zaterdag 20 juni 2009

Plead for 1989 Hillsborough 69 disaster to be further investigated

In order to plead for further police investigation of the Hillsborough disaster which happened on 15 April 1989, a march took place in London. Five families who lost their loved ones at the disaster, were marching towards 10 Downing Street, with more than 4000 supporters to join them. Their goal was to force the government to realise further investigation of the horrible tragedy. On 15 April 1989, 96 fans were crushed to death in a large crowd of football fans, during Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest. People from all over the world have signed the petition in order to show their sympathy.

Personal reaction to this topic:
Just imagine being crushed in a large crowd like that. What a horrifying way to die! I must say that I am always very cautious when I am standing in large crowds. It is very intimidating to have so many people that are surrounding you. Accidents like this have unfortunately happened before at events where many people were gathered at the same time. It is for the organizations to take precautions so that these tragedies will never happen again. I sincerely hope that the request of the families who lost their beloved, will be taken seriously. Hopefully this will bring a certain closure for them, so they will be able to move on with their lives.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8110552.stm

Romanian families terrorised by two racist teenagers from Belfast

A 15 and 16 year old boy from Belfast have terrorised more than 100 Romanian migrants. The attacked Roman families had to flee their homes and find shelter in the church hall for temporary housing. As a result of the attacks, many Roman families have now decided to leave Northern Ireland. They are even considering going back to Romania, in order to seek happiness there. The two youngsters have both been charged for their racist actions. About 200 people participated in an anti-racism rally at Belfast City Hall on Saturday. Patricia McKeown, of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and Barbara Muldoon, of the Anti-Racism Network, have both taken a firm stand. They have strongly convicted the brutal racist actions.

Personal reaction to this topic:
Racism is a serious crime and is unfortunately still happening in society today. Racism will probably never be banned, as some people will always put the blame of things on others. The article does not say why the two boys attacked the Romanian people. So it is hard to understand their motives. I am wondering what type of families the two boys are from. Whatever the motive for their actions may be, there is no justification for racism. Not in any case!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8111278.stm

Trawling leads to damage to the British sea bed

Trawling is proven to be a serious threat to the British sea bed. This method of catching fish, which consists in dragging a trawl net through the water, causes damage to the British sea bed. Scientists have been analysing the condition of the seabed, by using deep sea photography. Also there are records of hundred years of fishing, which the scientists have used for their research. The test results have shown that in places where there is no fish trawling, there is a better marine eco system. The fish quantity has also suffered as a result of fish trawling.

Personal reaction to this topic:
Now that I have read this article, I think that trawling should definitely be banned. There must be other ways in order to get fish from the sea which are sufficient, but less destroying for the marine eco system. This issue should be made a top priority for politicians all over the world, not only in Britain. If the sea bed is threatened in Britain, this problem will probably also occur in other countries. We are all responsible for the environment, off shore and on shore. The sea is full of astonishing creatures so let’s treasure it for life!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6545630.ece

Parents Amy Winehouse are still worrying over alcohol addiction

Amy Winehouse’s parents, Mitch and Janis, are proud to say that their daughter has shaken off her drug addiction, but they are still worried sick because of her alcohol addiction, which is still existing. Amy’s parents are aware of the fact that it is probably the substance in itself, which makes Amy unable to stop drinking. When Amy was on a drug rehab, she still could not let go of the booze. Mitch and Janis are relieved to say that Amy will divorce Blake Fielder-Civil very shortly. It will be better for the two addicts to be separated, in order to get control over their drinking habits again.

Personal reaction to this topic:
It must be heartbreaking for parents to deal with a child who has a serious health condition. People who are in showbiz, like Amy, are constantly exposed to alcohol and drugs. And the pressure from the media must be very hard for them to handle. I think of Amy as a very talented musician and it shocked me when I saw some footage of her once, when she was sniffing cocaine on stage while performing. I do sincerely hope that she will be able to get her addiction in control again. But I think she has a strong personality so she should be fine in the end.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2484585/Amy-Winehouses-parents-have-pleaded-with-her-to-stop-drinking-before-it-kills-them-as-well-as-her.html

Defeat for the Lions against South Africa

Although the Lions were definitely on the losing hand at half-time, the British rugby team managed to make an astonishing comeback. Yet, it was only five minutes after half-time, when the Springboks immediately attacked again, leaving the Lions behind worrying. The African team should be careful though, as the Lions put up a good fight with two talented newcomers, Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts. The Springboks, however, had already made up their minds in advance, wanting to take revenge after having been defeated by the British team in 1997, and so they did. The final score was: South Africa 26 Lions 21.

Personal reaction to this topic:
Although I still do no not understand all the rules of rugby completely, I can really enjoy watching a good match. I was introduced to rugby by my former teacher of English, Nigel Clements. Nigel has become a dear friend of mine, who takes me to the Irish pub in The Hague occasionally. There we always watch the game together. Nigel always speaks very enthusiastically about rugby. That is why I would like to find out more about it too, so I will be able to discuss the game with him afterwards. Also, it is great to speak to Britons who come over to the Irish pub, in order to train my speaking skills.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/rugby_union/2492607/South-Africa-26-Lions-21.html

Return to daily life after having lived in retreat as a Buddhist monk

Gelong Thubten, a 37 year old guy from the Home counties, has returned to society after having lived in retreat as a Buddhist monk for four years. He decided to volunteer and to dedicate four years of his life, in order to live shut off from the outside world together with 14 other monks. He has had some rough times though, living apart from his family. On the other hand, this four year period has been most fulfilling for him. Gelong Thubten feels that he can use his experiences as a Buddhist monk in his further life, in order to help other people.

Personal reaction to this topic:
This subject immediately caught my attention, as I am very much interested in Buddhism in general. As a matter of fact, I am taking a Buddhist course myself this summer, in France. Buddhism originates in India but it has spread all over the world. I have been practicing Buddhism for two years now and it gives me a certain inner peace. Also, Buddhists are very focused on world peace which I do admire very much. Buddhism should not be considered a religion, as there is no God that you worship. I think it should be considered a philosophy. I am practicing Nichiren Buddhism by the way, which does not set limitations whatsoever. The organization is called The Sokka Gakkai, which is a Japanese lay organization.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6538999.ece

The world’s oldest man is now from Britain

A man by the name of Henry Allingham, now holds the title of “The Oldest Man Of The World”. Mister Allington, who served in World War I, has outlived Tomoji Tanabe, who was the oldest person among the living up until now. Mister Allingham now has the age of 113 and he has lived during three centuries. Revealing his secret of how he became the world’s oldest man, he said: “The trick is to look after yourself and always know your limitations”. Mister Allingham feels he would like to go now, as he is ready to die peacefully.

Personal reaction to this topic:
First of all I would like to say that I have great admiration for the elderly. We should never forget that they have gained certain wisdom over the years. Therefore, older people have so many interesting things to tell younger people. It is a shame that the elderly are sometimes neglected in society. They are often considered old-fashioned or even inconvenient because people do not want to be bothered looking after them. I can imagine that people this old, would like life to end. Who wants to outlive their children, relatives and friends? I most certainly would not!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6537430.ece

Truck bombing kills 25 people

Many people have become victims of yet another truck bombing in Kirkuk, situated in the north of Iraq. It is estimated that at least 25 people were killed in the attack. On top of this, about 150 people were wounded as a result of the attack. As the US forces are about to leave, people are seriously worried that violence might get even worse. Iraqi security forces will soon have to deal with security problems all by themselves. There have been several bombing attacks in Iraq already, which have been of great concern. The Iraqi leaders however, are not concerned that the withdrawal of Us forces will lead to serious security problems. The Iraqi forces should be able to deal with situations like these on their own.

Personal reaction to this topic:
One does wonder why these bombings are still taking place in Iraq. The country has luckily been freed from Saddam Hoessein, who was arrested on 13 September 2003 by American troops. Obviously the US forces have not been able to create a safe environment for the Iraqi. I find it very shocking to see that Iraqi insurgents are still causing trouble concerning human rights. It is my opinion that people have no right to kill others because of their own convictions. The Iraqi people should join forces and try to make Iraq a country they can be proud of. Killings are not the way to achieve this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8110807.stm

maandag 8 juni 2009

Treatments for sleepwalking

The media have given lots of attention to bizarre accidents which were the result of sleepwalking lately. Only last week a thirty-three year old woman was acquitted of the charge of suffocating her very own mother by pushing a pillow onto her face. In a reaction to the acquittal, in this article some useful tips for potential precautions are given, in order to show the reader how they can prevent unfortunate accidents from happening. The easiest measures to take are closing the bedroom door or closing the windows. In the worst scenario medication should be prescribed.

My boyfriend’s little son of eight years old sleepwalks occasionally. We put a wet towel on the floor of his bedroom the other day, so that he would wake up if he stepped on it. I think he has not been sleepwalking ever since. So, there are fairly easy ways to take precautions. With children it is often only a temporary habit. I had not realised that sleepwalking occurs among adults as well. I guess it does not run in my own family. It is rather strange to think of it; one half of the brain is awake, while the other half is asleep.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article6438635.ece

zondag 7 juni 2009

5 bodies from Air France flight 447 have now been recovered from the Atlantic

In total, five dead bodies have now been recovered from the place where the Air France plane has probably crashed. The Brazilian army has stated this. Also, more bodies seem to have been seen from above the ocean, according to the Brazilian authorities. The corpses have been taken to the islands for further investigation. Apart from France, also the United States have now offered to send help, in order to help investigating this tragic accident which happened in the Atlantic Ocean.
Among the passengers were five people from Britain.

Personal reaction to this topic:
Tragedies such as this will unfortunately always happen. How devastating it must be for those poor families, that are going through a horrible nightmare right now. Not knowing what has happened to your loved one, must be the most terrible thing that can happen to a person. I do sincerely hope that all the bodies will be recovered very soon. If these corpes will not be found very soon, it will not bring closure for the people who stay behind. They will not be able to say goodbye.
www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2468564/Bodies-found-from-crash-plane.html

65th anniversary of D-Day

On 5 June 2009, the 65th anniversary of D-Day was celebrated. Many British veterans have taken part in the memorial events which were held in France last Saturday. Prime minister Gordon Brown and Prince Charles attended the memorial ceremony. They were accompanied by the French president and the president of the United States. During the festivities, the arrival of the parachutists was replicated. Some of the original parachutists who landed in France in 1944, were now the eyewitnesses of the replication of the mass-drop.

Personal reaction to this topic:
I think it is wonderful to see that D-Day is an event which is still celebrated today. The fact that there are British veterans who are taking part in de celebrations I find very touching. We must never forget what the veterans have done for the countries that were victimised by World War II.
I happen to have met veterans from Canada three years ago, who were taking part in celebrating events in Groningen. After having spoken to some of them, I realised how grateful we should be that they have risked their lives for us. If it had not been for the veterans we would probably be living in a country named Germany now.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8084353.stm

zondag 19 april 2009

Real talent comes from within!

Did you all see the show "Britain's got talent"? Everybody was expecting the jury, especially Simon Cowell, to start insulting Susan Boyle, a forty-seven year old woman from Scotland. Apparently Cowell had already made up his mind about her before she even gave her performance. This woman did not have the looks of a pop star whatsoever. She had a double chin, her hair looked very frizzy and her eyebrows were too thick. But when she started singing, the audience went hysterical! She has made a deep impact on everybody and has already been invited to great TV shows in America, like Oprah and Larry King.

Personal reaction to this topic:

I am telling the absolute truth when I say that I broke into tears when I heard this woman singing a song from "Les Miserables". She stood there singing with so much dignity and she was very convinced of her own talent. I think that she has proven that you do not need to have the looks of a pop star in order to become famous. She gave away a stunning performance and I do sincerely hope that she will get a fair chance in her singing career.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

donderdag 16 april 2009

I've created my very own blog!

Hello everybody!

How easy can it be to create your very own blog?
Even I can do it!

I can't wait to start the real blogging, as this is only a test.

Please feel free to put your personal comments on this blog site. I am open for any of your suggestions.

And good luck with your own blogs!

Kind regards
Geri