News.Scotland.Org

October, 31

The major threat which was haunting Scotland’s people for many years claiming majority of deaths by its spell seems to be fading slowly. The biggest killer disease in Scotland, the so called heart diseases has reduced to a level. All credits to the scientific research and advanced medical treatment which showed some ray of hope for Scottish heart patients to fight this evil. The figures also pointed out that the death rate from heart disease among under-75 has dropped by 8.4 percent in recent year. This positive trend shows how people have become more cautious about their health and are switching towards a healthy lifestyle. These stats have brought some relief for the health ministry and Scottish people who were feeling helpless by the whopping deaths by heart diseases.

The experts suggest that the target set by the ministry aimed for 60 percent fall in the deaths by heart diseases by 2010. To meet this target its necessary that this downward trend of heart borne deaths continue to fall in near future. On the other hand many health agencies have felt happy for this success. It was noticed that the bad eating habits and less concern over health was one of the main reason for this cause. But the tendency of Scottish people is changing towards a better and healthier tomorrow.

With technological advancement and daily innovations on the field of medicine, researchers are finding out every single possibility to curb this evil. Even the advanced treatments for patient and ban on smoking in public places have helped a lot for the decline in heart borne death rates. One of the spokeswoman for charity Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland said: “It is excellent news that fewer Scots are being diagnosed with and dying from heart disease and strokes. “Much of the fall in admissions to hospital can be attributed to community-based preventative medicine and the ban on smoking in public places which came into effect last year.

This decline in death rate will also help to rub the tile of ‘the sick man of Europe’ given to Scotland. Another sad fact shows how Scotland has a poor strength to tackle heart diseases in comparison with rest of the UK. The stats revealed by British Heart Foundation (BHF) shows how the death cases from heart ailments were reported in 70 percent higher among Scottish men, compared to those in the south east of England.

However the rapid development in the eating and lifestyle culture of Scottish people is a good sign for cutting off more death rates from heart diseases. Now the acid test for the health experts and doctors along with the health ministry would be to achieve the goal they have set till 2010. Hope this rich country becomes rich in its health sector too.

October, 30

One serious concern is haunting the Scottish judiciary these days, the lack of quality translator is helping several foreign criminals to move freely. This problem is drawing more and more worries for Scottish courts amidst the growing number of such foreign national trials. It also has raised a question mark on whether in the absence of a trained translator can many such foreign nationals look for a fair trial. Expressing her views over this matter Alena Linhartova, who has interpreted in Scotland for twenty years said, the problem is very severe and in coming years we can see a flurry of appeals from foreign nationals against their convictions. The appalling quality of translators is making trials unworthy and doubtful.

In one of such foreign national cases, the trial was given up by the court due to lack of evidences and the whopping cost of interpreting the case. In same manner a series of such cases have collapsed due to lack of quality translation. It is noticed that in recent years a massive influx of foreign nationals especially nationals from Eastern Europe are settling in Scotland. This has made the Scottish courts to suffer a lot when it comes to interpret their allegations.

The poor quality of interpreters in Scottish courts is due to shortage of experienced translators making it to the court rooms. These novice translators thus find it hard to translate such cases of many foreign nationals. To curb this growing problem proper check should be done while opting for a translator. Many native speakers are also sometimes pulled off the street and made to work for several agencies and they often find themselves in court without any training said Ms Linhartova.

This growing concern has raised an alarm for the Scottish judiciary, now the need of the hour is to follow a prescribed and lethal procedure while hiring the services of a valid translator. Or else a small lack of scrutiny in the selection can result to awful consequences and would degrade the trust of the people on the Scottish Judiciary.

October, 29

A bug has struck the new mothers in the UK who are now aping the glittering celeb mums to be the perfect ‘Yummy mummy’. A recent research suggests that a growing trend in UK has made the new mothers to splurge too much in order to scale to the Yummy mummy status. These days moms are spending about £1,000 to get closer to this tag, in this race the average spending of women has raised to a great extinct. The research pointed out a surprising fact that women are now spending £939 on designer clothes, a Bugaboo buggy and other things to keep them and there babies trendy.

Mummies are competing hard to match up with star mums like Victoria Beckham, now a days these women are also spending more to look prettier and slim improving their appearance. They shops really hard for themselves buying fashionable clothes, taking beauty treatments, reducing their weight, and even moms resort to cosmetic surgery to look more young and charming.

This whooping rise in the spending of women has touched to about £6.7 billion per year for all new mothers in UK. Experts says that this new tendency of women is nothing unusual, and if women want themselves and their new ones to be stylish and look good there nothing to surprise. Rachel Roe, from the online bank Egg said, “The concern comes when mothers get into debt because they are spending money they have not got on things they feel they are under pressure to buy or do.”

Another main reason behind the mothers to shop really hard these days is because now they have enough varieties to shop for their babies. And all moms want their kid to look nice and pretty, so why not keep them stylish from the childhood. Marc Page, manager of the baby wear and nursery department at John Lewis in Edinburgh, said parents were spending more on their children, including making bookings with the store’s personal shoppers: “Bugaboo prams are par-ticularly popular. This is, in part, because of the number of celebrities using them.”

So next time you find a mom rushing on for new clothes and make-ups don’t feel surprised that’s how is our generation-next mom. Always trendy and up to date no matter what’s it costs them. So yummy mummy’s are busy at work, looking trendy and stylish, nothing less than our celebrity moms.

October, 27

Now no swimming with dolphins, even if it helps you to cure your ailments. Taking a strong stand in this regard the dolphin conversation groups have stood up to ban this therapy which permits people to swim with this creature. According to the Whale and Dolphin Conversation Society (WDCS) till now no positive effects this therapy has shown to the people to whom it was tested. It is known that dolphins are sensitive creatures but at times they can be violent too, this possess a danger for humans to swim with it.

In recent years this therapy has taken a massive shape with many such centres being set up giving people the chance to swim with dolphins. The so called Dolphin Assisted Treatment (DAT) is said to be give mostly to those people who are affected by Physical or Psychological disabilities.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) claims that there are no such evidences that swimming with dolphins helps people suffering with physical or learning difficulties. This therapy can be harmful for both, the dolphin and the patient suggests the conservative groups. As humans can get attacked by this creature and on the other hand dolphins has the risk of getting infected by human borne disease. Even reports show that dolphins are trapped for the therapy which is against the laws of animal welfare raising a serious concern.

Cathy Williamson, a joint author of the report, said dolphins in captivity had been shown to suffer from high levels of stress. “That makes them more vulnerable to disease and more unpredictable. Research in America has shown people who work with marine mammals are more prone to infection or injury.” Still there are no such strong evidences proving the benefits of this therapy.

This ban though have put a stop to these dolphin assisted treatments, but has shown once again a serious concern people are showing to conserve our rapidly disappearing marine life. Hope this ban would benefit this sensitive creature to move freely in its own habitat without the fear of being trapped for human interest.

October, 26

They are our closest associates; still we hunt them for various reasons, now they are on the verge of extinction. Reason for the decline in their population is none other than mankind, who made life miserable for these speechless creatures, even made them deprived of their natural habitat. The wildlife reports shows an eye-raising fact that at present only few species of langurs, gibbons and few other members of the monkey family are left on the earth. According to a report on the world’s 25 most vulnerable primates, which included gorillas, chimpanzees, gibbons and monkeys it was told that, all these species are struggling to survive on earth.

The main reason for their extinction is the exploitation done for the sake of mankind, used as pets, food, medicinal purpose and even highly trapped for medical experiments and research. Even the rapid urbanization and industrialization is making the habitat of these creatures small. According to Russell Mittermeier, the president of US-based environmental group Conservation International, the meat of Primate is a luxury item for the elite in Central and West Africa. While in Asia it is used for medicinal purpose, he added that Sumatran Orangutans along with cross-river gorillas are also threatened by a [per trade into Taiwan.

This is really a sign of worry for our age old closest relative, many environmentalist are also trying out to make people aware of the fact how these species are disappearing from our earth. To make sure these endangered species to survive, the whole society has to come forward and try out all measures to protect these species. The government should also try out implement strict laws to curb the poaching and torturing of these species from mankind.

October, 25

Its cashing times for those husbands whose wives elopes with any other man, as the husband can get a compensation on behalf of the loss of their wives by the person who fled their spouse. Such instances are becoming a common sight in our society when a wife elopes with her boss or colleague. In such cases as per the US law the spurned spouse has the right to get the sum of money as compensation by a lawsuit. This alienation of affection is making the life of such person with whom the wife elopes.

Now it is asked to the US Supreme Court to reduce the damages a man should pay to the husband whose wife ran off with him. In one of such instance in Mississippi a business man paid £55,000 in punitive damages to the spurned spouse. It is known that Mississippi is the only seven US states which still entertain lawsuits by people who claim loss of their wife, as a law rooted in the antiquated notion of a woman as her husband’s property. This law on one side has given some relaxation to the spurned husband but on the other hand has made the person with whom the wife elopes restless.

According to the Mississippi court such suits is for the protection of the love, society, companionship and comfort which is the foundation of a marriage. And hope next time such instance occurs then it would be more calculative before it happens.

October, 24

Can you imagine deaths occurring due to the apathy of hospitals in Scotland? This growing trend is making the life of people restless. It is known that the rate of death caused by the hospital superbug Clostridium difficile is rising rapidly day by day in Scotland. The main reason behind the spread of this killer bug is said to be the low standard of hygiene in the hospitals. About 164 people succumbed last year to the bug, pointing out the poor cleanliness in the hospital wards. It is innocent people who are paying off for the severe irregularity of the hospitals in Scotland.

According to Dr Ian Gould, a consultant microbiologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, “There definitely is a real increase in the virulence of some strains. Dealing with C difficile is complicated, but much of it is the same as with MRSA. We are trying to improve the use of antibiotics to control the infection. “We need to improve hand hygiene and the hygiene of healthcare staff. We also need to look at bed occupancy and the space between beds to stop it spreading.

The C difficile is highly contagious and if not treated in the right time can cause diarrhea and can also result more fatal giving threat to the frail and elderly. Looking to figures which shows, the deaths caused by this bug has grown rapidly in comparison with last year. The figures revealed by Health Protection Scotland showed that about 6000 cases of C difficile associated disease has been traced this year in people over 65 years of age. Slowly it had taken a massive shape infecting people not only in Scotland, but during the year 2005 there were 2074 such cases in England and Wales related to C difficle.

These deaths have raised a question in the mind of people whether to go or not to go to these hospital’s where there lives are not safe. With such a silent stand by hospitals on the hygiene facilities its really very sad approach by them for the patients health. The hospital management should look at all aspects and make sure the patient is under safe hands and in a safe environment.

The health spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservatives, Mary Scanlon said these deaths have raised an alarm for all. She added now ” A hospital has become a hazardous place as opposed to a hygienic place for care and treatment, and patients are now more worried about getting these infections than they are about having surgery.”

Now the bug has even made the Scottish government to think seriously on the issue and make sure the situation don’t gets more severe. The hospitals should also come forward and upgrade there hygienic standards to make hospital a place to cure ailments and not a place to serve ailments.

What is C difficle?

C difficile is a spore forming bacteria which can be part of the normal intestinal flora in as many as 50% of children under age two, and less frequently in individuals over two years of age. C. difficile is the major cause of pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic associated diarrhoea.

October, 23

With the ban of Kerb-crawlers in Scotland the doors for the street sex industry has been closed, so now those people who leaves their homes to exploit the women on the street will have to face the music of law. The question which has arises is on the safety of these prostitutes whose situation at present is more vulnerable. This new law has made prostitutes out of the eyes of police officials and close circuit cameras which make them more isolated and risky. Even senior police officers agree to the fact that now there is more risk for the street prostitutes.

These sex workers are under a pity state, with the growing cases of assaults on them. The figures revealed by an organization supporting these sex workers in the city showed that about 60 attacks has been reported in the first six month of the year on these sex workers, with only 80 such cases in the whole pervious year. These figures show how rapidly such cases of assaults on prostitutes are increasing. The Chief Inspector Brian Plastow, who is in charge of policing Leith, the main prostitution area said, along with enforcing the law, the main focus will be on assisting the women in routes out of prostitution rather than enforcement alone. He added we are trying all measures to bring these women out of this sex industry.

With the end of the kerb-crawling now the axe will fall on those people who will be caught by the police breaking this law. It was noted that recently after the introduction of this Act, two people were nabbed by the police trying to pick prostitutes on the streets. It was learnt that both these offenders faced a fine of £1,000 for this act. Till now the law makers have only charged those who sell sex on these streets and ignored the main accuse who ask for these services. But from now those people who use to buy sex on streets has to be cautious or this could end them to pay a healthy fine.

October, 22

Do you know what makes Scottish women more scared of? No, it is not any scary movie or monster it’s an illness which has made these Scottish women terrified. The disease we are talking about is none other than ‘Breast Cancer’, reveals a report. It is known that even though more women deaths are reported of heart disease and strokes, still breast cancer makes women more restless. After the survey conducted by the Breast Cancer Campaign which showed about 44 percent of women in Scotland fears this disease.

The study also shows that the fear of breast cancer has been deep rooted into people’s mind which forces them to believe that this curable disease is fatal for them. After breast cancer the next threat which women are scared of is dementia, along with Alzheimer’s disease, which was the biggest fear among 43 percent of Scottish women, reveals the Ipsos Mori poll conducted on 1000 women all over UK. The other threats included lung cancer with 27 percent, strokes with 26 percent and bowel cancer with 26 percent fear.

Breast Cancer is a common disease in UK, with more than forty four thousand cases diagnosed each year, with the medical advancement now a days this disease can be cured easily. It is also noticed that about 80 percent of women survives for more than five years after the diagnosis of the disease. The death toll of breast cancer each year has been reduced to a great extinct, with many other diseases claiming more lives than this still the mindset of women has not changed, which is a strange sign. It is spotted that more death are reported now a days from severe diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, strokes and dementia. The figures of these deaths are far more than breast cancer victims.

In recent years with the advancement of science and medicine, there are many improved ways to cure this disease with surgeries, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and many other treatments to combat breast cancer successfully. But the sad thing is that people are still living in the past considering breast cancer as a fatal disease. The cancer bug is still there in people’s mind as a villain creating a threat in their mind. Expressing her views over this issue Pamela Goldberg, the charity’s chief executive said that “Despite acknowledging that the outlook for breast cancer patients is far brighter than ever before, the fear of breast cancer is still significant among women in Scotland. “Longer survival also means that patients are just as concerned about quality as quantity of life, and the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer are becoming ever more important.”

All these studies and research shows how people are still living in the past when it comes to disease and medical science and their life. This psychology of women in UK is nothing more than a false notion which they themselves have to change. Sooner or later they have to accept the facts that breast cancer is not the biggest threat for their lives. There are many more diseases for which they should show some concern for like the major killer heart diseases which is claiming more lives each year.

October19

Have you ever tried to know how much salt you are consuming every day, if not then have a look or else it will be too late. It is known that children are consuming about four times more their recommended salt in take while eating out at leading fast-food chains. A research conducted by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) reveals that children and elders are consuming high level of salts. The study also highlighted the fact that few of the leading fast-food chains are responsible for this, as their food contains an excess percentage of salts which is harmful for children and elders.

It was found that, while ordering for a Pizza Plus for 4 means you are consuming 12.3g of salt each. This is about twice the normal salt intake for adults, while two-and-a-half times the recommended intake for 7-10 year old and over four times the limit for young ones from 4-6 years. These whooping figures raised a serious concern over the dietary charts of the children and others. The study also found that the variety of food stuffs KFC serves contains a high amount of salt contents. The burger king chicken BLT baguette meal contains 4.8g salts. While the chicken and fries include about 6.3g of salts in them. In this race for highest salt content food stuffs Mc Donalds is also not lagging, a Quarter Pounder here contains 3.2g of slats.

The most scary thing the research revealed was majority of these high content salt varieties targets children. It is known that children love these burgers and pizza and usually have these regularly. Though McDonald’s offer labeling on their food packages and also provides leaflets giving information about the percentage of salt content they carry. The best way to make people aware what they are eating is to provide a nutritional information about the foods.

According to Prof. Graham Mac Gregor, chairman of CASH, the survey shows that some of the meals have salts level staggeringly high. “These salts act as a long-term toxin that puts up blood pressure in both children and adults and thereby causes strokes and heart attacks,” he said. He further said “We know that reducing salt intakes to below the recommended 6g a day for adults and less for children reduces the risk of having a stroke by a quarter, and heart attack by one fifth, so I would really urge people to choose lower salt options whenever they go out for a meal.”

So next time when parents take their wards for a treat at these fast-food centre, be aware what are you eating and what all it contains. Or else you may be having scrumptious food loaded with hidden nasties. Even parents should make their children educated about the importance to know what they are eating, and is that good for their health. Hope next time you or your child encounters with a burger or pizza make sure you are not munching in more salts.