14: Just one criminal jailed for every 93 crimes

Figures showed just one criminal is jailed for every 93 offences committed. A total of 101,500 offenders who were convicted last year were given an immediate custodial sentence (representing less than eight per cent of all those sentenced, according to the Ministry of Justice). The annual criminal justice statistics also revealed that the proportion of serial offenders has risen sharply in the last decade. Offenders with at least 15 previous convictions to their name now make up 29 per cent of those convicted in the crown courts, compared to just 17 per cent in 2000. Jonathan Djanogly, the justice minister, said: “These statistics show that the number of criminals committing multiple crimes has risen dramatically over the last decade.

I agree with Jonathan Djanogly; the statistics show some really shocking information. The fact that people got killed every day makes the world having a "dark side". I think the justice system can be much more strict; it seemed to be not strict enough because bad things still happen too many times. That is why I agree with the quote in the article: “Prisons must become places of hard work and sentences must be designed to properly tackle the root causes of crime, such as drug and alcohol misuse or mental illness.”

Source: The Telegraph

13: Woman who strangled autistic son is cleared of murder

A woman, Yvonne Freaney (49), has been cleared of murder after strangling her autistic son with a belt and then attempting to take her own life. She will instead be sentenced for manslaughter. After strangling her son, Yvonne left a note for one of her three other children, who also have disabilities, saying: "You may not understand what has happened but just think of it as I am finally getting rest." It was very hard for Yvonne to take care of her son as a real mother. By the age of 11 her autistic son was not toilet trained and still wore nappies. Yvonne faced a murder charge but was cleared by a jury at Cardiff crown court after a day of deliberation. Freaney had admitted a charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

This is a very tragical case. I feel very sorry for both the mother and the autistic son, they both do not deserve to die. It must be very hard for a mother to take care of an intensively autistic son, but I do not get why she searched for professional help instead. An autistic son will change your life entirely, but I do not think this is the way it should end up. Yvonne should have looked for professional help in stead of killing her son.

Source: Guardian

12: 'Washing machines live just as long without Calgon' – Which?

Washing machines don't necessarily live longer with Calgon, consumer organisation Which? shows. They simulated three years' worth of washing and found no evidence that using Calgon extended the life of the washing machine in "normal" washing conditions. Using Calgon does not extend the life of a standard washing machine at all. Calgon commented on the report: "We were both surprised and disappointed to see the comments in the recent Which? report on washing machines regarding the use of water softeners such as Calgon. We found the report to be highly misleading."

Extending the lifetime of your washing machine is nonsense. You would probably have to hire a mechanic to do this. Simple tablets do not have any influence on this at all. Calgon just used this slogan to be attractive. They seem to succeed with this, since Calgon is a very popular brand. Although, I think this has not very much to do with the actual quality of the products. Calgon is popular and therefore a lot of people use it. A lot of slogans are misleading and I do not think it is needed to find out whether they are exactly true or not. It is an interesting article, though.

Source: Guardian

11: Teacher who told pupil ‘you’ve got a face like a baboon's arse' is allowed to keep his job

A science teacher who told a pupil he had a 'face like a baboon's arse' and pulled a girl's hair while calling her a dog has avoided a ban from the classroom. The teacher, called Trevor Goode, was also found guilty of 'unacceptable professional misconduct'. But he avoided a suspension or ban from teaching and was instead told to go on an anger management course by members of the General Teaching Council's Professional Conduct Committee. Rather than impose a teaching ban on Mr Goode the committee imposed a Conditional Registration Order that states he must within six months attend an approved course for personal behaviour management, including classroom communication skills.

I think it is crazy that this man can keep his job. I think he should be banned from the classroom for at least a few months. This man is simply not someone who should come along with children. He should first learn to behave properly in front of class. The course he has to do is a good idea; this way he will learn how to be a better teacher. I ask myself with what kind of intention this man behaved like this. Was it just to make a joke or are there any serious problems inside his head?

Source: Mail Online

10: Shotgun murderer given four life sentences

John Cooper found guilty of four killings in 1980s rural west Wales. He has been given four life sentences for four shotgun murders. The murderer, called John Cooper, was convicted of killing holidaymakers Peter and Gwenda Dixon as they walked the coastal path in Pembrokeshire in 1989. John Cooper, who was described as a "cold and calculating" killer, also murdered millionaire farmer Richard Thomas and his sister, Helen, in 1985. He was also found guilty of several sex attacks on teenagers. He also sexually assaulted a woman called Mrs Dixon and forced marketing manager Mr Dixon to reveal his bank card pin. During the review, traces of blood were found on Cooper his clothes.

This man is sick. He really is. In the article is said John Cooper had hedgerows as "safes" to hide the valuables he stole and cut escape routes through fences and fields. I never understand how men like this can have a husband. How can a woman ever like such a depraved and bad guy? I am glad John Cooper is in prison now. This is typically someone who definitely does not deserve to be a part of this world. Unfortunately, there are still too many bad people walking on earth nowadays. Oh, by the way, John Cooper is the man on the right side of the picture.

Source: Guardian

9: Alcohol-related hospital admissions at record high

NHS figures show alcohol-related admissions to hospitals in England have topped one million in a year for the first time. It even doubled in less than a decade! Men comprised nearly two-thirds of admissions (63%), which rose by 12% between 2008/9 and 2009/10, according to statistics in a report by the NHS Information Centre. The admissions include some serious problems like heart diseases, mental health problems and even cancers. The charity Alcohol Concern called the figures "deeply worrying but not at all surprising". They also say alcohol is one of the biggest public health problems facing the country yet. Sadly, this government is showing no commitment to dealing with the problem.

I think it is a shame that the amount of problems related to alcohol is this big. People should really be aware of what they are doing and know their limits. Alcohol can have some serious consequences and I think people in the UK are not aware of that. The charity Alcohol Concern says the government is not doing anything about this. When it comes to alcohol, I always know my limits and I know I have to be aware of the dangers it can cause.

Source: Guardian

8: Heinz left playing tomato catch-up after ketchup tasting trouncing

In a blind tasting of 13 ketchups, carried out by the consumer group, Heinz failed to make it into the top 10. It finished second from bottom, along with Aldi. Overall, the top-scoring "best brand" was Sainsbury's own-brand tomato ketchup, which was singled out for its "rich tomato taste, with a nice thickness to the sauce". M&S and Tesco own-brand ketchups came joint second. Heinz scored just two out of five for taste, with many tasters describing its flavour as "artificial" and '"synthetic", and claiming it had a "bitter" and "vinegary" taste. Also, the prices of Heinz products are way higher. Heinz cost almost twice as much as the top-scoring Sainsbury's product (£1.75 for a 460g bottle compared with 95p for a 485g bottle).

I have always thought Heinz is, like, the best brand in ketchup products. This research provided information which showed the opposite. People in the UK (and probably in various other countries) only buy Heinz because of its famous name. It does not really matter what it tastes like, the brand is famous so a lot of people buy it. Personally, I do not really taste any differences in kinds of ketchup. It all tastes the same to me, so whether I buy Heinz or not, I would not really taste any great differences. Ketchup is ketchup.

Source: Guardian