iblog

Rushda: Alternative medicines and treatments such as aromatherapy and homeopathy will start to be regulated this year by the government for the first time. Not only have alternative treatments always been regarded with some suspicion before for how well they work, but their very dubious nature has allowed many practitioners to take advantage of the fact that there are no rules and they have been able to market whatever they like to gullible clients. Thus a new organisation called the Natural Healthcare Council, backed by the Prince of Wales, will make sure that certain minimum standards are met in both the medicines offered and the abilities and professionalism of the practitioners.

Even though some alternative remedies are regarded as bogus by many, millions of people in the UK regularly use them. Indeed, it is estimated that £130 million a year is spent on complementary medicines with the figure sharply increasing by the year. The scheme will cover all complementary treatments such as “aromatherapy, reflexology, massage, nutrition, shiatzu, reiki, naturopathy, yoga, homoeopathy, cranial osteopathy and the Alexander and Bowen techniques”. Surprisingly studies have also shown that over two thirds of people in Britain believe that such remedies are valuable, many even claiming that they are the same or even better than conventional treatments.

It is therefore worrying that currently, unlike conventional medical practitioners, anyone can actually set themselves up as a reiki or reflexology professional and they would not be breaking any laws, leading much of the public into thinking that they are actually qualified. Now, the public will hopefully be able to ascertain the quality of different practices by checking if they conform to the government standard. Though joining the scheme is voluntary, businesses will lose out if they fail to give customers any evidence of their professionalism.

As Ian Cambray-Smith, of the scheme, says:

“Although it is a voluntary scheme, we believe that in dealing with misconduct by therapists it will be almost as robust as statutory regulation, and as tough as we can make it. Suspension from the register will be the ultimate sanction. It will be good for practitioners, good for patients, and even good for the NHS. If there is a complaint, the council will convene a board of lay people, plus two practitioners, to review the case. If it is proven, a second board will determine what disciplinary procedures to take.”

Personally I am very sceptical about any alternative treatments, as they are probably harmful at worst and placebos at best. Whatever your views on them though, it is clear that there will be a lot of hoaxes amongst the genuine treatments. Therefore any proper regulation on the part of the government can only be a good thing.

Kayleigh: Britney Spears has gone crazy after losing her court battle against ex husband Kevin Federline to gain sole custody of her two sons Sean Preston and Jayden James.

The famous pop star has also lost the right to visit her young sons.

Police and ambulances were called to her LA mansion after she refused to hand over her sons after a monitored visit to Kevin’s bodyguards on Thursday.

Britney locked herself and her two children in her bathroom and it took four hours for police and medics to get her out.

Britney is now in hospital after being stretchered out of her LA home. Britney may now have to face up to 30 days of mental evaluation, and has been placed on “5150 hold”, meaning she is considered a danger to herself.

A source told us.magazine.com, “They had to strap her down like a mental patient and she was going between laughing and hysterics. She just went crazy.”

According to The Daily Star newspaper, reports showed Britney had attempted to take her own life by mixing drink and drugs.

A friend of Britney’s said: “We’re so worried. She’s acting weird and may never get full custody of her boys again after taking them hostage.

“She desperatley needs help. These are not the actions of a well woman.”

Federline and Spears married in September 2004 and had a rocky marraige before they divorced in July 2007.

Kevin Federline’s lawyer, Mark Kaplan said: “I’m not happy about any of these events. There’s no winners here.”

The events follow after a turbulant year for Britney, who shaved off all her hair in February 2007, before smashing a car up with an umbrella.

The 26 year old’s singers mum, Lynne Spears, said: “Let’s just say prayers.”

A new custody hearing has been set for January 14th.

Whilst I do believe that primarily children should be with their mother, Britney has been going off the rails for some time now. She needs to clean up her act before she can be taken seriously by any US court for custody of her children. The priority in this case is the children’s safety.

Rushda: A new study has found that despite there being many benefits of low-energy lightbulbs in helping the environment, they can in fact be harmful to those with skin conditions by causing painful rashes to develop or worsen. Thousands of people are at risk if they have photosensitive skin problems.

Fluorescent bulbs, which use about a quarter of the energy of conventional bulbs, have long been marketed by the light industry as one of the major things we should all be switching to in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, they are part of the government aim which is to stop the sale of ordinary bulbs by 2011 in order to meet its environment aims. This is all particularly worrying as there are more and more low-energy bulbs coming into use in the home and also in public places.

Many experts including British Association of Dermatologists has asked that the switch shouldn’t be made too hastily and people with such skin conditions must be able to continue to use ordinary bulbs and insist that their workplaces use them under the Disability Discrimination Act. After all, the problem is a serious one and it is estimated that 100,000 people in the UK with the condition will be affected in some way. However, representatives from the lighting industry say that there should be no need to carry on using conventional bulbs as they will now develop alternatives to fluorescent bulbs.

Dr Colin Holden, President of the British Association of Dermatologists, said:

“It is important that patients with photosensitive skin eruptions are allowed to use lights that don’t exacerbate their condition. It is essential that such patients are able to protect themselves from specific wavelengths of light emitted by fluorescent bulbs, especially as they are often trapped indoors because they can’t venture out in natural sunlight.”

For those who have long insisted that low energy bulbs are the ultimate way forward, this new piece of news puts them in a problematic position, especially considering that only recently it was announced that low-energy bulbs are bad in other ways, including causing migraines. It seems that as a nation we have become obsessed with saving the environment - at the expense of possible harm to ourselves.

Kayleigh: Drivers have been warned that the freezing temperatures and snow could severely affect Britain’s roads today.

Most of Northern England and Scotland woke up to a blanket of snow this morning, and the weather is expected to continue for the rest of the day.

The Highways Agency have urged drivers to check road conditions before they set out and avoid unnecessary journeys. Motorists have also been advised to wear warm clothing and to carry an emergency pack in their car containing items such as boots and a spade.

Temperatures today are between 0 and 3 Celsius, however the wind will make it seem even colder.

Snowfall is expected to be up to two inches (5cm) deep in parts of England and Wales. Scotland is expected to be the worst hit however, with predictions of up to six inches 20cm (15cm) by tonight.

Helen Chivers, from the Met Office said: “There will be frost and ice all over the country, and we are likely to see some flurries of snow.

“We could finally have a white winter almost anywhere in the country because the temperatures will be low enough, but the east of England and the Midlands are the best bets for a dusting of one to two centimetres. On the Chilterns and in some parts of Scotland, we could see up to five centimetres settling.”

Gritters and snowploughs already began clearing most of the UK’s roads lastnight. Network Rail also said it had staff ready to clear the tracks to reduce disruption to Britain’s rail tracks.

Another Highway Agency spokesman stressed how important it was for drivers to be extra careful in these bad weather conditions. They said: “It can take ten times longer to stop when it is icy, so allow more room to slow down and stop.

“Avoid losing control of your vehicle because of wheel spin, by using the highest gear possible. Avoid sudden braking, acceleration and sharp turns.”

The cold weather is not expected to last, with forecasters predicting temperatures of up to 8 Celsius tommorrow, and double figures by the weekend. However, the freezing temperatures are expected to return next week. Weather-Action said: “The winds from Siberia will return, making it one of the coldest winters for two decades.”

Kayleigh: Several universities in the UK have announced they will be charging thousands of students as much of £7,000 a year for their tuition fees.

The news comes as several universities say government ministers have cut their funding.

Instead, the money that is due to be cut from universities will be used to provide an extra 20,000 full-time places for undergraduates who have not already studied for degrees.

The cuts of around 100m a year will affect about 170,000 part-time students, as well as many others studying shorter full-time courses. The government say they are also cutting funding for those studying for their second degree.

The universities which have been hit worst by the cuts, which are due to come into force in September 2008 are Oxford University, who will lose £4m, and the Open University, set to lose over £30m.

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said: ”For the tax payer, funding people for a first degree has to be a higher priority than supporting those studying for a second degree.

“We have however been consulting on the detail of implementation and a whole range of second degrees such as vocational foundation degrees to help people re-skill will be protected. No university will lose in cash terms.”

Universities claim they have no other option but to charge students £7000 for a year of tuition, the same as what overseas students pay. But not everyone agrees with their decision.

The University and College Union’s (UCU) general secretary Sally Hunt said: “We fully support initiatives to encourage new learners into higher education but we cannot support doors being slammed in the faces of others who wish to develop their skills. These cuts completely undermine the Government’s desire to provide the workforce with accessible part-time provision.”

As a student myself, I am against increasing tuition fees, I think they are already high enough. The government claims they would like 50% of young adults to go to university, but I think they are being hypocrits by increasing the fees and putting off those bright, poor students out there who simply can not afford the governments hefty fees.

Kayleigh: More than 250,000 teachers have left their careers due to being unsatisfied with it, a government report has found.

The Conservative Party thinks the main reason for teachers wanting to leave their jobs is because of poor discipline in schools.

Almost 100,000 teachers quit between 2000 and 2005- which is double the amount that quit between 1995 and 2000.

The Tories are blaming the findings on Labour and believe that teachers cannot stand teaching under their rule.

Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said “Not only are our children not achieving as they should, talented teachers are not where they should be - in the classroom, opening young minds to new horizons.

“With more than quarter of a million gifted professionals no longer in teaching, we have to ask why they’ve given up on education under Labour. I fear that classroom bureaucracy, Government micromanagement and poor discipline has encouraged a drift away from teaching.”

But not all believe Labour is to blame for this current trend. Jim Knight, the Schools Minister, said that Labour has supported teachers more than any other previous government.

He said “Recruitment into the profession has never been more buoyant, and teaching is now the career of choice for many highly qualified and talented individuals. Indeed, Ofsted has said this is the best generation of teachers ever.”

I am not so convinced however. I cannot blame teachers for wanting to leave their jobs. It was only recently I was speaking to an old teacher of mine and he told me how he had gone to teach abroad as he didn’t like the school system in the UK and thought discipline was poor. The fact is children are becoming more disobedient than ever, and the government aren’t helping by reducing the amount of punishment teachers can give. Something needs to be done soon so teaching can become an attractive profession again, like it should be.

Rushda: Thousands of shoppers have crowded British shops early today in order to grab bargains in the end of year sales. With big brands making big cuts in prices, it seems that everyone would rather turn up outside shops in the early hours of the morning instead of traditionally celebrating Boxing Day with the family. Indeed, this year has been a record year as many shops have claimed that sales queues more than doubled from last year.

The huge queues started shortly after 4am this morning, focussing on Oxford Street in London. It is claimed that up to £1000 a minute was being spent at some shops today. The prices, naturally, were very attractive with stores such as Birmingham’s Selfridges offering up to 75% reduction in price of goods. In the Oxford Street branch, over 9,000 customers walked in in the first hour of sales in the morning, and it is estimated that “500,000 shoppers ventured into London’s West End” today.

The sale chaos wasn’t restricted to London, as Essex’s Lakeside shopping centre was also packed with thousands of shoppers, the quantity being a third higher than last year. It is thus clear that this year marks a record in sales and that the perks of Christmas are far from ending for shopowners. As Richard Dodd, from the British Retail Consortium, said:

“Today is much busier than Boxing Day last year as more stores have started their post-Christmas sales early, rather than waiting till tomorrow. It’s clear that retailers are going to have to offer bumper sales to tempt customers in, because finances are under strain this year. A lot of customers are reluctant to spend and there are worries about how their finances are going to stand up.”

What I don’t understand myself is why people go through all the bother to brave the crowds and spend hours sifting through items by hands so early after Christmas. In my experience online sales are much better because you can do it all from the comfort of your own room in half the time! Thankfully, other people have had this good sense too, as statistics show that “3.6 million people spent part of their Christmas Day searching for good deals via the internet”.

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: The Nintendo Wii is the most sought after present this Christmas, with stocks heavily running out by the hour and many distressed parents not able to secure one before the big day. Though like all novelty gadgets, the hype is often disproportionate to the product, but it is easy to see why the Wii is in so much demand. It marks a revolution in gaming as now players can feel truly involved in their games by being able to use the Wii in a variety of innovative ways. Whether you want to play tennis or bowl, fight or drive, all these things can be simulated with the Wii in more realistic ways than pressing buttons. Furthermore, an extra appeal is that the Wii has been marketed as an “active” console, with players no longer slumped motionless on the couch.

Though this may be true to some extent, it is very important to take this claim with a pinch of salt and understand that the Nintendo Wii cannot replace other forms of more strenuous exercise. Young people are at particular risk from obesity and require at least an hour of exercise a day which cannot be taken from playing on the console. Indeed a new British Medical Journal study has found that in fact Wii players only use 2% more energy than players of other consoles. This may promote an “every little help” image, they admit, but it is wrong thinking that it is enough. As a spokesperson for the study said:

“These increases were of insufficient intensity to contribute towards recommendations for children’s daily exercise. Although this figure is trivial it might contribute to weight management. New generation computer games stimulated positive activity behaviours - the children were on their feet and they moved in all directions. Given the current prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, such positive behaviours should be encouraged.”

The obesity crisis in Britain has hit children the worst, with more than a third of twelve year olds overweight. Whilst the Wii may provide more activity than conventional consoles, it is perhaps still more dangerous to believe, and let children believe, that playing games on the Wii is enough. Well, so much for childrens’ hopeful dreams!