ALL NEW CHANGE AT LONDON WATERLOO

A big change is coming to London Waterloo train station as a new ticket gate system will be introduced at all platforms from December 2008.

 

Network Rail in cooperation with South West Trains is installing the new machines to help ensure customers travel with a valid ticket. The new gate line will be the longest in Europe with 148 ticket gates.

 

The new gates have already been trialled at many stations across the network where they have proved to be a success. The introduction of automatic ticket gates will be installed at more stations including Winchester, Salisbury and Haslemere.

 

While speaking to e.motion magazine South West Trains Revenue Protection Manager Adam Piddlington said: “Ticket gates are simply the fairest and most effective way to ensure that everyone is travelling with a valid ticket.”

 

Mark Hawes a passenger who regularly uses Winchester station doesn’t think the gates will be efficient. He said: “The new system will make the station chaotic and the system in place at the moment is working fine. The gates will cause queues as there is only one entrance to each platform. It will cause havoc, especially at rush hour.”

 

Peter Hurst a Network Rail Manager says that the gates can be made to open in the opposite direction if the number of passengers entering or leaving the station increases. “The new gate line should smooth the passenger flow, especially at peak times.”

 

Installations of the new gate line at Winchester and other stations on South West Trains network will begin early next year.

 

 

Man Found Guilty of Hannah Foster Trial

The man accused of murdering 17-year-old Hannah Foster has been found guilty at Winchester Crown Court today.

 

Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, 41 has also been convicted of the kidnap, rape and false imprisonment of the Southampton school girl by jurors. .

 

She was kidnapped while walking home after a night out with friends at a local club a short distance from her home on 14^th March 2003, her body was later discovered two days later in Allington Lane, West End, Southampton.

 

Judge Mr Justice Keith sentenced Kohli to life in prison in which he is to serve a minimum of 24 years. He said Kohli choose his crime because of Hannah’s “vulnerability as a young slip of a girl”; commenting on the emotional damage of the family he said they were put through “unimaginable grief”.

 

Hannah’s parents Hilary and Trevor Foster campaigned for over four years to extradite Kohli from India where he fled after the murder, he was sent back last year to stand trial. As the verdict was read out Hilary and Hannah’s sister Sarah burst into tears consoling each other as justice was finally given.

 

The agony of losing Hannah would be with his family forever said Trevor Foster: “the grief and the pain they’re going to be there until the day we die.”

                            

The jury complied of eight men and four women took only five and half hours to reach the four ominous decisions during the six week trial. Kohli showed no emotion as the verdict was read to the court.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRITISH PRIDE FOUND ON A CYPRUS BEACH

I recently took a holiday to Cyprus where I was flown out to Larnaca which is on the south cost of the Island. I was over there visiting someone I knew and stayed in the British Army Garrison called Dekelia.

My week over there coincided with 5th November and the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment decided to throw a bonfire and fireworks night on the beach to celebrate the occasion, not only this they wanted to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity.

I have never seen one of these being started within Britain but I couldn’t believe the sheer size of the event and how much work, effort and time went in to making the event the huge success it turned out to be. Over 5,000 people including soldiers based in Dekelia, families, children …even residents round the area crowded on to the beach and the bars surrounding the area in order to pay tribute to the cause in which the event was set up to help. Hundreds of these people queued for ominous amount of time to enter the event; they had no worries paying the 5Euro charge covered per head for the bonfire and fireworks night.

The amount of British pride I saw standing on that beach was shocking I couldn’t believe how many people came out to help raise awareness for the campaign and how much pride they had knowing exactly what their money was going to do and who it was going to help. I think that this is why so many people took the time to turn up to the event and spent so much money on the alcohol and food provided by different bars and food companies around Larnaca. All the money raised on that night through the bars and the charge per head went to Help for Heroes and over £7,000 was raised by everyone who turned up.

Looking back over that night (after I had nursed the hang over I had somehow received from that night) I looked back at the pictures I took and started to think why it was so different in Britain. To be honest I couldn’t find the correct answer because I have no clue why this was. I think that people in Britain had pride for their country and the vast majority do have pride and love for what the soldiers do every day for the country, but I think when families and soldiers are based abroad they see how much soldiers sacrifice for their home country. Being away from home, many away from their families, or even those families who are up-rooted leaving friends and family behind in order to move with their spouses it makes people see how hard life is for soldiers and how much pride they have for every person involved. I think that is why so many people turned up and enjoyed the event.

Yes…. many of them were soldiers and their families, ex pad rats (ex soldier’s children) and even officers … some of them were ordinary Cypriot people who wanted to help out a very noble cause. Another thing I noticed was a British bar on the Remembrance weekend took a 1/3 off of everyone’s bill within the bar/restaurant and gave it to the British Legion to go towards their cause.

My trip there was a eye opener, and if only people in Britain could just have as much pride as some of the people out in Larnaca maybe the soldiers of the British army would feel privileged to be doing the job they are, I’ve spoken to some British soldiers in the army that feel they want to leave the army. This is because they feel terrible that those people they fight for don’t care about them… I think a huge parade would make them see that soldiers in this country are loved and we have pride for everything they do.

FESTIVE CHEER IN EASTLEIGH

The festive season arrived with a bang last night as the lights were switched on in Eastleigh Town Centre marking the official start of Christmas.

 

Fireworks illuminated the night sky as the Deputy Mayor of Eastleigh, Councillor Pamela Holden-Brown and Santa Clause got the crowd to count down the switch-on.

 

When asked her thoughts on how the event went the Deputy Mayor said: “I think it was really wonderful, I not been to one of these before but I thought it was really very good”.

 

Visitors to the yearly event enjoyed seasonal entertainment with Santa’s procession and a parade through the town centre accompanied with a steel band; kids and adults also participated in helping to raise money for Eastleigh Caravel Committee, who helped make the event possible.

 

“It was really nice” said Jean Stevens who travelled from Bishopstoke to watch the parade, “Last year was a bit of a disappointment but this year was a pleasant surprise”.

 

Adults and children happily skated on the synthetic ice rink made for the occasion whilst tasting the festive foods available; visitors were also entertained by Thornden School band as they played traditional Christmas carols.

 

 

The event is sponsored by one of Hampshire’s leading radio stations Wave 105fm and the Hampshire Chronicle; other sponsors include the Swan Centre, Picador Cars and Prysmian. 

Tubes are Inaccessible

Wheelchair dependant customers are finding it difficult to use tubes on the London Underground as many stations are inaccessible.

 

Forty-eight stations on the tube network have ‘step free access’ from the street to the platform this is out of nearly 400 stations on the entire tube map, these stations include lifts that sometimes do not work and escalators that the chairs can’t go on.

 

Debbie Gross, a disabled customer of the London Underground said: “Its difficult being in a wheelchair as it’s very hard to try and get in to places that are easily accessible by able bodied people. The tubes are supposed to be for everyone yet I still feel that wheelchair users are being discriminated against”, she continued to say “all stations should be wheelchair friendly”.

 

Priority seats are being introduced on the platforms and tactile warning surfaces will be installed on staircases to hep less able customers. Managing Director of the London underground, Tim O’Toole said in a press release: “We have now committed to providing full step-free access at 25% of all Tube stations by 2010.These will include stations close to venues for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics”.

 

The Piccadilly and District lines have the most stations that are wheelchair friendly, the only fully accessible line on the tube network to be fully accessible to wheelchair users is the Docklands Light Railway.

 

 

WINCHESTER HAS MANY QUESTIONS FOR THE BBC

The BBC’s longest running debate show Any Questions? celebrated its 60th anniversary show with a live broadcast from one of Winchesters prestigious secondary schools.

 

The Henry Beaufort School was chosen to host the special programme which coincided with the shows return to the city where it was first aired at the Guildhall in 1948. 

 

Barry Lipscomb a male audience member started the discussion asking the panel: “Should charities with deposits at risk in failed foreign, British based and regulated banks receive compensation from the UK Government”? Harriet Harman, Labour MP replied that the cabinet will be conducting meetings with the charitable sector one action taken has been: “freezing the assets of Icelandic banks” to try and save some money. She insisted: “we won’t leave them on their own.”

 

Charities have invested a reported £25 million in failed banks after being given advice by the government; many are now facing the horrifying reality that they could lose all the money they have invested.

 

Harman who is also Minister for Women and Equality announced a new equality bill that will make transparent how much men and women are paid in the workplace. This was revealed after a question about equal rights for women was asked by another audience member. “Women are looking after the family, the elderly and the home”, said Baroness Williams, until they come out of this role “we can whistle for equality as it won’t happen!”

RADIO NEWSDAY STORY

MURDERED MOTHER FOUND BY 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER

 

A 15 year old school girl found her mother dead on the kitchen floor at their home, after a brutal attack a court heard today.

 

Stephen Lay, 48, from Tadley in Basingstoke is on trail at Winchester Crown Court for the murder of his ex-wife and mother of his daughter Carol Reeves.

 

Ms Reeves was discovered after her daughter returned from her boyfriend’s house on 26th May 2007, she gave evidence via satelitte to the court about the events leading up to her finding her mother.

 

Mr Lay denies murder as his trail continues.

CITIZENSHIP IN EDUCATION

LOCAL MP for Enfield North appeared in the House of Parliament today to talk to the about issues in the national curriculum within the education system.

 

Joan Ryan asked the Minister for the Department of Children, Schools and Families: “Are you willing to include issues relating to crime in young people including anti social behaviour, knife crime and binge drinking within classrooms?”

 

The spate of gun and knife crime in London has now put immense pressure on schools to provide adequate teaching of the dangers before youths are drawn in to anti social behaviour in society. Mr Knight says: “The revised curriculum for Citizenship in secondary schools provides opportunities to explore the issue of crime, antisocial behaviour and carrying weapons through an examination of the concepts of democracy and justice, understanding that justice is fundamental to a democratic society and exploring the role of law in maintaining order and resolving conflict.”

 

The new framework for Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) which has replaced Citizenship hopes to provide students with the opportunity to be taught how to make safer choices when being pressured with threats to their personal safety in a non criminal way.

 

“PHSE is non-statutory” says Mr Knight: “The implantation of this subject in to every Secondary school in the country is not possible, the decision as to whether the subject is brought in to a schools curriculum is giving to individual Secondary school.”

 The decision to raise the issue of Citizenship within schools comes after the government announces plans to make children swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen; the plans were put forward by former attorney general Lord Goldsmith to help increase Britishness within our society.

TEENS PREFER BLOGS TO BOOKS

I read in the Daily Mail today a side bar story on page 33 and to be honest it caught my eye and I fell in love with it. At the start of my People and Politics course our lecturer told us to create a blog and then update it frequently, well my opinion on this was that it was a great idea.

 

The story was that teenagers prefer blogging to the classic reading list of books to help further their intellectual minds. The poll found that 11-14 year olds pore over celebrity riddles magazines such as Heat and Bliss which base their population on the lifestyle format. The survey was carried out by the National Year of Reading by the social networking site Piczo; this website contains many blogs man made websites by teenagers.

 

1,340 youngsters who took part in the poll and admitted they had been told off by an adult who taught they were not reading ‘proper’ literature… but I put this question to you; what can be called proper literature nowadays? In the generation we are in now New Media Technologies, online Journalism

 

There are however some books that the survey should teenagers liked including Happy Potter and The Diary of Anne Frank, the least liked books read by teenagers are anything to do with homework or books with more then 100 pages… but I guess university students and teenagers have something in common, they hate to read pages and pages of black and white words printed on paper. I am very thankful that blogs give a teenager the opportunity to voice their opinions, fears, worries and loves to anyone who is willing to log on and read what they have written. It is the best and only way that helps those students further their speech and intelligence and no other person other then their peers give better criticism.

 

The Director of the National Tear of Reading insisted: “We should all appreciate that many young people are reading creatively, parents need to accept that their children prefer to read online resources rather then read through a book.” I think he is correct and if any of what has been shown then there is one simple statement…. Isn’t reading still reading, no matter what material it is?

MAN IN COURT OVER MURDERED TEENAGER

A 45 year old Enfield born man is appearing in front of Enfield Magistrates Court today for the murder of Michael Alexander Jones in Edmonton, North London.

Tony Paul was arrested for the murder of Michael, 18, who was found dead at his home last Thursday; he was studying Geography as Queen Mary University in London.

A post-mortem revealed he died from stab wound to the chest and severe head injuries.

Detectives are searching for a blue BMW 3 series (218 saloon SE) with the registration number N118 FLA, which they believe the suspect was driving. They are also appealing to the public to trace the personal possessions that were stolen from the scene of the crime; these include a gold chain, a ring with the victim’s initials and a pair of glasses.

Michael’s parents appeared on television appealing to witness to help find any more information as to why their son was killed.

GIRL FOUND HUNG IN ‘FREAKISH’ ACCIDENT

A four-year-old child has been found hung in her bedroom by a hair band after a freakish accident yesterday.

 

Phil Brown tried to resuscitate his daughter after he found her lifeless body hung with a hair band which was tied to a hammock at the family home in Kent on New Years Day, her father said: “I took her down and tried to get her back, had tied the hair band to the hammock, used to store stuffed toys, while she was playing in her room.”

 The couple called 999 and young Paige was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford where she was pronounced dead. Ashford Coroner’s court recorded a verdict of accidental death, the coroner said: “It was an entirely unpredicted, freakish accident”.  Reliving the dreadful night his daughter died Mr Brown explained to the court that his daughter was upset when she went downstairs to him and said she could not untie the hair band, which was in a tight knot.  

After seeing how upset Paige was he and Ms Ford went upstairs but could not untie the hair band, they decided to give up and try again later after lunch; unfortunately after they went back downstairs the horrific accident occurred. .

 The inquest heard that the post-mortem examination performed by Consultant pathologist Dr Charles Lawson showed Paige died of compression of the neck due to suspension; he believes she stood on the stool to reach the hair band and slipped off. Coroner Rachel Redman said: “I cannot see that there was anything that you could have done to have prevented what happened to Paige.”

Diana’s inquest is costing £7m!

The coroner’s court hearing in to the death of Diana Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed has reached a staggering £7m, latest figures have shown.

 

The huge figure is set to increase even more as the bill for lawyers representing the police and MI6 have not yet been shown to the public. Furthermore the original investigation into the August 1997 Paris crash lead by the Metropolitan Police cost £4m

 

Diana, her companion Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul died after a car crash in a Paris tunnel on August 31, 1997. Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker has dismissed the jury until March 31, when they will return to hear his summary of evidence.

THE FLYING SPAGETTI MONSTER – new religion!

I was out last weekend at a friends when i saw a red book lyin gon his floor when i picked it up i started to laugh at the name “ The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster”, at this point in time i thought it was a joke book one of them books created as a non-fiction piece of writing. However when i come to read parts in the book i gathered it wasnt, when mmy mate came back we had a lengthy discussion which turned in to a healthy debate over what the book was really meant for. I stood on the bench with the God created earth/Big bang theory and he was adiment that this was a generally good enough theory of how the world was created. It began to intrigue me alot over the next few days when i got home and done some research on this new religion and some some very interesting things about it. Its up to you how you view it as religion takes different people but i will say this, i did laugh and i do continue to at the very thought of this theory; yet there are people in this world who do not have the same opinion as i do.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster (also known as the Spaghedeity) is the a parody religion called The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster founded in 2005 by Bobby Henderson, 25.  

Bobby Henderson a physics graduate from Oregon State University protested the Kansas State Board of Educations decision to only teach intelligent design as an alternative theory to biological evolution in our world. He sent a letter to the education board where he said that he believes in a supernatural being called the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which resembles spaghetti and meatballs. He also said that schools should not only teach one belief about how the world was created and for the ‘Pastafarian’ theory of creation to be taught in science classrooms.

Since this event occurred the media exposure of the FSM become incredible and through this the religion become highly popular with many people throughout the world, especially in America. Henderson described himself as a concerned citizen when he sent the open letter regarding the FSM to the Kansas Board of Education. The letter was sent before the evolution hearings as an arguments against the teaching on intelligent designs in the biology classes within the state, he stated that both his theory of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and intelligent design had equal validity where human evolution was concerned.

Those who believe in the ‘Pastafarian’ theory follow a set of beliefs as the main one is that there is an invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster, which created the entire universe “after drinking heavily”. Another is that all evidence for evolution was planted by the Flying Spaghetti Monster, in an effort to test Pastafarians’ faith a form of the Omphalos hypothesis. (god created everything). The most outrageous belief is the Pastafarian belief of heaven stresses that it contains beer volcanoes and a stripper factory, hell is similar except that the beer is stale, and the strippers have VD. Now this to me seems a little eccentric but to other people who follow this they follow these beliefs because they believe that heaven contains all of these things for them in the afterlife. If you think about this theory logically it is not so ‘out there’ when you uncover more about the religion, Muslims suicide bombers believe in death they will get 72 virgins and that is what they truly believe. Some Christians believe that when they die they will float up to heaven and be welcomed by gold holy gates at the front of heaven, and people do not say they are crazy because so many people believe it that it has become part of the religion itself. They do however take something similar from the Christian belief system, the religious text of the Pastafarian religion is called the Loose Canon. In place of the Ten Commandments, it contains the Eight ‘I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts’. 

As the Flying Spaghetti Monster theory spread it come up against a lot of criticism and laughter from on-line bloggers and newspapers. In August 2005, BiongBiong,net announced they would pay $250,000 to any person who would show empirical evidence that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, this was later raised to $1,000,000 after the challenge made by a reader.  In November 2007, three talks were delivered at the American Academy of Religion’s in San Diego. Academics said that the program may get many laughs but it was a serious debate on the essence of religion, it explored questions such as, “Is an anti-religion like Flying Spaghetti Monster actually a religion? Or “Does religion require a genuine theological belief or simply a set of rituals and a community joining together as a way of signaling their cultural alliances to others?”

‘The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monste’ris their equivalent of the Bible. It shows and talks of biblical figures with characters such as Captain Mosey, a pirate and the FSM equivalent of Moses. The Gospel contains the Eight “I’d Really Rather You Didn’t.” It also provides information on how to convert people to the religion of the FSM and explains many of the religion’s beliefs.

BECKHAM SET TO GET HIS 100th CAP

David Beckham will finally gain his 100^th cap after being recalled to playing in England’s friendly against France.

The ex England skipper and LA Galaxy star has been named in the provisional by coach Fabio Capello, he said: “ I have had good reports on him from the assistant coach Franco Baldini, and also from his club. I always said that when David was fit he could be in the squad”.

 

Arsenal’s aspiring young footballer Theo Walcott, 19, has also been called up to play in the game his first since he played in the 2006 World Cup Finals, he is said to be thrilled after just celebrating his birthday last Sunday. The game which will be played in Paris on 26^thMarch will be missing Manchester United’s Michael Carrick and Tottenham’s winger Aaron Lennon who has also been left out of the Under-21’s squad.

 

The provisional squad will be reduced to a group of 23 players by Capello and his assistant coach Baldini on Saturday 21^st March. The England coach will be hoping for no injuries on Sunday during two premiership games where 13 players from the final squad will be playing when Manchester United host to Liverpool and Arsenal take on Chelsea at Stanford Bridge.

 The provisional squad: 

Goalkeepers: James (Portsmouth), Carson (Aston Villa), Kirkland (Wigan)

Defenders: Bridge (Chelsea), A Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Portsmouth), Terry (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Lescott (Everton), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Wheater (Middlesbrough), Woodgate (Tottenham), Upson (West Ham)

Midfielders:Barry (Aston Villa), Young (Aston Villa), Bentley (Blackburn), J Cole (Chelsea), Lampard (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Man Utd), Downing (Middlesbrough), Jenas (Tottenham)

Forwards:Walcott (Arsenal), Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Crouch (Liverpool), Rooney (Man Utd), Owen (Newcastle), Defoe (Portsmouth).

NEWS INTERNATIONAL GROWS ONCE MORE

As journalist we are all to know that the press has been based in Wapping for years and years and its growing phenomenon has caught the eyes of millions people round the world, especially those living in London. Well times have changed and Murdoch’s news empire is moving miles across London to its new home in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Yep you heard it right, his new press palace situated on the A10 between Enfield and Waltham Cross is finished has been completed.

The futuristic complex which seems to have popped right out of a sci-fi film cost News International a portion of £650m and spans the size of 23 football pitches, it is equipped with 12 new printing press which can produce over 86,000 newspapers each; that is more then 1,000,000 an hour! This is more then 75% more then the previous Wapping plant was capable of with holding. The plant is just one of 3 new places that NI have created within the UK, the other two smaller ones based in Knowsley near Liverpool and the Eurocentral near Glasgow in Scotland.

The new Broxbourne site will revolutionise the look and design of NI’s famous papers including The Sun, News of the World, the Times and the Sunday Times; expanding their editorial pages and colour advertising. The Sunday Times will benefit the most with its business section pushing back deadline till Saturday afternoon; also most of the supplements are currently printed on Wednesday and Saturday but now will all be done on one day. I have seen this site being built; I have seen it grow from the ground up… literally; and what a magnificent building it is. I see it everyday when I am back home in Enfield as I drive round going from place to place shopping and going out, it will be a remarkable day when the plant fully opens at the end of April. It has been reported that it is the largest printing press in the world! It is the £350m crown jewel that the NI’s own. I also drove past and wanted to have a job there, perfect location near to home, great experience with News International’s new printing plant … who would say no to work there? I certainly wouldn’t I would jump at the chance it means I could walk to work from my home.

 

This plant will make it possible for full results from Premiership and Champions League football matches across the country for the first time, this was a problem in some publications because of the early edition deadlines; but not anymore.

Clive Milner, the managing director of NI says: “Our investment in Broxbourne is a step change in manufacturing and that step change is delivered by next generation technology, one of the things we will see as you go around this plant is a lack of people.” The plant only uses 450 staff to maintain the flow of newspapers each day.  The Broxboune site will also produce newspapers for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Times when Telegraph Media Groups exits its contract with the West Ferry plant in East London. When all 12 printing presses at Broxbourne are operational the plant will print 1.5m copies of the Sun, 550,000 of the Times and 600,000 of the Daily Telegraph each night. How amazing does that sound? (in my opinion its really amazing!)