Gastric bands must stay a last resort

Summery

Since November 2010, there has been several commercials recommending surgery to reduce your weight. The commercials explain the benefits of bariatric surgery but not the disadvantages. The advert is shocking because its portraying bariatric surgery as a safe solution for obesity. Gastric bands should be the last solutions of the problem because it is a scientific fact, that the way to lose weight, is by adjusting your lifestyle to eat healthy and exercise regularly. Not only the commercials contribute to this problem but magazines as well. They are showing the results of former fatties, who have had this type of surgery. Unfortunately, in 2015 obesity will affect more than 700 million people around the world. “Bariatric surgery should be regarded as a taboo subject in all but the most hopeless circumstances”(The guardian, O'Reilly, 2011).

Opinion

I absolutely agree with this article. Obesity, in many cases can be solved by adjusting you lifestyle. Eating healthy and regular exercise should be as normal as brushing your teeth. These two critical factors are not very difficult to follow. Government should not allow these commercials, where surgery is presented as a good way to lose weight. Instead, governments should set up educations programs and commercials to educate its civilians. The will have a good effect on both, the government, and its civilians. It is a fact that people who healthy and have a normal body weight, require less medical attention. These educational programs will cut government health expenses and make the people more healthy. 

Link

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/20/gastric-band-surgery-obesity

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg ‘attacked by hackers’

Summery

Mark Zuckerberg, who is the founder and CEO of the social networking website Facebook, had his Facebook page hacked. On the 25^th of January, hackers took over his account and posted a message saying: “Let the hacking begin: If Facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn't Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way? Why not transform Facebook into a ‘social business’ the way Nobel Price winner Muhammad Yunus described it? http://bit.ly/fs6rT3 What do you think? #hackercup2011.” After the message was published it was liked 1,800 times and several hundred comments were placed. Facebook refuses to comment on this security failure. Security analysts think Mark has not been careful with his username and password.

Opinion

I believe that putting all kinds of information about yourself on the internet is very dangerous. Most people don’t know, that information published on the internet, is on the internet forever. Over a period of time, I have read several articles about Facebook and its security and privacy policy, and that is exactly the reason why I don’t have a Facebook account. The internet and software are very complicated things and that is why it is, and has always been, a competition between the keepers of security and the hackers. Sources of personal information is a honey pot for hackers, that is why you cannot trust any website with your personal information.

Link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/8283072/Facebooks-Mark-Zuckerberg-attacked-by-hackers.html

Anti-Islam US pastor is banned from Britain

Summery

The controversial American preacher Terry Jones has been banned from Britain. The England is Ours organization, who has connections to the anti-Islamic British National Party invited Terry Jones to speak to their members. The home secretary stated that the government is opposed to all extremism in all forms and that Mr. Jones is a potential threat to public order. Preacher Terry Jones responded by saying that refusing him entry to the UK was a blow to free speech.

Preacher Terry Jones, has gained international fame by planning to burn a Koran, on what he is calling “the international burn a Koran day”.

Opinion

I am opposed to the idea of burning a Koran. It only strengthens polarization and that is never good. On the other hand, there is freedom of speech, and that is why I believe the UK government should not refuse and ban, Preacher Terry Jones from the UK. I do not agree with his ideas but I think he should be able to convey his message to people who do agree with him. The same thing happened with Geert Wilders, who also was refused entry in the UK on the same grounds. I believe that people should only be refused if they encourage violence.

Link

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/antiislam-us-pastor-is-banned-from-britain-2189317.html

Happy birthday. Now we're going to deport you

Summery

Ahmer Rana is a young teenager from Pakistan, who arrived alone in Britain at age 14. His parents paid smugglers to take him to Britain. Now, almost at the age of 18, he is about to get deported. The red cross has searched for his parents but were unable to find them. Upon arriving, Ahmer had no family living in the UK. So he was settled in south-west Wales where he went to school and was taken care of by his foster parents.

His story is often compared to that of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 33-year old Iraqi, who killed a 12-year-old girl in a hit and run accident. He was challenged to deportation but could remain living in the UK because he was fathering two children.

Opinion

It is in the interest of the UK government and Ahmer Rana that he remains in the UK. Ahmer Rana has lived a great part of his live in the UK. He learned the language, went to school and is completely intergraded in the culture. The UK has already invested large amounts of money into this boy; why would you throw this all away by deporting him. He could be a valuable member of society. If he were to be deported, he would have to build himself a whole new life in Pakistan. I do not think this is the way to handle these situations.

Link

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/happy-birthday-now-were-going-to-deport-you-2168433.html

Coalition ministers consider gay marriage plans

Summery

It is expected that early this year, gay marriage will be made possible. Currently, it is not possible for homosexual couples to marriage in the UK. The law of marriage itself, does not allow same-sex couples. However it is possible for gay couples to register a civil partnership but this is criticized because it is considered to be a second class status.

With this law it is also possible for same-sex couples to host religious ceremonies in churches, synagogues and other faith organisations. The church of England is opposed because “marriage is about the relationship between a man and a woman who commit themselves to a lifelong faithful partnership out of which, in many cases but not all, can come the gift of children. That is a different thing from a civil partnership”

Opinion

I believe that all people are equal and same-sex marriage should be allowed. It is a well know fact that people who are gay, are born this way. We just have to accept the fact that these people have and will always be in our society. Why would we make it such a big deal of it. Gay people are the same as heterosexual people except for their sexual preference. In the UK, same-sex couples can register civil partnership, which is by law exactly the same as marriage. The only differences are the words and ceremonies involved with marriage. My conclusion is; there is only one thing stopping gay marriage, religion.

Link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/8221964/Coalition-ministers-consider-gay-marriage-plans.html