David Attenborough's Iconic Fifties Series Zoo Quest For A Dragon Becomes Available Online Through BBC Archives

As part of the BBC's Darwin Season, and supporting David Attenborough's new documentary Charles Darwin And The Tree Of Life, the BBC Archive is taking audiences back 53 years to join David on one of his first adventures for the BBC: Zoo Quest For A Dragon.

First broadcast in 1956, Zoo Quest For A Dragon was the third series of the iconic Zoo Quest show that saw David travel to Indonesia in search of a Komodo dragon.

All six episodes of this ground-breaking series, along with a special interview with David about the evolution of Zoo Quest, are featured in the collection – allowing a new generation to enjoy this series online.
The collection also includes rarely seen photographs dating back to 1955, and previously unpublished documents, and, including audience reports, handwritten letters from Attenborough to the team back in London and letters of thanks to friends he made along the way.

David Attenborough said: "Zoo Quest was a true adventure in all senses of the word. Looking back to over 50 years ago, it's interesting to see how the BBC's natural history documentaries were just as popular then as they are today.

"Although the technology in those days wasn't quite as advanced as it is today, I am pleased that this series of Zoo Quest was the first time the Komodo dragon had been seen on British television."

The audience report, also included in the collection, shows the documentary was a big a hit at the time, with comments such as: "A most fascinating trip, whilst enjoying the comfort of one's fireside, to places of great interest which are only names to most people. Thanks for a tip-top conducted tour"; with another saying "We regard Attenborough as the finest type of young Englishman – unpretentious, humorous, resourceful and humane with his animals. A grand boy!"

David's clothing expenses request for the six-week expedition, dated 17 April 1956 for a grand sum of £20.10, has also been made available, featuring requests for one Tropical Suit at a cost of £10.00 and six pairs of long stockings.

London Zoo featured heavily in the Zoo Quest series, with conservationists from the Zoo accompanying Attenborough on his travels.

David Field, Zoological Director at ZSL London Zoo, said: "Zoo Quest is integrated with our history, and helped us to bring some of the world's most beautiful and exciting inhabitants to our Zoo, assisting with the conservation of these species and the education of the public.

"Charlie, an orphaned orangutan featured in Episode One, was actually rescued by us during this expedition to Indonesia, and went on to father the first orangutan to be born at London Zoo, establishing our breeding programme."

The site goes live on the 30 January and the public can see the collection by going online to www.bbc.co.uk/archive/attenborough

FACT FILE:

BBC Archive Zoo Quest For A Dragon collection includes:

Programmes

David Attenborough talks to the Archive about Zoo Quest. This was an interview recorded in 2007.

Zoo Quest: Episode 1 – David Attenborough and cameraman Charles Lagus begin their quest in Borneo, the first in the chain of islands they must cross in order to reach Komodo. There they trek through jungle to a village belonging to the Dayak tribe, where they are given a warm welcome. The Zoo Quest team are hoping to find an orangutan and, with guidance from the Dayaks, they discover and film one in the wild. However, it is an orphaned orangutan held captive by a hunter that Attenborough falls for in the end.

Zoo Quest: Episode 2 – Attenborough has a close encounter with a crocodile, spends time with Dayak villagers and makes the acquaintance of Benjamin, an abandoned baby bear.

Zoo Quest: Episode 3 – David Attenborough and his cameraman Charles Lagus explore the island of Java. There is a wonderful sequence featuring gibbons having a leisurely breakfast in the treetops, a stop-off at the 8th-century Buddhist temple Borobudur and a glimpse into Bromo, a sulphur-spewing volcano.

Zoo Quest: Episode 4 – David Attenborough's search for the legendary Komodo dragon reaches Bali, where he witnesses a procession in honour of an "invisible god" and explores a temple that provides shelter to a colony of bats believed by the locals to be sacred. Back in the studio, Attenborough meets a fruit bat that is a resident of London Zoo.
Zoo Quest: Episode 5 – David Attenborough walks through avenues of palm trees and rice fields in order to reach a small Balinese village. Once there, he encounters curious villagers and remarkable creatures, including ants that demonstrate some ingenious behaviour. In addition to exploring less celebrated wildlife, this is also an opportunity to witness the unique Balinese culture with its hypnotic music and dance based on ancient Hindu legends.

Zoo Quest: Episode 6 - The Zoo Quest team sail to Komodo Island, the home of a giant lizard known as the Komodo dragon. Once on shore, however, David Attenborough soon comes face to face with the prehistoric-looking creatures. A villager had recently been killed by one, and it is plain to see why they are a danger to humans. Attenborough also discovers that all is not safe on board the boat.

Documents

Tropical clothing expenses form.
Handwritten letters from Attenborough to his boss back home (highlighting some of the difficulties he faced in travelling around Indonesia during a political/border/national conflict).

Letters of thanks sent to a few of the many people Attenborough befriended on his travels, including the couple who dispatched an air sea rescue for him when he failed to return on time from Komodo island.
Audience report revealing the popularity of the Zoo Quest series.

Photographs

The collection also features a gallery of photographs purely from the time of Zoo Quest (1955 – 1963).

Zoo Quest (1954-1964) was the major first series to be presented by David Attenborough. Each series comprised six episodes that saw Attenborough and staff from London Zoo travel to various countries and continents, to source an animal for the Zoo's collection (which was standard practice at the time).

The show was studio-based with David narrating over the film from the expeditions, and although the programme was structured around the quest for the animal, it also featured film of other wildlife in the area and of the local people and their customs.

The final episode of each series featured the animal coming into the studio where both David and Zoo experts would discuss the Zoo's newest member.

Explore over 80 years of UK and BBC history with the BBC Archive website. Programmes, documents and images bring the past to life and reveal forgotten stories. The David Attenborough: Zoo Quest For A Dragon collection will now form a part of this permanent resource which the BBC has made available to UK audiences.
For more information, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/archive

Charles Darwin And The Tree Of Life: Sunday 1 February, 9.00pm, BBC One.
BBC One presents a one-off special from David Attenborough and the Natural History Unit (NHU) in Bristol.

Charles Darwin And The Tree Of Life explores the origin of Darwin's great idea. David Attenborough makes a powerful case for the importance of the science of evolution. Co-produced with the Open University.

Two Special Guests Announced For Japanese Art Festival

Event organiser Akemi Solloway (PICTURED) today announced two special guests for the upcoming Japanese Art Festival being held at the Richmond Adult Community College in London on 28th February and 1st March.

Supported by the Anglo-Japanese Anime, Manga and Culture Association (AJAMCA) and a part of the Japan-UK 150 celebrations, special guests at the Japanese Art Festival include authors Helen McCarthy (Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation, co-author of The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917) and Paul Gravett (Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics).

“I’m excited to offer visitors to the festival a chance to experience an ancient and exotic culture as well as try their hand at traditional arts and crafts and view martial arts performances. Indeed the sole purpose of organising the event is to bring a piece of Japan to suburban London.” Akemi Solloway, a lecturer in traditional and modern Japanese culture, commented. “I’m absolutely delighted that Helen and Paul will be attending the event.”

With a packed weekend, visitors to the event will be able to view displays of traditional Japanese martial arts and taiko drums and manga and anime inspired art. Those wanting a more hands-on approach can have a go at workshops on shodo (the art of Japanese calligraphy) and how to wear kimono as well as the opportunity to take part in manga drawing workshops.

As well as a fashion show being held on Saturday night, there will also be an afterhours party hosted by J-Pop Go and featuring the latest and greatest J-Pop and anime hits. Tickets can be bought online at http://www.japaneseartfestival.com at a cost of £4.00, however they can also be bought on the door for £5.00.

Throughout the weekend, there will be a chance to meet with and see the work of up and coming artists including Umisen-Yamasen and sample authentic Japanese food and drink in the form of sake and obento. Dealers for the event include United Publications, Japan Centre and Genki Gear with more to be announced over the coming weeks.

The Japanese Art Festival offers free entry to all and opens its doors at midday on Saturday 28th February.

Full information, including times and events, can be found at the official Japanese Art Festival: http://www.japaneseartfestival.com

All dealer and stall enquiries should be directed to info@japaneseartfestival.com

Corporate Loans-And The Impact On Consumers

Commenting on the Government's efforts to stimulate lending to businesses, financial solutions provider Think Money stressed the impact that corporate credit (or its absence) can have on consumers.

"Good businesses must have access to credit," said Prime Minister Gordon Brown in a recent Downing Street press conference, adding that 'jobs should not be lost needlessly'.

"Consumers may be more concerned about their own access to loans, mortgages and other forms of credit," said a spokesperson for Think Money, "but the availability of credit to businesses has a profound effect on the economy - and that's something that affects every company and every person in the country."

"This explains the 'business' focus of the various measures recently announced by the Government, from bank recapitalisations to schemes such as the Working Capital Scheme and the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.

"Modern businesses depend on credit. Not just so they can seize opportunities and expand, but to cope with unexpected expenses and - in many cases - to fund their day-to-day business operations. Quite simply, without access to credit, many businesses are at risk of failing.

"Every time a business goes bust, it can have a dramatic effect on consumers - not just its own employees, but the employees of all the companies with which it used to do business. Its former suppliers may not be able to find another customer, or unable to sell them goods in either the same quantities or at the same price. In the worst-case scenario, they may be unable to survive the impact of any unpaid invoices. And its former commercial customers may be unable to find another source of products or services of the right quality, at the right price."
In other words, the collapse of that one company can contribute to the failure of other businesses, with the resulting knock-on effects on their business partners - and potentially theirs, too.

"Even for those who can avoid bankruptcy," the Think Money spokesperson continued, "it may be necessary to introduce pay cuts or shorter working weeks, or make some of their employees redundant - something which is likely to have a much more severe impact on individuals' finances than an inability to access credit themselves. By restoring confidence in the financial markets and encouraging lenders to provide credit to UK businesses, the Government's recent measures seek to avoid scenarios like this."

Furthermore, redundancy isn't the only threat (from the individual's perspective) which stems from companies' inability to access the credit they need. It's important to consider the 'national' picture, as summarised by the Office for National Statistics in its quarterly GDP (Gross Domestic Product) figures.

"The most recent GDP figure (a quarterly drop of 1.5%) may have confirmed that we're in a recession, but we hope the Government's efforts to promote lending to businesses will help turn this situation around.

"When businesses thrive, so does the economy - and limiting the length and severity of the recession is one of the Government's most important tasks today. Once the recession is behind us and banks and other businesses are feeling more confident, consumers can expect to benefit from a healthier labour market, higher wages and better job security - not to mention greater credit availability."

Think Money work with a panel of lenders to offer a range of loans. If you are thinking about getting a loan - or looking for loan advice - contact one of our expert loan advisers today.
Resources for editors:
Think Money Homepage: http://www.thinkmoney.com/
Think Money Loans site: http://www.thinkmoney.com/loans/
Think Money Mortgage site: http://www.thinkmoney.com/mortgage/

Lending Trickles As Bank Of England Plots New Measures

Data released by the Bank of England today showed bank lending increasing slightly in December 2008 but remaining at the low level that has been established since summer 2008. Mortgage approvals for house purchase rose to 31,000 in December from 27,000 in November. Through 2008 as a whole, mortgage approvals were 59 per cent down from 2007 levels as supply for lending evaporated.

Interestingly the number of loans approved for remortgaging fell sharply at the end of 2008. In December, 36,000 loans were approved for remortgaging, 65 per cent down from December 2007. These loans fell steeply in November but prior to this had held up compared to new mortgages. Net lending to the household sector rose by £2.2 billion in December, compared with £1.6 billion in November and 74 per cent down from a year ago. Within this, net consumer credit rose by just £0.3 billion compared with an average rise of £0.8 billion per month over the last six months.

While the above data show household lending running at a trickle; continuing to restrain demand for housing and constrain consumer spending, the other key issue is lending to businesses. The latest data show financial institutions’ net lending to non-financial corporations fell by £2.7 billion in December following a £1.5 billion fall in November. A year earlier net lending increased by £3.9 billion. It is the collapse in lending to households and businesses that underpins the sharpest contraction in economic activity since 1980.

In other news, the latest GfK NOP survey showed the Consumer Confidence Index fell by four points to -37 in January, just two points above the record low in July. Interestingly, confidence among 16-29 year olds; those that have never worked through a recession, fell by ten points in January. Unemployment within this group has been rising recently – the latest data showed 14.5 per cent of 18-24 year olds unemployed over the quarter to November.

Overall, lending remains scarce as the United Kingdom’s banking sector struggles to repair damaged balance sheets while foreign lenders withdraw from the market. It is against this background – and the concomitant adverse effect on economic activity – that, in an exchange of open letters, the Governor of the Bank of England and the Chancellor have agreed further details of the Asset Purchase Facility. This aims to improve the operation of the credit markets by allowing the Bank of England to purchase assets, funded by HM Treasury bond issuance. Although effectively increasing the money supply is highly unconventional, the Bank of England’s primary concern must be to prevent deflation. Alongside these measures, we expect the monetary policy committee to cut Bank Rate to 1.0 per cent next Thursday.

Bighand Awarded Certified Status Within The Vodafone Applications Portfolio

BigHand today announced it has been awarded Vodafone Certified application status for its BigHand Mobile application. BigHand Mobile allows professionals to utilise their BlackBerry® smartphone to record, edit and send verbal instructions or tasks back to office based support, or to outsourced service providers. Voice tasks, instructions and dictations sent on-the-go via BigHand Mobile instantly enter into the office workflow, and are then tracked via status updates and priority alerts, enhancing output. Overall BigHand Mobile helps expedite the document production process, cut costs and improve client service for professionals.

To achieve Vodafone Certified status, BigHand Mobile underwent technical evaluation by Vodafone UK. As a result, the application has passed the approval process, meeting the high standards demanded by Vodafone UK’s customer base and delivering value to the UK marketplace.

As a certified application, BigHand now has access to Vodafone UK’s technical expertise and will be recommended to appropriate customers by Vodafone UK account managers. BigHand Mobile will be identified by the “Vodafone Certified Application” brand logo. This will allow BigHand to benefit from Vodafone UK’s position as the UK’s largest mobile network operator, offering its customers in-depth support and peace of mind when deploying new mobile applications.

Jonathan Carter, Client Solutions Director, BigHand, said: “We are delighted to be the only provider in our category to have achieved Vodafone Certified application status. Making the high technical grade Vodafone demand not only reflects the attention to detail within our development teams, but also the commitment we have made to maintaining a high technical standard over the long term. In the current climate many legal, accountancy, property and healthcare customers are looking to make efficiencies, while also still embracing mobile working, and BigHand delivers on both of those fronts.”

BigHand joins a number of other certified application developers in the Vodafone UK applications portfolio which have developed solutions ranging from telematics and workflow solutions to tools that replicate the functionality or content from the desktop environment on to the mobile device.

FACT FILE:

BigHand is based out of London, Chicago, Sydney and Toronto. BigHand is the leading digital dictation vendor in the global professional services sector. BigHand Mobile (BlackBerry Edition) was voted ‘Mobile Product of the Year’ at the CNET Business Technology Awards 2008. BigHand has also been nominated in the Sixth Annual Law Technology News (LTN) Awards for 2009 as ‘Mobile Tool of the Year’. Further information is available at http://www.bighand.com. Those interested in further information should contact BigHand at enquiry@bighand.com or visit www.vodafone.co.uk/business.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

Calling All Quirky Collectors! Insurer launches search for unusual stars

Norwich Union is set to get curtains twitching by throwing open the doors to some of the UK's most weird and wonderful collections as it launches a search for closet collectors to come forward and star in a new film.

The UK's largest insurer is seeking images and anecdotes of the country's quirkiest collections to be uploaded onto www.happysback.com/, the best will feature in a short online movie celebrating eccentric collectors.

And to ensure the best entrants have extra cash in their wallets to pursue their passion, Norwich Union, soon to be Aviva, is giving the five winners £500 each. It is also offering free contents insurance to new customers when they buy buildings insurance. (Some terms apply, please ask)

So if you're mad about memorabilia, crazy about comics or barmy about beer mats this is the competition for you!

Angela Rippon, one of the best known faces and voices in British broadcasting has been enlisted to champion the search for the best Quirky Collectors. She has her own proud collection of seemingly ordinary items made unusual by its scale.

If you were to go down to Angela's house you'd be in for a big surprise - she's a collector of teddy bears. Angela has 26 bears (not all on her bed!); though at one point she had more than 80 of them!

Angela says: "My love of teddy bears started at the age of three when I was given a fifty year-old teddy by a family friend. He's over a hundred years old now and worn round the edges, but like my love of teddy bears he's still going strong. I've been fortunate to have many teddy bears given to me but sometimes I still find bears I can't resist - or maybe they find me!

"I'm sure there are plenty of people across the UK who've got a collection they cherish as much as me. I'd love to see and hear about what you collect, so upload images of your collections on to the website and let us know how it all started and what it means to you."

Also joining Norwich Union's search is cricket legend, Michael Vaughan. Not surprisingly Michael's collection is of the sporting variety. He has an entire room in his home dedicated to his collection of football and cricket memorabilia that he began in 1993 - including a prized signed bat from record-breaking cricketer Brian Lara! It all started with a shirt from his first game playing for Yorkshire, the team he still represents today.

"I became obsessed with collecting sporting memorabilia early on in my career and it's something I've built up over the past 16 years. The collection is something of a series of mementos from what has been an amazing journey for me in my career, however I've also been adding to it over the years with items from other sports, particularly football - the best one being a shirt from my all time sporting hero - Pele."

"I'm appearing in a film about people's cherished collections and we're looking for members of the public to be part of it. If you have a collection that you're proud of, upload images on to the website and tell us why you should be included."

To see pictures of the famous pair and their collections log on to www.happysback.com/.

And to enter simply log on to www.happysback.com/ and upload a picture of you and your collection for your chance to win £500 and star in a short online film with Michael and Angela. Entries close at midnight on Friday 20 February 2009.

FACT FILE
Norwich Union is the UK's largest general insurer with a market share of around 15%, with a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses.

It is a leading provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the largest financial adviser (FA) providers. FAs provide over 70% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK.

In the summer of 2009 Norwich Union will change its name to Aviva. Aviva is the world's fifth largest insurance group and operates in 27 countries. Aviva is to become the customer brand worldwide, thus enabling the company to compete even more effectively on a global scale for the benefit of customers, staff, business partners and shareholders.

Euro area inflation collapses to lowest level in a decade

A flash estimate released this morning by Eurostats hows that consumer price inflation has plunged to 1.1 per cent in January from 1.6 per cent in December. This is the lowest rate of inflation since 1999, the year in which the Euro currency was introduced. Today’s statement of a huge fall in prices comes as a shock to analysts as the consensus expectation had been for the annual change in consumer prices to be reduced to 1.5 per cent.

A second set of data published this morning shows that unemployment in the eurozone has risen slightly in December. The figures show that the overall unemployment rate increased to 8.0 per cent at the end of 2008, from 7.9 per cent in November, as the seasonally adjusted number of unemployed persons increased by 230,00in the month. The news is slightly better than expected as the consensus view was for an increase to 8.1 per cent for the common currency area. Unemployment in the 27 member strong European Union was 7.4 per cent from 7.3 per cent in November.

Looking at individual eurozone member states shows that the situation in the national labour markets varies significantly across countries. By far the highest unemployment rate recorded in the eurozone is in Spain, which at 14.4 per cent also showed the largest proportional increase in unemployment in the year to December, 8.7 per cent. Nine member states recorded year on year falls in their unemployment rates, including Poland and Slovakia, whereas eighteen did not.

Today’s figures suggest a worse than expected outlook for the euro zone economy in 2009. Inflation is declining more rapidly than central bankers had predicted and is now much further from the European Central Bank’s 2.0 per cent target. As European leaders discus fiscal remedies for their ailing economies in Davos over the weekend, monetary policy-makers will have to tone down the hawkish rhetoric towards inflation. Today’s news will encourage calls for a further 50 basis point reduction in the Official Bank rate in February.

New for old? Don't throw those old spectacle frames away! Reglaze them!

Perhaps in a moment of sheer self-indulgent madness you spent several hundreds of Pounds on a pair of very designer glasses. Or you might have special frames especially built for you? Or they are the only frames that you have seen that you feel suit your face?

What can you do when you need a new prescription for your eyesight? Consider having your old frame reglazed.

One High Street optician that can offer this service is Specsavers, which has branches all over the UK.

I popped in to a branch of Specsavers (Wellington, in Shropshire) and the staff were only too pleased to help me. They did, however, warn me that if, in the considered opinion of the Optician and his technical staff that the frames were unsuitable for reglazing (reasons might include cracks in the frame that were not immediately obvious, or perhaps they were too weakened by age to be suitable for reglazing) they would refuse to undertake the job. Which was, I thought, fair enough.

With this proviso uppermost in my mind, I sat down with a helpful and friendly Spacsaver's expert who gave the frame a critical look over, before taking a copy of my prescription and measuring my and the frames to ensure that the new glasses would fit properly. They are varifocals, so they setting up of the frame and lenses is a fairly critical procedure.

The cost was easy to work out as Specsavers has a policy of having the prices laid out directly before every customer, all the time. So I knew exactly what my old new glasses would cost me.

Ten days later I was able to collect my new old glasses, which I am wearing now. They are a comfortable fit. And, as was pointed out to me, any problems and I am to go back right away to have them sorted out. Well, you know how it is with new glasses!!

To find your nearest branch of Specsavers, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores

Handbag Designer Kaia Peterka To Launch jewelleryLine, Fall 2009

Norwegian-born New York-based handbag designer Kaia Peterka will launch a capsule jewellery collection at the WSA The Collections trade show in Las Vegas this February 12th, 2009. The new leather designs exemplify the aesthetic of bold yet chic simplicity that Kaia Peterka has become known for since the launch of her eponymous bag collection in 2006.

The jewelry collection, offered for Fall 2009, includes sculptural bracelets and necklaces, hand crafted in New York City using fine textured leathers, printed hair calf and gold studs. The retail prices will range from $75 to $125, adding a sub $200 price point to her collection for the first time. The existing handbag collection retails from $220-$700 and is available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel and select retailers worldwide.

Kaia Peterka’s collection was borne out of a desire to fuse art and function. She wanted an original, versatile alternative to the clumsy, embellished and heavy bags that crowded the market. By pairing unusual leathers and exotic skins with clean shapes and streamlined construction, Kaia creates cleverly original pieces, known for their dramatic simplicity. Similarly, her jewellery collection answers the call for elegant, dramatic pieces that are comfortable, light, and versatile. Her creative choices in materials and shape result in interesting, wearable pieces that are meant for day to evening, going beyond the traditional scope of leather based jewellery.

For more information, please visit www.kaiapeterka.com

Kangol®, The Iconic British Headwear Company Grants Apparel License To California Manufacturer

Los Angeles based, Apparel Limited Inc., headed by CEO, Masud Sarshar, has concluded negotiations with KANGOL®, Ltd., the London based UK company and is the new North American licensee for KANGOL® Apparel.

KANGOL® who celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, was founded in 1938 as a British headwear company. It gained notoriety by providing a beret for Field Marshall Montgomery’s World War II military uniform. Today KANGOL® Ltd. has operations worldwide and ships millions of hats all over the world.

The company became part of Rock ‘n Roll history in the 60s when it secured the sole rights to make and distribute headgear which featured the image endorsement or name of the Beatles. In the 80’s it was prominently worn in NYC by Hip-Hop royalty such as Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash and LL Cool J.

However, Sarshar’s re-imagination of the line hails back to the initial days of KANGOL®. Its roots in the late 30s and early 40s have not been more prevalent since the inception. The pieces are reminiscent of KANGOL®'s original aesthetic and have an air of pre-WWII sophistication.
The new partnership between KANGOL® and Apparel Limited Inc. enables the lifestyle brand to demand attention in the women’s and men’s contemporary markets. KANGOL® delivers collections comprised of over-sized sweaters, cashmere hoodies, classic polos, luxury tees, chinos and jeans. The signature green label, adorned with the famous kangaroo hallmark, signifies quality core basics made of the finest cotton, merino wool, and high-gauge knit wovens. In addition, each collection will offer the premium “KANGOL® Black Label”: exquisite pieces made of 100% cashmere and genuine leather. While the collection is based on classic silhouettes and clean lines, KANGOL® is offering most styles in up to nineteen color ways and three distinct fits: American, British and Slim.

Apparel Limited Inc. and its passionate new team have created a capsule collection that will debut at the newly re-configured MAGIC SHOW in Las Vegas in booth # 20309. The KANGOL® Booth will be premiering the new KANGOL® Apparel lines as well as hosting the KANGOL® Headwear Collection in the new PREMIUM area in the Central Hall of the Men’s Show on February 17th, 18th, and 19th.

Masud Sarshar, in his forward thinking nature, has envisioned KANGOL® Apparel with a collaboration of many people with a myriad of strengths. He has constructed a “super team” with members from Dietch PR, Caro Marketing, and Michele Marie PR to launch KANGOL® Apparel in the United States.

-Ends-

For more information please contact:

Calls to China cheaper

There are some sensational call rates to China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year

Take advantage of this 1p per minute offer until 28th February 2009

LYCAMOBILE, the international mobile telecoms provider, is celebrating the start of the Chinese New Year with fantastic call rates starting from only 1p per minute to South East Asian destinations including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

This dazzling offer available until the 28th February will enable Lycamobilecustomers to call their friends and families landlines and mobiles in China for an effective rate of just 1p per minute (Standard Rate only 4p per minute), bringing them together at this special time of year.

“Chinese New Year is a special celebration; we know how much family means to our customers. For those who can’t be with their loved ones to see in the start of the Chinese New Year we offer everyone the opportunity to call back home to celebrate with friends and family,” says Lycamobile’sCEO Milind Kangle.

As part of the festivities Lycamobile is also encouraging everyone to get down to London’s Chinatown to enjoy the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia and pick up some free Lycamobile goodies at the same time! Until Monday 2nd February, ten Lycamobilerickshaws will be handing out freebies such as t-shirts, caps and pens to lucky passers-by as they travel through Chinatown.

New Lycamobilecustomers also get an extra 2 credit on registration and all customers get an additional 10 worth of calls on 20 top-up vouchers. Calls can be made by simply replacing an existing SIM card, in any unlocked UK mobile handset, with the LycamobilePay As You Go card. Top-ups and SIM cards are available from more than 115,000 UK retail outlets, including newsagents, convenience stores, PayPoint, Payzone and e-pay. Top-up vouchers can also be purchased online at www.lycamobile.co.uk.

AquaVision's New Product Line-Up Unveiled At ISE

The pioneers of waterproof televisions, Aquavision, are launching their most exciting and extensive range of luxury, in-wall televisions at this year’s ISE Amsterdam. The new line-up includes the World’s first full HD waterproof television, VaniTV and the Flamingo, Marine and Outdoor ranges.

The S4 HD 40” is the World’s first Full HD in–wall / waterproof television. It features an RS232 control port, making it compatible with home automation systems such as Crestron, AMX, iLight and Systemline, therefore enabling it to be controlled from a compatible touch panel anywhere in the home. The new model incorporates a true, full High Definition (1920 x 1080) LCD panel that delivers exceptional picture performance. It also has an integrated Freeview digital tuner, a component video, S-Video and analogue PC input, twin HDMI inputs, full scart connection and built-in games.

Two remote controls (one master and one waterproof) are provided with the new waterproof television and a hard wired control panel is available to fix on the wall. The S4 HD 40” is available in the Mirrorvision finish - when the television is off, the glass takes the form of a mirror that is perfect for shaving, make-up etc.

The VaniTV combines a mirror unit available in several sizes (portrait or landscape) available in flush or surface mount options with the 19” Aquavision Mirrorvision screen imbedded in the mirror. The HD ready television can interface directly with Sky boxes and will incorporate the digital tuner. Optional features include fitted taps at the bottom of the mirror so it can be mounted above a basin in the bathroom, ‘halo’ or LED light surround and RS232 control.

The Marine Range has been specifically developed for the boating and yachting industry. The flush in-wall televisions are available in 26” and 40” screens with a polished stainless steel surround, and include marine grade finishes, fully coated electronics and secure front glass fixtures. Like most Aquavisions, these televisions have built-in digital tuners and RS232 control.

The Outdoor Range benefits from a super high brightness daylight viewable 46” screen which has been specially designed to be viewed in direct sunlight. It is the perfect solution for patio areas, swimming pools and hot tubs. As with the rest of the Aquavision range, it features a heated screen to prevent misting-up and is fully waterproof. The television also has a ‘forced air coolant system’ to improve its durability and is available in Polar White and Black.

The Flamingo Range is being introduced to architects, specifiers and developers working on hotel and new build projects requiring 50 or more bathroom televisions. The range comprises 17” and 24” models which are HD ready and have digital receivers as standard. Depending on quantity, various features and finishes can be customised.

At ISE, Aquavision will also be exhibiting their innovative S4 range in addition to the T-Rail (towel rail televisions), bespoke televisions and Kitchen Range.

For more information contact www.aquavision.co.uk or call +44 (0)1992 708333

New Parrot By Philippe Starck Wireless Stereo Speakers

Parrot, the specialist in wireless mobile telephony devices, is today unveiling its latest product: ‘Zikmu’, the Parrot by Philippe Starck set of wireless speakers. Parrot are also proud to announce that the ‘Zikmu’, the Parrot by Philippe Starck recently won 1st prize at the 4th annual Bluetooth SIG Best of CES contest in Las Vegas.

To discover an object or a place designed by Philippe Starck is to walk into a world of vivid imagination and to live a fantasy. For more than 30 years, this unconventional creator, designer and architect has been boldly present in our everyday life, creating iconic destinations that are pure poetry and change the vision of life and objects that are "good" before they are beautiful.

Born from the elegance of minimum and an absolute technology, the Parrot by Philippe Starck wireless speakers, with their aerial curves and dense black lacquered colour, inscribe themselves in timelessness.

"These speakers are thoroughly modern, thanks to all their technical specifications, but also because they represent the least possible," explains Philippe Starck. "They feature the most extreme and formidable technology with the fewest possible materials to deliver maximum effect: that is the magic."

Parrot and the wonders of wireless technology

The Parrot by Starck speakers stand on the cutting edge of new wireless technologies: whatever the source, the Parrot by Starck speakers faithfully reproduce all your tracks without any wires in sight.

"The way we listen to music has radically changed: when I was a kid, you took an LP, you put it on the record player and then you listened to it," explains Henri Seydoux, CEO and founder of Parrot. "Nowadays, you carry your music around with you, which can come from a wide range of sources. With the Parrot by Philippe Starck speakers, we wanted to create an eye-catching product to accompany these new ways of enjoying music," Henri Seydoux adds.

Discover the match made in heaven between an iPod®/iPhone™ and these irrepressible speakers. The Parrot by Starck speakers have been designed for compatibility with the entire range of latest generation Apple players. Using the docking station built into one of the columns, you can enjoy your favourite music while recharging your player. In addition, control your speakers and your iPhone™ / iPod® from the comfort of your sofa using the smart remote control.

Also take advantage of the tracks stored on your PC by streaming them to the speakers via Wi-Fi or unleash the music stored on your mobile phone, PC or Mac® thanks to the Bluetooth® stereo (A2DP) wireless technology. You will never grow tired of discovering the wide range of different uses available with the Parrot by Starck speakers.

Say goodbye to those unsightly wires - the two speakers communicate with each other using Bluetooth technology: at last, take advantage of true stereo sound by positioning the speakers wherever you want in the room.

Prodigious 360° immersive sound

With the Parrot by Starck speakers, discover NXT™ technology that revolutionises the face of acoustic design: an extra-flat membrane creates small-scale vibrations across its entire surface to faithfully reproduce the medium and treble frequencies, optimally radiating sound from both sides of the speaker. Take advantage of the 360° immersive sound, wherever you happen to be in relation to the speakers.

"We were not aiming to create just another speaker," says Philippe Starck. "Our design focused more on making the air vibrate. There is actually a three-dimensional feel to the vibration, meaning that the air is palpable, almost humanlike in presence, like a fragrance."

Regardless of the size of the room and the position of the columns, the sound will adapt to the acoustics. A 100W total power output will immerse you in unrivalled precision, crystal-clear sound. A special acoustic hollow has been carefully engineered into the lower part of the speakers to give the bass frequencies maximum depth.

The size of the speakers (75 cm) has been specially designed to maximise listening quality when sitting on the sofa or at the desk for an optimal sound experience every day.

The Parrot by Starck wireless speakers will be available in Spring 2009 on www.parrotshopping.com at £1200 inc. VAT, followed by the brand's usual retailers (department stores, etc.).

-ies for mobile phones and a large number of devices.

A Star Is named?

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder who you are? Brian perhaps? Or maybe even Cheryl? With the Name a Star Gift Box, the possibilities are endless.

All wrapped up in a sophisticated steel presentation box, the Name a Star Gift Set gives everyone the ability to have a little bit of the universe named after them. In addition to a personalised certificate featuring the star’s name, the box also contains an introductory letter, a certificate featuring the star’s exact coordinates, a fact sheet and guide to star astronomy, not to mention a start chart, planisphere and a night sky book.

Perfect not just as a birthday or a Christmas gift, the Name a Star Gift Box is the ideal way for anyone to realise their dream of seeing their name appear in lights.

The Name a Star Gift Box is available from GettingPersonal.co.uk for £19.53, and this personalised gift can be delivered free-of-charge when more than £30 is spent in one transaction. Items can usually be dispatched within 24-hours.

Www.GettingPersonal.co.uk offers a range of personalised gift sets, including the Name a Rose Gift Box, priced at £19.53, and the Name a Box of Chocolates set, which retails at £29.31.

Go on; show them they’re a star in your eyes!

Www.gettingpersonal.co.uk

January gloom brightened by a rush for romance

• Saturday 31st January scheduled to be the year's biggest night for first dates
• Nearly half of singles say they feel most lonely in January
• 700,000 new relationships to blossom by February.

January has a reputation as the peak month for relationships to break up, for couples to file for divorce and for singles to feel overwhelmed by loneliness, but new statistics have provided grounds for optimism: January is bonanza time for budding romances, with Saturday 31st January scheduled to be the year's biggest night for first dates.

A survey of 5,000 singles by PARSHIP.co.uk, Europe's largest scientifically-based online dating service, revealed that Britain's singles will go on a staggering 2.5 million first dates this January - nearly three times more than in December and twice as many as any other single month of the year. But it’s Saturday 31st January that is scheduled to be the year's biggest night for first dates, of which an estimated 700,000 will blossom into new romance by February.

According to Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and www.PARSHIP.co.uk's dating expert, there's a simple explanation: "These findings are consistent with previous surveys. We know that more people join internet dating services in January than any other time of year. We also know that internet dating has now become the single most common way of finding a partner.

"The explanation could be down to the post-Christmas malaise, pressure from well-meaning friends and relatives or New Year's resolutions. Perhaps people who have been putting off dating for a while may tell themselves they will make an effort in the New Year."

In a recent poll of 1,300 singles by PARSHIP.co.uk, three out of four people (81%) said they would actively look to meet someone in January, regardless of the downturn in the economy. That's 47% looking for a committed relationship, 13% for a casual relationship and 21% for any type of relationship. What's more, nearly half (47%) of singles, 45% of men and 50% of women, admitted to feeling particularly lonely in January -- that would factor up to more than 6 million people nationwide

Dr Victoria Lukats continued: "According to this survey, Saturdays and Fridays are the most popular days for a first date. Interestingly, a similar survey in 2006 had found Thursday to be the most popular day of the week for a first date. Unless a survey is very large, it's difficult to draw certain conclusions but if indeed the favourite day of the week for a first date has shifted, it's tempting to hypothesize that this could be due to the economic downturn. Maybe people only want to spend money going out once a week, rather than reserving Fridays and Saturdays just for seeing friends."

As more and more singles reach out for love in 2009, over two thirds, 67%, will turn to paid-for dating services to arrange a date. An estimated 12 million first dates will be organised online in 2009.

PARSHIP.co.uk is Europe's largest dating and relationship service with millions of members. Unlike other dating services, PARSHIP matches people using a unique scientific personality test, created by Hamburg University.

Based on 40 years of scientific research, the PARSHIP compatibility test is able to match people who share similar and complementary personality and character traits - the requirements for a harmonious relationship.

Research suggests that people are twice as likely to develop a lasting relationship with PARSHIP's help than with any other method.


Regional statistics
Singles looking for love in January
North – 81%
Midlands – 81%
Wales – 78%
London – 87%
Scotland – 76%

Singles who admitted to feeling lonely in January
North – 51%
Midlands – 50%
Wales – 40%
London – 46%
Scotland – 49%

Some optimism from Davos as BraveNewTalent.com launches the hunt for leaders of tomorrow

Kofi Annan, President of the Global Humanitarian Forum and Martin Frick today launched Mr. Annan’s movement for climate justice from Davos, Switzerland. The launch was supported by David Jones and Kate Robertson, Founders of One Young World, a global initiative to bring together 1,500 young leaders born between 1984 and 1987 to address the biggest challenges facing the planet.

One Young World (www.OneYoungWorld.com) will be supporting the Climate Justice Movement by channelling the voices of the next generation. It has partnered with BraveNewTalent.com to lead its global social media search and manage the registration of interested individuals.

Lucian Tarnowski, CEO of BraveNewTalent.com commented: “Using our Web 2.0 graduate recruitment platform, we are already building a groundswell of supporters for this important initiative. Our growing community of students and graduates across the world are actively reaching out into their own networks to engage with and recruit potential delegates.” In addition to the activity on BraveNewTalent.com, the company will be conducting marketing campaigns across relevant social networks, blogs and online communities throughout the world to ensure that each and every voice can be heard.

The One Young World initiative was founded by David Jones, Global CEO of Euro RSCG and the HAVAS Group, and Kate Robertson, UK Chairman of Euro RSCG, who commented: “BraveNewTalent.com's position as our social media recruitment partner gives One Young World a mass global outreach to 192 countries that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago and ensures we can make good use of its existing community of thousands of potential delegates. Social media enables participation and dialogue independent of location, status or background - which is exactly what One Young World is looking to create.”

One Young World is inviting 1,500 leaders of tomorrow from every country in the world and a range of backgrounds to come together to attend the Inaugural Summit in London on 8th to 10th February 2010 and help create a global resource of leadership and ideas. Delegates to the Inaugural Summit will discuss the biggest challenges the world faces and propose new ways forward. For the first time, future leaders will have the chance to shape the new rules of engagement.

One Young World will hold one Global Summit every year. Each event will consist of Plenary Sessions that will debate a key issue of particular concern to the world's young people. The key issues that will be debated at the Inaugural Summit in London in February 2010 are:

· The environment and its protection

· Developing political leadership for a positive future

· Global business and its role in shaping society through the economy

· Interfaith dialogue on world religion and spirituality

· The media: its changing identity and power

· Global health challenges

Each debate, together with all questions will be published and broadcast on the website. The resolutions that result from debating these issues will be announced at the closing ceremony.

As the leaders of today, the One Young World Counsellors will play a vital role in providing direction, inspiration and leadership at future summits. Each Plenary Session will be chaired and guided by Counsellors selected for their leadership of, and interest in, the area under debate. Counsellors that have thus far confirmed their support of One Young World are:

· Kofi Annan - President, Global Humanitarian Forum

· Archbishop Desmond Tutu - Activist / Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

· Bob Geldof - Musician and Activist

· Professor Nick Haysom - United Nations Director of Political Affairs

· Carole Stone - Managing Director, YouGovStone

· Elio Leoni Sceti - Chief Executive, EMI Music

For further information: www.OneYoungWorld.com / www.BraveNewTalent.com/oyw

Ocean Sky private Jet Company Announces New Service Centre at Luton, New Jobs to be Created

Private jet company Ocean Sky is to create a new Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Luton Airport in a major investment which will dramatically increase its service to clients.

The company, which already has FBOs at Manchester and Glasgow Prestwick, said the new facility would be a "centre of excellence" for Luton, which is the nearest airport to London for private jets.

"This is a considerable coup for us, meaning that we can offer our clients access to the most important airport for private jets in the United Kingdom," said Kurosh Tehranchian, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Sky.

The Luton FBO will open its doors for aircraft in April.

"As well as making us a major player in the FBO market, we also believe this is a great boost for Luton. We will be bringing our reputation for quality service to the airport and we believe that this will raise the standards of other operators."

Ocean Sky has secured a prime slot for its Luton FBO by taking over a site formerly occupied by Harrods Aviation. "We have been very fortunate to have been given such an exceptional site on the apron," commented Mr Tehranchian

In addition to a large parking area, the FBO will have a luxury lounge for clients in a major overhauling of the former Harrods facilities. Ocean Sky will also offer an aircraft servicing facility, which will mean at least five new engineering jobs being created.

The move to open a third FBO by Ocean Sky is the start of an expansion plan which is due to see a string of new FBOs opened by the company across Europe during the next 18 months. "We believe the current economic climate is an opportunity as much as it is a challenge," said Mr Tehranchian. "There are great opportunities out there for well-funded companies like ours to target distressed assets and make acquisitions at good prices."

The company has also announced that Steve Grimes, the former head of Harrods Aviation for 10 years, has been promoted to Chief Executive of Jet Centres. He will have overall responsibility for all three FBOs. Kerry Besgrove, who also worked until recently for Harrods Aviation, will be Managing Director of Jet Centres.

Steve Grimes said the Luton FBO represents a highly significant stage in the growth of Ocean Sky. "This is exciting for us and a really important development, one that will consolidate Ocean Sky's position in the market by giving us a crucial access to London through its most important private jet airport. Nobody else is undertaking this kind of expansion at the moment."

Say it with . . . Organic and English Flowers

Just in time for Mothering Sunday, By Nature is launching its new flower delivery service with a gorgeous selection of freshly cut UK grown seasonal blooms. From the end of March 2009 an organic bouquet will be added. A great selection bound to please anyone questioning where their flowers are coming from and how they are grown.

We have become accustomed to finding flowers available year-round losing perspective of traditional seasonal flowers. Flowers forced to grow out of season generate a huge carbon footprint as they need to be heated.

Today over 80% of the flowers sold in the UK are imported (mostly from Kenya or Holland) resulting in high levels of 'flower miles'with their associated environmental impact both in terms of pollution and carbon emissions.

The impact of the cut-flower industry also has a human cost. Like many other industries, it relies on cheap labour and workers work in appalling conditions with crops laced with dangerous pesticides.

Tread lightly and reconnect with the seasons with By Nature's choice of UK grown and organic UK grown bouquets. Local and seasonal, their carbon footprint is kept to a minimum. Each bouquet is wrapped using biodegradable cellophane, recycled paper and organic jute ribbon ties.

This Spring our flowers will include hand-picked Anenomes, Narcissus, Freesia, Ranunculus and Tulips. Bouquets range from £30 to £50 plus £6.40 for delivery.

About By Nature: Green Living in Style … no compromise.

By Nature is an online retailer specialising in organic and ethical products. The store offers a wide selection of products such as eco fashion, bath and bed products, gardening, dining, children, beauty, eco gadgets, books and travel accessories as well as an Ethical Wedding List.

By Nature is more than just a shop - it's about aspiring to a certain way of life: a lifestyle that combines a desire for style and quality with care for the environment and respect for people; a lifestyle that doesn't see this as a compromise; an "ethical lifestyle." Providing a wealth of information on everyday issues such as shopping, travel, investment and reducing chemicals at home, By Nature is dedicated to help consumers make to right choices for a more sustainable world.

www.bynature.co.uk

People Tree Foundation Launches with Limited Edition Bracelet exclusive to ASOS and backed by Jo Wood

After pioneering the Fair Trade fashion movement for 10 years People Tree is launching its very own charity in February. For the launch, the People Tree Foundation has teamed up with Marie Claire and asos.com to offer people a stylish way to support this important cause with a limited edition charm bracelet.

Made by Fair Trade producer Bombolulu in Kenya the bracelet will raise funds for the People Tree Foundation to help some of the most marginalised communities in the developing world.

Like Marie Claire and asos.com some of the leading public figures in fashion, social and environmental campaigning immediately saw the importance of this charity and gave their backing. Jo Wood, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson and Jude Law have all offered messages of support while Jane Shepherdson joins the board of Trustees.

“I’m delighted to be supporting the People Tree Foundation & People Tree as they lead the way
in demonstrating how Fair Trade is so successful in enriching local communities. Fashion can be stylish, Fair Trade and also care about environmental issues. Think twice, be nice, Fair Trade.” Jo Wood, Founder & Creative Director, Jo Wood Organics

The People Tree Foundation will work alongside People Tree, the Fair Trade Company which will continue to work to Fair Trade standards, paying a fair price, providing advance payments to producers when needed and working in long term partnerships. The Foundation will help to extend support to an even greater number of farmers and artisans, and develop educational materials and short films on Fair Trade

Vanessa Thompson, Deputy Editor of Marie Claire says “The limited edition charm bracelet we are supporting (in our March issue) is totally Fashion with Heart. It's affordable, stylish and feels good to wear, safe in the knowledge that proceeds from its sale are going to make a difference to the lives of those who really need it."

The silver-plated metal and stone limited edition bracelet is £25 and exclusive to asos.com

The Mud Lovers Ball: a new social experience for country-minded people who lead a muddy lifestyle

In celebration of their second birthday and all things ‘muddy’, the founders of rural dating and social networking site MuddyMatches.co.uk are delighted to be able to invite country-minded people of all ages, and from all over the UK and Ireland, to the inaugural Mud Lovers Ball at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire on Saturday 28th February 2009.

Sisters Emma and Lucy Reeves launched the site in March 2007 and more than 20,000 people have since joined with a desire to meet new people who share their interest in the countryside. In 2008 the girls hosted a wide range of sell-out Muddy Events, ranging from sailing trips to speed-dating nights, and are now excited about turning their hands to the organisation of this unique ball.

“We were fed up with going to parties where you only end up talking to people you already know”, explains Lucy, “and decided it was about time we launched a country-focused social event that placed an emphasis on meeting new people. With dinner, live music and, for those who are interested, lots of opportunities to chat to people they might not have otherwise had the chance to meet, we think this is an evening that no sociable ‘muddy’ person will want to miss!”

The ball is open to members and non-members and the girls have devised two table options to cater to everyone’s needs:

• Mixed Tables are aimed at those who would enjoy meeting some new people from their region. Tickets can be bought individually or as a group and the girls will seat everyone according to their age and the region they are from, asking the men to move places after each course.

• Private Tables are aimed at those who are keen to come to the ball but would like to organise their own table of friends.

The tickets, which include as much or as little matchmaking as you desire, range from £58.50 to £65.00 and are selling fast amongst the muddy crowd, with more than 200 people booked already. Party-goers are also being urged to make the most of their weekend in Northamptonshire by coming to the Pre-Ball Clay Shoot and Post-Ball Breakfast & Walk being organised by the Muddy Matches team.

EVENT INFORMATION:

Date/Time: Saturday 28th February 2009 (7pm-1.30am)
Location: Hangar One, Sywell Aerodrome, Sywell, Northamptonshire NN6 0BN
Dress: Black tie with a country twist
Tickets: Mixed Table tickets range from £58.50 to £65.00; Private Tables cost £585 and seat a maximum of 10 people

For more information and tickets, visit www.muddymatches.co.uk/mud-lovers-ball or ring 01933 311500.

Stena Line announce major makeover for Stena Caledonia

Stena Line, the leading ferry company, has announced it is to spend £1.8 million on revamping its Stena Caledonia conventional ferry. Work on the major makeover began on the 27th January at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead and is due to be completed by February 12th.

The Stena Line ship, which operates on the Stranraer-Belfast route, is to be given new features including a luxury Stena Plus lounge, a Barista coffee house/bar, a Curious George themed play area for kids and a new guest services desk.

Another major new feature set to be included on the ship is free Wi-Fi. Access to the wireless broadband is free of charge to passengers using their own laptop or PDA (personal digital assistant). The technology is supplied by satellite broadband to ensure uninterrupted coverage throughout the crossing. When passengers board they can simply ask for a Wi-Fi access card at guest services and then they can go online to work or play.

As part of the revamp, the restaurant on the vessel is to be refurbished and rebranded as Food City, while the décor and seating will be upgraded and extra seating will be added to the ship's cinema. The onboard shop will be spruced up as well and there will be improved disabled/lift access from the car deck.

The accommodation upgrade on the Caledonia is to be carried out by County Down based company MJM.

Paul Grant, Route Manager for the Stranraer-Belfast ferry, said the £1.8m project showed the company's ongoing commitment to the route.

Mr Grant said: "The refurbished Caledonia will be an excellent alternative to our HSS fastcraft on the route. The Caledonia can travel between Scotland and Northern Ireland in under three hours and its new and improved facilities onboard will mean passengers can enjoy a relaxed journey in modern surroundings."

Refits of two other Stena Line ships have also been completed at Cammell Laird this year. The Stena Leader had a £900,000 refit, while £1 million was spent on the Stena Pioneer. New accommodation for crew was added on the vessels, which both operate on the Fleetwood-Larne route.

The HSS Stena Voyager fastcraft meanwhile, which operates on the Stranraer-Belfast route had a £1.05 million refit at the Harland & Wolff yard in Belfast. Another Stena Line vessel, the HSS Explorer, was put into dry dock at Harland & Wolff in preparation for its annual refit, which will cost £1.1 million and is set for completion on February 10th. The ship operates between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire. (EDITOR: Unfortunately the Stena Voyager was recently badly damaged when a lorry crashed through the ship's doors)

The Belfast yard was also used back in November when the Stena Europe, which serves the Fishguard-Rosslare ferry route, was given a £750,000 overhaul.

Tesco Offers Hope For Job-Seekers

New Partnership with Job Centre Plus Announced

Tesco has reinforced its commitment to creating up to 10,000 new jobs across the country by announcing it is now working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus to fill all the roles.

Today’s news will come as a massive boost to the thousands of people who have recently lost their jobs as the economic downturn tightens its grip.

The collapse of many established high street chains and redundancies at other major employers has caused uncertainty and left many worrying about how they will pay the mortgage and rising bills.

Working closely with Jobcentre Plus for every forthcoming store opening, the new partnership will offer a rapid response and jobs at all levels, from customer assistants in all areas of the new store through to line managers and, most importantly, it will offer the hope of a quick return to work to communities across the UK.

David Potts, Retail Director for Tesco said: “Job uncertainty has quickly turned into genuine job fears for thousands of people across the country. It seems that not a week goes by that another household name announces thousands of job cuts.

“That is why I am delighted to announce today that Tesco will be working closely with Jobcentre Plus to give the job market at local levels a timely and welcome boost.”

Under the partnership, Tesco recruiters will be based in local job centres to find staff for every new store. These local teams step up their work with the long-term unemployed, as well as those recently made redundant to identify the key skills needed for working within the new stores.

David Potts added:“We recently announced that record numbers of long-term unemployed people are now making careers for themselves at Tesco - a further 119 jobs have been secured by long-term unemployed people at our new store in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, taking the total to over 3,000 people in 2008.

“This work helping the long-term unemployed back to work will continue alongside our dedication to find new roles for those who have recently lost their jobs.

“We remain a growing employer in these difficult times, committed to creating a great place to work for all employees, and our new staff members will be given the support and training they need to get on.”

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell, said: “We are committed to helping people who become unemployed to get back into work as quickly as possible. The announcement of a further 10,000 jobs being made available by Tesco through Jobcentre Plus will provide real opportunities for people across the country and shows how good Local Employment Partnerships can be.”

Five-point plan for 'alcohol-free' childhood

For the first time, young people and their parents will have clear medical guidance on alcohol consumption. The guidance, will be announced today by Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, to be published for consultation. It will recommend that young people up to the age of 15 should avoid alcohol altogether.

The five-point guidance document will form part of a consultation on alcohol and young people launched by Children Schools and Families Secretary, Ed Balls, Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, and the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson.

The guidance was a commitment in the Youth Alcohol Action Plan, launched in June last year and responds to calls from parents for clear messages on the health effects and risks of young people drinking alcohol.

The Chief Medical Officer's Guidance on the Consumption of Alcohol by Children and Young People advises:

1. an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option - if children drink alcohol, it shouldn't be before they reach 15 years old;

2. for those aged 15 - 17 years old all alcohol consumption should always be with the guidance of a parent or carer or in a supervised environment;

3. parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and not drinking is the healthiest option for young people. If children aged 15 - 17 consume alcohol the should do so infrequently and certainly on no more than one day a week;

4. the importance of parental influences on children's alcohol use should be communicated to parents, carers and professionals. Parents and carers need advice on how to respond to alcohol use and misuse by children;

5. support services must be available for children and young people who have alcohol related problems and their parents

Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer for England, led the development of the guidance, following extensive research and work with a panel of experts who reviewed the latest available medical evidence and data from across the UK on the impact of alcohol and young people.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer for England, said: "This guidance aims to support parents, give them the confidence to set boundaries and to help them engage with young people about drinking and risks associated with it.

"More than 10,000 children end up in hospital every year due to drinking and research tells us that 15 per cent of young people think it is normal to get drunk at least once a week. They are putting themselves at risk of harm to the liver, depression and damage to the developing brain. Resulting social issues can lead to children and young people doing less well at school and struggling to interact with friends and family."

Children, Schools and Families Secretary, Ed Balls, said: "Parents have told us that they lack the health information and advice they need to make decisions about whether or how their children should be introduced to alcohol. So I hope the Chief Medical Officer's advice will help them with the tricky task of deciding the best way of doing that.

"We want this advice and information to be a success and really help families. That's why we're asking young people, parents and all those interested for their views. I think all of us as parents need to look at this advice, see whether it's right for us and ask whether we are doing the best thing for our children.

"Alcohol is a part of our national culture and if managed responsibly can have a positive influence in social circumstances. However when it is not managed responsibly it can cause real problems.

"That's why the Chief Medical Officer's guidance is important and why it is vital that we now discuss it in detail with parents and young people.. We hope that it will help parents to set realistic boundaries for their children and help them to introduce alcohol to young people in a safe and sensible way as they get older."

Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health said: "The decision about when young people should first drink alcohol is clearly best taken by their parents or carers. But we know that parents want more information about the harms associated with drinking to help them make this decision. Government has a responsibility to provide straightforward information and guidance, which is exactly what we are doing."

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: "Young people who drink too much put their own health at risk, and are more likely to get involved in antisocial behaviour and crime.

"As part of the Youth Alcohol Action Plan the Government is working in partnership with parents, industry, police and communities to tackle underage drinking which damages community safety and the health of young people.

"This includes giving police the powers to disperse under 18s who are drinking and behaving anti-socially from any location and cracking down on irresponsible retailers who persistently sell alcohol to those under 18."

The consultation will run for 12 weeks and will seek the views of young people, carers, parents and other interested parties.

(EDITOR: What the well-meaning but woolly-minded souls and inveterate meddlers who have rather worryingly joined forces to poke their noses in the lives of the public cannot seem to fathom is that their plans are, in fact, likely to have the exact opposite effect to those they claim to seek. There is the very real risk (totally ignored, by what I can see) that they would make alcohol even more exciting and tempting to children and young people. And who was it who introduced the 24 hour drinking culture? The very same government who present the public with this latest set of well-meaning but highly dangerous ideas.)

Prime Minister calls on Councils to play their part in fixing the economy

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears today welcomed the Prime Minister's commitment to councils providing pivotal support to communities through the global economic downturn.

Describing councils as "the backbone of our local communities", the Prime Minister highlighted the role they can play in meeting local housing needs, preventing long-term unemployment, and supporting small business.

During his speech to the New Local Government Network, the Prime Minister announced that:

* The Government will release £100m of un-ringfenced funding to councils across the country through the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme, helping councils respond flexibly to the effects of the downturn in their area.

* As part of Government plans to create 35,000 new apprenticeships, the Local Government Association has committed to doubling the number of council apprenticeships to 15,000.

* The Audit Commission will report to the National Economic Council on the effectiveness of local authority responses to the downturn, and highlighting if there are examples of central Government unintentionally frustrating efforts to provide local support.

* And the Government would give full backing to local authorities willing to deliver the social housing to meet their communities' needs.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "With the three-year settlement of an additional £8.9billion - an average 4.2 per cent cash increase per year in funding - councils now have even greater flexibility and funding with which to support their communities through the downturn.

"I pledge that we will act wherever and whenever we can to ensure the necessary freedoms and flexibilities for authorities. But equally, local authorities should feel a similar obligation to do all they can to benefit their communities.

"So even as our communities are being battered by a global storm that is vast and far from our control, it is ever more important that local people are empowered within their own communities to lead our response to the downturn.

"By acting together - as local authorities and national government in partnership - we truly can bring real help to families and businesses when and where they need it most."

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said: "In these difficult times, it is more important than ever that councils have the freedoms and flexibilities to respond to local challenges and support their communities.

"The £100m we are announcing today, together with the first-ever three-year settlement giving councils certainty in their funding, puts them in an even stronger position to do so.

"And I am delighted that the Local Government Association have committed to doubling the number of apprenticeships to 15,000 - kick-starting the exciting careers for young people across the country.

"These freedoms, flexibilities and funding that we have provided leave councils, who are crucial to our communities in this global economic downturn, to use their local knowledge and expertise and provide real help to local people."

Government gives 'V' sign to struggling construction workers

Whilst the Government invests billions of pounds in tax payers' money propping up the Banks it is refusing to pay out tax refunds claimed by workers in one of the industries hardest hit by the recession, leaving many struggling financially.

Many thousands of workers in the construction industry are entitled to claim tax refunds because they use their own vehicles travelling from site to site. These claims, which can vary from a few hundred to several thousand pounds, are submitted to the Revenue and would normally be settled in approximately 8/12 weeks. Not any more, says tax consultancy Rift.

Rift, which specialises in making claims on behalf of construction workers throughout the UK, reports that hundreds of their clients are being forced to wait between 8/12 months. Indeed, they have unsettled claims going back before January 2008.

Says Rift managing director, Jan Post: “Despite months of telephone calls, letters and formal complaints to the Revenue regarding individual cases we have received no satisfactory explanation for their sudden change in policy. Although the IR Charter (currently under review) states that refunds should be made within 20 days of receiving the request, 8/12 weeks was acceptable.

"However it seems that now the Revenue is attempting to hang onto our clients’ money for as long as possible and nobody has the authority to make them release it. Our clients are currently owed in excess of £1m and many are suffering severe financial hardship because money they were expecting has simply not materialised and shows no signs of doing so.”

The standard excuse for non-payment is that a claim is being subject to a ‘security check’. Traditionally around 10% of claims would be subject to a check. Today it seems more like 100%. Said Post: “In the 10 years that Rift has been making claims we have not had a single case rejected by the Revenue, but they have informed me that most of our cases are now being security checked. No reason has been given.”

Rift clients are not alone. Other consultancies are also struggling to obtain refunds for their clients and the sums involved could run into many millions of pounds.

The Government has been keen to emphasise its efforts to minimise the effects of the recession on the ordinary tax payer – particularly those in the worst hit industries. Refusing to pay workers the refunds to which they are entitled makes their words seem rather hollow.

(EDITOR: Is this happening in other industries?)

Rare Beatles Footage to go under the hammer on 3rd February 2009

A major Beatles collectable will be offered by a provincial Berkshire Auction house on Tuesday 3rd February 2009 at 11am. (http://www.cameo-auctioneers.co.uk/Beatles-Scotland/)

Rare Footage – 8mm Silent Film

Taken from the Beatles 1964 tour of Scotland, the film contains clips of the ‘Fab Four’ and their entourage whilst staying at The Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans on the banks of Loch Earn.

A sample of the film can be viewed at http://www.dev.star-digital.co.uk/cameo/Cameo-Scotland-video...

They arrived late on Monday 19th, October 1964, after their show in Edinburgh., staying for two nights, during which they played a show in Dundee on Tuesday 20th.

This film is unique and possible the only surviving recording of their stay at this venue. Total running time is approx 2 minutes 30 sec.

Cameo Auctioneers have confirmed that this piece will be sold with copyright.

A spokesperson at Cameo confirms that this a rare and exciting find and a very collectable piece of Beatles history.

English people more likely to know date of Chinese New year than of St George's Day

Research of over 1800 Englishmen and women showed that more people were aware of when the Chinese New Year fell this year than when St George’s Day, the English national day is. More than 3 times as many English are aware of when St Patrick’s Day is in relation to the day also.

Extremely high sales of Chinese takeaway food over the period of time around Chinese New Year prompted the UK’s leading takeaway ordering portal to research English attitudes towards national days.

The study commissioned by www.Just-Eat.co.uk reveals that of the 1,872 people who participated, just 12% knew when St George’s Day, England’s national day, fell, compared to 38% who were aware when the Chinese New Year was this year.

Chinese food overtook Britain’s adopted national takeaway favourite, Indian for the days running up to Chinese New Year, culminating in Chinese food orders doubling the amount of Indian food on January 26th, Chinese New Year itself.

Just-Eat.co.uk decided to investigate the interesting spike in the run-up to and including Chinese New Year, and found that Englishmen and women were also less likely to know when the Queen’s Official Birthday was in comparison to the Chinese day of celebration, with just a quarter, 25%, picking the right timeframe; the last Monday in May.

Interestingly, over 1 in 3 English people, 34%, knew exactly when St Patrick’s Day fell, nearly three times as many as those who were aware of when St George’s Day was.

David Buttress, CEO of www.Just-Eat.co.uk was surprised by the findings: “The results were certainly unexpected, but have given us the knowledge that English people are more aware of Chinese New Year than maybe you would expect. We were expecting a slight increase in Chinese ordering, but were blown away by the number of meals delivered, especially on the day itself.

“It is, however, a sad reflection of our times that our national day, St George’s Day, is not something more are aware of. The fact that three times more people are aware of when Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day falls is testament to the fact that as a country England is slowly losing pride in its own heritage.”

www.Just-Eat.co.uk is the UK branch of the highly successful European model, which provides an average of more than 30,000 meals for customers in any given 24 hours. Just-Eat have a strategic partnership with Coca Cola.

The service supplies customers with a large directory of varied restaurants and eateries in their area, which when selected provide the user with a full, up-to-date menu including prices. The site also gives the customer an estimated delivery time, as well as beverage options.

D.I.V.O.R.C.E - don’t let the children get stuck in the middle

January is the month when most people decide their marriage is over. Divorce is traumatic enough, but when children are involved the conflict that can arise between their parents can make children feel trapped.

Parent expert and author, Sue Atkins, is calling for parents going down the divorce route to present a united front and work together when it comes to helping their children through this major life change. The time for fighting is over.

“Parents often feel overwhelmed, confused and resentful, and panic about how they are going to handle changes in their family’s way of life,” says Sue Atkins. “These feelings can manifest as animosity which then turns the divorce process into a battle trapping the children in the middle.” Parents need to realise that they can make positive choices during the emotional time of a divorce. Sue Atkins has some practical and effective advice to make the transition less painful for everyone:

1. What do your children need from you both? - think about the way you want to handle their insecurity & their need to express feelings. You will need to consider their need for security and reassurance that you will both still be their parents and both be there to love, support, nurture and guide them.

2. How will you tell them you are getting a divorce? - you will need to weigh up whether you tell each child on their own, together, or as a combination. You need to make a joint decision as to what is best for each of your children and for you as their parents. By both of you telling them together they will see that you are not blaming each other and that there is no need for them to take sides.

3. How will you answer their questions? – likely questions that will be asked are: “Will we still see you and spend time with you?” “Who will take us to football?” “Who will we live with and where?” “Will we still see Nana and Grandad?” You may not know all the answers just yet but you will need to reassure them that you will have more clarity and answers soon and that they do not need to worry.

4. Manage your emotions – if you see divorce as a negative, painful and angry time – it will be. If you see it as a major life crisis that can be handled with dignity in a positive way and is a step towards a new life with new opportunities – it will be. Your children will feel more secure if you appear calm and in control. You will inevitably want to cry, rant and vent your frustrations, just don’t do it in front of your children. You are a role model and how you handle this major event is a blueprint for how they will handle stressful situations in their lives.

5. Give them reassurances and guarantees – each write seven reassurances and guarantees that you can honestly give to your children. These are things that will help your child cope with the enormous changes that are ahead. Be honest. Don’t give false promises as you will destroy their confidence.

“Above all, work together. You may not have been a united front whilst married, but you must take this opportunity to work together for the good of your children,” says Sue Atkins. “Remember: divorce changes but does not end a family. Your children are now members of two families.”

Home Secretary announces Sir Paul Stephenson QPM as new Metropolitan Police Commissioner

Sir Paul Stephenson QPM has been appointed the new Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner, the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.

Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, said: "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Sir Paul as the new Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Service. In a very strong field of candidates, Sir Paul impressed everyone with his strong vision and his approach to tackling the challenges that lie ahead for the Met - and for the service across the country as the Police begin a key period of reform.

"When making my decision, I took into account Sir Paul's exemplary record and significant contribution to policing throughout his career.

"Sir Paul brings all the skills and experience needed to lead the capital's police in the continued fight against serious crime and counter-terrorism as he has demonstrated over the last few years as Deputy Commissioner.

"Sir Paul also has a strong track record in driving neighbourhood policing as Chief Constable in Lancashire and he brings this along with his experience in Merseyside and Northern Ireland to the job as well.

"As such, I believe Sir Paul offers the expertise and leadership needed to inspire confidence across the entire Police Service - and most importantly, among the people of London.

MP backs the Whales

Mark Pritchard MP for The Wrekin, Shropshire, has shown his support for whales by striking a ‘whale tail’ pose with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Mark Pritchard is taking part in IFAW’s ‘Tails for Whales’ photo art project, which has been launched to raise awareness of the need for greater whale protection. IFAW is encouraging people from all walks of life to be photographed making the whale tail hands symbol. Model and presenter Twiggy and comedienne Jo Brand are among celebrities taking part and this week more than 70 MPs also struck a whale tail pose for whales.

IFAW works year-round to protect whales from the many threats they face including whaling, ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, climate change and man-made ocean noise.

Robbie Marsland, Director of IFAW UK, said: “We are very grateful to Mark Pritchardfor showing their support for whales. IFAW opposes commercial or so-called ‘scientific’ whaling because it is cruel and unnecessary and we believe these magnificent and intelligent creatures should be protected for future generations to enjoy. Support for this project demonstrates that many people feel the same.”

Mark Pritchard MP said: “I am pleased to be taking part in ‘Tails for Whales’. Whales face more threats today than ever before and this project sends out a positive message that we should all be working to protect them. I encourage my constituents to take part by submitting their photos for inclusion.”

Whale tail images can be uploaded to the website www.tailsforwhales.org (JPEG format, minimum 1024x768pix). Please take part and email your friends and family asking them to do the same.

The aim is to collect as many of these positive images as possible on the website, particularly in the run-up to the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in June 2009, to urge all member countries to use their votes for whale conservation, rather than allowing any attempts to weaken or overturn the worldwide ban on commercial whaling.

For more information visit www.ifaw.org

FACT FILE:

Despite a worldwide ban on commercial whaling coming into effect in 1986, more than 30,000 whales have been killed for commercial reasons since that time.

Japan hunts whales under a loophole for so-called “scientific” whaling, which IFAW believes is really commercial whaling by another name. Iceland has killed whales both commercially and under the “scientific” clause and Norway has continued to hunt commercially under an objection to the ban.

Japanese whalers are currently hunting almost 1,000 whales in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, Antarctica.

Service enables IT charity to aid twice as many people and reduce travel by 95% per year

By using online collaboration services in the software-as-a-service model, UK charity AbilityNet has been able to double its support for people with disabilities while significantly reducing its operating expenses.

In 2008, AbilityNet helped more than 500,000 disabled adults and children use computers and the Internet to improve their employment prospects, to more freely access online services and to advance their independence.

Using the Citrix® GoToAssist® remote support solution, AbilityNet is delivering virtual, one-to-one assessments to help disabled adults and children to better understand how to set up and use their computers and the Internet. AbilityNet assessors can remotely access participants’ PCs with the service to initiate a joint one-on-one session and help them to adapt and adjust their IT setup and software.

Screen-sharing features enabling keyboard and mouse control between the user and assessor make it easy to demonstrate applications or show how to complete a task. This Web-based approach is enabling the assessors to cut back on face-to-face visits, reducing their mileage from as much as 20,000 miles per year to less than a hundred.

These benefits have enabled AbilityNet to double the number of remote assessments that it offered over the last 18 months compared to a prior period. As a result, they are now using GoToAssist to service contracts with the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the Wales Remote Assessment Project funded by the Big Lottery Fund. GoToAssist is also playing an integral role in enabling AbilityNet to provide training and support directly to nurseries and children’s centres as part of a second lottery funded project, “Play At IT” which aims to ensure inclusion for children with disabilities in nurseries across England.

David Banes, director of development, AbilityNet, commented: “Our assessments are most effective when people are evaluated in their home or work environment. With GoToAssist, our assessors can support users as if they were sitting next to them, eliminating travel time and expense and enabling us to double the number of assessments we can provide. The service has been well received by our users and consistently achieves very good feedback.”

Following their success with GoToAssist, AbilityNet has adopted Citrix® GoToMeeting® to train disabled people and their employers on how health problems or disabilities in the workplace can be overcome. The virtual online sessions, which are easy to use and cost effective, considering the flat monthly rate for unlimited meetings, are enabling AbilityNet to offer low-cost training for organisations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“In today’s challenging economic climate, it’s increasingly important for organisations to find ways to reduce costs without compromising productivity. By adopting online collaboration tools that are delivered in the software-as-a-service model, organisations like AbilityNet can instantly lower their operating expenses, increase their productivity and benefit from ongoing support and upgrades at no extra cost,” said Bernardo de Albergaria, vice president and general manager, Global Marketing and eCommerce for Citrix Online. “This is makes good business sense in any economic environment.”

www.abilitynet.org.uk

Service and speed are biggest broadband gripes. Ofcom? Don't want to comment!

The most common causes for broadband dissatisfaction are speed and customer service, according to research carried out by broadband comparison website Broadband Genie. The results throw up some interesting differences when compared to Ofcom's recent research into broadband speed and satisfaction.

Ofcom's report found that speed of connection (30 per cent), unreliability of connection (27 per cent) and cost (14 per cent) made up more than 70 per cent of the main reasons for customer dissatisfaction with their ISP. Customer service being unhelpful made up just six per cent of the overall total of main reasons.

However, the most common causes for comment at www.broadbandgenie.co.uk were connection speed and customer service being unhelpful, with 37 per cent of respondents remarking on each one within their feedback to the site during this period. Of these remarks, there were three times as many complaints as positive comments. The same ratio applied to comments on connection reliability (75 per cent of comments received were negative), although the amount of consumers commenting on reliability was just 20 per cent. Value for money was a smaller consideration for customers, with just six per cent making a remark about their ISP. Of these though, all were negative.

From feedback supplied by 100 consumers on fixed-line broadband:

Comments, Reason given (positive, negative)

37, Speed (9, 28)
37, Customer service (7, 30)
20, Reliability of connection (5, 15)
14, Technical support (2, 12)
07, Cost of calling customer service (0, 7)
06, Value for money (0, 6)

Commenting on the results, Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling said: "I was surprised to see customer service rank so low in Ofcom's results for main reasons of customer dissatisfaction. In our experience, reading both positive and negative comments left on our broadband comparison website by consumers, good customer service can make or break the customer experience. Whether a customer is dissatisfied with an ISP's connection speed, reliability or perceived value for money, a skilled customer service representative can calm the situation and often resolve - or at least adequately explain - a situation."

The conclusion of Broadband Genie's research would seem to be backed by analysts. In its recent survey of 500 broadband "decision makers", Strategy Analytics found customer support to be the biggest complaint. Strategy Analytics' Ben Piper commented to Broadband Genie:

"As the UK market matures and competition intensifies, the strategy will shift from attracting 'new connects' to one of customer retention. Customer and technical support are key areas of differentiation."

Marling agreed, adding: "Fixed-line broadband is reaching saturation point in the UK and faces increasing threats to its marketing share from mobile broadband technologies. Forecasts indicate that while the average spend per broadband user will go up, the total number of users will go down. This means churn will become increasingly important and as speeds improve, reliability strengthens and costs fall, customer service will become a key battleground in ISPs retaining customer numbers."

Analysts at Analysys Mason told Broadband Genie its fixed-line broadband individual end-user spend forecasts show very slight overall growth in UK between 2008 and 2014, but overall the total number of fixed-line customers is sharply negative.

Ofcom declined to comment.

Broadband Genie analysed data from customer feedback gathered during the same period as Ofcom's speed tests (October to November 2008), focusing on both positive and negative reactions to varying aspects of their broadband experience. As with Ofcom's results, the analysis was carried out across a broad range of ISPs and results of individual providers have not been released. Comments could be made about any number of subjects, rather than just the main one, and could be both positive and negative.

Schillings announce latest BITESized Breakfast briefings

Following on from the success of the previous BITESized briefings Schillings one of Britain's top law firms dedicated to safeguarding the privacy and reputations of international corporations, celebrities and high-profile business people, has announced the subject of the latest event to be held on 28th January.

These information events by Schillings are intended to help their clients and PR professionals keep up to date with how to use the law as a tool in protecting reputations and this event will cover the extremely pertinent and important subject of protecting investor value in a downturn.

Previous Schillings BITESized briefings were extremely well received and covered subjects such as handling social media threats, legal tools for crisis management, the importance of HR in averting media crisis, executive Reputation Management, cleaning up and restoring an online reputation and brand management

The upcoming event is intended to help businesses prevent and deal with scurrilous rumours which can badly damage investor confidence, in turn causing serious problems for companies and their directors. Subjects being addressed include finding out how to act quickly to identify and quell the sources of harmful false allegations before they do more harm, and the steps that can be taken to prevent these allegations from crossing into the mainstream media.

This briefing forms just part of the wide ranging regular calendar of Schillings events and seminars for specific interest groups where people come together to learn about how the law can be used to help protect both personal and corporate reputations.

Registrations are already being taken for the event and based on previous briefings, places are expected to fill up quickly.

New Website for Motorists Offers Upto 20% Off Airport Parking, Hotels and Lounges

WWW.MOTORINGDISCOUNTS.CO.UK

Long stay airport parking specialist, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has launched a website offering discounts to UK motorists. The offers can be found at www.motoringdiscounts.co.uk and are available to anyone who is a member of ANY breakdown recovery service in the UK.

To claim the discount, travellers simply need to enter their membership number of any of the UK breakdown recovery services into the website when looking for a quote. A 20% discount is automatically applied to airport parking at APH’s own car parks situated at Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports. A 15% discount is available for other participating car parks across the UK, and savings of up to 10% can be made on airport hotels and lounges.

Eight day’s parking at APH’s own car park at London Gatwick costs from £27 whilst on airport accommodation costs from £47 for the same period. Off-airport parking includes a coach transfer to the terminal.

A night at an airport hotel close to Manchester Airport on a room only basis costs from only £43.

Airport Parking and Hotels Ltd has over 20 years' experience as a retailer of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. It offers parking at 24 UK airports, ports and Eurotunnel terminals plus airport hotels packaged with parking, airport lounges, travel insurance, car hire and holiday taxis.

For further information or to book visit www.motoringdiscounts.co.uk

The 14th Annual International Noise Awareness Day

The biggest ever survey on noise in the home commissioned by AEG-Electrolux in 2007 revealed that the vast majority of consumers across Europe say it was a mistake not taking more consideration of the noise an appliance makes at the time of purchase.

The survey revealed that given the choice again, around half would go for the quieter option, even if it was more expensive, whether it was for washing machines, cooker hoods or dishwashers.

Noise of our own making affects the quality of life of 1 in 6 Europeans, with one in three citing the noise of their own domestic appliances as a problem in their home. The Report also found that the kitchen is the noisiest room in the home for half of those surveyed – with many respondents wishing they had taken more account of the noise an appliance makes at the time of purchase.

Appliances in the AEG-Electrolux ‘Silent’ range include:

The ‘A+ AA’ rated AEG-Electrolux L86850 has a new three-way solution to combat noise and still delivers ‘A’ rated wash results. Other highlights include the new time save function and a 20 minute - 3kg programme for when you are in a real hurry. This means you can make the most of every wash! The ‘silent system’ is achieved by a high performance inverter motor, an automatic adjustable foot to absorb vibration and superior panel insulation which combine to cut noise levels to just 50dB instead of the 54 – 58 dB of other washing machines on the market,

The T59840 is the second generation of ‘A’ rated tumble dryers exclusive to AEG-Electrolux. This unprecedented energy efficiency is down to the specially developed ‘Heat pump’ technology which works like a refrigerator in reverse. The Energy consumption is so low; it exceeds the requirements for A Energy rating by 30%. Another real benefit of this technology is quiet operation – a very important feature for consumers who plan to install a dryer in the kitchen. Noise levels are just 68db instead of a noisy and intrusive 70dB.

The AEG -Electrolux F80872 - just 41dB(a) - and its all thanks to improved engineering which dramatically cuts down on vibration and radiated noise. As well as sleek designer looks this model features the very latest dishwashing technology: advanced fuzzy logic - a system of sensors and microprocessors which wash the dishes to perfection using only the water and electricity needed, so of course it is AAA rated. There’s even an interior light, adjustable baskets and foldable plate racks, so loading and unloading couldn’t be easier.

Congestion Charging. Is it dead in the water?

asks Tom Rayner, RAC Press Association

The RAC offers UK Breakdown cover, European Breakdown Cover and Car Insurance but also aim to supply news and information to the UK motorist. The congestion charge has been looked into to determine whether the end is near.

It seems like only yesterday that motorists across the country were bracing themselves for a future of road tolls and congestion charging. Last year, with green issues at the top of the political agenda and the beleaguered motorist taking the full brunt of the eco-assault, there was a certain inevitability about it all.

But how different the picture looks now... a popular vote has blocked Manchester's proposed scheme and London Mayor Boris Johnson has scrapped the western extension in the capital. Could 2009 be the year that congestion charging sinks "dead in the water"?

But if so, would we lose a vital opportunity to invest billions into our ailing and creaking public transport network? Is charging the only way to keep congested city roads flowing freely and fume-free? Or perhaps British motorists should rejoice, with victory in sight over yet another "tax" on already hard-pressed drivers?

Last month more than one million people voted on whether Greater Manchester should adopt congestion charging - and the answer was a resounding "no".

The public referendum was split with 79 per cent against charging and just 21 per cent in favour. So strong was the opposition that a 'reeling' Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, lamented the scheme was "dead in the water". And the Green Party's Transport Spokesman, Alan Francis, could not hide his disappointment that the opportunity had been missed "to bring Manchester's transport system into the 21st century, as well going some way to reducing the city's carbon emissions." Mr Francis blamed local councillors for not having a plan B, if the "No" vote prevailed. He said: "They urgently need to devise a strategy for reducing car use and getting more people travelling by train, tram, bus, bike and walking. That will require huge investment in improving those alternatives to car use.

"Meanwhile, Manchester residents will have to put up with traffic congestion and inadequate public transport and the climate change will continue to get worse".

But the people of Manchester's hostility towards congestion charging also sent a clear message to other UK cities considering adopting their own schemes, such as Leeds, Bristol and Cambridge.
In fact, the RAC's motoring strategist, Adrian Tink, predicted: "This is likely to be the death knell for those schemes, certainly in the short to medium term."

However, despite failing to secure even a quarter of the overall vote - 218,860 people still said "Yes" to congestion charging. The "Yes" campaign team said a chance had been missed to invest billions into the local transport network.

Local councils wanted to charge Manchester's drivers up to £5 a day to use the roads and help pay for £2.7 billion of investment in local, trains, trams and buses, promising a revolution in public transport. The ground-breaking scheme would have been the largest of its kind outside London and would have incorporated an Oyster-style card network, enabling public transport users to swipe in and out of a fully integrated network of trams and buses. Crucially, congestion charging in the city would not have even begun until 80 per cent of the ambitious transport "revolution" had been completed.

And the future of congestion charging in the capital took another body blow in November when London's newly-elected Mayor Boris Johnson announced he would scrap the western extension - covering Kensington and Chelsea. Johnson's move came after public consultation revealed nearly 70 per cent of respondents did not want congestion charging, and 86 per cent of businesses also said "no".

So does this mean the Sloane Rangers of west London are destined to choke on the fumes of their Chelsea tractors and Porsches? Well not according to Transport for London (TfL) which has estimated traffic returning to the western extension would result in "a small increase in emissions of air pollutants and carbon dioxide, but that this increase would be unlikely to have any material effect on measured air quality or on the boundary route because of the number of different factors that affect local air quality."

So are they now saying the congestion charge doesn't even improve our air quality - the very lynch pin of the green argument?

Well in truth it's not that simple - measuring air quality is complicated with many factors (including the prevailing weather conditions) affecting the readings. Back in 2005, TfL's 'Third Annual Monitoring Report' into the congestion charge found CO2 levels down 20 per cent and fine particle matter (PM10) down 12 per cent.

But more recently boffins from King's College London have found otherwise. They say car numbers might have fallen by a fifth since congestion charging was introduced in the capital in 2003 but there has been little change in pollutants such as smog, diesel soot and carbon monoxide and that nitrogen oxides levels even increased slightly. Professor Kelly, who led the research published last May, explained how his team made air quality measurements over two years before and after the charge and said the rise could be due to the increased numbers of buses in the centre of London, up 25 per cent (that's about 200 extra buses).

One thing that can't be denied is the need to clean up our air. London's Air Quality Strategy cites that: "1,600 deaths are brought forward and 1,500 breathing problem-related hospital admissions per year can occur in London as a result of air pollution."

But if it's not clear if congestion charging has even improved air quality, then surely the traffic jams have eased? Before the scheme was launched Transport for London predicted that congestion would be reduced by 10 to 15 per cent and that vehicle delays would drop by 20 to 30 per cent. However, five years after congestion charging was introduced and official figures showed that the jams were as bad as ever.

The number of cars entering the charging zones may have dipped but widespread roadworks and traffic management schemes have reduced the capital's capacity and, perversely, this has resulted in congestion returning to levels experienced before the charge was brought in.
So the case for congestion charging doesn't look bright - it hasn't convincingly reduced air pollution and hasn't reduced jams. But there's no two ways about it - we do need to reduce congestion.

Anybody who has tried driving through central London, or even sat in the back of a black cab with the meter ticking away despite its gridlocked wheels unable to budge, will know the misery of congestion. So what's the answer?

Well one alternative that's received the backing of the charity Campaign for Better Transport is car-pooling. There are hundreds of websites that can put you in touch with other drivers and help reduce the number of unnecessary miles; a quick Internet search will return plenty of national and local schemes.

And who is left fighting the cause for congestion charging? Well the Green Party for starters who: "adhere strictly to the 'polluter pays principle', requiring transport users to pay for the costs that we all have to live with."

But it remains to be seen if congestion charging can ever recover from its worldwide annus horribilis, only in March the American state of Assembly vetoed New York Mayor Bloomberg's proposed scheme - an act he described as "shameful".

Nobody can argue that UK roads, particularly those in urban areas, are miserably over-crowded and that we could all benefit from cleaner air. But whether congestion charging is the solution looks more doubtful. Motorists suspicion of a "stealth tax", a lack of popular support and unconvincing results in London - the UK champion of charging - have all stalled the cause... but for how long?

Why is society so damn noisy?

When did society become so damnably noisy? It happens all the time, or so it seems. Ridiculously loud car music systems, neighbours with stereos that are so loud that they make floors shudder, furniture tremble and ornaments vibrate off shelves, shops that insist on blaring out loud 'music; outside in the street let alone inside their premises, powerful TVs and radios in houses that seems to be playing 24/7, drivers who have exhausts systems deliberately de-tuned to make their car as noisy and as polluting as possible.

And there are young people who cannot simply walk down the street without listening to distorted and tinny music screeching out of mobile phones.

It seems that for many of our citizens they cannot function or exist without their very existence being confirmed by their ability to make as much noise as they possibly can.

It is reported that some boy racers in the USA have fitted whistles to their exhaust pipes that emit an ear-piercing scream as the car drives along.

If you watch YouTube, you might have noticed the following phenomena: If people record a video in their home and are having to explain something, or you are expected to listen to some ambient sound, the explanation or the ambient sound they want you to listen to are often drowned out by a TV or a stereo system that is droning on in the background.

Why is society society so damned noisy? What can be done to fix this problem?

There are organisations that help combat against noise pollution:
http://www.noiseabatementsociety.com
http://www.nfh.org.uk/resources/Articles/noise/index.php
http://www.soundpollution.org/

Instant Help for Couples Managing Separation During Credit Crunch

With the credit crunch showing no signs of ending, many couples are finding it even harder to deal with their relationship breakdown, with many having to remain living together after a split due to financial reasons. To help couples to manage their separation on a budget, DragonCub publishers have announced the launch of 'Divorce and Separation Today', which is being billed as the solution for a cost effective, DIY divorce.

With the credit crunch showing no signs of ending, many couples are finding it even harder to deal with their relationship breakdown, with many having to remain living together after a split due to financial reasons. To help couples to manage their separation on a budget, DragonCub publishers have announced the launch of 'Divorce and Separation Today', which is being billed as the solution for a cost effective, DIY divorce.

Authored by former solicitor Uli Doheny-Adams, Divorce & Separation Today is a comprehensive guide which covers every aspect that needs to be considered when couples decide to separate or divorce. It details the inner workings of the law first hand, from an experienced practitioner.

By demystifying what happens in they eyes of the law, Doheny-Adams hopes that couples will be able to gain more control over what is happening in their own lives, rather than simply feeling as thought solicitors are making all the decisions.

The practical step-by-step guide draws a distinct line between the divorce and separation process, covering everything from finances to settlements and negotiations as well as a dedicated section how to prepare for attending court.

"Probably the most daunting aspect of a divorce or separation is the court hearings and this has traditionally been something of a closed subject. There is very little advice and guidance out there to help people prepare. Uli's guide is an extremely useful resource for those who decide that sadly, divorce is the only way forward," says a spokesperson for DragonCub.

"The legal process often tends to be more stressful than the actual break up itself and I wanted to write a guide that would make the process easier to understand for people who find themselves in this unfortunate situation," adds Doheny-Adams.

Divorce & Separation Today is available in either hard or soft copy at www.dragoncub.com from £7.95.

UK Economy Bust: Official.

By Charles Davis, Economist.

Preliminary Office for National Statistics data released yesterday confirmed what a variety of other measures and surveys had implied – that the United Kingdom economy fell off a cliff in the final quarter of 2008 and is now officially in recession. Economic output contracted by 1.5 per cent quarter on quarter in the final quarter, following the 0.6 per cent fall in the previous quarter. This was worse than an expected 1.2 per cent decline and output is 1.5 per cent lower year on year. The fall in output was the steepest quarterly fall since 1979 – and significantly larger decline than any quarterly fall seen in the 1990s recession.

Today’s figures are the final nail in the coffin for Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s claim to have ‘ended boom and bust’; the United Kingdom economy is most definitely bust at the moment. It is not just the fact that the UK has officially entered recession that will cause concern; it is the size of the contraction. This supports our view that the economy is set for the steepest contraction in the post war era in 2009, with a fall in the region of three per cent year-on-year.

Looking at the detail, the manufacturing sector has been hit hard as order books dry up – experiencing a massive 4.6 per cent quarter on quarter contraction. Overall, the service sectors shrank by 1.0 per cent. One interesting point is that, once again, the official figures do not seem to be reflecting a significant drop in financial services output. The business services and finance component fell by 0.5 per cent, a shallower decline than the 0.6 per cent contraction in the third quarter. This suggests the final official figure will be even larger – or that we will see further steep contractions in the coming quarters.

Today’s figure will put further downward pressure on sterling and equity markets, as it becomes increasingly clear that the United Kingdom is set for a steep recession. The pound has hit a 23 year low against the dollar this morning. Bank of England interest rates are likely to hit further record lows approaching zero in the next couple of months. With 2009 set to be an exceptionally tough year, rates are likely to remain close to the zero floor right through into 2010. Further to this, policymakers will be looking to increasingly unconventional measures as they hope to avoid lengthy stagnation a la Japan in the 1990s.

Www.cebr.com

£5 Million Fraud Disrupted As 100s Of Identities Stolen

Two men who stole hundreds of identities in attempts to steal £5 million from taxpayers have been jailed today for nearly six years after a 12 month investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

The Two Nigerian nationals, who entered the UK on student visas, were involved in the fraud that was set to rob the nation of millions. They helped to steal the identities of around 900 innocent people, and then went on to falsify tax credit claims. They also used these identities in an attempt to submit false Self Assessment and VAT claims for bogus companies they had registered. They continued their criminal activities by setting up false bank accounts to reclaim Gift Aid - the tax that can be claimed back by charities on donations.

Nick Burriss, Assistant Director of Criminal investigation for HMRC, said: "This was an organised criminal attack against the taxpayer which sought to ruthlessly abuse tax systems designed to protect some of the most vulnerable members of society, as well as hijacking the identities of hundreds of innocent people to allow the crime to be carried out. Our investigations proved they had already stolen £300,000 and were planning to steal a further £5 million.

"We have highly professional and dedicated teams of investigators who identify and tackle fraud wherever it takes place. By working with the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office we bring those responsible before the courts, where they risk losing their liberty and the proceeds of their criminal activity."

At a search of the men's home addresses investigation officers found paperwork and laptop computers which held 900 innocent people's identities, paperwork relating to the fraud including false passports, bank account details and application forms for Tax Credits and VAT registration certificates. The documents were found hidden in every corner of their properties - under mattresses, in the oven and in laundry baskets. The evidence seized showed the fraud had been carried out from 2005 and had netted the gang £340,000 before they were arrested and charged.

The pair opened hundreds of bank accounts both in their own and other people's identities to receive the proceeds of their fraud. They then quickly withdrew the money in cash withdrawals and either spent the money or sent it to Nigeria. Investigations are continuing and further arrests are anticipated.

How To Sell A House In A Market Down Turn

Home Buying & Selling Manual

How to move house successfully in a property market downturn Ian Rock Publication Date: Thursday 26th February 2009.

RRP: £19.99, Hardback, ISBN: 1 84425 535 2

In recent years the property market has changed beyond recognition. The 'credit crunch' has transformed the way houses need to be sold and how purchases are funded. The advent of online estate agents, HIPs and e-conveyancing is beginning to revolutionise the market, and selling privately online is now a serious alternative.

When it comes to buying and selling property, there are many nasty traps that await the unwary. Collapsing chains, abortive fees, gazundering, gazumping and hidden mortgage penalties can prove ruinously expensive and emotionally devastating. On average, people in Britain move house 3.4 times during their lifetime and it's an unfortunate fact that at least one in every three transactions are likely to end in failure.

Although the market in 2009 will be challenging, the good news is that downturns have always presented big opportunities, and there are rich pickings for those who know how to steer a course through the home-buying jungle. The solution for those entering the property market this year is to be super-savvy - armed with the latest professional guidance. Whether you're a first time buyer or have dealt in property for many years, the Haynes Home Buying & Selling Manual will make the complex experience as stress-free as possible, enabling you to take control of each step in the process.

Uniquely, this Haynes manual is divided into separate parts devoted exclusively to buying and selling. Because each step of the process is clearly explained in plain English backed up with hundreds of colour photos, it's easy to check what should be happening at each stage of your sale or purchase. The author discusses what can go wrong and puts forward proven solutions to all common problems.

Professional tips and unbiased advice show how to save money, and obtain the right mortgage when supply is rationed. The mysteries of conveyancing are explained in full, along with advice on how to get the best from estate agents, solicitors, mortgage lenders, surveyors and auctioneers.

Property expert Ian Rock, is an experienced chartered surveyor with over twenty years experience of buying, selling and letting property, he is the author of our Victorian House Manual, 1930s House Manual, Home Extension Manual and Loft Conversion Manual.

TOP 10 New Rules for successfully moving house in 2009

Yes You Can! says chartered surveyor Ian Rock, author of the new Haynes Home Buying & Selling Manual. Conditions may be tough out there, but it's perfectly possible to successfully move house - just as long as you follow the Top 10 rules listed below.

Amidst all the doom and gloom about the new Ice-Age that seems to have engulfed the housing market, you could forgiven for thinking that the only way to move house is if you're unlucky enough to be repossessed by your government-funded mortgage lender. But it's not all bad news. The fact is, a whopping 900,000 housing transactions took place last year. That may be a sizeable drop from the 1.6 million deals done in the boom year of 2007, but it shows there are still an awful lot of buyers and sellers out there.

What has changed - post credit crunch - is the way properties now need to be sold, and purchases funded. No longer can sellers simply cross their fingers and hope that their estate agent or solicitor will magically steer the whole process to a successful conclusion. However, the home buying system itself is still one of the most inefficient and complex in the world. So in a slow market success will very much depend on applying the following rules.

New rules for the 2009 housing market

1/ Take control
It's now essential to manage each stage of your sale and your purchase, just as you would a building project. Being in charge of events and knowing what is supposed to be happening at each stage in the process can prevent the kind of simple errors that so often cause deals to collapse.

2/ Take advice
In recent years the property market has changed beyond recognition with the advent of HIPs, EPCs, Internet listings, online estate agents, e-conveyancing and far stricter mortgage lending criteria. Although there's plenty of guidance and advice available, the snag is, it comes mostly from people who are intent on lining their own pockets. The new Haynes Home Buying & Selling Manual, on the other hand, covers the whole process in detail, from the first twinkle in the eye of prospective home buyers right through to moving day. This is the only book that's divided into separate parts devoted exclusively to buying and to selling, explaining every step in detail.

3/ One step at a time
Traditionally, most people combine their sale and purchase co-ordinating both transactions simultaneously. But in today's more challenging market conditions, it pays to take it one step at a time. Start by focusing exclusively on your sale. This is likely to mean the added inconvenience of moving 'into rented' (or sleeping on your parents' or best buddy's couch) for a while before getting round to buying, but there are many advantages. First, if the worst comes to the worst and your sale falls through, you won't be left broken hearted nursing the loss of your new dream home. Second, buyers will be keener because you'll be able to fit in with their preferred moving date, since you won't be part of a chain.

And when the time comes to buying your next home, you'll be in an extremely strong chain-free position, well placed to negotiate an amazing bargain. But the icing on the cake is that if property prices fall further whilst you're camping out between homes, it should reimburse the cost of a prolonged stay at the Ritz.

4/ The hard sell
In recent years we've got used to properties 'selling themselves' in buoyant markets, and arguably this has made us a tad lazy. Today with fewer buyers out there, you need to work harder to tie up a deal. This means paying special attention to pricing, and taking extra trouble with presentation. There are a number of cunning tricks you can employ that add value to your property and present it in the best light - without spending a fortune. It also means knowing how best to conduct viewings and how to spot 'buying signals'. But whether you're buying or selling, the use of negotiating skills can help secure the best deal, saving you thousands of pounds.

5/ Sell privately and save money
The internet has made it much easier to sell via private seller websites, saving shed-loads of cash that would otherwise disappear in agents' commission. Despite this, traditional estate agents still have a firm stranglehold on the mainstream market. So why not get the best of both worlds by picking a good local agent to market your property and simultaneously having a bash at selling privately - in most cases it's perfectly legitimate to do both. But be sure to first take advice in order to to avoid potential traps, such as having to pay double fees.

If you need a swift transaction, it might be worth considering buying or selling at auction or by tender.

6/ Get HIP
From April 2009 the rules on HIPs change, so you can't put your property on the market until your HIP has been produced (i.e. you need to do more than just order it).

7/ Pick the right mortgage
One of the most common reasons that purchases collapse is because buyers belatedly discover there are problems obtaining funding. To prevent such disasters, it helps to understand the way credit scoring and credit reference systems work, and to know what to do should trouble strike. With mortgages now effectively rationed, it's essential to know how to obtain the best mortgage deal. A good 'whole of market' independent mortgage broker should be able to help. First time buyers and 'key workers' may be able to get extra help in the form of co-buying, shared ownership, and grants.

8/ Pick the best team
It's essential to appoint the right professional advisers, especially your solicitor / conveyancer. But picking a good estate agent, mortgage broker and surveyor can mean the difference between success and failure. As always, the cheapest deals are rarely the best.

9/ Understand the legal process
The progress of a sale or purchase is measured by the stage it has reached in the conveyancing process. But should you dare to enquire about the state of play, solicitors' replies can sometimes be couched in arcane legal terms such as 'we are still pursuing enquiries on title, conducting searches and obtaining office copy entries'. What you really want to hear is that you've safely reached exchange of contracts as swiftly as possible after the property has gone under offer. But this can often take a couple of months or more, during which time the other side are perfectly free to back out for any reason. Delays are often greater with flats and 'unregistered' properties. But being aware of what your conveyancer is up to can help speed up the process.

10/ Get wise to potential risks
By knowing exactly what should be happening at each stage, you'll have a far better chance of spotting the warning signs before any serious problems can arise. There's a lot you can do to prevent common horrors such as 'gazundering', 'down-valuations' and collapsing chains from sinking your sale or torpedoing your purchase.

The Haynes HOME BUYING & SELLING MANUAL by Ian Alistair Rock covers all aspects of the Homebuying in England, Wales, NI & Scotland.
The book's website is www.Home-Moving.co.uk

Published by Haynes, RRP: £19.99, Hardback, ISBN 1 84425 535 2 Available from all good bookshops or direct from Haynes at www.haynes.co.uk

Beat the economic gloom with Madbid!

The deepening recession is forcing cost-conscious Britons to trawl the internet for bizarre ways to get a bargain buy.

With regular members competing to buy anything from a luxury pamper day to a Dyson vacuum cleaner, penny auction sites are the latest hotspot for bargains.

The UK’s first and leading online penny auction www.MadBid.com recently sold a brand new Mini One car for £155 - one hundredth of its real forecourt value.

Now, Madbid is going one step further and giving Britons the chance to win £5,000 towards their rent or mortgage for just a few pennies.

The auction, which starts Monday 26th January at 2pm, is expected to attract thousands of Brits desperate for a chance to stay in pocket during the recession.

Property prices have fallen by around 15 per cent in the last year, according to industry figures. Tailored Home asks whether buyers should still nerv

(PLEASE NOTE: This editorial was supplied by Tailored Home and is published by That's News as a matter of interest for our readers.)

AS HOMES become more affordable and banks start to lend, deciding whether to buy is the next step towards taking the plunge in 2009.

The property market currently features a small, cross section of the millions of homes that appear to have fallen hugely in value. But what’s the reality?

According to Government figures, the average UK house price in November, 2008, was £199,732, after falling from £208,892 in the previous quarter.

In November 2007, the figure stood at £218,865 - 8.6 per cent higher. (Five years ago, in November 2003, the average house price was way down at £159,480.)

Regional variances

While current, national statistics tell us something about the general market, they reveal less about the regional variances and, more importantly, the historic context of the current market.
England ranked highest on the homes value list in November 2008 with the average house costing £206,161(£226,544 in November 2007).

Northern Ireland ranked at number two with the average price at £191,401(£225,863 in November 2007), while Scotland properties were selling for £156,770 in November 2008 (£165,019 in November 2007).

Wales topped the lost of affordability in November with an average house price of £150,123, (£168,383 in November 2007).

National markets

The decline in value of the four national markets shows English and Welsh properties falling by 8.7 per cent and 10.1 per cent respectively, according to the same Government figures, published by the Department of Communities and Local Government. Scottish homes fell by much smaller proportion at 3.9 per cent, while in Northern Ireland the reduction appeared to be a near landslide with a 16.2 per cent reduction values.

The banking sector disagreed to some extent with the Communities and Local Government statistics.

Nationwide puts the average house in Wales at £136,174, the average house price in Scotland at £138,941 and the average house price in Northern Ireland at £147,833.

What is not challenged is the relative affordability of buying into Wales rather than England.
A study of the Government’s own figures reveals further local variances.

Cheapest in England

For instance, according to the Communities and Local Government statistics the North East was the cheapest place in England to buy. The average house price dropped from £142,443 in August 2008, to £138,378 in November 2008, although five years ago, in November 2003, prices were even more attractive at £101,493.

The North West of England at £150,008 in November 2008 is the next cheapest, while homes Yorkshire and Humberside, are only valued a little higher at £150,567.

London of course remains the most expensive UK location into which to buy, with average prices at £314,045 in November 2008. A year ago they were £337,632.

Although more than £20,000 may seem a significant drop over 12 months, London experienced the lowest fall in house prices in England between November 2007 and November 2008, with a reduction of just 7.0 per cent.

What does it all mean? Well consider the reality of these long term Government figures.
UK house prices ten years ago were more than 100 per cent lower than they are today. The average home sold for £81,774 in 1998. Ten years earlier in 1988 it was very nearly 100 per cent lower again, at £49,355. And between 1978 and 1988 they rose more than 200 per cent from £15,594. In 1969 prices were at £4,344 and in 1958 – fifty years ago – houses went for a modest £2,390.

Cause for concern?

Is a 10-15 per cent price drop in 12 months really cause for such concern when butted up against gains over the last half a century? You decide.

For 2009, the value is understanding and researching whether you are buying into a local market that is still falling, steady in the long term or has potential to rise very soon is the key.
Location, location, location has been the rule since before cave dwellers set up home alongside fresh water and shelter.

But if you’re tempted to start studying the market, cast your eyes further than the borders of the parish boundary.

Find a home to fall in love with, consider whether you can take advantage of some good local scenery and then sit tight for a decade or two.

Search for Affordable Homes available at http://www.tailoredhome.co.uk/UKPropertyListings/AffordableH...

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What is Tailored Home? - www.tailoredhome.co.uk

Tailored Home Are UK & Overseas Property Finder For Best Selection Of Overseas Property, New Homes In UK, Listings Of UK New Home Developers and UK Property, Emigration Overseas, Relocation Services & More.

Shared Ownership, Affordable Homes, UK New Homes and Developers, First Time Buyers Relocation, Emigratio,n Investment, Overseas Property, Downsizing and Equity release

Type in UK or Overseas Property in any search engine and you will be presented with thousands of websites, some good some bad. However, most will supply you with a list of properties and after that you're on your own. We are different. We remember that you, the customer come first. The team behind Tailored Home have several years in experience in UK and Overseas property and have excellent relationships with housebuilders and estate agents worldwide.

The concept is simply this - either call us on ++ 44 (0) 845 838 7143 or email info@tailoredhome.co.uk let us know where in the world you want to buy, what your budget is, if you have a preference for brand new or resale property, if you require legal, mortgage, foreign currency, insurance and tax advice (we use a panel of independent financial advisors). And that's it. We will take your brief and source the property to your requirements. But that's not all - we will be with you every step of the way. We act as your intermediary between the developer or agent to make the purchasing process as smooth as possible.

And best of all - our service is 100% free of charge. Tailored Home is a completely private and independently owned company, so you can rest assured that the advice we provide is wholly impartial. Contact us now ++ 44 (0) 845 838 7143 or info@tailoredhome.co.uk

Unveiled: Metrosexual Britain

Celebrities such as David Beckham, Christiano Ronaldo and Brad Pitt are helping to make the nation more metrosexual as British men splash the cash on accessories to try and keep up with their idols.

This is according to a report from home insurance company MORE TH>N which reveals that the age of the manbag has well and truly arrived in the UK. In fact, 18.4 million (eight in ten) adult males now admit to sporting one, with manbags fast becoming as ubiquitous as the female handbag.

The report also gives a surprising insight into the contents of an average manbag. As well as the obligatory wallet, mobile phone and MP3 player, one in five (4.5 million) British males admit to carrying grooming products such as moisturiser, hair wax or even so-called ‘guy-liner’ showing Brits aren’t ashamed of following Liam Gallagher’s lead and pampering themselves.

The findings also show how the UK’s increased metrosexuality isn’t just a London-based phenomenon – Liverpool, Leicester and Norwich are the UK’s manbag hotspots. Surprisingly, despite their rugged image, Scots from Edinburgh are the most likely to carry grooming products with them.

To reflect their growing self-confidence, metrosexual British males are investing in ever more stylish manbags. Gone are the days of the battered sports bag, today’s Brits are now more likely to make a fashion statement with their satchel – the average male will spend £92.00 on a designer bag with men in Brighton spending the most - £138.79. The average bloke carries, including bag and contents, £652.43 around with them at all times.

The report also reveals that fashion-conscious Brits need to be increasingly on their guard when out and about, as higher bag values (amongst both men and women) are proving an increasingly tempting target for thieves. One in ten Brits say they’ve suffered a bag theft, with the UK carrying a total of £25.2 billion in belongings around with them (in handbags and manbags) on a daily basis1. Worryingly, four in five of us (77%) report we aren’t adequately insured on leaving the house.

Pete Markey from MORE TH>N says: “It’s clear that so-called metrosexuality is no longer just a London trend, and is now a truly nation-wide phenomenon. Male celebrities have increasingly been photographed carrying manbags, reducing the stigma for the rest of us. But we can’t afford to be complacent against the threat of bag snatchers, as this research proves we’ve got a lot to lose.

“British men around the country are starting to take their appearance and accessories as seriously as their female counterparts do. We could be entering the age of Barry, rather than Carrie, Bradshaw!”

The research was conducted as part of the development of MORE TH>N’s enhanced contents insurance offering. In a response to customer’s need for better cover when away from the home, MORE TH>N’s new Contents Outside the Home option covers up to £75,000 of belongings, (including handbags and manbags) when out and about.

For more information or a quote, call 0800 107 1905 or visit www.morethan.com

Match.com Ramps Up Campaign To Boost UK Dominance In 2009

Match.com, the UK's biggest online dating site*, is set to launch a multimillion pound nationwide advertising push to ring in the New Year. The campaign follows hot on the heels of a successful 2008 in which match.com achieved a brand awareness double that of its nearest competitor**.

In 2008 match.com focused on tempting people to try online dating and making it the new natural way to find a partner. For 2009, match.com is focused on further extending its leadership role in the UK through brand differentiation using ROI focused marketing initiatives and an ongoing commitment to product innovation to give members the best possible chance to find love.

The new campaign sees the return of Cupid and Fate in a new role as advocates for the match.com brand. The creative features the lazy, comedic duo realising for the very first time that match.com is doing their jobs too well. The hopelessness of both characters simply amplifies match.com's strengths and benefits such as; the original Six Month Love Guarantee, the brand new personality test and that there are more single people looking for love on match.com than anywhere else.

The campaign urges singles not to wait for Cupid and Fate and visit match.com instead with half the creative dedicated to promoting match.com's brand new personality test. Formulated by world renowned anthropologist Dr Helen Fisher the 'match insights' test is designed to help members find real love by understanding their personality type.

Jason Stockwood, International MD at match.com commented, "We believe that love is too important to be taken seriously which is why all our campaigns have a sense of humour. The new campaign is entertaining and motivating, urging people not to wait for Cupid and Fate in their quest for love and visit match.com instead. There are now hundreds of thousands of match success stories and we're looking forward to increasing that number in 2009 by providing the best possible experience and making match.com the brand of choice for online dating."

The new 'Don't Wait For Cupid and Fate' adverts consist of a series of 30" and 10" spots which will run across ITV, C4, C5 and satellite channels in heavy weight bursts across the year. The campaign has been developed by match.com's long-standing creative agency hanft raboy and partners (HRP), with media buying handled by Initiative. The key demographic for the adverts is 25-34 year old women.

Once again up-and-coming actors Glenn Hirst and Spencer Jones play Cupid and Fate respectively and the campaign was directed by Nick Jones, from Another Film Company, known for his work with top comedians Simon Pegg, Mitchell & Webb and the 118 118 commercial campaigns with Emma Johnston as producer.

November saw the launch of match insights, match.com's brand new personality test. Designed by Dr Helen Fisher the test brings science to the art of single dating to the site for the very first time and it has been completed by over 60,000 people already. To follow will be a premium service for subscribers, 'daily insights' which delivers the very best matches each day based on their personality type.

LAUNCH! Shipbuilding through the ages’ opens onboard HMS Belfast

- Two year family-oriented exhibition reveals Britain’s shipbuilding heritage
- Interactive displays, film footage and computer generated exhibits
- Exhibition in association with HISTORY™

HMS Belfast, the last remaining European big-gun warship is staging an exciting new interactive exhibition charting the history of shipbuilding in the UK. ‘LAUNCH! Shipbuilding through the ages’ opens on 29 January and runs for two years.

For 50 years, between 1870 and 1920, Britain’s ship building industry was the largest in the world – with a workforce of hundreds of thousands producing up to eighty per cent of the world’s ships at the industry’s peak following the First World War.

HMS Belfast’s family-oriented exhibition will bring to life the science, engineering and social history of the shipbuilding industry in Great Britain using hands-on and computerised interactive displays and engaging film footage. Visitors can see how the art of shipbuilding has evolved, from the wooden vessels built during the 17th century, to the iron ships of the 19th century, through to today’s hi-tech ships.

Through interactive displays, they can relive the sights and sounds of the very shipyard where HMS Belfast was built. They can chart the rapid growth of naval technology through the industrial revolution and find out what role shipping still plays in our global economy, transporting 95% of our food and consumer goods.

The highlights of the exhibition include an interactive computer game supplied by the History Channel. This lets visitors build their own warship, complete with guns and crew, and then launch it at sea. They will also get the chance to lift and move genuine pneumatic tools and machinery used to make the wartime ships that helped bring victory to the Allies. Another highlight is a fully functional drag test tank, generously supported by Shell, allowing visitors to evaluate the hydrodynamic capabilities of different hull forms.

In addition, there is an evocative display focusing on the social impact of increased ship building production during the Second World War and in particular, the central role that women played during this period.

Brad King, Director of HMS Belfast, said: “Britain’s heritage as a nation of shipbuilders shaped our recent history as a leading Global power. We hope to educate and inspire visitors from all around the world with a reminder of its proud shipbuilding past and Britain’s maritime industry, still vital today.”

The exhibition is being run in association with sponsor The History Channel. Other sponsors include Shell and The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.

HMS Belfast is one of the world’s most famous ships. With a crew of almost a thousand, she served in World War II and Korea during her 32 year career at sea and is the first ship to be preserved for the nation since the days of Nelson’s Victory.

Moored on the Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge, HMS Belfast is a unique historical attraction which provides visitors with special access to the 613ft ship’s nine decks.

Address:
HMS Belfast is moored on the Thames between London Bridge and Tooley Street

Nearest Tube:
London Bridge or Tower Hill

Opening Times:
1st March – 31st October: 10.00am - 6.00pm – last admission 5.15pm
1st November – 28th February: 10.00am – 5.00pm (last admission 4.15pm

Admission prices:
Children (under 16) free – must be accompanied by an adult
Adult £10.30
Discounted rates available for senior citizens, concessions, students, groups, carers.

FACT FILE

HMS Belfast is a cruiser, the last remaining big-gun armoured warship from the Second World War left in Europe. She was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, and was launched on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March 1938.

On 21 November 1939, whilst leaving the Firth of Forth, HMS Belfast was severely damaged by a German magnetic mine. Although casualties were mercifully light, the ship's back was broken and the damage was so severe that it was almost three years before she was fit for action again.

She rejoined the Home Fleet in November 1942, as part of the Tenth Cruiser Squadron, providing cover for the Arctic convoys transporting supplies to the Soviet Union. On Boxing Day, 1943, she played a leading part in the destruction of the German battle cruiser Scharnhorst at the Battle of North Cape.

In June 1944 HMS Belfast took part in the D-Day landings as the flagship of Bombardment Force ‘E’ of the Eastern Naval Task Force, providing gunfire support to troops landing on Gold and Juno beaches. After the war, she supported United Nations forces in Korea and remained in service with the Royal Navy until 1965, after which she became a Harbour Accommodation Ship.

In May 1971, after 32 years service, HMS Belfast was 'Reduced to Disposal', in preparation for her sale and destruction by the ship's breakers. With the encouragement of the Imperial War Museum, an independent trust was formed, led by one of HMS Belfast's former captains, Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles. The trust succeeded in bringing her to London where she opened to visitors on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971. HMS Belfast has been part of the Imperial War Museum since 1978 and is the first ship to be preserved for the nation since Nelson's Victory.

About HISTORY™
www.history.co.uk

The History Channel is a joint venture between BSkyB and A&E Television Networks. It is broadcast on both Sky and cable services and is available to over 9m homes in the UK and Ireland.

Shell
www.shell.co.uk

“Shell is delighted to sponsor the exhibition as part of our commitment to supporting education in science, technology and engineering in the UK. We believe these will play an important role in the UK’s ability to meet many of the pressing challenges facing society."

Monitor your online activity before your partner does

Over 70% of Brionts admit to checking their partners online activity at least once a month, looking for inappropriate pictures or adult websites they have joined and so it has now become crucial for people to monitor their own online activity; checking what their partner has access to and preventing a letter from their divorce lawyer.

January is commonly known as the month with the highest divorce rate in the UK; perhaps the stress of Christmas was too much or it’s simply a case of ‘New Year New You’.

Whatever the reason for the increase in divorce rates every January, this month has also seen a huge increase in the amount of people searching for their partner online; looking for pictures of them, searching for new friend updates on social networking sites and making sure they really were where they said they were last night.

A study, commissioned by www.yasni.co.uk, the world’s biggest online people search engine, found that the internet has led to 54% of people being even more suspicious of their partners and what seemed like an innocent conversation and photograph with an old friend in a nightclub, gets tagged on Facebook and leads to a huge lovers tiff.

The study found that the North West is the least trusting region, with 64% of people checking up on their partners’ online activity at least once a month.

Regional results to show percentage of people who keep track of their partner’s online activity at least once a month;

1) North West – 64%
2) Scotland – 56%
3) West Midlands – 51%
4) South West – 42%
5) North East – 33%

The reason for searching for a partner’s online activity revealed the most shocking results; 48% of Brits claim they trust their partner but 21% of which admit to being nosey and therefore would check their partner’s online activity anyway.

19% of Britons admit their intrusive behaviour is through jealousy. 17% claim they know their partner is up to no good and almost 1 in 10 Brits actually want to find evidence their partner has been playing away so they can boot them out! The remaining Britons claim their online search is simply through curiosity.

In addition, 68% of Britons admit they would check their partner’s private emails if they knew the password; 26% of which don’t trust their partner and 42% are just nosey.

Steffen Ruehl, CEO and Co-founder of yasni said: “With such a huge percentage of people checking up on their partner’s online activity, yasni really is a great place for people to monitor their own online reputation. People are able to search for their own name and find out what their suspicious partner will have access to online.

“There really is nowhere to hide on the web anymore; especially now that people are so active online, with social networking sites and forums. People can post pictures or inappropriate comments that, when taken out of context, can lead to serious problems at home.”

Save nearly £1,000 on your shopping bill by shopping online!

A Liverpool-based business has developed a website which allows users to save huge amounts of money by shopping online at no cost to the user whatsoever. In fact Click Cash Back research suggests the average UK household could save £930.27 a year.

Click Cash Back lists over 1000 different web sites offering products such as holidays, mobile phones and electrical items with huge savings available on financial products such as car insurance, home insurance and credit cards. Users can sign up for free and then make a purchase, the site receives a commission and then passes that commission back to the user.

Click Cash Back have calculated that the average UK household could save £930.27 a year by using the site to do their normal shopping and taking advantage of sign up offers, that’s 8% cash back in total based on the average amount spent. The average family spends £212.20 a week on goods and services which they could earn cash back for by shopping online, this includes everything from groceries, clothing, insurance, entertainment products and holidays.

Families could save the following amounts per year based on the average family spend and the best offers available on the website. This simply means doing your usual shopping through the site and taking advantage of one off payments for signing up for products and services.

Click Cash Back Director Ian Leadbetter said: “We are delighted to be able to offer huge savings to every family in the UK.”

Surrey Fire & Rescue mobilises with national property ID database

Surrey Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) has introduced a new state of the art command and control system for mobilising its crews and appliances, using the NLPG (National Land and Property Gazetteer) as the primary source of property and building information. Installed during December 2008, the system ensures the despatch of the nearest, quickest and most appropriate vehicle. It is expected to dramatically speed up response times, potentially saving lives and ensuring the safety of its personnel.

The NLPG is run on behalf of local government by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) with Intelligent Addressing (IA) as the national custodian.

The software, designed specifically for the mobilisation task, includes a ‘live map’ interface, enabling command and control centre staff to see vehicle locations in real time. Once an incident has been reported, the system automatically chooses the nearest, best-equipped and appropriate appliance based on the fire type. A fire in a fourth floor flat for example will require an appliance with a ladder of appropriate height. The system also calculates the best routes based upon fire appliance travel time ensuring the correct vehicle is mobilised.

SFRS has been working with their local authorities, the police and the NHS for over two years to build on the excellence of the NLPG and further improve the quality of the data needed to support the system. It has also migrated all of its ‘risk intelligence’ relating to 50,000 properties to the NLPG, with which the command and control system is now fully interfaced. Unlike any other source of information, the NLPG supplies accurate sub-postcode location and risk information for properties and buildings, many of which have no postal address. By allying risk intelligence with dynamic location, the appropriate crews and appliances get routed to incidents more quickly and with greater accuracy. What‘s more, fire crews are better prepared as all the risk data will have been sent direct to the appliance’s cab mounted data terminal well before arrival at the incident.

SFRS are also building a web portal to post change and update information gleaned from operations as it becomes available. Local authority gazetteer custodians will then access the portal in order to update, validate and improve the NLPG. The whole data migration plus the workflows for the vital update process has been achieved in close consultation with Intelligent Addressing, the NLPG custodian.

This project is in preparation for the switchover to a nationally linked network of nine Regional Control Centres (RCCs) across England by 2012 known as the FiReControl project. This will provide the fire and rescue service with the resources and specialist equipment it needs to meet the challenges of today's world such as industrial accidents, terrorist threats and weather related incidents. FiReControl’s central command and control system will also use the NLPG as its primary source of property and building information.

FSA chairman sets out agenda for reforming financial regulation

Lord Turner, chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), today addressed the root causes of the current global financial crisis and set out the implications for regulation and the future shape of the financial system in a lecture in the City.

Lord Turner also outlined the issues that he would deal with in his review of the regulation and supervision of the banking system, to be published in March.

In The Economist’s inaugural City Lecture, Lord Turner said he believed the “originate and distribute” model of financing lending had a role to play in the future, but needed to be reformed, with less complexity and opacity. He added that over the last decade the scale of proprietary trading had created risks, and that financial innovation had in many cases delivered minimal economic value and had increased the dangers of financial instability.

Lord Turner also outlined three key long-term regulatory initiatives to reduce the probability and severity of future financial crises:

New approaches to capital adequacy, entailing more capital held against risky trading strategies and counter-cyclical capital requirements to build up adequate buffers during good economic times, which can be drawn on in bad;

· A new liquidity regime focused not just on individual firms’ liquidity but also on market-wide risk; and

· Ensuring that financial activity is regulated according to its economic substance, not its legal form.

Lord Turner said that these themes would be outlined more fully in the Turner Report which will set out the changes the FSA has already made, those where there are proposals in principle but need consultation, and those where the regulator has defined objectives but needs to play a role in achieving international agreement.

Winning the battle for the household budget

By Paul Hinds, Head of Commercial Development, Beyond Analysis

The challenge in 2009 will be to ensure that the brands, products and promotions offered to customers are aligned with the key drivers that will win the battle for the household budget.

The prophets of economic doom are preaching to us daily on the hardships to be faced over the next 18 months, failing financial institutions have been followed into the corporate afterlife by high street retailers and the consumer looks on aghast with an ever tightening grip on the purse strings.

Sensationalist? Certainly, the introduction of a bestselling airport read (I wish!). However, it is the commercial scenario we are all facing today and for a substantial amount of tomorrows.

Whilst it is tempting to blame THE MAN for financial incompetency or THE MEDIA for creating a self fulfilling prophecy, the reality is that all members of the FMCG industry are facing a battle to keep their products in the shopping basket of the consumer. Whilst we all acknowledge the need for business to employ stringent budget management, a certain irony exists that consumers are doing exactly the same thing. So what should you do?

Market share equals survival

One approach is to minimize marketing expenditure, reduce production, lay off personnel and hope to ride out the storm. However, for every organisation that adopts this strategy, their will be 2 or 3 competitors who will see this as an opportunity to gain market share and decide to invest in proactive marketing promotions.
Protecting market share and wrestling it from competitors needs to be the focus this year. Consumers may downtrade from premium brands but if market share can be retained in the overall brand portfolio for the short to mid term, the margin reduction can be offset against the future economic upturn - which will come.

Promotion, promotion, promotion

The temptation is to rely on mass promotional activity to stimulate sales and guard market share but this comes with an obvious financial cost, in addition to a longer term behavioural cost. Consumers have come to expect promotional offers and in some categories, such as ice cream, it is the norm rather than the exception with 80%+ of sales gained whilst on promotion.

A danger exists that mass promotion will permanently train the consumer to purchase only when goods are on offer and buy in bulk. Sales promotion and offers need to be utilized with a specific target group in mind and above all else they need to be measurable. A robust control group is an absolute must and activity needs to be understood in the wider context of total marketing and promotional spend across all channels. Overall category performance also needs to be considered if activity is to be evaluated accurately so that success can be built upon and failure not repeated.

Innovating with promotions and the brand mix is another option that can be exploited much more. Take a stroll through the aisles of your local supermarket today and the most common promotion you will see will be the good old BOGOF. Unfortunately this type of promotion is the very one that actually postpones the consumer need to buy the product again. Again, a real danger exists that consumer looks for the promotion only, with the brand becoming irrelevant.

Where possible you should explore discounts for complimentary products purchased in unison within your portfolio and use coupons that stimulate the next purchase. It is worth also considering non competitive brands outside of category where a significant overlap in the customer base exists.

It’s not all about the price tag

It is worth undertaking a review of the brand portfolio and matching it to grocery budget drivers - reactivate trusted brands, consider hibernating premium brands and launch new brands with clear economic positioning.

We also must not forget to think beyond price -in an ultra competitive market the winners will be decided by not those who just understand who are most influenced by price, but by what else drives consumer decision making.

Drivers such as quality, environment, health and convenience can, for some consumers, outweigh price considerations. If your customers are bulk buying on promotions, why not offer your products in larger volumes and profit from economies of scale from reduced packaging? Maybe convenience and the perception of value for money is the key, not the promotion.

How do you make the right decisions for your customers and products?

It is easy to state that you need to leverage data and actionable insights to make informed decisions but how do actually make this happen?

Organisations capture varying types of information and are offered additional commercial sources of customer data. Linking these up and determining what is nice to have vs. essential will provide the foundation to using customer information to answer the difficult questions. This can be achieved by addressing a number of fundamental issues:

Understand the data asset: What data do I already capture across the organization; e.g. Stock supply, website, promotions and market research? What data do I purchase and is it actually utilized? Where is it & how can an integrated view be achieved? How can I collect new data that will help the business?

Agree the requirements of insight: What are the essential insights required to make business decisions? Does the data asset provide an accurate view of our customers? What different types of customer do we have, how does their value differ, how do they feel about my brands and products? What drives their decision making?

Rapid evaluation of ROI: Is the performance of marketing, sales and promotions understood in totality? Are KPI’s reported across the business in an easily digestible manner? Which campaigns are most successful, how do I track the long term impact of a promotion?

Integrate insight within the business strategy: Who owns customer insight within the organization? What level of insight is required by each department, brand team and the board? Who co-ordinates this? What customer KPI’s exist?

What should I do next?

If you can answer all the questions above then you are ahead of the curve and in a great position to gain market share by exploiting your knowledge of customer drivers. The reality is probably that you have answered some of these questions in the past or addressed one or two of these areas in totality.

Although it will require time and effort in the short term it is really worth running through this process now to gain a competitive edge in your sector for 2009. Those organisations that take positive steps now will be the trailblazers of the economic resurgence of tomorrow.

(EDITOR: Blame the media for reporting on events? Shooting the messenger, perhaps?)

Obama parties held in firms and offices UK-wide, today

As Obama prepares to be sworn in to office as President of the United States at 5pm GMT today, offices across the UK are holding Inauguration Parties. Research of nearly 900* office workers across the UK has shown that 71% of people will be watching the build up and inauguration either via the Internet or TV, staying late at their place of work.

Offices across the UK are getting ready to watch Barack Obama’s inauguration as President of the United States, with just fewer than three-quarters of office workers staying late to watch the event via their computer or a communal office TV, with the oath itself taking place at 5pm GMT.

The research was conducted today by online takeaway site www.Just-Eat.co.uk as a result of sales orders being higher than targeted, with thousands of takeaway meals being delivered to offices to watch the event with.

Pizza is the meal of choice for most takeaway lovers, with over 60% of online orders being for the shareable option.

41% of office workers claim that they will watch the historic oath on their office computer, whilst 35% say that they will watch it with their colleagues, the reason Just-Eat believe that takeaway orders have been so high today.

David Buttress, CEO of Just-Eat.co.uk said: “The national interest in the inauguration of Barack Obama has sparked a huge rise in takeaway orders today, prompting us to research our customers’ intentions, which led us to learn of these ‘office parties’, with workers staying late at work to watch the oath take place at 5pm.

“Inauguration Parties are the perfect way for UK office workers in particular to come together and witness the historic oath that will officially begin the term of the new Leader of the Free World. Sharing food has always been a way to bring people together, and this event will be no different.”

www.Just-Eat.co.uk is the UK branch of the highly successful European model, which provides an average of more than 30,000 meals for customers in any given 24 hours. Just-Eat have a strategic partnership with Coca Cola.

The service supplies customers with a large directory of varied restaurants and eateries in their area, which when selected provide the user with a full, up-to-date menu including prices. The site also gives the customer an estimated delivery time, as well as beverage options.

Art Republic

artrepublic has launched it’s most inspiring campaign to date entitled ‘Art of Hope’. The initiative was set up to enable budding artists to depict their own vision of hope for 2009 by creating an original, symbolic piece of work. On Tuesday 20th January 2009, history will be made as the USA elects its first black President. During the election campaign, one of the most prolific graffiti artists from the US, Shepard Fairey (also know as Obey), was inspired by its message of change. Subsequently, the Obey image of Obama became iconic to the presidential campaign. The artist subsequently designed the Obama “Yes We Did” T-Shirt.

The winning artist will have the opportunity to have their work displayed in the artrepublic gallery alongside prints by Banksy, Peter Blake and Obey, they may also find their piece released as a limited edition.

Andrew Milledge, Marketing Director of artrepublic, the art lover’s online print & poster gallery, comments: “{{This is a fantastic opportunity for an aspiring or established artist to express themselves, with the winner to eventually expose their work to the world}}”. We want to see raw, honest artwork depicting an attitude or viewpoint regarding the hope of change. We are all hoping for a positive New Year and this competition will bring people together with some fascinating images”.

Email your image of what hope you feel 2009 will bring to artwork@artrepublic.com. But you will need to be quick. Entries for The Art of Hope Campaign close on 31st January 2009. The winner will be announced at the end of February and given the opportunity to exhibit their print in either our Brighton or London gallery and worldwide online.
Full details of the Art of Hope campaign are available at www.artrepublic.com.
ENDS

Winners announced in Toyota-sponsored competition

A simple but effective vertical storage system to keep bikes out of reach of thieves and a keyboard display that makes life easier for two-fingered typists have been named winners of a design competition on the theme of Intelligent Urban Living, hosted by the Royal College of Art and sponsored by Toyota.

The contest generated inspiration that gave a new twist to some familiar household objects and produced some radical innovations to make modern life easier and more environmentally responsible.

The new Toyota iQ, which addresses many of the challenges of modern city living with its compact dimensions and ultra-efficient performance, provided the springboard for RCA students and alumni to come up with new but eminently practical ideas for a great range of everyday items.

Three designs from each category – Living Room, Bedroom, Kitchen and Garage were – shortlisted and presented to a distinguished judging panel that included Lance Scott, creator of the original iQ concept, from Toyota’s European design centre ED2; designers Ron Arad and Sebastien Bergne; Design Week editor Linda Relph Knight; and representatives from Toyota GB Plc, the RCA and marketing agency Brandwidth.

Dominic Hargreaves’s secure storage system Out of Reach, out of harm was born out of his frustration at having three of his own bikes stolen. The rack and hoist arrangement can be installed on external or internal garage walls at home, at places of work or on public buildings. Extra security is provided by a smart cards system for locking and unlocking.

Dominic shared the top prize with Yusuf Muhammad, whose Yu Type is a compact computer peripheral that sits on the keyboard in the user’s eyeline, displaying words as they are typed. Designed to improve speed and accuracy, it avoids the need for less accomplished typists to keep switching their focus from keyboard to monitor.

Other concepts that made it to the final included: Twist + Cap (DaeKyung Ahn, Gianpaolo Fusari and Nicholas Reddall), a lemon squeezer with a soft silicon cap that can be rolled over the fruit to keep it fresh once the required amount of juice has been extracted, eliminating waste; Quicksnap (Graeme Davies), a quick-release, hygienic ice cube tray that avoids the problem of cubes flying out when the tray is twisted; Pack Lamp (Jonas Trampedach and Romain Jeantet), an environmentally friendly concept in which the lamp is formed from its own polystyrene packaging; and My iQ Cinema (Augustin Barbot), a 360-degree screen and four video projectors with wifi connection to provide a surround cinema experience as you sit in your car, parked in your garage.

Speaking at the awards presentation at the RCA in Kensington on 15 January, Lance Scott said: “For me the RCA is the place to come for cutting edge design. The judges felt there were two projects we wanted to reward with the top prize, they were innovative, original ideas which hopefully we’ll see in the shops in the future.”

FSA bans and fines broker £101,106 for mortgage fraud – also bans second broker

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has banned a mortgage broker and fined him £101,106 for submitting false mortgage applications.

Richard Kennedy was an FSA approved person and a director of Dynamic Mortgage Brokers of East London. The six figure fine, made up of £100,000 financial penalty and giving up £1,106 illicit profit made on false applications, is aimed at deterring approved persons from becoming involved in mortgage fraud.

In a separate case the FSA has also banned North London broker Moses Luzinda trading as Remos and Co for submitting false mortgage applications.

FSA director of enforcement Margaret Cole said:

"The actions of Mr Kennedy and Mr Luzinda were serious and blatant and posed an immediate risk to lenders. As part of our crackdown on mortgage fraud we have banned a number of mortgage brokers and others in the last year and we will continue to make examples of people who commit mortgage fraud until behaviour changes.

"Perpetrators of fraud will increasingly find themselves facing bans, significant fines, and being required to disgorge illicit gains made through their fraudulent activities.”

The FSA found that Mr Kennedy:

• obtained a mortgage for himself using false and misleading information about his earnings and employment;

• was knowingly involved in the submission of mortgage applications for at least four customers that were based on false and misleading information about them.

The FSA found that Mr Luzinda:

• was knowingly involved in the submission of mortgage applications to lenders for himself and customers of Remos and Co based on false and misleading information;

• gave contradictory excuses for failing to comply with FSA requests for mortgage client files – saying both that the files were stored at another location and also that they had been converted into electronic format and subsequently lost during a computer crash.

The FSA has also cancelled the permission of Dynamic Mortgages.

New Mortgage Calculator Product Provides Banks And Building Societies With Value Added Sales Tool

Exasoft plc, the award winning financial software solutions company, has developed a new tool for lenders which will provide their online customers with an easy to use visual aid which demonstrates how mortgages work.

Mortgage Mate, a mortgage sales tool designed to educate the public, is an interactive web tool which provides customers with a simplistic approach on how mortgage repayments are calculated and totally accurate information on which to base a decision and give them the confidence to apply for a mortgage online.

The device is one of several online financial tools devised by the firm using the latest technology as part of its bid to deliver more interactive websites for consumers.

The launch follows the successful use of the system by the Skipton Building Society where the product has proved to be highly popular amongst customers.

Tailored to individual lenders, the package has the capability to show prospective customers a visual representation of how a mortgage works.

Easy to use, the system is totally accessible. Simple ‘slider buttons’ enables potential new customers to obtain a breakdown on the effects of actual or hypothetical variations of payments, length of terms and interest rates.

It shows how their finances would be affected if they increased or decreased their repayments, and how changes in Bank of England interest rates may affect their repayments.

At the click of a button users can enter their current monthly repayments, the interest rate and the term of a loan. Once the information is entered Mortgage Mate will show the user exactly how long they have left until they have repaid the loan.

Users then have the chance to work out how much they will re-pay in total if they increase or decrease their payments or change the term of the loan.

Alan Malik, Managing Director, Exasoft plc, said the system was an essential tool for banks and building societies across the country providing that all important ‘value added’ device which will provide them with a competitive edge.

He said: “The idea of Mortgage Mate is to give the customer a more informed choice and enable the lender to engage with their potential and current customers. They enter the information tailored to their individual requirements and Mortgage Mate does the rest.”

He added: “Mortgage Mate is such an important tool, particularly in the current climate and provides the customer with confidence to be able to apply for a mortgage online.

“Knowledge is power and a device like Mortgage Mate empowers bank and building society customers to make informed choices. They are given total transparency. As an added benefit to banks and building societies it will help reduce the number of calls to the customer service departments which in turn will reduce costs.”

Launched in Coventry in 1993 Exasoft is a multi award-winning firm which supplies specialist financial software solutions to banks, building societies and other financial institutions throughout the UK.

Its clients include HSBC, RBS, Barclays, Lloyds, and Halifax and its software handles 95 per cent of Britain’s compliance market.

In 2006 Exasoft was presented with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation. It also featured in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500. Other awards include ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO 14001 and Investors in People.

http://www.explc.com/saveg.shtml

Cuba Gooding to Perform for President Obama at Illinois Ball

Recording Star Cuba Gooding to Perform "Never Give Up" for President Barack Obama at Illinois Ball on Tuesday January 21, 2009.

To help celebrate the inauguration, recording star Cuba Gooding performs his new release, "Never Give Up". Cuba Gooding, former lead singer of The Main Ingredient ("Everybody Plays the Fool", "I Just Don't Wanna Be Lonely"), lends his unique, superb vocal talents to this stirring song of inspiration, determination and faith. The recording was produced by Charles Wallert (http://bluewaterrecordings.com/bio_wallert.html) for Bluewater Recordings.

"This song represents hope and encouragement for everyone -- Believe!" declares producer Charles Wallert.

Mr. Gooding will be performing "Never Give Up" at the much in demand Illinois State Society Inaugural Ball at the Renaissance Hotel Washington, D.C., and will also perform for the Congressional Black Caucus. Mr. Gooding will have the good fortune to perform for President Obama at the Illinois Ball. At the Congressional Black Caucus, Mr. Gooding will be seen by major political forces, such as Rep. Maxine Waters, Ms. Donna Brazile, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., and Rep. Charlie Rangel.

Stopped Clocks and Good Directions partner to restore Britain's public clocks

A Good Directions and Stopped Clocks Partnership - Working together to restore Britain’s stopped public clocks.

Good Directions Ltd is delighted to announce a partnership with the popular movement: The Stopped Clocks Foundation.

The partnership is aimed at identifying and recording Public Clocks that are stopped or have not been working for many years and to look into ways and means of bringing them back to life again.

Les Kirk, leading clock restoration expert of Good Directions Ltd, has over 35 years of experience of working with all types of public, tower and turret clocks and has always been passionate about his trade. His accumulated knowledge of clock making has been used to service, repair and restore many hundreds of public clocks throughout the UK.

This expertise is now going to be teamed up with the enthusiasm and drive of Alfie Dennen who originally set up stoppedclocks.com after becoming increasingly aware and concerned about the number of prominent public clocks throughout London that were seen to be not working. Alfie’s intention was to create awareness and also compile the first comprehensive listing of all the stopped public clocks in the UK. This has been a huge success with many regular contributors adding a remarkable number of ‘sites’ to the list and Alfie is now delighted to take it one stage further.

Alfie believes clocks are a poignant marker of our passage through time: “Public clocks are at once thoroughly practical devices which serve our need to plan where we need to be, and are sentimental cornerstones of our lives. When a clock is stopped, one which we might pass every day, it is a reminder of our rich and recent history, of the disconnect we have with our heritage, a visceral reminder that we are now firmly in a digital age.”

“Public clocks are so much more than simply time keeping devices,” agrees Les. “At Good Directions we are often contacted by people who not only want to see their neighbourhood clock telling the correct time but also renovated as a marker for the regeneration in their community and care for their surroundings and local heritage. Clocks are also, in their own right, remarkable, interesting and vital pieces of civic architecture, often indicative of historical changes to the layout of towns and cities and have to be worth restoring for future generations to enjoy.”

Good Directions has spent the last 20 years building a reputation as a market leader in the design, construction, installation and restoration of exterior clocks and clock towers with recent projects including clocks in Leicester Square and St Ethelburgas church in London, Warwick Castle, Southampton Docks as well as some notable private residences.

“Good Directions is thrilled to have found a like minded enthusiast in Alfie” says Les, “and we are looking forward to working together in our common cause to provide a solution and bring life back into these clocks.”

Alfie agrees: “I am so pleased and excited to be working with Good Directions. Together we aim to achieve a lasting result for the public good, to help us re-discover our heritage, and enrich the shared communal spaces around us.”

Freelance journalism one-day training courses from Journalism.co.uk

In the current climate, as many journalists and media professionals are made redundant, sharpening and diversifying your skills to set yourself apart from the pack has never been more important.

For many, freelance journalism is an attractive option - you can be your own boss and take on articles that you want to write. You're qualified as a journalist, but freelancing takes more than that - what do you need to know to become a successful 'business'?

Journalism.co.uk has sourced the best industry experts to lead three, new one-day training courses about becoming a freelancer and what you need to know to keep the wolf from your door.

Business skills for freelance journalists by journalism supremo Guy Clapperton will teach the freelance, who has no problem with the nuts and bolts of writing, how to market themselves and keep track of their journalism as a business.

This course, held in London on 23 February, covers social media, income tax, websites, how to make that cold call and how to build a niche for yourself. More information and booking details.

Real-life journalism by Olivia Gordon, held in London on 25 March, will cover all the skills and trade secrets of selling, sourcing, interviewing and writing real life case studies. More information and booking details.

The business of freelance journalism by Louise Bolotin, who has more than 30 years' industry experience, is for freelance journalists who want to get to grips with the finer details of running a small business.

To be held in Manchester on 31 March, the course will cover financial and tax matters, marketing yourself, managing your time and workload, legal issues, building and diversifying your portfolio. More information and booking details.

The price per delegate for each course is £320 +VAT (including lunch).

Full listing of short courses offered by Journalism.co.uk.


FACT FILE:
Journalism.co.uk was founded in 1999 and is one of the world's leading news sites for the journalism and media profession, and has been providing one-day and bespoke in-house training courses for nearly two years.

Delegates have included staff members from Virgin Media, the BBC, Trinity Mirror, RBI, Press Association, Associated Newspapers and the Ministry of Defence.

Singles now prefer slow dating to speed dating

• 18 million first dates in 2008, with 68% initiated online
• The average first date lasts over 4 hours
• Build-up to each first date occupies 12 hours.

Britain’s singles are ignoring the rules laid down by the dating experts - by investing a massive total of 20 hours and 9 minutes on each first date. This is the key finding from a survey by PARSHIP.co.uk, the UK arm of Europe’s largest premium online matchmaker, which pioneered the use of a scientific compatibility test in Europe.

Relationship pundits recommend keeping a first date short and sweet – after all, just one in five first dates results in some sort of relationship – but British singles believe in putting some extra time, thought and effort into that first one-on-one.

In 2008, Britain’s 8 million active singles went on 18 million first dates. Seven out of ten (68%) of these resulted from initial contact via the Internet. Introductions through friends accounted for 13% of all first dates, first dates resulting from chance encounters in bars 5%, while first dates with work colleagues represented just 4%.

Each first date now lasts an average of 4 hours and 18 minutes, but the build-up to each date occupies over 12 hours of each person’s time. There are five distinct stages to the process, each taking up at least two hours:

1 The set-up - 5 hrs 36 mins
2 Pre-date fantasy - 4hrs 45 mins,
3 Pre-date preparation - 2 hours
4 The date itself - 4hrs 18 mins
5 Post-date analysis - 3 hrs 30 mins

Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and PARSHIP’s dating expert, commented:

"{{The number of hours people are willing to invest in a first date demonstrates how serious people are in their search for the right partner}}. In addition, the prominence of internet dating as a method of meeting people naturally leads to a slightly longer process as it then becomes like the first meeting and first date rolled into one - most people need to feel fairly sure they're not wasting their time on a first date, so they want to get to know the person first. It takes time to do this as there's no short cut to a long-lasting relationship."


1 The set-up – 5 hours 36 minutes
Pre-date communication -- now likely to start with an online message -- takes up 5 hours and 36 minutes Half of all singles keep online and verbal communication to under five hours, but a quarter (22%) of all women, as against 17% of men, choose to communicate for well over 10 hours before meeting up. At the other end of the scale, 22% of men and women spend less than 2 hours on initial screening and organising the rendezvous.

2 Pre-date fantasy – 4hrs 45 minutes
On average both men and women spend a similar amount of time in the pre-date fantasy. Singles spend nearly five hours wondering what the other person looks like in the flesh, playing out potential conversations and talking to their friends about a date. In fact, one in five (18%) women spend 8 hours or more daydreaming about their future date, compared to just 14% of men. By stark contrast, one in five men (19%) and one in ten women (12%) say they’re unlikely to spend more than 60 minutes thinking about the person and definitely don’t discuss a potential date with friends.

3 Pre-date preparation and grooming – 2 hours
It’s no surprise that women put more time and effort into making a good first impression: two thirds (71%) spend between one and three hours refining their look. The typical woman takes 2 hours 6 minutes to get ready, while men average 1 hour and 50 minutes. A quarter of men favour the ‘take me as I am’ approach, devoting less than an hour to sprucing up.

4 The Date – 4 hours 18 minutes
Numerous best-selling self-help books assert that a first date should be short and sweet, advising singles to seem at least politely interested while retaining a degree of mystery. As it turns out, just 2% of first-daters keep things to a quick cup of coffee, while 10% spend less than two hours on their assignation. On average, men prefer to eke it out to 4 hours 48 minutes, while women tend to want to keep it under 4 hours. One in ten men cite dates extending to over 9 hours, while just 3% of women claim to have prolonged the pleasure to that extent.

5 Post-date analysis – 3 hours, 30 minutes
Only one in five first dates will lead to some sort of relationship, so it’s hardly surprising that 42% of singles spend less than two hours thinking about their date after the event. However, 17% of men say they spend 6 to 10 hours thinking about their date and discussing things with a friend. This compares to just 12% of women. On average men claim to spend 3 hours and 42 minutes in post date analysis, 24 minutes more than women, who average a mere 3 hours and 18 minutes.

Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and PARSHIP’s dating expert, commented: “This survey had some interesting and surprising results. Whilst women taking longer to get ready before a date could have been predicted, it was striking to find that on average, men spend more time afterwards, thinking about and analysing the date – or at least they are more willing to admit to it. One explanation could be that traditionally the onus is on men to make the next move after a first date by phoning to arrange the next date.

"Clearly, this will take some thought and preparation and for many people, the apprehension can be more nerve wracking that the date itself. Whatever the reasons, we should give men more credit and put aside outdated stereotypes of men just being hunters who enjoy the thrill of the chase, with little emotional intelligence as some dating self-help books would have us believe.

“Although there was a wide range of how much pre- and post-date analysis people claim to indulge in, there are a variety of factors that might explain this. Firstly, some people will under- or over-estimate the figures, secondly, the answers people gave could be biased by memories of the last date they went on: It's probably fair to assume that if a date has gone well, people will spend more time afterwards, thinking about things, perhaps planning the next date, wondering if they've made a good impression or even imagining the future.

"If it's clear there was no mutual attraction and a second date isn't on the cards, people will spend less time dwelling on what might have been. Thirdly, it seems plausible that some people may be genuinely more predisposed to engage in long periods of thought, fantasy, analysis and discussion with friends.”

Can you believe it! You can now print on inkjet wood veneer

www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk is the first and only UK Company to supply these sensational wooden inkjet sheets. The sheets are made from a thin (0.18”inch thick) veneer wood and have a paper backing. Each sheet has a lovely grain and colour variation. The colour of the wood sheets is light but can be varnished afterwards to give a rich lustre.

Crafty Computer Paper quotes the most frequent remark they get from their customers is how accurate, sharp and clear the images are after printing them on the wood veneer.

The Veneer has been treated with a special patent product which makes it possible to inkjet print on this absorbent surface. The process and chemicals used are all non-toxic. They are so easy to print off, cut out and can be applied to most surfaces using any type of glue or double sided tape. After printing to protect the wood any type of varnish can be used.

The inkjet wood veneer sheets can be used for all kinds of crafting projects for example card-making and scrap-booking. Model makers/dollhouse enthusiasts love them because they can use them for creating miniature wooden items and customise them with lettering and logos. They are also useful if you want to create a marquetry effect, design your ideas on your computer and then print. Signage can also be made easily using this wood product.

You don’t have to carve anything out just print your text and pictures. The wood sheets also make a great new medium for Artists, printing off photos and images. Patterns can be printed and then cut easily with a craft knife or scissors to create wooden 3D items. This material is easily cut using a die-cutting machine. Make original stationary or business cards, the possibilities are endless.

The wooden sheets can be used in almost any kind of inkjet printer from office to home. The printer to use is one which feeds from the top so the wood does not have to turn a corner while it is printing.

Visit www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk to see more about these great inkjet veneer sheets.
http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/ProductDetail.asp?Produ...

WEATHER WARNING:

There is a moderate risk of a severe weather event affecting most of mainland Scotland, giving the potential for significant accumulations of snow.

A covering of 2-5 cm is possible above 200 metres, with 5-10 cm expected on higher ground in the north.

Issued at: 1435 Sun 18 Jan by the Met Office ©

Cheapflights Welcomes Heathrow Third Runway Decision

As an island nation, the UK depends on efficient overseas transport links for both business and leisure. Cheapflights.co.uk therefore welcomes this strategic travel infrastructure investment which is vital to the UK's future economic well-being.

The additional runway brings with it the prospect of lower fares, more consumer choice, and the ability of Heathrow to better compete with European competitors such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris (www.cheapflights.co.uk/flight-guide-to-Paris/?source=WPR). Increasing Heathrow's capacity, especially in today's global financial environment, will also help preserve approximately 600,000 UK jobs that aviation now directly and indirectly supports - a vital resuscitation of the UK's faltering economy.

Aviation is a growing global industry. Adding a third runway at Heathrow (www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/Heathrow/?source=WPR) will enable the UK to keep pace with growing European and International air travel. A healthier air travel industry will further stimulate the development of more fuel efficient and quieter aircraft.

Cheapflights' CEO Chris Cuddy commented: "Cheapflights lauds the Government's decision to back a third runway at Heathrow. The UK's pre-eminence as an economic European hub is dependent on sufficient capacity to meet existing and future demand and also competition from its European rivals. Furthermore, blocking expansion would not have helped reduce climate change. It would have merely diverted the increased international air traffic to European airports (http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/airports/?source=WPR), many of which are actively increasing runway capacity, and thereby significantly reduced Heathrow's importance as an international hub.

Increased landing & take-off capacity will be a win-win situation for the flying public, and the economies of the UK and beyond. A healthier UK travel infrastructure will boost the engine of international commerce.

UFO Trashed My Car!

Flux moves to quell alien insurance fears…

Following recent news stories about a UFO allegedly wrecking a wind turbine (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/7817378.stm), specialist car insurance broker Adrian Flux had a call from a curious customer asking what would happen if a UFO crashed into his car. Which got the Flux boffins thinking about what bizarre accidents were or weren't covered.

Amongst the potential disasters that are covered by normal car insurance schemes, assuming the driver has a comprehensive policy, are:

• Monkeys wrecking the car on a drive through a safari park.

• A block of frozen urine dropping from the sky and striking the car.

• Ditto a meteor.

• Crashing into a grand piano left on a hairpin bend of an Alpine pass (this one assumes the insurance includes European cover).

• A kangaroo, on the hop from the local zoo, jumping over the car and wrecking the roof en route.

• A mastermind criminal, operating from a satellite in geostationary orbit, holding the city council to ransom by taking over the traffic lights and causing gridlock in the streets, during which chaos the car is smashed.

• A UFO crashing into the car.

However, if the UFO causes an accident by attacking the car, with, say, a photon torpedo, then that would be considered an act of war, and thus would not be covered. Similarly, if an intergalactic war led to Armageddon and resulted in the car being damaged, it would not be covered.

"It gets more complicated if a UFO hits a wind turbine, causing a rotor blade to shear off which then crashes into the car," says Gerry Bucke of Adrian Flux Insurance Services. "In that case, the car driver's best hope is that the UFO pilot's policy is completely up to date, as it would be simplest to make a claim on the alien's insurance. Otherwise there may be arguments as to who is responsible for the damage to the car…. In the worst case scenario, though, the car would be covered by our policy – it's just that a claim on it would affect the driver's No Claims Bonus."

Adrian Flux aims to offer cheaper car insurance and has a huge range of policies for the motoring enthusiast. For details contact the Adrian Flux quote line on 0800 505 3000, email the company at quotes@adrianflux.co.uk, or see the Flux homepage on www.adrianflux.co.uk

Falmouth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre out of action after lightning strike

Falmouth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) is currently out of action following a lightening strike late last night. Until further notice its monitoring and co-ordination functions are being undertaken by Brixham MRCC.

Following the lightning strike at around 23.00hrs last night, Falmouth MRCC was evacuated because of smoke coming from electrical equipment. Cornwall Fire Brigade were asked to attend. The building was checked and although physically unmarked there appears to be significant damage to the communications equipment.

Whilst out of action Falmouth MRCC's emergency calls are being handled by colleagues at Brixham MRCC. Coastguard Officers are operating three 'remote' stations at The Lizard, Trevose and Lands End. These 'remote' stations will undertake radio checks, monitor radio frequencies and respond to alerts from shipping.

Richard Parkes, Duty Director for the MCA said: "I'm relieved that none of our staff were injured. All our MRCCs are paired with another for exactly a situation like this so Brixham should be able to operate as Falmouth without the public even realising. We're extending our operations by using the remote stations at The Lizard, Trevose and Lands End so I'm confident that we can continue to provide our usual co-ordination service until Falmouth is returned to full working order."

Barack Obamas step mother launches new charity game on galabingo.com

galabingo.com, part of Gala Coral Group, announces that Barack Obama's step mother, Kezia Obama, is launching a new online charity bingo game to help raise money for Sue Ryder Care.

The bingo fan, who is from Bracknell, Berkshire, is to have her own dedicated online bingo game called 'Mrs Obama's Bingo' which will feature on leading gaming site galabingo.com from 14-23 January 2008.

The new game has gone live just as Mrs Obama prepares to fly out to join her President-in-waiting stepson Barack in Washington DC for his Inauguration on 20 January 2009. She will be taking part in all the Obama family celebrations and activities.

Mrs Obama said: "I am delighted to help galabingo.com raise funds for the Sue Ryder Care charity. It is a really positive way of celebrating Barack's Inauguration. And I am very excited about seeing Barack again in Washington."

To add to the excitement, Mrs Obama will introduce the online game, which is taking place between 8pm and 9pm weekdays and 7pm and 8pm at the weekend in the City Club section of galabingo.com (14-23 January).

For every £1 spent on ticket sales for the 'Mrs Obama Bingo' game, galabingo.com will donate 10p to Sue Ryder Care.

Gala Coral Group selected Sue Ryder Care as its group charity in July 2008 after an employee vote showed overwhelming support for the charity. Sue Ryder Care provides expert and compassionate care to people living with conditions including Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke and Huntington's Disease. Through a number of ongoing initiatives Gala Coral is aiming to raise £1million by 2010 to help the charity continue to provide care that liberates lives in 14 care centres and community-based services across the UK.

Paul Woodward, Chief Executive at Sue Ryder Care, said: "It's great news that Mrs Obama has decided to lend her support to help raise vital funds for Sue Ryder Care. We hope as many people as possible get involved and join in the fun. By supporting Sue Ryder Care in this way people across the country can help us make a real difference to the lives of thousands of people we care for each year."


FACT FILE:
Gala Bingo is part of Gala Coral Group's Remote Gambling division. This division is responsible for the development, management and operation of the Group's E-Commerce activities in the UK and worldwide through Coral.co.uk, Eurobet.com, galabingo.com and Galacasino .co.uk.

The division also operates Coral Telebet, our telephone betting business and is the UK's first operator of digital interactive televised bingo by pushing the red button on Gala TV (Sky channel 861).

About Sue Ryder Care
Sue Ryder Care is a leading healthcare charity providing specialist palliative, neurological and community-based services. The charity provides expert and compassionate care for people living with serious illnesses and conditions, as well as their families and loved ones.

Jobs search engine makes major changes to reduce “job applicant spam”

The UK’s biggest jobs search engine is introducing a series of major changes aimed at reducing the number of irrelevant job applications received by recruiters.

A redesign of AllTheTopBananas.com will be launched in February, with the focus on helping job seekers better match their skills to the jobs available.

One in three of all UK vacancies are displayed on the site – currently 177,861 – making it an invaluable tool for recruiters.

“This is about making it even easier for people to find jobs that are more relevant to their skills, so they are less likely to blanket apply for jobs they can’t do,” explained managing director Dave Martin.

“Recruiters hate that job applicant spam and it is a waste of job seekers’ time. These new tools are all about relevance and creating a highly targeted user base for recruiters.”

The new functionality will coincide with a design refresh to the site, plus the introduction of simpler navigation.

AllTheTopBananas.com has also put a freeze on prices to help its clients during the downturn.

Recruiters can advertise jobs on the site for as little as £99 + VAT a month, with no long-term contracts.

AllTheTopBananas.com gathers, collects and displays jobs from hundreds of websites across the UK.

Each site in the Banana network also allows job seekers to upload CVs and register for job updates.

Airbus bird strike crash. An expert comments:

A US Airways Airbus A320 crash-landed into the Hudson River at 15:31 (20:31 GMT) yesterday. The commercial airliner had taken off from La Guardia Airport, New York bound for Charlotte, North Carolina. Unconfirmed reports suggest a severe bird strike with a large flock of Canada Geese. Flight 1549 had achieved a reported altitude of 3,200ft.

Sussex based Scarecrow Bio-acoustic Systems (http://www.scarecrow.eu) manufactures and supplies over 800 airports around the world, including Gatwick and Heathrow in the UK, with proven and innovative bird dispersal technology that helps to effectively manage the problem of nuisance birds in and around airports.

Tom Diamond of Scarecrow (http://www.scarecrow.eu) is a leading international expert in the field of bird dispersal in the aviation industry and is available for interviews, comment and expert advice.

Tom comments on the New York plane crash: "At this early stage the true cause of the accident is unknown. If the early reports are true and the cause was a multiple bird strike with Canada Geese at approximately 3,000ft, this event is an unfortunate accident. It is impossible to control birds flying at such altitudes. The pilot demonstrated exceptional skill. His ability to bring the plane down in such a controlled manner has saved the lives of all the passengers and crew."

The Carphone Warehouse pledges January savings for customers

The Carphone Warehouse, the largest independent mobile phone retailer in the UK, has announced the details of two new services, both easy and cost effective ways to help customers combat the ever spiralling effects of the credit crunch.

TalkTalk Essentials offers free broadband and landline calls until 2010. When customers sign up to a contract between 16th January and 2nd March 2009, calls and broadband will be included in the monthly line rental, including calls to 36 international countries - a saving of £77.88 over the first 12 months. The deal offers up to 8Mbps broadband, a 40GB download limit and a free wireless router, contributing to the deal being £190 cheaper than BT. Customers who join the broadband package from The Carphone Warehouse can also choose between a laptop, a Nintendo Wii or a Playstation 3 at no extra cost.

The Carphone Warehouse revealed that UK residents are wasting £29.7 billion on their mobile phone bills by not being on suitable tariffs, with over two thirds of money wasted by Pay As You Go customers. MyMobileTariffChecker from the Carphone Warehouse helps customers save money and ensure theat they are on the right tariff.

Customers simply visit The Carphone Warehouse, where an assistant will input their mobile phones usage details to calculate the most cost effective, personalised mobile phone package for the individual. MyMobileTariffChecker will take the guesswork out of choosing the most suitable deal and, to date, the service has successfully saved 12,743 customers a total of £88,994 since October 2008, with the average user saving up to £130 over the course of their contract.

Andrew Harrison, UK CEO at The Carphone Warehouse, said: "We know our customers are looking for money saving options now more than ever. With the current economical climate, we are offering our customers cost effective solutions to be able to stay in touch easily and cheaply, both online and over the phone. The benefits for both services really do speak for themselves, and there is great scope for saving money in 2009 with the Carphone Warehouse."

"Go nuclear" is career advice

ATA Selection says youngsters should consider a career in nuclear engineering.

There has never been a better time for youngsters to go nuclear, according to ATA one of the UK’s leading recruitment consultancy, specialising in the manufacturing and general engineering market, rail, construction and energy sector.

The company, which has a network of regional offices across the UK providing skilled permanent and contract workers of varying levels to companies ranging from SMEs to multinationals, is predicting a skills shortage within the nuclear sector over the next decade.

As the Government signals its intention to press ahead with the next generation of nuclear power stations, expert engineers and technicians will be at a premium.

For school leavers there has never been a better time to consider a university degree in nuclear power.

Gary Hewett, Managing Director for ATA Energy, said: “The Government has explicitly stated its desire to replace the UK’s existing nuclear power stations.

“As there has been little activity in the nuclear market in the last decade, there are a limited number of people with the skills to build and maintain these stations. This means that when the development of the next generation of stations gets underway, there will be a clamour for people able to cost, design, project manage, build and maintain such complex projects.

“There has seldom been a better time for people considering what to do at university to consider nuclear.”

ATA has 10 regional offices, from Glasgow to Slough, with more than 100 consultants who are experts both in specific markets and their regional marketplace.

The company matches candidates’ career aspirations with client expectations. Each candidate is interviewed by ATA Selection before being recommended to a client to ensure they are suitable. This approach positively impacts on those businesses striving to improve staff retention by ensuring that the right candidate is placed for each vacancy and can help ensure that those clients with a contract need secure staff for the duration of their projects.

ATA is currently expanding, both geographically, with the opening of new offices – most recently in Glasgow – and by entering new markets outside its current core strengths of engineering, rail, technical sales and construction.

The company has moved into the nuclear sector, is expanding in renewable energy, is targeting oil and gas in Scotland, and has plans to enter the aerospace and automotive markets.

Health and Safety mLearning Courses Now Available

Companies can now add a new dimension to their health and safety training which will save them money, reduce their carbon footprint and please their workforce, says health, safety and environment training consultancy, Praxis42.

Already known within the H&S industry for an innovative approach to health and safety training, Praxis has launched a range of mobile learning (mLearning) solutions to meet the training needs of workforces that are increasingly mobile and disparate.

Mike Stevens, Praxis42’s Head of Training said:
“Companies today face increasing challenges, not just commercially, but changing workforce patterns, globalisation, developing technologies, environment issues and increasing health and safety compliance. That’s why we have developed a range of courses, which harness mobile technology and address the health & safety hazards with real solutions.”

The training is similar to the eLearning concept being used by many organisations but the content is delivered to a mobile device such a mobile phone (3G enabled), pocket PC, or a PDA.

Mike continued:
“Although the concept of mLearning is really exciting, the actual learning is simply an additional way to support learning across the workforce where learners are widely dispersed, when just in time training is essential, or to provide refresher training such as when there is a regulatory change.”

The mLearning is accessed on a mobile device through either a memory card, an internet connection or downloaded to the mobile device to be used wherever or whenever the trainee wants to undertake the training.

Mike added:
“Users like mLearning as a rapid way of learning while on the move, in preparation for meetings, during travel and so on. As knowledge and use of mobile devices is now widespread it makes sense for any company to provide training in this well-known and used medium.”

In addition, mLearning can often work out more cost effective than other blended learning approaches, as well as ensuring that companies reduce travel costs and their associated carbon footprint.

Praxis42’s mLearning can be deployed across all industries and all sectors where employees are able to access or share a mobile device. This solution offers the ability for anyone to refresh themselves of important information as well as providing their initial health and safety training.

Praxis42 courses now available as mLearning solutions include Fire Safety, Office Safety, Safe Use of Mobile Devises, Stress Awareness for Managers and Stress Awareness for Employees.

Praxis42 is a key provider in the health, safety and environmental sector, offering a broad range of Consultancy and Training solutions. For further information visit www.praxis42.com, call 0870 446 4201 or email sales@praxis42.com

Flood Launches Platter At Upcoming January Shows

An exciting addition to Snowden’s collection will be launched at two tradeshows in January. A bone china serving plate commissioned by the London Transport Museum to celebrate the recent transformation of St. Pancras Eurostar Terminal.

Snowden, who was inspired by Sir George Gilbert Scott’s magnificent gothic station, focused her design on the huge single span iron-and-glass roof structure. Paying homage to one of the wonders of the railway world, she has produced a bold and striking piece of tableware. Like the station, it embodies the best of British design and manufacturing and as with all of Flood’s tableware, it is produced in Stoke-on-Trent, traditional home of British fine china.

Snowden Flood is a designer of high-end interiors accessories. Her unmistakable style reflects her meticulous attention to innovative, high quality design. She also creates bespoke products for interior designers, architects and private clients.

(Top Drawer, 18-20 January. Earls Court, London. Stand No. N38. Maison et Objet, 23-27 January, Parc des Expositions, Paris. Stand No. G17, Hall 6).

The Formula For Healthy, Happy Pets - According To PDSA

The UK’s leading veterinary charity, PDSA, has devised a simple computer-based formula, ‘Your Right Pet’, to ensure the health and happiness of pets. The four-step ‘PETS’ formula, launched online today (Thursday, 15 January) is designed to help every prospective pet owner consider the main issues before taking on any companion animal, from rats to retrievers.

“If people choose the wrong pet for their lifestyle, the animal is likely to suffer,” said Sean Wensley, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at PDSA. “But with this new online tool, you can find out quickly and easily which type of pet might best suit your lifestyle and circumstances. The tool represents a new and innovative part of our ‘Long Live Pets’ campaign.”

The four-part formula, PETS, is based on the key elements of Place, Exercise, Time and Spend. All need to be considered to ensure owners and their pets are well matched.
Place – which type of pet is appropriate for where you live?
Exercise – can you provide the type and amount of daily exercise required?
Time – can you devote enough time to your pet?
Spend – can you afford the lifetime expense of your preferred pet?

Stage 1 of the ‘Your Right Pet’ tool features a cartoon pet that will 'morph' and change shape as you answer questions, until the most suited pet for your lifestyle is revealed. Stage 2 provides more detail on different types of pets, such as expected lifespan, likely lifetime costs and how to meet that pet’s welfare needs.

Welcoming the new online tool, BVA President Mrs Nicky Paull said: “The British Veterinary Association is delighted to see this new initiative by PDSA designed to help pet owners make an informed choice before getting a pet. We see this as making a valuable contribution to companion animal welfare and we would encourage anyone thinking of getting a new pet to look at this excellent site. We would also advise consulting a local veterinary surgeon so that the prospective pet owner can be as well prepared as possible.”

As a working vet, Sean Wensley has seen many examples of inappropriate pet ownership: “It is not uncommon to see rabbits that are housed alone in hutches that are too small, with no opportunity to exercise, and fed a completely inappropriate diet that has led to painful and debilitating dental disease,” he said.

“Other animals, like reptiles and parrots, are taken on as pets with little or no knowledge of how to provide the living environments and diets that they need to be healthy and happy. As a result many suffer malnutrition and disease. All too often, vets are picking up the pieces of misguided pet choices and dealing with animals that are suffering because their welfare needs have not been met.

Sean continues: “Thankfully, the new Animal Welfare Act introduces a legal ‘duty of care’ that requires all owners to ensure that their pet’s welfare needs are met. Our online tool explains in clear and practical terms what these welfare needs are for the animals that are most commonly kept as pets, so is a unique resource for prospective and existing pet owners alike.

“‘Your Right Pet’ is a key part of our ‘Long Live Pets’ campaign, PDSA’s biggest ever pet health initiative, designed to ensure a healthy life for all pets. This tangible, easy-to-use computer tool reinforces our messages about choosing pets in a highly creative and engaging way.”

Visit www.your-right-pet.org.uk, to find ‘Your Right Pet’.

Commercial Vehicle Show 2009 cancelled

The Commercial Vehicle Partnership, comprising the SMMT, RHA and SOE, and the CV Show Committee, made up of the partners and representatives from the commercial vehicle and component sector, agreed today to cancel this year's CV Show scheduled for 28-30 April at Birmingham's NEC.

The Partnership recognised in December that the economic downturn creates a difficult environment for vehicle manufacturers to commit to large international exhibitions. Nevertheless, 290 exhibitors signed up for the Show requiring the Partners to consult widely with them on support for a focussed engineering-based alternative. The results indicate that while some support was forthcoming, it was not enough to retain the credibility that the CV Show has created as a major international event of its type and which the Partners and the Show committee were keen to maintain.

"We have obviously noted that just about every other show in this sector has been cancelled for 2009", said RHA Chief Executive Roger King. "But the advanced status of ours did not permit us to cancel without careful consultation.

"This was a difficult decision but, on balance, the right one. What we learned from this exercise was that despite a generally negative response to 2009, there appears a much more positive approach to 2010 which encourages the Partnership to set plans in motion for a show in April of that year".

"This is of course disappointing, but given the current economic climate and the uncertainty created, it is the only decision we could make. Naturally, the Partners are grateful for the NEC's support for this decision", said Nigel Emms, the CV Show Committee Chairman. "Future planning for the next Show should be done against the backdrop of the outstanding 2008 event and not a compromise one for 2009."

Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive added: "2009 will be an extremely challenging year across the motor industry but this decision, while difficult, creates the opportunity to ensure the 2010 event best reflects the changing needs of the road transport industry."

Finally, Society of Operations Engineers Chief Executive Nick Jones said: "Whilst the cost of cancellation may be considerable, all exhibitors will receive a full refund. We are confident that exhibitors will be ready to sign up when details are announced for the 2010 Show".

The Commercial Vehicle Show is owned by the CV Show Partnership, comprising the Road Haulage Association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers), a professional sector of the SOE (Society of Operations Engineers).

Some wouldbe exhibitors are reportedly "very upset" by the decision.

‘Lines of London” - A debut exhibition of Edd Horder’s drawings and 3D models of London.

Edd Horder’s debut exhibition “Lines of London” open to the public from Thursday 29th January to Sunday 1st February, held at The SaLon Gallery on Westbourne Grove.

During the past year Edd has been walking the streets of London, sketchbook in hand, capturing the iconic views of this vibrant city. Avoiding the flashes of tourists’ cameras Edd has encapsulated various sights and brought them together as detailed, clean, line drawings.

Carrying his sketchbook wherever he goes, Edd decided that drawings of his personal travels was not enough, what was needed for him, was a group of drawings of the city in which he lives. Inspired by his drawings of both his travels around South America and now London, Edd has brought them to life with some fascinating 3D models. A new direction in his work, these pieces add a fresh, creative dimension to these linear drawings.

What started as a side line, drilled in by crazy art teachers and an enthusiastic artistic mother, Edd has finally been given the opportunity to show off his work on a large scale.

From the pages of his sketchbook to major pieces of work hopefully this exhibition will illustrate London in an inspirational light.

UrbanPup.com presents dog fashion from the movie Beverley Hills Chihuahua

With the release of the latest Disney film "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" this Friday, you can bet that all dog owners will want to dress their pooches like Chloe the Chihuahua in all the latest designer dog fashions.

Chloe's dress is now available at www.Urbanpup.com; a virtual store that has revolutionised doggy couture, offering high quality, on the pulse fashion pieces for all those pooches out there. The adorable pink and green striped dress with green embroidered flowers and eyelet along collar comes with matching lead and hat... how very Beverly Hills.

www.UrbanPup.com is an online store that provides the fashion conscience with stylish couture for their pets. The range provides all the clothing and accessories that your dog would ever need from stylish coats and pretty dresses to stunning lead & collar sets. Each piece of clothing has been personally selected based on its design, quality and style.

(EDITOR: Warm winter coats fore little doggies? Great idea. But mistaking a doggy for a dolly and dressing it up in cute little outfits? Well, for me, that's an entirely different ball game.)

Mayor Boris Johnson Test Drives World's First Ever Electric Car for Intelligence Squared Green Festival on Climate Change

The Intelligence Squared Green Festival on Climate Change
Sunday January 25 2009 – 10.45am-6.30pm
The Royal Geographical Society

Boris Johnson Test Drives World’s First Ever Luxury Electric Sports Car for the Intelligence Squared Green Festival on Climate Change

The Intelligence Squared Green Festival on Climate Change is a non profit all day event which has attracted some of the foremost experts in the world to debate the most important topic of our age. The festival aims to raise awareness and stimulate debate on the scientific, regulatory, economic and social dimensions of climate change and to look at what should be done at government, corporate and individual levels to tackle the challenges we face.

Today Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who has said many times that his next car will be electric, tried out the world's first 100% electric luxury sports car, as part of the festival’s publicity campaign. “What I really want is a people carrier” he said to Don Cochrane, Sales and Marketing Director for Tesla in the UK. “You’ll get one” replied Don. In reality Tesla’s Model S, a four-door sedan, will be on the market in the UK in two years time. Their people carrier will take a little longer.

The festival is offering four ticket buyers the chance to test drive the Roadster in a prize draw available on its website – www.iq2greenfestival.com.

The Tesla Raodster is a history-making car which is sexy, sporty and green . It has a sleek, Lotus-related design, runs from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds, burns no oil and recharges its battery with a 13 amp plug. It can be driven with the roof down even in our current weather as its heated seats keep drivers nice and warm. The car will go on the market in the UK in May 2009 priced at £92,000.

The Climate Change Festival takes place on Sunday January 25th at the Royal Geographical Society and will feature not just the debates and discussions that Intelligence Squared is known for, but also lots of climate-related activities – the chance to see an exhibition of award-winning climate change photos, to explore a solar powered house, test drive a G-Wiz and win other green prizes worth hundreds of pounds.

A roster of high profile international speakers, will take part in a series of discussions and debates designed to allow audience members the opportunity to challenge speakers with their own questions.

Speakers include botanist and broadcaster, Sir David Bellamy, Nobel-prize laureate, Professor Mohan Munasinghe – Vice Chairman IPCC, Professor Robert Watson - DEFRA’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Christine Loh – one of TIME magazine’s ‘Heroes of the Environment’, Tony Juniper, Special Advisor to the Prince’s Rainforests Trust and Svati Bhogle, winner of 2008 Energy Champion Ashden Award. ‘How Long Have We Got?’, ‘Can Asia Go Green? And if it doesn’t has the world had it?’, ‘Can technological Innovation save us from disaster?’ and ‘The UK Political Parties Don’t Mean What They Say on Climate Change’ are some of the issues up for debate.

A group of sixth formers, chosen with The Royal Geographical Society, will run the first debate of the day, debating the motion ‘Climate change is the Greatest threat facing humanity’ – an event chaired by polar explorer Ben Saunders.

To test drive the Tesla Roadster, first ever electric sports car, enter our prize draw by booking a ticket.

Tickets for individual sessions cost £10.00 or £15.00 or you can buy a day pass for £50. Tickets for young people aged 18 and under are 75% off, for stuents, 50% off. (See website for details).Buy tickets and learn more at the festival website http://www.iq2greenfestival.com

Quintessentially and Chicago Rib Shack hosting the London party to celebrate Obama's inauguration

On Tuesday 20th January, Quintessentially and The Chicago Rib Shack will be hosting London’s hottest party for the inauguration of Barack Obama’s as President of the United States.

Quintessentially are thrilled to partner with the Chicago Rib Shack for what promises to be the most anticipated event of the New Year. With over four million people descending on Washington and with people across the globe witnessing the arrival of the first African American president the inauguration is set to be a landmark world historic event.

With Obama’s connection with Chicago, the London’s Chicago Rib Shack in Knightsbridge is the perfect location for this exclusive event. Set to be as genuine as possible the party will kick off at 4pm with LIVE footage of the inauguration from Washington DC accompanied by highlights from Obama’s campaign trail. DJ Philly (Ministry of Sound, Chinawhite) will be spinning the decks and live music comes courtesy of singer Patrick Alan and his band who have previously performed with Will Smith, Wyclef, Justin Timberlake, Estelle and Christina Aguilera. Delicious Chicago ribs, smoked in apple-wood burners and cooked in authentic ovens will be served with American beers, as well as an array of classic burgers and the delicious onion loaf.

Micha Wyatt from Quintessentially Events, the production team behind the evening, says: - “As an American in London, it came to my attention that during the American elections there was nowhere to go and see the results and I feared the same for the inauguration. As well as thousands of expats based here, there has been huge interest from Quintessentially members so we decided to host a truly authentic event to celebrate and commemorate this momentous occasion.”

Christian Arden, from Chicago Rib Shack says: - “This is set to be a fantastic night and we are thrilled to be hosting it. It is a great way to celebrate this moment in history and we are delighted to be partnering with Quintessentially for it”
Tickets are priced at GBP 60 (+VAT) per person and include reserved seating (subject to availability), free beer and party food from 4pm until 10pm, but the celebrations will continue until late. To book, please email events@quintessentially.com or www.chicagoribshack.co.uk

Your New Year's financial resolutions

Chit Chat Bingo is now three!

Chit Chat Bingo celebrates its third birthday in style this month and invites all online bingo players to participate in fantastic birthday promotions and party in Paris!

Players have the chance to win three 3-night holidays in Paris with Eurostar travel, three laptop computers and three iPod Nano MP3 players. All good things come in threes this January at Chit Chat Bingo!

Chit Chat Bingo was launched in January 2006 and it has solidly grown into one of the biggest online bingo sites on the web. It has paid out over £105 million to over 200,000 registered players and is known for its friendly chat rooms, huge bingo jackpots and fantastic player promotions. To coincide with its third birthday celebrations, the site has also undergone a makeover and shows off a flashy new look for 2009.

This January three players will win a 3-night holiday for two in Paris with travel on the Eurostar train and £300 spending money. Paris, known throughout the world as the 'City of Light,' is celebrated for its architecture, museums, cathedrals, luxurious boulevards and numerous monuments. Three Chit Chat Bingo players will get the chance to experience such classic attractions as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and Sacré-Coeur.

To make January even sweeter for all Chit Chat Bingo players, three lucky house callers will also win a brand new laptop computer geared up for ultimate online bingo game play. And to strike a chord with all bingo playing music lovers, three players will also win an 8GB iPod Nano MP3 player. All players need to do to enter the prize draws is purchase at least one bingo ticket or place a bet on any of the side games at Chit Chat Bingo before the end of the month.

Chit Chat Bingo's motto is 'My Kind of People' and that is exactly what the site delivers from the people players chat to and play bingo with, through to the services and support provided to customers.

The site hosts one of the largest online bingo communities in the UK, and welcomes all new players with a free £1 upon registration – that's 10 free games - and also matches new players' first deposit up to £125. All players with money in their account also get a free daily scratch card with a guaranteed cash prize up to £100.

'Leadership in times of Crisis' seminar - London, Friday 6th March

with Tony Buzan in person

A "ground-breaking" new one-day seminar

Friday 6th March 2009

Savoy Place Conference Centre,London SW1

In his brand-new seminar, ‘Leadership in Times of Crisis’, Tony Buzan will work with you to develop and enhance your own leadership skills, thus enabling you (and your organisation) to be among those who can make fortunes in times such as the world is experiencing at present. Explore, understand and utilise the multiple Intelligences – verbal, mathematical, creative, sensory, social, personal, physical, spatial, ethical and spiritual – and then apply them to your life and business strategy… with Mind Maps®.

“2009 is being proclaimed as the year of crisis, and if you read the business pages of any newspaper or magazine, and indeed some of the rushed-out books, two of the most common words in the headlines and the text are ‘Panic’ and ‘Fear’. If you look at all the different forms of capitals and currencies, you will find that they are all declining… The Currency of land – declining; Property – declining; Oil – declining; Stocks and Shares – declining.

“There is one Capital which has never declined, and one currency that always increases if you invest in it: Intellectual Capital and the Currency of Intelligence. 2009 is going to see a paradigm shift in the way the world thinks about business. The shift will be from the old industrial models to the realisation that it is Intelligence - and by this I mean the Multiple Intelligences - that are going to be the focus and indeed the creators of future wealth. Among those Intelligences, Creative Intelligence is likely to be the prime survival mechanism.

“Many great fortunes have been made - not, surprisingly, in times of boom; they have been made in times of bust. How can this be so? In the following way: during a time of crisis, many new opportunities arise. While the Bulls and Bears are stampeding in panic and fear across the financial plains, those who can THINK can overview the situation and see where those opportunities are being exposed.

“Once again we return to Intellectual Capital and the use and application of the Multiple Intelligences to take advantage of what is on offer. Again, only those who can THINK will be able to work out the strategy by which they can actually grasp those opportunities.

“Another relevant metaphor is that of an ancient forest destroyed by a major hurricane. While it is disturbing to see the destruction, that very destruction allows the ground beneath the uprooted trees, for the first time in 200 or 300 years, to receive the energy of the sun. This energy almost instantaneously gives rise to an entirely new growth from the seeds that have been in darkness for so long, now exposed to the energy which allows them to grow.

“In times of crisis, opportunity is there for everyone. It is only those who can lead, and who are thought-leaders, who will be able to grasp the many opportunities that crises offer.”

Places are limited

Visit www.Buzanworld.com for more information on this, and other upcoming courses, and to order online. Or send your cheque for £339.25
per course (£295.00 + VAT), payable to Buzan Training Ltd., to:

Bookings Dept., Buzan Training Ltd.,
24 The Grove, Harleyford Estate, Marlow, Bucks SL7 2SN.
BT141/2008

Tony Buzan has worked with governments, Olympic athletes, global businesses, academics and high profile individuals to help them train their brains, improve their memories and unleash their mental capacities. The author of almost 100 books in over 30 languages and the creator of the World Memory Championships, he lectures on the techniques of Mind Mapping and Thinking - all over the world.

Visit: www.buzanworld.com

Women playwrights storm The Bruntwood Playwriting Competition

After a call for more female writers from competition judges Brenda Blethyn and Richard Wilson, three women writers storm the The Bruntwood Playwriting Competition

After a call for more women entries from competition judges Brenda Blethyn and Richard Wilson, The Bruntwood Playwriting Competition has announced its four winners, three of whom are female.

The competition, which is committed to encouraging new writing, is a partnership between Manchester office space provider Bruntwood and Manchester's Royal Exchange theatre.

The four winners are all first time playwrights and will share a prize fund of £40,000.

Brenda Blethyn said: "I'm delighted we've had so many women entering the competition. Reading the scripts has been great fun and really highlighted how many talented writers we have in this country".

The judges were so impressed by the shortlist of 10 plays they found it hard to separate the winners, instead deciding to increase the prize fund and award four joint prizes.

Competition judge Richard Wilson said: "We were so impressed by the plays on the shortlist that we found it difficult to split the winners into a clear ranking. All of the winning plays had equal ambition, merit and style so we decided to increase the prize fund to £40,000 and split it equally between the four".

The four winners are Naylah Ahmed for "Butcher Boys", Andy Sheridan for "Before the Echoes Die Away", Vivienne Franzmann for "Mogadishi", and Fiona Peek for "Salt".

The Bruntwood Playwriting Competition doesn't end there. The winners will now embark on a development with the Royal Exchange with the ambition of producing their script in the Manchester theatre.

Greg Hersov, Royal Exchange Artistic Director and competition judge said: "As all four winners are first time writers, we are committed to nurturing their talents first and foremost, and we will then be intensively developing the scripts with a view to producing them at the Royal Exchange. We will be working dramaturgically with all four writers for a year and we're very excited to have the chance to develop their work in the early stages of their careers".

Michael Oglesby, judge and Chairman of the Manchester-based property company Bruntwood, said: "We launched this competition with the aim of discovering and encouraging new writing talent and we've been overwhelmed by the quality of the work submitted. It's really exciting that the winning scripts have the potential to be produced and staged at the Royal Exchange and that the competition is unlocking so much writing talent".

About Bruntwood
Bruntwood owns over 90 office buildings in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. The company provides offices and serviced offices from one desk for one month, to entire buildings for 25 years. Bruntwood also has retail space and commercial space within its buildings and meeting rooms to hire.

Get discount vouchers and save money

www.discountvouchers.co.uk is designed to offer the latest offers and discount codes from hundreds of stores – all updated in real time

With finances tight after Christmas and the credit crunch showing no sign of slow down, a new website offering discounts from hundreds of UK stores has been launched to help consumers get more for their money.

Discountvouchers.co.uk offers savings at a growing range of leading high street brands and specialist stores including John Lewis, Tesco, Comet and Boots, all redeemable online. Current savings include £100 off a Samsung digital camera at Currys, £90 off a Tannoy i30 iPod speaker system at Play.com, and 20% off Radley bags and purses at John Lewis.

Consumer demand for discount codes has soared over the last 12 months - with online searches for discount vouchers up by over 100%. The problem to date has been that sites fail to keep their offers updated, resulting in old out of date offers and wasted time for visitors.

Discountvouchers.co.uk is updated in real time, with a dedicated team continually sourcing, checking and updating the latest offers from merchants across the UK. The result is an easy to use site that can quickly be searched by store name, latest deals, and most popular offers.

Gareth Robinson, Marketing Director for Discountvouchers.co.uk, says: “In the current economic climate it really is best practice to shop around and make the most of any discounts available. Savvy shoppers have been quick to enjoy the benefits of discount vouchers, but the problem has been that many sites featured out of date offers. The savings on Discountvouchers.co.uk are checked and updated in real time, meaning they are readily available and easy to access, making for a far better shopping experience.”

The site has been developed by web specialist ASAP Ventures, which owns a growing range of websites including leading car hire comparison site www.carrentals.co.uk; accommodation listings directory www.self-catering-breaks.com; and www.recycle.co.uk.

To get the latest discounts and offers from brands including Comet, Amazon, John Lewis, Tesco, Boots and more visit www.discountvouchers.co.uk.
/ends.

Credit Crunch Crisis? Beat the blues and make new friends with a brand new UK website

Letter Llama (www.letterllama.co.uk) is a brand new website set up as a secure environment where people all over the UK can make new friends with similar interests and write/receive proper letters on virtual notepaper. It is the result of beating depression, wanting to help others and a love of receiving letters, writes Karen Wheeler, director of Letter LLama.

When?

www.letterllama.co.uk launches on 13th January, 2009. (EDITOR: That's today, folks!)

Why?

There are two main reasons why I decided to set up this website and most people can relate to at least one of them especially with all of the doom and gloom we are bombarded with at the moment!

The first is simply that I was fed up of opening my inbox every morning to find only a mixture of spam, online bills and 1 line emails such as “Hi. You all right? We’ve got colds. Flat out at work!” Then the real post would arrive and I would spend 10 minutes opening junk mail and bills. What happened to letter writing? When you write or receive a letter, you really get to know someone and build up a mutual friendship and understanding based on what you share in your letters. It doesn’t matter if they are from the next town or the other end of the country. This is why Letter Llama combines proper letter writing on your chosen “virtual” notepaper with the speed and convenience of email. Unlike some other social networking sites, you don’t need a group of friends who are also registered to make full use of the site – fill in your profile of interests on registration and choose a selection of people with similar interests from the list of contacts the website provides for you. (Different levels of subscription apply.)

The second is a more personal story which seems increasingly relevant to others with every news bulletin I see. For me, several different events and situations conspired to leave me without any meaningful contact with friends and work colleagues.

To cut a very long story short:

- I moved 400 miles away
- I became practically housebound for 18 months through illness
- I got a job involving a lot of travelling and working at home
- I got divorced and became a single mother
- My mother passed away (as the only family member remaining)
- I suffered a severe depressible illness and had to resign

I was very lucky and had an amazingly supportive GP and while I was recovering I began to think about my situation and whether I should return to the same job. I realised that what had happened to me could happen to anyone, however successful, especially in difficult economic times. I wanted to create a way other people in these situations could build on positive experiences making new friends online through letters. Finding positives you can talk and think about is the way forward, no matter how deep you may have to dig to find them at the beginning. I vividly remember seeing a newspaper article on a waiting room table about how to be happy. The first recommendation was to have regular contact with friends. With Letter Llama you can make friends even while you are feeling less confident socially and that is what I wanted to create.

The pricing of Letter Llama subscriptions is deliberately low, because I believe strongly that it should be accessible to all and our profits should come from volume of subscriptions rather than a high price. ( £10 buys a 12 month subscription and the choice of 10 contacts, £20 buys a 12 month subscription and unlimited contacts) A gift subscription will also be available soon with a gift certificate and a llama in a box to deliver to your friend or relative.

Commuters urged to claim for week of train strain

Passengers who have suffered during a week of misery on the West Coast Main Line should claim compensation under the Passenger's Charter, Transport Minister Andrew Adonis said today.

Andrew Adonis said: "It was a nightmare week for passengers returning to work after the Christmas break, looking forward to an improved service on the West Coast line.

"I strongly urge passengers who suffered from a series of different incidents that disrupted their journeys to claim what they are entitled to. Compensation forms are available at stations, and for passengers from Euston these can also be downloaded from the Virgin and London Midland websites as appropriate."

The train company's Passenger's Charter sets out the entitlement to compensation for travel problems.

On Virgin Trains, for a delay within industry control, for example delays or cancellations caused by infrastructure or trains, passengers can claim compensation as follows:

* For a delay of an hour or more to your journey (or 45 minutes on the London-Birmingham/Wolverhampton services) passengers with single, return or weekly season tickets are entitled to vouchers equal to 25 % of the total fare paid;

* If a passenger is delayed by more than two hours they can claim the equivalent of the full fare paid;

* Monthly or annual season ticket holders could be entitled to a five per cent discount when they renew their season tickets, based on poor performance over the previous year. Virgin also has discretion to declare a day void, meaning a full refund or extension to the monthly or annual season ticket, if performance is particularly bad.

On London Midland, for a delay, whatever the cause, all passengers can claim compensation as follows:

* For a delay of from 30 to 59 minutes, all passengers are entitled to vouchers equal to 50% of the total fare paid;

* If a passenger is delayed by more than one hour, they can claim the equivalent of the full fare paid;

* If the journey is delayed by more than two hours, passengers with a return ticket will be entitled to receive 100% of the cost of the return ticket.

Claims can be made by picking up a form from a station or the train company's website (see below links) and sending it freepost to the relevant train company. The website links are:

http://feedback.virgintrains.co.uk/img/Comments_form.pdf

http://www.londonmidland.com/app/webroot/files/cache/delay%20repay%20for%20web.pdf

Killing our pets with kindness?

Findings out today show we are killing our pets with kindness. A poor diet and lack of exercise is creating an epidemic of overweight cats and dogs. Over 25 per cent of pet owners admit to overfeeding during the Christmas break and 1 in 5 owners believe their pet takes care of its own exercise. 78 per cent think their animal is the correct weight but in reality, according to Pet Psychologist, Roger Tabor, most pets are carrying excessive weight and it will affect their health in the long run.

In Edinburgh, 32 per cent of owners give their pets the greatest amount of left overs from the table, with owners in Norwich arguably the keenest to give their pet treats, with just over 37 per cent of cats and dogs receiving them over Christmas and 1 in 10 owners in the UK saving a little of what they are eating for their pets.

61 per cent of pet owners in Glasgow are more likely to buy pet food according to its nutritional content, while 40 per cent of pet owners in Cardiff are more likely to buy pet food according to price.

When it comes to keeping fit, some 30 per cent of pet owners in Plymouth have the most regimented exercise regime for their pets, with 28 per cent of pets in Edinburgh, although getting the most leftovers, are more likely to be given at least two exercise sessions a day.

The national survey, commissioned on behalf of Aldi who produce the Vitacat, Julius and Earl’s ranges for cats and dogs respectively, revealed that 78 per cent of pet owners in the UK believe that their pet is the ideal weight, with just 11 per cent asking their vet directly for advice on the best way to feed their pet. 1 in 10 people, aged between 16-24 believe their pet is overweight, but when questioned, didn’t see this as a problem.

In order to meet the nutritional requirements of today’s less active pets, Aldi offers Julius, Earl’s and Vitacat ranges, which aim to provide cats and dogs with a healthy, balanced diet. The average price for a product also gives pet owners an average 30% saving.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Aldi’s survey revealed that the percentage of people who believe their pet is at their ideal weight increases in direct proportion to the amount of exercise that their owner does, with almost 75 per cent of people who do no exercise believing that their pet is the perfect weight, compared to 86 per cent of owners who exercise 11+ hours per week.

Comments leading Pet Psychologist, Roger Tabor: “Like their owners, cats and dogs have very specific nutritional needs and require on a daily basis the right amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water. Depending on their life stage, activity level and health condition, the importance of the combination of these nutrients in their diet changes.

“It's not just humans who are getting fatter, there's an obesity crisis looming for Britain's pets too. With worrying statistics from some of Britain's most respected animal welfare authorities, such as the British Veterinary Association, indicating that our cats and dogs are now among the fattest and laziest pets in Europe, taking the least daily exercise and eating the most.”

Leading animal welfare charity the RSPCA recently launched a campaign entitled ‘Cut Out The Stuffing’ which, using the You Tube hit, ‘Simon’s Cat’ looks at the serious problem of pet obesity, claiming that one in three cats and dogs are overweight, which can lead to health problems in later life including diabetes, arthritis or in worst cases, organ failure.

Almost 20 per cent of owners in Glasgow are planning to put their pets on diets in 2009.

Adds Roger Tabor: “By encouraging our pets to take more exercise on a daily basis and feeding them a nutritionally balanced diet will help improve their health and long-term well being.”

Autumn Fair International 2009 Gets Crafty

This September sees the launch of new show sectors Craft It Yourself and British Crafts at Autumn Fair International 2009. With consumers having less disposable income, due to the current economic climate, there has been an increasing trend towards the rejection of throwaway products and a renewed emphasis on home and family life.

An example of this change in spending is highlighted by high street favourite John Lewis who has seen a 40 percent growth in the sales of craft kits year on year. And, as consumers buy into credit crunch chic online searches for sewing classes are up 60 percent. With this as a backdrop, Craft It Yourself and British Crafts will provide the perfect showcases for retailers to source craft kits and quirky one-off gifts helping them to increase their sales in this difficult economic climate.

Group Exhibition Director, Louise Young, said “Not since the heyday of Blue Peter has there been such a surge in home hobby and craft. The fashion is for items that look hand made and are not ubiquitous. This trend crosses all age groups with young fashion conscious women joining the Women’s Institute to learn home crafts to families purchasing traditional games. The trend is not necessarily about saving money or buying cheaply, as consumers are willing to pay a premium for limited and quality items. These new areas will showcase a whole range of items from make it yourself jewellery, craft kits for kids to quality hand crafted gifts.”

The new Craft It Yourself and British Crafts sections will provide an excellent platform for craft and home hobby suppliers to sell to independent retailers, department stores, online and mail order outlets – all keen to develop and expand their offering to the increasing numbers of craft consumers. Over 28,000 buyers attend Autumn Fair.

These new sectors will complement Autumn Fair International’s current Ethical, Creative and Exclusive trails, along with another new sector Speciality Food. Ethical Brands highlight the season’s largest presentation of ethically sound, fair trade and environmentally friendly products. Creative Britain offers the largest choice of contemporary products sourced from the best of British talent, whilst Exclusive highlights thousands of exciting new launches appearing at the show. Speciality Food will present gourmet gifts at a time when the biggest expenditure is placed on premium food items.

Autumn Fair International 2009 is the season’s essential transactional event, offering retailers the perfect opportunity to pick up fast moving lines for the festive season and preview exclusive product launches for 2010. With a total of over 500,000 products and 40,000 new launches, visiting provides the perfect opportunity to do business with more than 2,000 exhibitors spanning five halls at the NEC. Exhibitors will be displaying their products across the sectors of Kitchen & Dining, Home Interiors & Art, Gifts, Design-led Gifts, Toys, Jewellery & Fashion Accessories, Volume Home & Gift, Greetings & Stationery, Speciality Food, Craft It Yourself, British Crafts and Retail Services.

As well as being the biggest buying opportunity of the year, Autumn Fair International also provides buyers with vital market information to improve their performance in 2009. A range of free seminars and workshops will provide valuable advice ranging from negotiating with suppliers to making profit from the introduction of speciality food, marketing your business and expansion for growth and profit reward.

FACT FILE
Autumn Fair International 2009 is the biggest show of its type during the third quarter, and is the most important buying opportunity for retailers seeking fast moving items for the Festive season and 2010. The show runs between 6-9 September 2009 at the NEC, Birmingham (Volume Halls open one day early). Opening Times: 6th – 8th September 2009 9.00am – 6.00pm / 9th September 2009 9.00am – 4.00pm.

The show is open to trade buyers and suppliers only. Entry to Autumn Fair International is FREE for those who have pre-registered at www.autumnfair.com. Visitors must bring with them proof of trade status (e.g. business cards or letterhead). Entry to Autumn Fair International 2009 is £30 for visitors who have not pre-registered.

To register or for additional information visit www.autumnfair.com or email visit@autumnfair.com.
For information on exhibiting please contact Francesca Turner on 0207 728 4275 or email francesca.turner@emap.com

*Autumn Fair is ABC audited – 28,766 audited visitors attended Autumn Fair 2008.

Great Images, Great Looks, Great Value. From Sony

Three affordable, feature-packed new Cyber-shot™ cameras Cyber-shot™ W210 and W220

12.1 effective megapixels
Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens
Smile Shutter and Face Detection for beautiful portraits
Intelligent Scene Recognition for simplified shooting
30mm Wide angle lens for getting more into your photos
W220 colour options: silver, black, pink and blue
W210 colour options: silver, black, pink and green Cyber-shot™ S950
10.1 effective megapixels with 4x optical zoom
SteadyShot for reduced camera shake
Face Detection for beautiful portraits

Large 2.7-inch LCD

Three colour options: silver, pink, black

Three new Cyber-shot™ cameras from Sony make unforgettable images beautifully affordable. Packed with smart features like Smile Shutter and Intelligent Scene Recognition, the Cyber-shot™ W220 and W210 are your passport to gorgeous photos with more fun and less fuss. When real value counts as much as great pictures, the colourful Cyber-shot™ S950 puts unbeatable Sony quality within everyone’s reach.

Cyber-shot™ W220 and W210
The two latest additions to the stylish Cyber-shot™ W Series take the hard work out of capturing amazing images, whatever you’re doing.

Sporting a super-high resolution of 12.1 effective megapixels, the W220 and W210 feature a top-quality Carl Zeiss lens with 4x optical zoom to bring your favourite subjects closer. Both models also feature SteadyShot image stabilisation (W220: Optical SteadyShot). Coupled with high sensitivity (max ISO 3200), this reduces camera shake for crisper pictures when you’re shooting handheld without a tripod.

Smile Shutter captures more happy moments and is great fun to use, it automatically fires the shutter when someone smiles. Adjustable to prioritise children’s or adults’ smiles, it’s perfect for relaxed, informal portraits. Smile Shutter also works in conjunction with Face Detection. This fine-tunes focus, exposure, white balance and skin tones for beautiful portraits.

Both new W-Series models also feature Intelligent Scene Recognition for simpler shooting in difficult conditions. This automatically adjusts camera settings for best results in a range of commonly-encountered situations like backlit scenes or twilight portraits.

Detail-packed pictures can be enjoyed on the large, clear 2.7-inch LCD screen. High Definition slideshows with music add an extra dimension of fun to viewing your shots - either on the LCD screen or a connected BRAVIA™ television. PhotoTV HD means even more vibrant, colourful images when the camera is connected to a compatible BRAVIA™ TV (requires optional HD cable).

Cyber-shot™ S950
Available in a choice of stylish silver, pink or black finishes, the easy-to-use Cyber-shot™ S950 is your perfect introduction to the world of beautiful digital images.

Image quality stands out, thanks to a generous 10.1 effective megapixel resolution and powerful 4x zoom lens to bring your subject closer. There’s a large 2.7-inch screen for viewing your shots in comfort. First-time camera users won’t be confused by simple shooting menus and a choice of six easy-to-use Scene Selection modes. There’s also an Easy Shooting mode that simplifies operation while offering helpful on-screen instructions.

Originally introduced on high-end Cyber-shot™ models, enhanced Face Detection can track up to eight faces in a scene, fine-tuning focus and exposure for beautiful portraits. SteadyShot image stabilisation compensates for camera-shake. In tandem with a special High Sensitivity mode (max. ISO 3200), it’s the key to crisp, beautiful images – especially when you’re shooting indoors or in low light without a tripod.

All new Cyber-shot™ models include Picture Motion Browser version 4.0 (S950) and version 4.2 (W210 and W220). The latest version of Sony’s image management application simplifies sorting, viewing and searching through photos and video clips stored on your PC’s hard drive. There’s also a wide range of optional accessories available to help you get even more from your Cyber-shot™.

There have been three new designs of soft carry cases introduced to protect the main unit against scratches and dust. The first, a genuine leather case available in four colours (Black, Red, Brown & White) – LCS-CSVA. The second, a pressed leather case in a different design also in four colours (Black, Blue, Green & Pink) – LCS-CSVB and lastly a casual soft carrying case with six colour variations (Black, Green, Silver, Pink, Brown & Blue) – LCS-CSVC.

A newly developed GPS unit kit GPS-CS3KA can put geotag data on pictures taken by Cyber-shot™ , these can then be viewed on maps with Google Earth™ software and uploaded on major web sharing services. The key benefits over the previous model are higher sensitivity, built-in memory card and SD slots and an LCD display for enhanced usage.

The Cyber-shot™W210, W220 and S950 are available from next month, February 2009.

Lawyer aims to take the battle out of divorce as D-Day looms on Monday

In the run-up to D-Day on 12 January – the day when feuding couples are most likely to start divorce proceedings – a lawyer is on a mission to make people aware that there is a less stressful way to split up.

Carol Grundell, a partner with law firm DWF, is a specialist in collaborative law, a revolutionary approach which helps to ease the pain of divorce for couples and their children. The system aims to avoid costly and confrontational court battles. Instead both partners commit to settling matters out of court by working together to reach a mutual agreement with the help of their lawyers.

Whereas usually negotiations are conducted by letters or pho