Category Archives: Culture

Lib Dems take major stand on low carbon growth

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Responding to a Lib Dem party conference motion from Danny Alexander supporting a legal commitment to a carbon-free power sector by 2030 as a means to support growth in the low-carbon sector, Joss Garman, senior campaigner for Greenpeace UK said:

“Danny Alexander deserves praise for standing up for our low-carbon sector, which generated a third of all growth in our economy last year. This issue goes to the heart of the coalition’s growth and infrastructure plans. A clear commitment to a carbon-free power sector by 2030 will boost clean industries, create jobs, get energy bills under control, and get us on track with reducing carbon emissions.”

Bob Hoskins Has Parkinson’s

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Acting legend Bob Hoskins has announced he has Parkinson’s and is to retire from acting. The British actor has over 70 film credits to his name. Hoskins was diagnosed last autumn.

The 69-year-old actors publicist released this statement on Wednesday:

“Bob Hoskins wishes to announce that he will be retiring from acting, following his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease last autumn. He wishes to thank all the great and brilliant people he has worked with over the years, and all of his fans who have supported him during a wonderful career,”

“Bob is now looking forward to his retirement with his family, and would greatly appreciate that his privacy be respected at this time.”

Other legends that have Parkinson’s include Muhammad Ali and Micheal J Fox. Micheal J Fox sometimes still acts, he was recently seen in The Good Wife.

We wish Hoskins all the best.

USAIN BOLT: THE MOVIE -“I told you all I was going to be No. 1 and I just did that”

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RELEASED BY REVOLVER ENTERTAINMENT, AVAILABLE TO OWN ON DVD 6th August

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In this extraordinary film, French producer and director Gael Leiblang paints us an intimate and boundless portrait of the life of athletic legend and cultural icon Usain Bolt.

Breaking BBC records (reaching 3 million viewers) when aired in mid July, this DVD features an extra 30 minutes of never before seen footage, delving deeper than ever fathomed into the rigorous training sessions and elusive private life of the long-legged Jamaican.

Granted exclusive and unprecedented access to the fastest man in the world, Leiblang explores Bolt’s childhood and chronicles him in a series of in-depth interviews, as he prepares to make history at this year’s Olympic games in London.

Filmed over a 12 month period, leading up to this year’s Games, Bolt is examined both at home with his family and friends and on the road competing across the world.

This stunning documentary expertly exposes his boyish charm in his home environment, juxtaposed to his uncompromising focus and invincibility on the track, where he gallops past the other runners, like a God competing with mere mortals.

Usain Bolt sealed his position as the fastest man on earth and entered the history books when he successfully retained his 100m Olympic title. As over four billion peopled watched the 100m final at the London 2012 Olympic Games on the 5th Of August, the Jamaican sprinter took the gold medal convincingly. The win means that Bolt retains his three Olympic titles and three world records.*

From gruelling sessions on the practice track, to deejaying for fans in Italy and including his infamous false start at World Championships, this remarkable documentary takes us inside the life of the man who could become the greatest athlete the Olympics has ever seen.

USAIN BOLT: THE MOVIE is out on DVD to buy and rent.

RRP for £12.99

Victoria Pendleton Lights Up

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Victoria Pendleton is set to light up the velodrome tonight in the women’s sprint final; if she brings home another gold for GB, the EDF Energy London Eye will shine gold in the evening

In anticipation of Team GB Golden Girl Victoria Pendleton’s quest for Gold this evening EDF Energy is celebrating her achievements so far in the Games. Attached is a creative shot of Victoria who is using bike lights to shine Team GB colours in a show of determination.

This shot is part of EDF Energy’s Energy of the Nation campaign, encouraging everyone to get behind the Games by tweeting their 2012 support. Energy of the Nation is measuring all Olympic-themed tweets and transforming this data into a spectacular lightshow on the EDF Energy London Eye every night throughout the Olympics at 9 and 10pm.

Why I Love Cricket By Rory Bremner

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BREMNER BRINGS ‘SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT’ TO THIS YEAR’S FLt20 FINALS DAY

One of Frost Magazine’s favourite comedians, Rory Bremner, has teamed up with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and is fronting a comedy festival campaign which has seen a host of comedians visiting Friends Life t20 games across the country. This has all been a part of Rory Bremner’s ‘Stand Up for Friends Life t20’ tour – and now it’s Rory’s turn!

Comedians Jimmy McGhie, Paul Sinha, Rob Beckett, Stu Goldsmith and Chris Martin have all visited First Class county clubs across the country on the tour which brings together two of the nation’s favourite pastimes – cricket and comedy. However on 25th August Rory Bremner himself will be on hand to bring ‘Something Completely Different’ to the Friends Life t20 Finals Day at Glamorgan’s SWALEC Stadium.

Like the other comedians involved Rory will interact with the crowd, pose for pictures with fans and inject fun and laughter into the match-day experience. Rory will be slipping in and out of character as he gets involved with a variety of activities throughout the day.

This season’s Finals Day will be hosted by two celebrity presenters, and Rory will be alongside them commenting on the matches, aiding the coin toss, inspecting the crease, commenting on the famous Mascot Race and much more in a variety of flawless celebrity impressions.

In the run up to his highly anticipated appearance at Finals Day Bremner has recorded some exclusive content for the ECB which to date has seen him impersonate some of the biggest characters in cricket including David “Bumble” Lloyd and Geoffrey Boycott. The final video ahead of the season finale see’s Rory impersonate a variety of names including David Gower, Henry Blofeld, Tony Blair as well as everyone’s favourite cricket fan Stephen Fry:

The comedy tour spearheads a wider marketing campaign around the Friends Life t20 2012 season by the ECB entitled ‘Something Completely Different’. The campaign has seen the Friends Life t20 competition being promoted in a fun, fresh and exciting way from the use of ‘Balldogs’ to ‘Wiggle Wicket’ to comedy match day hosts. The aim is to bring even more fans to the competition – which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Rory Bremner, the curator of the tour, said:

“Twenty20 cricket has been one of the games great success stories in the last few years and I can’t wait to host the FLt20 Finals Day, interact with the fans and showcase some of my cricketing impressions. Finals day is a great day out for cricket fans, sport fans, groups and families alike and I can’t wait to be involved later this month.”

Steve Elworthy, ECB spokesperson, said:

“The ‘Something Completely Different’ theme aims to put the fun of being with your friends and family and leaving with some great memories at the heart of your summer. We couldn’t think of a better way to do this than to bring comedy to cricket to enhance what is already a fantastically unique matchday experience, and we have had some great comedic names on board touring the grounds. We are extremely excited to have Rory on board and are thoroughly looking forward to having him at Finals Day.”

The Week in Syria

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There seems to be no let up for the people of Syria after another brutal week. Even Foreign Secretary William Hague described the situation as “bleak” and said that a peaceful resolution to the 17-month conflict looked “unlikely”. Kofi Annan quit as United Nations’ envoy to Syria.

Hague spoke as Syrian forces clashed yet again with rebels in Aleppo. Hague has yet to persuade Russia and China to back any international efforts for a path to peace.

Hague did not dismiss talks of Tony Blair to replace Kofi Annan. Annan said that his mission had failed.

Hague told Sky News: “It is a bleak time for Syria. This is, I’m afraid, the situation we warned about for some time. We won’t give up on the diplomatic work but given the situation we will of course step up our humanitarian assistance.

“We don’t want the situation to be resolved by violence. We want a peaceful transition in Syria. Sadly, we do not have the unity in the [UN] Security Council to put the decisive pressure on the Assad regime.

“Kofi Annan will be carrying on with this work until the end of August. Whoever takes on that role, it is going to need some change in the circumstances on the ground for Russia and China to change their position.

“If persuasion and argument was going to achieve a change of position, we would have done it by now.

“It might only be a further change of the circumstances – the further collapse of the regime, greater bloodshed – which brings Russia and China to change their mind.”

Hague said that the support Britain has given to Syria so far has been “non-lethal” and that Syria is now in a full-scale civil war.

“Here is regime that for 17 months now has waged war against its people. It has in many cases driven people to warfare and conflict.

“The prime responsibility for this situation lies on the regime. We are on the side of people who seek their freedom anywhere in the world.

“I do think it is right to support democratic movements in favour of the people.”

Meanwhile things have gotten worse in Aleppo as more than 20,000 government troops amassed around Syria’s second city, as the government warned the “main course” was yet to come.

Government artillery bases have fired mortars and rockets into the rebel held districts and in rebel-held Saheddin district, jet planes dropped bombs.

“The battle for Aleppo has not yet begun, and what is happening now is just the appetiser… The main course will come later,” a senior government security figure warned.

“All the reinforcements have arrived and they are surrounding the city… The army is ready to launch its offensive, but is awaiting orders.”

Andy Murray Wins Gold In 2012 Olympics.

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Andy Murray met his old nemesis Roger Federer on the Wimbledon court again, and took the gold home. Murray won two Olympic medals today at Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

The Scot beat the Swiss tennis champion on the same court were he was defeated at Wimbledon. Afterward he joined his mixed doubles partner Laura Robson where they lost in the deciding tie-break.

The audience chanted “Team GB, Team GB, Team GB” as Murray took gold. He won gold in less than two hours and then went into the player’s box to hug his girlfriend Kim Sears and his mother Judy.

Murray said: “It’s number one for me – the biggest win of my life.”

Brit Ben Ainslie also won a gold for Team GB after becoming the most successful sailor in Olympic history

Britain is not in third position on the medal table with 37 in total – 16 golds, 11 silver and 10 bronze. Go Team GB!

Queen reigns as Brits’ favourite workout music

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DON’T STOP ME NOW

Queen reigns as Brits’ favourite workout music

New research reveals music helps us train significantly better at the gym

57% of fitness enthusiasts have claimed that music helps significantly with their performance when exercising according to new research by Tesco Phone Shop.

Just one in 20 (4%) fitness enthusiasts said music didn’t help with their performance at all.

The retailer conducted the research amongst Brits to celebrate the launch the iT7 range of wireless Bluetooth audio accessories, designed by former Aston Villa midfield Ian Taylor.

The findings of the research comes as no surprise to Dr Costas Karageorghis, a reader in sport psychology and deputy head of the School of Sport and Education at Brunel University in London who has spent 20 years conducting scientific research into the effects of music on sport and exercise.

Dr Karageorghis said:

“Music and sport have much in common: both are culturally pervasive, both are about good rhythm and both touch us emotionally.

“Athletes routinely tap the power of music as part-and-parcel of their training. Our research has shown that during exercise, well-selected music can reduce the perception of effort by as much as 12% and enhance mood by 10%. As well as using stimulative music during training, many athletes are discovering the recuperative benefits of calming music following a tough workout.”

Ian Taylor said:

“This research backs up exactly how I used music when training. It definitely helped my stamina, improved my concentration and boosted my performance.”

What is the person next to you at the gym listening to?

Have you ever wondered what the person next to you at the gym is listening to as they pound the treadmill? The research also looked at what songs it is we Brits like to listen to at the gym to get us pumping.

Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now topped the poll with 15% of votes followed by Survivor’s Eye Of The Tiger (14%) and Tina Turner’s The Best (8%).

As Brits embrace the summer of sport, pop music topped the training charts, with 29% saying it was the best type of music to exercise to, followed by dance music (26%) and rock (25%).

And when it comes to best bands for feeling the burn, Queen, Madonna and Lady Gaga were named as the biggest musical motivators in the gym.

Here are more of the figures:

Music Genre

· Pop – 29%

· Dance / house – 26%

· Rock – 25%

· RnB – 5%

· Classical – 3%

· Heavy metal – 3%

· Other – 8%

Artists

· 1. Queen

· 2. Madonna

· 3. Lady Gaga

· 4. Rihanna

· 5. Beyonce

· 6. David Guetta

· 7. Prodigy

· 8. LMFAO

· 9. Foo Fighters

· 10. Gorillaz

Here’s a breakdown of the top songs by gender and age:

· Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now was the most popular track overall and also with women – 16% of the female vote

· Survivor – Eye of the Tiger was the most popular track for men with 18% of the male vote

· For the 18-34 age group Survivor – Eye of the Tiger reigned supreme with 14% of the vote

· But the 35-54 and 55+ opted for Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now with 15% & 20% respectfully

· Tina Turner – Simply the Best was also popular with the 55+ age group with 16% of the vote

Queen’s 70s chart topper reigns supreme as the top tune to train to according to research by Tesco Phone Shop.

The retailer conducted the research amongst Brits to celebrate the launch of the new iT7 wireless audio range in store. Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now tops the poll with 15% followed by Survivor’s Eye Of The Tiger (14%) and Tina Turner’s The Best (8%).

As Brits embrace the summer of sport, pop music topped the training charts, with 29% saying it was the best type of music to exercise to, followed by dance music (26%) and rock (25%).

And when it comes to best bands for feeling the burn, Queen, Madonna and Lady Gaga were named as the biggest musical motivators in the gym.

The iT7 range of wireless Bluetooth audio accessories, designed by former Aston Villa midfield Ian Taylor are designed with sport in mind, providing crystal-clear sound without limiting movement – handy for the 57% of fitness enthusiasts claimed that music helped significantly with their performance when exercising.

This comes as no surprise to Dr Costas Karageorghis, a reader in sport psychology and deputy head of the School of Sport and Education at Brunel University in London. Dr Karageorghis, who has spent 20 years conducting scientific research into the effects of music on sport and exercise, said: “Music and sport have much in common: both are culturally pervasive, both are about good rhythm and both touch us emotionally.

“Athletes routinely tap the power of music as part-and-parcel of their training. Our research has shown that during exercise, well-selected music can reduce the perception of effort by as much as 12% and enhance mood by 10%. As well as using stimulative music during training, many athletes are discovering the recuperative benefits of calming music following a tough workout.”

Ian Taylor, former Aston Villa footballer and designer of the iT7 range, adds: “This research backs up exactly how I used music when training. It definitely helped my stamina, improved my concentration and boosted my performance. With this in mind, I’ve designed the iT7s sport in-ear headphones especially for use while working out, training and getting fit. Whatever your musical tastes may be, maximise your workout and feel like a fitness champion with a tune or two!”

The iT7s headphones are available at Tesco Phone Shop for £99, part of a range of Bluetooth-enabled headphones and mobile accessories.

Tracks to help you feel the burn

With a bumper summer for sporting activity ahead, the nation’s top 10 tracks to train to are:

11. Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now

12. Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger

13. Tina Turner – The Best

14. Scissor Sisters – I Don’t Feel Like Dancing

15. Eric Prydz – Call On Me

16. Irene Cara – Flashdance… What A Feeling

17. Lady Gaga – Born This Way

18. Katy Perry – Firework

19. LMFAO – Sexy And I Know It

20. Snap! – The Power