Coming home for Christmas?

Icy roads take care of a whole lot of problems. The weather is guilty, trains do not drive on right times, airplanes are cancelled and traffic is stuck. Today will be the busiest day for motorists to go home for Christmas, but the roads are frozen and snow is falling on the ground. The country looks beautiful but is very risky for motorists. Journey times will be double on main roads and trains will be cancelled. Also the airports are busy with passengers whose airplane were delayed or cancelled earlier. But there is an improvement, Heathrow is expecting 1.206 flights today, which is almost a full schedule and Eurostar is running a near normal service.  People must check their journey before they come to the airport or train station so that they know when their journey will start.

Opinion about the article

This is very annoying for all the travelers. A few days ago I was in London and I am glad that the journey went well, there was delaying and cancelling, but not so bad that I had to sleep on the station or anything. Especially now that it is almost Christmas, you want to go home. What if you are not in time, you have to celebrate it without family or friends. On the other hand, no one could do something about the weather, all people do their best to let the trains drive and airplanes fly. No one is guilty about it except mother nature and in the end…. Is not it a beautiful sight?

Source:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/23/icy-roads-christmas-getaway

Pliosaur: it could have bitten a car in half!!!

150 Years ago a ferocious predator lived in the water: pliosaur, which was terrorizing the sea. In 2010 a fossil of 2.4 m-long was found. The innermost secrets of this big sea monster are being revealed by CT scanners. These scanners shows the whole world how powerful the pliosaur was. Incredible and unbelievabe are the teeth, these are so strong it could have bitten a car in half, also the habits as hunting and attacking can be researched by the fossil which is found. After the scientific analysis is complete and the fossil is fully prepared and mounted you can go and see it by yourself in summer 2011  in the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester. There will also be a massive, life-sized model of the head so that you can count the teeth: will you ever swim in the sea again????

Opinion about the article:

One of the biggest sea monsters ever in my opinion has been found. When I saw this scary picture I thought no way I will ever swim in the sea again. It is fascinating to read about a monster who ate animals, such as turtles, and hunted for everything that moves. I hardly cannot imaging that there has been no fear to others for this animal, it has no enemies but himself. This article is a miracle for scientists and sea lovers. I think it is good to know how the world changes and how animals changes, it is very interesting.  Also the way to find out more about this pliosaur: just a CT scan and some X-rays, it is amazing. Scientists have a computer program to show what this animal looked like and what the habits must have been.   

  

Source:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12039963

The London trip!!!

After a few-hours-journey we finally got there: LONDON!! It was beautiful to see the green pastures and the blue sky. I have never been in England before; therefore the first impressions will always be there in my head and heart.  Together with Anna, I saw it all: the Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and of course Buckingham Palace. In the few hours we had left we went to Hyde Park and walked the memorial of Lady Di. And last but certainly not least we went to Oxford street: Harrods, the House of Fraser, I have seen it all. The journey was fun, instructive and new.

The first time in a London bus was scary and funny, the whole time I thought o no do not hit anything, it is silly to drive the wrong way. And the pound was new for me. It is weird to take a look at it, half of the time I had no idea what a penny or a pound was. But it was a great experience to see how different a country can be while it is only four hours away.

A big cuddle each and every day

The accessory du jour nowadays is the micro pig. It is a small pig, it will grow till the size between 30cm to 40 cm, with a high feeling to cuddle. Even celebrities like David and Victoria Beckham have bought a micro pig for 700 pounds. The British Kune Kune Pig Society is the specialist in pigs and they tell that these micro pigs are not so easy to take care of and will not stay as  little as the advertisers may say. Several pig owners have brought their pig back because it became too big.

Everyone who buys a pig should realize that a pig will give you a certain amount of work and that pigs can become bigger than what has been said.

Opinion about the article:

It is easier to buy an animal, whether it is a dog or a pig, than realize how to take care of an animal. People think too easy about taking a pet. First of all I do not think that a pig is happy to become a pet, in my opinion a pig would like to stay outside to play in the mud. But they are very cute and I think that is the reason people want them to stay in their houses. It is a good idea to get a pig as a pet when you know how to give it the best life. And very important you do not want to worry about how big the pig is, he or she stays cute.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/18/micro-pig-advertising-ban-asa

Challenge assessment by Andy Flower

Andy Flower is England’s coach in cricket, he tells us what to expect from the match against South Australia which will take place in Adelaide. England would really like to win this game, especiaaly after the smooth game against Brisbane. After three good matches the team feels confident in what they are doing, but according to Andy that is in the past and they also had the same change to lose these games. Andy says that the team must keep their feet on the floor because they have the challenge ahead. And England has a trump cart: Ajmal Shahzad will take his place in the team when it is necessarily. He is very fast and able to reverse-swing the old ball.

 

Opinion about the article:

Because it is an article about sport I am not very delighted with. I do not think you should think about sport too much, there are so many things which are more important. But this article was positive in my opinion. The coach Andy Flower makes good sense by telling the team that past performance is no guarantee for the future, this is not only about sports but it is important to know in life. It this way sports can be important for everyone, also for myself.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/22/england-australia-andy-flower-gabba

The next King and Queen?

 After eight years Prince William asked, after getting the permission of her father,  his girlfriend Kate to marry him on a romantic holiday in Kenya. According to Kate the Prince is ‘’a true romantic’’, ‘’a loving boyfriend’’  and ‘’very supportive of her in good times and also trough the bad times’’. The whole country is delighted as well as Queen Elizabeth. The Prince gave Kate the blue sapphire and diamond engagement ring that Charles gave to Lady Di in 1981, in this way his mother won’t be miss out on this special day.

Opinion about the article:

It is a great article, with great news. I was also delighted hearing this fantastic news while I am not even British. The wedding between William and Kate will make up the sad wedding between Charles and Lady Di, who unfortunately died after a terrible car accident. After his mother's death the public never heard great news anymore. The wedding between William and Kate will make the English Royal family more popular. I am looking forward to the wedding, that will happen next spring or summer.

Phil Woolas ejected from parliament over election slurs[1]

After misleading voters in Oldham East and provoking Islamic extremists, several  emails were found between Woolas’s team, two high court judges decided to judge Phil Woolas to what is likely to profound implications for all future campaigns.  Woolas has automatically loses his seat in the Commons and he is barred from politics for three years. Several politician, from several parties, have an opinion about how people can conduct elections in the future.  According to Section 106 of the Representation of the People Act (1983) Phil Woolas has made an offence. 

Opinion about the article:

After reading the article, which has different meanings in it, I thought about how you can ruin your party by lying and provoking people. The judges have made the right decision, by giving him profound implications for all future campaigns. A politician is a person who people trust and they have to hold their trust, otherwise people will lose faith in the future. By lying to the people you make a real big mistake, and by provoking people you will get more voters against you.

[1] Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/05/phil-woolas-ejected-parliament-election

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