83-year-old gave blood 57 times - now he's donated a kidney

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/83yearold-gave-blood-57-times--now-hes-donated-a-kidney-7757977.html

Summary:

Nicolas Grace, a former charity director of 83 years old, has donated a kidney to a stranger.  For several years he was a blood donor and now he also has become a kidney donor. After the decease of his wife he wanted a new goal in his life, so he became a member of the club ‘altruistic donors’. He was tested and his kidneys seemed to be as healthy as the kidneys of someone in their 40s. Several studies have shown that a kidney from a living donor works better than one of a deceased person. Since 2006, almost a hundred people have donated a kidney to a stranger.

Opinion:

I admire Mr. Crace his decision to donate one of his kidneys. After all, an operation is a risk and especially an operation at his age. It is so wonderful he has done such a good deed out of altruism. I am curious if he has met the person who received his kidney. This person shall be very grateful to Mr. Crace, to be finally released from the misery of dialysis. It was amazing to read that a kidney from a living person seems to work better than a kidney from a deceased person; even if the deceased died at young age.

The illegal immigrants desperate to escape squalor (Speaker's corner) of Britain

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17183171

28 February 2012

by Chris Rogers

Summary:

There are many illegal immigrants in the UK. Most of them have been smuggled into the UK. The immigrants dreamt of a better life in the UK, but it turned out to be a disappointment. Many of them do not have a document, so they are in a no man’s land. Voluntary departures have risen the last six years. Legal immigrants offer illegal immigrants a shed in their backyard for a rental price of about £ 800 a month. Local councils think there are approximately 10.000 sheds in London and the Home Counties. They have to give landlords and tenants a 24 hour notice for inspection, so landlords have enough time to clear evidence.

Opinion:

It is so sad that landlords take advantage of the situation of illegal immigrants. Often, landlords use the rent to pay their mortgage. It is shameful  that in a civilized society people have to live in sheds that resemble slums in Third World countries.  Many illegal immigrants do not possess a document, they live in a no man’s land for many years. Britain does not want these immigrants and they cannot be send to another country.  Many of them get depressed and end up in the gutter. I think it is a disgrace to let people suffer for many years in a so called civilized society. Why can’t they be legalized?

'Forced labour' of migrants in the UK food industry

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18070849

15 May 2012

Summary:

The Joseph Rountree Foundation has published a report about migrants working in the UK food industry. The authors interviewed 62 foreign workers. The workers live in fear, because they are often threatened by their bosses.  Many workers have lent money from agencies to come to the UK. They are underpaid; they earn hardly enough money to repay their debt. Businesses which provide labour in the food industry  have to be licensed under the Gangmaster Licensing Act (GLA). This Act was set up to prevent the exploitation of workers. The authors of the report ask for support from the unions and they want Customs to tackle minimum wage violations.

Opinion:

It is scandalous that there is apparently not enough investigation in working circumstances in the UK food industry. The GLA body should play a greater active role in the detection of miserable circumstances and the unions should help to abolish these circumstances. Employers who exploit their employees should be persecuted in law. The exploitation is a form of modern slavery and forced labour is a criminal offence in the UK. Many workers cannot escape their miserable situation because they do not earn enough money to repay their debt. Besides, the possibility should be given to foreign workers to follow English classes, so they can learn about their rights.

Bow resident seeks to evict London Olympics missile base

30 April 2012

Summary:

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) plans to use the roof of a water tower on top of the huge apartment complex Bow Quarter, situated near the Olympic Stadium, as an army base during The Olympic Games. One of the residents, Brian Whelan, wants to take legal action to find out if the owner of the apartment complex, Little Apple Holdings, can lease this roof to the MoD without consulting the residents. A spokesman of the MoD says they need a space near the Olympic Stadium to position army missiles; they want to prevent terroristic attacks. In the meanwhile, residents fear for the safety of their homes and themselves.

Opinion:

It is outrageous to lease the roof of an apartment complex to the MoD for a military operation without asking the residents for permission. Mr. Brian Welan is right to legally challenge the apartment complex owner. The MoD should have built a construction for an air missile system somewhere near the Olympic Stadium. Security will be important during the Olympic Games. However, the number of armed forces which is going to support Olympic security seems a bit ‘over the top’ in my opinion; 12.500 police and 13.500 members of the armed forces will be involved. It is going to be more like a military event than a sports event.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/30/bow-resident-evict-army-missile-base

M16 failed to hand police dead spy Gareth Williams' belongings

1 May 2012

Next Wednesday, a verdict is expected in the case of the dead spy Gareth Williams. He was a GCHQ (the government listening station) officer and a mathematician who specialized in codes. He was on secondment to the Secret Intelligence Service M16. His naked body was found in a large North Face bag in his London flat in 2010. In today’s court, workers of the counter-terror organization SO15 were asked why they did not pass evidence to the police during the investigation in 2010. Instead, these workers gave Gareth’s memory sticks and bag with personal belongings to the M16.

Opinion:

In 2010, the police revealed that they had found many women’s clothing in Gareth’s flat. There was proof that he visited a drag cabinet and internet sites in bondage and claustrophobic websites. The idea came up that Gareth wanted to reach a better sexual high by an act of auto-erotic asphyxia. But, after a few investigations it seemed incredible that Gareth could have locked himself up. Probably a second person was involved in this sex game. This second person might have fled out of fear of accusation of murder, but... What still remains very strange is the fact that M16 did not raise an alarm when he did not turn up at work. 10 days later people found out that he was missing. It would not surprise me if he was murdered by an agent of the M16.

  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17906508

Dangerous dog laws to be widened to cover attacks on private land

23 April 2012

Summary:

The government is proposing to extend dangerous dog legislation. Till now, only dog attacks on public land are mentioned in the legislation. In the new proposal attacks on private property will also be prosecutable. And the implant of microchips for dogs will become obligatory. Yearly, about 210.000 people are attacked by dogs in England. Many workers, like postal workers, meter readers, health and social workers are the victims of dogs’ attacks. They are partly not protected in the existing legislation, because 70% of the attacks take place on private property. People who do not keep their dog under control, can expect a fine of £ 5,000, or a two years sentence.

Opinion:

The government’s proposal includes microchipping to all dogs. This would be a very good idea. In that case people, who abandon their dog in their summer vacation, can be traced because their details are in the microchip. Hopefully, lost dogs are easier to find because of the microchip. It is a shame that so many workers are attacked by dogs on private property. The owners should think twice before they take a dog. They should ask themselves: “Can I handle the behaviour of a particular breed of dog?” In the proposal dog owners can be held responsible for their dogs deeds.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/23/dangerous-dog-laws-private-land?INTCMP=SRCH

Jamie Oliver warns Michael Gove on academy school meals

22 April 2012

Summary:

Jamie Oliver has critized the British Education Secretary Michael Gove for his policy. According to this policy state schools have to follow strict nutritional guidelines concerning school food while semi-independent academy schools do not have to follow these guidelines. Jamie Oliver is worried that vending machines at academy schools still contain junk food like sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks. The number of children in Britain with obesity has grown tremendously. Michael Gove wrote Jamie Oliver a letter in which he said about the academic schools: “I trust the professionals to act in the best interest of their pupils”.

Opinion:

The policy in Britain concerning the nutritional guidelines for school food should be the same for every school. I think Jamie is right when he wants Michael Gove to impose these guidelines to academies. Many children eat their daily dinner at school, so it is very important that these dinners contain healthy substance. Crisps and sweets from a vending machine should not be an alternative choice for children. I can imagine that a vending machine with junk food will produce a higher yield than a machine with healthy foods. Profit can be a reason for schools to continue with selling junk food.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17803918

Home stretch: What happens when twentysomethings move back in with their parents?

1 May 2012

Summary:

Nowadays many people in their twenties move back in with their parents, due to student debt, high prices on the housing market and the lack of jobs on the labour market. One of them, Nat Luurtsema lives in her parents’ home at the age of 28. She felt she messed up and started a weblog about her life; she received many responses. Her weblogs were turned into a book, called “Cuckoo in the Nest”. Many people return to their family nest, they are called the “boomerang generation”. The outcome of an investigation of the Office for National Statistics shows that almost a third of men and a fifth of women between 20 and 34 years live at home with their parents.

Opinion:

As a result of the economic crisis many people move back in with their parents. The reasons  given are understandable and it gives people an opportunity to rearrange their lives. In other cultures, for instance in West Africa, parents and their children live together for a large part of their lives. They share a house or live beside each other. But in our Western World it is a bit peculiar to move back in with your parents. I think people should develop themselves and go forward instead of going back to their childhood situation. There must be other solutions.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/home-stretch-what-happens-when-twentysomethings-move-back-in-with-their-parents-7658253.html