting new jobs could be harmed by the web abuse as well. It simply damages their career. Teachers are named, exposed to ridicule and subjected to false and sick accusations. It should be clear that respect for teachers is a must in all schools. The Department for Education and Skills is paying serious attention on cyber bullying. They are working with a range of websites, phone companies and internet service providers to look at what they can do to reduce the problem of cyber bullying in schools.

Comment:

Cyber Bullying is something we must get rid of soon in some way. It is a big issue at school nowadays. It doesn’t only destroy teachers lives but it can destroy teenagers and young adults’ lives as well. In my opinion cyber bullying is considered a crime. The one who is to blame and gets caught should be punished; either get a fine or put in jail. No mercy for the tormentor! This bullying by means of internet and telephone is a sign of a deteriorating society; a society without any discipline. I worry about it a lot, it is a considerate concern we cannot neglect en ignore.

Out-of-dat-food in UK supermarkets

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/66763

Out of date food in UK supermarkets

Audrey Brown, BBC News reporter, worked undercover at two supermarkets. She applied for positions at Sainsbury’s, Oxford, and later Tesco in Woodford Green, North London. Last year she was contacted by several supermarket employees. They told her they had serious concerns about the food they were being asked to sell. After working undercover at both stores for a total of four months, she discovered that customers were often deceived about the freshness and quality of the food they were buying. Food past its sell-by date on the fresh food counters at both supermarkets was being sold regularly. The counter staff treated the meat and fish they were selling with indifference and mostly they did not even know what the sell-by date was, since they had been changing it so many times. In this way supermarkets try to save money.

Comment:
This is so nasty! I have seen programs in which experts investigate kitchens in restaurants. I know that food in many restaurants is not fresh and past the sell-by-date. But now I read that it happens at supermarkets too! Only to save money. Don’t they care about people’s health? That’s how people get infected by bacteria and get sick or even worse, might die. As for the fresh food, I think health experts should control supermarkets more often. And if they get caught selling food which is past the sell-by-date, they should receive a high fine. And if they get caught again: just close the store! The idea of eating bad food makes me feel sick already. Are supermarkets in Holland the same????

Two arrests over student murder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/6679037

Two arrests over student murder

Sam Brown, 16, died from a single stab wound outside his home in Cockerham Walk in the Grange Park area of Blackpool on Monday. A man and woman have been arrested and the people will be questioned later. A 28-year-old man was also stabbed, but he is in stable condition. Officers spoke to him and are following a number of leads as part of the murder investigation. Sam finished school last week and had taken a part-time job in a supermarket. He was hoping to become a plumber one day. In his neighbourhood Sam is known as a very friendly boy always willing to help people.

Comment:

It is terrible when such a senseless murder happens. Who is doing that? What is the point? Why should someone kill such an innocent teenage boy? Society values are going down quickly. What did go wrong with our society? Are we all too soft and tolerant on each other? These kind of crime happen too often. I am in favour of stricter rules. Put these murderers in jail and never let them free, since they are not worth it. It is crazy that everywhere you go you have to wonder: am I save here? What a horrible feeling. After reading this article I really get the feeling I am not save anywhere.

Med diet cuts lung desease risk

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6647811.stm

Prevent lung disease by eating a Mediterranean diet.

COPD, chronic ,obstructive, pulmonary disease, is increasing in the UK. It is a major cause of death and there is more research needed into all aspects of the disease so that health services can prevent and treat it more effectively. French researchers followed almost 43, 000 men for 12 years and they have come to the conclusion that eating a Mediterranean diet halves the risk of serious lung disease. This diet contains lots of fruit, vegetables, grain and fish and it is rich in anti – oxidants. Also, a lower level of sugar and nitrates in the diet may play a role. A standard Western diet mostly includes higher level of processed foods, refined sugars, and cured and red meats than the Mediterranean diet. So the more you stick to a Western diet, the higher the risk you develop COPD.

Comment:

Sometimes I am getting a bit tired of all the articles telling us what you cannot eat anymore, because it causes some disease. It looks like all kinds of food contain something bad that is very unhealthy. Of course, you really have to watch what you eat! I am absolutely sure that we eat too much unhealthy food nowadays, because the food, indeed, is processed too much. As for myself I try to figure out what really are good advices to follow up or what advices I can put aside. It is impossible to hold on to all the different health service research advices. If there are too many researches on food, people will not stay focussed on it anymore and are going to put it aside. I find the article about COPD a very serious one. I am definitely sure that most people eat too much sweets and too less fruit.

Security Service M15 in need of women.

http://www.mirror.co.u./news

M15 finds women spies hard to lure.

Security Service M15 would like women applying and attending their service. They have to reflect the diversity of the UK to do the job properly. Mainly the surveillance department needs more female recruits because this department, in particular, needs a balance between male and female operatives to keep track of suspects without attracting attention. The staff is increasing but there is still a lack of women officers. Therefore M15 is holding a campaign this week mainly to reach and attract women recruits to be. Ads are being placed in female changing rooms at some health clubs and on London buses and underground trains. Of course applicants have to do an assessment in order get rid of dreamers.

Comment:

I can imagine that the Security Service would like have a balance between male and female recruits. In particular to make it look more natural when suspects are followed. Besides that I also find it better to have a good balance because women mostly have a different point of view; women act differently. This might be a very helpful addition to the way male – recruits do their work. Men really can learn a lot from women, although they mostly think that is not true. So as for that every security department should have enough women on the work floor!

home drink kids dont binge

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories

Do home drink kids not binge?

A report claimed that children drinking alcohol at home with their parents are to have less drinking problems when they grow older. When kids do not have to drink secretly, without their parents knowing, drinking alcohol becomes less fun. Used to drinking in moderation at home with their parents, teenagers will have less trouble with drinking alcohol at bars and pubs in later life; they are less likely to binge. But charity Alcohol Concern claims that parents giving their child alcohol when it’s not 15 yet, should be prosecuted. Prof Mark Bellis of Liverpool John Moores University, contradicts that. He says that kids should learn about alcohol and understand alcohol by their parents, who are to give a good example.

Comment:

As a parent you have to be careful with alcohol at home when your children are around. Parents definitely have to be a good example to their kids. Children are likely to copy what they see their parents do at home. You should not offer your kid alcohol when they are not 14 or 15 yet. But, you better let them get accustomed to alcohol at home then somewhere else where you do not see and cannot control them. In my opinion there is a bigger chance kids will go out of control when they try out alcohol for the first time with friends somewhere in a pub or “behind the bushes in a park”.

lack of staff in jail

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news

Jail in need of at least 100 officers.

Britain’s main terrorist prison has a lack of at least 100 well trained officers. The staff says it is dangerous to work at Belmarsh jail, in South East London. For the officers it is not safe. It is impossible to do their job properly when there are not enough colleagues to fall back on. The staff has to deal with al-Qaeda suspects, the Tonbridge heist suspects and hook – handed cleric Abu Hamza. Riots happen. Last week a row erupted after a suspect refused to hand his laptop to an officer who thought the prisoner was using the internet. Staff fears that when prisoners kick off they are outnumbered.

Comment:
I would fear working at a prison like that. Although staff is well trained it is important that you can lean, rely and fall back on some other colleagues when something happens like the eruption of a row recently. Government should not cut down the expenses in this kind of job environment. Where will be the discipline if prisoners figure out there is a lack of staff? How can the officers maintain order, how can they keep the prisoners under control ? In my opinion it is a necessity Government spends more money to train officers so that lack of staff in these kind of jails will be solved and get rid of as soon as possible.

Does Gordon Brown really go for healthcare?

http://news.bbc.co.uk

Does Gordon Brown really go for healthcare?

Gordon Brown wants to spend more attention and money on healthcare. First he would like to know what is really needed as for that. Therefore he will travel around the country and talk with patients and staff to hear what they want. But Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley does not have confidence in what Gordon Brown says. Gordon’s history as chancellor is not very positive as for the healthcare improvements. Andrew says Gordon is responsible for Labour’s financial mismanagement of the NHS and that he failed to make the NHS a number one topic during his 10 years as a chancellor. Andrew says that what happened in the past cannot make up what Gordon is preaching nowadays.

Comment:
I can imagine Andrew is not very positive about Brown. What Brown is doing now is a bit suspicious. How can you believe his words about what he wants for the future while he carried out the opposite in the last 10 years? What Brown does is just a sneaky way to become the next Labour leader. I would not trust and believe him either. He first has to prove somehow that he is absolutely serious about what he says. First he has to carry out what he stands for. At this stage nice and promising words do not mean anything yet.

Keep praying for Madeleine

http//news.bbc.co.uk

Keep praying for Madeleine McCann.

Madeleine McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared from an apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz on 3 May. Madeleine’s mother is a GP and her father a cardiologist. Stephen Winyard, who owns Stobo Castle in the Scottish Borders, has offered a 1 m pound reward for information leading to Madeleine’s return. Also celebrity David Beckham, a former England football captain and who is now playing in Spain for Real Madrid, urged for a safe return of Madeleine in a Spanish TV program. Madeleine’s parents are desperate. Dressed in green, the Portugal colour of hope, they attended a prayer vigil on Friday night in the Algarve village. At least 300 villagers prayed along. The police is doing everything they can, but so far without any useful results and clues.

Comment:

It is horrible when a child gets kidnapped. Imagine it is your own daughter or son. I would do anything to get her back. I think it was a good action to pray with so many people for Madeleine’s safe return. I definitely believe in the power of praying. I wonder if offering a reward of so much money, which will lead to her return, is really helpful. I think a lot of people are very greedy and don’t take the issue seriously. Also, having a celebrity appeal in a television program urging her safe return, is in my opinion useless. Do the parents really think the kidnappers will be sensitive to that?