Pot, Kettle, Black.....but we agree!

Addison Lee chairman John Griffin

It was rather ironic to hear that the boss (John Griffin) of Addison Lee (the private hire or mini cab company) stating that: cyclists should expect to get hurt by drivers, if they take to the road.  The reaction of cyclists was typical, and they stated they would be boycotting Addison Lee's offices with a protest.

Cyclists protest outside Addison Lee offices

Addison Lee's chairman has raised a subject, that with all intensive purpose is extremely valid.  However it may have been a little over the top, to imply that cyclists deserve to get hurt, or should expect to be injured on our roads!  It was also an over the top reaction from cyclists, to stand up and react in the manner in which they did.

Really! Was there any need for this protest?

Any debate that has the potential to make our roads safer, should be welcomed with open arms, considering there was 111 cyclists killed in 2011 and 2,660 seriously injured, the whole debate about whether cyclists should be on our roads, sharing the traffic with buses, cars, cabs, lorries, motor cyclists etc is one that needs some attention.

I am astonished at the comments made from a chairman of a large company however, when from experience can say that, when I have been out driving on our roads, and met other traffic, I have found many, many Addison Lee "black cabs" driving extremely erratically!

Some of the drivers of these private hire cars, surely cannot have passed a normal driving test!

I have witnessed these taxi's stopping abruptly, driving dangerously slow, cutting other motorists up and standards way below their so-called professional status dictates.

This is not a dig at cyclists or Addison Lee, but in a round about way, we may end up getting some changes, that are desperately needed to stop the amount of injuries and fatalities on our roads.  So we sort of agree with Addison Lee in some respects.

Another bike rage incident!

Cyclists do not have any formal training, do not hold road insurance or taxation, and anyone can now ride where ever they feel like, thanks to Boris Johnson's bicycle scheme!

I have encountered a huge amount of cyclists, who think it is ok to go through red traffic lights, and I do mean a huge amount.  I have witnessed near misses with cyclists who do not stop at zebra crossings, children on mountain bikes, circling around on our roads, without a care in the world. 

A very large amount of cyclists are also very rude and inconsiderate to other road users.  In fact a large amount of cyclists seem to provoke a lot of road rage, typically when they shout abuse to a driver.  Many of them do not seem to know how to apply their brakes, and give way to large vehicles and consequently annoy many many motorists.

We all have to share the road, and it is quite annoying that cyclists, who do not pay ridiculous amounts of money for insurance, tax, petrol and do not need to have any formal training think they have a right to treat other road users with a lack of respect.

Look you can get a badge as well!

Should it be compulsory?

The sooner that a nationwide cycle test is implemented the better.  Cyclists should also pay for road insurance, as they have on previous occasions caused accidents.  Cycle owners should also be registered and hold a number plate.

These are some recommendations that have been bouncing around for a while, and until someone grasps this subject and starts to do something about it, the more we are going to hear of cyclists being injured or killed.

Of course implementing all of those ideas, will not stop the amount of accidents, but will go some way in reducing them.

Introducing cycle only lanes on a larger scale, would also help in reducing accident numbers.

It is a fore gone conclusion, that with the introduction of more bicycles in our cities and road dimensions remaining the same that the numbers of accidents are only going to rise, so something has to be done now.

Addison Lee, should probably have gone about raising this subject in a more tactful way, but none the less, it is a subject that needs addressing and quick.

In addition, it might be worthwhile if Addison Lee take a look at their own drivers behaviour on our roads, because it isn't just the cyclists that are navigating our roads without due care!

What do you think?

Take part in our poll about cyclists, should they pay insurance?  Should they take a road test?  Tell us what you think in our survey on the right.

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Lucky to be alive!

Steven with his angel Dr Piper!

A young man declared dead four times by doctors, defied the odds by surviving a car crash that left 21 year old Steven Thorpe with serious injuries to his face, left arm and needing brain surgery.

Steven's parents begged medics not to turn off the young lads life support machine, even after doctors at the University Hospital in Coventry declared young Steven brain dead!

Mr Thorpe, a trainee accountant from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, United Kingdom was woken from a medically induced coma, after two weeks and was eventually discharged from hospital after a further five weeks.

The doctors in charge of Steven's care, had even asked the parents whether they should consider organ donation.  However after pleading with the hospital to reconsider switching off their son's life support machine, the parents decided to bring in a private doctor for another opinion.

Dr "angel" Piper

Dr Julia Piper, was called upon, and after asking a neurologist to examine Mr Thorpe, they discovered that Steven's brain had very faint brain waves, which could indicate a very slim chance of a recovery.

The young fighter was left in a terrible state, after being involved in a three car crash and a run away horse, which left one person dead and the horse fatally injured.  After having brain surgery, doctors at the hospital told the parents that Steven would never recover!  Thank god the parents never gave up hope!

Before and after.  Steven Thorpe continues to recover
from his accident.

The lucky lad, has since had physiotherapy on his arm and four operations to his face, including an operation to rebuild his nose and have an artificial eye socket made.  Steven said: "Hopefully, it can help people see that you should never give up.  I've had so much positive feedback about it.  My father believed I was alive, and he was correct."

Dr Julia Piper, based in Leicester said: "It's an inspirational story about never giving up.  He's a remarkable young man and his recovery has been astonishing."

University Hospital in Coventry.
School report says: Need to try harder!

University Hospital Coventry and the Warwickshire NHS trust stated that Mr Thorpe's injuries were critical, and brain scans revealed almost irreversible damage.

The trust added: "It is extremely rare a patient with such extensive trauma to the brain should survive."

Mr Thorpe said: "As far as I am concerned, living is a full recovery.  From how I was, to how I am now, I think it's a miracle."

What an extremely lucky, plucky and modest young man you are!

You survived the odds, and if it wasn't for your parents, Dr Piper and your will to live, this could have been another sad story.

The University Hospital in Coventry, should seriously take a look at it's approach to other patient's care and raise the bar.  Credit to Dr Piper for her expertise and identifying that Steven had a chance of recovery.  EVERY patient should receive that type of care and consideration.  

Maybe Dr Piper should run the NHS!

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More Money Than Sense survey results!

We conducted a survey during March and April 2012, and would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who selected their answers and took part in the survey, which was based around a young business man, who had spent the best part of £200,000 for a round of drinks at a top London venue.

(Click here to read that news story)

We asked in the survey what you would do with £200,000?
The answers were:  Buy a sports car
                             Give the money to charity
                             Buy a house
                             Take a long holiday
                        or: Buy a round of drinks!

We found most of our participants would buy a house and take a long holiday, followed closely by with a sports car and surprisingly a round of drinks.
Only 5% of participants would give any money to charity!

Results were: Sports car = 20%
                    Charity     = 5%
                    House      = 30%
                    Holiday    = 30%
                    Drinks      = 15%

Thanks again for taking part in our "More Money Than Sense" survey, and look forward to our next survey coming soon.


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Quick Scopes (22nd April 2012 - 28th April 2012)

This week our LUCKY SIGN is Aquarius.
Come and check out your horoscope for the week ahead, including a set of lucky numbers chosen by our Astrologer Enigma Gee.


Aquarius
(20th January – 18th February)





Lucky Numbers:

16, 34, 39, 41, 43, 49

Your Quick Scope this week:
Well, well, well........You are our LUCKY SIGN of the week Aquarius!
You've been feeling under the weather the past week and probably found it hard to shift that nasty cold you had.  But typically with Aquarians, they bounce back  right to the top, and you're energy levels will top right out.  Your social life will be demanding some more time from you, but you'd rather concentrate on your loved one or family.  Money and work is nice and steady and a win out of the blue will bring a smile to your face.  Have a great week Aquarius.




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Fear drives mother to let baby die!

Yet another disgusting story rears its ugly head, over a new born baby allowed to die by it's mother, because she feared the dishonour and shame it would bring upon her Muslim family!

Fatima Ali became pregnant to a Bangladeshi man, who was not approved by the family and relatives.  She gave birth to the baby girl, who had survived the birth, but later needed medical attention.  The mother did not seek any medical intervention and instead, allowed the baby girl to die, and later dumped the body inside a friends garden.

Ali then went out on a family outing with relatives, who were unaware of what she had just done!

Typical! Can't even see who you are!
Nasty woman.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Ali's family had disapproved of a relationship between Fatima and Bengali, Kazi Mohammed Dilwar Hussein, and when Fatima became pregnant, her boyfriend gave her money to carry out an abortion.  Incidentally her boyfriend left the country shortly after!

The relationship between the pair, had caused Fatima's family to be victimised and bullied by community members and caused Ali to carry out her callous act without any thought for the new born baby's welfare.

According to reports, Ali had hidden the pregnancy, and gave birth in her bedroom in Bury, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.  The baby's umbilical cord was cut by Fatima, and after complications the baby died some 2 hours later.  Fatima then buried the baby in a friends garden, which was found wrapped in a black and pink, zebra print shawl.  The friend alerted police and Ali was arrested 3 weeks after.

Bolton Crown Court where Ali was sentenced.

Sentencing Ali to 26 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 2 years and a 12 month supervision order, Judge John Appleby said: "You failed to seek medical assistance following the birth of your daughter.  The tragedy that followed is at the immense disaster for this child.  She died within 2 hours of her birth, and, had you acted appropriately, her life could have been saved" the Judge later went on to say: "This is a tragedy and the result of your actions will be with you for the rest of your life"

Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West said: "Fatima Ali sought no medical assistance leading up to or following the birth of the baby at home, despite evidence to show that she had access to two working mobile phones at the time.  She then attempted to conceal the baby's body outside her friends front garden, the next morning before going to work as normal"

Mr Afzal went on further to say: "Whatever the community or familial dishonour or shame, real or perceived, that Ali may have felt, it did not justify the tragic death of the most vulnerable victim, a new born baby."

This is yet another sad case from Muslim culture, which highlights how some people feel in their isolated communities, that has driven a woman to callously dispose of a new born baby, purely because of the back lash from the community and family.

I'm sure Islam does not condone such actions from a desperate woman, and on the contrary, if she had asked for the help, people would have given it to her, so to a degree, this woman only has herself to blame in it's entirety for what happened, although the mitigating circumstances point to her psychological state of mind, once she discovered she was pregnant.  But why didn't she have the baby aborted at the earliest of stages?  Obviously abortion should never be condoned by anyone.  Life is extremely precious.

Was it all pre-meditated?

Something has to be done about these isolated communities, that assume that their religion and way of life is the only one.  In a multi-cultural society like ours, everyone has the right to their own way of life, but if it harms someone else, or impedes a normal rational way of thinking, then that is wrong.  

This sadly won't be the last story we hear from the Muslim community!

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New Games in our Games Section!

Fancy yourself as a sharp shooting sniper?

How about playing a bit of video poker?

We've decided to give our games section a new selection of games to choose from, but we have kept hold of Pub Darts 3D, which proved surprisingly popular.

Orb Eater game screen shot!

New games to grace our website include, Orb Eater: a weird orb collecting game, in which you are in a ship flying over planets and through space collecting coloured orbs and other items, an unusual game to say the least, gentle to play but quite fascinating! See what you think.

We have Red Remover: a shape removing game that will involve a degree of strategy to go through each level, the graphics and layout etc is quite simple, yet this game is addictive to play.

Alien Bottle Buccaneer game screen shot!

If you like tin can alley, or shooting things at fairgrounds, then Alien Bottle Buccaneer, will grab your attention.  This game has a twist though and allows you to shoot bouncing bullets to smash the bottles, with all manner of other things going on!  Don't try and shoot all your bullets at once though, because you only have a set amount of ammo.

If you fancy yourself as a sharp shooting sniper, then play Tactical Assassin 3, you have various missions to go through, were you will need to take the enemy out in a set order, otherwise you'll lose!

Finally we decided to add another classic game called Jacks or Better: a video poker game from 888.

Try them all, but don't get too addicted!

Take a break and pop over to our great games section by clicking here.

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Quick Scopes (15th April 2012 - 21st April 2012)

Our LUCKY SIGN this week is Cancer..........................You've got it all this week.
You're feeling pretty good, and the ties between you and your friends are really good.  Family are keen to see you get on in life, and may announce something special for you!  Your finance's are also going to get a little boost this week, so look out for a chance to pep up your pocket around Wednesday.  If you're in work, or looking for work, an extra opportunity might present it self, so keep your eyes peeled!  Have a great week Cancer.

Lucky Numbers for Cancer this week are:       08, 15, 19, 23, 28, 41

Enigma Gee provides Weird, Wacky & Worldwide News with horoscope readings every week for each star sign, and these include a set of lucky numbers that Enigma Gee hopes will bring some good fortune.

Just over a week ago, we received an email from one of our subscribers, who had used the numbers provided by our Astrologer in the Euromillions draw.  When he checked his ticket, he realised that he had won just over £129 and promptly sent us an email, thanking us all.

We think this is fantastic and Enigma Gee was equally pleased that his selection had brought some wealth and happiness into someone's life.

Come and take a look at your reading today.  Click here to see your "Quick Scope"

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