Friday Five News 4/3/16

 
Well I missed last week, can’t even remember why but here goes on what caught my eye this week.

The INTERNATIONAL  story that continues to dominate our news is the migration situation.  The link is to an article on facts and figures about where the migrants are coming from and where they are going.  The UK has a pretty poor record of helping with the situation.  The truce in Syria seems very fragile and with countries like Macedonia closing its borders and France trying to close “The Jungle” camp in Calais and relocate migrants this story is going to run and run. 
  
This LOCAL  news item shows, I think, how stupid legislation can be sometimes.  It’s about the granting of listed status to a gasholder at the Oval cricket ground in London. 

“The historical, architectural and technical background of the gasholder and its importance to the landscape led to it being granted protected status.”

Really? It’s obsolete and, in my opinion, an eyesore!  Listed status can be a pain.  There is a building not far from us that dates back centuries.  It was lovely at one time but now it has fallen into total disrepair.  However, because it has listed status, to restore it in accordance with the restrictions placed on it will be very costly.  Consequently no one wants to take it on and it is gradually deteriorating more and more.  It will probably get to the point where it will be deemed unsafe and have to be demolished.

I do understand the importance of keeping examples of our heritage, but a disused gas holder?  A step too far.

In SPORT:  I couldn’t find anything that really grabbed my attention this week.  There is lots going on – the Rugby Six Nations tournament, the Football Premier League title race.  Apparently there is a World Cycling event going on at the moment too but nothing really stood out as worth writing about except maybe an 11 year old making a hole in one on a new golf course co-designed by Tiger Woods.  Now that’s something he’ll never forget.

This counts as ENTERTAINMENT in my book.  It’s an article about the changes being made to Barbie dolls so that they are more reflective of society.  There will now be a curvy Barbie, a Tall Barbie and a Petite Barbie, plus lots more skintones have been introduced.

I spent many a happy hour playing with my Barbie and Sindy dolls and I can’t say I was affected by the fact that they were so skinny.  (Although at that time I was pretty skinny myself.)  However today young girls are bombarded with images and models that seem to promote skinny as the only way to be.  At a time when we keep hearing about the problems of child obesity, maybe to be totally reflective of society there will need to be a fat Barbie although God forbid someone will think of marketing a doll that can diet and magically lose weight like Tiny Tears can dispose of a bottle contents.  Hopefully that wouldn’t be allowed under child protection rules!

While searching for something classed as MISCELLANEOUS  I came across this article about why the British say sorry so much.  Apparently, on average we apologise around 8 times per day and 1 in 8 of us will apologise up to 20 times per day.  No wonder our mental health care is cracking under the strain if we’re all so guilt ridden and anxious.

It’s definitely a British thing to apologise, even when we’re not in the wrong.  I’m aware of doing it and sometimes try and check myself.  We apologise for the simplest of things.  Like bumping into someone, even if they bumped into you.  Interrupting someone, even when it’s necessary.  Things that are out of our control, e.g. the weather.  Rambling on.  Sorry!

All links (including images) are courtesy of the BBC website. Opinions are my own.