Jai Hooshmand's Blog

Coolest tech products of 2010

2010-12-08T14:14:00.000+00:00

This year has been a remarkable one for technology. We've seen the introduction of 3D technology products for the home, Apple's revolutionary iPad was launched and Microsoft unleashed the next generation of gaming.

Here's our selection of the very best gadgets from 2010 that are vying for your disposable income.

1. Apple iPad

Apple's tablet computer, whether you love the idea or not, has changed the way we think of computers.

Breaking into the spotlight at the beginning of the year, the 10-inch tablet computer runs the same operating system as the Apple iPhone, allows you to play games, surf the Internet, watch movies, and download hundreds of thousands of apps. It has dominated tech websites throughout the year, while at the same time creating a market that didn't exist 12 months ago.

Now the competition, having seen its success (3 million sales and counting), are quickly following suit with tablet computers of their own. Samsung, Toshiba, RIM, and HP have all since announced products that are either already available, or coming very soon, but so far none have been able to touch the iconic Apple device.

Apple's success has not been because it is the first to market, but because the iPad is incredibly easy to use, appeals aesthetically to those Apple looks to tease into buying it, and ultimately because it's just a cool product that most find they buy not for a rational need, but because of a more irrational urge.

That's right, it's an emotional luxury product that can be your in-flight entertainment, your reading book, your games console, as well as your email and Internet friend. Yes, you might already have a smartphone, and yes, you might already have a laptop; both equally versed in doing the same job considerably better, but this will make you want to share the web and technology, rather than just looking like a geek with a laptop when your friends come around for dinner.

RRP £429

2. Canon EOS 550D

In the short space of time that the Digital SLR camera has been around, we've seen massive leaps in their capabilities, perhaps best exemplified by the Canon 550D, the company's entry level camera introduced in February.

The Canon EOS 550D, successor to the EOS 500D prosumer DSLR, received significant upgrades to several features in 2010, but most notably the sensor, movie shooting options, and metering have all seen a bump in specs.

This means you get an 18-megapixel sensor for snapping pictures, ISO settings from 100 to 6400, a 9-point autofocus, with an extra-sensitive cross-type point in the middle for very fast lenses, and 3.7fps continuous shooting, if you hold down the shutter button. You also get 1920 x 1080p full HD movie support at 30, 25 and 24fps, allowing you to record high-def video, and a bigger screen to view it on round the back.

In fact, you end up getting a similar spec to Canon’s more powerful EOS 7D model, which costs almost twice as much – which makes the EOS 550D a steal, however you look at it. We think it's one of the best cameras of the year, and certainly a major contender for DSLR model of the year.

While it remains to be seen if the DSLR will be able to hold off the onslaught of hybrid cameras in 2011 from companies like Panasonic, Olympus, Samsung and Sony, for now, if you are a photography enthusiast and you are looking for a camera to upgrade to, you can't really go wrong with the Canon EOS 550D.

RRP £899.99

3. Microsoft Kinect

It's not that often you get to see a technology that might actually be mistaken for magic, but that's the reaction many people have when they see Microsoft Kinect in action for the first time.

Kinect is new system for the Xbox 360 that entirely removes the controller from videogames; you become the controller, entirely eliminating the need to learn confusing button combos, or how to waggle two thumbsticks at the same time.

It is expected to open up whole new genres of games, and a whole new way of playing them, giving new life and a new audience to the Microsoft games console.

The Kinect technology works by using two cameras and a microphone in front of the console to track your movements and voice, and then relay those movements back to the console and the games you are playing.

That means if you are playing a yoga game, you've actually got to achieve the right yoga position to do well; if you are playing a racing game, then you have to pretend to hold a steering wheel to steer the car.

You see - we told you it sounded like magic! But it's not just the concept of the technology that works, some of the games already available or being demoed make this one of the top gadgets of 2010.

Favourites so far include ‘Fighters Uncaged’, a fighting game that will have you sweating - yes, really sweating - in front of your TV, and ‘Kinectimals’, a game where you get to make friends with a tiger that lives inside your television - a great one for the kids.

RRP£200

4. Amazon Kindle

The Amazon Kindle e-book reader has been around for some time, but the latest model makes it so affordable that even if you don't read that much it's probably still worth getting.

Actually, there were two variations of the new model in 2010 - a WiFi-only version, and one that includes 3G connectivity, so you can buy and download books wherever you are in the world. 21 per cent smaller, 15 per cent lighter, with 50 per cent better contrast, 20 per cent faster page turns, up to one-month of battery life, and twice as much storage – now up to 3500 books at a time – you can see why we like them.

But it's not just the new, thinner, lighter, smaller profile that we like, but also the cost: the UK versions are priced at £109 and £149, respectively.

Combine that killer price with: the ease of getting books on to it without the need for a computer; the built-in features (like instant dictionary definitions of unfamiliar words), and a viewer that lets you change the font size to make it easier to read, and you'll struggle for reasons not to zip over to Amazon and buy one sharpish.

It might be a closed system, but this is electronic book reading at its easiest, and in the end that's what we like - services, technology and gadgets that are not only easy to use, but make a real difference in your life. The Amazon Kindle is one of those gadgets.

RRP £109

5. Vodafone Mobile broadband Wi-Fi

Vodafone have been at the forefront of mobile broadband for a number of years, allowing workers who find themselves out of the office to still get online. But as users start to shift away from laptops and netbooks, and towards smartphones and tablets, they need to have mobile broadband hardware that can connect to numerous different devices, many of which won’t have a USB socket to plug into - yes we are thinking the iPad and other tablets here.

In steps the Vodafone Mobile Wi-Fi, a small battery-powered white box of tricks the size of a bar of soap. It allows you to create a mobile wi-fi hotspot wherever you are, and connect your laptop, netbook, tablet and phone to it all at the same time, without either getting the device out of your bag, or even plugging anything in.

It's great, not only because it allows you to surf the Internet on the go, but because it connects to any wi-fi capable device you own. That means no software to install, no battery power to drain, and no hassle. All that's left for you to do is enjoy super fast Internet connectivity (provided you are in coverage).

Like the 3 Mi-Fi before it, the Vodafone Mobile Wi-Fi will change the way mobile workers work. The final advantage over other options available is that you benefit from Vodafone's excellent national coverage and infrastructure. Add that to its hassle-free operation, and we think it's one of the best gadgets of 2010.

RRP Free with 18 month £25 a month contract

6. Sky 3D

By now you probably already have an HD-ready television, and if you've got Sky, Virgin Media, or Freeview HD, then there are a range of HD channels from sports, to movies, to the BBC, that you've probably been enjoying.

But HD is so 2009. What you want for 2010 is Sky 3D, the satellite broadcaster's 3D service that it hopes will change the way we watch television - by adding another dimension.

Launched in October 2010, Sky’s service is the first to offer viewers 3D content to their home as a regular daily channel you can watch anytime, as long as you have a 3D-enabled television. They’ve effectively saved you from having to buy a dedicated Blu-ray 3D player, and searching shops for 3D films (there really aren't that many to buy right now).

The service is just a few weeks old, but is already showing us what’s possible, as long as you are prepared to sit on your sofa wearing a pair of 3D glasses.

Whether it's the latest blockbuster movies, football matches, documentaries, boxing, rugby, arts or nature, Sky is creating and showing over 14 hours of 3D content every day to showcase the new technology.

If you are one of the top tier Sky customers paying £61.50 a month (that also gives you over 50 HD Channels) then the real sweetener is that the 3D channel is free; all you need is a 3D television to watch it on, and you can embrace the new technology from the comfort of your sofa.

RRP Free with Sky top tier package

7. HTC Legend

For many the phone of the year is the HTC Desire, the company's other Android-powered smartphone, and flagship model for most of 2010. However for us, we love the design, price, and hidden power of the HTC Legend instead.

With a case fashioned from a single piece of metal that had been hollowed out like a piece of art, the HTC Legend showed not only what HTC, as a company, was capable of, but also the future possibilities of cutting-edge phone design.

Following the Legend’s February debut, many more HTC handsets appeared over the course of the next 10 months - the Desire HD, Desire Z, the 7 Mozart and the HD7 - and most echoed the striking design ethos of that metal casing structure.

HTC will tell you it’s all about the hidden strength within, and nothing shows that more than a metal phone that doesn't have reception signal problems! Add to that the powerful punch it packs when it comes to running apps, getting email, playing games, surfing the Internet, and, of course, making phone calls, and you've got a cracking smartphone package.

Better still, the phone is affordably priced in the UK, allowing customers to buy a beautiful handset, a great operating system (Android, along with HTC’s Sense UI) and a superb phone without breaking the bank.

We love it.

RRP Free with 2 year £25 a month contract

8. Philips 3D Cinema 21:9 Platinum

Of the hundreds of televisions from companies like Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic and LG that impressed us in 2010, the one that had the real wow factor was the Philips 3D Cinema 21:9 Platinum.
It's the 3D version of the company's Cinema 21:9 display that was first launched in 2009, and brings with it enhanced picture quality as well as 3D capabilities.

The Philips 3D Cinema 21:9 Platinum will set you back £4000, but for that you get a 21:9 aspect ratio, so movies in the 2.39:1 format (think Star Wars and other classics) completely fill the screen - no ‘letterbox’ black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

The 2010 Cinema 21:9 model has received a comprehensive performance upgrade, adding more picture quality innovations to the already award-winning Philips 9000 series, including Direct lit LED screen illumination, a 400Hz refresh rate, and the Perfect Pixel HD Engine that optimally matches each pixel’s colour, packaged in an even larger 58-inch Full HD screen in 21:9 aspect ratio.
The TV also comes with three-sided Ambilight Spectra, which creates an ambient glow around the screen that matches the onscreen image, and is claimed to immerse you far more thoroughly in whatever you’re watching.

As long as you've got the room in your lounge, you're pretty much bringing the cinema, as the name suggests, into your living room. And while it could be said this beast isn't really designed for watching your everyday episodes of EastEnders or Corrie, when it comes to watching 3D movies you'll struggle to beat it.

Now, where's the popcorn?

RRP £4000

9. Spotify for Sonos

If you like music, you probably already love Spotify, the service that lets you stream millions of tracks over the Internet to your computer or smartphone, for just a tenner per month.
In September, Sonos, makers of an ingenious multi-room music system, announced that it was adding support for the Spotify music service, bringing the massive streaming music library into the living room properly for the first time.

While Spotify has long been available for free on your computer, and for a premium payment on your mobile phone, the service has effectively been stuck in the self–contained world of laptops and iPhones. Neither is the ideal medium to bang out the latest tunes in your lounge.

Sonos’ amazing wireless, multi-room, music distribution system had already been wowing users with its seamless ability to pick up music from a PC or iPod’s digital library, and then play it anywhere in your home. By adding Spotify‘s ability to deliver virtually any track you can think of at the press of the button, Sonos puts a endless global jukebox into every room in your home.

We aren't overstating it when we say it will potentially change how you listen to music forever, and save you a fortune in the process: you no longer need to buy and store tracks to listen to them on your hifi - now you can just stream whatever you want, whenever you want.

The only small catch is that you'll need to have a Spotify Premium account to get the service. However, at just £9.99 (less than the cost of a single CD album) per month this shouldn’t be a great hardship if you love your music.

RRP Spotify Premium service £9.99 per month; Sonos S5 music system £320

10. Boxee Box

Your brand new state-of-the-art television is, whether you like it or not, dumb. But all that's about to change. A whole host of new devices are appearing that allow you to take full advantage of all the digital content you find on the Internet.

Now you can listen to music, watch TV shows, and enjoy movies on your television, all controlled from your phone (it's your new remote).

The most hyped device so far is probably the Apple TV. However, while it pushes the boundaries of streaming, and offers a very good ‘rental’ service for TV shows and movies, it hasn’t impressed us as much in 2010 as our new favourite media centre: the Boxee Box.

The Boxee Box, built in association with D-Link, is one of the best of the new breed of ‘set-top’ boxes, allowing you to stream content, to watch off a hard drive, surf the Internet, catch up with friends, and do a whole host of other things without having to have a PC around to enjoy it.
Where the device really succeeds though, is that there is app support and plenty of apps either available or in the making. British owners can get services like the BBC iPlayer for example, while Americans get Hulu, among others.

The interface is friendly and easy to use, and it’s also available in exactly the same format on your computer, so you experience the same familiar controls when you are away from your television. Basically, it's your new home cinema interface, whether you are on the go, or on the sofa.

RRP £199.99"

Well, that's all for this year, join us again for next year's awesome tech roundup!

OAP poisoned police with sandwiches

2010-12-08T13:54:00.001+00:00

"A pensioner whose sandwiches poisoned 47 police officers has been given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to obey a one-month night-time curfew.

Food safety officials said 70-year-old Muriel Morris received a four-month jail term, suspended for a year, and was ordered to pay £16,482.70p in costs.

Birmingham City Council, which prosecuted Morris for four breaches of food hygiene law, launched an investigation into the poisoning outbreak after nine officers were taken to hospital during an English Defence League demonstration near New Street station in July 2009.

The city's magistrates' court heard that tests conducted on the sandwiches established they had been provided by Morris, of Dorrington Green, Great Barr, Birmingham.

Morris pleaded guilty to four offences relating to the Meal Machine cafe in Nechells, which she no longer runs.
An investigation by the council's food safety team established that officers were given sandwiches provided by Meal Machine at three briefings during the EDL protest and a counter-demonstration.

A West Midlands Police spokesman confirmed that 47 officers experienced the effects of sickness, with several requiring hospital treatment for dehydration.

"Contingency planning measures were implemented to ensure that normal policing business could continue as the protest came to an end," the spokesman said.

Commenting on the prosecution, Neil Eustace, chairman of Birmingham's Public Protection Committee, said officers had been left extremely ill by the serious offences.

"Environmental health officers were rightly appalled by the lack of regard for the health of customers shown by Ms Morris and moved quickly to shut the premises," he said"

NASA finds new form of life... on Earth

2010-12-03T19:37:00.000+00:00

Bacteria that thrive on arsenic have been scooped from a California lake, a discovery that redefines the building blocks of life and offers new hope in the search for other organisms on Earth and beyond.

Not only do the bacteria survive, they grow by swapping phosphorus for arsenic in their DNA and cell membranes, said the study funded by the US space agency NASA and published Thursday in the journal Science.

The findings add a new dimension to what biologists consider the necessary elements for life, currently viewed as six elements: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur.

"What we've found is a microbe doing something new -- building parts of itself out of arsenic," said scientist Felisa Wolfe-Simon, a fellow in NASA's astrobiology program who made the groundbreaking discovery at Mono Lake in eastern California.

"There's an organism on Earth doing something different," said Wolfe-Simon. "We've cracked open the door to what's possible for life elsewhere in the universe. And that's profound."

Ariel Anbar, a co-author of the study, explained how Wolfe-Simon was able to get the bacteria known as strain GFAJ-1 of the Halomonadaceae family of Gamoproteobacteria to grow under extreme toxic conditions in the lab.

"She takes this sediment, puts it in a bottle essentially where there is lots of arsenic and very little phosphorus, and she does it over and over so only organisms that are going to be happy in that environment survive," said Anbar.

"The organism came from nature," said Anbar, a scientist at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration. "It is a known bacteria. It is not a brand new bug but nobody realized it could do this," he said.

Scientists have known for some time that some microbes can use arsenic for energy, much like humans do with oxygen or food.

"The way I like to put it is they smoke it but they don't inhale it," said Paul Davies, a co-author of the paper and British-born cosmologist at Arizona State University.

"So the big question we all wanted to know was where has the arsenic gone? Is the arsenic really in their innards?

"Eventually, bit by bit, the evidence accumulated that indeed the arsenic was in the DNA, the proteins, the lipid membranes and the metabolites, so it was everywhere where it is important."

A few years ago, Wolfe-Simon, Anbar and Davies began discussing the idea that different life forms could exist on Earth but by biological rules unlike ours, a notion known informally by scientists as "weird life."

The trio published in 2009 their hypothesis that arsenic, which is directly below phosphorus on the periodic table, could substitute for phosphorus in Earth life forms.

"We conjectured that maybe life started via the arsenic route and phosphorus was the later adaptation," said Davies, noting that they still are not sure which came first, or if this bacteria could be "like a living fossil, a hangover from an earlier arsenic epoch."

But the discovery has made him think about all the forms of life out there that scientists may have missed.

"This is going to open up a whole new line of inquiry. First of all this can't be the only arsenic organism on the planet, there is going to a be lot more, so this is a whole new domain of microbiology that it represents," said Davies.

"Who knows what else is out there if we take a harder look?"

The findings, leaked early in a vague but intriguing announcement by NASA that mentioned "extraterrestrial life," lit up the blogosphere and stunned many scientists.

Arizona State University professor James Elser said he has spent years telling students that phosphorus was a necessary part of DNA.

"The idea that I am sitting here today discussing the idea that this is not true is shocking," said Elser, a panelist at a NASA press conference on the discovery.

Caleb Scharf, a Columbia University astrobiologist, told The New York Times he was amazed.

"It's like if you or I morphed into fully functioning cyborgs after being thrown into a room of electronic scrap with nothing to eat," he said.

NASA has conducted numerous probes at eastern California's Mono Lake, an unusually salty body of water with high arsenic and mineral levels, as it is likely to reflect conditions under which early life evolved on Earth, or perhaps Mars.

"Sometimes you think something is not going to work, but then you go looking for it and sometimes you may find it," said Anbar.

"And then you realize, oh, I didn't understand things quite as well as I thought I did before. And that happens all the time in science. That's part of what makes it fun.""

Strange rules of the road

2010-11-29T13:45:00.000+00:00

"The current Highway Code was updated in 2007 to take into account the rigours of modern driving - traffic gridlock, environmental awareness and increasing reliance on modern technology.
It means the ever-present book, which reportedly still sells around one million copies per year, is an unusual mix of old and new. Here are a few of the stranger things you'll read in the Highway Code.

Rule: Mobility scooters must not travel faster than 4mph
The Code stipulates that powered wheelchairs must not exceed 4mph on pavements - about walking pace for the average man. So, if you're overtaken by a sweet old lady in a wheelchair or mobility scooter, she's probably breaking the law. There's every chance her vehicle is a Class 3 - in which case its 8mph top speed means it should be driving on the road, according to the Code. Tell her to hit the highway!

Rule: Keep sheep under control at all times
Yes, the section for animal herding remains. Law 58 requests that the law-abiding animal herder send a friend along the road in front of him, whose specific job it is to warn people there's some herding going on. This is particularly true when approaching a bend or on the brow of a hill, says the Code.

Rule: Circle your arm to turn left
Arm signals are covered for occasions when your indicators aren't working, though only three remain. A straight arm out means you're turning right, but circle that arm anti-clockwise and you're turning left. Flap it up and down when you want to stop. Funnily enough there's no recommended hand gesture for 'that was some inconsiderate driving there, sir.'

Rule: Look after the environment
Stopping for more than 'a couple of minutes'? Then switch the engine off to reduce emissions and noise pollution, says the Code. It is legal to keep the engine running when faults are being diagnosed (assuming you're not there because you've conked out) but if you're just running the engine to keep the car warm, forget it - the ozone layer is more important than the possibility of you catching a cold, OK?"

Rules of the road - lines you can and cannot park on

2010-11-29T13:42:00.000+00:00

"Finding a space in a town centre is a job in itself and avoiding rip-off multi-storey car parks is a must if you want to save cash.

But where you can leave your car and for how long can be confusing - and cheeky traffic wardens dine out on your bewilderment.

The Government has announced that new legislation will come into force in November to ban clamping on private land, so drivers can breathe a small sigh of relief, but there's still plenty of ambiguity about parking in public areas.

Just how long can you leave your car on a single yellow line for, and what does a red route really mean? We've scoured the Highway Code to reveal the facts so you don't have to find out the hard way.

Yellow lines
It's common knowledge that double yellow lines alongside a kerb mean no waiting at any time, but in some cases there are signs nearby indicating that you can park there at certain times of the day or year, so it's worth a look if you're desperate.

Single yellow lines are where the biggest source of ambiguity lies. According to the Highway Code, single yellows should be accompanied by a sign that displays when you can and can't park there. It's usually a case of no parking at peak times (i.e. between 8am and 6pm), but check the sign to be sure.

Red routes
Double and single red lines are a common sight on London's congested roads. Parking, unloading or even stopping for a second to let a passenger out are all strictly prohibited on roads with these along the side.
In a similar vein to a single yellow, a single red line will have a nearby sign that shows the times when the enforcements are more relaxed. Double reds should be avoided at all costs and at all times. The only exceptions to the rules are for licensed taxis and blue badge holders.

Loading

If you need to park for a short period of time to load or unload the boot then look for yellow marks on the kerb. Two yellow marks mean no loading at any time, while one yellow mark means that you can load at certain times. Both markings should also have nearby signs that tell you whether and when you can stop to load there.

Specific loading bays are marked in white with the words LOADING ONLY displayed on the ground alongside the bay, so parking and walking away is not allowed. A white sign with a blue 'loading only' symbol will also be displayed nearby.

Other road markings

White zigzag lines mean you're near a zebra crossing and stopping on them is out of the question as you may obstruct the view of pedestrians crossing the road. The same goes for yellow zigzag lines outside a school, which are usually accompanied by the words SCHOOL KEEP CLEAR in yellow.

Bus lanes and bus stops should be avoided for obvious reasons, and cameras to keep them free of anything but buses and taxis are now widespread, particularly in cities. A criss-cross yellow box means that you can't stop for any reason as you may obstruct other traffic and yellow box cameras are now very popular with city councils.

Some parking spaces are reserved for specific vehicles like doctors' cars or vehicles that belong to nearby businesses - such spaces are always marked, either on the road itself or with signs and, while you may or may not be fined for leaving your car in them, you'll almost certainly leave the locals a little peeved, which is never a good move.

If you're still unsure then check out the Government's motoring guidelines on:

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring ."

-20C warning as snow chaos spreads

2010-11-29T13:36:00.000+00:00

"The big freeze gripping the country will get worse this week, with snow spreading inland and some temperatures plunging as low as minus 20C, forecasters have warned.

There is no sign of a let-up in the wintry weather, with bitter winds increasing and more parts of the UK facing snow in the coming days. The RAC warned of a "difficult" Monday commute and told drivers to consider other options.

As well as disruption to the roads, schools were closed in many areas, including central Scotland and Yorkshire.

In Cornwall, 44 schools were closed because of the weather, with another 12 opening later, Cornwall Council said.

The cold spell saw record low temperatures in some parts of the country over the weekend, with both Wales and Northern Ireland recording the coldest November night since records began.
Coldest overnight in the UK was Altnaharra in northern Scotland, which recorded a low of minus 16.1C (3F). Llysdinam, which saw Wales's chilliest ever November reading on Sunday at minus 18C (minus 0.4F), was a bit warmer today at minus 12.9C (8.8F).

So far, Scotland and the North East have been worst hit by snow, with more than 40cm in parts, and police have advised people to stay indoors for all but essential travel. Several airports were disrupted on Sunday, with Edinburgh closed due to heavy snow, Aberdeen suffering delays and Newcastle International, Luton and Jersey also seeing disruption.

Forecasters warned the rest of the country is likely to be blanketed this week as the weather front moves west. The severe conditions could also last well into next week, with rain, sleet and snow.

The Arctic conditions have been caused by a combination of light winds, snow cover and clear skies - and could see readings down to minus 20C in Scotland later this week. The UK's lowest ever recorded temperature in November was minus 23.3C recorded in Braemar, in the Scottish Highlands, on November 14, 1919.

A spokesman for the AA said they had received 7,500 breakdown calls by 10am - more than the double the normal number. Drivers should be prepared when they set out, he warned, with warm clothing in case of a breakdown, accident or road closures."

OAP Loses £80k After Leaving It On Car Roof

2010-11-25T13:52:00.000+00:00

"A pensioner who does not trust banks claims to have lost his life savings of £80,000 - by leaving it on the roof of his car and driving off.

The man from Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend, put a bag containing the cash on top of the vehicle as he was moving the money to his place of work.

As soon as he realised what had happened he began a search with his grandson but they could find only the bags the notes had been in.

The 68-year-old, who does not want to be named, is said to have saved £2,000 every year during his working life and kept the money under a bed while he had a guard dog.
When the dog died he kept the money close by him.

The man would take the money from his bedroom and put it in the car when he went to work.
"My car is never more than 10ft from me at work so I can keep an eye on it," he told Mail Online.

"That morning I left at about 6.20am and didn't realise I had lost it until noon.
"I went home and checked my bedroom in case I had left it there."

The man has offered a reward for the return of the cash.

Essex Police confirmed they are investigating a possible theft after a man contacted them on Friday, November 19, "reporting he had lost £80,000 in cash".

"He told police he had accidentally left the money on the top of his car before driving off on the morning of Thursday, November 18 at 6.20am," said a spokeswoman. "He later realised what he had done."
The man said the money was in an orange plastic bag inside a blue pull-string bag.

Some evidence found at the scene will be inspected for fingerprints and officers have checked local CCTV cameras.

Anyone who may have found the money is asked to hand it to their local police station or risk being accused of 'theft by finding', the spokeswoman added."

Rooney begins long road to redemption

2010-11-25T13:49:00.000+00:00

"In the city where Alex Ferguson grew up, the Manchester United manager will now be hoping he has seen his star striker born again.

Wayne Rooney made his first start for United in two months but, with all that has gone on in that time, documented fanatically on the tabloid front pages, it feels like a lot longer ago.

The days when he was a post-World Cup pariah, let alone scoring for fun and winning every individual award going, seem like moments in the career of a different player altogether.

After returning from his Oregon boot camp/sponsor marketing opportunity trimmed down and refreshed, he got the moment he visualised would send him on the road to redemption when he scored the winning penalty against Rangers three minutes from time.

United's newly lean, mean, set-piece scoring machine celebrated ecstatically after firing home the spot-kick, which ensured United's progression from Champions League Group C.

He may have had a mixed reception upon his return to action at Old Trafford last weekend, but at least he can count on one fan's affection. A pitch invader ran on to the Ibrox turf and leapt on the prostrate Rooney, locking him in an unbreakable embrace not seen on the field of play since Terry Phelan held on to Ray Houghton for dear life at the Giants Stadium in 1994.

It is, of course, going to take a lot more than a mediocre performance and one conversion from 12 yards to win over the majority of the United faithful.

The expression of his desire to leave the club will not be easily forgotten, not least for the way it highlighted the very real problems the club can expect to have in competing financially with their rivals as long as the Glazers are in charge.

At least Rooney is aware enough to reference the fact that he has plenty of work to do if he is going to win back the hearts and minds of United's fans.

"Not all the fans are going to want to be singing my name all the time and I fully accept that," he said. "But I have to go out and prove to the fans I am here to stay and I want to work.

"Only I can say how I feel, and I know 100 per cent it was nothing to do with money."
In purely footballing terms, a return of just two goals from eight games so far this season - both penalties - is a poor one.

Rooney now has three matches against teams in the bottom half of the table - Blackburn, West Ham and Blackpool - before a trio of fixtures versus top opposition, in Valencia, Arsenal and Chelsea give way to the Christmas period.

Once he has got through those games, we will know a lot more about the effect of Rooney's hiatus."

Premier League - Papers: Why Wilkins was axed

2010-11-25T13:46:00.000+00:00

"Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins was given his marching orders at Stamford Bridge following a blazing row with the club's top brass, according to this morning's papers.

The Daily Express reports that the former England midfielder argued during the summer with Roman Abramovich, and had a further furious bust-up with chief executive Ron Gourlay just two weeks before he was told his contract was not being renewed.

Apparently, the row with Gourlay came over the use of substitutes; Wilkins is now suing Chelsea for unfair dismissal.

The Champions League victories by Tottenham and Manchester United take up plenty of column inches in this morning's papers - and if all you'd seen were the back pages you'd have thought that Wayne Rooney had taken on Rangers all by himself and still won 10-0

"GeROOnimo," blasts the back page headline in the Daily Mirror, while by The Sun's inside headline is "Och aye the Roo - Life's sweet as Wayne sinks Scots". All good fun - though not exactly representative of a tight match in which United failed to impress and were rescued by the, admittedly, excellent Rooney spot kick.
Spurs, meanwhile, were impressive in beating a weakened Werder Bremen, and the papers heap praise on them. "Everyone will fear us now," claims the Daily Express, with the Daily Mirror claiming that, "Spurs are on their way to Wembley." Presumably, they're not referring to a potential FA Cup semi-final against one of their London neighbours.

Elsewhere, Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has apparently been told by the club's new owners to make his side play more entertaining football, according to The Sun.

Venky's chairwoman Anuradha Desai seems unaware that her request is a bit like asking the Pope to be a bit less religious, or suggesting to Ferrari engineers that they think about fuel economy a bit more. Then again, she did betray her knowledge of football by saying that Blackburn

"should go up in the rankings"

- but, in the century which saw McDonalds start selling salads, anything can happen.

Desai - and Allardyce - will both be full of Christmas cheer if the top transfer rumour of the day comes off: former Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz could be on his way back to Ewood Park for £4 million in January, according to The Sun. That's £13m less than the sum they sold him to Manchester City for under two years ago.

Chelsea's young star Daniel Sturridge could be set for a surprise loan move to Swansea, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Swans had originally asked about an emergency loan earlier this week, but Brendan Rodgers is apparently now looking for a longer loan deal, as of January.

And finally, the Daily Record reports that the Scottish refereeing saga is set for a few twists today: the paper reports that refs will vote not to back down on their strike threat - but also claim that the Dutch FA have agreed to provide all the officials required to enable this weekend's fixtures to go ahead."

Pupils 'taught to carry out Sharia punishments'

2010-11-22T16:36:00.001+00:00

"Pupils at Islamic schools across the country are being taught to chop off a criminal's hand and that Jews are conspiring to take over the world, a BBC investigation claimed on Monday.

"Up to 5,000 pupils aged between six and 18 are being taught Sharia law punishments using "weekend-school" text-books which claim those who do not believe in Islam will be subjected to "hellfire" in death, the Panorama programme said.

A text book for 15-year-olds advises: "For thieves their hands will be cut off for a first offence, and their foot for a subsequent offence."

"The specified punishment of the thief is cutting off his right hand at the wrist. Then it is cauterised to prevent him from bleeding to death," it added.

Young pupils are warned that the punishment for engaging in homosexual acts is death by stoning, burning with fire or throwing off a cliff and that the "main goal" of the Jews is to "have control over the world and its resources."

The schools are part of the

"Saudi Students Clubs and Schools in the UK and Ireland"

organisation. The BBC investigation claimed that one school in London is owned by the Saudi government.

Education Minister Michael Gove told the BBC programme: "I have no desire or wish to intervene in the decisions that the Saudi government makes in its own education system.

"But I'm clear that we cannot have anti-Semitic material of any kind being used in English schools. Ofsted (Britain's education watchdog) will be reporting to me shortly.""

Potter breaks UK box office records

2010-11-22T16:33:00.000+00:00

"The latest 'Harry Potter' film demolished UK box office records over the weekend.

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' took an estimated £18.3 million, easily beating the previous most successful box office opening - 'Quantum of Solace's £15.4 million in 2008.

The penultimate chapter in the highest-grossing series of all time enjoyed huge success in the US as well, taking an estimated $125 million.

President of Warner Bros Entertainment UK Josh Berger said, "The opening of the film has become an extraordinary worldwide event.

"These remarkable box office numbers are a testament to the talents of the filmmakers, cast and to the vision of J.K. Rowling."

And with the final part slated for release next July, it wouldn't be surprise if the teen wizard bowed out with another record-breaking box office bang."

Kabul 'safe as London or Glasgow'

2010-11-22T16:31:00.001+00:00

"Nato's top civilian representative in Afghanistan has claimed that the war-torn country's capital is safer for children than London, Glasgow or New York.

Senior Civilian Representative for Nato in Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill, said despite the danger of unexploded bombs, Kabul was less dangerous than some of its counterparts in the West.

He told CBBC Newsround: "Here and in Kabul and the other big cities (in Afghanistan) actually there are very few of those bombs. The children are probably safer here than they would be in London, New York or Glasgow or many other cities."

He continued: "Most children can go about their lives in safety. It's a very family orientated society. So it is a little bit like a city of villages."

Kabul has born the brunt of the long-running war and although the security situation there has improved of late it is still deemed a dangerous place to live.

Sohrad, a 16 year old student told Newsround:

"Because of explosions happening in the city it is frightening when we come to school. We are afraid of explosions in the school."

Manija an 11-year-old girl, also from Kabul, said:

"When there are explosions I get sad because people are dying but the next day when they are living a normal life and celebrating I get happy."

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said Mr Sedwill was "wrong" to include Glasgow in his comments. He said: "Of course we can understand that it's very important to reassure children in Afghanistan about their safety but I think Mr Sedwill has got it wrong here. This comparison will simply lead people in Glasgow, London and New York to pull out the statistics showing how very wrong he is and his, very important, the message to the people of Afghanistan will be lost."

Justin Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, said: "It is wrong and misleading to say that children in Kabul are safer than those living in Glasgow, London or New York. Afghanistan is the worst place on earth to be born a child - one in four children living there will die before they reach the age of five.

"We should be listening to what children in Afghanistan are saying. Last year was the deadliest for children since late 2001, with more than a thousand killed because of the conflict. But it's not just about the bombs. A staggering 850 children die every day, many from easily preventable diseases such as diarrhoea or pneumonia, or because they are malnourished.""

'Deathly Hallows' leaked onto web

2010-11-18T11:04:00.000+00:00

"Warner Bros are fuming after the opening 36 minutes of the latest Harry Potter movie was leaked onto the internet.

The opening half an hour of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' was uploaded onto a file sharing website on Tuesday night. It's believed the quality is of a high standard.

In a statement, Warner Bros said the first 36 minutes were "stolen and illegally posted on the internet. This constitutes a serious breach of copyright violation and theft of Warner Bros. property.

"We are working actively to restrict and/or remove copies that may be available. Also, we are vigorously investigating this matter and will prosecute those involved to the full extent of the law."

It's not the first time a high quality version of a new film has been leaked onto the internet before its big screen release.

Bosses of last year's 'Wolverine' movie were up in arms after a studio quality version was uploaded weeks before it opened.

Despite the leak, industry experts are predicting the penultimate chapter in the hugely successful film series will have its biggest opening weekend yet, and is highly likely to join that exclusive box office group - the $1 Billion club.

Other 'members' include 'The Dark Knight', 'Toy Story 3', 'Titanic' and 'Avatar'."

Children see 'Saw 3D' by mistake

2010-11-18T11:00:00.002+00:00

"Families taking their children to see animated hit 'Megamind' in a US cinema were given a nasty shock when 'Saw 3D' was accidentally screened instead.
A theatre in Massachusetts unfortunately played the brutal horror film instead of the animated adventure, leaving kids screaming at the screen. The children were told to cover their eyes as cinema bosses tried to correct their mistake.

It took several minutes before the right film was shown, and so the children would have seen graphic images of a man with his foot cut off, and a woman killed by a buzz saw.

An upset father told WHDH of his traumatised son, "He came and slept with us and we thought we had gotten past that years ago. He said that he had a few nightmares."

Free tickets were handed out by red-faced cinema employees as compensation."

Motion-Sensing Games Console Showdown

2010-11-17T14:02:00.001+00:00

"Shaking parts of your body in front of the telly has become the norm for today’s gaming consoles. The craze that started with Nintendo Wii in 2006 has now spread to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with Sony and Microsoft eager to ride the wiggle wave.

The good and bad news is that all three consoles offer significantly different pros and cons with their motion-sensing thrills. Choosing which is right for you and your family comes down to more than just price point and typical game content, although the latter is your best guide overall.

We’ve broken down the major for-and-against arguments for Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 Move and Xbox 360 Kinect based on a family of four, including one teenager and a little-un. We’re assuming that Dad already has an interest in games and Mum is equally partial or open to persuasion.

In each case the quoted costs are based on the official recommended retail price (RRP) for the console and required accessories. You can, of course, find better offers online or in the high street. As with any gift buying at Christmas, it pays to shop around. Prices are unlikely to get much lower than they are now however, so we advise that you pick the best deal and reserve yours soon.

Nintendo Wii

Price: £179.99 (console inc. two games)

+ £49.99 (additional Motion Plus controller) = £229.98 RRP,

+ £89.99 (‘Wii Fit Plus’ and balance board) = £319.97

In brief: The original motion-sensing console, ready to go out of the box. Nintendo Wii generally targets a younger, family-oriented crowd and the majority of its games use gesture control.

Pros Set up is easy, a narrow sensor sits below or on top of the TV connected by a wire to the console.
Forgiving about the interaction, you can lazily point at the screen under most lighting conditions.
Wii has deserved its fun reputation based on Wii Sports (included) and Wii Fit (sold separately).
Because every Wii console is motion-sensing, most games are created to make the most of this.
As many as four people can participate in one game if you’re willing to purchase more controllers.

Cons Batteries! You’ll find yourself buying lots of these unless you invest in a rechargeable alternative.
Other than child-friendly games and Nintendo titles such as Mario, blockbuster games are scarce.
You can use your feet with Nintendo Wii, but this comes at extra cost for ‘Wii Fit’ or ‘Wii Fit Plus’.
Because not every Wii console has a balance board there are very few games that support this.
Wii doesn’t support high definition and its online support is minimal compared to PS3 and Xbox.

PlayStation 3 Move

Price: £249.99 (160GB console, no games)

+ £49.99 (PlayStation Move Pack inc. controller + one game)

+ £34.99 (additional Move controller) = £334.37

In brief: A high-definition, precision-oriented take on the Wii concept. It requires a PlayStation 3 console to operate, but this already supports a decent range of non-gesturing family titles.

Pros
There is a notable improvement in accuracy when using the Move controller, ideal for sports games.
Visual fidelity adds to the realism with high-definition scenes and detailed avatars to represent you.
Has potential to enhance many traditional PlayStation experiences, including first-person shooting.
As many as four people can participate in one game if you’re willing to purchase more controllers.
Motion-detection is partly handled by a camera, useful for other game types plus video messaging.

Cons
There’s no option to use your feet, although the camera could make this possible to a limited extent.
Only a small percentage of PS3 owners own PlayStation Move, so publisher support isn’t strong.
Calibration is sensitive to light conditions, requiring roughly two metres between you and the screen.
Interaction requires strong gestures owing to the accuracy; you can’t relax as much while you play.
So far even the official Sony titles have received lukewarm reception from the press and the public.
Xbox 360 Kinect

Price: £129.99 (Kinect inc. one game), or £249.99 (4GB Xbox 360 console inc. Kinect plus one game),

£299.99 (250GB console inc. Kinect plus one game)

In brief: Introduces a new concept of motion-capturing your entire body so that you become the controller. It requires an Xbox 360 console, until now served best by the top shooting games.

Pros
Easy to set up next to the telly, the newer ‘Slim’ consoles also have a dedicated port at the back.
Generous with its tolerance of lighting and distance from the screen, it auto-adjusts camera angle.
The controller-free gimmick works extraordinarily well, and getting your legs involved feels great.
Kinect is voice-activated so can be launched from the dashboard without picking up a controller.
The launch line-up is very strong, with at least two potential hits among 20 or so worth considering.

Cons
You need plenty of clear space to move around, with beyond two metres advised for two players.
A maximum of two players can take control at the same time, so forget four-player simultaneous.
Slower response time to actions than Wii, therefore unlikely to enhance traditional Xbox 360 games.
All of the launch games require people to stand and move to play and are, frankly, exhausting.
As with Nintendo Wii, all bases appear to have been covered at launch. Get ready for Me Too titles.

On one hand, and then the other…
So, PlayStation 3 Move looks like having the most potential to enhance familiar blockbuster games owing to its precision response. Meanwhile Kinect for Xbox 360 has paradigm-shifting potential, but could equally fall flat if it succumbs to shovel-ware in its inaugural year. We find it hard to shake the notion that Nintendo Wii is the people’s champ, especially with so many cheaper games available. Judged purely on wiggle-value, Wii remains strong – but hasn’t everybody got one already?

Which of these motion-sensing consoles will you consider buying for Christmas?"

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood - REVIEW

2010-11-17T13:49:00.002+00:00

"The most picturesque adventures in gaming continue with the acrobatic liberation of 16th Century Rome from the tyranny of the Borgias. It’s another slow burner, but when it’s hot it sizzles. Contender for most spectacular game of the year?

Title: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Genre: Action / Adventure

Release date and price: 19 November, £49.99 RRP

What it’s about
‘Assassin’s Creed’ is a romantic series of action games that pushes the technical limits of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with outstanding depictions of the world’s greatest cities in ancient times. Inside these cities a secret war rages between the Knights Templar and a cult of assassins, the latter recently enlisting the help of an Italian nobleman named Ezio Auditore da Firenze. ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is faster-paced than the first two instalments of the series, with Ezio adding more sensational manoeuvres to his free-running repertoire in between scrappier assassinations. Generally it seems that ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is chasing an action-oriented audience.

All the good things
The free-running (parkour) thrills that debuted with the original Assassin’s Creed have become more breathtaking than ever. Ezio is launched rapidly skyward upon tripping a switch to gain height fast, or takes to swinging on lanterns and chains to round corners without losing momentum. Much of the groundwork here was achieved in the previous game, such as renovating the city to open new outlets for armour, medicine, and the latest fashions. This great idea is expanded to include the whole of Rome. Also the city is so vast that Ezio can ride his horse through the streets to save time, or take shortcuts through a network of tunnels. Exploration can be mesmerising due to sumptuous detail in all locations. If fighting is more your thing, you’ll love the way the combat system flows.

Stuff we don’t like
There aren’t any glaring negatives to ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ but, as with previous outings, the first hour or so is slow to get started. A love scene is part of this, and is quite embarrassing – not because you see anything, it’s just daft watching a couple of dorky videogame mannequins getting it on. This is scene-setting, of course, but the storyline elsewhere can be hard to follow when you’re mostly busy figuring out how to climb the nearest tall building or legging it after a terrified Borgias assassination target. ‘Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’ is best when it’s having more boisterous fun.

Should you buy it?
This is a much more balanced experience than the two previous games in the series, and therefore has broader appeal. You can even approach the game as a resource management project to a large extent, as Ezio’s army of assassins grows in number, and Rome recovers under his protection. We can’t imagine anyone becoming bored since you are constantly kept busy, puzzling over the most expedient route to the next Borgias tower or perfecting chained hits during clashes with agile foes. Some of the ambient appeal of the early ‘Assassin’s Creed’ is now lost, but in its place a constantly challenging, multi-layered experience that’s unlike anything else out there… in a good way!"

5 out of 5

Boy, Three, Strikes Gold With Metal Detector

2010-11-17T13:39:00.000+00:00

"A three-year-old boy using a metal detector for the first time has unearthed a gold pendant estimated to be worth over £2.5m.

James Hyatt made the discovery while out with his father and grandfather in Hockley, Essex.

He had only been scanning the soil for a matter of minutes when it started beeping.

The trio, from Billericay, started digging and just eight inches deep, they saw a glint and found what they now know to be a 500-year-old gold pendant.

Dad Jason, 34, said: "James got a buzz after just five minutes. We saw a glint eight inches down and gently pulled the object out.

"Dad was blown away. He'd never found anything like it in 15 years doing his hobby.

"James was so excited to find treasure, though he's too young to realise its significance."

Experts believe the rare locket, or reliquary, dates back to the 1500s and was used to hold alleged parts of Christ's crown of thorns or crucifix.

James, who is now four, said:

"I was holding the detector and it went beep, beep, beep.
"Then we dug into the mud. There was gold there. We didn't have a map - only pirates have treasure maps."

An inquest has declared the reliquary treasure trove and it could be bought for millions by an interested
institution, including the British Museum.

Proceeds will be split with the family and the owner of the field where the pendant was found.
Meanwhile archaeologists in west London say they have discovered an entire Roman landscape beneath the surface of a listed estate.

The find at Syon Park includes a Roman road, settlement and Roman burials which have been lying undiscovered just half a metre below the ground for nearly two thousand years.
The remains were found during excavations by Museum of London Archaeology ahead of construction of a new hotel due to open in the grounds in 2011.

Jo Lyon, senior archaeologist at Museum of London Archaeology said, "We were extremely fortunate to discover such a comprehensive repertoire of Roman finds and features so close to the surface.

"They tell us a great deal about how the people of this village lived, worked and died.

"The archaeology at Syon Park has given us a valuable, rare insight into the daily life of an agricultural village on the outskirts of Londinium (London) that would have supplied the Roman city and provided shelter for travellers passing through.

"It helps us build a picture of the Roman landscape and shows how the busy metropolis of Londinium connected with the rest of Roman Britain."

Thousands of Roman artefacts were recovered from the site, including two shale armlets, fragments of a lava quernstone as well as a Late Bronze Age (1000-700 BC) gold bracelet from an earlier age.
More research is currently being carried out by the museum but the hotel is hoping to display some of the artefacts to guests when it opens next year."

Ryanair passengers refuse to leave plane

2010-11-17T13:36:00.000+00:00

"Passengers on a Ryanair flight bound for France refused to get off the aircraft they were travelling on after it was diverted to Belgium.

More than 100 passengers, most of them French tourists back from a holiday in Morocco, decided to protest against staff's decision to land in Liege, Belgium, instead of Beauvais, near Paris in France on Tuesday night.
They stayed on board for four hours in complete darkness after the plane landed, despite the pilot and crew members having already left the aircraft.
There was no food or water available on the plane, and passengers didn't have access to the on-board toilets, which were locked.
Their flight, which was meant to leave Fes in Morocco at 7.15pm local time on Tuesday, was delayed by three hours, meaning that the plane was no longer able to land in Beauvais as planned, since the French airport was then closed. It finally landed in Liege around 11.30pm local time – much to the passengers’ discontent.
They decided to stay on the plane until someone agreed to take them to their original destination, and it took four hours of negotiations for officials to convince them to leave the aircraft. Passengers were then asked to wait for buses to take them to Beauvais.
A firefighter told AFP: "The negotiation was so difficult that we weren't sure they would come out. People are obviously outraged." "

A lesson of life

2010-11-13T10:39:00.002+00:00

Please help me focus. Please allow me to help others see the world differently. I am not right and neither am I wrong. Just that I look at life from a different lense and very few can understand me.

I am trying not to be judgemental and I am very independant. I know humility is the essence of all but I am not sure how much more can I tolerate. I don’t want to be treated special but just want to be left alone.

Life has no absolutes and we feel to understand that. I want to practice this in life but face challenges as not everyone can think like me.

What can I do:

- Distance myself for a while from those who are destructive or judgemental

- Remain calm no matter what happens but never give up on your own principles

- Help others see through your lenses

- Don’t be rude but affirmative

- Don’t be short tempered but show that you are dissatisfied with the action or statement

- Don’t ridicule others as we are all the same

- Forgive but be direct and open about your views

The Israeli-Palestinian settlement

2010-11-10T13:55:00.000+00:00

In my school there is a Model UN Club. I represent India in it. I will post some of the resolutions that I have written.

Submitted by: The Republic of India

On the question of: The Israeli-Palestinian settlement

Palestine has been calling for statehood for some time now (ever since the “creation” of Israel). Palestinians are outraged by the way that Israel treats them. Hamas have fired rockets into Israel and Israel have sent armies into Palestine. This resolution promotes the peace talks between Palestine and Israel held in Washington D.C.

Shows solidarity towards the innocent civilians of both Israel and Palestine;

Acknowledges the losses both countries have suffered;

Calls for religion to be separated from politics;

1. Demands that the Israeli offer to turn over 97% of the land in the West Bank and all of Gaza, as well as Arab sections of Jerusalem be accepted by Palestinians.

2. Calls for Hamas to be disbanded and formally replaced by a stable democratic governing power

3. Demands that the blockade of Gaza be lifted and full aid given to Palestine

4. Calls for all violence to be stopped

5. Calls for Palestine to be declared a state

6. Calls for Jerusalem to be made into a city state with free access to all.

Euthanasia: The Right to Die

2010-11-10T13:52:00.000+00:00

In my school there is a Model UN Club. I represent India in it. I will post some of the resolutions that I have written.

On the Question of: The Right to Die

Submitted to: The UN General Assembly; 9 November 2009
Submitted by: The Republic of India
Co-submitted by: France and China

The United Nations General Assembly

Acknowledging that modern medicine has not found remedies or solutions for many health ills and diseases,

Understanding the need for people to want and have a peaceful and dignified death,

Acknowledging the feelings of terminally and chronically ill patients and the difficult situation they and their close contacts are subjected to,
Recognizing that religious and cultural sensitivity must be considered in taking this issue forward,
Mindful of the health economics factors, particularly the cost of sustaining the terminally and chronically ill,
Acknowledging the need to balance the request for the right to die and the reasonable concerns of patients who prefer more interventionist treatments,

1. Requests that governments have legislations that draw a clear line between euthanasia and suicide;

2. Calls for liberalization of laws on assisted dying and for recognizing a right to a dignified death as a fundamental human right;

3. Encourages member states to use educational and media outlets to promote the importance of quality of life in a globalised technological society;

4. Encourages closer cooperation between providers of end of life care such as hospices and organ transplantation departments in hospitals to increase the efficient use of resources and improve quality of life overall;

5. Demands the formation of a regulatory body under the auspices of OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) to deal with this matter;

6. Asks for the creation of an international public relations committee to include and engage with all stakeholders such as religious bodies, ethnic or cultural representatives and humanists;

7. Calls for the creation of forums or educational programmes in every country to allow all concerned parties learn and voice their opinions.

I observe

2010-11-10T13:49:00.003+00:00

I can distinctly imagine my self at my neighbour’s house in Malaysia, staring at all the colossal cabinets and huge pieces of furniture around me, each one as tall as towers in a village of huts, so it felt to a young three year old. My eyes swept round the room and as blurry as my memory is, I believe the first object that made a big impression on me was the fish tank right in the corner of the room. At the time it seemed as large and as mysterious as the deep blue sea, with such peculiar looking fish, with all-seeing, beady eyes, following me around as I moved about.

I’d show those fish not to spook me. So I walked straight up to them, gave them a good telling off and for good measure I stuck my hand in and picked up the biggest, meanest, plus the most scariest one. The feeling I had next, is one I still recall to this day, one of absolute, gut-wrenching, slimifiying disgust. I still do not know why, but my reaction was a most peculiar one. I ate it.

The sensation felt like my tongue was burning in a hot pan of stir-fry, my gums were being attacked by a volley of bone-shaped arrows and my teeth, well my teeth were working away on their own accord like pistons on a late train to Oxford.

I left no trace of that heinous deed as I immediately replaced the late fish with a rubber one from my toybox.

I will never forget that taste.

Malaysia - A newly industrialising country

2010-11-10T13:48:00.000+00:00

What industries contribute to the Malaysian Economy?

Malaysia

, situated in South East Asia, is a Newly Industrialising Country (NIC). This therefore means that they are beginning to catch up to the huge cache of trade monopolized by the likes of India, China, and the “Asian Tigers”. The biggest industries in Malaysia are electronics, tourism (eco-tourism, etc), natural resources (timber, tin mining), agro-based resources (rubber and palm oil plantations), and other export-based manufacturing activities. The palm oil industry, and logging is perhaps one of the most controversial of Malaysian exports, with the country, in the 1980’s being the biggest exporter of wood in the world. In recent times, demand, as well as competition, for timber and palm oil, has made

Malaysia

convert more forest land for these activities. Unfortunately, illegal logging and palm oil plantations have been going on, despite the government’s efforts to stop this.

Because in

Malaysia

there is a good infrastructure, and there is a good work ethic, western companies are starting to base their factories there, such as Dyson, Dell, and Mattel. Offices and workers are also cheaper in Malaysia (due to the conversion rates mostly), as the average UK worker’s salary is £9 per hour, and in the UK, the rent for the average office (per square metre), is £114. In Malaysia, however, the average worker’s salary is £3 per hour, and an office is £38 per square metre. Health tourism is another big industry that attracts patients with unique problems, to come to countries like this, for their treatment. I think the reason for this is that in more developed countries, hospitals have lots of machinery and highly advanced equipment. While this is great in most cases, it also results in doctors being trained in “how to operate the machine”, rather than actually using their own medical skills. In developing countries like Malaysia and India (for example) however, these countries cannot afford to have all the hi-tech machines that developed countries have (in some cases this can prove fatal though), this means that while they do have the vital bits of kit for a hospital, they personally, are often more skilled doctors.

How does this affect orangutans and pygmy elephants?

Most main contributors to the Malaysian economies do not affect the life style of orangutans and pygmy elephants. E.g. Dell laptops, Dyson vacuum cleaners, Mattel, some of the top companies in the world, are based in Malaysia but with little link to the Orangutans and pygmy elephants.

But, the two industries that do affect them are the logging and palm oil plantations.

Due to the high rates of deforestation, native species are being displaced; mostly due to loss of their natural food resources; in the process some are killed by humans, or taken as pets; which ultimately leads to family members being separated, especially mothers from children.

Malaysia

produces 51% of the world's palm oil, making up 6% of the country's total exports and 10% of its gross domestic product. 12 million acres of rainforest have been cut down on the island of Borneo (arguably, the larger proportion on the Indonesian side). According to the website of the Malaysian Timber Industry Board, the Plantation Industries Ministry aims to develop 375,000 hectares of forest plantation for timber at an annual planting rate of 25,000 hectares per year for the next 15 years. This is an alarming rate. According to studies, the orangutan might be extinct in the wild within 10 years.

Orangutans have been caught right in the middle of this, they are the true victims. Many are captured and kept as pets, others are killed and used for traditional medicines, and others still, are killed just because they get in the way! But for a lucky few, they are recaptured and brought to Orangutan sanctuaries, such as the “Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary”, in Sabah, one of the states of Malaysia on Borneo. The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned baby orangutans. Set in the lush 4,300-hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, a Centre under the administration of the Wildlife Department of Sabah. While orangutan rehabilitation is still the primary goal at Sepilok, it also focuses on public education on conservation, research and assistance. This is though, only one step towards an ideal, and co-operative world, where orangutans can live in their natural habitat, which are the jungles of Borneo

Pygmy Elephants are the other species in the most danger of becoming extinct. Mammals of their size require large feeding grounds and large breeding populations with an average male to female ratios. Shrinking forests have also brought the elephants into more frequent contact with people, increasing human - elephant conflict in the region. The large blocks of forests they require are divided into smaller chunks by encroachment in forest areas and conversion of natural forests to commercial plantations, mostly illegally. Human disturbances within forests such as logging, increased agriculture, building of palm oil mills with associated settlements and hunting are rapidly breaking up contact between sub populations, as well as minimizing the areas of forests available for each small group to live and feed on.

But the government of

Malaysia

also has its hands tied, and has several constraints. The government is getting a huge boost to the developing economy of

Malaysia

through the palm oil industry, but they also realise that this is not sustainable. For example, there is a lack of resources in to catch poachers. There aren’t any local experts, but I did a bit of research and found out that in Oxford Brookes, they offer a “Primate Conservation” course, perhaps more developed countries should send experts to work with the government of Malaysia, or even offer scholarships to take such courses. But the government has not been entirely negligent; they have taken measures to curb illegal trading and to improve its legislations. For example, timber that is logged legally, now bear an official “stamp” that certifies it was logged from a sustainable area. This important step is to inform buyers not to buy illegal goods on the cheap. I’m not trying to say that the Malaysian government have totally clean hands, but I’m saying that it is not entirely their fault. You must ask: “Where is this demand coming from?” The answer is: YOU. After all, 1 in 10 UK supermarket goods contain palm oil. This whole situation could be compared to what is going on in the Amazon rainforest. If buyers stop buying unapproved timber with lower prices, the demand for timber will go down, and people will stop illegally cutting down habitats, food sources for orangutans and pygmy elephants; and some of the oldest forests in the world.

What caused the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami and what effect did it have?

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The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake. With a magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3, it is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. This earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate about 1 cm and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Its hypocenter was between Simeulue and Banda Aceh, mainland Indonesia, which therefore meant that this conflict-ravaged area was the worst affected.

The tsunami itself was caused due to a massive displacement of water. When the denser Indo-Australian Plate slipped under (subducted) the Eurasian Plate, instead of letting the Indo-Australian plate just subduct, the Eurasian Plate rebounded upwards about 20 metres, which is what caused such a massive displacement of water. This tsunami behaved very much like other tsunamis at first. When it was in deep water it travelled at a fast velocity of 1000km per hour, but slowed down to 10km per hour when in shallow water, creating extremely large destructive waves. Measuring no more than a few centimetres in open water, the tsunamis grew rapidly in height as they approached land. Some of these waves reached heights of 30m.

These tsunamis had utterly disastrous consequences. All of the countries affected were still developing countries, and the coastside buildings were mostly fishermen’s huts, or beach side resorts. This meant that the buildings were neither sturdy, nor prepared for any sort of natural disaster, let alone a tsunami. Tsunamis were not very common in the Indian Ocean, so the coastal communities in these countries were unaware of the threat posed by tsunamis, and therefore totally unable to cope. Many low-lying, flat islands in the Indian Ocean (e.g. The Maldives) had been hit as well, and the fishing and tourist establishments were right at the water’s edge to maximise use of the magnificent beaches. This meant that the tsunami rolled well inland, and even inundated some smaller islands. Perhaps one of the largest causes of the large death scale, is that there is no early tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean. Only Thailand had one and even that clearly failed to work.

The United Nations has compiled an analysis that states that a total of 229866 people were lost, with 186983 dead, and another 42883 missing. In Myanmar, only 61 people were reported to be dead, but most people think that 400 to 600 people died.

Symbolic value of "Vanitas", the painting

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I think that the meaning behind this painting is, that when you go through life’s journey (walking cane) and all that you have (items and ornaments), all that you take part in (easel, suit of armour, musical instrument, sword), and how educated you are (thick books, quills, writing books), in the end everyone dies (skull and crossbones). In the right hand corner of the painting, there is a sort of throne, but it’s in the shadows, which also represents that in the end everyone dies the same. Finally, the final piece of symbolism, is that the painting itself, is called “Vanitas”, which is Latin for “Vanity”.