Contador banned for one year over doping test

Alberto Contador has been suspended for one year, by a decision of the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC), because he failed his doping test in last year’s race. Contador was threatened to end his career, has 10 days to appeal the preliminary decision before it becomes final. Since August, Contador is provisionally suspended because of his positive test for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol, whether RFEC will strip his title still needs to be decided. Contador denies deliberate wrongdoing, saying he ate contaminated meat. Although, if he accepts the RFEC’s decision, the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, and the World Anti-Dpoing Agency (WADA) could still challenge this decision.

If his meat really was contaminated then it would be very sad for Contador. And that will mean that he is poisoned by someone, which will makes it even more horrific. Someone wants to deliberately ban Contador, of course he has many competitors, but is really wrong even in top sport. For Contador it’s very sad that he probably will be banned and evens more, lose his title. If Contador took the banned drugs himself then he should be very happy with his punishment, because in my opinion this punishment is pretty generous for doping. When you take doping you should be banned for lifetime, because it’s outrageous that you do that on this level.

http://www.euronews.net/sport/707829-contador-suspended-for-one-year-el-pais/

Nepal: Man who hit politician hailed 'a hero'

A Nepalese man, Devi Prasad Regmi, hit the chairman of one the main political parties in his face. He said; he was angry, because they were destroying the country with their lack of political progress. There already have been 16 failed parliamentary elections since the PM Madhav Kumar had stepped down in June. Devi is supported by many people, 7.000, on a Facebook site and dozens have been posting comments on the site, thanking him for his action. In addition, after his release people came to his house. Either, he told reporters that no-one should imitate him and that he isn’t proud of his action.

I think, despite how angry you are, you should avoid violence, but in some situations it can’t be helped. It could be provoked too much that you can’t get a hold of yourself. I’m not saying that it’s allowed at that moment, but I can see his point. Afterwards, he hasn’t been proud of it, but probably he couldn’t stop himself anymore. And maybe it will help the situation there, because he has many supporters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12288682

Last December UK's coldest for 100 years

Last month was the coldest December for the UK since the nationwide records began 100 years ago and the second coldest for central England since 1659. Although the first analysis showed that 2010 was one of the warmest years on record, December had an average temperature of -1°C. This was caused by anomalously high air pressure that blocked mild westerly winds and brought south, arctic, cold air. The Met Office reported; it was the coldest calendar month since February 1986. In addition, December was unusually sunny and dry, the third direst December and 40% longer sunny conditions than average. The sequence of unusually cold UK winter weather is just variability and shouldn’t be a norm for next year.

I think it’s funny that it was the coldest December month since 100 years. It was very cold in the Netherlands too and I am wondering if the Netherlands hit a record too. I agree with the fact that the sequence of unusually cold winter weather is caused by variability and not global warming or something else. Nature is unpredictable and is very variable. If another 4 years of cold winter weather are added to the sequence than we have to investigate it if this is caused by global warming, because the effects of global warming are coming nearer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12119329

Dutch students protest education cuts

On 21th January Thousands of Dutch students and professors demonstrated at The Hague against education spending cuts. The police carried out charges to restore calm after it become very restless around the Education Ministry and Parliament. Earlier around 11.000 protesters peacefully demonstrated against the government spending cuts. In these cuts students who are delayed more than two years have to pay an extra fee of 3.000 per year and also their university or college. According to universities that will lead to 7.000 jobs lost this year. At the demonstration stage Minister Halbe Zijlstra was booed by the students when he addressed the demonstration and told the students; “we are doing this to prevent all of you in the future having to spend a fortune paying off the national debt.

I totally agree with the protestors. It is an approach to cut on education to reduce the state’s depts. There are many optional ways to do that. The Netherlands wants to be in the top 5 of the world’s education systems and then they want to cut on education that’s just absurd. I participated in the demonstration too and I have seen what happened at the Education Ministry and Parliament. What the police said is nonsense. Everyone was just standing there and doing nothing wrong. The ME arrived and made the situation very restless. So it wasn’t the students’ fault which is conjured by the police reports and media.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-01-21-dutch-education-protests_N.htm

Tethered teenage psychiatric patient shocks Netherlands

Pictures of a Dutch tethered 18-year-old boy, Brandon, appeared on the Dutch TV, taken after a tip-off from a whistle-blower. The Boy was tethered in an institution as a violent psychiatric patient who suffers from severe learning difficulties and has been confined to institutions since the age of five. Normally he was allowed to go home during weekends, but staff became increasingly afraid and for the past three years he lives every single like “a caged animal”. 40 more patients live in similar circumstances and deputy health minister defends these practices, saying sometimes you need to protect people from themselves.

I think it is very difficult to justify people who are not able to control themselves in a proper way. But if they are a very big threat for the society then it is already less difficult. These people can be dangerous for other people and themselves. In circumstances like that, the only option could be restraining them but this decision is very difficult and should be avoided as far as possible.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12256811

'Dawn runner' casts light on birth of the dinosaurs

In 1996, researchers found fossilised bones belongings of a 230 million years old Eodromaeus in the Valley of The Moon, in northwestern Argentina. After a long period of effort to recreate the skeleton they managed to reconstruct the Eodromaeus. The Eodromaeus is a small, two-legged, predating dinosaur of not much more than 1.2 meter in length and 4-6 kg in weight. Scientists believe that the Eodromaeus is very close to the roots of the dinosaurs, probably the first ancestor of the theropod line, which eventually would evolve into the huge forms like Tyrannosaurus rex.

It is very fascination that these fossils of creatures still can be found and that they they can reconstruct these skeletons into how the creatures looked alike, millions of years ago. With these reconstructions we will get a better view of how creatures lived millions of years ago which gives us a better understanding of nature. In addition if all the information of different creatures is compared, scientist can make a timeline which shows the evolution of all creatures into the creatures of the present days. This timeline could be used as another confirmation for Darwin’s Evolution Theory.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12175263

Days-Old Seal Pups Make It Across North Sea

Three seal pups have survived an "incredible journey" 350 miles across the North Sea after being swept away from the Farne Islands in stormy weather. They were around 14 or 15 days old when they were found in The Netherlands. It was known that seal pups could swim at an early age, but 350-mile is incredible. All three are being cared for in a seal rescue centre in The Netherlands and when they gained enough weight they will be released back into the wild, potentially to the Farne Islands.

At first, it’s very special that these three seal pups survived an incredible journey across the North Sea. I never thought seal pups could swim such incredible distance at a young age. Second, it’s good that these pups are being cared of until they recovered. I agree with the release of these pups at their natural habitat, but releasing them in The Netherlands wouldn’t be wrong either. The Wadden Sea is habited by Grey Seals too and they are very independent animals. So, actually it doesn’t matter if they are released at the Farne Islands or Wadden Sea.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110114/twl-days-old-seal-pups-make-it-across-no-3fd0ae9.html

Sony launches legal action against PlayStation hackers

Sony has launched legal action against hackers who uncovered and published security codes for the playStation 3. The hack allows anyone to run any software on their machine. George Hotz, one of the hackers at the center of the controversy, said that their actions will not succeed. We never condoned, supporter, approved of or encouraged videogame piracy and we haven’t published any encryption, signing keys, Sony codes or code’s derived from Sony’s code.

If George Hotz and the other hackers indeed published those hacks on the internet then I agree with Sony. If correct, Sony got copyright on everything of the PS3 and then hackers aren’t allowed to hack or change any codes which may lead to piracy.

If the hackers didn’t published anything, and Sony is just scared that they will published it, then I would say that Sony mustn’t overreact, because George Hotz et al didn’t do anything wrong yet. They were just checking if Sony’s codes can be hacked. This could be in Sony’s favor, because they can tell Sony the weak points in their system and advise them to adjust certain points.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12171423

Bus bombing kills 11 in Pakistan

A bus carrying 18 people in north-western Pakistan has been exploded. The Police said it was caused by a bomb, more specific a remote-controlled device, said a bomb-disposal squad. The explosion cost the lives of 11 people and 10 people were wounded. Earlier the police had not ruled out that it could be an accident caused by the fuel containers. It is not clear why militants would attack a bus carrying civilians but there is a speculation that it could have been a sectarian attack targeting passengers from Pakistan’s Shi Muslim minority.

It’s very sad that the people in Pakistan have to suffer of these bomb attacks on unknowing civilians, if it was a bomb. If it was an accident then it would not change the fact that it very sad for those people. But those people who do attack on unknowing civilians are in my opinion very big cowards. In addition, they won’t accomplish something with these actions, they will only be more hated by everyone.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12203804

A big breakfast doesn't reduce calorie intake

According to a German researchers’ study it’s a myth that eating a large breakfast means consuming fewer calories during the day, which is published in Nutrition Journal. They followed nearly 400 people who made a diary of what they ate, at what time and how much it weighted. With these dairies a comparison is made with people who eat a large breakfast, small breakfast and no breakfast. The results of the study showed that people who ate a large breakfast are the same as those who ate a small breakfast or none. Although experts still say that breakfast is important. Sian Porter, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, said: It has been shown that people who eat breakfast have more balanced diets than those who skip this meal.

It’s good to do studies like these. It gives a clearer view of the physiological thoughts behind eating and obesity. With these results a better approach against obesity can be made which could prevent and/or help people getting obese.

In my opinion, regarding eating a breakfast, I think it’s good to eat a breakfast, because I agree with Sian Porter. When don’t eat breakfast mostly I don’t want to eat bread in the afternoon and in contrast I’ll eat a snack.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12205379

Berlusconi denies paying for sex with teenage dancer

Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi is accused for having paid sex with a 17-years-old nightclub dancer, Karima El Mahroug. He denies these allegations and says he called the police on behalf of Karima El Mahroug’s theft. Karima El Mahroug told the newspapers she was paid 7.000 euros after she attented a party by Silvio Berlusconi last year, in addition she denies having sex with him.

As a PM you should be careful what you do, because you are a very important person of a country. You can’t be partying all the time and you have to act responsible.  If you are inviting a 17-years-old night dancer to your party then you can expect that people will say something and a 17-years-old inviting to a party is just wrong. I don’t mind if Karima attended the party freely, the PM should be more wisely and not invite her or an adult dancer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12204670

Universal and Sony to change singles release policy

Normally, a single is at “on air” on radio and subsequently available “on sale” available for sale. Universal and Sony want to change this single release policy. They want to air the singles on radio and let the sale begin simultaneously. Essex singer Jessie J believes this is a good idea and in addition it will help in the fight against music privacy, unofficial downloading of music. She already experienced the benefit of the simultaneously “on air” and “on sale” with her debut single Do It Like A Dude, which reached the top of the BBC's Sound Of 2011 list. Although sometimes it will be better for a song to be “on air” first and subsequently be “on sale”.

I think it’s a good idea to get some variation in the release of singles. A song is never the same like another and that’s why it’s good to vary. Like above, for some songs it will be better to sell it after two weeks and some simultaneously.  In addition, I think the artist/label company should be able to choose if his single will be “on air” first, and subsequently “on sale” or simultaneously.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12204592

Man arrested over fatal stabbing in Sutton-in-Ashfield

A man has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing three men in Nottinghamshire. One man died shortly after they were found and the other two are in the hospital, one in a serious condition and one with superficial injuries. The arrested man is 23-years-old and is the only suspect of the police, in addition the police isn’t looking for another person who is connected with this incident.

It’s really sad that some people have to be violent to other people. Why can’t they live in peach with each other? If you’re having a fight, just be reasonable and not violent.

The police should always be looking for more people who are possibly connected to a case. They should always have their eyes open.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-12198579

'Unethical' flipper tags are damaging to penguins

Flipper bands were attached to King Penguins. These bands are used to get information of the lifestyle on land and in water of the King Penguins. The penguins are easy to follow and identify with these flipper bands, but unfortunately these flipper bands have influences on the penguins, 40% fewer chicks and live shorter lives, according to French researchers. The flipper bands are to unethical and following research should be done with implantable transponders, which has no effect on the penguins.  In addition, preceding penguin research, which didn’t took these effects into account, have to check if their results are still reliable.

I totally agree that penguin research is done. With these results humankind can try to have less as possible influences on the penguins, so they can live with their natural circumstances. Although, if the penguin is suffering from these experiments then I don’t agree with this approach and a different approach should be thought up. The alternative which was said in the article, implantable transponders, is a better approach, because I don’t think the penguins are influenced by this implant. They only have to be captured and a little surgery, but there isn’t much suffer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12162725