Friday 25 November 2011

Friend for Friday: Ben Hunt-Davis MBE

So it's a Friday, which means it is time for Friday's feature, Friend for Friday.

Now this weeks friend relates with an on-going news story, which in the coming year, is only going to get bigger and better. Yes, the Olympics! Everyone is talking about it - whether you have tickets, are volunteering as a Games Maker (which I hopefully will be, as I went for an interview last week. Fingers crossed!), if you are going to one of the pre-games events or just love Sport, the London 2012 legacy will not only effect everyone, but will put Britain on the map!
So, what better way to introduce this weeks friend as a former Olympic gold medalist, who not only knows what it feels like to win and participate in the global event, but understands the important role of sport in our lives, and how the Olympics in London will play a part in our future.
Friend for Friday: Ben Hunt-Davis MBE

Ben Hunt-Davis MBE was one of the Men’s Eights British rowing team who won gold in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the first British winners of the rowing since 1912. Before that, he had rowed for almost a decade in which he had competed in three Olympic Games and six World Championships. After achieving his ultimate goal in his rowing career, Ben retired and has spent the last 7 years running a company called Point8 Coaching which helps individuals in business to improve their performance.
On the 10th February, Ben came to Alton College to talk about his rowing career and prospects for next year’s Olympics. After attending the talk, Kieran Watkins & Alys Penfold spoke to him in more detail about his win, what the Olympics are really about and which football club he thinks should get the Olympic stadium. (I apologise for the terrible photo of me - I look like I have a black eye. Honestly, I wasn't involved in a punch up. It was the gold reflecting onto my tired face!)

What advice can you offer to young people, who wish to aspire high and find ‘their dreams’?
I would offer three pieces of advice:
  1. If you have a dream, go for it. Don’t give it up.
  2. Grab opportunities that come to you - whether it’s a work placement, holiday or something different, the more experience, the more rewarding it will be for the future.
  3. If you want to do well, whether it is Maths or Sports, keep at it, make sure you enjoy it - and by all means, give it a go. I would never have been where I am now if I did not give rowing ‘a go!’
 So what was your real reason for becoming a rower?
Well at school, it was very much about Cricket and Ball Sports. I didn’t want to do this, or should I say I was useless at these sports! Nevertheless, I wanted to get into sport and the Olympics, it was my ambition - and so I tried something different. At the age of 13, I went into Rowing. Luckily, the school I went to was really helpful, and they got me in touch with a local rowing club. I trained 3 to 4 times a week - and the rest is history!

So rowing took over your life then?
Well, yes it did. I left school after that, I didn’t want to muck about and study, I wanted to race and train. So I left most of my friends and memories at the school gates, skipped university and went straight into training and improvement on the water.
In your own words, what are the Olympics all about?
It’s like a festival really. Not only is it focused about sport, and encourages people to be healthy, exercise and compete against others, but it brings people together. 2012 will in many ways be all about supporting the nation; whether it is at home, at the venue or the thousands of Games Makers volunteering to do their bit for the country, but let us not forget that the main reason will be to encourage people to try new things through the varieties of sporting activity available.

Are there signs of encouragement, particularly with the young, already showing?
Absolutely. I recently went to a rowing club near Doncaster, and the popularity of the sport is phenomenon. Sport is becoming popular again, and what with the increasing government support through programmes like ‘Change 4 Life’, where exercise supports healthy eating, it is a great time for sport. (I think you should add something here about him saying ‘it’s either sports or xbox’ you know, about getting lots of young people involved through the Olympic committee.)

Can the Olympics be down to this then?
Well, obviously there are lots of factors, but when Sebastian Coe stood in front of the Olympic committee in 2005, he pledged that the 2012 Olympic games in London would get the youth of the world involved in sport again, and if the signs are correct, then we’re definitely ‘going for gold’ on this!

How did you feel after you finished the race?
I just felt out of it, I was knackered! The fact that the whole team and I were so relieved we had crossed that finish line, we just accepted we had won; I was too tired to be enthusiastic about it but then it was just a build of realisation that we had actually won, and it was such a great feeling.

What was the reception like when you got back home?
It was really amazing, and nice to be re united with our families. When we arrived at Heathrow airport, it was full of people just coming up to us and congratulating us. For the next few weeks I was invited to all these parties and balls and really enjoyed myself but we all knew the fame wouldn’t last because we weren’t the most recognized people out of the Olympic team. I haven’t been recognized since!

Have you kept up a healthy regime since you stopped rowing?
I have been out in a boat a few times since and now I am involved with the current Olympic Committee so I do still keep a fairly good lifestyle. It is a big difference to what I ate when I was training though. I had around 7000 calories a day which was made up of about 8 weetabix for breakfast, half a kilo of pasta for lunch and probably the same for dinner. We had to eat lots of carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, vegetables and fruit. I didn’t eat very much on the morning of the race though, because I just threw it back up!

Finally, who should get the Olympic stadium after the 2012 Olympics; Tottenham or West Ham?
I think West Ham have pretty much got it now, haven’t they? But yeah, I think West Ham would make better use of the stadium.
 

Pictures courtesy of Ben and writers own.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Offaly good! How offal is back on the menu

I wrote this little article today in class about Offal food, and thought it might be worth adding to the website. I’m really interested in what people have to say about Offal food (Offal literally stands for the shitty bits of meat no one ever likes – tongue, trotter, cheek, heart, liver, kidneys etc).
I personally cannot stand eating offal. I remember having Liver and Onions cooked by my Mum (who may read this – in which case, sorry Mum, I don’t wish to offend your cooking!) It was awful – chewy, tasteless and inedible. I turned my nose up at it and chucked it in the bin.
However, I realise these testing times require cash-strapped families to try cheaper alternatives, and so maybe Offal is for you? I know in Spain, Pig Cheek is considered a luxurious delicacy – so who knows, prove me wrong, and maybe I’ll be interested. At least try anyway!
--------------------------
It is usually considered the ugly duckling of haute cuisine and frequently ignored on the supermarket shelf. However, with rising food prices and cash-strapped families looking for cheaper alternatives at tea time, offal food is making a welcome return to the UK.
At a recent campaign in Trafalgar Square, the Feeding the 5K lunch, organised by campaigners, called for families to eat more offal in an effort to reduce food waste and offer cheaper food alternatives.
Moreover, the UK supermarket chain Morrisons – realising the potential for offal – have revealed today a new wider range of offal products to appeal to the nation.
Featuring kidneys, heart and liver from a wide range of animals, including Pig and Lamb, the country’s fourth biggest supermarket chain, prides itself on preparing its own meat before selling it in store.
Andrew Smith, Head of Meat Trading, said: “Our business allows us to offer more diverse meat.”
He added: “This helps us keep waste down...as well as offering more unusual meats for our customers.”
Hope this didn't put anyone off their dinner!

Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia

Top Ten for Tuesday: Top Ten News Websites

Now I know last week I decided to post two different Top Ten lists – one for me, and one on something news-worthy. However, I’ve decided to make a small change and instead focus on one top ten list, will provide you with more information about me and the chosen subject.
For this week’s Top Ten for Tuesday, the jourknow has compiled his ten favourite News Websites – where he gets his main news from. These are in the order of the jourknow’s personal preference!

1.       BBC News:  The best objective news gathering in the world, in my opinion. The BBC has been reporting, publishing and informing the public – nationally and internationally – of breaking news for nearly a century. It is highly regarded all over the world, and besides the newspapers of our nation, is the foundations for news in this country. My first port of call when looking at the new. www.bbc.co.uk/news

2.       The Guardian: one of the best online websites, despite being a traditional newspaper, the Guardian has and continues to reveal the biggest and most shocking scandals to rock this nation. It has a readership across the world, and is easily accessible. An up-to-date source for any ambitious writer/ journalist.  www.guardian.co.uk

3.       Digital Spy: My favourite website for showbiz, entertainment and television news, Digital Spy is still unfamiliar with the British public. It provides content on a range of UK and International artists, celebs, movies and television programmes, as well as special features on the Media industry and Bollywood. It’s my number one destination for entertainment news, and one of the best in the UK. www.digitalspy.co.uk
4.       Mail Online: The Daily Mail’s viral website offers many positive articles, as well as negative ones, on a host of news items. Its Femail section provides one of the best sites for fashion and celebrity news, whilst its reader comments allow readers to really get involved in the article. However, its grammar, spelling and facts are frequently misplaced, if placed at all – so watch out for what is true, and what is false! www.dailymail.co.uk/home

5.       Press Association: The press association might not provide you with colourful pictures, vox pops and unnecessary polls and opinion, but what it does provide is a countless supply of news stories. The website is often used for the source of many newspapers and news groups, so why not get ahead of them, and try it yourself. www.pressassociation.com/

6.       Reuters: Another news agency, Reuters is superb for international news. Similarly to the Press Association, it provides information to many of the media outlets – but also is easily accessible to the public. Its Twitter feed is exceptional. www.uk.reuters.com

7.       The Huffington Post: The Huffington Post is one of my favourite international news sites. It’s opinions and blog-style format is really accessible and user-friendly to a growing online audience, and it provides an alternative angle to the conventional news piece. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

8.       The Independent – One of my favourite newspapers, the Independent – like the Guardian and the Mail – has a website with a global presence which is highly successful and professional. Although the website is not the easiest to navigate, it is well worth a read – especially its award-winning opinion section. www.independent.co.uk


9.       Google News: Now I know technically this is not a news site as such, but Google is great at providing the latest articles on any topic; providing you with sources from a range of media and news outlets, which are easily accessible. www.news.google.co.uk
10.   Sky News: My last port of call if I fancy a change from my usual websites. Although Sky is great with Breaking News Stories, and its TV programming is often far better than the BBC (at times), its online content lacks the clarity and sophistication of other websites. You might think differently though. www.news.sky.com/home

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Monday 21 November 2011

Monday Madness: PE assessments to be made compulsory?

For today’s Monday Madness article - looking at a news story which promises to raise question and debate in the week ahead – I have chosen the recent calls on PE to be tested in schools, alongside reading and writing, as the main article for this week.

Stop dreading PE lessons, because they could become essential
Imagine you are running around a rugby pitch, guns blazing, with the ball in one hand and the opposing team in sight. You dodge the hooker - the boy who mocks your accent for being posh - you push past the two jocks and crash past the emo and slam the ball on to the ground, shouting “Try!” to your enthusiastic teammates. Sounds familiar? Well not to me. I was the one in secondary school PE who ran around helplessly, considered the ball a WW2 bomb and the opposing team a group of Nazis, and ran away from the ball at any chance I had. Slap on a bit of mud, volunteer for the odd scrum now and again – and hey presto, you look like you have joined in and your mouthy PE teacher is none the wiser.
Yes this is how I remember my PE lessons. Where those who liked sport, those who weren’t fussed and those who despised it came together on a wet winters day for a kick about, or in most cases, an hour of humiliation and torture. In the autumn, it was football, hockey and rugby, where teams were a popularity contest, with the person no one liked stuck in goal, and an opportunity for many of the bullies to push and shove as if they were a bull in a china shop.
In the spring, it was trampolining; a chance to bounce whilst the gender-confused boy waiting in line looks up your shorts. Followed by badminton; where the game involved hitting the shuttle cocks at the guy everyone hates. Completed with table tennis; the wimpiest excuse for a sport I have ever seen.
The summer was just as bad. Volleyball was tiresome, softball was complicated and tennis was just an excuse to see who can make the most impressive orgasm noise. And just mentioning athletics brings about an asthma attack, let alone partaking in it!
The fact I am trying to demonstrate here, rather comically, is that PE lessons for most people, besides the GCSE PE guys – those poor individuals - were a chance to muck around and have a laugh, not to get fit. They were infrequently enjoyable, nearly always ruined by bad weather, and at times, so humiliating, you dared go to school for the next week. Come on, who has never faked a sick note or misplaced an item of gym kit to get out of Friday afternoons hockey session?
So the news that Sports groups and medicine specialists are proposing that the government make PE exams compulsory, certainly shocked me, and many others across the nation.

Now on face value, the plans sound like a good idea. I personally feel that the rising diabetes rates and obesity figures in the UK need to be addressed, and are at a significant cost to the tax payer. Being overweight is not just about eating healthy, doing exercise is important and it should be persuaded.
However, deciding to make PE exams compulsory seems extreme. The problem with PE lessons is that they are stereotypically designed for those who are good at sport, not for those who just want to exercise and have fun. On the other hand, they are sexist too. At my old school, we were divided into sex – despite the only difference being girls did dance, and the boys did rugby. The only compromise was the ‘mixed group’, made up of both sexes – a group which was deemed ‘gay’ and ‘sissy’ – so no one ever went in this group either.
Yes, to some extent the kids of today are lazy – and for that, I would say look closer to home and blame the parents. But also blame the schools and authorities. For two hours each week, I was subject to doing an activity I didn’t enjoy, had no input or decision in taking part in, and subsequently did little to keep me fit or healthy.
Now I am not suggesting PE lessons are a waste of time. Quite the opposite in fact. I had some great memories of rounders, basketball and gym in my years at secondary, which I strongly deny was down alone to the gorgeous just-out-of-uni female teacher we had. But what I do propose is that if PE lessons are examined, which might be a good thing, then there needs to be a fundamental change.
In my last few months at Secondary school, we were allowed to pick the sport we wanted to play – usually a choice of three, which worked really well with all parties involved. It meant 9 times out of 10, pupils were actually partaking in sports they wanted to do. If they had implemented this in Year 7, when a nervous and apprehensive 11 year old transferred from beanbag throwing to running the 1500 metres, then maybe the experience of PE lessons would have been more enjoyable.
As Dr Andy Franklyn-Miller warns, “the physical competence of future generations is being put at risk because of a failure to give PE the same priority as other subjects in the school curriculum.” This gives schools and the government a fantastic opportunity to address the current problems in PE, and improve the fitness levels of teens across the country. And with the Olympics coming next year, what better time than the present! A win for all parties, perhaps?
Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia

Saturday 19 November 2011

Friend for Friday: Jonathan Dimbleby

Apologies for the late blog post - the Jourknow has, as ever, been busy writing articles and voicing his opinions, as well as drinking a few to many tipples at the local grazing ground last night!

However, he is proud to be able to introduce his new Friday feature: Friend for Friday. Each Friday the Jourknow will post an interview with a new "friend". With celebrities, sportsman, politicians, community heroes and the general public all lined-up, the feature promises to be a firm-favourite by readers.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce my first friend of the week, the respected broadcaster and journalist Jonathan Dimbleby. After studying his father in my recent history studies, it seems rather fitting to share this with you. The interview was taken just under a year ago.

A renowned political and current affairs broadcaster and presenter who has chaired Any Questions? every Friday evening since 1987, along with fronting political coverage for ITV and the BBC. We caught up on his views of Britain, the young and his family.

Tuition fees, university cuts and student riots were a big part of tonight’s debate; what are your feelings on the future for students in our current society?
It is terrible. The young people of Britain, if not the world, are our future! It is an outrage for students that they are the ones who will have to sort out our country's problems in the future. Whether it is the environment, economic mess or over-consumption it is my generation's fault - yet the younger generation’s problem. I worry what the future will hold for my young daughter (1 year of age) in 20 or so years time. It does not help that times are uncertain, even if cuts to university tuition fees are certain.

Do you think that the young are misrepresented then?
Oh yes, almost certainly. Whether the media blame them for binge drinking or the rising gang culture kids and teenagers are part of, they're always in the press for something negative. Yet it is this country that is taking the lives and happiness away from children, and with cuts to higher education it is not hard to realise that the problem for children is only going to get worse.

What would you suggest needs to happen in order for teenagers and kids to get a ‘better deal’ in society?
Well, a change in values is definitely needed. We need to stop looking at the negatives and think positive. Children are our future and therefore we should protect and nourish them. Although the higher education cuts are inevitable, along with cuts to child benefit, there is a future for children if we act now. The glass is half-full for kids, let us not make it empty for them!

Speaking of children and family, yours is very important to you. Do they take an interest in your work, or even in politics?
Yes, I am very proud of my family. I have four kids, the eldest being 38 and the youngest being 1! Obviously, the youngest has no idea what ‘Daddy’ does, however my youngest son (3 years) listens to the radio and says ‘Daddy’ every time he hears me, which is a delight to hear. My eldest son has also followed a similar family route to me, being part of media and television production.

The Dimbleby family have made a big presence in the political world - particularly your father Richard and brother David.
Yes, they have. Its family tradition I guess! My father Richard was one of the first political reporters and news presenters on television and, of course, my brother has and still does present various political shows for the BBC.

Mentioning your brother David, you both present similar shows (David Dimbleby anchors Question Time on the BBC); one on the radio and one on TV. Is there, would you say, healthy competition or an edge of competitiveness between you two?
(Laughs) Well, no, there isn’t. At one time, I was heading the ITV coverage of the General Election (2005) and my brother was the face of the BBC’s coverage. The media consistently covered our so-called competitiveness, suggesting we were ‘brothers at war’. However, it was all false. It was more fighting between the institutions rather than us. After the evening broadcast, we would meet up and have a drink and laugh about the constant headlines - but the tabloids never picked up on this!

Finally, you have hosted Any Questions since 1987; is there a favourite location and panellist that you remember from over the years?
Gosh, that is a tricky question. I mean, there are so many locations and panellists that it would be hard for me to pick out my favourite one. To be perfectly honest, my favourite panellists are those who speak their mind. The three traits, you could call it, for my perfect panellist is someone who is original, thoughtful and lively. That way they not only entertain audience, but the listeners and me too!

Interviewed by Kieran Watkins

Picture Courtesy of bbc.co.uk/radio4

Thursday 17 November 2011

Fasten your seatbelts! Turbulence ahead for the Aviation Industry

Not so long ago, hopping on a plane was fairly easy. A case of booking the tickets, handing over your luggage, being padded down by security and fastening your seat belts as you stare at the promiscuous cabin crew demonstrating how to blow into a lifejacket. Perhaps the last bit is unnecessary, but in an industry which seems to be dominating the headlines - for all the wrong reasons - I long for the days when travel was far more simpler.


So let's start off with the booking service. A service which is often strenuous, with hidden charges aplenty. In fact, it would probably be easier to find a terrorist then locate the full price of your selected flight, which usually appears just after you have handed over your credit card details. I am not a regular flier, but I do travel every year. Most of the time to mainland Europe, and in the last few years - I have been left delayed, stranded and hungry. For a nation that proudly boasts that it can put up with the odd queue, I can hold my own. But for six hours? That really does take the biscuit!

When you board, a smiling stewardess shows you to the window seat you paid an extra 16.99 for. Our, excellent views - of the wing! Whilst you physically squeeze yourself into the spring-less seat provided, making plenty of contact with the chubby northern chav with the fake tan next to you, you are then subject to a helpless stare at the cost of the in-flight drinks and gifts. Trust me, by the end of the three hours, you are so desperate for a splash in the Costa Del-Sol sun, you would consider jumping out of the plane before it touchdowns on the tarmac.

OK, so the above might be an extreme example, but the basic facts are true. With Ryanair charging for just about anything; whether it be using your credit card, booking online, booking in-store and so on, you're spending money soon goes. Now I detest Michael O'Leary, but I admit he is not the only one to blame. Monarch, Easyjet and Aer Lingus - all who I have recently flown with - offered lame and petty excuses for delays and cancellations. Only one provided me with a food voucher, which barely stretched to a sandwich and a bottle of water.

The planes themselves are a cause for concern to. On a recent holiday, I was so squashed I felt the deep-vain thrombosis hit my ankles as I sat down. Like a game of sardines with 200 other people, all coughing and spluttering, the conditions can be likened to a third-world slum. And what about plane safety? If you have been watching the news over the last few years, you will have noticed a number of high profile plane incidents. Remember the Air France plane that crashed in the Atlantic, with no survivors? Or the British Airways plane narrowly missing the motorway? Recently, Australian airline Qantas has seen a number of its planes suffer faults mid-air. For the companies, it is millions of pounds down the drain, but for the passengers, it is a dent to their flying confidence, and a further strain on their flying loyalty.

But it is not only passengers who are disgruntled. Around the globe, more and more flights are being disrupted as planes are grounded whilst cabin crews take strike action. Qantas staff recently held industrial action, not to mention British Airways - where the number of strikes and staff ballots would be enough to confuse Pythagoras.

I was even more alarmed, shocked and angered by today's news that one airline, Comtel Air, having reportedly not received payment from tour operators, decided to hold passengers to ransom and charge them around £23,000 to continue their journey! What's more, British Airways and Virgin are both being imposed millions of pounds by Nigerian aviation authorities for price fixing selected routes. It just gets better and better.


Solutions? Well, some airlines seem to be bucking the trend. Only this week, Qatar Airways and Emirates announced deals worth billions of pounds for new aircraft's, suggesting that consumers are still going on that all-important family holiday. Airline safety also looks to improve - with a new generation of aircraft, from the Airbus A380 to the Boeing Dreamliner all improving the time, comfort and safety of the flights. And with news today that four major airlines are calling for the scrapping of Air Passenger Duty tax, customers may also benefit from reduced prices in the years to come.

Because, at the end of the day, a flight can be the make or break of a holiday. We do not always want to be dashing for the emergency exits!

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Tuesday 15 November 2011

My 'personal' Top Ten for Tuesday

As promised, my personal top ten of the week. This week I'm dedicating my Top Ten to the Ten Best TV shows currently on TV (of which I have been watching, am currently watching or looking forward to watch!)


 1) Frozen Planet (BBC) One - this breathtaking documentary series, looking into the Arctic and Antarctic, provides stunning scenery and visuals in another successful David Attenborough series. I predict plenty of awards next year.

2) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One) - So it's no secret that I adore Strictly. The judges, the sequins, the celebrities, and of course, the dancing cement Strictly as the best reality series in the UK. The fact that it's beating the X Factor in the ratings is bittersweet to!

3) Freshmeat (Channel 4) - OK, so surprisingly a comedy starring Jack Whitehall has actually made me laugh. The plot is bizarre and the characters are perplexing - but that only adds to the excitement as you watch each episode. Nice to see some genuinely funny British comedy on the box.

4) Death in Paradise (BBC One) - Now I had my doubts, but this cop-turned-spy drama is actually quite good, and provides a softer, more peaceful programme to some of the other grittier dramas on British channels. If you like your spy/ mystery drama, this is for you (although some of it you might compare to Benidorm!)

5) Young Apprentice (BBC One) - Alan Sugar really is the boss, or should I say Lord Sugar. Although this series isn't as good as the normal Apprentice, it still makes for great viewing. To be honest, those tiny words of 'You're fired' still get me every time!

6) The Mentalist (Channel 5) - I've not really watched the other series, so it's been a little confusing to follow, but so far I'm enjoying this American import, possibly the only thing I do enjoy on Channel 5. It's clever, it's professional and it's compelling. Try it for yourselves.

7) Eastenders (BBC One) - Running out of ideas...but Eastenders is the only soap I watch regularly. Why? I'm not sure either. I guess it's the way cockney twang, the Queen Vic pub and Janine Butcher get my heart racing! I'll admit storylines are getting tiresome and far-fetched, but with Christmas around the corner, the soap will soon hot up again (in more ways than one, or so the soap mags keep telling me!)

And finally, three shows I'm desperate to watch (but haven't yet):

8) The Middle (Sky One) - this show really is comedy gold. Another American import, I'm shocked and saddenned that so many people have not heard of this show. It never fails to make me laugh. It replaces the gap left by shows such as Malcolm in the Middle and My Family, with its tales of a dysfunctional family living in the middle of the US. Comedy gold!

9) Pan Am (BBC Two) - the publicity for this show has been driving me wild, ever since I saw Donna from Neighbours was leading the story of the Pan Am airline. With more glamour than Mad Men, I can't wait for the series premier tomorrow (at 9pm). Fasten your seat belts, if you care to join me!

10) Glee (Sky One) - my guilty pleasure, which was sadly taken away from me by BSkyB earlier this year. It's been tricky not being able to catch up on my weekly intake of McKinley High, and so unsurprisingly the Series 3 boxset tops my Christmas list this year. Although if it's like season 2, which went downhill for me, I'm hoping Santa has kept his receipt.

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Top Ten: Celebrities in the news this week

OK, so love them or hate them, celebrity inspired news stories create massive profit for all newspaper owners - despite what their editors or critics might say. Whether it's a quick glance at Page 3 of the Sun, a snippet from the Daily Express or a flick through glossy OK Magazine; we love to talk about them, know what they are wearing, doing, dating etc...so it seems only fair to create a Top Ten for Tuesday on the glitzy world that is, Celebrities. Here are ten celebs who are in the focus of the press this week:

1) Sir Jimmy Saville - after his death last month, his funeral last week touched the hearts of many a fan of the former 'Jim'll Fix It' host. The TV legend will be missed by all, whether it be his trademark clothing or trademark catchphrases. So when I read the news this morning that 'Jim'll Fix It' is making a comeback this Christmas,  I was shocked. Has he come back from beyond his concrete-filled grave, or was it a hoax? No, it's Alfie from 'Eastenders' (Shane Richie) presenting a one-off Christmas version of the show, in dedication to the late star. I'm sure plenty of fans will be pleased that his memory lives on for future generations

2) Pudsey Bear - he might not be 'real', but he is the face of possibly the best and most popular programme of the year, as well as one of Britain's most loved charities. Yes, it's that time of year again. 'Children in Need' is back this weekend, with a live show on Friday that promises to showcase some of the best TV talent the UK and worldwide has to offer, all for a fantastic cause - and that's just the BBC newsreaders! You can expect to see Pudsey everywhere; from the local cake sale, to the Manchester Rocks! concert. Not bad for a teddy bear, who counts Gary Barlow, Alesha Dixon, and of course, Sir Terry Wogan, as his friends!

3) Ant & Dec - the delightful-but-heavily-used-by-ITV duo are back on our screens this week, presenting the new series of 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here'. It's a show which gets a bunch of z-list stars, throws them in the Ozzy outback and feeds them on a diet of insects and kangaroo testicles, for those of you who didn't know. It's trash TV at it's best, but without their comic take on the days events, it would hardly be successful. After all, the boys are perhaps the best presenting duo on the box.


4) Rihanna - away from the land of telly, pop pin-up RiRi is dominating the charts right now. Her endless music duets and collaborations seem to getter better and better, with her current single, 'We found love' featuring Calvin Harris, top of the charts in the UK. Her new single, 'Talk That Talk', promises to be just as good as her predecessors. I for one cannot wait!


5) Kim Kardashian - yes, a name that keeps on appearing everywhere. But who is she? Well, in my own opinion, she's an American version of Katie Price, but more classy, more famous and more prettier! She came into the spotlight for producing a sex tape, appearing in a number of reality shows (most of which she stars with her family in 'Keeping up with the Kardashians'), releasing a perfume and perhaps her most famous asset being her *ahem* derriere! More recently, her very public marriage with NBA player Kris Humphries ended after just 72 days, causing many media outlets to deem the wedding a publicity stunt. Hoax or no hoax, it's proving her popular with the press - and if you really don't know who she is, you're not watching the news for long enough!

6) Beyonce - another debate being staged across the Internet, is whether singer-actress-goddess Beyonce is faking her pregnancy. Pictures emerged over the weekend of an apparent 'flat-chested' Beyonce singing on 'Tonight with Jimmy Fallon' in the US. Although reports suggested the performance was recorded in July - it is not the first time Beyonce's pregnancy has come into question.
I guess we'll have to wait for the birth of destiny's child soon! (Couldn't help myself with that joke!)

7) Lindsay Lohan - moving over to the acting world, she's another star continually in the spotlight, all for the wrong reasons of course. Lohan, who starred in 'Mean Girls' before her life spiralled out of control, is again in and out of court and prison, this time for stealing jewellery. As the world tires of praying for her to recover, let's hope she can really sort her life out. Although I don't hold your breath on it.

8) Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart - teenagers across the globe are sobbing as the King and Queen of the vampire world perform one last time as vampires Edward and Bella in the last film from the 'Twilight' franchise, 'Breaking Dawn'. Despite mixed reviews from critics, the on-screen and off-screen couple are adored everywhere, and will be sadly missed from our screens.

9) Dawn French - comedy genius Dawn has been out and about showing her dramatic new weight loss, and what a transformation. Deciding not to go for the Fern Britton treatment, opting instead for natural dieting, Dawn has shed the pounds in the last year, and looks fantastic. Her 'French & Saunders' co-star Jennifer Saunders even said "she was not the larger one" of the pair! Well done Dawn.

And finally....

10) Doctor Who - OK, so again like Pudsey, not real, but character aside, this promises to be the biggest storyline of this month, and looks to be debated, argued and supported by fans. Yes, the big news this week was the announcement that the BBC, together with 'Harry Potter' director David Yates, are looking to produce a big-screen adaptation of Doctor Who in the next few years. Hooray! Hold on though. They want to create a brand new movie, away from the current TV series, and launch it separately? Well that is the idea, and one that has got fans of the Doctor up in arms about the plans. How will it work? Will they cancel the 'Doctor Who' series on TV, which saw a reduction in ratings this year? Who knows, but keep watch for that blue police box Britain, it could be appearing in the media soon!

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Dull Tuesday?

I always find Tuesday's a bit of a dull day. Long, tiring, not-quite-the-middle-of-the-week day where I find most news goes into one ear and out the other. But, alas, the jourknow is lively. He never snuffs out an opportunity, and today is no exception.

Introducing, Tuesdays new feature: Tuesday Top Ten. Each week I'll be providing TWO top-ten lists; one of news, and one of something a little less serious. Guaranteed to create debate amongst you valuable readers, I can only say it's my own opinion. And that's that.

Feel free to post your own comments and opinions below to!

Monday 14 November 2011

Kicking off the week

So it's the jourknow's first proper week social networking, and it proves to be a busy one. What with the continued financial crisis, Olympic security fears and is Russell going to get to Wembley on Strictly all playing on my mind - so many questions need answering on the news of the week.

Now, every Monday, I plan to do a feature called Monday Madness - where I look and analyse the biggest news story of the day, and what looks to be top of the news agenda for the coming week ahead. One particular item that caught my eye was the continued fiasco between the 'Murdoch's', the 'government' and the 'news industry'.


Quite appropriately I feel, this story has thrown up so many issues it promises to change the newspaper industry forever. With one national paper gone and more rumours of others to follow, the landscape of the British papers is in for a rocky ride. And with the Leveson Inquiry kicking off today by declaring "phone hacking " may well had been a widely-used tool by all newspapers, it will certainly be controversial!

It was a few months ago that I wrote a report on the Newspaper hacking story, delving into all the facts and rumours spinning their way across bulletins and pages. It was published on my former college website, and is well worth a read (if I may say so), if you need a brush up on what's really going on!*

*apologies if there are any outdated sources/ facts in my article - with so many developments it's hard to keep up!

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If you have not been glued to the various news sites over the last month, you may be wondering what the words ‘hacking’, ‘tapping’ and ‘Rupert Murdoch’ all have in common. And why suddenly there is a gap on the shelf next to the Sunday Mirror when you go to buy your Sunday paper? Well here is a guide to one of the biggest stories that has rocked the start of the summer in its simplest form.

A man named Rupert:So, a man named Rupert Murdoch, an Australian at the grand old age of 80, and his company, News Corporation own a company called News International, which owns The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, and the now defunct News of the World. Lost already? Think of him as an octopus who has his long, somewhat deadly tentacles in some of the UK’s, not to mention the worlds best media companies (Fox Network, The Wall Street Journal and publisher Harper Collins to name a few). He also owns a controlling 39% share in BSkyB, the TV giant, which until recently he planned to fully control.

The Scandal:
Despite condemnation of his conglomerate controlling many a company, his own reputation and ideology has come into immense criticism in the last few months as it has come to attention of the full extent of the ‘Phone Hacking’ scandal. The scandal actually happened in 2006/7, when a first enquiry was set up by the Metropolitan Police, which concluded little evidence available and closed the case. The scandal involves a man called Glen Mulcaire, a private investigator working for the News of the World to uncover stories through a process called Phone Hacking. It basically means the investigator can access the voicemails and phone calls of various different people, which have amassed into politicians, the Royal Family, celebrities, PR guru’s, and perhaps the most shocking, victims and families of those killed in events like the 7/7 bombings. Mulcaire, and the former Royal Correspondent Clive Goodman, have already served sentences for their roles, but since the latest outbreak of scandals and headlines, more and more names are being called to the ‘witness stand’.

So who is involved now?

Well, really there are five separate parties involved. They include:

1. News International & News Corporation - Perhaps the most complicated party, News International have ultimately been the main source for blame since the scandal broke out again. The News of the World, the paper who had been publishing the phone-hacking stories, was at the forefront of the blame - and has subsequently been shut down by News Corporation bosses. News International then CEO, Rebekah Brooks, has subsequently resigned from her post - despite the praises and fight put up by the Murdoch’s. She was alleged to have known about the hacking as CEO, which she has denied. Both Brooks, Murdoch and his son, James Murdoch - CEO of News Corporation in Europe, have all denied involvement and been fighting their innocence in parliament in front of MP’s - despite growing anger from a range of celebrities, politicians and the greater British public.

2. The Government - The Conservative Party have been criticised for their role in the scandal. Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, who was at the centre of the scandal when editor but denied any involvement in the illegal activity, was employed by the Conservatives as their ‘spin doctor’, a decision which David Cameron, Prime Minister, has now admitted as wrong and a ‘misjudgement’ on his behalf, although not fully apologising! So apart from employing the wrong bloke, the Conservatives, and to some extent other political parties, have been condemned by other media outlets for their cosy relationship with News Corporation and the Murdoch’s, and for ‘turning a blind eye’ over the scandal.

3. The Metropolitan Police - Another complicating factor is the Met Police’s role in the scandal. In the original review of the scandal, the Met were the ones who decided there was no case on phone hacking - which has subsequently been founded wrong. Apparently the police were too keen for secret payouts and money in their pocket to worry about issuing a sense of justice, and two senior officers and commissioners have subsequently quit their posts in response to the condemnation from the media, government and public.

4. The Press - Undoubtedly, this hasn’t come at a worse time for the newspaper industry. With declining profits and the rise of the internet, anymore problems could be considered a ticking time bomb for the industry - which is possibly why the effects of the phone hacking could prove a mighty blow for the industry. Already, the scandal has led to other papers, including The Sun (owned by, yes you guessed it, Rupert Murdoch), The Mirror and the Daily Mail being linked to the scandal - and with the power of companies providing revenue for the newspapers, who ultimately played the biggest factor in the closure of the News of the World, could another newspaper fall in the near future? In addition, an even bigger issue is the matter of self-regulation. The papers ultimately look after themselves, providing them with the freedom they wish for - another factor now under scrutiny. The PCC, the Press Complaints Commission, who should have been watching over the News of the World and other companies to that matter, did not do their job and, like News International/ Corporation, are under immense scrutiny and a possible closure in the upcoming enquiry.

5. The Victims - The biggest party who really are just innocent victims in this shocking story and perhaps the people the press and media organisations forget about. Sienna Miller, Andy Gray, Gordon Brown, Milly Dowler, Prince William, families of those who died in the 7/7 bombings and hundreds of others who have all fallen fowl to the hacking and publication of their personal and intimate details which should not have been published. Despite the lawsuits, the money settlements and A4 apologies printed, they are still the ones innocently exploited for the sake of a few dirty tabloid articles and money in the pockets of guilty editors.

So what happens now?

Well one thing for sure, this is not going to go away quietly. The upcoming enquiry and review of the case into the company, the editors, the police and the reporters; hastily arranged by an under-pressure PM last month in front of a glitzy press conference, is something that is not going to be over in a few weeks - in fact, I would predict the end of the year when we might get a result. It’s going to be complicated no doubt, and strenuous, and lots of finger pointing and blame are going to be passed between parties - but hopefully, if the enquiry works, the results will not only provide the victims with a sense of justice, but put a stop to the illegal undertakings of News International and help provide a positive outcome for the Newspaper Industry.
As for News Corporation and the Murdoch’s, I expect a rather turbulent few months for him. With his bid for control at BSkyB now vanished to thin air, and with his 39% stake also under scrutiny, along with his assets in other companies and in other countries, not to mention his families stance and condemnation, the Mr Nasty media title has a new master at the helm (apologies to Simon Cowell). Although the public do not really love to hate him, I believe it is a simple hate thing - judging by the recent ‘Pie in the Face’ incident that resulted in laughs and jeers, not criticism from the public. Could be worse - could be cold porridge instead, by the way things are going!

And the government? Well the sooner this case disappears, the sooner the smile returns to David Cameron’s face. His role in it all seems to be one that in the next few weeks, we will get to know a little bit more about - and you never know, we might see another departure in the papers.

(Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Sunday 13 November 2011

Greetings


(Celebrating my first night at uni
which I've cleverly exploited to look like
I'm celebrating the launch of my blog to.
If it wasn't for the date, you'd all be none the wiser!)

Hello. Bonjour. Hola. Howdy. Welcome!

Well a guy has to make an entrance. Welcome to the jourknow. A new blog, created by me, Kieran, all about giving the public an interesting array of stories. Whether it be debates, articles of interest, news stories internationally, locally or just randomly, comment or opinion reviews, interviews or just the odd random post -  this site won't promise to be the best blog or best news site, but it will aim to provide you with an alternative source of daily news.

OK, so the pleasantries are over with. I hope you're still with me, and continue to stick with the site.

I guess the first thing to do would be to introduce myself properly. Now if I could, I'd have a cleverly directed vox-pop interview uploaded, complete with SFX and low-key lighting. Instead you get a short and concise paragraph. Or two.

I'm a first year undergraduate student, studying at the University of Kent. Born in Surrey, raised in Hampshire with three brothers, and now living in Kent - I'm country born, and proud of it.
I live for all things news. Starting as a paper boy (ironically) and making my way up to editor of my college magazine for 14 months, as well as work experience at The Guardian and now working towards my degree, my goal in life is to become the next Parky (well, a guy can dream!)

Away from my future career, I do (trust me) have a normal life. I love reading, going to the gym, being with friends, posting on Twitter, listening (and often dancing) to my ipod, shopping, travelling and generally, to use the old saying, living life to the full.

A bit of a snob? Probably. Vain? Debatable. At times controversial? Widely accepted. Funny and ambitious? Agreed! Make your own opinions about me, but what comes down to it, is just an ordinary guy living an ordinary life with a colourful ambition.

...and if you're still here after all that, then I thank you, apologise and look forward to the journey....