Give the rioters a job or an education

Neet figures: More young people without work - title - 24 may 2012

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18190012

A very steep rise in the figures concerning jobs and education for young people. Neet stands for Not in Education, Employment or Training. Usually these figures go up and down throughout the year with a expected peak in the summer. For the first three months there was a rise of 29000 compared to 2011. And compared with 2008 its even 143000 youngsters higher.  An investment of 1bn Pound is made to get these alarming figures, which have been to high for to long, down.

Reaction

Perhaps it’s a bit harsh to say that all the young people without a job or education are rioters, and perhaps not all the rioters where without a job or education, but i do think that these circumstances are partly to blame for the mass riots last year. Without a job or a proper education the outlook on the future is grim. This negative outlook combined with boredom creates a powder cake which can explode with the smallest spark. My concern after reading this article is that 1bn Pound will not be enough! Or as the Americans say:  A day late and a dollar short!

On the move towards the 2012 Olympics

Olympic torch: Swimming star Sharron Davies joins relay (title - 24 May 2012)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18174230

Summary

An article covering the relay of the Olympic flame and its route through the UK. Sharron Davies will be one of the 119 bearers of today’s 99 mile route. Not only sports legends but also war veterans and other notables will carry the torch from Gloucester to Worcester. Part of the route will be travelled by train and different festivities such as a performance by a 1000- strong choir will take place along the route.  In total 8000 persons will carry the flame over a total of 8000 miles. The relay will take 70 days and will end with the opening of the Olympic games on 27 July.

Reaction

A nice tradition kept alive! What I think is admirable is that the flame is not only carried by former Olympians but also by other people who  contributed in one way or another to the well being of the country, making the Olympic games and its traditions something for everyone. The idea behind the games of connecting countries through sports in this way also works on a national level  unifying Britain through sports.

Rising from the ashes

 Pawnbroker targeted in riots is given hope of compensation for customers (title of article)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/09/jeweller-riots-hopes-customers-compensated

 (09-05-2012)

 Here we read the tragic story of a pawnshop owner who not only lost his store and livelihood but also all the pawned articles he had in his safe belonging to his customers. These where given to him as security on short term loans and where stolen after his shop burned down in last summer’s riots. Following police advice the shop owner did not tell his customers about the theft until well after the limit for claiming the stolen goods with their insurance had passed. Thankfully the mayor’s office stepped up after the shop owner had sought publicity and it looks like a couple more victims of the riots get a chance to move on with their lives.

Another sign that although the riots are over, the rubble is not yet gone. But thankfully this story seems to get a happy ending. It shows a willingness from the government to help the victims of the riots. This, together with the efforts made to punish rioters, shows me that Britain is also getting ready to move on past the riots.  The rubble is not yet gone but it is good to see that the cleanup is well on its way.

If you put a silk dress on a goat he is a goat still  (Irish proverb)

Queen's Speech goat tradition takes time (Title of article)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18001296 (09-05-2012)

The article learns us the tradition by which the Queens speech is put on parchment. And how that parchment is made. Or to be more precise how the vellum, a fine parchment, is made. By  way of this explanation it is shown to us that recent commentary on the queens speech in which it is said by the opponents of the Lords reform that the government has softened the language of the reform following last week’s electoral, is well unfounded. Simply because the speech was already written before the electoral.

This proverb summarises in part what I think of politics. You can hire a calligrapher to use his best handwriting to put words on vellum created by old-fashioned craftsmen but it still are the words of politicians, and those words do not have much value to me. What I do like about this article is that it does not address the questions about animal cruelty. I think that in some countries, like for instant Holland, this subject would have gotten in the way of what I think, are bigger issues.