Extremists Barred From UK
October 29, 2008
At last tougher measures are being put in place to prevent extremism in the UK. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that those who are preaching anti-Britishness will not be allowed to enter the UK.
Since 2005, there have been 230 people barred from the UK, but up until now their identities have remained a mystery. Now, in some cases their names will be made public. Of the previously excluded people there have been; holocaust deniers, neo-Nazis and animal rights activists, with around 80 being religious extremists.
It is expected that Mrs Smith will announce her full plan later today and will look to call coming to the UK a ‘privilege’ which shouldn’t be abused.
Conservative Home Affairs Committee member Patrick Mercer worries that the measures will target the wrong people and has said:
“It’s the people who are working undercover, who aren’t known about, who are working inside the community and influencing people there, they are the really dangerous people.”
Chris Huhne, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman said that the plans didn’t go far enough to dealing with those already in the UK and preaching on the web. He said:
“The main problem with these sorts of eye-catching gimmicks is they don’t make us any safer at all. What we’re looking for is delivery.”
I think that this is a step in the right direction. Being British is a very lucky thing indeed. The UK is open to immigrants more than most countries and we are happy for people to join our culture. It is a shame that the small minority that insight hate give a bad reputation for the many that contribute and engage in our society. If there were better measures in the UK to deal with those who have no intention of becoming British and do not want to integrate into our communities, then it is likely there would be less bigots hassling those who do.
No National Day For Britain
October 28, 2008
Plans put forward by Gordon Brown for a “national day” have been scrapped, despite a need for a celebration of Britishness in the UK. 
The idea stemmed from America’s 4th July celebrations and Frances Bastille Day and was to urge Britons to be more patriotic. The day was first promoted by Brown after the 7/7 bombings and was recommended as part of the citizenship review by Lord Goldsmith.
However, Constitution Minister Michael Wills said;
“A number of Lord Goldsmith’s recommendations merit further consideration across Government and will be taken into account in discussion and debate on policy development in these areas. However, there are no plans to introduce a national day at the present time”.
Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne proposed that the June bank holiday weekend be made the ‘Great British Weekend’ to celebrate what we loved best about Britain. This would mean that Britons would not get any additional bank holidays.
Nick Herbert who is the shadow justice secretary told the Daily Express;
“First a national motto, then an oath of allegiance, now a patriotic day - one token initiative after another in Gordon Brown’s Britishness agenda has sunk without trace. Labour still hasn’t worked out that British identity is bound up in our institutions, culture and history. It can’t be re-manufactured by their spin doctors.”
Global Economic Trauma
October 27, 2008
As share prices continue to fall, European markets have hit a five year low figures show this morning. This follows Japan’s Nikkei index which closed earlier at a 26 year low, causing investors to fret about global economic slowdown.
Market Strategist, Neil Parker from Royal Bank of Scotland said;
“There’s lots of volatility, not just in the equity market, but in the interest rate and currency markets too, we’re going to get further big swings as the markets watch for what the authorities are going to do.”
The economic crisis is literally a global problem, all markets are down and in many cases are in the worst shape in the last ten years.
The G7 are warning that the strength of the Yen is threatening economic stability and are currently trying to reduce the value of the currency. Though the Yen briefly weakened over the weekend it quickly climbed back to its 13 year high over the dollar. The strength of the Yen is attributed to the carry trade, where traders borrow the Yen in order to buy other currencies with higher interest rates.
As the difference between Japanese and other currency rates grow less and less carry trading has taken place. These traders are now using other currencies to buy Yen which is boosting the currency further.
General trauma in all financial markets and it’s not going to get any better any time soon. I think it’s best for Gordon Brown to let the market run its course… I can just see him scraping this £50 billion together and it going straight down the pan!
Britons are best preparing themselves for a rough ride; markets go through peaks and troughs as a natural economic occurrence. No amount of bail out money will change the current cycle we are in.
Victoria Secrets Treasure Chest…
October 24, 2008
Talk about the height of extravagance! The lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret is currently promoting their new product and quite frankly the ultimate stocking filler! VS commissioned Martin Katz, jeweller to the stars to produce the most extravagant hosiery item yet.
The Victoria Secret brand chose Adriana Lima, Brazilian beauty and supermodel to wear the extravagant number for this seasons Christmas Dreams and Fantasies Catalogue.
The black diamond fantasy miracle bra has 3,575 black diamonds, 117 one carat round diamonds, 34 rubies and 2 black diamond drops which in total equates to 1500 carat weight. This feast of diamond luxury doesn’t come in cheap, with a cost of $5 million!
I know what I want Santa to bring me this year… though I can’t see it happening!
Project Relocation To Manchester
October 23, 2008
I have recently moved to a new apartment in Manchester which has taken many, many viewings to find one I liked. I am quite sure that over the last few months in my mission to relocate I have seen every type of apartment on the market. Ranging from the grotesque, partially built and the far too nice to be in my price range apartment.
Seriously though, the some of the bathroom suites I saw; the first one was like a seventies throw back… please see the picture to understand something like the sheer horror I encountered!
I am a modern girl; I like modern features within my home. I even saw a basement apartment; no natural light; it would have been like living as a mole in a burrow. Is it so much to ask to find a nice home, possible to actually live in, that isn’t in the middle of the ghetto?!?!
Anyway, I am now relocated. After the trauma of seeing so many unsuitable places and then when I eventually did find two I liked someone had already put a deposit down an hour before me… literally picked to the post!
So, feeling done in by the whole relocation mission, I finally found what seemed like the last apartment in Manchester and quickly applied to put down a deposit. Now my flat is right next to a duel carriage way, with 24 hour traffic, I might as well live the house in the middle of the M62!
It’ll do for the next six months, though next time I think I’ll be more patient with the situation.
Laser Eye Treatment Even More Common
October 20, 2008
The number of people using laser eye surgery has increased significantly over the last 7 years. Sir Elton John is among those who have gotten rid of their spectacles and undergone eye surgery.
Obviously traditional methods to deal with eye surgery such as glasses and contact lenses are way of coping with the problem rather than sorting it. 
The treatment works by using a laser to change the cornea’s shape, the cornea being the clear part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil. So to break this down, short-sightedness is treated by reducing the thickness of the cornea, which brings images into focus properly.
There are a number of different types of eye surgery that patients can undergo and they generally cost around £500 per eye. Various treatments include LASIK, LASEK and PRK being the older version of these. All these treatments are deemed safe and approved for use in the UK, though medical opinion is divided on some of the newer treatments. This is mainly because there is little evidence relating to the long term effects of the treatment. On top of this no surgery is risk free and eye surgery is exactly the same. In some cases people have suffered and had major complications, requiring a cornea transplant after laser treatment.
That said only certain people are suitable for laser eye surgery, generally healthy adults whose prescription has not changed in two years. So all precautions are taken to ensure that patients are safe and with movements in technology the safety aspect will only grow. Not only this, but with medical advances all the time, soon even more people will be suitable for the treatment.
Huge Ostrich Sandwich Made By Iran
October 18, 2008
The country Iran is attempting to produce the world’s largest ostrich sandwich. The event is taking place at a food festival in Tehran, in an attempt to promote healthy eating.
The organisers of the food festival event want to highlight Iran’s fledgling ostrich farming industry.
The sandwich will take around 1,500 cooks and will use 1 tonne of ostrich meat to make the 1,500m long snack.
The event organisers are hoping that the dimensions will be enough to gain them a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the biggest ostrich sandwich ever.
Iran is very proud of their national cuisine which includes meals such as ‘fesenjan’, a meat stew made from ground walnuts and pomegranate juice in a tangy sauce. Ostrich meat has half the amount of fat as chicken, plenty of iron and hardly any cholesterol as well as apparently being very tasty.
For my part I’m not sure that I could eat such an eccentric bird, the thought of eating Ostrich is very much out there with eating crocodile or monkey?! I think I’ll leave the Ostrich eating to the Iranians!
Madonna and Guy Announce Divorce
October 17, 2008
Madonna appeared on stage the night she and Guy Ritchie announced their divorced after nearly eight years of marriage.
Liz Rosenberg, Madonna’s spokesperson said that relations between the couple have been cordial and it was expected that they would agree to settle out of court. This statement came after several months of speculation that their relationship was in trouble.
Guy and Madonna appeared together last month at the premiere of RocknRolla, walked arm in arm and posed for the paparazzi at Leicester Square.
The statement that was issued on Wednesday said:
“Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after seven and a half years of marriage, their representatives confirmed today. They have both requested that the media maintain respect for their family at this difficult time. A final settlement has not been agreed upon yet.”
Beckham Memorabilia Theft
October 14, 2008
In the news this week, formers housekeepers of the Beckhams have been arrested after suspicion of theft from their Hertfordshire mansion.
A man (55) and woman (56) both from Essex were already arrested and on bail for theft at a country 
mansion. The suspicion arose after memorabilia belonging to the couple was up for sale on EBay.
The matter is now in the hands of the police, a spokesman for the Beckhams said. Hertfordshire police have said the theft was reported to police on Friday 10th October and are currently investigating the crime.
EBay have said that they are co-operating with the force to find out what has happened. An EBay spokesperson said:
“If it transpires that our site was being used to list stolen goods then we will work with the police to press for the harshest penalties”.
Prince Turns Down Cameo In Dr Who
October 14, 2008
Prince Charles turned down a role in to star in Doctor Who the producer has claimed. Russell Davies spoke at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and call the Prince “a miserable swine”.
Apparently the offer was turned down on the Princes behalf and he never saw the offer. A spokesperson told the BBC:
“We receive a great many requests and it’s impossible to accept them all”
Russell Davies revealed that he had no regrets regarding his four year tenure as chief writer for Doctor Who. He said:
“There’s nothing I regret, the show has stayed successful and popular and good, so I’m really proud of it.”
Davies is currently promoting his book regarding his time on the hit show, though now he is stepping down from the sci-fi.