News

[WriterAtTheSea]

Hey Cuppa...

Nah, believe me, it is a true story from London town. I think I got it off the BBC. Will have to check. It is on another blog site I do with a paper on the East Coast. I think it is completely hilarious! Hahahahaha!

What a concept, eh?

[Serenata]

Yet another school shooting. This time in Joplin, MO. There have been like five school shootings in the past month. A couple, including this one, were at middle schools.

[Scheherazade]

Social division might split humans into two sub-species 100,000 years from now, an evolution expert has claimed. The descendants of the genetic upper class would be tall, slim, healthy, attractive, intelligent, and creative. They would be a far cry from the "underclass" humans, who will have evolved into dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like creatures.

The forecast was made by Dr Oliver Curry, who spent two months investigating the ascent and descent of man over the next 100 millennia.
He said, within a thousand years, humans will evolve into coffee-coloured giants between 6 and 7ft tall.

But Dr Curry said centuries of sexual selection - being choosy about one's partner - was likely to create more and more genetic inequality. The logical outcome would be two sub-species, "gracile" and "robust" humans. Dr Curry said: "Things could get ugly, with the possible emergence of genetic 'haves' and 'have-nots'."

Other predictions included:

:: Physical appearance, driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility, will improve.

:: Men will exhibit symmetrical facial features, look athletic, and have squarer jaws, deeper voices and bigger penises.

:: Women will develop lighter skin, large clear eyes, pert breasts, glossy hair, even features and smooth hairless skin.

:: Racial differences will be ironed out by interbreeding, producing a uniform race of coffee-coloured people.

:: Improved nutrition and medical science will see people growing taller and fitter, while life-spans are extended to 120 years.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...547374,00.html

[cuppajoe_9]

Ridiculous. Groups that are subect to worse environments (i.e. the poor) always evolve more. If anybody evolves into a 'super-race', it will be the 'undercalasses'. The predictions about women are some sort of Lamarkian wet dream. It wouldn't matter if a thousand generations of women kept their hair clean and their legs waxed, they still won't develop pre-shampood hair or hairless legs. Those predictions also assume that laissez-faire capitalism will continue to be the norm for another 100 000 years. That's a pretty bold assumption if you ask me.

[cuppajoe_9]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6064028.stm

Seriously, Iceland, what the hell is this?

[cuppajoe_9]

Somebody had better come through with some good news, because it's been a depressing day:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6071454.stm

[Scheherazade]

One in five British children cannot find the UK on a map of the world, a magazine's research suggests. National Geographic Kids said it also found fewer than two thirds of children were able to correctly locate the US.

The magazine, which questioned more than 1,000 six to 14-year-olds, said it found several London children did not know they lived in England's capital.

Teachers' union the NASUWT said the findings were "nonsense" and did not reflect staff and pupils' hard work.

National Geographic Kids also discovered 86% of the children interviewed failed to identify Iraq and one in 10 could not name a single continent.

Boys seemed to show a slightly better geographical knowledge than girls, with 65% able to locate a number of countries around the world compared with 63% of girls.

Scottish children appeared to be the most geographically aware with 67% able to point out the most countries, out of England, the US, France, China and Iraq, on a world map.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, said the findings were "rather frightening".

"These results underline the need for education to concentrate on the essentials.

"How are children going to be able to get as much out of their life if they fail to have an understanding of the shape of the world?"

Compulsory geography

The Department for Education and Skills said geography was a compulsory subject on the National Curriculum for five to 14-year-olds.

A spokesman said all 14-year-olds should be taught to use atlases and globes, as well as learning about places and environments in the world.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: "The constant desire for groups to produce statistics to do down the English education system is quite appalling and does nothing to recognise the excellent work of children and staff."

The magazine carried out the study to mark its UK launch and highlight "gaps in children's geographical knowledge".

Environmentalist David Bellamy said the world was still an undiscovered place for many children.

"Making geography fun and exciting is so important because it makes children aware of the importance of caring for the environment and, by learning about the world, it helps bring other people's worlds and cultures closer to their own."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6074202.stm

[cuppajoe_9]

One in five British children cannot find the UK on a map of the world, a magazine's research suggests. National Geographic Kids said it also found fewer than two thirds of children were able to correctly locate the US.

To me, this suggests that one in five British children are smartarses.

[kilted exile]

Hopefully this doesnt cross the line to "politics"

Middle East protest disrupts game

A Middle East protester had to be removed from the pitch during Rangers Uefa Cup game against Israeli side Maccabi Haifa in Glasgow.

The man ran about 50 yards across the park wearing a Palestinian flag around his shoulders during the second half of the game at Ibrox.

He then attempted to handcuff himself to a goalpost in what was thought to be a protest against the visiting side.

Stewards and police officers caught the man and carried him off.

The protest sparked angry shouts from home and away supporters as travelling fans waved Israeli flags.

The game was held up for several minutes.

Strathclyde Police said a 21-year-old man was arrested in connection with an incident within Ibrox Stadium.

The man is expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday.

A police spokeswoman said a report would be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Rangers went on to win the game 2-0.


* Now my comments which will probably seem cold & uncaring: I need sports, I need escapism, I need a refuge from serious problems in the world - somewhere my biggest concern is my team winning on a Saturday afternoon. There are other places to protest, please keep it out of sport.

[Nightshade]

Sorry for the double post, but I have just seen this and it has annoyed me no end this is likely to be the focus of a blog entry sometime tomorrow/today.....what day is it anyway.


Children 'living in fuel poverty'

About 90,000 children in Scotland are living in homes where families cannot afford to pay energy bills, a group of charities has warned.

The coalition of Barnardo's, Children in Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group, Capability Scotland and Save the Children blamed high fuel prices.

They said the number affected had nearly doubled in four years.

During the same period electricity prices had risen by more than 60% and gas prices by more than 90%.

And its meant to go up again this year --unless the swithch to british gas apparantly theyve fixied there prices ( probably at a ridiculous price already till 2010) and the other thing...is this where the numbers of the deaths due to the cold come from thats just ---you know I really want to swear here just a really mild one--- disgraceful! See more reason to stopcomplaining about the disruption to the landscape wind turbines cause and just get on with it cheap renewable energy, they could also do those tide generater things they have in japan , I doubt solar panels will do anything this is the uk we are talking about... or else the goverment shouuld be heating those houses...

[Scheherazade]

Police officers in Staffordshire have been working in shifts to pour 2,500 cans of beer and hundreds of bottles of spirits and champagne down a toilet.
The alcohol was confiscated from an off licence that was trading illegally and a judge ordered it to be destroyed.

Severn Trent said it could not be poured into the drains so officers at Hanley police station will spend the next week flushing it away.

Staffordshire Police said it was the only viable way to carry out the order.

'It's incredulous'

"We are going to have to open every single can and bottle and tip them down the toilet," Sgt David Wright told BBC News.

"We will be staggering it over a two or three day period, but it is probably going to take the best part of a whole shift of two to three days for one officer."

But the former secretary of the Police Federation criticised the move saying it was a waste of tax payers' money.

Kevin Waters said: "I find it incredulous to think that this is going to be taking place within our force when it is paid for by the people of Staffordshire.

"Community taxes are going to be spent on police officers having to do this rather than having to look after the community of Staffordshire."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/s...re/6115272.stm

[cuppajoe_9]

"We will be staggering it over a two or three day period, but it is probably going to take the best part of a whole shift of two to three days for one officer."

The officer in question will no doubt also be staggering for two or three days.

[Nightshade]

UK scientists have applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA with cow eggs.
Researchers from Newcastle University and Kings College, London, have asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for a three-year licence.

The hybrid human-bovine embryos would be used for stem cell research and would not be allowed to develop for more than a few days.

But critics say it is unethical and potentially dangerous.

Stem cell research is one of the most promising areas of medical science.

They are the body's master cells and five-day-old embryos are packed with them - each with the potential to turn into any tissue in the body.

It is this ability which scientists want to harness to treat diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, strokes and Alzheimer's Disease.

To do that, they need to have access to thousands of embryos for research.

Short supply

The problem is that human eggs for research are in short supply and to obtain them women have to undergo surgery.

That is why scientists want to use cows' eggs as a substitute.

They would insert human DNA into a cow's egg which has had its genetic material removed and then create an embryo by the same technique that produced Dolly the Sheep.

The resulting embryo would be 99.9% human, the only bovine element would be DNA outside the nucleus of the cell.

It would though, technically be a chimera, part-human, part-animal.

The aim would be to extract stem cells from the embryo when it is six days old, before destroying it.

The quality and the viability of stem cells would then be checked to see if technique has worked.

The scientists also plan to examine the way the cells are reprogrammed after fusion to see if there are useful processes they could replicate in the laboratory.

Lead researcher Dr Lyle Armstrong said: "If we can learn from the egg cell how to make embryonic stem cells without having to use an animal egg at all then some day we may be able to cure diseases such as Parkinson's disease, or better still some of the age-related diseases which are creating such a burden on society."

Dr Stephen Minger, from King's College London, said: "The current state of the technology is such that literally hundreds of human ooctyes (eggs) from young women will be required to generate a single human embryonic stem cell line.

"Therefore we consider it more appropriate to use non-human oocytes from livestock as a surrogate.

"We feel that the development of disease-specific human embryonic stem cell lines from individuals suffering from genetic forms of neurodegenerative disorders will stimulate both basic research and the development of new medicines to treat these horrific brain diseases."

'Undermining humanity'

Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, head of Developmental Genetics, National Institute for Medical Research, said: "This is a very rational step: to learn what you can using animal eggs, which are readily obtainable, before moving on to valuable human eggs when or if this becomes necessary."

But some will argue the end does not justify the means.

Calum MacKellar, from the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, said the research undermines the distinction between animals and humans and breaches human rights.

He said: "In the history of humankind animals and human species have been separated.

"In this kind of procedure you are mixing at a very intimate level animal eggs and human chromosomes, and you may begin to undermine the whole distinction between humans animals and humans.

"If that happens it might also undermine human dignity and human rights."

[RobinHood3000]

Those who claim that humans and animals are any more distinct than Fuji apples and Red McIntosh apples needs an ego check.

I foresee that there will be a number of people who will skip the "99.9%" bit and begin arguing that they don't want babies with udders.

[cuppajoe_9]

Those who claim that humans and animals are any more distinct than Fuji apples and Red McIntosh apples needs an ego check.

I foresee that there will be a number of people who will skip the "99.9%" bit and begin arguing that they don't want babies with udders.

They would also have to skip the part about it not living past six days. Chee-rist, they might be able to cure Parkinson's Disease with these things. Who cares if some human DNA touches some a cow gamete temporarily?