iblog

Rushda: BBC Radio 4’s newsreader Charlotte Green has caused hundreds of comments being sent in as she started laughing on air whilst presenting this morning. The well-known 50 year old reader, who incidentally has also been voted to have the “Most Attractive Female Voice on National Radio”, was discussing an ancient recording of the human voice when she started giggling uncontrollably. She squirmed her way through her next news story which, to put the cherry on the cake, happened to be on a death. Here is the clip.

Green, who is also said to have done a very similar thing ten years ago, is embarrassed about the incident. She says it was sparked by a colleague telling her that the sound was like a “bee buzzing in a bottle”. Describing how difficult it was to keep a straight face when discussing the death of screenwriter Abby Mann, Green said:

“I’m afraid I just lost it, I was completely ambushed by the giggles. I did feel slightly embarrassed, knowing I have this reputation that I am prone to getting the giggles”

However, many listeners found the incident cheered up their day, with Today’s editor, Ceri Thomas, saying that most listeners who contacted them said “how much they had enjoyed the moment”. Not only that but Green’s fit of the giggles was repeated on later in the day as there had been so many requests to hear it again. As Green says:

“People have been very sweet and everyone has been coming up to me said how much it has cheered up their Friday morning.”

Whilst some may have found the incident insulting, I’m glad that most have been amused to witness their favourite dignified newsreader reduced to this state on air. Personally, I completely empathise with Charlotte as I know full well how difficult it is to stop laughing sometimes, and the more you try and suppress it, the worse it becomes! It is just unlucky how bad the timing was. Let’s hope any offended listeners can take this very human behaviour with a pinch of salt.

Rushda: The world’s biggest fast-food provider McDonald’s has just been approved to have its own McDonalds qualification, different componants of which could add up to count as an actual A-Level under the new Diplomas offered next autumn. McDonald’s is in fact one of a number of new firms which are introducing government-regulated qualifications, other major companies being Flybe and Network Rail.

Many are undestandably critical, saying that such a move could give the illusion of academic rigor and thus give a whole new meaning to the already-ridiculed “mickey mouse degree”. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has, however, given the new ventures his wholehearted approval, reassuring everyone that this does not mean we are dumbing down as a nation. He says on GMTV about the course:

“It is going to be a tough course, but once you have got a qualification in management you can probably go anywhere. I think that is the important thing, companies prepared to train people up which they weren’t doing before, in the way that we want them to do, in a far greater number, so that people have the qualifications for the future.”

It certainly seems though that the government is doing everything it can to get more people getting qualifications, even if it does mean the qualifications have little respectable substance. When universities were asked whether they would accept such a qualification as a genuine one, predictably they were not too keen. Out of the ten admissions tutors who were asked, at least four said that they would not accept the new Diplomas.

Even though they may not be accepted as sturdy A levels, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) have insisted that their approval now presents McDonald qualifications as being on par in terms of assessment. A spokesperson from QCA says:

“The Qualifications Credit Framework is a new framework that allows nationally recognised courses to be broken down into units. It is componentised so if a learner drops out of a course or can’t manage to complete they can take those units with them. McDonald’s have achieved the standards for awarding accredited qualifications at Level 3. This will enable them to assess, track and recognise learning that otherwise would be lost.”

Personally I’m in two minds over this. On the one hand, it’s great that vocational workplace skills are being given some recognition and next time I order a burger I won’t end up with a McFlurry, but at the same time the snobby Oxbridge student in me wants to stamp my foot down in outrage. An A-Level for McDonalds? However good it may be for the restaurant chain itself, I doubt this wolf in sheep’s clothing will get a non-McDonalds supper.

Rushda: A photograph taken on Mars by a Nasa spacecraft has sparked much excitement and many debates across the internet, as the photo appears to show a figure similar to that of a man striding across the surface of the red planet. This a new craze to hit net users, many of whom now believe that this is essential proof that there is conscious life on Mars.

The photograph taken by spacecraft Spirit in 2004 can be seen here. As you can see, there is a tiny peculiar shape in the left of the image which looks almost human. Whilst most would say that this is just a coincidental angle on an ordinary rock, others believe that this is something more incredible. Initially when the photographs were viewed after the mission, many were disappointed that there was nothing unusual in them, and only now have they discovered something that may be not so mundane.

What is particularly interesting and amusing is the number and variety of the theories posted online from excited space fans (who may, or may not, have been watching too much science-fiction). Bloggers have said everything from the figure being a conventional alien to the Virgin Mary, or even a mermaid. And the list doesn’t stop there. Garden gnome and Bigfoot are also on the list amongst others. The most popular opinion is that the figure resembles the Little Mermaid statue in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

Funnily enough, if we think about it properly, all the hype surrounds a centimetre of something blurry which is identical to all the rocks around it in everything but its shape (which, too, isn’t very detailed). As Badastronomy.com said,

“A man? It’s a tiny rock only a few inches high. It’s only a few feet from the rover!”

I guess it’s up to everyone to make their own mind up now. Personally, I think we’re all just desperate to hear some good old cosmic goss’ but like others I’m unconvinced that such a small image is anything more than a funny-shaped rock.

Virgil: You’ve taken your dog for a walk on Poll Na Crann beach - known locally as Stinky Bay - and the worst you expect to find is the smell of fermenting seaweed. However it was a lot more fishy when such a dog-walker stumbled upon a huge unidentifiable metal container measuring 27 metres high. The tank, which is so large it can be seen as you pass in a car, was washed up on the west coast of Benbecula, in the Western Isles.

The huge object has been described as looking like a “silo”. It has no marks apart from two numbers, which experts are trying to use to identify the tank’s origin. It is thought that the object fell from a ship, and is probably a bulk storage tank containing liquids. However, despite this sordid diagnosis the incongruent object has been a source of intrigue among the local population. Alasdair MacEachen, assistant director of environmental services at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, commented that:

“It’s certainly generated a fair bit of interest with people walking on the beach or just travelling along the road, because you can actually see it from the main road along the west side of Benbecula. It’s a big object so you can’t miss it, and it’s not often you see something like that on the beach.”

The authorities are considering anchoring the object down - not to make it a permanent tourist attraction, but rather to avoid any tragedies. As it was so precariously brought to shore, it is likely to continue roll over as the tides wash by, and an object of that size could be fatal to anyone caught in the way of its movement. Furthermore, they want to avoid the silo from rolling back out to sea, where it could become a hazard to any closeby ships. MacEachen continues:

“Although it looks as if it’s empty and it’s been ruptured, my advice would be not to go too close to it. It’s a fairly light construction so you don’t want it rolling on top of someone, and with that sort of thing you can never tell. My advice would be to just observe it from a distance.”

One can only wonder how such a huge object managed to disappear from a ship without being noticed, and how it managed to get washed all the way back up to shore?

Rushda: It was strange enough when public figures such as Tony Blair and Oprah got their own YouTube channel but this is probably a whole new kettle of fish - the Queen on YouTube? No one would have ever expected it but she’s here in all her 81 years of glory on her very own new channel.

Her channel, which is naturally called The Royal Channel, will air the Queen’s Christmas day message together with other interesting footage about the monarchy. The launch of the channel also “marks the 50th anniversary of the Queen’s first televised festive address in 1957″. The palace is hoping that the channel will help the monarchy connect to young people who often miss out on the Queen’s yearly speech. The speech will be aired at 1500 GMT on Christmas Day.

The Queen has always admitted that some changes must be made in order to adapt to modern times. For example, back on her first television address in 1957 she said:

“I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct. That it is possible for some of you to see me today is just another example of the speed at which things are changing all around us.”

A spokesperson from the palace said upon launching the channel that the Queen still wants to remain in touch with the times:

“She has always been aware of reaching more people and adapting the communication to suit. This will make the Christmas message more accessible to younger people and those in other countries.”

Personally I’m quite impressed with the layout of the channel. Only the royals could have managed to make even a channel on YouTube look elegant and classy! Something tells me, however, that the Queen won’t be an active and addicted YouTube member churning out her responses daily in text speak. Unfortunately her appearences will be probably be rare and with little affiliation with the site. However, it is certainly an odd concept that she is “on there”, especially considering the amount of abuse and spam the channel will get. Well, good luck to her! Maybe if she does something entertaining on YouTube, even I will tune in on Christmas day!

Rushda: A scientist has recently claimed that men are naturally more prone to have a sense of humour because of the hormone testosterone. Professor Sam Shuster, of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital conducted and examined studies of the behaviour of men and women in humorous situations to come to the conclusion that men not only tell more jokes than women but that their humour is more “aggressive” as well.

Shuster, who is also a unicyclist, conducted an experiment whereby he examined how different genders reacted to him performing his activity in public. He noted that whilst women were polite and encouraging, men jeered, using humour in a way to humiliate the unicyclist. For example, many men were abusive and said mocking things like, “Lost your wheel?” with 75% of the men responding to the show verbally whereas most women remained quiet. As Shuster remarks:

“The idea that unicycling is intrinsically funny does not explain the findings. The difference between the men and women was absolutely remarkable and consistent. At 11-13 years, the boys began to get really aggressive. Into puberty, the aggression became more marked, then it changed into a form of joke. The men were snide.”

As a woman, naturally I feel snubbed by the results of the study and find it a little misleading. Whilst it may be true that men are more aggressive than women, I don’t understand how it follows that they have a better sense of humour - surely the link isn’t so obvious! I would never have thought humour is anything to do with aggression, unless of course we are talking about the jokes told by drunken pub louts… but then, that isn’t really humour is it? The study is showing not how men use and react to humour but how perhaps important it is for them to look cool in front of other men and women! As such, I think that it is difficult to say who is really more humorous.

Rushda: A recent survey conducted by the Television channel UKGold has revealed what people consider to be the UK’s craziest laws, with the most voted being that it is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. Believe it or not, the law does still exist on the statute book - and needless to say, so wrong, on so many levels!

The 3,931 people surveyed had to pick from a list of nominated stupid laws. Included amongst the favourites was the law against sticking a stamp upside down and the very ironic ban against eating mince pies on Christmas day. The entire list can be seen below:

1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen’s image upside-down.
3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish store.
4. Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned.
5. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter.
6. In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman’s helmet.
7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen.
8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing.
9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armou.r
10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.

Most people will be incredulous to note that all of these laws still exist - probably due to simply never being removed from the book (for example, Oliver Cromwell decided the mince pie law in the 17th Century) or because of some niggling pedantic loophole.

I personally had not heard any of them, but they are certainly an amusing read! Maybe this will alert me not to wear a suit of armour on my next tourist trip to London, or alternatively, tempt me to wee in a policeman’s hat when pregnant just because I can…

Rushda: It is one of the mysteries of life that no one has really been able to answer before - do fish go to sleep or do they just “rest”? Since fish have no eyelids, the question has baffled scientists and laymen alike, but now we finally have the answer! A study has found that not only do fish sleep but they also enjoy a good lie-in, particularly after a rough night.

The study, which was conducted at Stanford University in the United States, consisted of observing the behaviour of zebrafish. Scientists repeatedly disturbed the fish with “mild electric shocks” to keep them awake at night and the results showed that the disturbed fish tried to “catch up” on sleep they lost after they were left in peace.

Not only have these results helped us understand the lifestyle of fishes, but the researchers believe that they will also help us with human sleep disorders. Zebrafish were selected because they have a similar central nervous system to mammals such as humans, so by analysing how they develop sleep disorders will mean we can make progress on the science of sleep in general. According to the researchers:

“Sleep disorders are common and poorly understood. Further, how and why the brain generates sleep is the object of intense speculations. In this study, we demonstrate that a bony fish used for genetic studies sleeps.”

So perhaps the next time you come down past the fish tank in the middle of the night, you should be quiet so as not to disturb the sleeping fish!

Jeanne: Just when you thought medical marvels couldn’t get any stranger, here’s another report to startle and amuse you. Doctors in Australia recently saved the life of an Italian tourist by feeding him vodka through an intravenous drip. This followed a failed attempt by the 24 year-old to commit suicide by poisoning himself. The treatment was carried out whilst the patient was in a coma. Having run out of medical alcohol – an effective antidote to the poison, the doctors had to resort to using concentrated vodka in an attempt to save the patient.

According to Dr. Todd Frasier of hospital in the Queensland hospital:

The patient was drip-fed about three standard drinks an hour for three days in the intensive care unit. Fortunately for him he was in a medically induced coma for a good portion of that. By the time he woke up I think his hangover would have well and truly gone.

The patient was hospitalized for 20 days following the incident and is currently receiving counseling. Whilst the actions of the doctors have been praised, however, some critics have pointed out that the hospital shouldn’t have run out of medical alcohol in the first place. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that the doctors involved deserve to be praised for their willingness to innovate and adapt to difficult situations.

Rushda: It may seem like something out of science fiction, and it’s difficult to know how seriously to take it, but scientists have produced money which can be used in outer space. The Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, conveniently abbreviated as Quid, is for the use of inter-planetary travellers when space travel becomes more common in future.

The currency has been specially designed by scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester for the foreign exchange company Travelex. One of the developers ,Professor George Fraser, is excited about the new invention and says:

“None of the existing payment systems we use on Earth - like cash, credit or debit cards - could be used in space. Anything with sharp edges, like coins, would be a risk to astronauts, while the chips and magnetic strips used in our cards on Earth would be damaged beyond repair by cosmic radiation.”

The Quid coins are specially adapted to outer-space because they have no sharp edges so will not damage anything if they accidentally float free in space. They are made of a polymer which has previously been best used for non-stick pans.

The technology comes after much speculation that space travel will become very common in the near future. Indeed, predictions from the National Space Centre state that even tourist facilities on the Moon by 2050 are a real possibility. There are all sorts of things currently being developed for space tourism - from an inflatable space hotel being produced in the US to VirginGalactic developing spaceships for ordinary use. It only then makes sense, say these scientists, to have a way of using money whilst in space.

The confidence these scientists have is indeed astounding. As Travelex say:

“It’s only a matter of time before people will be walking up to our shops and asking for Quids for their two weeks in a space hotel.”

Furthermore, what’s most bizarre is that they have even decided already what the conversion rate is, currently quoting £6.25 to the Quid!