News.Scotland.Org

December, 31

These days the people of Scotland are feeling insecure with the rise in the cases of attacks by dogs. The increase in such violent cases by these pets is reported to be making the life of common man restless. In order to put a check in these growing cases, a need for a law is been thought of, so that this problem can be sought out. If we look at the figures of such cases, we can find that there has been a major rise in such dog attack cases in recent years.

It is known that daily such new cases are reported where people either suffer injuries or loose their lives. In order to control this severe problem, the Scottish parliament is looking to act more stringently and roll out some restrictions to make sure this problem is put under control. The new law will make sure that it would be an offence to have a dog which is violent or out of control and will back to insert a microchip to the dog. Having his stand Alex Neil a SNP MSP said there is a need to form a new law regarding the dog menace. He added “My bill would introduce control orders for dogs acting threateningly. If a dog is acting threateningly, it could be subject to an order which could force it to be muzzled or have certain restrictions placed on it, and it would be automatically microchipped.”

After the implementation of this new law if any of the dogs which are found to be dangerous will fall under its scanner. The bill now needs the support of the government gets the final nod. But the main thing is to end this dog menace which has now turned out to be a nightmare for Scottish people.

The reports suggest that in this year only more than six hundred cases of dog attacks has been reported. And if this growing problem is not controlled then this could worsen.

December, 29

These day people seems to be more concerned about their health and fitness, this new founding was obtained by a recent research conducted in Edinburgh. It was noticed that out of the surveyed people majority were exercising to keep them fit and active. People have embraced exercising to deal with the increasing stress and bad eating habits in their lives. With the concern people are showing towards their health and fitness these days, it seems majority are switching towards the healthy way of living.

Backing up this positive step towards a better tomorrow, the Edinburgh Leisure, who themselves conducted this research have launched a Feel Good campaign to motivate more and more people to make exercising part of their daily routine. It was known that UK stand in second place for most obesity rates among women which too raises a concern for maintaining a healthy life cycle, and exercising is a good way to keep the body and mind healthy.

According to Keith Jackson the chief executive of the Edinburgh Leisure, “Lot of people feel they want to turn on the fire and curl up indoors all winter, a lack of exercise can encourage many illnesses. So in such a scenario people taking interest in exercising is a healthy move and all should encourage it.

The research has shown that, those days are gone when people use to take exercising as a burden, these days they are enjoying the array of exercising and gaming options available. Whatever be the reason still it’s nice that they are giving a thought for these sorts of activities taking them to a brighter and healthier tomorrow.

December, 28

The licence structure will soon get a new look according to that the actual driving age will become 18 years though the provisional licences will be issued from 17 years of age. This would mean that the drivers have to be 18 in order to drive in roads. Also the new rule will make the practical test a bit harder. This new structure will help young drivers to improve the approach toward driving and road safety.

It is known that the driving test will become tougher in this new structure and also there are plans to include the knowledge on road safety in the school syllabus. This new format of test is an innovative way to make sure the driver is capable to drive in all conditions. The previous 40 minutes driving test is now expanded to two stages and also included many new additions like driving at night and on motorways. All this will help to encourage the driver to drive safely.

As it is evident that these days many accidents are occurring mainly involving young drivers who are losing their lives for driving recklessly. This new structure will help to control the hazardous driving to some extent. Now to make sure young drivers have more driving experience and confidence, the young licence aspirants have to complete 500 hours of driving before getting the final nod.

Hope this new plan will help to reduce the reckless driving and will bring out more confident drivers. Now time will tell how far this new structure prepared by department of transport will succeed.

December, 27

Landlines are now no more an essential mode of communication for large number of Scots. More and more people are relying on mobile phones to be connected round the clock. The conventional telephone has lost its space in this technological era where every thing is becoming compact and portable. Now only few people still use the traditional telephones in UK. But still for some reasons the landline telephone has few utilities attached to it, like broadband internet connections.

But one can’t say that landline phones have faded out, still about 85 percent Scottish people have a landline connection at home. Even though mobile phones have occupied their supremacy, still the traditional phones have some role to play in the UK houses. Though looking at the graphs, one can see a slide in the percentage of landline phones in homes in coming years, which tells that people are slowly leaving this conventional communicative device back and moving forward.

If we look overall we can see that more than 82 percent Scottish homes have access to mobile phones which is far more than the percent of the whole UK. Another major reason for mobile phones overtaking the traditional phone is the tempting offers and promotional schemes these mobiles companies roll out for consumers attracting them to grab these offers. While they can enjoy free calls on through internet via other chat operators. People are now adapted to mobile phones and these techno gadgets have become necessary elements of their lives.

In the communicative era the youngsters have shown great interest in mobile phones as a handy device to stay connect with the outer world round the clock. It could happen that in coming years landlines will become an addition in the museums for future generations to have a look at this traditional communicative device.

December, 26

Travellers are facing severe problems this winter with fog making it really hard for flights to carry their operation. Due to poor visibility several flights were cancelled causing flyers to wait desperately to reach their destination. With the festive season on cards the problem has worsen as more and more people are looking for a Christmas getaway. It is known that many flights were delayed and even called off due to the foggy conditions continuing, meanwhile several flights has to be cancelled from Heathrow and Gatwick airports with poor flying conditions.

With flights unable to operate, people are resorting to road ways to reach their destination. All major airports were flooded with passengers waiting for their flights to operate; it was chaos all over the place and passengers facing tough time to fly. Many travellers reported were going for celebrating Christmas abroad, but fog ruined their plans and preparations. The British Airways informed that it will refund the airfare for its passengers whose flights were cancelled and will also offer them with rebook facility. But many travellers opted for other means of transportation to reach their destination.

It is expected that if this situation continues, then roads would be busy with travellers going to different places. But the weather forecaster has suggested that the present foggy condition will clear soon making the situation back to normal. It was noticed that about 84 flights were cancelled yesterday from Heathrow airport, and 15 flights were cancelled from Gatwick airport. Amidst all this confusion airport was buzzing with speculation and chaotic situation all waiting for the condition to get favourable for flying.

This severe problem has resulted as a nightmare for many travellers and to some extent has spoiled the festive mood of many. Also with the severe cold conditions in UK, people are heading towards other destination to beat the chill and enjoy a great season of festivals.

December, 22

It seems travelling by flight in this new year would become a night mare for millions of air flyers from UK. It is known that the workers of the airport have decided to stage a series of strike in the coming year. It is told that the strike would come into force from January 7, in which all airport workers including the firefighters would walk out of work. Sources have confirmed that the strike has been called on due to the closure of the final salary pension scheme for new workers. This strike will disrupt all the airport activities and will affect the passengers too.

After the announcement of the strike which will effect all major airports including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Southampton. The concern is all about the impact of this strike towards the passengers and air traffic. This announcement has come as a protest to the decision and is a matter to worry for BAA. After a vote majority the strike was called on and National officer Brendan Gold said “This is a 2-1 vote for strike action, which is a powerful mandate and a strong message to BAA to think again.” Even he added in a news conference that if this strikes will take place then it would paralyse the all the airports in London.

Amidst all this revolt against BAA and the airport workers, the main suffers would be the innocent passengers who have to bear all the hardships which this strike would bring for them. It is strange that BAA is not showing any positive signs to tackle this big issue, recently it was noticed that BAA posted a profit of over £500 million still some matter are left to be solved.

Mr Gold also said that we had a series of talks and meetings with the company but for no result and finally we have to resort to strike. Workers have slowly lost faith in BAA and not to add the new workers in the final salary pension scheme has added to the problems. In order to safeguard the rights of the workers and to put the demand this strike has been called on.

Now it seems dark clouds are hovering over the innocent passengers who are planning to fly this new year. Hope passengers are prepared for a tough flying experience.

December, 21

One of the Britain’s biggest transport company has announced that, it will prohibit its workers to use mobile phones while driving on company business. It is known that the Aberdeen based FirstGroup has a workforce of over 135,000 and the announcement came out on account of a research which suggested that having a conversation while driving affects the performance of the driver. This global announcement was rolled out to make sure the workers are not at any risk while driving.

The decision taken covers all the staff from top to bottom, associated with the company to follow this new rule. It is evident that the train and bus drivers of the company in Britain and North America are prohibited from using any mobile phone or other communicative device while driving from the past two years. But from January 1 this new rule will came into force affecting all the workers.

A study undertaken in this area has found out that those people who use mobile phones or hands free telephone while driving are at greater risk than the person who drives after drinking over the prescribed limit. Talking in mobile or phone disturbs the concentration of the driver resulting to accidents and other fatal incidents.

Hope this announcement will come up as a safety measure and would help the workers to drive safely and properly. It will also help to reduce the chances of accidents, and may result as a bench mark for many other big companies, who will also soon follow these safety measures for their workers.

December, 19

A new study in the field of Lung Cancer has recently revealed that lack of sunlight can increase the risk of lung cancer. This new research has added a new chapter in the studies been undertaken in this stream. Researchers have found out that, exposure to ultraviolet B provides the body the much needed vitamin D which helps to lower the lung cancer rates.

As it is known that smoking is the main cause for lung cancer and majority of the lung cancer cases are associated with smoking, about 40,000 people die of lung cancer every year in UK, and it is the most common forms of cancer. The effect of sunlight to lower the lung cancer rates has been monitored in many other countries with positive results. It is told that the rate of UVB light increases as one moves nearer to the equator and, if look at the records we can notice that the cases of lung cancer is more in the countries far from the equator.

Studies were constantly going on in this field to get into the core of the cause and ways to eradicate lung cancer. And this new study has proved out to be a blessing in the field of lung cancer and its treatments.

What is Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lung. Normal lung tissue is made up of cells that are programmed by nature to create lungs of a certain shape and function. Sometimes the instructions to a cell go haywire and that cell and its offspring reproduce wildly, without regard for the shape and function of a lung. That wild reproduction can form tumors that clog up the lung and make it stop functioning as it should.

December, 18

Beware while shopping this Christmas as fake goods are out to cheat you innocent shoppers. In order to spread this warning to consumers, the anti-counterfeiting experts have listed out top ten fake goods to watch out this festive season. It is known that with Christmas festival nearing in shoppers are busy splurging for gifts and other valuables. This would alert them while shopping online and in the high streets. These illegal counterfeiting gangs are out in the markets to cheat the shoppers.

This year the top then fake goods listed out are computer games; toys and character merchandise, sports wear; designer goods including handbags, watches, belts, mobile phones and accessories; electrical goods; DVD’s, music CD’s perfume and cosmetics and other business software. The products names were revealed by UK’s Anti-Counterfeiting group recently to guide shoppers. Meanwhile those shoppers who are out for some smart deals and getting bargaining becomes the victims, in lure of bargain and ends up paying for fake commodity.

Slowly this problem has taken a huge shape in UK with a huge loss in the revenue amounting to about £10 billion per year. This growing problem needs serious check; so that the buyers are even the retailers are in the safer side. With a small bargain shoppers are sometimes risking their lives as these unauthorised fake goods can be dangerous for them at times. These sub-standard products are not genuine and don’t follow any safety check which is mandatory process.

Shopper should not be carried away by these small bargains and should thoroughly check what are they buying and is that the genuine product they were looking for. So this Christmas shop till you drop but wisely, and beware of all fake goods out their in the markets to fool you shoppers.

December, 17

Moon has now become the main destination for the UK scientists, who are planning for a trip there by 2012. This mission moon is leading the UK scientist to work out all the expertise to study about physical and chemical make-up of moon. It is told that the US space agency Nasa, will help UK to carry out all the studies. This study been carried out by the UK scientist will help Nasa to know more about the lunar orbit.

Termed as MoonLite this project involves a detailed study of the lunar orbit which will be over by the end of next summer. Nasa has shown some positive signs to help UK in this project so that they could carry out it easily. There are also reports that it may happen that the Indian Space Agency will become a partner of this project which would be headed by the UK scientist.

The target is to probe to the lunar orbit, and then fire four suitcase-sized darts known as ‘penetrators’ which helps to scratch below the lunar surface. This would then help to get in to the surface of the moon and look into its chemical and physical structure.

By now one might know that moon has been explored by many a times and this time its the strongest country UK which is all set to launch its innovative study on the moon. If this study works out successfully then it will help a lot to the future researchers to have a broader picture about moon. So we hope by 2012 this target set by the UK scientist will be achieved adding a new chapter to the study of the moon.