Mental health charity and cost of recession

Calls to mental health charity reveal human cost of recession / summary

*Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/calls-to-mental-health-charity-reveal-human-cost-of-recession-7769680.html

Mental health charity has difficulties in handling the demands for help that increased enormously over the past years since the ongoing crisis appeared in mid-2008. The number of phone calls has doubled! More and more families are affected even those who previously seemed not. The suicide numbers are high in countries like Greece and Ireland where the financial crisis was felt most acutely. Mind’s info line is an organization which provides information about how to access treatment up to how to manage debts. Stress, depression and anxiety cost the economy over 30bn pounds each year.  Employers could help to cut the costs if they start to improve the way they tend to deal with workplace stress and mental ill- health. Health minister Simon Burns claims that funding is raised for talking therapies to ensure that all who need it can make use of it.

Reaction:

I believe it is a matter of government, employers and health organizations to take care of this problem.  We are all busy worrying about our income and what is going to happen next, but we forget about the people who are really in despair. On the other hand the recession makes us think about and appreciate the smaller aspects in life and I hope it will make us less feeling like individuals. When we all get an eye of our neighbours we learn to take care of each other and suicidal thoughts could be recognized sooner and maybe banned out of people’s minds.

By Renate Pollemans s 3904663

Olympic torches listed for sale

Olympic torches listed for sale on eBay /summary

*source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/20/olympic-torches-for-sale-ebay

London 2012 organizers say they are powerless to stop relay bearers selling golden torches at a profit.

The Olympic relay runners had to buy the already subsidized torches for 199 pounds if they wanted to keep the torch to themselves. The first runner who started in Cornwall, Ben Ainslie, said he wanted to display the torch in a “special place” in his house whereas other runners are selling their torches and even their white uniforms on eBay. They see it as a moneymaking opportunity and indeed it is. There have been bids listed of 9,100 and 70,000 and even 150,000 pounds! It is not sure whether they have gone artificially high or if they are real bids. Organizers of the Olympics 2012 have claimed to be powerless to stop this movement.

Reaction:

In my opinion it is unbelievable this can occur. I believe the organization is to be held responsible for this. They could have made up  a contract which had to be signed at the moment an Olympic runner subscribed to walk the relay and at the purchase of the torch of 199 pounds they must sign for not selling it to others or even making a profit by it. Or they could have prevented this action by not selling the torch whatsoever. It has to remain the property of the organization. Through selling and reselling it, in my opinion, the magic is gone in a long held tradition of the Olympic Games.

By Renate Pollemans s3904663

Robin Gibb dies of cancer at the age of 62

Robin Gibb, pioneer of disco, dies at 62 /summary

*source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/may/21/robin-gibb-pioneer-disco-dies

Robin had a distinctive and vibrating voice. Together with his brothers Maurice and Barry he made many hits and he sold more than 200m records as a performer and a writer.

His twin brother Maurice died of the same cancer as Robin in the year 2003.

Songs like ‘How deep is your love’ and ‘Stayin’ alive’ are songs we all can remember because they grew very popular and are still to be heard on the radio.

The brothers Gibb, as they called themselves, the BeeGees were from the 70s disco boom.

Some tweets after the news on the dead of Robin Gibb:  DJ Mike Read, (family friend): “he had an incredible voice", adding: "Robin had the voice, the pathos, and he was a great writer." "In his head he could come up with some great melodies. I was delighted to work with him. He had a gift for melody and a gift for lyrics and left a phenomenal legacy, a phenomenal catalogue."

Former deputy prime minister, John Prescott, tweeted: "Just heard about Robin Gibb. A good friend, a brilliant musician and a man who turned all of us into wannabe Travoltas!"

Reaction:

As a tribute to such a great artist I wanted to blog this news item. When I was young I was a big fan of the BeeGees as well. I was born in 1972 but my mother and sisters loved their music and so did I. I am not such a big fan anymore but I still appreciate their work and their songs are everlasting. I believe I liked Maurice more because of his looks but I can remember in my head Robin’s wonderful voice!

By Renate Pollemans s3904463

Nick Clegg proposes student premium

Nick Clegg proposes student premium to help poorest entering university /summary

*Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/21/nick-clegg-student-premium-university

Nick Clegg’s proposal to offer the poorest students a premium to be able to make it to university has met some sour responses from a large part of the electorate. The main idea behind his plan is that poor families learn in an earlier stage of their children’s education that they will be financially supported by the state. The biggest barrier to enter higher education is a lack of aspiration. With this proposal Clegg hopes he can do something about it and to give the children’s aspiration a boost.  The Liberal Democratic way of thinking is that children even at primary school are thinking about their future education. Clegg wants to achieve a more fair educational system and heal the rift between the richer and the poorer and their opportunities. But this proposal will definitely raise educational funding and it will be difficult to draw a line to what extent funding can be used.

Reaction:

I believe Nick Clegg’s proposal comes from a good heart and therefore I can support his idea. For a fair system it is necessary that children from poor families need to get a chance of exploring their abilities and skills and that the lack of money should not be in the way. However there are many aspects left over to be looked at and this bill could not pass after thorough investigation. And I wonder whether and how many pupils in primary school are thinking about their future education. I believe most pupils will not do so until their last year at primary school.

By Renate Pollemans s3904663