Murder conviction quashed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18102336

Sam Hallam murder conviction quashed by Court of Appeal

A man who was convicted and jailed over the death of a man in 2004, has had his conviction quashed by Court of Appeal.

The man, Sam Hallam, has always denied the murder. His inability or unwillingness to say where he was on the night of the murder, didn’t help him. Now , the Court of Appeal says his imprisonment was based on an unsafe conviction. In 2004, the Metropolitan Police didn’t follow up all the leads which would have proved his innocence. For instance; they didn’t use his cell phone to check his whereabouts and the eyewitness account was based on  “a fleeting glimpse”, so there was the possibility of mistaken identity.  The victim died , after being stabbed in the head,  in an attack by a group of youth, Sam Hallam belonged to that group. Several other members of the group were convicted to. Sam Hallam was liberated after 7 years of prison.

Sam Hallam’s family waged a campaign for justice for years, which finally resulted in his release.  A good thing for the family; there efforts were rewarded. The Metropolitan Police regret mr Hallam’s unsafe conviction and he added that certain lessons had to be learned for police and the criminal justice system. What the news article didn’t mention is if Sam Hallam was one of the killers or not. The only thing we know is that he was imprisoned while not all the evidence was thoroughly investigated. This lead to his release this week.

Reading as a competition Speaker's Corner

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9064341/Reading-a-book-adds-a-year-to-childrens-education.html

Reading a book 'adds a year to children's education'

Reading books for half an hour a day could be worth up to 12 months’ extra schooling by the age of 15, says Nick Gibb, the School Minister. The department of education has plans for a national reading competition for children. The idea is to boost literacy standards and encourage children to read. A recent international report showed that almost four-in-10 teenagers in England never read for pleasure. Critics criticised the move, because just recently, the Government cut costs on reading programmes and one-to-one tuition. These critics say that a competition “will not help the over 9000 children who miss out on one-to-one tuition this year, due to cuts to reading programmes.

The government probably thinks that parents, teachers, and foremost; children “will get spurred on by a bit of healthy competition”. I think it is just an easy way for the Government, driven by cutting costs, to give the responsibility for good education away. I believe the competition will work for children who already read books for pleasure. It’s a long way; from learning to read to compete in “who can finish the most books”. There are more ways to encourage children to read; there should be more time planned during school hours for reading. Why not start the day with half an hour of silence in the whole school, with everybody reading?

We need more space in our houses

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/shortcuts/2012/may/16/architecture-housing

The common theme is: more space. We want a dedicated space for tasks such as ironing and recycling, larger rooms, higher ceilings and some “private” space for each household member. Britons build the smallest new homes in Europe and that is not because of pressure of land, but because builders make more money that way. Homes used  to be bigger , but in 1961, a committee made the “Parker Morris standards”, they required 71 sq. m. for four people and a storage space of 2.3 cubic metres. Builders interpreted them as maximum. This explains why so many Britons live with insufficient space today.

In cities space is scarce, that’s understandable, but when you enter Almere or Lelystad, your amazed by the large numbers of houses the builders put on one hectare. And then the small gardens these houses have!  Many people rent storage for their  possessions and most people say they need more space for their furniture. It amazes me; why would you not build bigger houses with bigger gardens in this reclaimed polder. Look at all the space there is, why not use it for bigger homes?  After all; you spend most of your life in and around your home.

Ukraine's street children

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/16/marcel-theroux-ukraines-street-children

Marcel Theroux: life with Ukraine's street children

Ukraine has spend £ 440 m. to rebuilt the Olympic  Stadion in Kiev for  the Olympics 2012 , while thousands of children live on the streets. They are called “social orphans”, that’s the name children are called when their parents are unable to take care of them. The children have a history of alcohol abuse,  beatings and parental failure. Seeking for some warmth (it’s -8C  at this moment) and a place to live, they  come together  in basements, under bridges, or under or on top of hot water pipes.  They do not only have no home, they also use glue (for resoling shoes) as a form of drug; it suppresses the feeling of cold and hunger for a while and gives them a short high. The street children are also disproportionately affected by Ukraine’s HIV epidemic; 1 in 10 tested children turn out to be HIV positive.

Some citizens of Ukraine think the Olympics will yield a profit and they are also proud that the Olympics come to their country.  The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and bigger. Brands and shop from Western Europe: Marks and Spencer, Heineken, coffee shops; there all there. And yet, on the other hand there is so much poverty and hardship, especially for the youth. I don’t think the Olympics can help them in anyway. That the government can’t take, or worse; don’t want to take care of these children is horrible, but I don’t believe Western Europe should boycott the Olympics for this reason, after all; the Games are about sports, not politics. But I sincerely hope that all the attention Ukraine is getting know, will be a wake-up call for the authorities.

The legislation of gay-marriage

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/11/obama-gay-marriage-uk-david-cameron

President Obama was so brave to give his personal opinion on same-sex marriage, one of the great moral and human rights crusades of our age. It especially was a brave thing to do, given the upcoming presidential elections.

Cameron, Britain’s Prime Minister, has legalised gay marriage by 2015. But, despite that, Cameron still opposes  to heterosexual civil partnership. Gay couples seek full equality, so also a civil partnership. To have separate laws for gay and straight people is a form of sexual apartheid. In a poll, held in March 2012, 65% of the public in England agreed to gay people having equal rights, thus also civil partnership.

Small things to some, are sometimes very big things to others. I mean, I do not mind at all that gay people get married. I don’t even feel I have the right to be for or against it. Why should I have something to say about someone else’s  choices concerning this? I’m happy for every man or woman who wants to get married. And we, here in the Netherlands, can lean  backward, because we have sorted it out already. But I can understand that it is a big issue in a lot of other countries. A man like Obama of course, and his opinions, can have a great , positive, influence on a matter like the legislation of gay-marriage.  The trend towards equality is inevitable and belongs to our developing society, but it still is brave for a president, to speak his mind on a moral topic, just before the elections.

Painting sold for 54 million

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mark-rothkos-orange-red-yellow-825383

Sold for £ 53,8 million

A Mark Rothko painting was sold last week for £53,8 million at Christie’s. An anonymous collector paid a record of  53.8 million  for what the Sun calls “ a block of orange and yellow paint on a red background”. Although all the contemporary art  works that were auctioned, were aggressively priced, buyers bid even more than Christie’s had calculated. It seems that, in spite of world-economic downfall and world -political  disputes, the art market is doing well. In times of economic uncertainty people have the tendency of investing their income, their money in things like gold and art. That is; for the people who can effort this.

Just like all other paintings which are sold for enormous sums of money, the first thought that comes to mind is: How is this possible? And maybe  even: Isn’t this ridiculous? Please spend this money on healthcare or education!  Then I think of another painting, The scream from Edvard Munch and numerous  others, all sold for millions of dollars each. Paintings have a price, but these prices are build on sentimental value. The sad part is that most of these paintings are being sold to anonymous owners and therefore we probably will never see these paintings back again. They’ll probably end up in Russia or the Middle East, in some palace or grand manor. I think it’s a shame that art disappears into the hands of  private owners who only have these artworks as a financial investment. Famous artworks  are a cultural heritage and therefore should be publicly shown.

Was Jack the Ripper a woman?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/was-jack-the-ripper-a-woman-new-book-824544

Was Jack the Ripper a woman? New book claims doctor's wife was Jill the Ripper

Former solicitor John Morris says the wife of royal physician Sir John Williams butchered five prostitutes because she could not have children. John Morris sifted through thousands of documents to find clues that Elizabeth Williams, from Wales, was actually the 1888 “Jack the Ripper” killer. Everyone believed it was a man, so they ignored the evidence. John Morris says he has found evidence to prove the killer was a woman. A few of the evidences Morris found were; none of the women were sexually assaulted  and buttons from a woman’s boot, which were not from the victim, were found at the scene of the crime.

“The Whitechapel Murders” as they are also called, happened 124 years ago and still are being kept under lock and key. The secret “ Jack the Ripper” files are censored by the police, for 124 years on. Releasing them could threaten national security; that was the reason the police gave to censor this file. All the books written on the murders and all the guessing; for me it is all fantasy and exists because of not knowing the truth. I plead that the file must be opened. Even if so called “important, well known, high class persons” are involved. Evidence must never be hidden under the carpet, just to protect people with influence and money. Not to the expense of the relatives and the  victims involved. They should have the right to know what really happened.

Britain says no to elected mayors

http://www.economist.com/blogs/bagehot/2012/05/elected-mayors

Britain says no to elected mayors

10 Cities in England were holding referendums on May 3^rd, whether to move to an elected mayor. 9 Out of 10 cities rejected the idea. Voters said no for several reasons. They were afraid  local “dictators” would take office, they did not know what powers the new mayors would hold, and they were afraid of the costs of new elections.  Prime Minister Cameron, although not against elected mayors, vetoed  elected mayors earlier this year, saying that in these days of crises and other national and international problems, “We have to pick our battles”. Then  there were the referendums to see what the voters might say.

If you look at examples of elected mayors in The United  States, like the mayor of New York, Bloomberg, and his predecessor Giuliani, you could say an elected mayor could be  good for the city. The boldest public sector reforms of recent years were pushed  through by these dynamic city mayors. An elected mayor is more likely to do what he has promised to his  voters. This gives a responsibility to the  people who voted  for you . For voters, to have a say in who will run your community, it increases commitment. This commitment, from citizens and mayor,  is a good starting point to achieve more reforms in your own city or town. And for the costs: Bloomberg receives no salary for his work as a mayor, he refused this. That is of course easy for him to say: being a millionaire.

School Games 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18002292

School Games 2012

The School Games began in 2007 in Glasgow and are open to all school athletes in England. Not all athletes will eventually participate in the Olympics, but with the School Games they get the chance to compete at the highest level. This year the School Games are held in the Olympic Park in London, and by being able to do so, the school athletes experience the ambiance of the “real thing” to the fullest. Some of the school athletes indeed eventually join the Olympics, for example golden medal winners at Beijing, Ellie Simmonds and Tom Davis. Experience victory and defeat is what the School Games are all about.

What a marvelous initiative. Giving young people the possibility to compete with others at their own sport level. Copy the Olympic Games to a level for the youth. Competition with yourself and others are good things, I think. Sports learn you to persevere, to accomplish things you didn’t imagine were possible. There are other ways than sports to learn this, I know, and I’m not a sportswoman myself, but I admire the perseverance and the strength these athletes have to endure all the physical input and the time involved, the chance they take of winning or losing over and over again; it’s all in the game. I believe it makes a person stronger.

Bionic woman completes London marathon

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17988108

“Bionic “ woman Claire Lomas completes London marathon

A paralysed woman has become the first person to complete a marathon in a “ bionic “ suit.  Mrs Lomas is paralysed from the chest down due to a horse back riding accident in 2007.  Her sporting background gave her the determination she needed to get back on her feet again. The marathon had been very difficult, both physically and mentally.

Most participants in the London Marathon (26 miles) finish within hours. It took Claire Lomas 16 days of each between 1 and 2 miles. During the nights, Claire Lomas stayed in a hotel and every next day she travelled to the point where she left off the night before. She was supported by her husband, child and parents; her husband all the way walking  a step behind her in case she might fall. At the finish line, hundreds of supporters lined the streets to cheer her on. Her efforts have raised £80000 for spinal research.

I find this an amazing story. I admire her perseverance and the support she got from her husband and the rest of her family. When you and up in a wheel chair, after an accident, I can imagine it tests your will to survive and  your strength to still enjoy life and participate in it in an active and positive way. And her family supporting her in her ambitions is also a very positive way to look at life.  The “robotic” legs she used, were the first things  I looked at; this device will help people to walk, not depending on a wheel chair, and will help partial paralysed people to be more independent.  She raised money for spinal research with her marathon and I can only imagine how  proud she and her family must feel.

Mothers quitting work

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4271370/Hard-up-mothers-quitting-work.html

April 23rd, 2012 

Summary

Working moms are quitting their jobs at a record rate because of the crippling cost of childcare, new figures reveal.  More than 34000 working mums have turned housewife in the past three months, the fastest leap in over a year. Costs for daycare are up to £ 15.000 a year. Britain is now the most expensive place in the world for nursery fees. Many mothers say they have been left with no choice as the cost of daycare is now  reducing their income enormously.

Opinion

Although I know this is a fact, I have difficulties with an article like this for several reasons.

Firstly, I like to believe money is not the only reason to have a job; a job gives you independence and status in our society. Secondly, I believe income is a family issue and why, for that matter, should the mother be the one to resign her job? You could even argue the fact that the tax-payer should have to pay for childcare. There should be more creative solutions to reduce the costs of daycare without parents leaving the labor market.

Listen to patients

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4274370/Widower-tells-docs-who-missed-wifes-cancer-Listen-to-patients.html

April, 23rd 2012

Summary

The pains began three years ago. At the hospital the doctors said it was nothing to worry about. At another hospital, where Carol asked for a scan, the doctors told her that she didn't qualify for one. Carol was fighting to be heard, but the doctors wouldn't listen. She thought she might have cancer. (She was a medical receptionist). Eventually she got a scan, after keeling over in agony. She was diagnosed with cancer and was given chemotherapy. In spite of the chemo, the cancer spread and she died of liver failure.

Opinion

This article from The Sun got a lot of reactions. Without exception, people are on the side of the patient and in their reactions they give lots of other examples in which doctors didn't listen. I don't believe, as some people say, that doctors send you away with some pills and a wrong diagnose, just to cut costs on scans or more research, or even worse; because doctors are indifferent. I think the problem is more complex; every situation of every patient is different, the doctors don't know all the facts to give the right diagnose, knowledge about diseases is not everywhere available in the same amount, hospitals do not work together; are sometimes even competitors. And there is no transparency in the agreements the insurance companies have with the hospitals and the doctors. With the patient as the loser in this battle.

The Combat on Obesity

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/campaign-launched-to-combat-rising-levels-of-obesity-7646338.html

Summary:
Surgeons, psychiatrists, peadiatricians and GP's launch a campaign to battle obesity. They will research which strategies work in preventing or reducing obesity. The inquiry will contain every aspect of trying to prevent obesity, including the actions obese can take themselves, the diets, the exercices, the parenting, the impact of advertising, labelling, education, pricing and financial measures. A quart of women and a fifth of men in the UK are now classes as obese, ginving Britain the highest rate of obesity in Europe. Reccomandations will be made after the research; at the end of this year, 2012.
Opinion:
Obesity is a modern problem. People who do have enough money to buy food, eat more and more. The human body is capable to store food, but the human body was not designed to store that large amounts of food over a long period of time. The capability was ment for periods in men's life wherein there was no food available. But food in our times and in our part of the world is always available. Here starts the problem. It is to easy to say that obesity is an individual problem and obese people have there own faith in their hands. Obesity is a national health threat and should be dealt with accordingly.

The Hunger Games

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/mar/26/the-hunger-games-teenagers-thought?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

Summary
The Hunger Games are set in a fanciful future but, according to the author of the book, Suzanne Collins, has announced that it explores "disturbing issues of modern warfare" such as who fights our wars, how they are orchestrated and how they are playing out. Critics say this parallel is not persuasive; it just creates entertainment out of cruelty. The theme of the film is not convincing; the film's hero is supposed to be a futuristic Joanne of Arc, but in fact she's just living the teenage dream of becoming special. There's no reflection in the actions. Everything just happens as it is like in movies. So there is no comparison to the real concerns of our days, let alone that the movie would expand the horizon of teenagers.
Opinion
After I read the novel (haven't seen the movie yet) last year, I thought: this is material for a movie.
And here it is. In the tradition of other teenage movies, based on novels like Twilight. The Hunger Games will surely be enjoyable, with lots of violence, which doesn't appeal to me, but I'm sure it will be for teenagers, who are more used to see this in videogames, television series and movies. It will be entertainment. But not as the writer said, "give disturbing issues of modern warfare". I believe that people, including teenagers, will see it as pure amusement. And there will surely be a sequal.