Pepe, The Sound Stacker Puppy From Hape – How Cute by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Frostie

When I was asked to review this sweet wooden stacker toy, by Hape, I knew I needed help. So I called in the resident toy expert, Henry.

At fifteen months old, Henry has approximately fourteen months experience of testing toys to destruction, so I was confident in his assessment.

With true professionalism, he started with Pepe’s Overall Appearance. His smile and the way he dashed over to Pepe and pulled off his head awarded the toy a good score on the Appeal Scale.

Next – Functionality Test. Henry removed each of the brightly coloured rings of Pepe’s body from the central stick. He then tested whether the rings could be replaced – both in the correct order and in random order – they could. Henry then discovered that you could remove all the rings, turn the central stick upside down and push the stick into the rings as they lay on the floor. This gave him surprising pleasure. Thus Pepe passed the Versatility and Capacity for Non-standard Usage tests with flying colours.

Next, rings once more in place, I demonstrated to Henry that if Pepe’s head were pushed down, he made a cute barking noise. At this point Henry collapsed into laughter – yes Pepe passed the Amusing Surprise Feature test too.

Finally – the Destruction Test. With typical conscientiousness, Henry took each part of Pepe in turn and threw it with all his force on the floor, which made a pleasing noise, but there was no damage to Pepe, or the floor.

So, all in all, this is a very appealing toy. It encourages colour identification and balance skills, while developing play skills. Most important – Henry really liked it.

The Pepe Sound Stacker from Hape is just one of a whole new range of fun-loving characters in the exciting world of PEPE & Friends. Other toys in the range include an Activity Cube, a Musical Push Along, a Friendship Tower and Puzzle Blocks. Using a range of natural materials and only water-based paints, and avoiding harsh glues and plastics, Hape are the largest producers of wooden toys.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Sitting Is The New Smoking

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Frostie

Infographic from Discount Supplements UK on the dangers of a desk job and how you can combat them.

What’s More Popular for Online Gaming Laptops, Desktops, Tablets or Smartphones?

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Frostie

Video games have never been in a stronger place than they are in 2017, with the estimated market value of the industry sitting at around $108 billion dollars. Of this staggering figure, mobile gaming takes a huge percentage, valued at around $35.3bn, consoles following closely at $33.5bn and PC gaming, often considered by many gaming elitists to be the better platform, coming in last at $29.4bn, down 2.6% since the previous year.

What’s considered best will always come down to personal preference, but in the last decade mobile gaming, and mobile technology in general has seen a colossal, almost unbelievable rise in popularity. Although it really comes as no surprise, as of 2014 the number of mobile phones on planet earth surpassed the number of human beings, with roughly 7.22 billion handsets being in circulation. In history, no product, device or trend has proved as popular, especially as it’s only been in production for less than fifty years. Mobile gaming has taken the world by storm in a way that neither PC nor Console ever could. Casual players across all genders and age ranges can now enjoy their favorite puzzles, platformers or beat ‘em ups at the tips of their fingers. Not only is convenience a huge factor, but accessibility also makes a huge difference, as most people have smart phones with access to an App Store. The average apps are incredibly good value, with the majority of the market under $5 or even free, meaning anyone on any pay scale can take part, where as many AAA console games can reach prices up to $70 simply for standard editions. That’s before taking limited editions, collectors’ items and day one versions into account. Another huge factor in mobile gaming’s favor is the ever increasing graphic and performance capability. Let’s take a look at Apples flagship product, the ever infamous and often controversial iPhone.

2007 – iPhone: 32-bit 412 MHz Samsung ARM processor, 128MB of RAM, 4GB or 8GB storage
2016 – iPhone 7: A10 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB/128GB/256GB storage

Just to put that into perspective, when the original iPhone arrived in 2007, it had 93.75% less processing power than the 2016 model, released less than a decade later. Its largest available storage capacity, was 32x smaller than the iPhone 7, showing you just how far mobile technology has come.

Despite being costly, consoles are still a huge part of many peoples day to day life, with Sony’s Playstation 4 selling 63.3 million units and Microsoft’s Xbox One selling around 30 million units. Sony’s Playstation 2, released in 2000 is the world’s highest selling console, shifting upwards of 155 million units in less than a decade and a half. Sony & Microsoft have led the console world for over a decade now, with Japanese company Nintendo following closely behind, with a global value of $32.8 Billion.

The argument that PC is better than all has raged since the earliest days of video games, but how much of this is really true? The PC will always be the most powerful platform for gamers to play on, improving their gaming experience (especially online) dramatically. PC is also the exclusive home of the platform Steam, the digital distribution platform (store) that allows players to buy digital versions of games. As of 2015, it had 125 million users, and accounted for 15% of the total PC game sales that year. According to an industry report by Spil Games, an estimated 1.2 billion players are gaming across the globe, with roughly 700 million of those playing online games. That’s an estimated 44% of the entire online population, proving just how popular the world of video games truly is.

Article provided courtesy of games.paddypower.com

Accommodation apps: how are traditional hotels being affected?

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Frostie

The hospitality industry is bigger than you think, and with travelling becoming even easier, it is continuing to grow. The industry contributes towards a large proportion of Britain’s overall GDP – whilst employing a significant number of workers too. Overall, the total gross value-added contribution to GDP was estimated to be around £143 billion in 2014, which is 10% of the UK’s GDP. As well as procuring an indirect employment figure of 775,000 people while directly employing 4.6 million people, for every £1 million the hospitality industry directly contributes, £1.5 million is created and absorbed by other parts of the UK economy.

The hotel industry makes huge contributions to two key sub-sectors in the UK – hospitality and tourism. In the years between 2014 – 16, hotels (excluding the London area) experienced revenue per available room growth of 10.4% in 2014, which was forecasted to increase by 6.3% in 2015 and 4.2% in 2016. Year on year then, it is evident that the hotel industry is experiencing steady growth.

As smart technologies continue to interact and influence the hotel and B&B market, the future growth of the hospitality industry looks uncertain. Together with Shortridge, who specialise in hotel linen hire, we have looked to establish how this emerging digital market is challenging the way we use hotel spaces and how smart technologies may help benefit the hotel industry in the future:

The influence of smart technology

With the rise of apps such as Airbnb and Hostelworld becoming players in the market, the traditional hotel space’s ability to compete in the market is becoming compromised. This is because people who have a vacant space to rent for the night are often appealing to younger consumers who are more inclined to pay for ‘shared space’ accommodation at a cheaper price. Other influences of ‘shared spaces’ are interconnectivity, technology and smart apps and rising urbanisation. Now that users can simply log onto an app and then view many different properties in a convenient location, the idea of a stand-alone hotel becomes less appealing when positioned on a digital platform.

Figures suggest that hotel brands who are sticking to traditional methods of brand awareness are not having the same appeal in a technologically driven market. Research collected by BDRC Continental has suggested that apps similar to Airbnb outperformed hotel brands within a similar awareness scope.

Home stays

Both tourists and homeowners are benefitting from the trend of renting private space within someone’s home. Advertised as a way to submerge yourself into the host country’s culture, staying in a local home has become a cheaper and more quirky form of accommodation.

Figures showed that 9% of tourists and travellers in the UK have rented private space within someone’s home. Within Europe, this is lower than other countries, as France accommodated 11% of travellers in their homes and Germany accommodated 13% in their abodes. Within the European leisure market, it is clear this is an emerging trend and it is only expected to rise as millennials choose a cheaper alternative featured on a digital platform as opposed to more traditional hotels.

In the capital of London alone, over 40 million visitors have stayed in a shared space property found on an app and currently, there are over 30,000 spaces available in the city. This is, however, still lower than the amount of hotel rooms available in the capital – figured in 2015 at 138,769.

Perhaps in response to the growing interest in accommodation apps and homestays, low cost accommodation is set to increase by 29%. If hotel brands are to compete then, understanding that the app or digital platform is as important as the accommodation itself, is one way of fighting against the DIY hotelier revolution.

http://www.bha.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Economic-contribution-of-the-UK-hospitality-industry.pdf

https://www.pwc.co.uk/assets/pdf/uk-hotels-forecast-2016.pdf

http://www.londonandpartners.com/media-centre/press-releases/2015/20151118-london-sees-growth-in-hotel-development-as-new-properties-open-across-capital-for-2016

University Is Too Expensive and a Waste of Time, Say UK Graduates

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Frostie

BY ASTRID HALL

One in four graduates now regret having gone to university, according to research.

A survey found the most common reasons to rue time spent in further education are paying too much for their degree, wasting their time and making bad choices such as not choosing subject or institution more carefully.

The study of 2,000 graduates also revealed nearly half work in a job where they could have reached the same level through a trainee or apprenticeship scheme.

And although an overwhelming 93 per cent said they enjoyed their experience of freedom away from their parents, nearly half agree their current job is in no way related to their degree.

Recent graduates are in over £18,000 of debt after a three-year course and stuck in an underpaid job unrelated to their degree.

Joe Crossley, Business Development Director, of Qube Learning who commissioned the study, said: “It’s natural for a lot of graduates to finish their degrees expecting to jump on the career ladder almost immediately, but this is often far from the truth.

“Many students feel the pressure to achieve a high grade otherwise they feel they risk being unemployable but when they finally secure a job, their qualification becomes redundant.

“It’s also surprising how few undergraduates are advised on alternative routes to university studies. With the amount of debt now accompanying higher education, other options, like Apprenticeships, need to be made more clearly available to people looking to pursue a chosen career.”

More than four in five agree there is an emphasis on achieving either a 2:1 or first classification with a third admitting they don’t even get asked about their degree in job interviews.

The research found just a fifth were made aware of apprenticeships as an option in place of undergraduate university studies following A Levels, with less than five per cent told about distant or online learning.

One quarter graduated without any qualifications useful to their career, with just under half admitting they could be where they are now without a degree.

The study found a list of degrees that Brits think are a ‘waste of time’ with Fashion, Drama and Media Studies appearing in the top ten.

Nearly two thirds of respondents who graduated with qualifications considered ‘pointless’ admitted their degree didn’t help them to secure their current job.

It was also revealed the university degrees that the nation believe to be the most useful, with 88 per cent agreeing a degree in Medicine beats a degree in Law or Engineering.

However, just under half of those who have studied a degree in Medicine said they could have gotten the same job through an apprenticeship scheme or something similar.

One in five said because of their studies they are now behind either those who did apprenticeships or those who went straight into work.

Two in five said they feel they are underpaid in their current job despite having a degree with less than one in ten using skills developed during their degree on a weekly basis.

One in ten have since changed careers since graduating and are now investing their time in new qualifications.

One in five admits to working in an unpaid role in order to get their current job with more than one in ten never using skills developed during their degree.

Half of respondents said time management was one of their most treasured takeaways from their experience compared to 29 per cent whose most valuable skills were the ones bespoke to their chosen career.

If given the option to go back and do it all again, nearly one quarter of grads would go down an alternative route to university studies such as an apprenticeship, online qualification or learning a trade.

Over half agree their university experience did more for their social life than their education, with nearly one in five leaving university having met their partner.

A sixth of graduates admitted to wasting their time at university and a further one third of respondents said the ability to make new friends was a key skill gained from their experience.

Joe Crossley, from www.qube-learning.co.uk continued: “It’s imperative that people from as young as 16 years old should be made aware of the educational choices that are out there for them. It does not have to be a traditional path of A-Levels and University, there is a huge amount of scope for individuals to learn a trade, through Trainees and Apprenticeships, whilst being educated at the same time.”

TOP TEN MOST ‘POINTLESS’ DEGREES ACCORDING TO RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY QUBE LEARNING

1. Acting

2. Outdoor adventure and environment

3. Office skills

4. Film studies

5. Dance / choreography

6. Drama studies

7. Celtic and Anglo Saxon Studies

8. Fashion merchandising

9. Media studies

10. Religious Studies

TheBruvs – Animated Comedy Series

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Frostie

Why hasn’t there been a massively successful UK animated sitcom – in the style of US juggernauts The Simpsons or Family Guy?

That’s a question that got me thinking about 10 years ago. Just over two years ago I decided to try to do something about it. That is how TheBruvs.com was born.

Short, punchy comedy animations featuring a family of London villains trying to go straight in Essex – and failing, the films feature brothers Doug and Den, their dad, sister Janice, her son Jason and the lovely Chanterelle.

It’s my first proper venture into animation, although I was lucky enough to write a piece for Homer Simpson, no less, for a message to Simon Cowell on his This Is Your Life programme.

My background is news, current affairs, comedy and entertainment TV shows. Throw in projects with Jeremy Clarkson and some Top Gear credits and that makes up my CV – working with a lot of household names along the way.

But I wanted to do animation. I had the idea for The Bruvs and touted it round broadcasters and production companies. The costs and time involved with animation put all off.

Then I managed to persuade award winning animation director Eoin Clarke and sound and editing wizard Paul Richmond to come in on the project with me.

It is a passion project – which means persuading others to work on something with you on less than a shoestring.

We decided to have a go and put the films on YouTube. We also set up a website. And I had to get to grips with social media… setting up The Bruvs’ facebook, twitter, tumblr and instagram accounts.

Two years on and we have 17 films on YouTube – and 11 films running on the UKTV channel Dave and their on-demand service UKTVplay.

We have many more big ideas. I’m not saying we are anywhere near The Simpsons, American Dad or South Park but The Bruvs is growing and there has been a lot of positive feedback from round the world.

To have taken something – literally – from page to screen – is very rewarding. The instant feedback from the social media sites is also a great encouragement – on the most part. Our hope is to gradually lengthen the episodes and develop them and the characters into more of a sitcom style. We have many plans for all the characters.

Now we have music too – thanks to the very talented Stig Winslet and Pete Harbour – who have brought a new dimension to The Bruvs with songs about their antics. If something we come up with amuses us, we tend to put it into the films – subject to our budget and time constraints.

It’s still relatively early days, but The Bruvs are growing and are finding their feet on the world stage.

They have come a long way since they moved to Essex. It might be something in the water.

By Ian Brown

TV writer and producer / co-creator TheBruvs.com

THEBRUVS

CREDITS

Writer : Ian Brown

Director : Eoin Clarke

Sound : Paul Richmond

Music : Stig Winslet, Pete Harbour

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI5al_Dl4V0kh-dxBsbjyig

twitter / facebook : @TheBruvsTV

instagram: thebruvstv

Selina Siak Chin Yoke On Becoming a Writer

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Frostie

I began writing out of desperation and a cherished dream. While recovering from breast cancer, I went into a chemo-induced depression without realising it. I had no idea what was wrong, only that the ground beneath me seemed to have collapsed. Months passed. When I still found no equilibrium, I went to see a counsellor at the cancer charity, MacMillan, who suggested a bout of creative writing.

Not long afterward, I recalled a dream I’d once had – of writing a novel loosely inspired by my great-grandmother who I had never met. Stories were re-hashed endlessly in my family about this formidable woman who, despite being uneducated, started a business at a time when few women in Malaya did so. She always seemed larger than life – a true role model in a profoundly patriarchal culture.

I began my writing project by doing research. I knew that what I wanted to write was a novel based on real historical events, possibly even on events which my own family had experienced.

Armed with the detailed outline of a story, I planned a trip to Malaysia. I pored through newspapers in the National Archives and interviewed anyone who would talk to me about the old days. Some who gave their time were family members: aunts, uncles and cousins, but a few were people I barely knew. Amazingly, I came across people who had actually met my great-grandmother. Their anecdotes provided a wonderful tapestry which fuelled my imagination further.

Spurred on by Malaysia’s heat and its panoply of aromas, sounds and colour, I began writing the first draft of The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, my first novel. The story follows the life of a mixed-race woman during a time of rapid change in Malaya. It is a complex and rich story about cultural identity, set in my hometown, Ipoh. As I described the modernisation of the town and how the protagonist tries to retain her cultural traditions in her rapidly Westernising world, I realised I was telling not only her story but the story of her country, Malaya.

In this way, the Malayan Series was born. My new novel, When the Future Comes Too Soon, follows on from the first book, but the two can be read independently and are very different. In this second novel Malaya is at war. There is a new protagonist, Mei Foong (the daughter-in-law of the heroine in the first book), who is thrown into a world gone mad. Somehow, she must find ways to keep her family alive. How she goes about this and what happens to her and her family lie at the emotional heart of the novel.

Their story is as much about betrayal, in its many forms, as it is about survival and love and what courage means. Sometimes, it takes extreme circumstances for people to discover what they’re made of. This is the case for Mei Foong, who finds her inner steel through war and suffering.

Selina Siak Chin Yoke’s When the Future Comes Too Soon is published byhen the Future Comes Too Soon and out now

Spoil Yourself – Enjoy the Pleasure of Essential Oils by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Frostie

Last month I wrote about Puressential essential oils – some of which are sold for therapeutic uses, to treat insomnia, head lice infestations and joint pains.

This month I was sent a lovely travel pack of Aromatherapy minis by Scentered which I am keen to share with you (well, not literally – they’re mine, all mine, but I will share the experience with you until you get your own – which I would recommend.)

Essential oils are extracted from aromatic plants and it is believed that just smelling them can have positive effects on us, including changing our mood. There have been a number of scientific studies, including EEG (brainwave) and imaging studies, which support this theory. So if you are feeling down, stressed, in need of inspiration or focus, why not give aromatherapy products a try? They may help and certainly smell amazing.

Scentered’s main products, which are 100% pure, are solid sticks of balm – a blend of moringa and shea butters to ensure a non-greasy finish, as well as long-lasting fragrance delivery. These are infused with different combinations of essential oils, in a handy twist-up container, which you can rub on pressure points such as the temples, neck and wrist.

Essential oils are often used to help sleep problems – the scourge of modern living. Scentered Sleep Essentials Set combines a balm stick, infused with Palmarosa, Lavender and Ylang ylang, with a silk eye-mask. Candles, scented with these and other relaxing plant oils are also available.

The first thing which hit me, when I opened the mini travel pack, was the amazing smell, which is quite addictive. The set, which is light and compact, contains five different balm sticks – each claiming to enhance your mood in different ways:

‘Be Happy’ for when you need a little cheering-up

‘De-stress’ – the clue’s in the title

‘Focus’ – to help concentration

‘Escape’ – for inspiration (I’m wearing it as I write this)

‘Sleep well’ – again, it speaks for itself

Scentered recommend you use these balms with breathing and mindfulness techniques for maximum benefit.

In this modern world of constant stimulation of 24 hour emails and social media, a little time out with yourself and some beautiful and powerful natural perfumes can do you more good than you may realise. Treat yourself.