Community Should we
rely on nuclear energy? Should
we rely on nuclear energy? Soon we
shall know the outcome of a government review of Proponents
of nuclear power stations point out that generating
electricity by nuclear fission, the newest technology,
does not produce carbon dioxide, the principal ‘greenhouse
gas’ causing global warming and climate change [but
fossil fuels are needed to run the nuclear cycle, from
mining the uranium ore and shipping it to Britain, to
disposing of the large volumes of radioactive waste].
Expanding the nuclear industry would, it is said, save us
from relying on oil and gas from countries that might in
future disrupt supplies. Radio-active
waste is now stored at 37 sites around the Enthusiasts
for renewable sources of energy such as wind, wave and
solar, argue that these are carbon free and do not carry
the safety risks associated with nuclear power. Stephen
Tindale, of Greenpeace, says that nuclear power is not
the answer – “it’s costly, dangerous and a
terrorist target.” Even some
of the most optimistic assessments suggest that
renewables would only fill about half of the expected
energy gap. But that could change if enough was invested
in research and development. Some suggest that the best
way forward may be to combine some nuclear capacity,
improved energy efficiency (industrial and domestic) and
substantial investment in those renewable sources which
are backed up by scientific evidence. Christian
Ecology Link is about to issue its own report on this
problem, which will pay particular attention to the
ethical considerations. Readers who would like to know
more about this can contact Christian Ecology Link at Older
people have their say on care needs (and do their bit) A recent
report has found that elderly people are becoming
sceptical about policies which were meant to enable them
to stay in their own homes. A shortfall in support
for ordinary day-to-day requirements has led to a
situation where many old people are increasingly isolated
in their own homes and “just as disempowered as if
living in the worst examples of institutional care,”
according to a study funded by the Joseph Rowntree
Foundation. Defined
and directed by older people, the inquiry looked at
various issues around growing older. A central message
was that while the elderly value support which enables
them to live in their own homes, it must be sufficient to
provide a life worth living. A lot of unmet need was not
being addressed or even measured. “Unmet need”
had even become a term to define what could be possible
within existing resources, rather than measuring the
shortfall. However, a ‘little bit of help’
can often produce savings on more intensive services. Among the
examples of good practice noted in the report are: Handy
Help: a local charity trust in Sole
Mates: Provide a footbath and a foot massage for people
over 50 who cannot cut their own nails safely. The same
volunteer visits each time. The charge is £3.50 per
visit plus a one-off £10 for their nail-clippers. SMILE:
This scheme (in Digging
Deep: Involves older people teaching school children how
to grow vegetables in school-based allotments. The
volunteers tend to stay working with the school. For
further information on the JRF’s Older People’s
Programme telephone 01904 615905 or email info@jrf.org.uk Lee
Young Pyo Tottenham
Hotspur’s new left back has impressed many observers
this season. Lee Young Pyo was a member of the
Korean World Cup team in 2002 and then followed his
national coach, Guus Hiddink, to PSV Eindhoven. Lee said,
“Tottenham had brought many outstanding players and
had been acknowledged as a remarkably strong team already.
We have started the season well and are in a good
position in the Premiership. I am very pleased with
my decision and I am happy being a member in a very
strong team, Tottenham”. Playing
in a World Cup in your own country is a wonderful
experience for any player. For Lee Young
Pyo still recalls vividly that adventure. “In
the World Cup, every game was very tough, and every game
remains in my memory. The game against The
quarter final could not have been closer, going to a
penalty shoot-out. ”Winning the quarter-final
against The
impact on the country has been immense. “The World
Cup was a very important turning point for many Korean
footballers. Many players, including myself, have
gone abroad and are performing well. Playing in the World
cup and playing against the best players in the world
enables us to judge ourselves on the world stage. That
gave us the confidence to play in the best leagues abroad.
The only negative is that our success has increased the
expectations of the fans. It can be hard for the
players to meet their expectations!” Lee Young
Pyo is a Christian but he has not always been. “I
became a Christian four years ago. Before that, to be
honest, for me, the idea of God was a fairy story for me.
I considered believing God was just for some odd people.
Growing up in “Then
friends of mine told me about God. Nevertheless I was not
sure whether God existed or not. God needed to reveal
himself if he existed. Thus, I was eager to find out
whether God existed or not, and when I honestly tried to
find the answer to the question, God showed me that he
really existed. I was amazed and I marvelled. I
marvelled very much. After that I began to study about
God and came to know him more and more closely. “Since
then everything in my life has been changed. My way of
thinking before I believed has changed. Questions, such
as where I came from and where I am going. How the
problem of my sins, about which I sought answers with
mental anguish without finding any when I was a secondary
student, were answered by God. One of the biggest human
problems is fear of death. As I know where I come from
and where I will go, I know about death and am free from
death itself. Therefore all my thoughts and my very life
has been dramatically changed after I believed in God.” Anyone
who watches Lee for Tottenham or By Stuart
Weir, Christians in Sport Age of
the singleton By 2021,
one third of all households in the Running a
‘home alone’ is not easy: more of us will
struggle to get on the property ladder. We will also pay
more than a couple for everything: from car and holiday
insurance to gym membership and holidays. In 1971
just 18 per cent of households were a single person.
In 2005 this had risen to 29 per cent. By 2021 it is set
to rise to 35 per cent. So who is
doing all this living on their own? The most
dramatic increase is among men under the age of 65.
Three times as many live solo as did 30 years ago. Men don’t
like life on their own as much as women do, finding it
makes them feel lonely. Women, on the other hand, often
regard it as an ‘empowering experience’ because
it frees them from much of the cooking and housework they
would do as part of a couple. Certainly
living on one’s own carries a huge financial penalty.
Single parents are now the biggest group living in
poverty. Mortgages are just about the same,
no matter whether there is one or two of you in the
property. The council tax system offers only a 25
per cent discount for single people rather than 50 per
cent. Even motor insurance companies see single
people as a higher risk. And if you want to escape
your woes by going on holiday, you’ll have to pay
more for that as well. Single rooms are rarely half
the price of doubles! Life
on the sofa A typical
day for a typical man involves sleeping for eight and a
half hours, watching television or a DVD for three hours,
and playing sport for just 18 minutes. A typical
woman will sleep for eight hours and 45 minutes –
ten minutes longer than men. But she will watch 30
minutes less of television a day (making supper?), and do
just 11 minutes of sport. So says
research from recent National Statistics. It has
also found that 25 per cent of men and women are obese.
That compares to just 13 per cent of men and 16 per cent
of women in 1993. |