BRITAIN

BMW 3 series

2008-09-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

Saxon Mill, Warwick

2008-09-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Blame it on the Weatherman

2008-09-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

B witched Blame it on the weatherman

2008-09-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

UK Flooding - West Midlands

2008-09-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

Midlands Today Flooding Opening 23/07/2007

2008-09-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Monday September 8, 2008

2008-09-09T12:49:00.002-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Friday September 5, 2008

2008-09-09T12:49:00.001-07:00

BBC News 2008 - Look North Main Bulletin

2008-09-09T12:26:00.001-07:00

BBC Look North

2008-09-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

BBC Inside Out England - Special

2008-09-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Saturday September 6, 2008

2008-09-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Sunday September 7, 2008

2008-09-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Saturday September 6, 2008

2008-09-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Monday September 8, 2008

2008-09-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

Midlands flood misery - Sunday September 7, 2008

2008-09-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Fish and chips

2008-08-27T03:16:00.001-07:00

Fish and chips is not only one of Britain’s favourite dishes - it is also the nation’s favourite smell, according to a study.

Britons judged the mouth-watering aroma of fish and chips to be even better than the scent of freshly baked bread and clean sheets.
The survey, of 3,000 people, also saw freshly cut grass, frying bacon, lemon zest and the smell of a roast dinner, in the top ten favourite smells.
Fish and chips was the overall favourite scent, but when it came to the smell that is cleanest and freshest, the majority of people rated lemon as top.
Researchers also found more than 53 per cent of people felt happy when they caught a smell of their favourite scent, while 46 per cent said it relaxes them.
Professor Tim Jacob, a scent expert at Cardiff University, said: “The sense of smell connects the deep subconscious regions of the brain and triggers different emotions and behaviours.

SOURCE: The Telegraph UK

UK Awaits Return Of Long-Lost Sun

2008-08-27T01:38:00.000-07:00

UK Awaits Return Of Long-Lost Sun

12:09pm UK, Monday August 25, 2008
British skygazers are bracing themselves for a rare meteorological phenomenon later this week when a mysterious yellow glow will appear overhead.

The sun has not set on this summer yet, experts say
It is called the sun, and forecasters are predicting that it will come out for at least a while before the summer is gone for good.
Sky News weather presenter Sarah Pennock said: "Just when you thought the summer was over, there is a hint of hope on the horizon.
"The last weekend in August promises a drier and sunnier few days with temperatures in the mid-20s for central and southern parts."
Despite some places having the wettest August on record - Northern Ireland, south east Scotland and Northumberland have all had a soaking - Pennock said some parts of the country were heading for "a cracking end to the month".
"It is definitely time to try to squeeze in one last barbecue before the kids go back to school," she said.
But it is by no means certain that the nicer weather will herald an Indian summer.
The warm spell will most likely be bracketed by cloud and showers for most parts - and some regions will be denied this better-late-than-never show of sun.
"It'll be a cloudy week for the bulk of the UK, with the best of the brightness reserved for eastern Scotland, Lincolnshire and East Anglia," Pennock said.
"As the weekend approaches, we'll see more in the way of warm, sunny days in the south east, but the far north west will still be plagued with light and patchy rain."

SOURCE: SKYNEWS

UK's Weather Turned Upsidedown

2008-08-27T01:34:00.001-07:00

4:21am UK, Wednesday August 27, 2008
One of the most northerly places in Britain has been the sunniest in the UK this month.

Lerwick was the sunniest place to be in August
Lerwick in the Shetland islands basked in 136 hours of sunshine in the first 25 days of August, according to MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association.
It had far better weather than the second sunniest place in the UK, Wittering in Cambridgeshire, which has seen 107 hours of sun for far this month.
Much of the rest of the country did not even reach 100 hours of sun.
John Hutchinson, a Meteogroup forecaster, said Shetland had been lucky to escape the bad weather which has hit the rest of the UK.
He said: "Normally the low pressure moves to the north of Scotland but the lows have been further south than normal so the worst of the weather has been across central areas of the UK.
"Lerwick has been above all the bad weather so it has had sunny spells.
"Shetland really has been fizzing above the gloom and rain that has been affecting everywhere else."
Lerwick is the only place in the UK which has seen more sun than average so far this month.
Eskdalemuir in Dumfries and Galloway has yet to reach 40 hours of sun, while many places have yet to see half their average August sunshine.

SOURCE: SKYNEWS

FRENCH CUISINE vs BRITISH CUISINE

2008-08-26T01:05:00.000-07:00

"The

French... have surrounded food with so much commentary, learning and connoisseurship as to clothe it in the vestments of civilization itself... Cooking is viewed as a major art form: innovations are celebrated and talked about as though they were phrases in the development of a style of painting or poetry... A meal at a truly great restaurant is a sort of theatre you can eat."

Richard Bernstein, The Fragile Glory

Indisputably, one of modern France's greatest treasures is its rich cuisine. The French have an ongoing love affair with food, and their reverence for time spent eating is evident in any culinary establishment nationwide. It is also manifested in the traditional family gatherings around the home dinner table, particularly the Sunday mid-day feast which is prepared lovingly over many hours and consumed leisurely through a bevy of appetizers and main courses, usually accompanied by a number of wines and often lively discussion which tends to center on political topics.
What is perhaps less widely recognized is that France's reputation for fine food is not so much based on long-held traditions but on constant change. In fact, the general expectation of good eating is a relatively new experience for the French. At the time the Bastille was stormed in 1789, at least 80% of the French population were subsistence farmers, with bread and cereals as the basis of their diet, essentially unchanged since the time of the ancient Gauls nearly two millenia before. In the mid-nineteenth century, following the demise of the aristocracy, food was a conspicuous symbol of social position, swiftly adopted by a new ruling class of bourgeoisie, who recreated the sumptuous meals of the very aristocracy they had once criticized. At the same time, two-thirds of Parisians were either starving or ill-fed, five times more likely to be nourished from vegetable proteins than from any meats or dairy products. The golden age of haute cuisine benefited only those at the very top of the social ladder.
It took a world war at the beginning of the twentieth century to halt the gross inequality of wealth at the table, and to bring about a more even distribution of the nation's produce. The advent of improved transportation, especially by train, brought culinary revolution to the regions, and slowly the spreading affluence could put a chicken on every peasant's table. Eventually, tourism fanned the flames of change in France's commercial kitchens, as chefs were obliged to create dishes appealing to an ever-widening audience of British, Japanese, Middle Easterners, and Americans, as well as French travelers hungering for new experiences. In some instances the reasons for change in regional products were a pragmatic reaction to a decline in other industries (such a silk) or to the economic disaster brought about by the Phylloxera pest, which wiped out most of France's grape vines at the turn of the century

The "French Paradox"

It is well-known that the stereotypical French meal is heavy in saturated fats; heavy creams and butter are a staple in many dishes. Despite this fact, the French populace suffers from lower incidences of cardiac disease than many other western nations, including the U.S. Much research and medical opinion seems to credit their consumption of red wines with an overall reduction in cholesterol levels (see "The French Paradox"). Whatever creedence one might place in this theory, it is a given that all French food is best accompanied by wine to be enjoyed to its fullest.
SOURCE: discover france.net

Knives out as Gordon Ramsay restaurant opens in France

2008-08-26T00:53:00.000-07:00

March 22 2008

He was skewered in New York, roasted in Ireland, and now a top French food critic has warned against his "unexciting" cooking driven by the money-making ambitions of a global brand.
But Gordon Ramsay's quest for world domination continues next week when he launches a restaurant outside Paris to "take a fucking stand" for British food.
Ramsay said he had expected to be "kicked in the nuts" at the troubled and delayed opening of his New York restaurant in 2006. The food at his recent County Wicklow venture was branded "wretched" by the Irish Times, which balked at leathery ravioli and a beignet of blue cheese that "tasted largely of ammonia".
But France, which Ramsay calls "the cradle of haute cuisine", drives an even harder bargain. The Scottish chef has created a brasserie and fine-dining restaurant at the Trianon Palace hotel near the Palace of Versailles, where he will have humorous British twists on concepts such as the English breakfast, but largely deliver his classics. He wants to win three Michelin stars in London, Paris and New York.
France's fiercest food critic, François Simon at Le Figaro, has already warned French diners not to bother. Though respectful of Ramsay as an excellent chef, he felt the dishes were no more adventurous than those by scores of French chefs. "The cream of Jerusalem artichoke with cauliflower and lardons could be tasted in any old bistro gourmand," he said.
"If Gordon Ramsay is coming to Paris, it's just to see what these 'fucking Frenchies' think of his 'fucking cuisine'," he wrote. "Why is Ramsay coming to Paris? Money," he added, cautioning against the trend for global culinary empires where the masterchef is only in town for 20 nights a year.
He said the greatest interest would come from British and American tourists visiting Versailles. Whether Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, will visit remains to be seen; their weekend retreat is a hunting lodge in the grounds of Versailles and the president is keen to stress his new special friendship with Britain.
Last year Ramsay told a British interviewer: "I've had a bellyful of the French coming over here and telling us how shit our food is. We have cheese on toast, they have croque-monsieur. They just have posher names."
Source: THE TELEGRAPH UK

Jamie Oliver launches attack on British culture

2008-08-25T23:58:00.000-07:00

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has launched an extraordinary attack on the British - portraying them as uncivilised materialists obsessed with a "culture of alcohol".
Jamie Oliver's joke was met with an uncomfortable silence by the 300-strong audience at the Edinburgh Television Festival, among them several Germans Photo: AP
The 33-year-old describes his fellow countrymen's materialistic attraction to widescreen TVs, cars, mobile phones, and - above all else - beer as being symptomatic of "the new poverty" blighting the UK.

Oliver's latest attack follows a joke he made about the Holocaust last week, when dozens of Germans complained that he was insulting them.

This time the cook, who made his name as The Naked Chef in the late 90s, has turned his fire on everything from the paucity of British cooking to binge drinking.

In an interview in the latest edition of Paris Match magazine published in French, Oliver contrasts the country with France, where old fashioned cutoms are still observed.

Oliver even claims that he had found a better range of food in African slums than in his home country, where people were more interested in getting "drunk in pubs" than eating well.

Commenting on the fact that 80 per of the British do not even bother sitting round a table for dinner any more, Oliver says: "It's true in the centre of London and in the big northern cities. It's linked to the new poverty.

"It's nothing to do with famine or war - quite the opposite. England is one of the richest countries in the world.

"The people I'm telling you about have huge TV sets - a lot bigger than mine! - they have state-of-the-art mobile phones, cars, and they go and get drunk in pubs at the weekend - their poverty shows in the way they feed themselves.

"I found the cooking of the inhabitants of the slum in Soweto in South Africa a lot more diverse than ours. It's true! I'm going to be harsh, but I think a lot of English people's food lacks heart. It's bland." When it was suggested that the English can't savour food because they drink too much, Oliver says: "It's true. Historically we've never produced wine. We have a culture of alcohol and we're more beer orientated: the only people who drink more than us are the Irish and the Scottish."

Asked by French interviewer Mariana Grepinet how British cuisine compared with French cuisine, Oliver says: "In the past British cuisine was similar to Italian cuisine nowadays, without the pasta and risotto. Steam cooking, grilled meat, herbs, spices - we used to cook fabulous dishes. It's all in the past!

"Unlike French people, and I regret it, we lost our traditions. In gastronomy, the world evolves and changes. And right in front of us, isolated from everything, you have France where nothing changes.

"It's not a judgement, it's an observation. In terms of grand restaurants, it seems to me that only one country competes with France, and that's Japan."

Significantly Oliver is planning a TV show in France. Asked what his links were with France, he says: "I don't have many. But I would like to shoot a TV programme soon.

"The French-English relationship amuses me. As neighbours, we criticise each other. We mock each other, but behind all this, we appreciate each other and we respect each other.

"I'd like to watch French women and observe them behind their ovens in their kitchens. "I'm sure that the rest of the world would love a series on French cuisine directed by an English chef! It would be crazy!" Oliver was born in Clavering, Essex, and learning to cook in his father's local pub. He is now said to be worth an estimated £25 million.

Despite his views on British culture, Olivier has always set himself up as a people's champion.

In 2005 he launched a school dinners campaign to improve the quality of food fed to pupils.

Last week Oliver told a live audience how his Jamie's Fowl Dinners show, about the treatment of intensively farmed chickens, was shown around the world.

In an apparent reference to the Holocaust, the presenter quipped that only German viewers had complained about the controversial scene in which a group of chicks was gassed in an example of cruel industry practices.

Do you agree with Jamie Oliver?
Read more here: The Telegraph uk

Military secrets missing on Ministry of Defence computer files

2008-08-25T23:56:00.000-07:00

British military secrets held in portable computer drives have gone missing, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

This year, 22 portable memory sticks containing classified information had been either stolen or lost, the MoD said.

More than 700 MoD laptops have gone missing or been stolen in the last four years.

The disclosure sparked claims that the Government has not learned from previous Whitehall information-handling blunders.

Earlier this year, an independent review of the MoD's information security systems warned that a "Facebook generation" of young officials had not learned the disciplines of the Cold War and were often careless with sensitive data.

In a written parliamentary answer, the MoD said that 131 of the department's portable USB memory sticks had been taken or misplaced since 2004.

Twenty six of the small storage devices have been lost this year. Three of those held information classified as "secret." Another 19 carried "restricted" data.

The MoD also said that between 2004 and 2007, a total of 658 laptops were stolen, and another 89 were lost. Only 32 have been recovered.

Previously the MoD had confessed to 347 laptops being stolen, but the total was raised after "anomalies in the reporting process" were discovered.

USB memory sticks are only a few inches long and easily fit in pocket, but they can store tens of thousands of computer files.

Many IT security professionals advise that their use is carefully controlled in sensitive sites, because they can easily be used either to steal copies of files.

Intelligence agencies including MI5 screen visitors to their buildings for USB sticks and tightly limit their use by staff.

The MoD figures were obtained by Sarah Teather, a Lib Dem MP.

She said: "It seems that this Government simply cannot be trusted with keeping sensitive information safe.

"It is frightening to think that secret MoD information can be lost or stolen."

Liam Fox, the Tory shadow defence secretary: "This is yet another example of the Government's inability to protect confidential information. To treat national security in such a cavalier fashion is unforgivable."

The MoD said: "Any loss of data is investigated fully.

"The recent report on data losses by Sir Edmund Burton found that MoD policies and procedures are generally fit for purpose, but also identified a number of areas where MoD needs to do better in protecting personal data.

"MoD has developed, and is now working through, an action plan to address all of the report's recommendations and bring the department's handling of personal data to an acceptable state."
Source: THE TELEGRAPH UK

Child protection database 'will be used to prosecute young people'

2008-08-25T23:46:00.000-07:00

A flagship database intended to protect every child in the country will be used by police to hunt for evidence of crime in a "shocking" extension of its original purpose, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
The £224 million computer system was announced in the wake of the death of Victoria Climbié Photo: PA
ContactPoint will include the names, ages and addresses of all 11 million under-18s in England as well as information on their parents, GPs, schools and support services such as social workers.

The £224 million computer system was announced in the wake of the death of Victoria Climbié, who was abused and then murdered after a string of missed opportunities to intervene by the authorities, as a way to connect the different services dealing with children.

It has always been portrayed as a way for professionals to find out which other agencies are working with a particular child, to make their work easier and provide a better service for young people.

However, it has now emerged that police officers, council staff, head teachers, doctors and care workers will use the records to search for evidence of criminality and wrongdoing to help them launch prosecutions against those on the database - even long after they have reached adulthood.

It comes amid growing concern about the increasing criminalisation of Britain's youth and the extent of the country's surveillance society.

Only this week a report warned that teenagers were being dragged into the criminal justice system rather than being given an old-fashioned "ticking-off", while it has also been disclosed that the DNA profiles of almost 40,000 innocent children are now being kept on the national database.

An estimated 330,000 people will have access to the data stored on ContactPoint, which is due to launch this autumn despite fears the Government's poor record on data security will mean it puts children at risk from paedophiles.

The records will be updated until children turn 18 then kept in an archive for six years before being destroyed, meaning they can be accessed until a young person reaches 24. Those who have learning difficulties or who are in care will remain on the live system until they turn 25, so their archived records will be available into their 30s.

Little-noticed guidance published by the Government discloses that ContactPoint users can request administrators to give them archived data for a number of reasons, including "for the prevention or detection of crime" and "for the prosecution of offenders".

The disclosure has led civil liberties campaigners to warn the entire database will be open for investigators to trawl for evidence that links young people to crime or anti-social behaviour.

ContactPoint will not include detailed case information on children, but will record if they have contact with a Youth Offending Team or "sensitive services" such as drug abuse workers, which critics say will mean it is obvious which young people have criminal records.

Investigators opening a ContactPoint file would be able to see at a glance where they had lived throughout their childhood, where they had gone to school, what contact they had with social services and who their parents or carers were, and use the information to link them to known gangs or areas of criminal or anti-social activity.

Baroness Miller, the Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman in the House of Lords, said: "This is truly shocking. It's exactly the definition of a police state. The police will have the details of a whole generation for so-called crime prevention.

"It raises a lot of issues and we haven't had a debate in Parliament about it."

The proposed use of ContactPoint to collect evidence will raise further fears about the extent to which citizens are being spied on by the state.

Britain has more CCTV cameras than any other country, and its local authorities are increasingly using powers designed to prevent terrorism to spy on people suspected of petty crimes such as littering and failing to pick up dog mess. Ministers are also pressing ahead with a £20 billion scheme to issue all UK residents over the age of 16 with ID cards.

The launch of ContactPoint was delayed following the loss of data discs containing 25 million child benefit records by HM Revenue & Customs last year. A review of its security - which the Government refused to publish in full - found the risk of a data breach could never be eliminated.

Because of fears that certain children, including those of MPs and celebrities as well as abuse victims, will be at particular risk, a "shield function" has been created within ContactPoint to hide their addresses.

However, the new guidance states that this can be overridden if police or social workers deem it an emergency. One of the stated reasons why this may be carried out is "an investigation of a crime toward or by the child", in a further confirmation of the intended uses of the database.

Prof Ross Anderson, an expert in security at Cambridge University, said: "This is yet another revelation about the database state that is shocking but not surprising.

"The police have always been able to look into whatever they want, but the information age changes the scale of that completely."

Phil Booth, national co-ordinator for the civil liberties campaign group No2ID, added: "Parents should know that this is not for the protection of their children, it could be used to prosecute them. This is a serious step on from what little has been told to the public."

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families insisted: "The purpose of ContactPoint is not crime detection, it is to help improve services to children, including safeguarding vulnerable children.

"To access ContactPoint for the purposes of prevention or detection of crime or for the prosecution of offenders, police would have to make a special request directly to the Secretary of State or Local Authority and make a case for disclosure."

ContactPoint will be put into use by 17 councils in the North West in October and then rolled out across the country.

SOME COMMENTS THERE:
" Simply another step in the Big Brother agenda. Next it'll be micro-chips for everyone. The Government doesn't give a toss about little kids, its a cover for extending control over us. Time to wake up Britain"

"Dear Sir,

as usual, another informative report by the Daily Telegraph, which entirely misses the point, which is;
We all know that we are way past George Orwell and 1984 and what we all need to informed off is who is responsible, their names positions and by what authority they are acting.
If the public do not know the animal they then are unable to tackle it.
So why does the Daily Telegraph not do their job and inform their readers, or are they just knobbled like most otheres and enjoy the official wine and cheese parties.
What about some good informative investigation reporting. Something your readers are starved for is the names and positions of those who in back rooms know more that the people,
Regards,"

" read that Ministers are re-negotiating with America about allowing young people with a criminal record to visit their country. This is because so many now have criminal records for trivial offences. It is not surprising that UNICEF report that children in this country have the worst quality of life of any in the western world, villified and demonised by their own society. I have a boistrous 11 year old who gets into mischeif quite often as boys do. He doesn't stand a chance of reaching 18 without a criminal record for some petty misdemeanour which would have been considered trivial a few years ago. This country has become a vile place in which to try and raise children and the Tories don't seem much better when you look at their record at local level, using terrorism laws to hound people for minor offences. The first move Boris made in London was to ban booze on the tube and he's supposed to be a libertarian. The future does not bode well for the young people of this country and there is no one to vote for if you don't like this ghastly authoritarianism"

"We now have the George Orwell 'Big Brother'Scenario. It is only a question of time before the information is in the wrong hands.What have New Labour done, with their paranoia for centralised systems, done to our once great country. They are a disgrace."

"Simply another step in the Big Brother agenda. Next it'll be micro-chips for everyone. The Government doesn't give a toss about little kids, its a cover for extending control over us. Time to wake up Britain"

source: THE TELEGRAPH UK

A million bank customers' details sold on eBay for £35

2008-08-25T23:43:00.000-07:00

Personal details of more than a million bank customers have been found on a computer sold on eBay.
26 Aug 2008

Information on American Express, NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland customers were found on the computer's hard drive.

The data includes names, addresses, mobile phone numbers, bank account numbers, sort codes, credit card numbers, mothers' maiden names and even signatures.

It comes just days after the Home Office admitted confidential information on every prisoner in the country has been lost.

And it was revealed that more than 3,200 laptops and mobile phones containing sensitive information have gone missing or have been stolen from Government departments since 2001.

The latest blunder was discovered by an IT manager who checked the hard-drive of a second hand computer he bought on internet auction site eBay.

Andrew Chapman, 56, from Oxford, said: "I couldn't believe it. In front of me was reams of extremely confidential information about thousands and thousands of people."

The computer was sold by a former employee of archive firm Graphic Data which stores the records of some of Britain's biggest financial organisations at its headquarters in Shoeburyness, Essex. A second computer has also gone missing.

Graphic Data admitted IT equipment had been removed from a security area and said it was seeking to recover it.

NatWest/RBS said they have strict procedures to ensure data security.

"Any breach of these procedures is totally unacceptable and is investigated as a matter of urgency," said a spokesman.

American Express said it was 'looking into it'.

The Information Commissioner's Office has launched an investigation.

New figures released in a series of written Parliamentary answers to MPs, has revealed the true scale of Governmental data losses in the last seven years.

The worst offender was the Ministry of Defence, which lost 994 laptops, eight mobile phones and 12 palmtop computers. Defence chiefs have admitted the devices contained some secret and classified material.

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather, who uncovered the statistics, said: "The Labour government has a disgraceful history of recklessness with personal data, showing a complete disrespect for our privacy.

"Year after year the taxpayer is footing the bill for this Government's shocking carelessness."
Source: The Telegraph uk

M25 Voted Britain's Worst Road

2008-08-22T04:01:00.001-07:00

The M25, infamous for its crashes and long tailbacks, has been voted Britain's worst road in a survey by Sky News Online.

Respondents claim the notorious 119 mile motorway around London is a "racetrack for idiots" and heavily congested.

Three more of Britain’s busiest routes were high up the list: The M1 motorway from London to Leeds, the A9 from Perth to Inverness and the A1 from London to Edinburgh.

The A537 to Buxton, known as the Cat and Fiddle, received a disproportionate number of complaints. Narrow and windy, the road has been highlighted as a danger hotspot and a "magnet for fast cars and motorbikes".

The survey of 2000 people asked which is the most dangerous road in the UK and why - three major themes echoed throughout the responses.

These related to: the speed and carelessness of other drivers; the volumes of traffic; and the merging of motorways.

One respondent said: "M25, so congested, makes normal drivers of any age see red!"

Vicki Burn from the RAC told Sky News Online it is hard to solve the dire traffic problems on the M25.

"The trouble is the more you create capacity the more cars will use it. It's a vicious circle."

She said small problems can escalate at peak times. "The slightest mishap causes great tailbacks and it can be a real nightmare if you are stuck between junctions.

But the people who look after the London Orbital insist they're doing all they can to improve drivers' journeys.

SOURCE/ READ MORE ON HERE: SKYNEWS

Britain's Worst Roads

Wine: Top ten rosés

2008-08-13T03:30:00.000-07:00

Source . telegraph ukLast Updated: 12:01am BST 08/08/2008
Versatile with food and perfect for summer, the latest rosés are fresh, vibrant and surprisingly subtle, says Jonathan Ray

Telegraph Wine Offers
Rosé sales continue to rocket. This year, it is estimated that one in every nine bottles of wine sold in the UK will be pink. Ten years ago it was nearer one in 30. Sales last year broke all records and this year they are up yet another 25 per cent. What was once seen as an irredeemably naff drink is now regarded as de rigueur.
It's that thorny chicken-and-egg thing: are we demanding more than ever before because finer rosés are now being produced, or are finer rosés now being produced because we're demanding more than ever before? Suffice to say that pink wine, once the preserve of Provence, the Loire and Portugal - anyone for Mateus Rosé? - is now being made in almost every conceivable wine region. I've had some wonderful examples recently from Italy, Spain, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia - you name it, they make it.

France, where sales of rosé are now outstripping those of white, is also fighting back, with ever-more stylish examples coming from regions that had previously been very sniffy about pink production. California, though, is the daddy, accounting for 50 per cent of all rosé sales in the UK. Its best-sellers are the rather less than wonderful Gallo, Blossom Hill and Echo Falls.

This trio apart, the new-wave rosés tend to be drier and a lot more sophisticated than of old. Rosés are made from red (in fact, black) grapes. The wines are pink rather than red because the juice spends only a short time on the grape skins and pips, from where the colour and tannin come. As a result, rosés tend to be soft, light, fresh, quaffable and rarely complex. Pink champagnes, on the other hand, are made by vinifying red and white wines separately and then mixing them.

Rosés make great aperitifs and are wonderfully versatile partners to food. Hugely enjoyable examples can be picked up for less than a fiver (though you can pay five times that for the most serious examples) and I now drink buckets of the stuff, vindicated at last.

Here are 10 current favourites. Six of them come from France, a measure of its success at producing high-quality examples at every price level.

2007 Viajero Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, 13% vol, Chile (£3.99; Lidl 0870 444 1234). Absurdly cheap, I know, but this little gem from Chile's Curicó Valley recently got the gong for Best Rosé Under £5.99 at the Quality Drink Awards. And quite right, too: it is surprisingly refreshing, with decent fruit and a savoury, bitter cherry finish. Ideal for impromptu summer get-togethers, it goes well with spicy pizzas topped with anchovies, chillies and olives.

2006/7 Fetzer Valley Oaks Syrah Rosé, 13.5% vol, California (widely available at £6.99, but reduced to £4.99 until Aug 19 at Tesco and £4.49 until Aug 24 at Co-op). From vineyards in California's Central Valley region, this wonderfully juicy 100 per cent Syrah rosé is crammed with peppery strawberry/blackberry fruit and, thanks to well-balanced acidity, is backed by a crisp dry finish. Serve well-chilled with smoked chicken and avocado salad.

2007 CVNE Rioja Rosado, 14%vol, Spain (£5.49 if you buy two as part of a mixed case; Majestic). There are some cracking rosés coming out of Spain at the moment and this is one of my favourites, especially at this discounted price. A raspberry-pink 100 per cent tempranillo from one of the best-known names in rioja, it is fresh, fruity, flavoursome and surprisingly high in alcohol. Less surprisingly, it's spot on with mixed Spanish tapas.

2007 Foncaussade Les Parcelles Rosé, 12.5% vol, France (£5.69; Waitrose). A 50-50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot from Bergerac that is awash with ripe red and dark berries. Although sweet-edged, it has a good dry finish and firm structure. Versatile, it goes as well with rare-beef sandwiches as with sushi and sashimi.

Pinot Rosa Frizzante Di Paolo (Sacchetto), 11% vol, Italy (£6.99; The Real Wine Co 01753 885619). This delight should be on everyone's picnic table: a light, fruity, thirst-quenching pinot noir sparkler from the Veneto. A delicate, beguiling pale pink, it almost doesn't count as a rosé. Enjoy it on its own, unless you have wild strawberries to hand.

2007 Rousseau Frères Touraine Noble Joué Rosé, 13.5% vol, France (£7.99 or £45 per 6 until Aug 31, quoting code TW410; Telegraph Wine 0870 066 6889). An intriguing rarity from the Loire Valley, this is a beautifully-judged full-flavoured blend of three pinot varieties: blanc, meunier and noir. With appealingly fragrant aromas on the nose and luscious juicy fruit on the palate, it is classy stuff indeed. Enjoy it with seared tuna steak and vegetable stir-fry.

2007 Château de Sours Rosé, 13% vol, France (£94.80 per dozen, reduced from £101.52 exclusively for Telegraph readers while stocks last; Private Cellar 01353 721999). A silky smooth, red berry fruit blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, this is one of the best-known, consistently fine rosés around. A very limited number of double magnums are available at £55 each and would make a striking talking point at summer parties.

Langlois Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé, 12.5% vol, France (£11.99; Oddbins). A charming salmon-pink, 100 per cent cabernet franc sparkler from Saumur in the Loire Valley. Owned by Bollinger Champagne and made in the champagne method, it is vibrantly fresh and invigorating and provides a sophisticated alternative to the more famous fizz of northern France. Ideal for summer picnics, it goes particularly well with fruit-based puddings.

2006 Château Simone Rosé, 12.5%vol, France (£22.75; Yapp Bros 01747 860423). Pricey for a rosé, but it's serious stuff: a wonderfully complex Provençal blend of grenache (mainly), mourvèdre, cinsault, syrah, carignan, cabernet sauvignon, castet, manosquin and muscat noir. Fuller-bodied that most rosés, it has spicy cherry fruit and a firm, dry finish. Enjoy it with rustic pork terrines and French bread or barbecued spare ribs.

Taittinger Prestige Rosé Brut NV, 13% vol, France (from £34.99; Majestic, Oddbins, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Thresher, Fortnum & Mason etc). A scrumptious pink champagne: the chardonnay/pinot meunier/pinot noir blend is both creamy and zesty, with hints of wild strawberries, a fine mousse and a deeply satisfying finish.
SOURCE:
Read more on Telegraph.co.UK

Bank of England slashes UK growth forecasts

2008-08-13T03:27:00.001-07:00

By Angela Monaghan
Last Updated: 11:11am BST 13/08/2008

Bank of England Governor Mervyn King has warned that next year will be a 'painful' one for Britain as the slowdown in the housing market deepens and the cost of living rises further.

Its long-awaited quarterly Inflation Report provided gloomy reading with the Bank now expecting the economy to virtually ground to a halt in the first three months of next year as the surge in petrol and utility bills eat away at consumers' spending power.

The Bank expects the economy to grow just 0.1pc in the first quarter, down from a projection of just 1pc made at its last report in May.

The downward revisions will be embarrassing for Chancellor Alistair Darling, who is still forecasting that the flagging economy will muster growth of 2pc this year and 2.5pc in 2009.

Mr King said that the outlook for both growth and inflation had deteriorated more sharply than it had expected when it published its last quarterly report in May.

"It may still be summer but there is a feeling of chill in the economic air," Mr King said at a press conference today. "This adjustment to our economy cannot be avoided. As a result, inflation is rising and growth is slowing."

If the UK does grow at such a low level, the chance of a technical recession, with two successive quarters of contraction, is significant.

Calculate your inflation rate
Inflation: How to protect yourself
The Bank also warned today that inflation is likely to hit 5pc in the coming months, rather than the 4pc peak it was expecting earlier in the year.

The Consumer Prices Index - the Government's preferred measure of inflation - rose to 4.4pc in July compared with 3.8pc in May, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed yesterday.

Sterling tumbled to almost $1.88 in reaction to the news as City traders increased bets that the Bank will eventually have to cut interest rates.

However, the Bank said today that inflation will fall below its 2pc target within two years should the Monetary Policy Committee keep interest rates at their current level of 5pc.

Last week the MPC voted to hold rates at 5pc as it grapples with the twin threat of inflation, which is squeezing disposable incomes, and the economic slowdown.

Unemployment figures today delivered the Bank a sharp reminder of the slowdown, with the number of Britons claiming benefits rising in July for the six month in a row.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Cancer Rates 20% Higher In North

2008-08-13T02:07:00.000-07:00

People living in the North of England have a 20% higher chance of dying from cancer than those living elsewhere, a report has revealed.

The North has higher rates of cancer

Higher rates of smoking and factors such as deprivation are likely to be behind the increased risk, researchers said.

The figures, for 2005, showed there were 68 deaths per 100,000 men from lung cancer in the North compared with an average of 51 deaths across the whole of England.

Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire had the lowest rate of deaths from lung cancer, with around 36 men in every 100,000 dying from the disease.

The data was contained in the first report produced by the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN). It collects data on deaths from 30 cancer networks covering the whole of England.

Cancer deaths overall were lowest in the South of England and the Midlands.

Prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease in men across each of the 30 cancer networks.

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Breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women across the whole of the country, although rates were higher in the South than the North.

Women were more likely to die from lung cancer if they lived in the North but breast cancer if they lived in the South.

Professor David Forman, from the University of Leeds, who is an information and analysis lead for the NCIN, said: "These figures show us that some of the past trends aren't changing - cancer death rates remain higher in the North than the rest of England.

"The emergence of prostate cancer, ahead of lung cancer, as the most common cancer in men is, however, a relatively new development and could be due to a combination of a general decline in smoking rates among men and a greater awareness of prostate cancer, leading to more men asking their doctor for a test."

Source: SKY NEWS

Exploring The North South Divide

2008-08-13T02:05:00.000-07:00

11:41am UK, Wednesday February 27, 2008

Gerard Tubb, North of England correspondent

The border towns of Alnwick and Kelso are very similar. They are almost the same size and share roughly the same employment levels and average household income.

But differences in public spending in Scotland and England mean a family could be thousands of pounds out of pocket just because the live the wrong side of the River Tweed.

Due to a historical quirk that was supposed to have been ironed out years ago, Edinburgh's devolved parliament gets £1,500 more from the public purse per head of population.

The main impact of the extra cash is felt in university education and care for the elderly, so we compared the cost to two similar families, one in each town.

Fiona Stanley spends much of the week in Alnwick without partner Andrew - he's working in London to fund university tuition fees for their three children, which would top £27,000 even at today's levels.

All elderly care is means tested in England, so six months part-time care at home for a relative with savings could add another £3,000.

In Kelso, the Berrett family would pay just £7,000 for their three children's university education at today's levels and elderly care at home is free for everyone, so they would 'save' £23,000 just by living in Scotland.

The so-called Barnett formula is blamed for the inequality in public spending, and even its creator has called for it to be reformed.

But political commentators say it would be a brave Westminster government that cut spending in Scotland in case it provided ammunition for those calling for independence.

:: Sky correspondents Gerard Tubb and James Matthews will be reporting live on the issue from Alnwick and Edinburgh this Saturday.

Source: SKY NEWS

Northerners Urged To Move South

2008-08-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

Source:SKY NEWS 13/08/2008
6:25am UK, Wednesday August 13, 2008

Northerners should move to the South East if they want to improve their quality of life because regeneration policies in the North are doomed, a radical report has claimed.

Regeneration policies in cities including Manchester 'are failing'

Think tank Policy Exchange said a mass internal migration was the only solution to a decade of failed efforts to revive cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

Admitting that their findings might be seen as "plain barmy", the report authors said that coastal cities like Liverpool and Sunderland had "lost much of their raison d'etre" with the decline of shipping.

These places had "little prospect of offering their residents the standard of living to which they aspire", the report added.

"No one is suggesting that residents should be forced to move, but we do argue that they should be told the reality of the position: regeneration, in the sense of convergence, will not happen, because it is not possible," it concluded.

It also argued that the university cities of Oxford and Cambridge were well placed to become the economic power-houses of the 21st century and should be expanded dramatically, like Liverpool and Manchester expanded in the 19th century.

The authors included Tim Leunig, a lecturer in economic history at the London School of Economics, who said: "No doubt some people will claim that these proposals are unworkable, unreasonable and perhaps plain barmy.

"But the issue is clear: current regeneration policies are failing the very people they are supposed to be helping and there is no evidence that the trend will be reversed without radical changes. Internal migration has always been an important part of a dynamic economy."

Report urges move south

He went on: "For the last decade British politics has been dominated by ministers who represent poorer urban areas and the New Labour government has invested heavily in urban regeneration.

"A future Conservative administration more representative of suburbs and the South would most probably have a very different set of priorities."

The Government rejected the findings of the report.

"No Government has done more to turn around decades of neglect, and since 1997 cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle have benefited from thousands of new jobs, lower crime rates and better living standards thanks to our sustained
commitment to regeneration, and investment in public services," said a Communities and Local Government spokesperson.

"It's alarming that this 'think tank' is labelling our great cities as 'beyond revival' and arguing that we should target less effort on them, when those areas that have received regeneration funding have shown the greatest improvements."

The Conservatives said the report did not reflect party policy.

Source/ Sky NEWS

3 DOORS DOWN

2008-08-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Landing

2008-08-12T09:43:00.001-07:00

Britons and NHS

2008-08-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Hepatitis test results can easily be misread

SOURCE/ SKY NEWS

A survey published today shows that more than two thirds of doctors do not know how to read hepatitis C test results.

That means that as many of 90% of sufferers do not even know they are ill.

Catherine Ridgeway contracted the virus as a baby but despite displaying symptoms went undiagnosed for decades.

Hepatitis Factbox
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that infects liver cells
It was discovered in the 1980s
There are an around 200 million people worldwide infected
Around 20% will naturally clear the virus - the other 80% experience long-term affects
Hepatitis C is know as a 'silent epidemic' because its symptoms do not always show and when they do they can be misinterpreted by doctors

"My GP used to test me for diabetes and anaemia, but I knew it wasn't either of those because the blood tests always showed up negative," she said.

"I was shocked, but I also felt relief because I'd always suffered illness as a child and I knew I wasn't normal, like my friends."

Hepatitus C is a chronic, potentially fatal liver virus which is transmitted through blood or blood products, but can be passed on by sharing razors or toothbrushes.

Patients can live for years without suffering symptoms, meaning the illness goes undiagnosed, and can be passed on unwittingly.

Symptons of hepatitis C include weight loss, fatigue, nausea and tiredness.

"We do have to do more," said Charles Gore of the Hepatitis C Trust.

"The reason we have to do more is that we're going to have profound consequences.

"First of all on the NHS, which is going to have to spend a great deal of money managing people with liver disease.

"And then for the individuals who are going to die, and lots of them, just because somebody didn't offer them a test."

He added: "More must be done to equip GPs with the right information so they can correctly identify those who should be offered a hepatitis C test and interpret any result correctly."

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C but treatment can provide a cure in over half of patients.

It is a major cause of chronic liver disease in the UK, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
SOURCE: SKY NEWS

Britons abroad

2008-08-12T04:07:00.001-07:00

Article from MSN UK

Bad behaviour by Britons abroad has seen a soaring number of arrests in Spain and France, Foreign Office (FO) figures have confirmed.

Britons on foreign trips have also particularly fallen foul of the authorities in Cyprus, the USA and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the FO statistics showed.

Based on figures covering the period April 2006 to March 2007, the FO statistics showed that 2,032 Britons were arrested in Spain - 32% more than in 2005/06 and the highest number of any country visited.

Based on the number of Britons travelling to a particular country, the likeliest destination to be arrested was Cyprus, followed by the USA and UAE.

The FO said that many of the arrests abroad were due to "behaviour caused by excessive drinking" while many of the hospital stays in Thailand were the result of motorbike accidents.

Also, a number of UAE arrests were due to the area's zero-tolerance policy on drugs which affected Britons transiting the UAE on the way elsewhere.

In a separate survey, two thirds of British holidaymakers said they would be spending less on their foreign holiday preparations this year due to the credit crunch.

This has prompted concerns that people will opt out of getting comprehensive travel insurance, adding potential financial ruin to the trauma of experiencing a serious problem abroad.

Foreign Office minister Meg Munn said: "This report highlights what can go wrong on holiday. It is a reminder to all that taking out comprehensive travel insurance is a crucial part of your holiday planning and not something that should be sacrificed in order to save a few pounds.

"Helping British nationals in distress overseas is one of our most important tasks but many of the problems faced by holidaymakers are preventable. By carrying out some simple research on the laws, customs and health requirements of a country in advance, many people could prevent their holidays being ruined."
SOURCE/ MSN UK

Ideas with Impact

2008-08-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

Ideas with Impact

Outlook 'worse than predicted'

2008-08-10T23:55:00.000-07:00

The UK's largest employers' organisation has said the downturn in the UK economy was worse than previously thought and warned of "uncomfortable" times ahead.

Business body CBI told members that there was "no doubt that the mood has darkened in the last two or three months" and admitted that its initial growth estimates were over-optimistic.

Richard Lambert, director general of the CBI, said in a letter to members that the economy's growth prospects for next year and into 2010 "look no better than anaemic".

It has already cut its forecasts for growth in 2009 from 1% to 0.4%.

The U-turn on its economic outlook came as it said the credit crunch had turned out to be bigger and more prolonged than first feared, while inflation has also soared higher than predicted.

"A year ago, it seemed reasonable to hope that the worst would be over by now. This has turned out not to be the case," wrote Mr Lambert.

He added it was now clear that "the CBI, along with most other forecasters, has been consistently over-optimistic about the economic outlook over the past 12 months".

The CBI's downbeat assessment of the UK's economic prospects comes just days ahead of the official inflation figures for July and the Bank of England's latest quarterly inflation report, both of which are expected to make for grim reading.

Economists are expecting the Consumer Prices Index - the official measure of inflation - to have soared past 4% last month, up from 3.8% in June.

Predictions are for CPI to race towards the 5% mark this autumn as energy firms such as British Gas and EDF hike gas and electricity prices.
source : msn uk

The return of Victorian diseases

2008-07-10T03:23:00.000-07:00

Illnesses such as tuberculosis, rickets and gout may summon visions of filthy street urchins and extravagant Victorian poets, but doctors are warning that old-fashioned afflictions such as these may be making a comeback.

Recent research has shown that there are a number of conditions associated with a bygone age that are reappearing and even flourishing in 21st century Britain.

The primary causes have not changed much since Charles Dickens wrote about the sufferings of the poor over 150 years ago, but new factors have emerged, such as immigration, rising obesity rates and the decision of some parents not to give their children the controversial measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

We bring you the latest on the Victorian diseases that, despite a century of medical breakthroughs, just refuse to go away.

Consumption
Tuberculosis (TB), also referred to as consumption, is a disease of the lungs which causes fever, weight loss, chronic coughing, fatigue and sweating. TB was rampant in the 19th century; almost 25% of deaths were caused by the disease and urban inhabitants lived in fear of developing the tell-tale symptoms.

Why is it coming back?
Effective antibiotics and a national screening programme (remember your BCG jab at school?) all but eradicated TB in this country, but now cases are on the rise. In 2000, 6,323 cases were reported in Britain, but by 2006 the number had increased to 8,113 and experts say that figure has risen again by 10% in the last year. Worldwide, there are now more people with TB than there were in 1950.

Experts say that immigration is partly to blame; infection rates are highest among arrivals from Africa where the disease is common, but low standards of living and poverty also contribute.

What can you do to avoid it?
The national BCG programme has been stopped, but children living in high risk areas can still receive the vaccine. If you are travelling to a country with high rates of the disease, make sure you get vaccinated before you go. Exercise lots, eat a healthy diet and see a doctor if you have a cough for longer than three weeks.
Rickets

What is it?
Common in Victorian Britain, rickets affected children who suffered from a lack of vitamin D, which is needed to maintain healthy bones and joints and is absorbed into the body through food such as oily fish and through the skin via sunlight. The deficiency causes aches and pains in the bones and joints and leaves sufferers with bow legs.

Why is it coming back?
Once again, we really thought we had the better of rickets in this country, but recent research suggests otherwise. Studies carried out in Birmingham and Bradford found that the condition is returning at an alarming rate, particularly in cities and built-up areas.

Researchers at Birmingham Children’s Hospital found dozens of victims under the age of five in one short period. Meanwhile, children under the age of two in Bradford are now given a free vitamin D supplement after a study discovered that 300 youngsters in the city were deficient in the nutrient.

Most UK sufferers are from black or Asian families as dark skin is more resistant to sunlight.

What can you do to avoid it?
Eat plenty of dairy, oily fish and get lots of sun.
Gout

(Image © Rex Features)

What is it?
Unlike most Victorian afflictions, gout did not traditionally target the poor. The disease was instead most commonly associated with the wealthy population, who could afford to overindulge in wine and rich food. Gout is caused by a build up of uric acid on the joints and tissue, causing them to swell and become painful, most commonly in the big toe and lower limbs.

Why is it coming back?
Gout is no longer the ‘Affliction of kings’. The obesity epidemic has brought it to the masses, with around 250,000 people in the UK suffering from the condition. Diets high in red meat and binge drinking have led to the spread of gout, yet the vast majority of people are unaware that the condition still exists, or that they might have it.

What can you do to avoid it?
Don’t drink too much alcohol and cut down on rich food such as red meat. US and Canadian researchers also found that two or more fizzy drinks a day can significantly raise the risk of developing gout, so lay off these as well.

Measles

What is it?
Measles is one of the most contagious and lethal children’s diseases and claimed countless lives in the Victorian era due to cramped housing. Fever, coughing and rash would often lead to complications resulting in death.

Why is it coming back?
Numerous outbreaks, most recently in South London where 500 people, mostly children, caught the disease, suggest that earlier predictions by doctors have come true: measles is back.

This is largely down to parents choosing not to give their children the MMR jab. Ideally, 90% of children need to be given the injection to prevent the disease spreading, but in some areas numbers fall way short of this figure.

What can you do to avoid it?
Easy – get your child immunised.

Mumps

(Image © Rex Features)

What is it?
Another common childhood illness, mumps spreads via airborne droplets from the nose or mouth. Even though it is not as contagious as measles, the condition killed many living in, once again, cramped conditions.

Why is it coming back?
Again, the disease has returned because of the rebellion against the MMR jab, but mumps also spread easily amongst students who were too old to benefit from the immunisation programme. For example, there were more than 3,000 cases of mumps in Wales in 2005. In 2001 there were just 72. This rise mirrors what is happening across the UK.

What can you do to avoid it?
You don’t have to be a child to get the MMR jab – the Welsh assembly has urged people aged 11-25 to receive the vaccine.

Syphilis

What is it?
If you believe US researchers, then you can blame Christopher Columbus for bringing syphilis to Europe. But whatever its origins, syphilis hasn’t gone away. The condition, which spread like wildfire in the Victorian era, is transmitted sexually or from mother to child and the condition can lead to flu-like symptoms, followed eventually by insanity, heart problems and possibly death.

Why is it coming back?
Just a decade ago syphilis was practically non-existent in this country, but since then numbers have increased alarmingly. The number of men with the condition has gone up by more than 2000%, while for women the figure is 870%. The reason? Unprotected sex.
READ MORE ON MSN UK

Imagine by John Lennon

2008-06-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall

2008-06-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

British Monthly outgoings 'soar 26%'

2008-06-20T00:43:00.000-07:00

Consumers have seen their monthly outgoings soar by 26% during the past two years driven by higher housing and energy costs, research has shown.

The amount people spend on bills and living costs has soared from an average of £945 in June 2006 to £1,281 now, according to insurer Combined Insurance.

Consumers are spending around a third more on rent and mortgages than they were two years ago, with rents rising by an average of 30% and mortgage repayments jumping by 33%.

At the same time households claim they are spending about 32% more on gas and electricity at an average of £90 a month, while other everyday bills such as television subscriptions and water rates have risen by 30%.

Council tax has increased by 22% during the past two years to average £90 a month, while car running costs are 34% higher and spending on food has risen by 20%

Families with children have been particularly hard hit, with their average expenditure on child care soaring by 77% during the past two years, while other spending on children, such as clothes, has risen by 37%.

But there are areas where people have cut back on their spending, with households now spending about 8% less on insurance than they were in 2006, while telephone and broadband costs have fallen by 7%.

Nigel Brittle, director of Combined Insurance, said: "The many cost of living hikes are taking their toll on the monthly budget and many Britons are living on the edge with their finances."

YouGov questioned 1,983 people during May.

SOURCE:MSN UK

Scotland

2008-06-17T00:10:00.000-07:00

picture 2 source: http://bouchard.blogvie.com/2008/06/10/sir-sean-connery/
picture 1:http://www.englandism.com/latest_news.htm

This comment is from http://www.newsweek.com/id/141448?from=rss:

**Comment: Gordon Brown is a Scot, on of the reasons for his selection as Prime Minister to the United Kingdom was to keep the Scotland from seprating from the U. K. According to the explanation of some Britions, it is so happened that Gordon Brown was strolling along Downing Street, and at "Number 10" he met Merlin. With the touch of his magic wand Gordon Brown became Prime Minister. For this he may have prevented the Scotland for becoming independent from the UK. I think the reason why Great Britain need to have Scotland is similar to what George W. Bush's explanation of why he is invading Iraq. For liberty, justice, freedom and democracy? Or to defeat Osama or Obama what's the difference? He was actually going after the petroleum reserve in Iraq.Scotland is controlling the largest portion of the North Sea petroleum reserve. Without Scotland, the English will have to pay more $20 USD for a gallon or whatever equivalent to GBP/litre doubling the current $9 USD per gallon. Also, imagine what will happen if the United Kingdom loses Scotland:

(1) She will be called Ununited Kingdom,

(2) Her police headquarters will be called "England Yard" instead of Scotland Yard.

(3) The "Union Jack" will be missing one color and call "Union Jill".

(4) The Queen cannot call her husband Duke of Edingburgh but have to call him Duke of Yorkshire,except he is not fat enough.

(5) The male members of the Royal Family will no longer wear skirts.

(6) The English will not drink Scotch.

(7) James Bond 007 will have to work for Scotland.It will be a disaster for both Scotalnd and England. So I sincerely urge the United Kingdom to keep on being united! See what the dungeon and dragon have done to British politic? ** read about the source in Newsweek

Chipped bins schemes

2008-06-16T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Government said pilot schemes testing micro-chipped wheelie bins will go ahead even though one council which tried out the technology scrapped it after it "failed to work".

The micro-chips enable bins to be weighed by the refuse lorry so the amount each household recycles and throws away can be assessed.

South Norfolk Council became the first in England to use the micro-chipped bins which it introduced in 2002 but scrapped the initiative following technology problems.

The Tory-run authority blamed a combination of electrical, data, mechanical and hydraulic faults.

Council leader John Fuller said: "A system that sounded good on paper in London failed to work at 7.30am on a cold and wet Monday in December in South Norfolk. It was time to bin the technology."

The council paid for the scheme using government grants of more than £1 million but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stressed that it was not a pilot scheme and the council had chosen how to spend the grant.

"They were given Government grants to expand their recycling service and they choose with their own free will how to use it," a Defra spokeswoman said.

"If something doesn't work for a local authority, we think it's right for them to drop it. Systems don't work equally everywhere. They wanted to try it and they decided to stop it. That's their decision."

She added: "We haven't even passed the legislation to enable pilots to take place. The earliest pilots will start is April next year, after legislation is passed and authorities are asked to come forward."
Five pilot areas are in line be chosen for the scheme.

Blairism

2008-06-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

Blair's life in politics, in his own words.

Tony Blair asks 'Why does faith matter?'

Former British PM Tony Blair Becomes Catholic

Tony Blair for EU President

UK recent history : Thatcherism

2008-06-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy
Targeting state-owned industries
The economics of coal
Breaking the miners' strike
Socialism turned back
Watch all of Commanding Heights at PBS.org

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandinghei...

A divided United Kingdom in conflict under a Conservative government during the 1980's.

Battle 4 Brixton pt1 of 6
April 11th 2008 sees the 27th anniversary of the Brixton Riots. The Battle for Brixton was a pitched battle, fought between disgruntled youth, members the community, the police and anyone who represented "the system". Witness this history as told by those who were on the front line.
Coverage of the 1990 riots in London against Margeret Thatcher's introduction of "poll tax". A peaceful demonstration turns into a major riot

The Battle of Orgreave

2008-06-16T12:47:00.001-07:00

Signs Your Sweetie May Cheat!

2008-06-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Signs Your Sweetie May Cheat!

Gilda Carle

Most of us – even the not so jealous types—know that feeling of, “Is my sweetheart really working late…or could this person be two-timing me?” I’ve counseled many individuals dealing with this concern, so let me share my knowledge with you about the signs that someone is cheating (or seriously contemplating it). Use this information and insight – and either stop worrying or have a serious talk with your partner!

Sign 1: Your sweetie keeps you a secret from his/her family & friends

Cheaters keep you in the dark while they play in the light. Your relationship won’t work if you’re getting what I call the Shadow Treatment. The Shadow Treatment means that you are often kept waiting in the wings, while your mate is out socializing. Think about it: Are there gatherings of friends, family reunions or workplace parties that you are not invited to? Do you only meet some of your honey’s network of friends? If you are kept on the sidelines, there’s probably a good reason. Maybe your sweetie is on the prowl for someone else. Or perhaps there is already someone else and so your role in his or her life can’t be made public. Anytime you are kept on the fringes once you believe you are an exclusive couple, be suspicious. And know that the only way to end Shadow Treatment is to stop accepting it. Once you challenge it, you will either be fully accepted in your sweetheart’s life…or know it’s time to leave.

Sign 2: Your sweetie is emotionally absent

Cheaters conceal their emotional whereabouts so they can be evasive about their physical whereabouts. Love is exhausting when you have to pry the truth out of a partner.
Consider this story: After enjoying a platonic friendship for a decade, Margaret and Roy began dating. Roy was a traveling sales manager. While he was on the road, Margaret heard from him only occasionally. But he continued to say he wanted to spend more time with her—which he never did. Margaret was obviously a low priority for him. She was shocked to learn he had another girlfriend across the country.
An emotionally absent partner may say what you want to hear, but will not change his or her actions—unless he or she wants to. Saying the right thing and doing the right thing are very different. If your honey talks a good game about spending more time with you and paying more attention to you but never delivers—look out! This person may be juggling multiple relationships.

Sign 3: Your sweetie says he or she wants a no-strings-attached romance

If someone says, “I don’t want a commitment,” take them at his or her word. Don’t fall into that “I’ll be the one to change all that!” trap. Cheaters rebel against control and might even have an affair to spite a partner who wants to rein them in.
Too often people ignore the clear message a potential date sends them. If someone tells you, “I’m not into serious relationships,” “I won’t give up my freedom,” “I’m not ready to settle down,” or anything resembling that, take a giant step back! He or she is clearly telling you, “I want to play the field.” If you pursue the person anyway, hoping for an exclusive relationship, you may find yourself two-timed and broken-hearted. Never push people into a situation they don’t want to be in. Never pursue a committed relationship with someone who tells you he or she doesn’t want one.

Sign 4: Your sweetie admits to cheating on exes—and justifies the betrayals

Cheaters rationalise their behaviour to let themselves off the hook. The way they justify their actions tells much about their character.
Listen to the excuses for past cheating your sweetie uses. Here are a couple I’ve heard from clients in my therapy practice over the years:
• “My ex was abusive because of a drinking problem, so I deserved to see someone kinder on the side.”
• “My father cheated on my mum, so cheating on my girlfriend is how I’m working through my past.”

Everyone has a tale to tell. But are these rationalizations—or any rationalizations-- acceptable to you? A person who admits to infidelities in the past and explains them away has a good chance of straying again. He or she has not taken responsibility for past actions, nor worked through the issues involved.

Sign 5: Your sweetie has never been without a mate

Cheaters won’t ride solo…ever! Leaving one romance and hopping into a new one--or having simultaneous affairs at once--doesn’t leave time for assessing whatever went wrong. They don’t bother with introspection; their focus is squarely set on pulling new people into their orbit.
If you are dating a person who shares a romantic history that always involves finding a new partner before breaking up with the current partner, take heed. This person may think of their mates only as void-fillers. Filling a void is never a basis for lasting love.

Sign 6: Your sweetie tells lies about little things

Cheaters lie about everything, which leads you to question their truth from their fiction. When the need to embroider overshadows the desire to be honest, the relationship becomes a sham.
Craig’s friend set him up on a blind date with divorcee, Alice, who was a top attorney in town, with no children. Each time they were together, Alice described her interesting caseload. Craig was fascinated--and falling hard. He was so caught up in her charismatic personality that he chose not to focus on the fact that some of her stories contradicted themselves, and that Alice seemed to change certain details as she got further into her story sharing. One day, the local newspaper featured someone who had been indicted for impersonating an attorney. He was shocked to find that it was Alice, and that she was a wife and mother, as well! Alice had lied to both Craig and his friend.
If you are dating someone who seems to be untruthful about mundane topics – where he or she had lunch, what he or she is doing on Sunday morning—take note. The lies probably run deep.

As my Gilda-Gram warns, “Without truth, there is no love.”

Sign 7: Your sweetie brags about his or her sex appeal

Cheaters are insecure, and need to attract constant attention on the side. They flaunt their popularity in attempts to boost their own low self-esteem. Let me give you an example: Marilyn met a “hot guy” on a singles cruise, and the pair became inseparable for the week. When they returned home, they spoke to each other constantly. He sent her a plane ticket to visit him. While together, Hot Guy boasted that he was his town’s “go-to” guy for all the lonely women. Instead of Marilyn reading that as a sign to stay away, she interpreted his description of himself as “cute.”
Visiting her two weeks later, he said he was available throughout the week—except for a lunch date he had with a woman he had just met. Marilyn found that peculiar, but said nothing. After a dinner party, he detailed how many women had come on to him. Marilyn began feeling disrespected and put down. Finally, after crying herself to sleep, she told Hot Guy he was too hot for her.

If a partner boasts how in demand he or she is, recognize how insecure he or she really is—and steer clear. This person probably needs more ego-stroking than any one person can provide…and will look where he or she has to in order to find it.
So now you know the signs that indicate that maybe your sweetie isn’t such a sweetie after all.

Life and love are all about learning. Remember this Gilda-Gram: “Everyone who touches you, teaches you.” Instead of getting bummed out about a cheater who stole your heart, think of what you learned, and how your experience got you to grow. Your new insight will arm you to attract someone more trustworthy in the future.

Source: msn uk

Queen dons a headscarf for Mosque visit/Have the Brits gone mad ?

2008-06-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

The Queen made a rare visit to a mosque yesterday, donning a headscarf alongside the wife of Turkey’s President to tour the crypt and caverns of an historic Islamic shrine.

It was also the first formal solo outing for Hayrünnisa Gül, the country’s controversial “first lady”, who accompanied the Queen around the Green Mosque and tomb of Sultan Mehmet I on the second day of the Queen’s state visit to Turkey.
Mrs Gül wore the full Turkish headscarf while the royal hairline was hidden by a piece of chiffon. Mrs Gül is the first presidential wife to wear the scarf, infuriating generals and establishment leaders desperate to maintain the nation’s secular character.

The Green Mosque is one of a tiny number to be visited by the Queen during her 55-year reign. The gesture will be appreciated by many in Turkey as the country, a secular state with a resolutely Muslim population, tries to persuade Western neighbours that Islam and EU membership can coexist.

Multiculturalism and -----------in Britain

2008-06-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Multiculturalism and ----------------in Britain

2008-06-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

How To Save A Life

2008-06-13T16:00:00.001-07:00

Is Britain in moral decline?

2008-06-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Source: The Telegraph
There's a crisis on our streets, especially in London, and it has nothing to do with the cost of housing. As the blame game is played out between ministers and bankers over why mortgages are suddenly much more expensive, the price of life in parts of Britain's inner cities has hit rock bottom.

Forget, for a moment, that the property market is dying, and look instead at the number of murders through unprovoked attacks by amoral teenagers demanding a perverse "respect". While we obsess about a rise in payments to the building society, the society we have built is falling apart.

Comedy

2008-06-12T01:51:00.000-07:00

The Koh-i-noor Diamond

2008-06-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

In April 2002, a few days after the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, her crown was taken from behind its ultra-high-security armoured glass in the Tower of London and carried in open view through the streets of London, surmounting her coffin as it processed from St James's Palace to Westminster Hall. It remained there during her Lying-in-State as members of the public filed past to pay their last respects to the Queen Mother, the last Empress of India.

Interestingly enough, she had only ever worn this crown once, 65 years earlier, at the Coronation of herself and her husband, King George VI, in 1937. The largest and most important jewel in this crown is the priceless Koh-i-noor Diamond, which had been presented to Queen Victoria by Lord Dalhousie in June 1850. This followed the British annexation of the Punjab, India, after the British had defeated the Sikhs. From that date the diamond became part of the British Crown Jewels.

The Origins of the Koh-i-noor

Some say that the Koh-i-noor was originally found more than 5000 years ago, and is mentioned in ancient Sanskrit writings. Devout Hindus claim that it was once worn by the great god Krishna, but was stolen from him as he lay sleeping. By contrast, another source has it that the diamond was discovered in a river bed in 3200 BC. The first reliable evidence of it, however, is in the writings of Babur, the founder of the Mogul Empire, who names this diamond as part of the treasure won by Ala-ud-deen (Aladdin) at the conquest of Malwah in 1304 AD. The Moguls acquired the diamond in 1526.

At that time it was said to weigh 793 carats, but through some incredibly ham-fisted cutting and polishing by a jeweller named Borgio it was reduced to 186 carats. Borgio had been working on it for years, but so enraged was Aurungzebe (the Emperor at the time) at the result that he confiscated all Borgio's worldly goods and contemplated executing him as well.

How the Koh-i-noor Got Its Name

The Koh-i-noor remained with the Mogul emperors until 1739, when Nadir Shah of Persia, the conqueror of India, got hold of it after laying siege to Delhi. According to legend it was a member of the harem of the Mogul Emperor Mohammed Shah who told Nadir Shah that the jewel was kept hidden in the Emperor's turban. So, at a victory celebration, Nadir used a cunning ploy. He suggested that he and the Emperor partake in a well-known Oriental custom whereby the two leaders would exchange turbans. This would symbolise their close ties and eternal friendship. For the Mogul to refuse would have been a great insult to the conqueror. Later that night, when Nadir Shah unfolded his host's turban he duly found the gem, and cried out 'Koh-i-noor', which means 'mountain of light'. Nadir Shah then brought the jewel back with him to Persia.

From Persia to Afghanistan to India

After the death of Nadir Shah the Koh-i-noor came through devious means into the possession of Ahmed Shah, the Lord of the Royal Treasury and an Afghan chief. Then Ahmed Shah, after a series of long and fierce battles, established himself in Kabul as King of Afghanistan, and held on to 'the great diamond' as a symbol of his authority. Through various subsequent upheavals and rebellions the diamond came back into the possession of the Indian princes, until the annexation of the Punjab secured it for the British.

The British

The British colonial officials found the Koh-i-noor in 1849, in the treasury of the Punjabi capital, Lahore. They confiscated everything they found in the treasury as compensation for having to fight against the Sikh army, who didn't think much of the British claims to power in India.

Sir John Lawrence, Governor General of India, used to tell the story of how the Sikhs handed the diamond to him in a plain old battered tin box, which he then forgot about. Weeks later London was asking him if he had any idea where the diamond was. He replied in the negative. Then came a second, more urgent letter, in which London expressed a desire to present the jewel to the Queen. Following another negative reply, the Prime Minister himself, Lord Palmerston, sent a plea. Sir John searched high and low but couldn't find it, until one of his servants remembered there was 'a bit of glass in an old tin box'. Luckily the servant was the sort of person who never throws anything away, and eventually discovered it in the tool-shed. There it was, not even wrapped - the most famous gem of India, the fabled Koh-i-noor, the 'Mountain of Light', the jewel to die for (and very many unfortunate people had done just that). And Lawrence didn't have the faintest idea what it was.

The Curse of the Koh-i-noor

The British were rather disappointed at the lack of 'fire' in the diamond, and so they decided it should be re-cut to make it more brilliant. This further reduced it from 186 carats to its present size of just under 109 carats. Over centuries of murder and mayhem, brutality and torture - not to mention deceit and duplicity - the stone had long carried with it a curse that misfortune would always befall its owner, though any woman wearing it would remain unharmed. There was some talk of whether Queen Victoria would return the stone because of the curse. Defiant as always, however, she was adamant it should instead be re-cut and set in a tiara along with over 2000 other royal diamonds.

In 1911 a new crown was made for the coronation of Queen Mary, with the Koh-i-noor at its centre. Then in 1937 the stone was transferred to another new crown, this time for the coronation of Elizabeth (later to become the Queen Mother) as Queen Consort and Empress of India.

Read more about this and the Conflicting Claims

This is A DTC FILM: the animated story of the world's most famous kohinoor diamond, that begins in a prehistoric volcano near golconda in south india, moving up from ancient mine slave to his master and the first ever recorded owner was mahlak deo, the raja of malwa in the year 1305 and so on, down the mughal dynasty, the persian empire, the sikh rulers, the queen of the british empire, playing musical chairs down her long family tree and finally ending up at the tower of london, where the kohinoor is on display today. the animation style used is inspired by ancient indian cave art that used simple lines with dramatic punctuations to illustrate the high points.the story of a diamond that lives beyond every one of its owners, beyond generations, beyond family trees, beyond empires and beyond millenniums. a diamond is forever.

In God's Name

2008-06-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

Dispatches: In God's Name

Channel 4 Monday 19 May 2008 8PM

As the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Bill continues its way through Parliament, David Modell follows some of the leading members of Christian pressure groups as they attempt to win converts and convince MPs to base laws on Biblical beliefs.

Hard-line Christian activists are now mobilising believers in an attempt to make an impact on society nationally. Followers believe abortion and homosexuality should be illegal, there should be no sex before marriage and that the law of blasphemy should be strictly enforced.

They say the Bible is the definitive word of God and is literally true and are intolerant of other faiths. The film follows well funded and politically active Christian groups and shows them emerging as a significant voice in British politics.

ENGLISH LGE

2008-06-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

The English language has been shaped by a number of other languages over the centuries, and many English speakers know that Latin and German were two of the most important. What many people don't realize is how much the French language has influenced English.

Bill Bryson calls the Norman conquest of 1066 the "final cataclysm [which] awaited the English language." When William the Conqueror became king of England, French took over as the language of the court, administration, and culture - and stayed there for 300 years. Meanwhile, English was "demoted" to everyday, unprestigious uses. These two languages existed side by side in England with no noticeable difficulties; in fact, since English was essentially ignored by grammarians during this time, it took advantage of its lowly status to become a grammatically simpler language and, after only 70 or 80 years existing side-by-side with French, Old English segued into Middle English.

Vocabulary
During the Norman occupation, about 10,000 French words were adopted into English, some three-fourths of which are still in use today. This French vocabulary is found in every domain, from government and law to art and literature - learn some. More than a third of all English words are derived directly or indirectly from French, and it's estimated that English speakers who have never studied French already know 15,000 French words.
Pronunciation
English pronunciation owes a lot to French as well. Whereas Old English had the unvoiced fricative sounds, (as in thin), and (shin), French influence helped to distinguish their voiced counterparts,(the), and (mirage), and also contributed the diphthong (boy). (at is voiced/unvoiced/fricative?)

Grammar
Another rare but interesting remnant of French influence is in the word order of expressions like secretary general and surgeon general, where English has retained the noun + adjective word order typical in French, rather than the usual adjective + noun used in English.

For the close minded british and the ignorant : these are the French Words and Expressions in English

The Princess and The Panorama ".... it was a bit crowded"

2008-06-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

Neighbours

2008-06-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Home and away

2008-06-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Emmerdale

2008-06-01T14:36:00.002-07:00

Coronation Street

2008-06-01T14:36:00.001-07:00

Eastenders

2008-06-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Keeping Up Appearances

2008-06-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

HISTORY LESSONS

2008-06-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

WW1

WW2

Finance

HISTORY LESSONS

2008-06-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Brits in Babylone

2008-06-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Panorama investigates allegations of violent brutality by British Military Forces in Irak (Part 1 of 3).

Brits In Northern Ireland

2008-06-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Proud to be British?

2008-06-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Basshunter

2008-06-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

VIOLENT BRITAIN HAS TORN FAMILY APART

2008-06-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Monday May 26,2008
By David Pilditch

THE grieving family of murdered Harry Potter star Robert Knox yesterday blamed violent Britain for the tragedy which has torn them apart.
The young actor’s heartbroken parents broke down and wept as they paid an emotional tribute to the son they described as “an angel on earth without wings”.Devastated Sally and Colin made an emotional appeal for an end to the scourge of knife crime in Britain.Robert, 18, paid with his life after stepping in to protect his brother Jamie, 16, from a crazed knifeman.Sobbing uncontrollably Colin, 55, said he hoped his son’s role in Holly-wood blockbuster Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, to be released in November, would help highlight the tragedy of violent crime.He revealed the bitter irony that the last conversation he had with Robert was about the danger of knives on Britain’s streets.He said: “There’s a lot of fear out there and someone has to change the way we think. With knives there are no winners and only losers.“Rob was so popular because of his role in Harry Potter. If that serves the purpose, then hopefully Robert will have done something else exceptional in his short life.”Robert was killed and three other youngsters stabbed after the group of friends were confronted by the attacker outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup, Kent. It is believed Robert was trying to defend his brother after a row broke out over a stolen mobile phone.

Source: Express uk

Britain battles drunk and violent youth

2008-06-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Posted Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:32am AEST Updated Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:48am AEST

British police are concerned drunken youth violence is intensifying. (Getty Images: Christopher Furlong)
One of Britain's top police officers has called for urgent moves to stem a rising tide of youth violence after a 47-year-old father of three was kicked to death by a group of young drunks.
The man, a company director from Warrington in north-west England, had tried to remonstrate with the group when he saw them damaging a vehicle and other property outside his home.
It was the latest in a series of violent, and frequently deadly, attacks by abusive, drunk young people in Britain.
"We cannot have a society where adults feel scared to go out and challenge youngsters up to no good," chief constable of Cheshire Peter Fahy said.
"Every night of the week Cheshire officers are engaged in a constant battle against anti-social behaviour and alcohol-induced violence ... it breeds fear and isolation."
Hardly a day goes by in Britain without another alarming report of alcohol-fuelled teenage violence.
While the phenomenon of unruly - some say feral - youth is hardly new in Britain, there are concerns the social breakdown is intensifying, as those involved get younger and the violence seems to worsen.
Taking responsibility
Mr Fahy's comments were widely applauded on news programs and radio call-in shows on Wednesday, but the Government did not immediately respond to his suggestion the drinking age be raised from 18 to 21.
The Sun newspaper, the country's most-widely read, ran an editorial saying it was time for parents to take responsibility.
"Should parents be arrested if they let their kids run wild? Should benefits be reduced or even stopped for those who won't work?" the paper asked.
"It is another signal that the 'Great' is going out of Great Britain."
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged a decade ago to be "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime", and later pioneered the introduction of so-called ASBOs (anti-social behaviour orders) to try to control unruly youths.
But 10 years on, statistics show scant improvement.
Sociologists say British youth do not spend enough time with adults, spending free time with friends unsupervised.
Julia Margo, a researcher at the IPPR think tank, says European young people spend much more time under supervision.
"Our young people drink more and take more drugs than others partly because they can," she said.
"Young people need to interact with adults to socially develop, and those that spend time away from adults will more rapidly fall into bad behaviour, or very bad behaviour."
- Reuters

Source: abc Australia

Binge-drink Britain

2008-06-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Doctors claim Government's lost control of binge-drink Britain

The British Medical Association said the booze epidemic was causing a health nightmare and called for sweeping new measures.
It blamed cut-price alcohol for intensifying the misery and demanded an end to cheap supermarket deals.
It also said taxes on alcohol should rise and the drink-drive limit cut.
The calls come in the wake of the Mirror's Can It! Stop Kids Boozing campaign.
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's head of science and ethics, said: "We see first-hand how alcohol destroys lives. It causes family breakdowns, is a major factor in domestic violence, ruins job prospects, is often related to crime and disorderly behaviour and it kills.

Source: The Mirror uk

Britain's Streets of Booze

2008-06-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

From weddings to funerals, casual meetings to formal dinners, alcohol is used to brighten almost any social occasion. But there is a darker side. It can also destroy lives.
It is cheap, it is readily available and it is wrecking lives. Super-strength lager, containing around 8% alcohol is, for many of Britain's alcoholics, the drink that starts and finishes every day.
Read more on BBC UK

Booze Britain

2008-06-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

Booze Britain What the police have to deal with

2008-06-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Binge Britain

2008-06-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

Makes you proud to be British doesn't it?

Source: The Dailymail uk

Binge Britain

2008-06-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

"YEP IM HOPING WHEN IM OFF THE LEGAL AGE i will get drunk party hard and RAVE lol RAVE RAVE RAVE woooo" Ben 12 years old

Britain keeps going out on the piss. Tony Blair has labelled binge drinking - generally defined as necking twice the recommended daily number of units, four for men, three for women - as 'a new British disease'. For once this does not appear to be spin. The statistics speak for themselves: each year 14 million working days are lost due to alcohol abuse. Half of all violent crime - around 1.2m incidents a year - is attributed to binge drinking. At weekends 70 per cent of all admissions toA&E are the result of boozing. A study just released found that two-thirds of all ambulance calls on Friday and Saturday nights in London are alcohol related, costing the service nearly £20m. Bingeing accounts for 40 per cent of all drinking occasions among men and 22 per cent among women and the numbers are rising all the time, particularly in the 18 to 24-year-old group.

Average supermarket shop is up 5.8 per cent

2008-05-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

The cost of the average supermarket food shop was 5.8 per cent higher in May than at the beginning of the year, and will continue to rise, according to a study.
The cost of fruit and vegetables has risen the most, up 16 per cent since January, according to retail analysts Verdict.
The price of branded goods increased more than supermarkets' own brand ranges, while the cheapest ranges saw little change, the report said.
Verdict said retailers were absorbing some of the price rises.
Neil Saunders, consulting director of Verdict, said: "Although the price of goods is rising, the UK's grocers are helping to mitigate price rises."
Consumers spent 13p in every £1 on food, meaning a 5.8 per cent increase in prices since the start of the year was "particularly painful".
"Such rises, combined with hikes across other areas of household expenditure, are squeezing the amount consumers have to spend on things like leisure activities and on other retail goods, " the report said.
"For many people it also means that inflation feels far higher than the Government's official rate."
It forecasted strong food price inflation throughout this year and in 2009.
The research was based on a "typical basket" of 100 grocery items.

Source: MSN BIZ UK NWS

Flower Duet / BA

2008-05-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

BA passengers face higher fuel surcharges

British Airways is to increase its fuel surcharge on all tickets from next week.

The airline said that from Tuesday June 3 the surcharge for short-haul flights will increase by £3 per flight to £16 per flight.

The surcharge for long-haul flights of less than nine hours will increase by £15 per flight to £78 per flight.

The surcharge for long-haul flights of more than nine hours will increase by £30 per flight from to £109 per flight.

BA said it would also increase its fuel surcharges by similar levels in markets outside the UK.

On Wednesday, Sir Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic announced fuel surcharge rises, although the carrier said that those sitting at the front of the aircraft would face higher charges than those in economy-class seats at the back.

In recent weeks airlines have announced cutbacks in services because of the sky-high oil prices while some carriers, including some operating between the UK and the US, have gone out of business.

BA's latest fuel levy hike comes just a month after the carrier last raised its surcharge.

The airline added on £3 to each short haul flight, £10 to a long haul flight of less than nine hours and £15 for a flight longer than nine hours from May 2.

Earlier this month BA warned it would have to spend an extra £1 billion on fuel this year if prices remained at the US$120 a barrel mark.

Full year fuel and oil costs - which comprise about a quarter of the airline's expenses - topped £2 billion during the past financial year to March 31.

Oil prices are still hovering around the $130 and showing no sign of settling back.

Source: MSN Biz News UK

Business class airline Silverjet - the inside story

2008-05-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

This is last year

then 30.05.2008

Thousands hit by grounded airline

Business-class only airline Silverjet called in administrators as thousands of air passengers had their travel plans wrecked when the airline stopped flights.
Around 7,000 UK and 2,500 non-UK customers were affected as funding problems led to the suspension of services by Silverjet.
Silverjet later said "with deep regret" it had appointed Begbies Traynor as administrators after failing to secure funding.
Silverjet's collapse follows that of Stansted to USA all-business class carriers Eos and MAXjet. All three were to a large extent victims of the sky-high rise in aviation fuel prices as well as the downturn of economies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Former Silverjet chief executive Lawrence Hunt said: "It is with deep sadness that I make this announcement today.
"The Silverjet team has worked exceptionally hard to try and turn this situation around, however with the time available, we were unable to secure the funding required to continue our operations."
The carrier, which began services in January 2007, flew from Luton airport in Bedfordshire to New York and Dubai.
Its last plane left Dubai for Luton at 7.30am on Friday but five further flights were cancelled.
Angry passengers arrived at Luton only to find their plans in tatters, while Silverjet's 300 employees were left with an uncertain future. Some passengers were not covered by Civil Aviation Authority-run bonding although both British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Dubai-based carrier Emirates offered special deals for stranded or future-flight Silverjet passengers.
Silverjet failed to secure a vital new multi-million pound funding package. Its shares had been suspended since last week. Mr Hunt apologised to customers and told them Silverjet would not be able to offer any refunds.

source: msn news uk

English Footbal culture says a lot about the English culture itself; a country of 12 year old kids

2008-05-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent post of John Nicholson on UK MSN SPORT , it says it all...

So: What Terry`s Tears Said About Us ( or about Britain)

"There can be few blokes who really are 'a man's man' who would not have felt a degree of nausea, if not outright contempt at the waterfall of John Terry's tears last Wednesday. But his display served a very good purpose. It illustrated exactly what is wrong at the core of English football.

As England's national side comes into focus again this week, there is much Fabio Capello can learn from Terry's emotional breakdown. Let's get this right, if you are weeping so uncontrollably for so long just because you have lost a football match, you are emotionally immature; you are a boy in a man's body. I cried like that when England drew with Poland in 1973 and thus failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup. I was 12. .

Few of us go through life without an occasional watery eye - more usually born of joy rather than disappointment - but we reserve the proper out-and-out crying for life and death matters, not for football. If you are crying that much about football, what on earth are you going to do if, God forbid, a real tragedy strikes you? Where is left to go emotionally? It's bitterly ironic that the press are still so intent on painting Terry as a specifically English icon and hard man when the traditional English way is the exact opposite of his behaviour.

The traditional English way is the stiff upper lip; emotion is expressed only in private and if shared then only with loved ones. Publicly expressed emotion is for the weak and the self indulgent. It is certainly not the sort of thing leaders of men indulge in. It is undignified and shows lack of character. And yet we are told he is still 'England's lion'.

The same things were said about Tony Adams even when his life was in a mess and he was a raging alcoholic. Why are these type of people so many English fans heroes? Is dysfunction attractive? Is it now the norm? Let's not kid ourselves, we have a real problem here. Other sports just don't do sobbing losers.

There seems to be something about English football culture that suspends the participants adulthood, trapping some in Peter Pan teenage world. Too many players today behave like petulant children. When you see Rooney, his face looking all pink and bee-stung with rage at some perceived injustice hunting down the ball angrily, you see a teenage boy who has lost control. Ashley Cole's 'I-turn-my-back-on-you' behaviour looked like a parody of a twelve year-old that won't go to his bedroom.

This type of behaviour is emotionally dysfunctional and certainly not the sort of thing a man in his mid twenties should be doing on a football pitch. Where is their self control? While footballers have always lost their temper, and occasionally have had a whack at each other, the sort of over-wrought emotion expressed by some of today's prima-donnas is not the kind of Francis Lee punching Norman Hunter anger.

It's mere childish, self-centred emotionalism. Having everything done for you and earning inconceivably huge amounts of money must all contribute to this fantasy cartoon world at the centre of which is their own glorious self and their own fabulous ego. When something happens to shatter this illusion, is it any wonder they go off the edge? England players are widely regarded as having a psychological problem playing for the national side now, and it isn't too fanciful to tie the character of these mannish-boys into their on-pitch failures. Too many of England's players are not sufficiently emotionally developed to cope with high pressure situations such as the Croatia game, and especially penalty shoot-outs.

Add to that the selfish need to try and maintain their over-inflated personal legend status and you end up with players charging around trying to be the super hero or simply going missing altogether. Team work goes out of the window and individualism takes over. It is significant that during the Portugal game at the last World Cup, Owen Hargreaves was many people's man of the match and of the tournament. He kept his head when everyone else was losing it, kept disciplined in his role and was the only one to score a penalty. He was far more disciplined and in control than those around him.

Hargreaves is not a product of English football culture. He is a product of German football. That can't be a total co-incidence. (Interestingly, after a season in the Premier League, he is starting to show signs of indiscipline and petulance - perhaps learning it as the 'right' way to react from the likes of Rooney) In Germany which is the most successful European nation there has always been more maturity to most players. They have always seemed less hysterical, more firm minded and have had more good old fashioned bottle. If we had 11 Hargreaves that day, we would almost certainly have prevailed. But we didn't and once again we saw Terry in full self-pitying, weeping mode again. Hargreaves didn't cry but he had given more than anyone. This is instructive. The German team ethic has dominated over the personal desire for glory and that's how it should be. It works, as three Euros and three World Cup wins show. It is only through teamwork that the individuals can shine. That's how Greece won in 2004. It doesn't guarantee victory - Germany lost to an equally tough-minded, resolute Italian side in the 2006 semi-final - but it gives you a much better chance.

England's failure in the now distant past has been caused by lack of tactical awareness, by lack of fitness, by lack of basic good skill and by poor management. England's failure in this century has included all of these elements but with this new crippling emotional self-centredness thrown in as well. On top of that there's a whole strand of English popular culture which absolutely worships them for their fame and money. I imagine them to be the sort of people who watch 'Katie & Peter' and who go on reality shows because they 'really, really want this' whatever the 'this' is. They copy David and Victoria's hair cuts and buy Heat and Hello. And on top of that there's the press and TV media which takes good English players and over indulges their talent and exaggerates their capabilities because it sells well to a section of the public that is far too eager for heroes to worship.

If Capello wants England to succeed this all needs to be tackled head-on. He has already talked about player's mentality not being right; that they lack self belief despite being at the peak of the domestic game. And yet continental players are also subjected to the same culture when playing in England but often deal with it better. This is just a subjective opinion and it's a bit of a generalisation that I can't back up with hard fact but it's always seemed to me that the overseas players who play in the Premier League are by and large far more intelligent people, far more rounded than many of their English counterparts.

Put crudely, we produce Steve McClarens while Italy produces Fabio Capellos. When you hear men like ex Chelsea defender, Marcel Desailly, or current stars like Fabregas, Torres and Toure they come over as people who are to some degree sophisticated; for a start they're often bi-lingual. Clearly there are examples to contradict this but it does seem to be a generalization which has substance. Perhaps this is why these men don't end up in the Priory and don't generally behave like Motley Crue let loose at the Playboy Mansion, as desirable as that might be. The game is producing largely uncultured boys without the intelligence, education or incentive to grow up. There's far too much emphasis on that favourite of the phone-in passion, and not enough on perspective. Capello has to select a team on the basis of strength of character and attitude as well as on ability. We need players who are calmer, more rational and less prone to believing their own hype; players who are not so wrapped up in themselves; players who don't cry when things go wrong. In an era of shallow emotion, celebrity culture and rampant self indulgence, this seems unlikely but we should all fervently hope that it does because if it doesn't I shall scream and scream until I'm sick. "

Source of article: John Nicholson UK MSN SPORT of today

The Rise of the Politics of Fear, or the lies about the so called'War on Terror'

2008-05-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

BBC made.

The Power of Nightmares:
The Rise of the Politics of Fear (2004)
Part 1 (Part 2) (Part 3)

"This documentary offers a remarkable insight into the reality of our current fear induced climate. Adam Curtis chronicles the rise of neo-conservatism and the resulting change in the world's political agenda orchestrated by those who place their trust in the philosophical ideal of the necessity of evil to unite a country. The filmmaker manages to successfully pluck apart the myth of the reality of there being a logistically organized terror network, let alone one that is managing to orchestrate terror attacks from a cave in the remote mountains of Afghanistan. His arguments are backed up by some eye opening interviews with authorities on the field of Islamic fundamentalism, members of the US government and members of the US judicial system. These insights are parred with concrete, startling facts and the result is a program that manages to shake us awake making us aware of a far more realistic terror threat namely that of psychological warfare carried out by the powers that be, accompanied by a sensationalist media frenzy

Watch the film here: http://www.moviesfoundonline.com/power_of_nightmares.php

"What is it that Mr Balls has that you do not....?"

2008-05-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith stood stony-faced today as she was berated by the leader of rank-and-file police officers over her handling of police pay.

Police Federation chairman Jan Berry accused the Home Secretary of "betraying" the police service.

She also ridiculed Ms Smith - as the two women shared a stage at the federation's annual conference - for her admission that she took cannabis in her youth.

Mrs Berry said: "Your recent crimes have been more for the serious fraud office than the drug squad."

The Home Secretary looked uncomfortable as she faced 1,000 delegates. Mrs Berry praised the politician for facing the conference, but added: "I am sure ... you felt like reaching for a stab proof vest and perhaps slipping into old habits and lighting up to calm your nerves."

Ms Smith at first smiled at the comments but later turned stony-faced at the criticism levelled by the police leader.

"Your decision not to honour the pay award was a breach of faith," said Mrs Berry.

"It was a monumental mistake, and I don't say this lightly when I say you betrayed the police service."

Mrs Berry received a standing ovation from delegates, with the Home Secretary joining the gesture.

The federation chairman had pledged that delegates would be "professional and courteous" to the politician, who was given a brief round of applause as she stood to deliver her speech.

The long-running row over pay peaked in January as an estimated 22,000 officers marched on Westminster, after the decision to introduce a 2.5% pay rise in stages, effectively reducing the overall award to 1.9%.

Yesterday's vote was a step towards the first police strike for nearly 90 years.

Ms Smith responded with a series of improvements to police remuneration and announcements on funding and policy.

Speaking about the row over pay, she said she stood by her decision despite the anger it caused.
Read more on the Metro.co.uk article

Some recent british history

2008-05-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

This film tells the extraordinary story of the high society court case that scandalised society, electrified the nation and changed the course of British history.

In 1954, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and Peter Wildeblood were convicted of homosexual offences. But the trial lead to the Wolfenden Committee and its landmark recommendations for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain. Mixing drama with documentary testimony, this moving film brings to life the extraordinary events of the trial.

Haunted History London

2008-05-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

David Copperfield

2008-05-24T07:34:00.001-07:00

Oliver Twist wants some more

2008-05-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hard Times Charles Dickens

2008-05-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

Unsolved Mysteries-- (Agatha Christie I)

2008-05-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE CREATOR OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

2008-05-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

The Complete Jane Austen

2008-05-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

The Changing World of Charles Dickens

2008-05-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

Victorian England:Jack the Ripper and the East End: myth versus reality

2008-05-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

London's most infamous unsolved murders have been the centre of much speculation over the past hundred years, but a new exhibition is boldly attempting to separate fact from fiction. MSN investigates.

The letter is scripted, artfully, in blood-red ink - penned, perhaps, by the hand of a murderous misogynist so notorious he has entered the realm of mythology: “Dear Boss... I am down on whores and I shunt [sic] quit ripping them until I do get buckled... Yours truly, Jack the Ripper.”
Whether or not the author was responsible for the Whitechapel murders, the “Dear Boss” letter - sent to a press agency in September 1888 after three women were fatally mutilated in a month in London’s East End - secured the serial killer’s place in history and, for the first time, gave him a public name.
One of the most celebrated Ripper artefacts, the letter has now been brought together with more than 200 other surviving original documents, including yellowing police files, fading photographs and bizarre letters from the public (many claiming to be the killer), for the first time in a bid to separate myth from reality in a case that has had our collective imagination in a stranglehold for more than a century.
Jack the Ripper and the East End, at the Museum in Docklands, is not for people with a nervous disposition. Eschewing frivolous sensationalism, it rigorously dissects the harsh realities of the time - bringing the true horror of the crimes into disturbingly sharp focus. The countless fictional works inspired by the crimes pale by comparison...... Read more here: Msn News uk

Some theories:

Back from the front line

2008-05-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

They're back from the front line -

so why are these ex-soldiers still fighting their own wars?They fought and nearly died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Once discharged from the army, these men face huge personal problems - homelessness, unemployment and depression - without adequate support. But after doing their bit for their country, shouldn't their country do its bit for them?

" It was, he admits, quite a shock. The sniper's bullet ripped through his left cheek, gouging through both eye sockets before exiting below his right ear. Corporal Simon Brown remembers lying in a Basra backstreet trying to rearrange his face.
'It had collapsed, the skin from my face was flopping down, blocking my airways. I could barely breathe,' he says. Under relentless fire from insurgents, Brown wrapped a bandage around his broken features.

Three weeks later, the 29-year-old woke up in Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham. Today he lives alone in his grandmother's old house in the West Yorkshire town of Morley. His health may never recover, his military career is over. Brown has yet to receive compensation for his injuries. But now it is time to move on. After 11 years in the military, he is about to begin the daunting journey back to civvy street.

'The army made me who I am. It is difficult to leave because of so many friends, some of whom have been lost.' Yet his injuries - sustained trying to rescue colleagues from a crippled armoured vehicle during intense fighting in December 2006 - leave him little choice. He plans to start a teaching course and considers himself fortunate; he has ambition.

But what of the rest who glimpsed the horrors of Iraq and Afghanistan and then left? Some, unable to adjust from the rigid hierarchy of the military to the vagaries of civilian life, have killed themselves. Others are unable to rationalise being abandoned by the authorities and turn to alcohol and drugs. Some are on the streets, quite literally.

Last year, the Royal British Legion took 1,485 calls from homeless ex-service personnel desperate for help. By law, former forces personnel should be offered accommodation as a priority, yet councils fail to honour their obligations, largely because of long waiting lists. Others are denied a chance to own a home because the heightened risk of suicide among those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan means they can't get life insurance to guarantee a mortgage.

The stories of Brown, Hayley Murdoch, Dave Hart and Andy Julien, told here for the first time, lend weight to the consensus that the military covenant - the guarantee of a duty of care between the government and the armed forces - has faltered. Collectively, they present a tale of broken marriages, thwarted careers, psychological breakdown and isolation. Next month marks the fifth anniversary of the opening salvos of an Iraqi conflict steeped in controversy and confusion. Now it is the war in Afghanistan that is muddied in a quagmire of uncertainty. The intractability of fighting in Helmand province promises British casualties for years to come.

The price paid by the British men and women who entered these baking battlefields can only in part be measured in statistics. At the time of writing, 261 British service personnel have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 4,000 have been injured and 52 have lost limbs, half of them in the past 18 months.

Tellingly, in a society submerged in statistics the incidence of broken marriages, suicides, alcoholism, deep depression and homelessness among service veterans remains largely unquantified.

A year has passed since a veteran accosted Tony Blair and told the then Prime Minister how he found himself homeless and forced to pay for medical care after two years in Iraq. Little appears to have changed. What the British nation owes those prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice remains a matter of fierce debate. Perhaps the most pressing question of all might well be: do we really care?

Only they know what it took to turn their lives around. Cavalryman Andy Julien had hit rock bottom. Severely wounded in a friendly fire incident during the invasion of Iraq, Julien was 'downgraded' and discharged from the army in 2004. He was never offered another military position, another chance to salvage his career. Four days after the world watched Baghdad shudder in March 2003 under George Bush's promise to unleash a military might never before seen on the face of the planet, the 27-year-old was ordered to bring his Challenger II tank back from the front line when he was struck. The fact that he may never fully recover from his leg injuries and the lack of government support pushed him to the edge. 'I had so much anger, it was very different being back on civvy street. No one understood.' Two of his friends were killed in the incident but an inquest found nobody to blame. The public's apathy for a largely unpopular war exacerbated his despair.

Hayley Murdoch can sympathise. Her back and hip were severely damaged after an accident in Iraq in 2005. Discharged from the RAF with no support, the 27-year-old recalls collapsing in the street after her legs gave way. 'People were stepping over me because they thought I was drunk,' she said.

Psychologists refer to a cycle of despair that characterises the struggle of many who leave the military. Employment proves elusive. Pressures build. Eventually they try to escape through drink and drugs. Often they leave home, some heading to London for a fresh start where they find themselves in limbo with nothing to their name. There are no flags, no bands, no glorious memories.

'The army's a bit like heroin - weaning yourself off can take time,' said Michael, a paratrooper who has left the forces after a 22-year stint. 'All of a sudden it's "see you later". That's it. You get your £40,000 final resettlement package, but that soon goes on a new kitchen, patio, what have you. The army is an employer, then you're on your own. If you don't prepare, you're in trouble.'

No help is given with finding a job, according to Michael. He found a different culture on civvy street, a more competitive environment with conflicting attitudes. The 41-year-old, who trained as a plumber in Manchester, said: 'You are putting up radiators in a house and one's not straight. The civvy attitude is it doesn't matter, but it's somebody's home, for God's sake.'

Murdoch believes the military is willing to abandon its own. 'After the Second World War people with serious injuries were re-employed. Now they just discard them. If you cannot recover, it's a case of "off you go, then".'

Those who survived the Second World War benefited from a shared solidarity; an entire generation could empathise with their sacrifice. Now, away from the camaraderie of the barracks, the sense of alienation can be acute. Some face hostility upon their return to civilian life. Brown is flabbergasted that people blame soldiers for the politics that led to the two conflicts. 'If it was up to us, we would invade the Caribbean,' he says.

Both Murdoch and Julien were discharged when the extent of their injuries meant they could no longer do the jobs for which they were trained. 'Everything is hunky-dory and then you feel like a liability,' said Murdoch. Some fight to stay in. Lance-Corporal Craig Lundberg, 22, was blinded in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq during 2006 and, although he appreciates there is slim demand for a blind sniper, appreciates the role of the army's support network.

Still, no one knows how many of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and subsequently left the armed forces have committed suicide. Details of their service career are not entered on death certificates. Neither does anyone know how many of the 10,000 reservists - proven to be more susceptible to mental-health problems than regulars - who have served in the conflicts have killed themselves. Researchers at Manchester University are currently trawling through death registers for the past five years. Their findings, to be published this spring, are expected to be shocking.

Frances Hoy, a spokeswoman for the Royal British Legion, said: 'We get calls from anxious parents explaining that their children are on the edge. They go to see their GP who only prescribes anti-depressants.'

This week the Ministry of Defence will trumpet increases to its compensation scheme for the most seriously injured victims of Iraq and Afghanistan. Those who have inspected the small-print are underwhelmed. Just 20 cases involving the thousands injured in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive higher payouts. Even then, the benefits can be meagre. One of the 20 requires lifelong care but can expect no more than an extra £12,000. 'The changes go nowhere near far enough,' said Hoy.

Julien has never received a penny in compensation. Murdoch is considering taking the MoD to court to secure a settlement. Brown still waits. Dave Hart, 31, who was one of the army's first suicide car bomb victims in Afghanistan, had his application for compensation refused. The multiple injuries he sustained explain his exasperation at the government's refusal to help.

'There was massive blood loss, a fractured skull, blood on the brain, a perforated eardrum, shrapnel cuts all over. Battery acid was sprayed all over my body and caught fire. My left lung collapsed and my right lung filled with blood. My left arm was almost amputated and my hands were shattered. I could go on ...'

Another two years of operations are scheduled and he will need lifelong care. Soldiers are encouraged to take out personal accident insurance. Such cover has cost Michael more than £2,500 over the past decade. 'If you are a private soldier with two kids, earning £1,200 a month, then that's a lot,' he says. Julien's cover fell short of the amount required for his treatment. 'There's all these clauses and they always try to get out of paying. I would give it all back to be how I was before the war,' he said.

Evidence given to the yet unpublished parliamentary report into provision of medical welfare for soldiers portrays a climate of cost-cutting. Britain is the only major European country without a dedicated military hospital. By contrast, French troops have the best medical institutions at their disposal. They include the Hôpital d'instruction des Armées Val-de-Grâce in Paris, offering a service so outstanding it has become the premier port of call for every ailing French leader since Charles de Gaulle. Hart appreciates the value of such investment. His survival was dependent on the treatment he received from French and German surgeons after being flown from Afghanistan to Germany for treatment. 'The NHS has been OK, but the German welfare is why I am still here. They even wanted to carry on treating me.' He found himself dumped on a geriatrics ward in a British hospital. He arrived on a Friday and was not seen by a doctor until the following Monday. He felt forgotten. He then caught the hospital superbug MRSA.

Rifleman Jamie Cooper, wounded in Iraq at the age of 18, twice contracted MRSA in hospital. Cooper, who has lost the use of his right hand and one leg, is eligible for £57,000 compensation. Friends last week described the teenager's angst at hearing that actress Leslie Ash, 47, was to get £5m for contracting a hospital-acquired infection after injuring herself during a love-making session with her husband. Brown, though, remains typically indefatigable. Another 24 months of surgery will be required to rebuild his face. His left eye is blinded. He has just 15 per cent vision in his right. 'I could sit around moping, but I am looking forward,' he says. He is looking for a girl - 'as long as she's not a gold-digger - and enjoys a drink. But never too many.' Nearly a quarter of those deployed in conflict for longer than 13 months have 'severe' drink issues. Eighteen British service personnel a week are testing positive for drug use involving cannabis, ecstasy or cocaine. Typically, the deepest scars affecting those returning to civvy street are in the mind. Combat Stress, which helps veterans with mental-health problems, has seen a 27 per cent rise in referrals. Yet more than half of those with psychological problems do not receive a war pension and cannot qualify for funding to help with their treatment. The average time-lag for post-traumatic stress to surface is 13 years; only in 2020 will we know the true fallout of the current operations. As a raw recruit Brown, then aged 20, was traumatised by Kosovo. 'You didn't ask for help, people think you're soft. Instead you go for a bath or a quick drink.'

Brown, Murdoch, Hart and Julien will continue to forge new lives. None, though, will forget their time in the military; their bodies and minds will always carry the scars. For the armed forces themselves, the future is equally fraught. Pressures on a dwindling army fighting two conflicts exerts predictable effects. A parliamentary committee revealed last week that soldiers are leaving because of exhaustion. Every year, the army suffers a 'voluntary outflow' of 5,800 trained men. Officials say the funding crisis is the worst since the end of the Cold War. The MoD, meanwhile, is bringing in new resettlement packages to ease the transition into civilian life. For many, such changes have come too late.

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/03/afghanistan.iraq

UK UE = EK

2008-04-23T05:12:00.000-07:00

The Tories have issued a St George's Day rallying cry against plans by Brussels to "wipe England off the map" and create a United Europe.

As Gordon Brown hoisted the English national flag over 10 Downing Street to celebrate St George's Day, it was revealed that EU officials had revised a map wiping out the country and the Channel. The change splits England into three and lumps those parts together with chunks of

other countries to create "transnational regions".

The UK Government is fully behind the project, even though the words "England" and "Britain" are left off official maps of each area and the Manche Region renames the English Channel "The Channel Sea".
Each region, which will be given taxpayers' money to promote trade links, cultural ties, transport policies and tourism, is to be run by a "managing authority" of unelected officials overseen by a director.
None will be based in the UK, with Manche ruled by the French, Atlantic by the Portuguese and North Sea by the Danes.
The regions have legal status and Manche has a budget of £261million between 2007 and 2013, Atlantic £127million and North Sea £219million.

Every project funded by a region must have a publicity campaign which ensures "there is provision for flying the EU flag at least one week every year".
Eric Pickles, the Conservatives' communities spokesman, said: "We already knew that Gordon Brown had hoisted the white flag of surrender to the European Constitution.
"Now the Labour Government has been caught red-handed conspiring with European bureaucrats to create a European superstate via the back door.
"Gordon Brown literally wants to wipe England off the map."
But a spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government insisted: "It has nothing to do with altering names on maps.
"It is about support for business, helping boost employment and turning around deprived areas... helping firms in Kent do business with people in Northern France or promoting joint tourism initiatives between different countries."
The move came as Gordon Brown ordered that all UK Government buildings with two flag poles should fly the cross of St George alongside the union banner.
It follows a review of flag flying practices. Number 10 will in future fly the Scottish and Welsh flags on their patron saints' days.
Northern Ireland does not have an official national flag, and so the same practice will not apply on St Patrick's Day.
"The Prime Minister's view is that of course we should celebrate our Britishness, but celebrating our Britishness does not mean we cannot also celebrate our Englishness, Scottishness, Welshness or Northern Irishness," said the spokesman.
The English flag last flew over Downing Street during the 2006 World Cup.

....

Here's a sample of the latest comments published. You can click view all to read all comments that readers have sent in.

"Why bother this poor country is finished!-
I think we should declare a revolution, war on the EU, and the sort out the Scots on the way back. No I am not joking. We have to get off our backsides and sort this lot out, because for sure this government only know one thing. That is to draw their wages and claim their expenses."

......

" wonder how long it will be before Gordon flies the European Flag to celebrate our total capitulation and Tony's new job as president."

Thousands Of Staff Planning To Jump Ship

2008-04-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Going nowhere fast?

One in three workers feel demotivated - and many plan to quit their job in the next year, according to a new report.

A survey of almost 3,000 adults showed the main reasons for wanting to move were an unreasonable workload, feeling underpaid and lack of a clear career path.
Investors in People said its study showed that almost half of workers felt their organisation had failed to support their career development after an initial induction.

Workers in the North East were said to be the least motivated in the UK.
Chief executive Simon Jones said: "This research reveals a worrying picture, not only because such a significant proportion of UK employees are demotivated, but because it suggests that valuable employees may be heading for the door."
He said it was also important to highlight that employees who have been with an organisation for just one to two years are most likely to want to leave.

He pointed out that nearly half claim their employers focus their efforts on the initial induction stage but then, as they settle in, let development fall down the list of priorities.
Mr Jones added: "Employees, however long they've worked in an organisation, want better support from their managers alongside clear and effective feedback on their performance.
"This support is vital when it comes to mapping out career paths and identifying relevant training and development.
"Without it, employees are likely to drift and depart rather than stay engaged with their organisation's objectives.
"We hope this research will act as a reminder to employers of all sectors and sizes, ensuring they stay alert to the
signs of employee demotivation and take action to address it.
"Those that don't risk losing valuable talent and experience."

Harry Potter and the rise of school fees

2008-04-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

How expensive is it?The average boarding school fee in 2007 was £20,970 a year, that is 73% of the average annual salary of £28,590, according to Halifax Financial Services.
In London it costs even more at £23,250. Wales, with an average cost of £18,540 a year, is one of the cheapest places for boarding schools.
And this is just for the first stage of a child's education, before university tuition fees and student debt make a bigger dent in pockets - and it doesn't include extras such as transport, school uniforms, books and, of course, pocket money.
For parents without savings or investments, and before the impact of the credit crunch, they might have thought about remortgaging to use equity in their home or taking out a personal loan to pay for school fees. But nowadays with mortgages and personal loans more difficult to get and more expensive, and with house price drops on the cards, these options need to be carefully thought out.
And indeed, some young parents, fairly new to the housing market, may not have high levels of equity anyway.
You can reduce the cost of sending your kids to private school by cutting out boarding. On average, a private day school cost £8,121 a year in 2006/2007, and £11,145 a year to be a day pupil at a boarding school.

http://money.uk.msn.com/consumer/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8035328

Britain's Dirty Beaches - The throwaway culture

2008-04-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

The quality of the bathing water at our seaside resorts has been getting better every year. But, our beaches just keep getting dirtier.
While just two coastal bathing areas out of a total of 567 in the UK failed to meet the EU's recent water quality standard, the figures for beaches makes grim reading.
Plastic litter on the UK's beaches is up by a staggering 126% since 1994, according to the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Beachwatch 2007 survey report published today.
Conservationists blame the increase on the massive rise in plastic production and the general 'throwaway nature of modern society'. They warn that as well as putting off tourists, the litter is also a threat to wildlife.

2008-04-03T01:01:00.000-07:00

http://news.uk.msn.com/jersey-youth-hostel.aspx

2008-04-03T00:51:00.000-07:00

More flights scrapped