Wednesday, 27 June 2012

An organisation which supports black and ethnic minority people in Bristol

UK homes are consuming

Homes are 'hungrier for energy'

UK homes are consuming much more electricity than previously estimated, a report described as the most detailed of its kind suggests

UK homes are consuming much more electricity than previously estimated, a report described as the most detailed of its kind has suggested.

For example, it found that up to 16% of households' energy bills are spent on devices left on standby.

It is estimated that domestic energy use accounts for more than a quarter of the nation's CO2 emissions.

The report was commissioned by the government and the Energy Saving Trust to unearth the nation's energy habits.

"This standby power is double what we have assumed it to be in past models and policy assumptions," explained Paula Owen, the report's lead author.

"Before, we have always gone with an 8% figure so it was quite a shock."

Within in this study, Dr Owen explained, standby had a slightly wider remit from its traditional perception of the red lights on TVs and videos.

"When we talk about standby in this context, we are talking about things that are on standby and things [that] are idle, rather than [doing] what they are primarily designed to do," she said.

The modern home contained an average of 41 devices, compared with a dozen or so in the 1970s.

The UK year-long study, commissioned by EST, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc), involved more than 250 households.

Only two previous studies of its kind have been carried out before.

In 2008, Sweden detailed the electricity consumption of 400 households, while a study in France considered the use in 100 homes during 2007.

'Don't live alone'

Dr Owen explained: "One of the more surprising findings from the study is the amount of use from single occupancy households, which were shown to be using as much as, even more than, as family occupied homes."

The emergence of electric cars could place an additional strain on the National Grid

Another insight was the use of washing machines, which varied greatly across the sample group, Dr Owen said.

"Typically, people use their washing machine 300 times a year; we found that there were some people who were using it three time a day.

"So there is a lot of evidence in this report that shows how people are using their electrical equipment, as well as how often they are using it."

Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust (EST), said that it was "crucial that households across the nation make informed decisions by having the right advice to help them reduce their energy usage and fuel bills".

"This research shows that there's still more work to be done with consumer advice, product innovation and take up of energy-efficiency labelling," he said.

Environment minister Lord Taylor said the government and households could not control the rising cost of energy but could play a part in ensuring that it was used more efficiently.

"Our study has found that homes can save up to £85 by just switching things off and not leaving them on standby," he said.

"Some savings can be made by us, as individuals, by just being more sensible in the way we use energy."

Dr Owen said a big issue for the future would be the increasing popularity of electric vehicles.

"This will dramatically increase our pull on the grid," she told BBC News.

"That is the big growth area over the coming decades, if electric cars do become popular, so we need to see offsets in the domestic setting in order to allow us to power our vehicles in the future."

Rosalyn Foreman, energy adviser for the EST, explained that there were still traditional areas where their efforts could be focused.

"The fridge and the freezer in a house are the real energy eaters. They are the ones that can make a real difference, and it is easier to target the consumer on buying a better appliance.

"It is areas like this where you can make a difference and influence people.

"But we have never had the evidence down to this level of detail before, so it gives us an insight into what we can target and how we target it."

Saturday, 23 June 2012

Researchers

Bird flu 'could mutate to cause deadly human pandemic'

By Pallab GhoshScience correspondent, BBC News

The H5N1 virus could mutate to a deadlier form and spread to humans

The H5N1 bird flu virus could change into a form able to spread rapidly between humans, scientists have warned.

Researchers have identified five genetic changes that could allow the virus to start a deadly pandemic.

Writing in the journal Science, they say it would be theoretically possible for these changes to occur in nature.

A US agency has tried unsuccessfully to ban publication of parts of the research fearing it could be used by terrorists to create a bioweapon.

According to Prof Ron Fouchier from the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who led the research, publication of the work in full will give the wider scientific community the best possible chance to combat future flu pandemics.

"We hope to learn which viruses can cause pandemics and by knowing that we might be able to prevent them by enforcing strict eradication programmes," he told BBC News.

He added that his work might also speed the development of vaccines and anti-viral drugs against a lethal form of bird flu that could spread rapidly among people.

The H5N1 virus has been responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of birds and has led to hundreds of millions more being slaughtered to stop its spread.

“Start Quote

We hope to learn which viruses can cause pandemics and by knowing that we might be able to prevent them”

Prof Ron FouchierErasmus Medical Centre

The virus is also deadly to humans but can only be transmitted by close contact with infected birds.

Coughs and sneezes

It is for this reason that relatively few people have died of bird flu. Latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures indicate 332 people have died of the illness since 2003.

Health officials are concerned though that the H5N1 virus could one day mutate into a form that could be spread between humans through coughs and sneezes through the air.

This could, they fear, result in a lethal pandemic that could spread rapidly across the world killing tens of millions of people.

It is only now that a study has confirmed that the emergence of such a deadly virus is theoretically possible.

A group led by Prof Fouchier wanted to find out which genetic changes were required to enable the H5N1 virus to mutate into a form that could be transmitted from person to person through the air.

Men in protective clothing capturing Bird Flu infected chicken

His team compared the genetic structure of the bird flu virus with those responsible for earlier human flu pandemics.

The researchers found five key differences, which they reasoned could be the mutations required for airborne transmission of the virus.

They confirmed their theory was correct by genetically engineering those changes into the H5N1 virus which they found could then be spread between ferrets through coughing and sneezing.

A team from Cambridge University then looked to see whether such a mutation could emerge naturally and if so its likelihood.

The researchers studied the genetic structure of 3,000 bird viruses and 400 that occur in humans.

They found some of these viruses had two of the key changes needed to become airborne. Mathematical modelling suggested it was indeed possible for a virus to develop the three further changes required during the course of an epidemic.

Bioweapon

It is the first time it has been shown that it is possible for bird flu to become airborne, but the research team was unable to determine precisely how likely this was to happen.

Prof Derek Smith, who led the analysis, said more information was needed.

He said researchers required a better understanding of how flu viruses were transmitted between people in order to develop a clearer idea of the likelihood of the emergence of an airborne strain of bird flu.

"These are difficult things to find out," Prof Smith told BBC News.

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We will need to work toward the establishment of a comprehensive, international system for assessing research that might have a dual use”

Dr Bruce AlbertsEditor in chief, Science

"What this work enables us to do is to prioritise particular experiments to obtain this information".

It is clear though that the emergence of an airborne mutation of H5N1 is unlikely. Were it not it would have emerged already.

But researchers want to be able to calculate the risk of such a virus emerging more precisely in order to help public health officials in their contingency planning.

News of Prof Fouchier's work, and another similar study by Yoshihiro Kawaoka published this May in the journal Nature, prompted the US National Security Advisory Board for Biotechnology (NSABB) to ask both journals last November to redact some sensitive parts of the research.

The NSABB believed the information could be used by terrorists to create a bioweapon.

The scientists who carried out the research, and the journals concerned, considered suggestions as to how the results could be redacted in the journals, but distributed to bona fide researchers who urgently needed the information.

But they concluded such a system was unworkable.

"You can't share information with so many people in the field and keep it confidential," according to Prof Fouchier.

Editor in chief of the journal Science, Dr Bruce Alberts, said the publication of the research in both Science and Nature had "shone a spotlight" on the need to deal more effectively with research that could be misused by terrorists - so called "dual use research of concern" (Durc).

"It has become clear that we will need to work toward the establishment of a comprehensive, international system for assessing Durc, one that includes transparent procedures to allow selected access to any information omitted from a scientific publication to those with a need to know".

But Prof Fouchier questioned whether a system of asking scientific journals to censor Durc work is ever workable or even appropriate.

"The general mode should be that science should be freely available so that the wider scientific community can build on the research," he said.

"I have a hard time identifying research papers that you shouldn't publish. So I'm not sure whether we should ever go down this alley".

Monday, 21 May 2012

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb has died aged 62 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

The announcement was made by his family with "great sadness".

British-born Gibb's musical career began when he formed the Bee Gees with his brothers Barry and Maurice in 1958.

The group are among the biggest-selling of all time with hits spanning five decades, including Stayin' Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, Massachusetts and Night Fever.

Gibb's family said in a statement: "The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery.

"The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time."

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini described the singer as "one of the major figures in the history of British music".

'Phenomenal legacy'

Robin Gibb speaking in 2011: "We felt we had licence to go into areas where other people would fear to go"

The Gibb brothers were born in the Isle of Man but grew up in Manchester, later moving to Australia.

The Bee Gees notched up album sales of more than 200 million worldwide since their first hits in the 1960s.

"Everyone should be aware that the Bee Gees are second only to Lennon and McCartney as the most successful songwriting unit in British popular music," Gambaccini said.

Robin Gibb had "one of the best white soul voices ever", he said, adding that the group's accomplishments had been "monumental".

"Not only have they written their own number one hits, but they wrote huge hit records for Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Destiny's Child... the list goes on and on."

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Very sad to hear about yet another great singer dying too young”

Singer Bryan Adams on Twitter

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair, a friend of Gibb, has paid tribute, saying he would "miss him very much".

"Robin was not only an exceptional and extraordinary musician and songwriter, he was a highly intelligent, interested and committed human being," Mr Blair said.

Musicians have been taking to Twitter to pay their respects.

Canadian singer Bryan Adams wrote: "Robin Gibb RIP. Very sad to hear about yet another great singer dying too young."

Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks wrote: "The soundtrack of my wonder years is vaporizing one artist at a time with these iconic musical losses lately."

Justin Timberlake, meanwhile, described Gibb as "a truly brilliant musician", adding: "One of my idols. My heart goes out to the Gibb family in this time of sorrow."

Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, who was a family friend, said: "Robin had the voice, the pathos, and he was a great writer.

"He had a gift for melody and a gift for lyrics and left a phenomenal legacy, a phenomenal catalogue."

Referring to the Bee Gees, he said: "They had every award, every gold disc, every platinum disc, the Grammys, the lot, and had been doing it so long but were still so good at it."

Gibb had battled ill health for several years.

In 2010, he cancelled a series of shows after suffering severe stomach pains while performing in Belgium. He went on to have emergency surgery for a blocked intestine.

His twin brother and band partner Maurice died in 2003 aged 53 following complications from a twisted intestine.

Robin Gibb cancelled a series of shows in Brazil in April 2011, after again suffering from abdominal pains.

Later that year, he was found to have cancer of the colon after having surgery on his bowel for an unrelated condition.

He was later also diagnosed with cancer of the liver, and underwent chemotherapy and surgery.

Last month the singer fell into a coma after contracting pneumonia.

Four weeks ago, he regained consciousness and was said to have been making a positive recovery. But his death was announced at 23:30 BST (22:30 GMT) on Sunday.

Your comments (76)

NHS hospital food

NHS hospital food will improve, says Andrew Lansley

Andrew Lansley said malnourishment should not happen in NHS hospitals

The government has insisted it is working to improve the quality of hospital food in England.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that "buying standards" would improve, prompting "better nutrition for patients".

Food served in NHS hospitals has come in for criticism, with campaigners arguing that salt and fat levels are too high.

There are also concerns some patients are receiving too little nourishment.

The Sun newspaper has launched a campaign calling for minimum dietary standards on wards.

'Personalised'

Mr Lansley told the Andrew Marr Show that, from 2001 to 2010, when Labour was in power, the "number of patients leaving hospital malnourished went up", adding: "It shouldn't happen."

He said: "I accept we need to ensure, and we are increasingly going to ensure, that patients who are in hospital get the right nutrition. To some extent it's personalised, because what you need as a patient in terms of your diet often is very personal."

He added that the Department of Health was working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs "on a range of projects to demonstrate precisely how the buying standards in hospitals can be used in order to deliver better nutrition for patients".

More than one in 10 patients rated hospital food as poor, according to an official survey of more than 60,000 NHS patients in England published last December.

Friday, 18 May 2012

the jailing of nine men, eight of whom were of Pakistani origin, in Rochdale for sexually abusing young girls.

Warsi: Minority of Pakistani men see white girls as 'fair game'

Baroness Warsi is the first Muslim woman to sit in the cabinet

A "small minority" of Pakistani men see white girls as "fair game", Baroness Warsi has said.

It is important to "speak out" and acknowledge the problem in order to tackle it, she added.

Lady Warsi, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, is co-chair of the Conservative party.

Her comments follow the jailing of nine men, eight of whom were of Pakistani origin, in Rochdale for sexually abusing young girls.

Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Lady Warsi said: "There is a small minority of Pakistani men who believe that white girls are fair game.

"And we have to be prepared to say that. You can only start solving a problem if you acknowledge it first.

"This small minority who see women as second class citizens, and white women probably as third class citizens, are to be spoken out against."

'Truly dreadful'

Earlier in May, a group of Rochdale men were found guilty of a number of offences including including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child, after exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 13.

David Cameron has described the case as "truly, truly dreadful".

Following the trial, Greater Manchester Police (GMP), which led the investigation, played down suggestions there was a racial element to the case.

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said: "It just happens that in this particular area and time, the demographics were that these were Asian men."

And head of the Crown Prosecution Service in the North West, Nazir Afzal, said it was wrong to put race at the centre of the case.

But Baroness Warsi said she had decided to speak out after her father urged her to "show leadership" on the controversial issue.

She said it was important for communities to take responsibility for condemning this kind of behaviour.

"In mosque after mosque, this should be raised as an issue so that anybody remotely involved should start to feel that the community is turning on them,"

"Communities have a responsibility to stand up and say, 'This is wrong, this will not be tolerated'", she added.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said Baroness Warsi's comments spoke for themselves and they did not want to elaborate on them.

'Easy meat'

BNP leader Nick Griffin, who is also an MEP for the area, has called for a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the Rochdale case.

He said his party's supporters had demonstrated throughout the trial to draw attention to the issues it raised.

Lady Warsi echoes comments made by Rochdale MP, Simon Danczuk who said it would be "daft" to ignore a "race element" to the case.

Trevor Phillips, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said it was "fatuous" to deny racial and cultural factors.

But Labour MP and chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz has said it is wrong to focus on a particular racial or religious group.

"There is no excuse for this kind of criminality, whoever is involved in it but I don't think it is a particular group of people, I don't think it's a particular race or religion," he said.

Last year former home secretary Jack Straw caused controversy when speaking about a similar case of abuse in Derby.

Mr Straw suggested some men of Pakistani origin see white girls as "easy meat".

"There is a specific problem which involves Pakistani heritage men... who target vulnerable young white girls", he said.

Meanwhile, Samantha Roberts, a rape victim who has waived her right to anonymity, has written to David Cameron asking for a parliamentary inquiry into child exploitation.

Ms Roberts was attacked by 39-year-old Shakil Chowdhury and three other men in 2006 at the age of 12. He was later sentenced to six years in jail, but her other attackers have not been caught.

She told her local paper the Oldham Chronicle: "It's ridiculous that it has to take five girls, as in this case, for people to take notice.

"People have now realised that things like this do go on in places like Oldham and Rochdale. There are cultural problems."

Since the conviction of the nine men, further arrests have been made in a second sexual grooming inquiry in Rochdale.

mengele

dumnonia

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

An organisation which supports black and ethnic minority people in Bristol

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Saturday, 23 June 2012

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“Start Quote

“Start Quote

Monday, 21 May 2012

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NHS hospital food

NHS hospital food will improve, says Andrew Lansley

Friday, 18 May 2012

the jailing of nine men, eight of whom were of Pakistani origin, in Rochdale for sexually abusing young girls.

Warsi: Minority of Pakistani men see white girls as 'fair game'

ferry cross the tamar

dumnonia

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

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Friday, 18 May 2012

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