More job cuts.

In case there weren’t enough people worried about losing their job, Hewlett-Packard have jumped on the bandwagon too. 

They’re cutting 27,000 jobs by the end of 2014, as a part of their plans to simplify the business and deliver better results for their customers and employees. The cuts, which will affect around 8% of the company’s workers, is said to reduce Hewlett-Packard’s costs by £2.2bn a year.

Though it was announced this week that their profits are higher than expected, the good news was put to one side as their employees were warned of possible job losses.

Hewlett-Packard have said that the £2.2bn they’re saving due to the job cuts will be reinvested back into the company, but that’s no comfort to the 27,000 people losing their jobs.

As it seems that unemployment figures are soon to be higher, the pressure to find a job is getting even stronger. Perhaps a job as a CV-writer is the best way to go...

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Kids and iPads.

Smartphones and tablets are so popular now that pretty much everyone has used one at some point. But are they going to result in kids being dependent on such devices?

Psychologists believe that parents who are always checking their phones and iPads are negatively affecting their children’s development, and even go as far as to say that it’s a form of neglect.

According to statistics, the average 12-16 year old spends more than six hours a day watching TV or playing on tablets and smartphones, and this happens at home rather than at school. One psychologist, Dr Eric Sigman, has said that this leads to other health problems like obesity, high blood pressure and sleeping disorders.

Although some apps can help children learn by using fun techniques, some parents are using tablets and smartphones as a way of babysitting their kids. Dr Eric Sigman warns that this could lead to a lifetime of poor health, and argues that TV for toddlers should be banned to avoid a risk to their mental and physical health in the future.

But surely TV and educational apps are fine in moderation. Technology is only developing further, so kids should start getting used to these devices in small doses. It’s only when it’s relied on as a babysitter that it becomes an issue. 

What do you think - is Dr Eric Sigman right?

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Robin wakes up.

Robin Gibb was on the verge of passing away just a few days ago. He was on a life support machine and his family were told to expect his suffering to be over soon.

But the tables have quickly turned, and now he’s breathing on his own, awake from his coma and responding to his loved ones. 

The Bee Gees star was diagnosed with colon and liver cancer in October 2010, and contracted pneumonia after his intense chemotherapy, which led him to a 12-day coma.

Dr Andrew Thillainayagam, who has been treating Robin in London is shocked at his “remarkable” recovery.

It’s been reported that as he woke, he looked at his son and said “hello”, after his family had been speaking to him and singing during his time in the coma.

Concern over Robin’s health first started after Maurice, his twin brother, died from the same illness in 2003, aged 53, which must have brought extra worry for his wife and children.

Even if you’re not a fan of The Bee Gees (their music never appealed to me) it goes without saying that his condition is a horrible one, and I hope he recovers fully and he lives a long and happy life.

For the full story, click here.

Monsters found guilty.

CCTV footage of little Thusha Kamaleswaran dancing in a supermarket shortly before she was shot has been released.

The five-year-old was shot in the chest, and Roshan Selvakumar, 35, was shot in the face in a shooting at a shop in Brixton in March last year. The three gunmen, who have been found guilty of GBH with intent, were trying to shoot a rival gang member when the pair were accidentally caught.

After Thusha had been rushed to hospital, her heart stopped twice before doctors managed to save her. The bad news is that she will probably never walk again. 

Nathaniel Grant, Anthony McCalla and Kazeem Kolawole showed no remorse in court for what they’d done, and will be sentenced in April. They should be put away for a very long time.

On 22nd September the officers who worked on the case are taking part in the Three Peaks charity challenge, and are raising money to help Thusha is any way they can. They are asking the public to donate what they can, as they were so moved by little Thusha’s bravery.

For the full story, click here.

Goodbye Game.

It’s bad news for another chain of stores. Game have been forced to close nearly half of its stores.

Sales have been decreasing for months, and after a bad Christmas the company have gone into administration, resulting in 2119 of its employees will have been made redundant by the end of the week. 2104 of these are shop staff and 15 are head office workers. 

It’s expected that Game will be sold successfully, but the Royal Bank of Scotland are planning to insist that they get the money back that they’ve had to lend to the company in recent months.

With more and more people turning to websites such as Amazon to buy their games and other entertainment features, Game’s lack of income and their upcoming £21m rent bill is making their £180m debt even worse.

Though it’s devastating to thousands of people’s lives, it’s not really a surprise that another major chain has gone into administration and is being forced to close stores. It’s worrying about which of our favourite shops might be closing next.

For the full story, click here.

Pensions are for workers.

Peter Sutcliffe, a.k.a The Yorkshire Ripper, is fighting for the right to have a state pension.

His argument is that he should have access to a pension because he was working and paying taxes before he was caught in 1981 for the murders of 13 women. If he wins his battle he could get £137.35 a week, where he is being held in Broadmoor Hospital.

It’s not the first time that he’s tried to get money from the government. In 2006 he tried to get £55 a week as income support, so he could buy books and other items. He was refused this money, and should be refused access to a pension now.

Causing as much horror and pain as he did should automatically take away his rights to having a luxury life where he can claim money from the government and other tax payers. Being cared for and having food and other necessities provided to him is all he needs. 

The courts have previously stuck to the idea that convicted and sentenced prisoners don’t receive these benefits, and with any sense they won’t change their minds now for Peter Sutcliffe. A pension is for hard workers, not murderers. 

For the full story, click here.

We're doing it wrong again.

It’s just one thing after another. It seems that we can’t do anything right.

Dentists are now warning that children who are having their five-a-day are suffering from decaying teeth. High levels of acid in some fruits and vegetables are leading to enamel erosion, and children in schools are being encouraged to drink milk and water instead of fruit juice.

Parents are even being advised by Karen Harley, from the dental faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons, to only give children fruit as a treat. Rewind a few months and children were being told by everyone to eat as many fruit and vegetables as they possible can.

Whilst it does have other health benefits, it appears to be seriously damaging children’s teeth, with the estimation that acid erosion can be found in half of the UK’s five-year-olds.

There always seems to be something that the public are doing wrong, and it appears that this is the latest. First we’re told to have our five-a-day, now it’s rotting our teeth. What will it be next?

For the full story, click here.