News Roundup

News Roundup takes a quick look at items of interest seen in the news during the last 7 days.

Artificial Lifeforms

A US team of scientific researchers under the direction of controversial team leader Dr Craig Ventner are just months away from making a synthetic organism. The first artificial life form is likely to be a simple man-made bacterium that proves the technology can work.
Researchers at the J Craig Ventner Institute in Maryland claim this would lead to more complex bacteria that turns coal into clean natural gas, or algae that can soak up carbon dioxide and convert it into fuels. Mind boggling stuff!

Hidden Cost Of School Uniforms

Schools minister, Ian Wright, has accused some schools of inflating the cost of school uniforms by forcing parents to buy from from one supplier. Research suggested parents are paying £45 million a year over the odds because of 'sweetheart' deals between schools and suppliers, whereby the school get a share of the profits.
I think we shall hear more on this scandal.

The Other Side Of The Law

Clarissa Dickson-Wright, one half of the motorcycling cookery duo, the 'Two Fat Ladies', together with race horse trainer Sir Mark Prescott, have been charged with attending events where hare coursing takes place and will appear in court tomorrow.
The action has been brought by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Clarissa, who was the youngest woman ever to be called to the Bar, will now find herself on the opposite side of the law.

Enough To Drive You To Drink

Polish lorry driver Slawomir Jablonski swigged so much vodka as he drove along the M20 motorway from Dover to London that he was 'comatose' when police found him.
Motorway police went to the stationary lorry thinking it had broken down, but reeled back from the stench of alcohol as they opened the cab door.
Mind you, Britain's motorways are enough to drive anyone to drink.

News Roundup

News Roundup takes a quick look at items of interest seen in the media during the past 7 days.


Gud On Ya Pete

You have to admire Peter Andre for the way he has handled the break-up of his marriage to Katie Price (aka Jordan). Whilst Katie has been seen all over the media cavorting with the new man in her life, Peter has maintained a certain dignity, quietly getting on with caring for the couples three children, two of which belong to Andre and a third from Katie's previous marriage. Despite being devastated by the split Peter Andre has conducted himself impeccably. Pity that Katie didn't do the same, if only for the sake of her children.


I want to be an MP

I read an interesting article last weekend about the amount of time MP's devote to our interests. A comprehensive 'parliamentary census' shows that for the first time in history, the average Commons day is less than the typical eight-hour working day of most of the population. The report also shows that inflation-busting rises in their wages and expenses have doubled the cost of an average MP (I like the use of the word average) from £125,000 a year to £250,000 in less than 20 years.

Similarly House of Lords expenditure has doubled between 2001 and 2008, rising from just under £67 million to more than £121 million. Little wonder the country has had no leader for four days whilst Gordon Brown, Harriet Harmon and Peter Mandelson have all been on holiday at the same time.


Shaping the future of the humble oxo cube

I see that oxo makers Premier Foods are about to produce an 'x' shaped oxo cube in place of the traditional square shape, which has been part of Sunday roast in family homes for nearly a century. From next month the cubes will have notches carved into the sides to give them a distinctive new shape (does this mean we get less oxo for our money). No say Premier Foods the size and weight of the block would remain unchanged. The makers claim the notches enhance the crumble. I very much doubt it will have much impact on my lumpy gravy.

News Roundup

News Roundup is a new feature being introduced into the Journal. Each week we shall be taking a quick luck at items of interest that have appeared in the media during the previous week.

Sense at last on Afghanistan

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, speaking in Afghanistan, believes the long-term answer to the problems there would be to involve the Afghan government engaging with elements of the insurgency. Ministers hope the Taliban can be divided into a hardcore of Al Qaeda sympathisers and others who might be brought into the political process. Announcing an initiative in which Foreign Secretary David Miliband would set out a new political strategy for Afghanistan to Nato in Brussels, he told Chanel 4 News; "David draws a very clear distinction between those who are irreconcilable, and who for reasons of ideology or reasons of support for international terrorist networks see no future as part of a democratic Afghanistan, and the significant number of fighters who are there for reasons of desperation. That is why it is right to engage in what is often a challenging conversation."It seems to me it has to be worth a try, after all it brought peace to Northern Ireland.

Cheap Beer

It is refreshing to drink a cool pint of lager on a nice summers day, even more refreshing to read that the brewery which produces the country's most popular lager has called on the government to set minimum prices in a bid to tackle dangerous binge drinking. Molson Coors, which makes Carling, has linked up with the British Medical Association and the chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson. In times of recession we all want lower prices, but until as a nation we learn to drink more responsibly, I don't think it should be applied to alcohol.

The Pope and the Visionary Priest

The Pope has defrocked a priest who, it is claimed, is responsible for the phenomenon of the Virgin Mary appearing in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje. Father Vlaslc was named as the 'creator' of the phenomenon by Pavao Zanic, the local bishop at the time the apparitions began in 1981. Months later, six local children said they had seen the Virgin on a nearby hillside. Soon after Father Vlaslc announced he was 'spiritual adviser' to the 'visionaries' who now claim that Our Lady has visited them 40,000 times in the past 28 years. An estimated 30million pilgrims have visited the shrine since 1981, including many from Britain and Ireland. Father Vlaslc was suspended last year and secretly defrocked by the Pope in March. The Vatican also began an inquiry into claims he was guilty of sexual immorality after he made a nun pregnant. I was under the impression the church were all for promoting miracles, not denouncing them. One thing's for sure when it comes to publicity Saatchi and Saatchi had nothing on this guy!

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Beware of Iced Coffee

A recent report highlights the fact that drinking iced coffee can be seriously damaging to your dress size. Iced coffee drinks sold by High Street coffee shops can contain a quarter of a woman's recommended intake of daily calories. One of the worst offenders contains a whopping 561 calories. So, before sipping your next cream topped favourite iced coffee check out the following table to see just how many calories your drinking.

I know you'll still pop in to the nearest coffee shop when your next out shopping. But, at least I did try to warn you!