Stress drives teachers out of schools

Summary

There has been a major rise in the amount of teachers leaving education, because of the sharply risen amounts of stress teachers are subject to. 41.5% of teachers report themselves as highly stressed. The rise in work-related stress is mainly because of the pressure teachers are put under to meet government education targets. While measures to lower the teachers’ workload have been attempted, teachers are still very often faced with a 50-hour work week or longer. Much of this work does not involve teaching, but instead a lot of time is wasted on unnecessary bureaucratic procedures and other time consuming redundant formalities.

Reaction

I think that the UK government should realize the importance of education. First of all, work should be done in order to cut down the bureaucracy teachers are faced with. Emphasis should be put back on teaching, which will not only decrease the teacher’s workload, but it will also improve the quality of education. It is unacceptable that teachers are being subject to this much stress, because they have one of the most important tasks of all: educating and shaping the new generation of people. As long as teachers are faced with this much stress, teaching will remain an unpopular career choice and the schools will start to lack good teachers.

Source:  http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3575650/Dis-United-Kingdom-revealed.html

Dis-United Kingdom

Summary

In a recent poll, twenty-nine percent of Scottish people voted for Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom, while forty-one percent of the English people would like Scotland to be an independent country. Fifty-one percent of the English people believe that Scotland leeches of off England and that Scotland would be worse off as their own nation. The latest figures, however, show that Scotland has a budget surplus of £1.3billion, while the entire UK has a budget deficit of £48.9billion. Since a majority of the population in both England and Scotland does not support Scottish independence, it is not likely that the UK will break up any time soon.

Reaction

I personally think that if a majority of Scottish people were to be in favor of an independent state, they should be able to form their own nation. Since there is no majority, I think that things should probably stay as they are. Since there are no real conflicts between the two countries at the moment, it would probably be best for them to work together in these economically tough times. The accusation by some of the English that Scotland mooches of off the rest of the UK does not seem to be correct, since the scottish actually have a budget surplus, while the entire UK is dealing with a huge deficit.

Source:  http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3575650/Dis-United-Kingdom-revealed.html

Pupils distracted by gadgets, say teachers

Summary

Children in the UK are getting more and more technologic devices, up to the point where they start to play a very large role in their lives. Children are starting to take all their mobile phones, iPods and other devices with them to school, while often not even bothering to take a pen, ruler or other basic school equipment with them. Schools are trying to combat this by requiring parents to make sure that their children take their school necessities with them. One of the effects all this technology has, is that children are forgetting how to write a well-constructed sentence, because they now often use a spellchecker on their phone. 

Reaction

I think that children should go to school to learn in the first place. Children forgetting to take the most important school equipment with them is a negative development. They spend too much time with their electronic devices, up to the point where they take it to school, which might affect their school performance. Times, however, are changing. Electronic devices have been growing in popularity for years, and the amount of information children are able to reach with their mobile devices is enormous. Perhaps it’s time that schools start to adapt their learning environment, which would allow electronic devices to stimulate school performance, instead of negatively affecting it.

Source:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8455659/Pupils-distracted-by-gadgets-say-teachers.html

HMV has water on the brain

Summary

HMV has had a very difficult time and now they have issued out their third profit warning in four months. Analysts had forecast HMV’s profit to be £80million, but in reality profits have only been £30million. Chief executive Simon Fox is in talks about selling the Waterstone’s book store chain, also owned by HMV. Analysts believe that HMV will have to close down many stores in the UK due to the disappointing sales. The chain is currently renegotiating its bank loans, which they hope will have the music store chain more breathing space in order to get its finances in order.

Reaction

I personally think that it is a shame that HMV is doing so poorly. HMV is one of the only big record store chains left in the UK and if they were to go bankrupt, it would be one step closer to the demise of music sales through a physical platform. People have gotten more and more used to buying music off the internet and if HMV were to go belly up, it might mean — apart from the independent record stores — that internet will be the only real option people will have to buy music, DVDs or otherwise.

Source:  http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/3511657/Break-up-of-HMV-looks-inevitable-after-new-profit-warning-from-crisis-hit-music-chain.html

Four girls of 16 caught with five bottles of vodka, three of cider and four alcopops... the recommended weekly limit for SEVEN women!

Summary

Four 16-year old girls have been caught carrying five small bottles of vodka, three bottles of cider and four alcopops by the police. This amount of alcohol adds up to 97 units, which the girls were planning to drink in one evening. Police are searching for a man who is believed to have bought the alcoholic beverages for the girls from a local supermarket. Alcohol carries great risks when consumed in these amounts, especially for children. Alcohol consumption has sharply increased among women in the last decade, with one in five consuming more than the recommended maximum of 14 units a week.

Reaction

I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that these girls were carrying this amount of alcohol. While it is fine for a person to have the occasional drink, it is quite staggering that they were planning on consuming enough alcohol for them to end up in the hospital. According to statistics binge drinking is a growing problem among young girls. It is however quite hard to say what has to be done about this. Drinking age limits don’t seem to work since the girls in the article were still able to get their hands on a enormous amount of alcohol. 

Source:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1378564/Binge-drinking-Four-girls-16-caught-weekly-alcohol-intake-7-women.html

European Supergrid Summary & Reaction

Summary
A high capacity energy cable has recently entered operation, running from Isle of Grain in Kent to Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The high voltage cable is one of the first steps in creating a “European Supergrid”.  A supergrid will connect all of Europe’s power recources with each other, creating one large network. This network will distribute energy more efficiently among the European countries. Proponents of the supergrid claim that it will stimulate the use of green and renewable energy resources. All ten countries bordering the north sea have agreed to the plan in December. The next step in creating the European supergrid is likely going to be an energy cable running from Ireland to Wales.

Reaction
I personally agree with the creation of proposed European Supergrid. One of the largest problems with wind energy nowadays, is the possibility of there being too much or too little wind for the turbine to function and produce electricity. With the implementation of a continent-wide energy network, wind shortages or surpluses will be able to be compensated by other wind mills, making wind energy a more effective and reliable energy source. However, there is something to be said for the autonomy of European countries and these countries should have control over their own energy supply. Therefore, this energy network should not be directly controlled by the European Union in Brussels, but controlled by the individual participating countries instead.


Source:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/11/uk-netherlands-power-cable-britned/print