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<title>Latest Current Affairs Articles</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
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<title>Celebrity Gossip in January 2009</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/celebrity-gossip-in-january-2009.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/celebrity-gossip-in-january-2009.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:26:42 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Lee Ryan's newborn name<br />Lee Ryan has named his poor little newborn baby boy Rayn Lee. When asked why Lee revealed they chose it some time ago and they liked it because "It's an anagram of Ryan." Wait, what? All they did was swap the middle letters?! <br /><br /><br />Madonna's latest pictures<br />Week after week the public are subjected to horrendous pictures of Madonna in various states of undress and the latest shots, which are apparently to help promote her album, Hard Candy are quite possibly the grossest yet.  She's got a great figure for a 50-year-old, but is it really necessary to see so much of it so often? Seriously, put it away old lady, enough's enough.<br /><br /><br />Amy Winehosue in the Caribbean<br />Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has been enjoying herself in the Caribbean for a few weeks now and in that time we've seen pictures of her frolicking in the sand, shots of her mingling with the locals and photos of her venturing out to sea on a boat trip. Meanwhile Blake -her husband- is still banged up back in Blighty. Will she file for divorce when she gets back home? <br /><br /><br />Travis Barker performs in Las Vegas<br />Travis Barker shed his shirt and revealed the scars he now bears from the horrific plane crash he was involved in last September. The former Blink 182 drummer was playing a gig in Las Vegas with his pal and the only other survivor of the crash that claimed the lives of four other people onboard, DJ AM.<br /><br /><br />Rihanna's sore on top lip<br />Rihanna and Chris Brown were caught up arriving at The 21 Club in Dublin where they were holding the after-party for Chris Brown's concert and it was noticed that she had a big scabby cold sore on her top lip! That explains her recent Michael Jackson style disguise. ]]></description>
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<title>The SS Richard Montgomery - A Ticking Time-Bomb in The Thames</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/the-ss-richard-montgomery-a-ticking-time-bomb-in-the-thames.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/the-ss-richard-montgomery-a-ticking-time-bomb-in-the-thames.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The SS Richard Montgomery was an American Liberty ship, it sailed for only one year and a month after completion yet is still appearing on shipping news, radars and is kept under close scrutiny today. So what makes this cargo ship so special? The Montgomery, though built to serve and provide vital supplied, is now a danger to shipping after breaking its back and sinking in the Thames Estuary while fully laden with munitions and explosives.

American Liberty ships were cargo vessels built during World War II from an adaptation of a British design. They were built to replace vessels which had been torpedoed by the German U-boats. A total of 2,751 of the ships were built between 1941 and 1945 and the SS Richard Montgomery was one of 82 built in one yard and completed in 1943. Named after General Richard Montgomery - an Irish-American soldier who was killed during the Revolutionary War and was famous for leading the invasion of Canada - the SS Montgomery's fate did not lie in the hands of the U-boat commanders that would sink so many of its sister ships.

Sailing from Hog Island, Philadelphia, the SS Richard Montgomery begun its final voyage in August 1944, it was loaded with 6,124 tons of munitions. Aboard the vessel was 13,064 general purpose 250Ib bombs filled with TNT, 9,022 cases of fragmentation bombs, 7,739 semi-armour-piercing bombs, 1,522 cases of fuses, 1,429 cases of phosphorus bombs, 1,427 cases of 100Ib demolition bombs, 817 cases of small arms ammunition and 240 mustard gas bombs. Let's not forget this was during some of the fiercest fighting of the Second World War.

Stocked full of munitions, the SS Richard Montgomery travelled from the Delaware river to the Thames Estuary where it was anchored to await other ships which would form a convoy to Cherbourg. The Allies had taken Cherbourg during the Battle of Normandy a month earlier and supplies were badly needed. Travelling in convoys ensured a safer crossing for ships as U-boats were limited in the number of attacks they could inflict thus travelling in conveys ensured that the majority of ships would survive. 

When the Montgomery arrived at Southend the harbour master ordered it to a berth off the northern edge of the Sheerness middle sands where it ran aground in its shallow depth and broke its back on August 20th 1944. Three days later the operation to remove the cargo began but by the next day the hull had cracked open and several cargo holds flooded at the bow end. Desperate to remove the munitions, the salvage operation continued into September when the ship was finally abandoned, breaking into two parts. 

With its masts still visible at low tides, the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery is still a danger to shipping and sits in a perilous position in a very busy shipping lane. One major problem is that the ship sank while still laden with volatile explosives. Accordingly the site remains a prohibited area and no vehicles can move over the site, there is an exclusion zone around it and the ship is monitored visually and by radar by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.  

Still aboard the SS Richard Montgomery, 3,173 tons of munition remain with 1,400 tons of TNT. These have been left aboard to avoid a situation that took place following an attempt to remove the contents from a ship in the English Channel in 1946. Preliminary work to neutralize the explosive ordinance aboard the wreck of the Keilce in 1967 caused an explosion with force equivalent to an earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter Scale and dug a 20-foot deep crater in the seabed. In 1970 it was determined that if the wreck of the Montgomery were to explode it would throw a 1000-foot wide column of water and debris  10,000 feet in the air and generate a wave 16 feet high. 

Not only could the explosion bring chaos and destruction to the nearby Sheerness, it could destroy the shipping port and, it has been suggested, cause a Tsunami along the River Thames. Which happens to run through the city of London. While the last ultrasound showed that there were no grounds for increased cause for alarm, a new survey of the munitions on board has been called for and a report in 2001 from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency concluded that "doing nothing was not an option for much longer."

With that conclusion now 7 years old and concerns growing over this time-bomb, the question now is when and why will the SS Richard Montgomery start ticking? ]]></description>
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<title>The Links Between Gun Crime, Music And Films</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/the-links-between-gun-crime-music-and-films.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/the-links-between-gun-crime-music-and-films.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ The problem of gun crime is seemingly growing in the UK although in terms of total crime statistics those involving guns only make up one percent of the total figure. Despite this, MPs, campaigners and social commentators are up in arms over the increasing number of shootings and particularly the link between gun crime and gang culture. One of the most touted reasons behind firearms offences and gangs is hip hop music; but is it really fair to blame a music genre for what is essentially a problem caused by complex socio economic factors?

It is often highlighted that two of hip hop's biggest stars were victims of gun crime, Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls were both sadly shot, but can this be attributed to the music or lyrics they espoused? After all, John Lennon was shot and he predominantly spouted a message of peace. That said, some of the lyrics and imagery in rap videos do raise some interesting issues, for instance; a recent publicity shot of rapper 50 Cent saw him holding a gun; understandably, critics were quick to purport fears that this glamorised carrying and using guns. Additionally, some rap songs directly discuss gun crime, in some cases highlighting moments where a rapper has either been shot, or has shot someone. 

Supporters of hip hop however do not feel that there is a direct correlation between the music genre and gun crime, taking the stance that the majority of rap sales occur in middle class suburban areas whilst the majority of gun crimes take place in deprived inner city regions. This is a fair point, blaming either film or music is a simple get out clause for politicians, at the heart of the problem are social and economic factors that have far more influence in the growth of gun crime within the UK. That said, while the link is not direct, the glamorising of guns and firearms in music videos and lyrics should not take place, society, and more specifically regulatory authorities have a responsibility to ensure young people are not exposed to such an environment. 

It is not just rap music that exposes impressionable young adults and children to imagery of guns and violence however. As well as music, films, television and video games all contain violent images. One of the most common points is that as we are now exposed to so much violence, much of society is desensitised to it.  The use of the United States as an example is useful, here gun crime is so often reported in the media that the mass public are no longer shocked by what they see and hear. 

In the UK the situation is slightly different, because gun crime levels are smaller the majority of the public are still shocked and repulsed by shootings and murders they see on the news. While no tangible truths have been drawn between the media, behaviour link, it is a debate still raging in many circles. The media has an important role to play, it is a sensitive balance to portray gun crimes in a way that is not sensationalist, but must also highlight the problems that are blighting society. 

Hopefully this article has raised some interesting points on the issue at hand. In the UK it is doubtless that gun crime is becoming a serious problem, the government has the unenviable task of tackling this issue, but unless they can take a multi-faceted approach that takes into account the social issues of poverty and hopelessness combined with media regulation the problem will continue. There are no quick fixes, but one thing is certain, while television, films and music have a responsibility, using them as a scapegoat for the ills of society is a cheap political trick that is both injudicious and unenlightened. ]]></description>
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<title>People Having To Cut On Their Food Costs</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/people-having-to-cut-on-their-food-costs.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/people-having-to-cut-on-their-food-costs.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ If you are like most people today, you are probably wondering what you will have to cut on this week to be able to have enough money to pay the rest of your household expenses. Most of these same people have to cut back on the food that they can buy or give up the better cuts of meat so that they can afford some of the other things that they might need.

With the jobless rates going up, these people are having to do whatever it takes to be able to pay all of their bills. The really scary thing is the waiting for that time when your job may be put on the block and getting laid off. Then you will have to go out and try to find another. Everything in this country keeps going up and of course our wages have not. Now it looks like they won't because of all the lay-offs and shut downs that are happening all over the world.

People really have to pinch pennies by going cheaper on the brands of food they buy and the cheapest meat. Then when they get home and cook it, they will have to take smaller portions so that the food that they were able to buy will last through the week. They will probably start taking leftovers to work to eat at lunch instead of going and buying take-out food for the simple fact that they won't have the extra money.

You will also see more people carpooling to save on gas. They will find some other workers in their same towns to ride with and share the gas and their cars, with one driving maybe two days a week and the other driving the rest of the week. The following week, they will switch places so that the one that only drove two days the week before will drive three days this week. This carpooling will save these drivers from having to spend so much on the gas for their cars.

I'm so happy that I work from home. I don't have to drive everyday so we have saved money there. I don't have to eat out if I don't want to; I can eat when I want. I don't have to worry about some boss standing over my shoulder or taking my money and paying me less for the same job. I have no one telling me that I can't go a take a day off if I want to go hunting or go to one of my grandchildren's plays. ]]></description>
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<title>Our Stock Market Is Still On Fire And Burning Up Quickly</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/our-stock-market-is-still-on-fire-and-burning-up-quickly.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/our-stock-market-is-still-on-fire-and-burning-up-quickly.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Our country's financial problems are still on fire today. We have been hit again at our stock market and all the other stock markets from other countries that make up the Dow. We have more companies that are saying that they will have to layoff or downsize to keep them afloat, but the only news you ever hear about concern the large companies. What is happening to all of these employees that are losing their jobs?

Our government keeps telling us that we matter, but when you watch the news all you hear about are these big companies. Have we ever asked our leaders what they plan to do for us in helping us get back on our feet? When our government gave us the first stimulus check, it was to help us, which came in handy for a lot of us because it paid our bills, but this wasn't what the lawmakers thought that it would be used for. They thought that people would use it to go on trips or to go buy clothes or to use it for fun. It was a way for some of us to stay out of the poor house for a while longer.

They are talking about doing it again, which will be great, but with more people out of work, it will be needed for the same things as the last: to pay bills. We need to have our city planners get out of the dark ages and realize that we need new companies to be brought into our cities, counties, and states if we even hope to survive.

We have small cities in this country that are disappearing with each passing day with some of these only having one company to supply jobs to a lot of cities around them. If this one company would close or shut down because of maybe them wanting to take their company to other countries, what do you think will happen to all of those people that would lose or the towns around this company? This is what I mean by our city leaders needing to wake up.

We, as citizens, are living longer and the jobs that are out there are usually made for the younger people that have gotten their diplomas, but we don't have enough jobs for the ones of the older groups of people that might not have that diploma because of one reason or another. ]]></description>
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<title>Increasing Advertising During a Recession: A Timely Move or an Easy Way to Go Bankrupt</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/increasing-advertising-during-a-recession-a-timely-move-or-an-easy-way-to-go-bankrupt.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/increasing-advertising-during-a-recession-a-timely-move-or-an-easy-way-to-go-bankrupt.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Over the last year the US, once flying high, has fallen and face planted into a somewhat ugly recession.  For people with steady jobs the fear is of course the dreaded pink slip.  But as long as they can keep their jobs their paychecks in most cases will remain the same.  For small business owners a recession is often felt in the pocketbook.  With less people buying their goods and services their revenues and profit margins can start to sink.  And it can be painful for a number of reasons.  

First many business owners have an emotional attachment to their business.  When the business starts to flat line its hard to readjust to the new realities of your surroundings.  If you are a restaurateur it might be hard to scrap plans for opening a new location across town even if the economic realties of the market make it clear that continuing ahead with previous plans is illogical.  The second difficulty is that it's hard to readjust ones life to deal with a lower take home pay.  So while a small business might see a 20% drop in revenue that could translate to a 40-50% drop in profits.   And while you might have lived on a smaller revenue 10 years ago it's hard to go back to that.  Living without regular out of states vacations is one thing going back to that point is even more difficult.  And these somewhat harsh realties are what drive people to look for something, anything that can restore their business to its previous health and prosperity.   

First I want to point out that in some cases advertising in a recession can be a wise move to increase market share and take advantage of a bad market.  But more often what I see is this.

"Our revenues are way down"
"That's horrible"
"Let's spend a ton of money on advertising and hope we can put this behind us"

The problem is that the difficulty for this business is not that they didn't spend enough on advertising last quarter.  The problem is that we are in a world wide economic depression caused by billions of crappy loans real estate loans given out over the last few years.  And yes everything is interconnected but putting out more ads for a local restaurant is probably not going to change this.

Simply put sometimes business owners make asset allocation decisions based on emotion instead of their current economic realty their business exists in.  A few reasons that increased advertising might be a bad idea for your business.

1) The number of potential customers is decreasing
2) In many industries your competitors are increasing advertising to "spend their way out of a recession"
3) Increased advertising and decreased customers is a bad market to ramp up your advertising budget
4) Spending more on advertising can mean advertising in new venues.  Often when testing new venues you can wasn't a lot of money discovering mediums that simply don't work for your business.  
5) You can increase your expenditures and your cash burn rate.  So basically the economy might eventually turn around but your business might not be there to see it.  

Ok so if the answer is not doubling or tripling your advertising what is the answer?  Here is my advice 

1) Cut Expenses that are not needed.  Comb through your budgets for extras you added during better times but are not needed.  
2) Keep current advertising that is working.  Whatever is currently providing you business I would stick with.
3) Cut advertising that is not working.
4) Adjust

Number 4 is probably the most difficult but important.  If ones business is affected by the recession (and most are) it might be a good idea to simply accept the possibility of a reduced monthly income for awhile.  I am not saying people should give up on their business or not attempt to increase profits.  But during a recession it might be a good idea to keep working to achieve higher goals but at the same time when you are doing your monthly personal budget accept the possibility that a weakened economy often results in less customers and lower revenue.  This means if you planned on buying a new car or taking an extra vacation it might be a good idea to change those plans.  

In the end by operating in a logical manner a business can survive a recession and hopefully be in a position to flourish once the economy recovers. ]]></description>
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<title>Stansted Airport Is Still Growing</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/stansted-airport-is-still-growing.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/stansted-airport-is-still-growing.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Stansted airport parking is about to get more difficult!

Parking near airports has become increasingly difficult over the years due to a combination of increased volume of traffic and a rise in the number of people using international flights. The world has become a smaller place and the demand on business people to be accessible has grown. They are expected to jet from one country to another with a moments notice and they do it. Particularly in the current economic climate, it is important for people to feel that their jobs are secure, this is why they make themselves available yet it can only be the few without families that are truly happy with this lifestyle.

There is also the increase in the amount of people taking foreign holidays. This was expected to ease off due to world financial doom and gloom and for a while, it did tail off. However, this situation has also given rise to the fact that people feel the need for a holiday more than ever.

To this end, airports continue to get busy, people continue to use their cars to get to the airport and demand for Stansted airport parking grows.

BAA announced earlier this month that the Government have agreed permission for increased passenger numbers on Stansted's existing single runway. This means Stansted will now be able to service up to 35 million passengers a year. So, despite the economic crises, the projected figures for the amount of flight passengers is set to grow. This means that despite some people getting taxi's to the airport, a percentage of that growth will continue to use their own cars, thus needing extra parking.

Of course, all airports have a certain number of parking facilities and Stansted airport parking is no different in this respect. Allocated and managed car parks cover vast expanses of land near the airport and they are nearly always filled to capacity. Does this mean that extra passengers passing through will mean extra parking space needed? Well, it will certainly need to be considered. Road traffic hold ups are already notorious around airports - if extra traffic is directed towards them, the situation can only get worse.

Stansted was the only airport to have a cap on the number of passengers it can allow through it's system in a year and they have been waiting since their application nearly two years ago to have that cap of 25 million raised. It is the third busiest airport in the country and earlier this year made an application to the Government to install a second runway to cope with the amount of traffic.

Of course, these sorts of applications come with all sorts of complications, not only for air traffic but also for those on the ground and living nearby. Not only do they have to cope with extra plane noise but also the increase in road traffic to and from the airport. There is also the issue of Stansted airport parking and how this encroaches on surrounding landscapes. However, it would be sensible to assume that, as the airport has been there for a long time that you wouldn't purchase a home near an airport if you were concerned with any of the above.

That said, maybe there is a level of noise and nuisance that people are willing to put up with when purchasing a neighbouring property and they don't want this to increase. Again, that's probably not a reasonable expectation in these modern times. One for the government to consider, I guess. ]]></description>
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<title>Knife Crime In The UK; What Can Be Done?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/knife-crime-in-the-uk%3B-what-can-be-done.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/knife-crime-in-the-uk%3B-what-can-be-done.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ It is an undoubted fact that knife crime within the UK is becoming an increasingly large social problem. Recent reports suggest that it is on the increase and those who are most at risk are young adolescents, particularly those in deprived urban areas; that is not to say that is purely young people who are at risk from knife crime, anyone could become a victim. The problem in London is especially acute, although cities like Manchester and Liverpool are also experiencing a problem. 

Knife attacks have far reaching consequences. Obviously fatal stabbings will lead to the death of the victim but it is rarely realised that the families and friends of victims can endure severe psychological trauma. However a fatality does not have to occur, even with minor injuries often the impact upon the victim's life can be extremely detrimental; often causing fear and a loss of confidence. It is not just victims however that feel the effects of knife crime; the emergency services take much of the strain, whilst also being put into dangerous situations. The result is that paramedics and police often have to wear stab proof vests as a means of protection. 

The public perception of knife crime and culture is heavily influenced by what is reported in the media. However, whilst the media perform a valuable role in raising awareness of the issues, often the sensationalist journalism does not help the situation. That said, the media reports of gang warfare on the streets, with young people often brandishing knives is often relevant, in some areas of the country the problem is truly out of hand. 

But what can authorities do to tackle the issue of knife crime? Solutions are few, but councils and local authorities do have options. One of these options is naturally legislation; the government understandably have a responsibility to legislate and produce laws that not only prohibit the sale of knives to young people, but also to crack down on the carrying of knives. An initiative that is often put forward is the knife amnesty, it is hoped that by giving people the option of handing in weapons without fear of retribution that less knives will be on the streets. However, whilst this type of initiative has its benefits, its widespread effectiveness is questionable; after all, a simple kitchen knife can do the same damage as a jungle variety. 

Currently the law states that for carrying a knife a prison sentence of two years can be applied, however, if this knife is deemed to be an offensive weapon a sentence of four years can be bestowed. The problem is that the implementation of these laws is down to judges and while the judiciary perform a valuable service, leniency is overused in many cases. 

One of the most effective ways to limit knife crime and increase the safety of young people is to educate them on the dangers of carrying knives. This education however has a dual purpose, whilst it is attempting to protect vulnerable young adults; it also serves the purpose of giving authorities and organisations an understanding of why knives are carried. The result of such educational initiatives has been a recognition of the fact that the majority of young people who carry knives do so for protection, not for reputation or intimidation. 

Knife crime will not simply go away; unfortunately it is a part of modern society that has complex socio-economic causes. At the root of the problem is the sense of abandonment in some inner city areas and as this hopelessness spreads, the feeling that the only way to achieve anything is to carve out a reputation amongst local gangs. No one initiative will work; it will take a combination of legislation, education and policing to curb the growing problem of knife crime in the UK. ]]></description>
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<title>Gun Crime In UK; A Growing Problem</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/gun-crime-in-uk%3B-a-growing-problem.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/gun-crime-in-uk%3B-a-growing-problem.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Gun crime is a growing problem within the UK. In the past guns have been the reserve of organised criminals although today an increasing number of firearms are finding their way in to the hands of young, impressionable adults and children. The link between gun crime and gang culture is clearly evident and its causes are not easily defined; fundamentally it is a combination of social and economic factors that lead young people down the path of carrying guns.

But what defines a gun crime? Any murder in which the victim has been shot is classified as gun crime, although death or injury does not have to occur, in fact it is an offence to fire a gun in public. Additionally robberies or burglaries in which the criminals have carried firearms will be classified as gun crimes. However it is important to realise that it does not require the firing of a gun to break the law; carrying a gun, be it real or imitation is an offence and using it to intimidate others will almost certainly carry a custodial sentence. While the reported cases of firearms offences is relatively small, only one percent of the entire number of crimes, the instances of gun crime have been steadily growing the past few years. 

As a result of this increase the penalties for carrying firearms, whether real or imitation have been considerably toughened in recent times. The minimum sentence for carrying a prohibited firearm is now five years and plans are being developed to outlaw the sale of imitation handguns. This is because there is a growing problem of replicas being converted so that they are able to fire bullets. This problem is so rife that an entire cottage industry has been built up around the converting of replica guns. 

Part of the crackdown has seen the creation of a National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) that will act to forensically report on all gun crime incidents. Additionally NABIS will be given the role of creating a national database that will operate on a tri-city basis in Birmingham, Manchester and London. NABIS will not purely act as a records centre however, it is hoped that it will be able to correlate all information and intelligence regarding the use of guns and put into action police initiatives and more effective criminal investigations. Part of their role will also be to crack down upon the conversion factories and importers of firearms into the UK. 

Hopefully the work of NABIS will be able to clear up confusion over recent figures released by the government. Claims are abound that the most recent gun crime report underestimates the problem of gun crime by as much as sixty percent in geographical areas. Additionally any government figures are notoriously inaccurate when it comes to reporting the situation in its entirety, for instance, the latest figures omitted the smuggling offences pertaining to firearms, a glaring omission that clearly affects the overall picture of gun crime within the UK. 

Hopefully this article has put forward some interesting points surrounding the nature of gun crime in the UK. While it is a growing problem what is clear is that the government and authorities are attempting to stem the tide of this problem. While facts and figures may be ineffectual it is important for the law makers not to become bogged down in partisan politics and instead focus upon the issues at hand; these are how can we prevent the carrying and distribution of guns, and how can we protect young adults from gang culture. ]]></description>
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<title>Mortgage Interest Rates Rise and Then Tumble In The Midst of Uncertain Economic Times</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/mortgage-interest-rates-rise-and-then-tumble-in-the-midst-of-uncertain-economic-times.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Culture_and_Society/Current_Affairs/mortgage-interest-rates-rise-and-then-tumble-in-the-midst-of-uncertain-economic-times.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ So I imagine many people are breathing a sigh of relief this week.  Last week mortgage rates made one of the largest one week jumps in the last 20 years.  30 year rates rose from 5.94 to 6.46 for over a half point increase.  I thought that rates would drop this week since typically after a large move rates readjust in the opposite direction.  But instead of a small readjustment rates tumbled back almost to the same position they were at last week.  After going from 5.94 to 6.46 last week 30 year rates came back down to 6.04.  We saw the same basic thing with 15 year rates.  Last week they jumped from 5.63 to 6.14 and this week they fell back down to 5.72.  Here are rates for the last 4 weeks for the different mortgage products.

October 23, 2008
30-yr 6.04 15-yr 5.72 5-yr ARM 6.06 1-yr ARM 5.23

October 16, 2008
30-yr 6.46 15-yr 6.14 5-yr ARM 6.14 1-yr ARM 5.16

October 9, 2008
30-yr 5.94 15-yr 5.63 5-yr ARM 5.90 1-yr ARM 5.15

October 2, 2008
30-yr 6.10 15-yr 5.78 5-yr ARM 6.00 1-yr ARM 5.12

The one mortgage product which seems to be operating in its own world is the 1 year arm which rose for the third straight week.  As can be see above while 30 and 15 year rates are above what we saw 2 weeks ago they are both below rates we saw 3 weeks ago.  Also it's interesting that for the first time since 2005 (which is as far back as I have data on 5 year arms) the rate for a 5 year arm is higher than the rate on a 30 year loan.

Ok rates are one thing but let's see what all these rates mean for a monthly mortgage payment.  Using our free mortgage calculator we translated the rates into a mortgage payment for a 200k mortgage.  We looked at rates for the last 3 weeks.

October 23rd
30-yr 1204.24
15-yr 1657.60
5-yr ARM 1206.82
1-yr ARM 1101.93

October 16th 
30-yr $1258.87
15-yr $1702.87
5-yr ARM $1217.16
1-yr ARM $1093.28

October 9th 
30-yr $1191.39
15-yr $1647.99
5-yr ARM $1647.99
1-yr ARM $1092.05

As rates jumped up two weeks ago and came down this week we are seeing the same thing with mortgage payments.  What stands out is that on a 30 year 200k loan the payment came down from 1258.87 to 1204.24.  So if you got a loan last week it might be worth seeing if you can relock at today's lower rates.  Additionally, if you inquired about refinancing last week and found it was not worth it might be worth it to check again.

If you are looking at getting a mortgage the first obvious takeaway is to avoid the 5 year arm.  With rates on a 5 year arm there is basically no reason to not get a 30 year mortgage.  Even if you think rates are going to drop dramatically over the next year it probably makes more sense to get a 30 year with no points and simply refinance if rates drop more. ]]></description>
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