So what was the greatest event of 2012?

Wow. Therefore, 2012 has gone, departed, left us for a completely new year full of dreams, worries and who knows what else. Despite claims we would all be killed in 2012 (those Mayans must be kicking themselves), we are all still here and the majority of us are still healthy.

So what will 2013 offer us? A year of hope? Well with the country still bracing itself for more cuts, money is still tight and we are likely to continue to feel the pinch.

Nevertheless, we have lots to look forward to. Thanks to 2012 and the Olympic legacy, the whole country seems to be going sporting mad. Up and down the country, people are digging out their dusty rackets or oiling their bike chains and getting fit again. Already I have booked a gym induction and started my night-time routine of sit-ups and press-ups. Who needs a night cap when you can have a deadly concoction of exercise and more exercise instead?

The Olympics were undoubtedly the biggest talking point of 2012. Forget the budget, forget Gangnam Style; London was the focal point for all of Britain and indeed the world. The country was painted gold as we celebrated the achievements of Wiggo, Ennis, Farah and co. For me, it was personal journey that I loved every minute of. Having the chance to work at the Olympics, see some of the sporting action and indeed the athletes at the parade was fantastic, an opportunity I shall treasure forever.

The Olympics even overshadowed the Queen to become the nation’s event of 2012. Poor Liz just could not compare to the Spice Girls, Sir Chris Hoy or Ellie Simmonds in the Paralympics. Yes, we had two sporting events this year to give us something to smile about; the Paralympics were just as successful and just as exciting as the Olympics, despite the fact most of us forgetting about the Paralympics.

It is a tribute to the fantastic efforts of so many of our sporting stars that many of our Olympic heroes are being awarded knighthoods and honours. All of them thoroughly deserve the attention and glory, they did our country proud and we will never forget what they have achieved. It leaves me teary eyed to think the Olympics won’t be back on this year, but alas, we have plenty of other sporting events to look forward to in the future; the Rugby World Cup, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014, and of course Rio in 2016. I’m already tempted to dig out my maracas and join the party in Rio as a volunteer!

So raise your glass to 2012, a year of sport, the year the UK put aside its problems and joined in the celebrations to mark what was perhaps the most successful Olympics ever witnessed by the world. Well done Great Britain, well done 2012!

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Hello 2013 - message from the jourknow

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you all had a lovely New Year, partying hard and downing vodka like it's 2012. I certainly was, dressed up as Where's Wally in a bar in Devon, looking after my drunk friend and watching the fireworks. Sounds like fun right!?

It's hard to believe that 2012 has been and gone, it really was a fantastic year. Sporting success, London in the spotlight, a surge in popularity for the Queen, Britain out of the recession etc...everything looked promising for once.

Let's hope the good luck will continue for 2013. I wish you all the best of luck with work, school, uni, college, future travel plans etc. Good luck!

As for the jourknow, I will be continuing on into the new year with more blog posts. Last term was a busy one for me at University, so I hope to spend more time this year with creating and uploading fresh blog posts. Keep on checking the site for updates :)

Thanks for your support, I really appreciate it.

Kieran Watkins

Prince Harry and the naked pics: what's the big deal?

In the news this week, there is one member of the Royal Family who has been up to a bit of mischief.

It seems boys will be boys, and in the case of Prince Harry, there’s no exception. Whilst partying on a recent break in Las Vegas - before he is off on military duty - pictures of Harry in a compromising position of ‘naked billiards’ were taken and released to US entertainment website TMZ.

The two photos showed the Prince in a whole new light. The first photo showed the Prince covering his crown jewels (sorry, couldn’t resist) with his own hands, whereas the second photo showed the Prince hugging an unknown female from behind.

Immediately the photos took the viral world by storm, with media outlets across the world reporting on the Prince’s escapades. In Britain, the Royal Family remained quiet, although later confirmed the photos were of the Prince. It took nearly a week for The Sun to print the photos, the first paper to do so in Britain.

But why such a furore? Haven’t we all heard about Vegas? You know the saying, “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Should Harry be criticised for his escapades?

Well no, frankly, he shouldn’t, and if anything, this will only make him more popular. The thing with the Prince is this. He is young, he is single, he is a red-blooded male; he wants to have fun and enjoy himself like many other young men would want to do too.

The public like Prince Harry, and of course his older brother - the Duke of Cambridge - because they’re modern. They are letting the public see the monarchy in a completely new light, a version where the Royal’s are more in-touch with British society. No more stuffiness.

In fact, many people see Prince Harry as a hero. People admire him, the girls love him and the boys, well the boys want to be him. Let us face it, he is not going to be King so it is hardly going to jeopardise his Royal future.

If I was to criticise the press handling of these photos, I would direct my anger at The Sun. The way they printed them seemed wrong. They claimed most people had already seen them online as a justifiable excuse to why they should be printed on page 1. They then claimed they were not making any moral judgement from printing the photos, apart from the obvious one being by printing these entertaining photos on the front cover means they will make more money.

So here’s to Prince Harry for those rather cheeky photos that have taught the British public, and indeed the monarchy, that a few naked snaps will only boost your popularity. I mean, if it worked for Tulisa and Kim Kardashian, it can work for Harry too!

Wikipedia

Fashion: how to shop the sales

This week, rather than showing you the latest collections, I’ve decided to reveal all my knowledge of the sales and help you invest your time and money wisely when shopping the sales.

The High Street seems to be full of sales at the moment, with many shops hoping to make up for falling profits during the year. The traditional sales have usually been the big Boxing Day and Summer Sales, but generally now most stores will have a sale at least four times a year (one after Easter, before the start of the summer, and another usually one in October, before Christmas). But don’t presume the sales only happen at regular times in the year; they can run whenever. Unless your DFS (where you’re guaranteed to find a sale every day of the year), stores will pick and choose depending on the retail climate and how much profit they have already made in the year. If a store is losing money, then it’s guaranteed they’ll start their sales early or have them at varying times in the year.

So what does this mean for the consumer? Well, it means you’re guaranteed a bargain. But what constitutes a bargain, and how do I know if you’re saving money? Follow these tips to save as much money as possible:

1) Check the season - generally, most stores will put last season’s unsold clothes in the sale, and these are the ones that are cheaper. Yet increasingly stores are putting current collections in the sale too. When you look in the sales, make sure you’re clothes match the season. Generally, this seasons clothes will be reduced towards the end of the sale

2) Be patient - like I mentioned above, it’s best to wait to the end of the sale to bag yourself a bargain, particularly if it’s a current season item. Most sales will only start with modest discounts of 25-50%, but towards the end, you can get discounts nearing 75% or more

3) Shop around - when shopping the sales, always make sure you visit different shops to compare prices. Sales can be competitive, with stores marketing their discounts so that more customers visit. In the Boxing Day sales for example, a price war between shops can result in some fantastic bargains

4) Check all items vigorously - make sure the clothes aren’t damaged or broken. It’s really important that the quality is still perfect and you should check your clothes before you pay for them. Also, make sure they fit you…there’s been many a time where I’ve gone to buy an item which was on a ‘small’ hanger and taken it home to find it’s a ‘large’

5) Find out about exchanges - a nasty marketing tactic by stores is usually to close their fitting rooms during a sale period, meaning you can’t try before you buy. Many stores don’t offer refunds for sale items either, meaning many of us have to presume it will fit us if we buy it. Check the returns/ exchanges policy. Some stores may offer refunds/ exchanges or even a gift receipt if you’re unhappy with your purchase

6) Check online - bargains are not just confined to the High Street. Many stores offer discounts online too, with a much wider selection of clothes available, all from the comfort of your own home. Be careful though, delivery charges can often be expensive on sale items, and you’re guaranteed to find a cheaper bargain in-store

7) Keep on looking - you’ll find most stores nowadays have a continuous ‘sale rail’ which is full of bargain buys. New Look, H&M and Primark are just some of the stores I’ve noticed that have a continuous sale. Keep your eye out for any one-day promotions too

Picture courtesy of cardsave. net

First Gold for Great Britain!

Good news for Team GB and the country today as we finally claimed our first Gold medal of the Olympics.

With the home support feeling a little “down” from our lack of medals so far, it couldn’t have come at a better time for Team GB to win their first Gold.

And what a superb victory it was for rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in the women’s pair, who become the first female rowers in Britain to win an Olympic title.

With the crowds cheering and the whole country celebrating the first Gold of the London 2012 games for Team GB, it now brings our medal total to six. Our first medal went to Lizzie in the Women’s road race, with another silver going to the Equestrian eventing team. Bronze medals have also been awarded to the Men’s eight rowing  team, Rebecca Adlington in the 400M and the fantastic Men’s artistic gymnastics team, who were controversially downgraded from silver in a thrilling, history-making day of gymnastics.

Catch all the latest on the BBC Olympics page and the London 2012 website.

Keep going Team GB!!!
Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Get this party started...

The Olympic Games has finally arrived in London! After seven long years of organising, anxieties and dreams, the games have finally arrived for the third time in the capital of Great Britain. Marking the opening, the opening ceremony on Friday, July 27 celebrated the flame being lit at the Olympic Park, along with the arrival of athletes and the IOC president, Jacques Rogge.

But that wasn’t the main reason for Friday’s ceremony and why a predicted one billion people across the globe watched the ceremony. You see, the real reason many of us tuned into watch the ceremony was to see the work of director Danny Boyle, famous for directing such hits as Trainspotting and the Academy Award winning Slumdog Millionaire, organise one of the most spectacular and humble opening ceremonies the world has ever seen.

The man behind the ceremony kept quiet throughout the planning and rehearsals, only giving away a few details about what the crowds could expect. The ceremony was based around the ‘Islands of Wonder’, using Shakespeare’s The Tempest as the main theme. There were rumours of Europe’s biggest bell, farm animals and thousands of NHS staff and patients all playing a role too throughout the ceremony (all which did play a role in the ceremony.)

It was a difficult task to undertake, especially when the media continued to undermine the ceremony by comparing in to the Beijing Ceremony. Beijing 2008 may well have had the budget and power for special effects, lights and fireworks, but what did they not have? A heritage, a sense of humour and, most of all, the pride of an entire nation.

You see, what Danny Boyle managed to produce was a humorous, heartfelt homage to Britain. He showed how Britain dominated the world through the industrial revolution, through literature and music, through film and the birth of the internet and of course, through its wonderful health care service. The story and history behind the scenes were emotional and struck a chord with those watching.

He was also incredibly clever too, and used the British humour to the best of his ability. The bit with Mr Bean (played by Rowan Atkinson) and the fantastic sketch between the Queen and James Bond (portrayed by Daniel Craig) were fantastically funny. On the other hand, the one minute silence to those who lost their lives in the war, and in the July 7/7 bombings, was a poignant tribute to a world which continues to be besieged by war.

With cameo appearances from singers Emeli Sande, Sir Paul McCartney and Dizzee Rascal, Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, David Beckham and a handful of others, not to mention the thousands of volunteers and audience members who all got involved, the ceremony will go down in history as one which put humans and history before money and jazzy pyrotechnics.

If you didn’t see the ceremony, you can watch snippets on YouTube, or relive the whole ceremony on BBC iPlayer.

The jourknow was lucky to win a ticket to see the rehearsal for the opening ceremony, and the above photos were taken whilst at the venue, or from wikipedia.

Royal fever confirms the monarchy is here to stay

These last few weeks have been a right royal affair for Great Britian. Across the nation (and indeed the world), people have been watching their television's and getting their bunting ready as we celebrated 60 years of one of the nation's most iconic and most important women of the last two centuries.

Yes, I'm talking about Queen Elizabeth II. Her majesty has recently celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in style, with the majority of the UK turning out to party and applaud 60 years of her reign.

And what's better, despite the economic downturn and 'rumours' that the public are turning against our beloved Royal Family, the latest statistics show that the popularity of the Royal's has reached rocket levels since research began.

The Daily Mail reported yesterday that the Ipsos Mori poll had recorded that 9/10 people in the UK were happy at the job the Queen was doing for this country, the highest rating since records began in 1992. The findings also suggested 77% of the nation favoured the monarchy over a reformed republic, which only generated a measly 15% in favour.

The Queen can be criticised for many things. She is, when all things considered, a ceremonial figurehead who in reality does very little for the country. All the decisions are in the hands of the Prime Minister since the Bill of Rights 1689 effectively ended the royal sovereignty and shifted it to parliamentary sovereignty (the PM basically has control over the state, rather then the monarch.)

But even if the Queen plays a ceremonial role, she does have significant influence and, as the statistics suggest, is more popular then ever before. At the grand old age of 86, she still plays an important role as part of our unwritten constitution. And it's a role she's successfully managed to fulfil these last 60 years.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said of the Queen's role over the last 60 years:

"After 60 years on the throne she has proved the value of the monarchy in uniting the nation, and she has put the republicans to a spectacular rout. ... she has seen the people of this country grow incomparably richer, healthier and (arguably) happier than they were in 1952."

The last two years, I believe, have been the turning point for the Royal Family. Since the problems caused by the death of Princess Diana, the monarchy has built up its reputation and remains a powerful emblem of British society. The Royal Wedding last year saw record numbers of viewers and tourists watch Prince William and Kate Middleton become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, reigniting the popularity of the monarchy, particularly with younger generations. The young couple have shown that the Royal Family are still in-touch with the nation, and their popularity shows that.

But the Queen still remains the pillar of the Royal Family, as the huge crowds and nationwide celebrations reiterated. More street parties were thrown for the Diamond Jubilee than the Royal Wedding, and more people visited London (despite the rain) too. The flotilla of boats saw people from across the Commonwealth float along the Thames, and even celebrities and pop stars saluted the Queen with the Jubilee concert. Bunting was everywhere, and even those disgruntled against the monarchy joined in the festivities (and those that still campaigned were detained, good riddance!)

I will not deny my biased opinion in support of the Queen. I love the monarchy, I think the Queen is fantastic and yes I was waving my flag ecstatically during the Jubilee weekend. I even cried a little at the moving speech by Prince Charles at the end of the Jubilee concert (particularly the 'mummy' bit!)

The Jubilee festivities taught me two things. One; Britain, despite the miserable weather, certainly knows how to put on a party. And two; Britain still loves our majesty, despite the economic problems and past problems. So here's to Liz and the Royal Family. Long may you lead our country, and long may other nations remain envious of our rich and colourful history between the monarchy and the nation.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia/ my own

Can the Welsh language survive?

I'll be quick to admit that I have never been to Wales. Usually one for picking the 'exotic' over the 'countryside' when it comes to holidays, I have never ventured that side of the Severn. But the latest campaign from Wales has certainly interested me, and this was further highlighted by a recent article in the Guardian.

Because, according to the latest statistics, the Welsh language is dying out. According to the Welsh Government, there are only 580,000 people in Wales speaking Welsh, about 21% of the population, whereas in the late 1800's, the figure was nearly 80%. There is a net loss of about 2,000 to 3,000 Welsh speakers each year as a result of factors such as death and outmigration.

Which is possibly why the Welsh tourism board have produced this new advertising campaign, to re-establish Wales as a part of our culture and society.

It's certainly sad when any language dies out. After spending most of my college years studying language variation and change, I became fascinated in language change, particularly in pidgins and creoles. Therefore, I look at these statistics from an academic point of view, and from my own personal view.

From an academics point of view, the new figures are somewhat alarming. No matter how small Wales is, it plays a very important part in the British society. Its heritage - whether it be cultural or economical - form part of the British society, so to dismiss the new figures as a sign of a growing problem would be somewhat fickle. Surely promoting the Welsh language would be a good idea for all of us?

But then again, from my own personal perspective, what is the point in the Welsh language? I mean, what with English so widely spoken, with England inevitably holding the most power in Britain, what is the point in trying to protect the national dialect?

Arguably, it is a question that Wales is trying to answer. The Welsh Assembly recently introduced new legislation appointing a commissioner of the Welsh Language through the Welsh Language 2011 Measure. Meri Huws spoke out about how she wished to restore the trust people have in the language, with Scotland and Northern Ireland all watching her closely to see if they can mirror her success.

Language commissioners are nothing new, in fact they are widespread in countries like Canada and Ireland,  but do they work? Huws believes she can help promote the Welsh language through various codes and laws, such as fining companies who fail to promote Wales and its language. Schools are tyring hard, and even market sellers are trying to promote the language.

But the public remain dubious, with many people in Wales conceding that the language is doomed to become extinct in the next few decades. For me, this is sad and something that should be helped to protect. Our country is built on its multicultural past, with language varieties such as the Welsh language forming our rich history.

Times change as society evolves. Arguably, the present English language could be described as more American then English as it once was, so maybe the national government could collate their efforts into protecting both languages. If the government can lay down laws meaning any immigrant must learn English, maybe something similar could be said for anyone who moves to Wales?

Time will tell, but I would like to think that in centuries to come, the Welsh language will still be alive and kicking.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

The Budget 2012: The plans, the changes and what it means to you

Over the last few days, there has been one main focus of the news agenda. A diary event which affects our economy, our businesses, our way of life and so on. Yes, it’s the Budget, and this month’s Budget provided a few surprises, among many other planned changes to government departments and to our way of life.

In a competent and calm speech, the Chancellor George Osborne started off with some rather good news. He reported that the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts that the UK will avoid a “technical recession”, but that the Eurozone is still a risk to the UK economy. In a budget which he described as “the budget that rewards work”, he also revealed that the OBR forecasts a 0.8% growth forecast this year for the UK Economy, with a 2% rise planned for next year. This means we should avoid going back into recession, despite countries in Europe (including Germany, who recently announced a drop in growth).

On the downside, despite deflation, unemployment is on the rise. Public sector borrowing was however down by 11.1%, almost £11billion less than previously forecasted in the budget of autumn last year. Public sector debt forecasted to peak at 76.3% of GDP (Gross Domestic Profit) by 2014/15.

But anyway, on to what really matters. Below is a list of some of the proposals. I have provided a few comments on each new plan. Some are likely to be well received by the public and media; others however, may pose a blow to families:

Tax System:

-          Rising the personal allowance of individuals to £10,000, meaning anyone earning less is free from paying Income Tax. Currently, the allowance is about £7,000, meaning lots of members from the public will be free from paying tax (great news if you have a small part time job)

-          Child Benefit withdrawn, replaced by income tax charge for households who earn over £50,000 a year. Households earning over £60,000 will no longer gain Child Benefit. Mixed opinion from public, however was already reported as happening. Rich will suffer.

-          State pension to be reviewed in the near future. Elderly income tax personal allowance frozen. This is likely to be a key feature of the autumn budget.

-          Reduction in top rate of income tax from 50% to 45%. Likely to anger the poor, but again, has been talked about for quite some time. Labour government originally rose the rate from 45% to 50%, so it’s nothing new.

-          Reduce main rate of Corporation tax by added 1%, making a 2% reduction from April this year to 24%. Will decrease by 1% each year to 22% by 2014. Great news for businesses, making it more competitive for companies across the global economy. May help the economy.

-          New Stamp Duty Land Tax rate of 7% for residential properties over £2million. Lib Dems will be pleased with this, for it’s similar to their plans for a ‘Mansion Tax’.

-          Consultation will begin on annual charges on residential properties over £2million.

-          Stop tax avoidance, which the chancellor said: “Tax avoidance is morally repugnant.”

-          Age related allowances (ARAs) will only be available to those born on or before 5 April 1938. 4.4m pensioners will be worse off as a result

-          Issues new Personal Tax Statements for around 20milliopn tax payers. Fantastic idea, will help people understand their taxes, where they go to, how much they pay etc.

-          Help small businesses by introducing tax calculated on a cash basis, rather than figures. Making it easier to calculate tax.

Reforms to support growth:

-          Look to privatizing roads, and how to finance new national road networks. Was already mentioned at the beginning of the week, no major news.

-          Introduce ultrafast broadband to 8 major UK cities, as part of £100mil investment. Nice to see a lot of areas in the North that will benefit, rather than the south.

-          Invest £130million in a new Northern Hub rail scheme, and invest £60million in a UK centre for aerodynamics. Great for UK jobs, and again, will benefit the North of the country (although, in terms of Tory voters, may cause a rift between voters and the government).

-          Report on South East airport infrastructure over the summer. Is likely to determine the fate of the Thames Estuary/ Heathrow Expansion. One to watch!

-          Relax Sunday Trading laws from the 22 July 2012 for 8 weekends to coincide with the Olympics. Already announced last week. Public opinion likely to be mixed.

-          Tax reliefs from April 2013 on video games, animation and television industries, to protect shows such as Wallis & Gromit (which the chancellor quipped rather amusingly) and Downton Abbey from setting up production outside of the UK. Today’s announcement of Game Group going into administration likely to overshadow the proposals.

-          Publish a strategy of gas generation in the summer, along with major investment in Renewable energy, and simplifying the Carbon Reduction Commitment schemes. One of the biggest surprises was the Chancellor’s reluctance to promote Nuclear Power, which has been in the news recently.

-          Tax relief and changes expected for North Sea Oil companies, with investment likely to lead to exploration of Shetland areas in North Sea.

Treasury Special Reserve:

-          Special Reserve provision for military operations will be reduced by £2.4 billion, in line with announcement that UK combat operations in Afghanistan will cease by the end of 2014. I remain sceptical on how the government can decide to remove troops so early, despite on-going conflict in Afghan

-          Council tax relief for soldiers following £3million investment. Will benefit families of around 20,000 deployed personnel

VAT/ Duty:

-          Correct loopholes/ anomalies in the VAT System, particularly prices of hot food and soft drinks. Likely to lead to price rises in certain ‘basket goods’.

-          New duty on gambling machines. Operators anywhere in the world will have to pay duty on profits generated from UK customers

-          No change to Alcohol Duty – although NHS likely to review health care provision for alcohol related treatment. Surprised that government did not decide to introduce minimum fee’s

-          Cigarette Duty to rise by 5% comes into effect at 6pm TONIGHT! Price of a pack of 20 likely to increase by 37p. A victory for health campaigners, bad news for smokers.

-          No further change to fuel duty, although a 3p rise will come into effect over August. Likely to anger motorists, who hoped for fuel concessions

Other:

-          Government to increase funds available to invest through the Business Finance Partnership to £1.2 billion

-          Gold Reserves worth around £11 billion

-          Continued investment in Exports to reinstate Britain as a global player (in reaction to Brazil, India, China)

So what we have is a very interesting budget. A budget which the chancellor called “fiscally neutral”, despite the critics suggesting will harm the majority of the Conservative’s wealthy voters. The budget focused on business, tax evasion and welfare, the latter of which the Chancellor revealed 30% of our taxes go towards. It was a tough stance taken by the chancellor, but in these tough times, action needs to be swift. If the promises are made, maybe Britain will be on the road to recovery?

Please let me know your thoughts on the planned proposals, how they may affect you or your families. Thank you.

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Apologies for any innacurate information. The link provides you with the full plans.

Paddington Bear: A worthy winner of Britain's best animated character?

His blue duffle coat, accompanied by a pair of shiny red wellingtons, topped off with a black hat, has been an iconic look for over 50 years. He helped to make marmalade sandwiches popular, and it could be argued he put Peru on the map. He is of course, Paddington Bear, and he was this week crowned Britain's best animated character of all time.

Paddington Bear has long been one of my favourite bear's. Sitting alongside Winnie the Pooh, Knut and the Hair Bear Bunch, he is perhaps one of the more wiser bears in the entertainment world. Never failing to regenerate himself after - he was first brought to our screens way back in 1958 - he remains an iconic figure for Britain.

So you would expect public opinion to be in support of his latest accolade, which he won at the 9th British Animation Awards in London this week. He's featured in books, TV shows and has had many teddy bears, toys and collectibles made, yet I was shocked to find outcry from some members of the public who criticised the win.

But why? Most arguments seem to centre around the fact that although Paddington Bear is iconic, he perhaps does not have the glamour of some of the other competitors. Characters such as Super Ted, Bagpuss, The Clangers, Mr Benn, Dangermouse and Postman Pat were all nominated alongside the lovable bear. All were hits in their day, with Postman Pat still clinging on to children's TV. All popular candidates for the award, but none so worthy as the great bear himself.

The likeable thing about Paddington was that he was, well, ordinary. Apart from being a kooky character with a love of marmalade and battered suitcases, the stories were easy to follow and promoted family values. They touched on issues such as adoption and class conflict with subtlety, with the first series using stop-motion animation to keep the audiences focus on the narration. Humour was of paramount importance, and the storylines always varied, keeping the audience's interest.

The best thing about Paddington, when compared to many of the animations we have today, is that he was not commercialised into an advertising machine. Yes, you could buy your very own Paddington Bear, but you did not see his face or logo printed on nappies to bananas like you do with more modern characters. Peppa Pig may have popular appeal, but if she was not advertised everywhere, would you know her?

The British public of today want a shiny star. Over the last few decades, it has been apparent that to succeed in children's TV, you need money and you need publicity. Similar to the celebrities of the real world, the concept is the same. Which is why so many of the characters of yesterday have left our screens, headed for the history books.

Yet Paddington remains. Like a cult rock artist, he is highly regarded by our nation. Maybe it is his outfit, his name or personality that keeps him familiar with people young or old? Who knows, but whatever he has, many of the other animators are keen to find it. As the old English proverb goes, 'mighty oaks from little acorns grow', and maybe Paddington is an example of this. He will never tire, certainly not in my eyes.

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia/ The Jourknow

Let it Snow!

It has been promised for the last few weeks, and with an overnight flurry of the white stuff descending on the majority of the UK, it looks like our prayers have been finally answered.

Yes, the snow has arrived. And with it, comes the flight cancellations, road accidents and numerous days off from school and work. A nightmare, some might say?

But honestly, every year the same thing happens. It snows, the nation goes crazy and we soon start to moan about the snow before it has even settled. Why? So it might cause a few problems here and there. It might mean you miss a concert, a train ride back home or mean you are stuck inside for the next few days, but does it really matter?

Personally, I love the sense of chaos the snow brings with it every year. You can guarantee, that by February, Britain is bracing itself for a coating of Snow, so thick it is going to ruin everything. Yet we never seem to truly grasp the snow by its horns. It still manages, without fail, to wipe us of our salt supplies, and ruin the public transport system.

But who cares! For kids, it is magnificent. No school, no work; just lots of snowball fights, snowangels and snowmen! And for even bigger kids, like myself, it is a chance to reminisce over your childhood, as you re-create the Spanish Civil War outside in the snow.

For everyone else though, it is a nightmare. Blocked roads, empty shops, a cold house, the prospect of spending 3 days stuck with your children. Damn you blasted weather! Every year is the same. On one side, you have those who love it. And on the other, you have those who despise it.

Which begs the question, what are the real benefits of the snow? According to a recent article in The Sun, the snow provides a £100 million boost to the High Street, as maniacal mums descend on the supermarkets. According to the paper, the amount of goods bought on the High Street last week was up 200% compared to other weeks. Marks & Spencers reported a 95% rise in coat sales, up on a year ago, and Debenhams reports a 40% rise in the number of high tog duvets being sold.

So as temperatures hit -11c, it seems the snow can bring benefits to the nation. And in these dire times of economic struggle, surely we all deserve a day off once in a blue moon, to enjoy mother nature and relive your youth. Let it snow Britain, let is snow!

Monday Madness: Road Deaths - the reality behind the statistics

Today's Monday Madness story - a story which appears to dominate the news agenda for the next week - looks at a news report, issued by the BBC, which shows the locations of deaths from road accidents on our roads over the last decade.

Now when I first looked at the article, I was fascinated - and saddened - to see the number of road accidents in the UK, especially after you've typed in your postcode and noticed that some are on your doorstep. It's similar to how the government's Crime Statistics website works; it places a dot on the map to where the accident has occurred, and gives you a list of what caused the accident (i.e. a car, motorcycle). It has taken the BBC years to create, and it's certainly a reliable source if any for providing the locations and details of the road accidents in the UK.

Yet I was surprised and shocked to learn that the UK has one of the best records in the world for road accidents. According to the report, there were 36,371 deaths in Britain between 1999-2010, with 1,850 recorded last year. Yet still hundreds die, and with promises of new technology improving car safety, stricter police controls and better roads - it's still; horrifying to see so many accidents take place across the country.

Six months ago, I lost a friend to a road accident. It was a tragic shock to her friends, family, peers; a shocking accident, who we all miss everyday. Yet it provided a staunch reminder of just how scary driving on the road can be, and just how close the ties between life and death really are.

As someone who passed their driving test a few months ago, I was appalled at the lack of safety measures taught in the tests. In fact, there was very little regarding safety mentioned during the Theory test - my examiner, thankfully, taught me vital lessons in road safety. Our we a nation who takes it for granted? I mean, we all know what a seat belt is for, but what is its function?

Road safety is a big issue in the UK, and a death as witnessed by myself earlier this year ignited my fear of the road. I used to live in a village where the main road, a singe-lane carriageway, had a speed limit of 30mph. Over a mile of road stretched through the village, with only one set of traffic lights. And even then, did many of the cars, lorries and the like take notice of the speed limits?

Moving to a much larger area, the similarities in road safety are similar. The dual-carriageway that runs past my university accommodation has a maximum speed of 40mph, with a speed camera in place. Yet, beyond the speed camera, I have already witnessed two accidents in the last month. Quite frightening when you have to negotiate crossing the road everyday.

Besides precautions, the state of the roads have a lot to be desired. In the village, the road was forever being churned up by developers and made worse by the influx of pot holes they introduced. In the town, the road layout leaves a lot to be desired.

Not to mention the flashy cars and hybrids out on the market. Just passing my local car dealer, I happen to notice the new models and shiny exteriors of the latest cars on the market. Good for the environment, cheap to run - but safe for all to use? You don't see that one printed often.

Now I realise it takes a deep level of skill and maturity to be able to drive safely, and therefore some accidents are down to reckless driving; whether it be drinking under the influence or speeding. But you cannot blame the drivers entirely.

I hope, with the changes planned for the Theory Test, and new developments in the industry, that Britain can start tackling the massive problem of road accidents. Despite the statistics in other countries, and problems, there must be a solution. I would love to believe that roads across this country could be 100% for drivers, and that those behind the wheel were 100% confident to drive safely. Hopefully, the government, the road agencies, the car companies and the public will come up with a solution.

Because I would hate to lose another friend to a road accident.

Picture courtesy of BBC News website

In Memory of Erin Shee

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