British gas increases unfair prices

Summary
An average increase of 18 per cent on the gas bill will affect nine million customers. British gas is announcing massive increases in its energy prices. Major reason is the increase of wholesale costs, which seems to affect all energy suppliers, as other companies have already, or will in the near future, announced price increases. Critisism comes from consumer organizations, stating that some households reach poverty, because 10 per cent of their income goes to their energy bill. Other criticism comes from environmental organizations who say that the price increases are an indication that companies have to change the way they produce their energy.

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I agree with the environmental organizations, seeing as the increases in price are indicating that there needs to be done something about the market. If you have to raise your price because of the costs of the energy production, why do you not invest money in alternative ways of producing energy. That way you will be cheaper than your competitors, which is good for both you and your customers, and it will probably gain onto the environment. It is time for some change, in stead of the short mindedness of energy companies wanting to protect their market.

Source: The Independent: British gas to push thousands into fuel poverty with huge price hike
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-gas-to-push-thousands-into-fuel-poverty-with-huge-price-hike-2309496.html

Jake Ormerod sentenced for 10 years

Summary
A 20 year old guy has been sentenced 10 years for sexually abusing underage girls. The perpetrator, Jake Ormerod, is believed to be a member of a gang of men who are held responsible for abusing many girls in Torbay. He got in contact with his victims through Facebook, a social networking site. Sources claim that there are at least 40 members of the gang, who abused girls as young as 11, connected to the gang. Most of the victims have ran away from home before they became a victim, implying that the prosecutor took advantage of their vulnerability.

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I find it disgusting to find out about such things. The amount of victims, their age, and that there seems to be a whole gang active throughout an area is repelling. Jake Ormerod is a terrible example of people taking advantage of vulnerable young girls. It must be a living hell for both them and their parents and families. It seems way to short for me to send him off for only 10 years. It is not even a real jail that he is going to.

Source: The Guardian: Jake Ormerod sentenced to 10 years in jail for sexually abusing girls
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/08/jake-ormerod-10-years-jail-torbay

The world needs to invest in itself

Summary
A report by the United Nations department of economic and social affairs tells us that we need to invest drastically in order to stop climate change and famine. The amount of money is quite substantial. About three per cent of the world's GDP, which for 2010 is somewhere around 1.2 trillion pounds needs to be annually invested in entries like the development of countries, and the global transition of energy production for the next 40 years. We are told that the production  of food for instance, needs to be drastically increased in order to prevent starvation in many places throughout the world.

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I absolutely agree with this report, and explanation behind it. The number of people on this planet increase with such big numbers that we cannot deny the facts anymore. Many people starve to death without us doing anything that has real meaning. It is not cheap, but the really important things in life should not have a price tag.    I hope the United Nations will advance with this report to a plan to really change our world for the better.

Source; The Telegraph: 50 trillion pounds needs to be spent on going green if world is to avert "major planetary catastrophe"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/8621917/50-trillion-needs-to-be-spent-on-going-green-if-world-is-to-avert-major-planetary-catastrophe.html

Death of two soldiers in Afghanistan

Summary
While on foot patrol in Afghanistan, two English soldiers were killed by possibly a sharpshooter. During the morning the two soldiers were part of lager group of men, on patrol through one of the more dangerous parts of Helmand Province. It was not a secret they were in a dangerous place to patrol. A day before, another patrol had been victim by accurate small arms fire in the same area. Both soldiers are praised by their superiors for their bravery and commitment.

Reaction
Reacting on the death of soldiers is always a tricky one. Mainly because their seem to be two sides in the western world: the ones who praise the bravery of soldiers, and the ones who are against war. I seem to be in that last camp, and do not think they should have been there. Most of the people living there do not have anything to do with illegal activities, and suffer from the pressure the America, English and other armies press against the civilians over there.

Source: BBC News: Soldiers shot by insurgent 'sharpshooter' - inquest
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14084662

Funeral and wedding prices going up

Summary
The price of funerals as well as weddings in the UK are said to rise in the future. It has been announced by the Church of England, that the price of funerals will increase from 102 pounds to 150 pounds, and the price of weddings from 284 pounds to 425 pounds. It has not been set though, a proposal is to be discussed at the church's General Synod in York. The reason behind this idea is to make the price the same across the country. Because of the economical dismay that is hitting the UK churches had to perpetually raise their prices in order to keep financially healthy.

Reaction
I understand that churches have to raise their prices in order to not go bankrupt. People need to cut money everywhere so why not when it comes to a wedding. The drop in funerals seems hard to believe, when you are religious I do not think you would settle for anything less than to be buried at a church, and this also goes for your family I might think. It seems like a good idea though to streamline prices so that everyone has to pay the same price, regardless of where you live.

Source: The Independent: Funeral prices to soar 50 per cent as church feels effect of downturn
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/funeral-prices-to-soar-50-per-cent-as-church-feels-effect-of-downturn-2309504.html

More homeless people because of Cameron?

Summary
The welfare policies conducted by conservative prime minister David Cameron, seem to risk making 40,000 families throughout the UK homeless. This warning comes from one of his most trusted ministers, Eric Pickles, secretary of communities, who states the information in a leaked letter to Cameron. The announced cap benefit at 500 pounds a week per family seems to cause divides in the government. The announced measure seems to not have any real value because the money saved by installing the cap, will be made worthless as there will be much more money needed to help all the families losing their homes and such.

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This government surprises me everyday again, alongside with their conservative allies throughout Europe. They are incredibly short minded in their ideas and regulations. Every time they come up with an idea, it is almost always focused on the people who cannot afford to pay anymore taxes or related fines, many of the laws seem to not even be possible half the time. The wealthier people in our society seem to always get lucky.

Source: The Observer: Eric Pickles warns David Cameron of rise in homeless families risk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/02/eric-pickles-david-cameron-40000-homeless

Imbalances in student admissions

Summary
A study by the Sutton Trust finds that four schools and one sixth-form college are responsible for more students being sent to Oxford and Cambridge than 2,000 schools combined throughout the UK. The study has even more remarkable but not really surprising results. There is a substantial difference between state and private schools. Students of private schools are twice as likely to enter one of England's top 30 universities, and seven times as likely to go to either Oxford or Cambridge. This comes in a period where Universities recently got allowed to charge fees higher than 6,000 pounds, and thus increasing the gap there already is.

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Schools should be accessible for everyone. Of course there are people smarter than others, and some others are not as smart as others, or vice verse, but at least everyone should get the same chance of showing that. We are moving back towards a society where the higher educated are not the smartest people, but just the wealthiest. This will decrease the change of moving up the social ladder, and therefor establishing once again class society. It should also be put onto the government who allows the universities to ask these high admissions.


Source: The Guardian: University admissions study reveals extent of Oxbridge divide
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jul/08/university-admissions-study-oxbridge-divide

Arsenal might lose its most important players

Summary
Arsene Wenger has once again stated that he does not want to lose his players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Fabregas is wanted by Barcelona while Manchester United is after Nasri. Keeping will be difficult seeing as rumors indicate that Arsenal has received offers of tens of millions of pounds for both players. Barcelona has been interested in Fabregas for an extended period of time, but Arsenal states it has not even received an offer yet. The London-based team seems to have a bigger problem keeping Nasri, as not just Manchester United is interested but also Chelsea. The bigger problem is that Nasri has only twelve months left on his contract and will walk out the door for free next year.

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For a non sports fan this seems not that big of a deal. For the fans of Arsenal however, the most important players leaving would be a big drop in quality for the team that is already struggling to stay on top, and in the Champions League. It also of great importance for our fellow Dutchman Robin van Persie. If two of the most important players would, without replacing them with players of similar talent, he might leave also to find his succubus somewhere else.


Source: BBC Sport: Wenger 'fights' to keep Nasri and Fabregas at Arsenal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14088970.stm

The big cats in our world seem to be in trouble

Summary
The big cats in our world are in big trouble. Conservationists report that in the past few decades, the number of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and tigers in the world have dropped dramatically. The same people that we will face extinction of many of those animals in ten to fifteen years. This has to do with the government policies in many parts of the world concerning hunting. The existence of those animals is of great importance to the world's ecosystem. Also the amount of study that can be drawn from the behavior of these animals is substantially important to the world.

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I think that we have to do something about this. We in the western do not encounter any of these animals outside of a zoo, but the people in Africa and South America do. We should very much encourage them to come up with more regulations and laws in order to save and restore the big cats' population. I f we do not do something about it, we will regret it later when we face the consequences when it comes to a well-functioning ecosystem, of which we also benefit because of the quality of air, quality of nature among other things.


Source: The Independent: Could big cats be facing extinction?
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/could-big-cats-be-facing-extinction-2308722.html

SSE lets go 900 jobs

Summary
The energy company Scottish and Southern Energy announced it will let nine hundred people go. This has to do with the company's elimination of its door-to-door selling, at least for now. The decision is supported by the company's claim that door-to-door selling follows a breakdown in confidence among consumers. The company also said that purchasing energy supply at the door has become uninviting towards customers because of all the strings attached. The other ways of selling energy supply, like through phone, online, direct mail, and partnership sales will all continue.

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I think this is a very wise decision. Customers do not buy at the door anymore. The image of it has dramatically dropped, because of the media. It has been shown throughout many ways, how unreliable it is to buy something of someone you cannot trace, because he or she came to you, and you did not come to them, even more proving you possibly do not need the product they are offering. I think other channels like phone sales will follow this trend because of the same reasons. People want reliability in stead of cheapness.

Source: The Daily Star: Energy giant SSE to shed 900 jobs

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/latestnews/view/199965/Energy-giant-SSE-to-shed-900-jobs/

Shooting on Royal Navy Submarine

Summary

Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux was fatally shot last Friday on a submarine as it was docked in Southampton. Able Seaman Ryan Samuel Donovan has been charged with the murder. Donovan has also been charged with the attempted murder of Petty Officer Christopher Brown, Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, who remains in hospital after he was shot. Donovan will appear in court on Monday. Nick Hawkins, chief prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex is responsible for the charge on Donovan, and said: "Having reviewed the evidence, I am satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to charge him, and that it is in the public interest to do so."

Reaction

I find it shocking to learn about this, seeing as it is happened to this guy at work. It was also shocking to hear that he was shot by a co-worker, someone you should be able to trust, especially given the fact that they are both in the marine. The news that I found the made me angry the most was to read that a group of children had just left the ship. Can you imagine what could have happened had they stayed a little longer? I think it is good that they will be prosecuting the killer.

Source: The Guardian: Submarine shooting: Ryan Donovan charged

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/10/submarine-shooting-ryan-donovan-charged

Incorrect recycling increased

Summary
In the last three years, there has been an increase of recycled products dumped in landfill. The numbers show an increase between 2008 and 2011 of 50,000 tons, from 134,000 to 184,000. Several environmental organizations have reacted by blaming councils for not educating the households through the UK properly. Up to ten per cent has to be dumped because it is not separated from other materials like it should be. That is the major problem environmental organizations have because they think people could do so much better, because it is not how much you recycle, but how you recycle.

Reaction
I think much can be done when it comes to recycling. Many people do not even think about it, and I think this is alarming. It probably is not a favorable decision, but I think that if their would be penalties when you do not separate your trash properly, the amount of correctly parted garbage would drop significantly, and would people make more self-conscious. The government could also help with this in a different way, by making it easier to get rid of your garbage, seeing as people just dump all of their materials in the box that gets picked up the soonest.

Source: The Telegraph: Recycling dumped in landfill
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/businessandecology/recycling/8614764/Recycling-dumped-in-landfill.html

Tony Blair criticizes current Labour Party

Summary
During a speech in London, Former prime minister Tony Blair said the so-called new Labour has died since Gordon Brown took over from him back in 2007. Tony Blair himself was prime minister of England from 1997 to 2007, the period of time he calls new Labour. Biggest problem according to Blair is that the party lost "its rhythm."  Blair thinks the first the party needs to do is focus on the economy. With economy he means focusing on the micro side, and put policies in place who help increase businesses and jobs. Alongside his criticism he still supports current leader Ed Miliband.

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We have seen a shift in the political area from Social-Democratic and Christian-Democratic to a more right wing majority in all over Europe. There is lot to argue what has caused this shift, but what I think is that progressive parties should do what they do best, be progressive. The major problem is how populist politicians have become. The major turning could come when those politicians start having moralistic ideas and stay consistent with them, so that people know they will be reliable. Constant critisism from former politicians certainly is not going to help.

Source: The Guardian: Tony Blair: New Labour died when I handed over to Gordon Brown
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/08/tony-blair-new-labour-gordon-brown

Crashes and wins in Le Tour

Summary
In the seventh stage of this year's Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins of team Sky abandoned the tour. This was the result after crashing alongside many other riders, most of which continued the race from Le mans to Chateauroux. During this crash he broke his collarbone and could therefor not get back on his bike. The crash was caused by a lot of wind during the last part of the ride. Later on, Mark Cavendish won his seventeenth stage win. It was his second stage win of this year's tour. This win made him move up on the list of all time stage victory winners, onto the tenth place.

Reaction

Another win of Mark Cavendish seems amazing to me, his talent is undeniable with this many stage wins. It is also remarkable how he wins most of his races, very few people can do it with that much confidence. It is sad to see someone crash as hard as Bradley Wiggins did, however it seems inescapable. In the first week it always seems like there are just too many people riding, which causes crashes at places where there is not much space to ride. Many riders crashing seems also to be caused by the first in which riders are still somewhat fresh and therefor riding at incredible speeds.


Source: BBC Sport: Tour de France: Wiggins crashes out, Cavendish wins stage
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cycling/14086677.stm

First Blog

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