Monthly Archives: November 2011

How To Survive Travelling With Teenagers.

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Thelma & Louise’s Travel With Teens Survival Guide

Members of the women’s online travel community have offered their top tips for avoiding the holiday hell of teenage tantrums

Members of women’s online travel community Thelma & Louise aren’t keeping to the “Mum’s the Word” mantra of old when it comes to dealing with wayward teens on their travels. Travelling with a teenager can bring a host of challenges, but the Thelma & Louise ladies have been sharing their top tips on the best ways to travel without a teenage tantrum in sight.

The women-only website (www.thelmaandlouise.com) has members of all ages, and although the site is a tool to meet like-minded travel companions, many members have husbands and families at home. When a member asked a question about the best ways to family fun, not holiday hell, other mums were quick to share their tips.

Thelma & Louise member Deborah Klaassen, who has also written on this topic for the Airtours blog, said, “Relaxing holidays might seem beyond reach when teenagers are involved, but there is a way to get through travelling with teens. I suggest starting the holiday off on the right foot with generosity and kindness, and make sure teens don’t get bored by bringing games, magazines and other things that they might find interesting.”

“If teens start to act up, try to understand what they’re going through. Don’t be too harsh if you feel that they’re spoiling the holiday by being moody, lazy or difficult. Have some empathy. Don’t make fun of them, embarrass them or tell their secrets. All you can do is address these subjects in private.”

Seeming to join the discussion, Psychotherapist Kitty Hagenbach wrote in The Times Weekend in early November 2011, “Before puberty there’s a huge increase in the number of neurones in the brain. At puberty these are pruned back so we can become ready for the complexities for adult life… The brain is effectively being completely rewired, so parents need to moderate their expectations. You can’t expect someone to behave in an adult way when he or she is in a half-baked place”

Christine Davies, one of the founders of Thelma & Louise knows all too well the trials and tribulations of teen travel. “I was blessed with twins, so had double the trouble when we travelled as a family. Although we had our moments, now my family is fully grown we cherish the times we spent on adventures together. To see Thelma & Louise members inspiring and guiding each other on matters like this brings another great resource to the website – real advice for real women. Long may it continue.”

Inspired by the great advice coming from the members, Thelma & Louise have drawn up a survival guide for travel with teenagers:

1. STAY CONNECTED: For the Facebook generation nothing is more important that staying in touch with their friends. Allow teens an allotted amount of time each day to read their mail and chat online with their friends. If they have this time to connect and chat, they will be more willing to do family activities as well.

2. PRIVACY & SPACE: Give teens some space to be themselves. Consider booking them their own room, or interconnecting rooms so supervision is close but not too close. Give them the opportunity to learn to do things on their own, obviously making sure that they are safe. They should learn that responsibility will bring trust and freedom.

3. CHOICE: Ask teens in advance to make a contribution to the holiday in the form of ideas and suggestions. Ask them to draw up a list of things that they would like to do, and try to dedicate time to activities they’ve chosen. A fresh approach to travel or a new activity might bring joy to all the family.

4. FREEDOM: Discuss your rules with teens, and listen to their objections. Denying them the right to freedom altogether is setting up for a failure. Tell teens where they are and where they aren’t allowed to go, what behaviour is acceptable, and what time they have to be back. Be strict about these rules, but be reasonable too.

5. TECHNOLOGY: Take at least two mobile phones on holiday, ensuring they function abroad, so a teen can carry one if they spend time away from the family. Explain that they’ll have to pay the bill themselves if they use the phone to call their friends back home.

6. WOW FACTOR: Think of a way to give teens a special experience during the holiday, something that they will never forget. If they are looking forward to something that will make their friends say, “Wow, I wish my parent would do that”, their interest will be peaked. Look out for a local concert, a theme park, an adrenalin sport or an activity popular with their idols.

7. CRUISE: On a family-friendly cruise line, life on the ocean waves is a fantastic holiday for teens. Many modern ships are filled with activities, special attractions and experiences that appeal to a young crowd. Encourage teens to make friends as they will be in a fairly safe environment and can be independent for most of the time.

8. PATIENCE: Avoid escalating fraught situations by learning what is really important and what doesn’t matter in the bigger picture. Conflict isn’t always avoidable, but be reasonable and don’t lose your temper. And keep in mind that teens will eventually grow out of it.

As one member said, “I’m sure I was a horrible teenager to travel with, but now I’m really grateful my parents dragged me around lots of incredible places and gave me many amazing memories.”

Thelma & Louise is a free, online community where women, friendship and travel come together. For more information or to become a member, please go to www.thelmandlouise.com

J. Edgar {Film Review}

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There have been many portrayals of J. Edgar Hoover over the past few years in both TV and film. The last time I saw someone playing Hoover was Billy Crudup in Michael Mann’s Public Enemies in 2009. Now Clint Eastwood has decided to take a personal approach to the story (which resulted on the FBI claiming Eastwood making a bad representation of the man), with the help of Dustin Lance Black (from his Oscar-Winning screenplay and the heavily acclaimed, Milk) and Leonardo DiCaprio. You’d think on paper that these three particular individuals would produce something fascinating but it unfortunately doesn’t exceed on not being more than a moderately interesting biopic.

In case you don’t know what the story is from the movie’s title, it focus’s on the life of J. Edgar Hoover (DiCaprio). First seeing him in the 1960s when he was in his late 60s, he tells about how he came to work for the department of justice and worked his way up on being director of the FBI. Also encountering with Helen Gandy (Namoi Watts) and Hoover’s protege, Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). It later focus’s on Hoover’s and Tolson’s personal relationship, first starting on being close friends to having something more.

The performances in this film is a bit mixed, but edging towards positive. DiCaprio reminds us why he’s the best at what he does and doesn’t show any signs of faltering. Hoover is presented to us on being authoritative but also conflicted on his social life. There’s various scenes where he spends time with his mother, played by Dame Judi Dench. Dench plays the character very well and shows where Hoover gets the commanding persona from. Though as much I love Dench (who doesn’t?), her accent is a bit hard to decipher (whether she’s from a different country or was trying but failing on putting an American accent). Naomi Watts kind of plays Hoover’s guardian angel type character, stands by Hoover no matter what situation he’s in and there’s not much else to her character. Hammer, from his brilliant performance as the Winklevoss twins from The Social Network, brings dramatic weight and nearly out-weighs DiCaprio. He’s someone that admires Hoover’s dedication and motivation but becomes conflicted when his feelings are not returned in the same way.

Dustin Lance Black’s script is very well written but the story structure felt a bit of a mess. Which is a huge shame because it could’ve been better on starting from the very beginning rather than going back and forth from the past to the present. Something of a misstep from Eastwood, as he’s done some great films in the past (Unforgiven, Mystic River and Changeling). Where the latter film was gripping on wanting to know if Christine Collins’ (played by Angelina Jolie) son will ever be found. Whilst in this movie, it was interesting to see J. Edgar on establishing the finer details on conducting proof and evidence from a crime to nail on a suspect but there wasn’t much to learn from him as a person. A scene involving with Hoover and Tolson in a hotel room was probably the most interesting scene from its entirety but outside of it there’s nothing much else. Something that writer Lance Black got right in Milk (where you could see the struggle from Harvey Milk at work and socially) and wished he could’ve worked more on Hoover’s personal story than essentially establishing the FBI.

Overall; a shame all this talent was put behind it and the result was just average. The performances is what keeps this movie going (especially from DiCaprio, that might earn him a nomination) but there’s nothing that makes it memorable compared to Eastwood’s previous work.

3 out of 5

Glenn Mulcaire May Have Hacked For Other Papers.

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Glenn Mulcaire’s notebooks have been making waves today as the phone hacking inquiry rumbles on. Twenty-eight News International employees are named in a notebook. The notebook also has a references to The Sun and Daily Mirror, which suggest that phone hacking may have happened at other papers.

Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, said that senior executives had either condoned hacking or did not do the proper checks. In either case there was ‘room for a Nelsonian blind eye’ towards the ‘thriving cottage industry’.

Some of the notes that corresponded to News of the World employees reveals that they made 1,453 separate requests for information from Mulcaire.

The private detective also wrote ‘The Sun’ and a name relating to the Daily Mirror in his notebooks.

Mulcaire was imprisoned with the News of the World’s former royal editor Clive Goodman in January 2007 after they admitted intercepting voicemail messages left on phones belonging to members of the royal family.

The inquiry heard that the investigator’s notes relating to the royal aides are marked ‘Clive’, ‘private’ and with the name of ‘A’, who cannot be named for fear of prejudicing the ongoing police investigation into phone hacking.

Robert Jay QC said: ‘One possible inference to be drawn is that ”A” was working with or for Goodman, and he or she may have instructed Mulcaire to carry out an interception.

‘It might be argued that ”A” could have been acting independently of Goodman, but that would not make much sense since Goodman was the royal editor.’

Mr Jay added: ‘Either News International senior management knew what was going on at the time and therefore, at the very least, condoned this illegal activity.

‘Or they didn’t and News International’s systems failed to the extent that there was failure in supervision, failure of oversight with possible failures of training and corporate ethos and checking of expenses claims.

‘And there’s room for a Nelsonian blind eye. In either version, we have clear evidence of a generic, systematic or cultural problem.

He added: ‘I suggest that it would not be unfair to comment that it was at the very least a thriving cottage industry.’

Mulcaire also hacked the phones of publicist Max Clifford, football agent Sky Andrew, chairman of the Professional Footballers Association Gordon Taylor, MP Simon Hughes and supermodel Elle Macpherson.

In total about 28 legible corner names are legible in the 11,000 pages of notes that police seized from Mulcaire, which relate to a total of 2,266 taskings and the names of 5,795 potential victims, the inquiry heard.

Lord Justice Leveson this morning opened the inquiry into media standards that was set up after the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

He is examining the ‘culture, practices and ethics of the press’.

The Court of Appeal judge was watched by Bob Dowler, the father of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler. Her phone was hacked by the News of the World.

Frost Loves…Amazon's Kindle

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I love my Kindle. It has changed my life and lightened my handbag. I have the older version but there are new features on the new Kindle, Wi-Fi, 6″ E Ink Display It’s also cheaper

I read a lot so being able to have hundreds of books on the go is a big plus. Amazon have just brought out the Kindle Fire. It’s only £89 and getting brilliant reviews. I took my Kindle to my parents house and now all my family have one. I can’t recommenced them enough. Tell one of your loved ones you want one, or if your shy, show them this article.

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Read in Bright Sunlight
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One Month Battery Life
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Books in 60 seconds
Find a book and start reading in seconds with our fast, free wireless delivery.

Simple to Use
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Adjustable Text Sizes
Read comfortably with eight different sizes and three font styles.

Faster Page Turns
Kindle’s powerful processor is tuned for fast, seamless page turns.

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Over 750,000 books, newspapers, and magazines, including latest bestsellers, Kindle exclusives and more.

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If you want one, get it from Amazon

Frost Loves.

SUBO Appears on XFactor Australia

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Susan Boyle is in Australia to perform on the XFactor, here is her diary:

Another wonderful day in Sydney and my first TV performance on Australian X Factor and boy it was great.

Not only did I get to meet the wonderful Ronan Keating (I’m a huge Boyzone fan), I also met Michael Bolton, wow, what a man!

Performing Autumn Leaves on the show was a great experience and would have been slightly surreal in the hot spring weather in Sydney but I brought the Scottish weather with me as there was an almighty thunderstorm just before i went on stage, with torrential rain and gale force winds. I felt right at home!

It was great to meet all the contestants and for Ronan to run on stage and give me a hug after I said he was one of the highlights of my trip. It was also lovely to meet Mel B, she looks wonderful and so happy. Who’d have thought she’d only just had a baby!

This trip so far has been fantastic and I’ve achieved and seen so many things that I never for a second thought I’d do in my lifetime. I don’t want it to end, as I keep saying, Bring It On!

Speed mentoring at the British Library: over 1000 years of business experience in one week

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Speed mentoring at the British Library: over 1000 years of business experience in one week

Monday 14th November – Friday 18th November – British Library

· The British Library’s Business & IP Centre (http://www.bl.uk/bipc/) is to host a series of inspiring and informative events for aspiring entrepreneurs as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011.

· The centrepiece of the week, Question Time for Entrepreneurs (Monday 14 November) offers a rare opportunity for business start-ups to question some of Britain’s top entrepreneurs including Apprentice winner and Founder of the Bright Ideas Trust Tim Campbell and Co-founder and Vice Chairman of Metro Bank, Vernon W. Hill II.

· Introducing a series of ‘speed mentoring’ sessions following different themes over five days ? including Absolute Beginners, IP & Innovation, Women in Business, Marketing Maestros and Make it, Sell it – providing UK entrepreneurs with the inspiration and guidance information they need. In each session, participants will have access to over 100 years worth of business experience from our seasoned entrepreneurs.

Throughout Global Entrepreneurship Week the Business & IP Centre will feature an all-star cast of business experts and seasoned entrepreneurs who will be available to offer advice to any aspiring business. Covering everything from business basics and common mistakes to how to innovate and stay inspired, whilst protecting your ideas, these events will offer users just a sample of the support available through the Centre,

Small businesses can benefit from free access to over £5 million of business and IP information, including thousands of market research reports, giving them access to the same information as a multinational company.

Isabel Oswell, Head of Business and Research Audiences at the British Library, said:

“The Business & IP Centre is proud to be supporting Global Entrepreneurship Week in our role of nurturing entrepreneurial talent and turning fledgling companies into robust businesses. Over 5,000 SMEs have participated in our Global Entrepreneurship Week events programme during the past 5 years and we are looking forward to helping more businesses to prosper and grow through access to some of the best business brains in Britain.”

British Library Global Entrepreneurship Week Events Programme 2011

Inspiring Entrepreneurs – Question Time for Entrepreneurs

British Library Conference Centre

18.00 – 21.00, £10 (£7.50 concessions)

A special evening event will give businesses the opportunity to question some of the most successful and influential people in British business today. Speakers include Emma Bridgewater, Lara Morgan, Vernon W. Hill II and former Apprentice winner Tim Campbell. A networking reception will follow the event.

Find out more and book a ticket here.

Speed mentoring

Each day the Business & IP Centre will be running informal half-day speed mentoring sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to talk to question up to 8 seasoned business experts in an accelerated way in each session to get the advice and information to run their own successful business.

The themes for this year are:

Monday 14th – Absolute Beginners

On Monday, our experts can help advise you on all the basics to ensure success and help you avoid common mistakes.

Tuesday 15th – IP & Innovation

On Tuesday, meet the experts who can help with inspiration for new ideas and new products as well as explain how you protect your ideas.

Wednesday 16th – Women in Business

On Wednesday, meet a whole host of successful female entrepreneurs and experts to inspire you, whatever your business.

Thursday 17th – Marketing Maestros

On Thursday, meet the experts who can tell you how to differentiate yourself from competitors, capitalise on your brand exposure and achieve the maximum return on investment (ROI) from your marketing.

Friday – Make It, Sell It!

On Friday, meet experts who can advise you on how to take your designs to market, protect your ideas and manage the production process and scale. Our experts have particular expertise in the crafts and jewellery sectors.

The sessions run from 10.00am – 13.00pm and 14.00pm – 17.00pm and are free.

Book one half-day session here.

For more information about the Business & IP Centre’s full programme of advice sessions, workshops and events, please visit www.bl.uk/bipc

Glee Stars Do Adele Mash Up

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The all-girls show choir, The Troubletones, will go against the New Directions in a friendly competition in the all-new “Mash Off” episode airing Thursday, Nov. 17th (9:00 PM) on SKY ONE. Check out The Troubletones’ debut performance, a mash up of Adele’s ‘Rumour Has It’ and ‘Someone Like You’ from her album 21 (the biggest selling album in the world this year) on Youtube. The performance also marks Glee’s 300th musical performance.

Adele Mash Off is featured on Glee, The Music: Volume 7 – released 5th December

What did you think?

Brits Rely on Their Mates when choosing a Tradesperson

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Word of mouth x 4 more powerful than Advertising – survey reveals

Happy customers are the most powerful form of marketing, according to new research from Checkatrade.com – the UK’s most trusted website for monitoring the reputation of tradespeople.

The research, conducted amongst 2,000 homeowners, found that more than two thirds of people said they valued a reliable recommendation from a friend or family member friend more than any advertising or marketing.

In contrast, only 15% said they were content looking through the local directory to find a tradesman – just a quarter of those who favour the views of friends and family. However, despite rogue traders and cowboy builders on the rise and increased internet usage, only 1 in 20 people are taking the trouble to consult a tradesperson review site before employing a trader.

Brits rate tidiness
The survey also highlighted that, with the exception of price and workmanship, Brits rate tidiness above all other qualities when choosing a tradesperson. Almost two thirds (61%) cite it as the deciding factor, and, despite our increasingly hectic schedules, just 1 in 13 property owners favour tradespeople who simply get the job done quickly.

Meanwhile 1 in 7 busy homeowners are more concerned with whether their tradesperson turns up to the job on time, and 1 in 7 homeowners say being polite is the best way to win them over.
For one in twenty people builders arriving in scruffy overalls simply won’t do – they say it’s more important than anything else that their tradesperson is clean and well presented.

Commenting on the findings, Kevin Byrne, founder of Checkatrade.com, said: “Our research findings just go to show that tradespeople competing in difficult times need to offer the whole package – accuracy, speed, punctuality, politeness and personal presentation. Homeowners consider it vital for tradespeople to treat their properties with respect.

“Reputation matters. Word of mouth and recommendation are immensely powerful and this is what we have built our business on. Customers remember a job well done, but neither will they be quick to forget poor service.”