A GIRL famously kidnapped as a baby from a maternity ward 21 years ago is to appear on Britain's Got Talent, The Sun can reveal.

A GIRL famously kidnapped as a baby from a maternity ward 21 years ago is to appear on Britain's Got Talent, The Sun can reveal. 

She chose not to use her sob story to sway the jury and get them on her side. University student Alex Griffiths wants to become famous as a dancer and chose Britain’s Got Talent to do so, however, she refused to use her I-was-kidnapped-as-a-baby-story to gain sympathy from the judges. She wants: “to impress people for who I am and what I can do, not because I was kidnapped as a baby”. People told her that she should definitely use her story but she denied. She says that producers in the end understood her decision to stay quiet and she does certainly not regret it!

Link to original article: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/britain_got_talent/3530338/Girl-kidnapped-as-a-baby-from-hospital-21-years-ago-is-to-appear-on-Britains-Got-Talent.html 


Class

Alex Griffiths certainly earned my sympathy, by not using her kidnap story to have advantage over others in the race to become Britain's next big talent. As the article said, a lot of people use these stories to become one of the favourites in contests, such as BGT. Even if they have barely anything to do with the act, or haven't really had any influence on becoming good, at the thing someone is doing. This girl doesn't even remember she was kidnapped because she was a baby so it wouldn't make sense to me at all, if she used her sob story as a boarding pass to a next round of BGT.

 

Kenneth Clarke: prison is a waste of money

Kenneth Clarke: prison is a waste of money

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke says the current prison system is financially unsustainable. Prisons are overcrowded and tax payers carry the growing financial burden while, according to Clarke, there are ways to reduce this burden and use prison life more usefully.

However, media, lobby groups and therefore many people argue that Clark is ”soft on crime”. He himself talked to the Guardian to deny this accusation and says that everyone who thinks prison life is easy, should visit a prison soon.

He is currently preparing a bill for a proposal of: a large sentence discount, diverting the mentally ill from jail, prisons with a working environment, operation of firms inside of prison to learn the inmates skills they can use in society when they get out and finally, make community punishments tougher by making offenders do structured unpaid work for eight hours a day.

Link to original article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/16/ken-clarke-prison-waste-money 

Make profit in prison in order to help sustain it 

I think it’s a bad thing to have too many people in one place, especially if they have nothing on their hands. If you lock everyone up for the slightest crimes, you’ll have what now happened in the UK: Overcrowded prisons.

I don’t think life in prison is easy, especially if a prison is overcrowded, people will only grow hate and get toughed up. I think Ken Clarke’s plans are good, why not make inmates work in jail and prepare them for their return to society by learning them skills and earn proof of good behaviour and a healthy work ethic.

Jelly bean resembling Kate Middleton to fetch £500

 A jelly bean resembling Kate Middleton's face is set to fetch £500 at auction

Wesley Hoise and his girlfriend Jessica White say to have found a yellow and red jelly bean in a 700-year-old jar, which resembles the face of Prince William’s bride Kae Middleton. They now want to make some money from the bean by selling it on eBay for £500. The chance that some collector, they hope, is buying, is present since the wedding is coming up in a few weeks.

Richard Cullen, Joint Managing Director for The Jelly Bean Factory says he still has to see it in order to believe it and says it’s possible because each and every jelly bean is unique because they’re handmade. 

Link to original article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/kate-middleton/8450314/Jelly-bean-resembling-Kate-Middleton-to-fetch-500.html

It took some time but I see it now!

Regardless of if the bean looks like kate or not, it is a nice item to have if you're a true fan collector of everything that has to do with the royal wedding coming up, and of course a nice bonus for the couple selling the bean on eBay.

I myself, at first just didn't see the comparison between the bean and the bride. However, later on when I really woke up, it all became visible to me and felt like a revelation.

Though, I do think that the bean looks like many girls and women, including friends of mine and therefore, is not that special. Also, I wonder why the picture they chose for the comparison is so NOT flattering for Kate Middleton, how hard is it to google for a nice picture of hers?

Hundreds attend kiss-in outside John Snow pub after venue closes its doors

Hundreds attend kiss-in outside John Snow pub after venue closes its doors 

Soho pub, John Snow which recently ejected a gay couple for what they said to be “obscene” kissing got surprised by a counteraction. Hundreds of protest kissers made the pub close its doors after they started a “gay kiss-in”, leaving lots of people locked outside, still with their drinks in their hands.

Subsequent to the kick-out Jonathan Williams and his date tweeted about the incident which caused the attention of national media and eventually plans for the “gay kiss-in” arose. Along with the kissing, rainbow flags were attached to the door frames and others pasted flyers with naked men to the windows.

Link to original article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/15/john-snow-kiss-in-london

Gay kiss-in? just ring me!

I have seen straight people do more than make out in clubs, and what happened? Staff made photo's while other club goers were sitting next to the love-making-couples "I have pics, it did happen". And since I'm against discrimination, I think the staff had no right to eject this future couple in love! Besides that, it's the 21st century and there's no space for any homophobia in the world.

This protest was a good counteraction in my opinion and I wish I could've been there. Maybe it's time to become more active on twitter! Anyhow, whenever you need to protest against something, and kissing is involved, just ring me!

Private schools line up to become free (Tuesday April 12, 2011)

Private schools line up to become free (Tuesday April 12, 2011) 

The government decided to subsidise private schools to become free schools, this way everyone has a chance to benefit from the variety of education systems around the country. 

However, while this happens, state school budgets get slashed and staff is made redundant. The question arising at state schools is: Where does the Department of Education get the audacity to give more money to the rich and leave the poor torn. 

David Mann in his defence states that state schools are not really that good and that more private schools will raise the bar to a higher level. The point according to the spokesman of the Department of Education is: “The test for a free school is not just if the school gets good results. You need to look at what happens to the ring of schools around it. ”

Link to original article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/apr/12/private-schools-conversion 

Free? OK! At the expense of school state going children? NO!

I personally think it’s a good idea to subsidise new ways of education, especially if this makes it possible for both the rich and the poor to attend special education. However, if this means that state schools have to suffer and therefore, the children still at those state schools, then I think it’s a bad plan. However, if the plans are slightly revised, which means that state schools also get the necessary funds to renew their methods, repair their equipment and fix their buildings, then it sounds a lot better to me. It would be fair if a balance is found between the financial help between each type of school.