Marina Chapman, born in about 1950, kidnapped when she was 5 years of age and abandoned in the jungle, decided to publish her book entitled “The Girl with No Name” and to tell the story of her ordeal to help highlight the horrors of human trafficking in South America.
Knight in Sordid Armour Featured
A knighthood is of course the greatest national honour attributed to people in our country. Although critics will say otherwise, they’re not often given lightly and those who receive them have generally achieved a great deal throughout the course of their lives and have often benefitted society through their works, most often through charitable side-projects. Despite the appearance of becoming a celebrity worshipping institution, knighthoods are most often given to celebrities who have used their fame for good.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s work as a football manager by itself may not seem knighthood worthy when looked at as the isolation of a man doing his job well for a few decades, but the fact that his work has contributed to the propulsion of a club – who themselves, as many football clubs do, do a lot of good for the community and charities around the world – into a position as one of the world’s leading clubs, then his ‘services to football’ all of a sudden seem worthy of such praise. Sir Ian Botham’s charitable exploits through his fundraising walks, the impact of Sir Clive Woodward’s victorious England side in enthusing youngsters to play rugby (as well as his work with Wooden Spoon) and Sir David Attenborough’s years of service in the BBC and environment causes, all of these knights of the order have merited their position through charitable work and the positive impacts of their professional excellence.
Newsnight Chief Resigns Featured
Peter Rippon “is stepping aside” as Newsnight editor following reports that Rippon dropped a report into the claims that Sir Jimmy Savile had sexually abused multiple people while at the BBC. Mr Rippon denied that he was pressured into the decision and claimed it was due to editorial reasons. The BBC issued a correction to Rippon’s claims on his blog about why he dropped the report. It said the blog was “inaccurate or incomplete in some respects”.
The BBC released a statement which said the following, "The BBC regrets these errors and will work with the Pollard Review to assemble all relevant evidence to enable the review to determine the full facts. In addition, the BBC has announced that Peter Rippon is stepping aside with immediate effect from his post while the review by Nick Pollard... into the management of Newsnight's investigation, is carried out."
The hypocrisy of the boycott Featured
The story that will never end. One day it will end and it will hopefully end positively, but racism in British football, as a story has become tedious.
Racism in world football is still a prevalent issue that must be addressed – the outrageous abuse in Serbia to England’s under 21s suggests as much – but racism in British football had largely been defeated until incidents within the last 12 months. Back with a bang came racism in football via the mouths of Terry and Suarez, reminders of British football’s difficult recent history immediate. But the incidents are remarkable and that in itself is a good thing. Whereas such verbal abuse would have been common only a couple of decades ago, now they are rare and received with national outcry. Fan racism has significantly declined too, with incidents such as the fan’s racist abuse to Oldham player Tom Adeyemi at Anfield last season leading to the fan being arrested again being a rare incident.
Griffin's Troublesome Tweets Featured
Grand shock horror, Nick Griffin is in the news for the wrong reasons. This time the BNP leader is in trouble for his antagonistic tweets towards the gay couple who won their case against B&B owners for discrimination. The case was a significant one for LGBTQ rights and although the case isn’t actually overly simple, Griffin’s simplistic and aggressive response to it is shameful. The case is complicated because it also brings the rights of property owners into account, as well as reigniting the Christian ethical debate on the matter – it should be noted that the B&B owners have refused unmarried couples the right to share a double bed, the same refusal as what befell Michael Black and John Morgan. But the hostility and self-indulgence of Griffin’s tweets are just embarrassing.
Missing Munchie Featured
There are many annoying things on this planet of our's. Russell Brand and Esther Rantzen spring immediately to mind. Now I come to think of it so do late people and mosquitoes. Then there are those lefties who rant on about mansion taxes whilst forgetting their own buy-to-let next door. Let's not even get started on diving in football matches or the nonsensical jabberings of Cristina Kirchner or Hugo Chavez...
So what do you do to lower the stress levels?
I tend to walk the dog or focus on something completely different. Sometimes I will walk down to Waitrose and buy a packet of Munchies.
The unfortunate thing is that often a Munchie has been nicked from the end of the Munchies packet. Now I know to check so I get a full pack but in the past I've opened the packet only to find that some fingersmith has sneaked up while the security guards are not looking and pinched one from the end of the pack. The stolen Munchie - sometimes 2 stolen Munchies - devalues your purchase and devalues the Munchies experience.
So what should Nestle do?
Changing the traditional packet would be a sad but logical change for the better. Putting a plastic sealed wrap on the pack or a more rigide seal similar to a Starburst or Mentos pack would be possible. Perhaps turning the Munchies into a break-off bar would be possible also? The eggheads at Nestles better get a move on because Munchies are the elite chocolate snack and are priced as such.
I look forward to change from Nestle. I have written to Nestle's HQ for some feedback and shall report to all Munchies fans if there will be the desired change we all need soon.
If you know anyone who pinches end Munchies from packs, please report them soonest to the authorities. Munchies thieves beware!
Dominic Wightman is Editor of the Westminster Journal.
Boris: Thatcher Should Have Won Featured
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who has previously spoken out against the EU, declared that this year’s Nobel Peace Prize should have been awarded to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher rather than to the European Union, saying that the Nobel committee "must have been out of their minds to ignore all human candidates and award the prize to the European Union."
In an article for the Daily Telegraph, Johnson wrote: “We can only wonder what madness took hold at the judging lunch the other day, when that committee of Norwegian worthies was asked to appoint this year’s winner of the prize,” he scoffed then added, “Perhaps they were drunk; perhaps it was one of those morose Scandinavian afternoons when the sun has sunk and there is no alternative but to hit the aquavit. Whatever it was, they must have been out of their minds to ignore all human candidates and award the prize to the European Union. And for bringing peace to Europe!”
Westminster care older drinkers Featured
Think binge culture is only a problem for the youth of Britain? Think again. Westminster Council is to ask a London-based charity to work with older residents with drinking problems in order to help them to deal with their excessive drinking. People over 55 at risk of alcohol induced problems in Westminster will receive help from the service.
The charity is the Foundation66programme, which has been active in Kensington, Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham councils. It is being used now by Westminster council to try to help older people from avoiding drink-related ill health. One person who has been helped by the charity is 72 year old Elsa from Kensington and Chelsea who drank heavily in her late 50s and beyond after the passing away of her husband.
Barclays Capital analysts cut BT Group's price target from 260p to 230p naming issues about growth in the telecoms group’s corporate business and downgraded their rating to an “equal weight" from "overweight" in a note issued to investors on Monday. They currently have a $3.70 (230 GBX) target price on the stock.
The bank cautioned that poor economic environment could affect BT's corporate business, and its recent move into sports broadcasting may increase its cost base since it paid £738m for the rights to show live Premier League matches beginning next year. Barclays said: "BT investors have ridden a wave of buoyant fixed line market and cost cutting which has provided three years of material earnings growth and share price outperformance. Some of these themes are set to continue into 2012 - cost cutting and line rental increases - but we believe a worsening macro environment will negatively impact the 50% of BT that is corporate, causing an increasing drag on growth and risk to the revenue outlook."
Reboot your Office Featured
Reading this in an office? If you are and you feel numbed by the dullness of your surroundings or you’re a boss whose office isn’t getting the best out of your employees, then you may want to consider doing something about that. There are various companies whose office design and planning will allow for the office atmosphere you want, whether that is dynamic and efficient or relaxed and friendly. One such company is JS online, who are perhaps the best office furniture company in London and the South East.
Rather than leaving you aghast with the wide multiplicity of options available for every single facet of your ideal office, JS has years of experience and understanding of office planning and as experts they can manage the process from initial consultation through planning and design to the furniture installation and interior fit out for you. They provide innovative office interiors that take care of partitioning systems, storage walls, ceilings, lighting, air conditioning, data cabling, flooring and blinds. Their unparalleled portfolio of products allows for the right furniture as they offer competitively priced products on time and within budget. They also pride themselves on offering the “same professional approach” on everything from the “upholstery of one chair to the complete refurbishment of a building”.