iblog

Rushda: Many women have been sceptical in the past about so-called “age defying” creams, as most tend to be just overpriced moisturisers. But scientists have recently given one mediocre-looking brand a huge green light for being an anti-wrinkle cream that actually works. This No 7 Protect & Perfect Serum doesn’t cost much at just over £16 but has had phenomenal success, even featuring on a BBC Horizon programme. Since then there’s been absolute chaos in Boots as thousands of women have tried to grab a jar before it becomes too late. Indeed, all Boots stores have now run out of the cream with many eager women still trying to grab jars any way they can. What a business booster for No7, who have always been a average-budget makeup brand! And what a blessing for those who have spent years trying to find something that’ll banish lingering lines! Glad it’ll be ages (hopefully!) before I need one, but I’m comforted in knowing that the days of wrinkles may soon be long-gone.

Rushda: They may still be baby-like creatures, but the Teletubbies are celebrating their 10th birthday today, with the show still remaining one of the most popular programmes for babies and young children. They are actually bigger than I thought they were: the show has generated over £500m after being broadcast in 120 countries and it’s been translated into 45 languages. Well, I never thought they were that entertaining until I acquired a baby niece who still insists I watch it repeatedly with her on the computer every day. It’s crazy how the classic “Eh oh!” drives me up the wall each time I hear it and yet it is music to hers and countless other babies’ ears.

Caroline: For school children struggling with Shakespeare help could be at hand. The University of Warwick is introducing a new postgrad course designed to get actors into the classrom to assist teachers in bringing Shakespeare plays to life. It can be very dull for pupils studying Shakespeare from the text rather than seeing them as plays to be performed and this is where the actors will be able to help out. Teachers often lack the dramatic know-how and actors don’t have the teaching skills. Hopefully this new innovation will benefit everyone involved and inspire a generation to whom Shakespeare has seemed a closed book.

Caroline: Whatever guidebook you take on your travels to Thailand it is almost bound to point out the gravity of insulting the revered King of Thailand, King Bhumibol. Even defacing a bank note depicting his face is an offence. A Swiss national found out to his cost this week that the Thai courts mean business when trying offenders. The 57 year old man had sprayed black paint on a poster of the king and now starts a ten year sentence having been found guilty on five counts of “lese majeste”. Perhaps he should take comfort from the fact that he is serving his sentence at Chiang-Mai prison and not the infamous “Bangkok Hilton”.

Rushda: What in the world are modern artists playing at nowadays with these so-called profound pieces of art? The latest controversial piece is a 6ft chocolate sculpture of Jesus on the Cross, aptly named “My Sweet Lord”. It has been made by Canadian-born artist Cosimo Cavallaro and is featuring in an exhibition this Easter (again aptly) in New York. Even though I find the concept and the artist’s ‘wit’ rather amusing, I doubt that much thought went into it. I mean, “sweet” is really as far as the metaphor goes. The other features of chocolate are far less favourable and I doubt Christians will be too happy to be presented with a huge sticky naked edible Jesus.

Rushda: Following my recent blog about the new cover for Harry Potter, I was reminded of the strange concept of producing adult versions of books designed for younger readers. I really can’t understand why there are so many adults who want to buy ‘grown-up’ versions and publishers cater for them by producing more mature looking covers. Given that the adult covers rarely look very exciting (for that would defeat the object it seems) the reason behind buying them must be motivated sinply by embarrassment in reading what obviously looks like a children’s book. Can’t they see that there is absolutely nothing wrong in being able to enjoy children’s books? Surely if a story is good it doesn’t matter who it is designed for. Why care so much about what people will think when they see you at a bus-stop or on the train reading one of nation’s obvious favourite books? To be honest, people who do this should be more embarrassed about reading the adult version as all it shows is a kind of pretentiousness that should not go with the pleasure of reading something simple like Harry Potter.

Caroline: It seems that it is not just MySpace and Facebook that can catch you out (see my blog below). A motorbiker who filmed himself whilst doing 170mph , doing “wheelies” and weaving in and out of traffic on the A1 then went on to post the footage on YouTube. Police were therefore able to identify him and the unnamed man is due to appear in court soon where he could be given a custodial sentence for reckless driving. If he is convicted he will make the record books, not for his stupid and dangerous stunts but for being the first person to be successfully prosecuted for speeding using online footage.

Caroline: As many users of MySpace and Facebook know to their cost, embarrassing photos can come back to haunt you. Scottish teenager Stuart Douglas, who is the youngest candidate in the Scottish elections and is challenging the First Minister Jack McConnell, has had to apologise to his supporters after pictures of him in various drunken poses were posted on MySpace. The sad thing is that the photos were not put there by wily political opponents but by his “friends”. With friends like these who needs enemies?

Virgil: The rockstar and campaigner Bono, of U2 fame, recently was Knighted in Dublin. However, as he is not a British citizen he is not entitled to be called “Sir” - the decoration is more of an honour in recognition of his work campaigning against poverty. I find it strange how Knighthoods seem to be dealt out left, right and centre these days, but I’m not sure how to judge this particular case. Whilst Bono must be commended for his very good intentions, and the use of his wealth to at least some good end, this is also the writer of those classic lyrics… “Here’s to you! Raise a glass for everyone! Here’s to them! Underneath that burning sun!” …does he know what ‘tact’ means at all?

Virgil: In a recent poll, it was ascertained that the majority of NHS workers wouldn’t want to be patients at their own Trusts. The figures are thus: 39% of staff would be happy in their own care, 27% would not, and 33% aren’t sure. This is worse than last year. But perhaps this is due to another statistic: the amount of staff that feel that patients are a top priority. I was stunned to learn that in polls, this number was only 45%, down from 50% 12 months ago.

This is all wrong. Aren’t the health services there for the patients? Although this, we would hope, is true, financial pressures force staff to focus on other things than the patients. But perhaps monetary worries are not the only things dissuading staff from putting patients first. Maybe this in turn is due to yet another statistic: the amount of staff who suffer attacks from their patients. I was again stunned to learn that this number was 31%.

What is going on here people? The NHS provides top quality treatments and procedures and is free. Why are patients attacking their staff? Why are staff disregarding their patients? One spokeswoman comments, “a much more robust deterrent is needed to crack down completely on abuse and attacks on health staff”, whilst another explains that “the problem lies with the way patients are treated before and after they get treatment.” Can’t everyone just play and be nice?