Famous People Who Didn’t Go To University

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Zac GoldsmithI have a confession to make. I find the whole snobbish going to university thing stupid. If you want to actually study something or be a doctor, then obviously go and reach your potential, but one of the things I find most stupid about social pressure is that everyone should go to university. At least if they want to be middle class.

Tuition fees are now appallingly expensive, and the most annoying thing I found about the recent BBC class calculator is that they still put going to university and owning a home as an indicator of class. Even though people buying homes they could not afford was one of the factors in the recession, and a recent study said that most students would never be able to pay of the debts they had incurred.

I recently saw an interesting meme on Facebook. It said, “Modern education: creating people who are smart enough to accurately repeat what they are told and follow orders.”

You don’t have to agree with me. I know it is a controversial thing to think. However, have a look at just a few of the famous people who did not go to university.

Apple founder Steve Jobs dropped out of Reed College.

TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres dropped out of the University of New Orleans after one semester.

The creator of Tumblr David Karp never even graduated from high school.

Walt Disney left school at 16 to join the Army. He couldn’t get in because of his age so he joined the Red Cross and left for Europe.

Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard but later got an honorary degree.

Paul Thomas Anderson dropped out of NYU film school.

Zac Goldsmith MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston did not go to university, instead deciding to travel the world. He told the Financial Times: “I think university is hugely overrated for most people,” he says, insisting that a wide range of good apprenticeships is more useful than three years of light work and heavy drinking. “I would not encourage my children to go to university.”

Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to work full time on Facebook.

Yoko Ono dropped out of Sarah Lawrence College

Woody Allen was thrown out of New York University after one semester and later dropped out of the City College of New York.

James Cameron studied physics at Fullerton College. He dropped out to become a truck driver.

Thomas Edison left school to work on the railroad at the age of 12.

F. Scott Fitzgerald dropped out of Princeton.

Coco Chanel dropped out of school to become a cabaret singer when she was 18.

Whole Foods founder John Mackey dropped out of the University of Texas.

Pablo Picasso dropped out of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

The founder of WordPress Matt Mullenweg dropped out of the University of Houston in 2004.

What do you think? Is going to university important?

The Significant Other | Theatre Review

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Insignificant others theatre reviewThe Significant Other can be best described as flicking through the glossy pages of a real life-story magazine.

 

It portrays snippets of the relationship between two people in 10 different scenes played out within a strict 10minute window and each one is as far removed in terms of content as the previous story.

 

Performed at The Park Theatre in Finsbury, The Significant Other explores relationships from the hope, boundaries, friendship and passion experienced in every day life.

 

It expertly portrays the awkwardness experienced by two strangers, to the comforts of a long-term relationship and friendship and even tries its hand at the human interaction with an alien, guardian angel and ghost.

 

Each scene is influenced by a different genre from comedy, fantasy, crime and even a musical, spanning both the past and future ideas of the world.

 

The audience is kept guessing at each turn and the play certainly grips your attention.

 

Three scenes stood out for me:

 

Coyi – a fired up couple are watching their football team on the telly (they can’t be there as the boyfriend lost the game tickets).

 

She tells him that she went to the bookies and made a bet on their future if their team wins 2-1 and they get engaged to marry.

 

The audience feels each missed goal and penalty and enters the couple’s living room as they agonise the unpredictable nature of the football match and the hope they’ll win a fortune.

 

A Month and Five Days – Set in the past in a library, a visitor is attempting to study but keeps talking and distracting himself as he is told off and told to be quiet.

 

The librarian is actually in love with the visitor and in an aside, bursts into song calling herself ‘Julie Andrews’ after adopting his surname.

 

This shy librarian has hopes of marriage and the couple realise they are perfectly suited to each other, as long as he can respect the rules to be quiet.

 

Icebergs – A somewhat ditzy brother and sister plot to steal from their employer but at the last minute, the sister pulls out and we see them reveal their thoughts and feelings of being stuck in a little village, missed opportunities and tattered dreams of the future.

 

By far one of the funniest scenes, the audience sees the protective older brother nature towards his sister, as well as his mocking and arrogant character.

 

But in the end, there is no doubt that sibling love reigns rather than sibling rivalry.

 

Performed as part as a festival of genres, the play is unlike any I have seen, and despite their short length, strangely the audience was still able to bond with the characters and the personal impact was not tarnished.

 

Produced by Neil Byden, Serena Haywood and Laura Kim on behalf of The Pensive Federation, it was a light and refreshing performance on a Friday evening and it felt as if we were sitting among friends in the compact loft studio.

 

Common Mistakes Made When Brushing Your Teeth

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Ah, brushing your teeth; It’s one of theimages most ingrained habits in the UK, and it’s something that everyone knows how to do, right?  Well, not always.  There is actually evidence that quite a lot of people still make some fairly basic errors when brushing their teeth.  Because we’re nice, we’ve put together this little list of some of the most common mistakes that people make:

Not picking a brush with the right bristles.  As time goes by, toothbrushes are becoming more and more varied in terms of their design and the way in which the bristles work.  Though they still come down to the same patterns – straight and angled – the materials used for them has changed quite a bit, with everything from solid plastic to the traditional fibres a part of modern bristles.  This means that the tougher brushes are even more unsuitable for those with weaker gums, and yet many people who suffer from small amounts of bleeding without brushing still use them.  Needless to say, this is a seriously bad idea.

Not brushing enough.  This is possible the most common mistake, with a great many people simply not brushing either enough times a day or for a long enough period.  The typically recommended time period is for at least two minutes each time, at least twice a day taking place.   Any less will often lead to problems in the long run.

Brushing too hard.  The other main error is to actually brush too hard or for too long, as this can both expose the root of the tooth to some irritation, as well as erasing the enamel on the teeth.    It can also cause serious damage to the gums if over a prolonged period of time.

Not brushing the inside.  Watch any toothpaste advert, and you’ll inevitably be confronted with the sight of some gorgeous person, frantically brushing away at the front and centre teeth. Unfortunately, this has led to a great many people not taking their inside cleaning as seriously as the outside, meaning that plaque will quite often build up the mouth side.  Needless to say, you should spend just as much time cleaning the inside as the outside.  A lack of inside cleaning will likely lead to you visiting a dentist like Kool Smiles.

Not replacing their toothbrush often enough.  If you wash up in the old-fashioned way, imagine having to use the same sponge or scourer for six months.  Not a pleasant thought, is it, all that muck and dirt being scrubbed back onto those clean dishes?  As an item that spends half of its time soaking wet and cleaning up dirt, a toothbrush needs to be replaced around every couple of months to ensure it is helping and not hurting.

Not rinsing.  Again, the best way to think of this is to imagine having a good bath and then not rinsing the tub down afterwards!  A good rinse is the perfect way to ensure all of the bacteria and food that the brushing has scrubbed away from the teeth is sent back down the plughole.  Not doing so means it will linger around the mouth, which isn’t what anybody wants.

Chore-dodgers given anonymity: Bring harmony to the home with new ‘covert cleaner’ service

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If you and your other half argue about cleaning then Frost magazine has come across something we think is quite cool: covert cleaning.
A recent survey found that 46% of couples that live together argue about cleaning; with nearly 2/3 of all individuals surveyed saying their partner’s cleaning abilities were below average – something start-up service Teddle has turned into a marketing opportunity by creating a new ‘secret service’ that disguises the fact a cleaner has been paid to complete household chores. You can even personalise the clean by adding in your bad habits for them to echo, such as to ‘leave the toilet seat up’ or ‘forget to remove the hairs from the sink’.
Those with an aversion to household chores have today been given a fresh escape from nagging partners by pioneering web service Teddle, which has launched the first ever ‘covert cleaner’ service to clean up conflict over housework. The award-winning start-up, which helps people search for, compare and book trusted cleaners in seconds, is testing the ‘cheeky’ service to prevent arguments in the home by allowing customers to dupe their partners into thinking they have completed the chores personally.

Alex Depledge, co-founder of Teddle commented:

“We have seen a big demand to ‘cover up’ our service and allow users to secretly book a cleaner without detection from partners, housemates and even mothers. We’re here to make life easier, so we thought why not make it easy for people to remove hassle from their lives without any consequences?”

“You always design the clean you want during booking, but now you can make the job seem more authentic by using the Teddle platform to request the cleaner misses out certain elements that make it more believable you completed the work.  The feedback we’ve had is that you can’t have it too perfect, or no one would believe it was you.”

Fiorelli Supports Race For Life and Launches The Hope Bag

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FiorelliFiorelli has been making beautiful handbags for 25 years and to celebrate this landmark the brand is joining the fight against cancer by partnering with Cancer Research UK and Race for Life.

 

Fiorelli has launched the Hope Bag as part of their partnership with Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.

 

The mini barrel shape Hope Bag makes it the perfect smart grab bag to take you from work to weekend.

 

Available in 15 shades including cerise pink, dusty pink, nautical, snake and monochrome, the Hope Bag is a summer must-have. Functional and on-trend, this is the perfect investment to accessorise any outfit while proudly helping to support a remarkable charity.

 

Fiorelli will be hosting pop-up shops at the Race for Life events this summer selling limited edition canvas tote bags for £5.00 with all profits going to Cancer Research UK. They have also produced a pretty Hope Bracelet, available at events with a donation to Cancer Research UK.

 

Fiorelli will be running a competition at all their pop-ups to invite people to go online at Fiorelli.com and submit a name for Fiorelli’s next exclusive charity bag.

 

The Fiorelli Hope Bag is £30 and £5 will go to Race For Life. Available to buy now at www.fiorelli.com

The Fiorelli pop-up store will be at the following Race for life events:

 

Saturday 1st June: Regents Park

Sunday 30th June: Richmond Park

Sunday 7th July: Blackheath

Sunday 14th July: Hyde Park

Finding the Right Car for You

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Buying a new car is a daunting task, whether you are a first-time buyer or have had several cars over the years. Like buying a house or a holiday, buying a new car is a big commitment, takes up a lot of time and effort and can cost you quite a bit.

There are a few simple things to remember when buying a new car that should make the whole process go a lot smoother. Here is a quick guide to help you avoid the common mistakes when buying a car and help you make the right decision first time.

New vs. Used

First you need to decide whether you want to buy new or used. The process with each is quite different and so you need to be aware of what you’re getting into before you start. The positives with buying new are that you can pick exactly which specifications you want plus new cars often come with incentives such as interest free purchase and fuel discounts. The downside is you often pay more overall. Used cars may limit your choices but you can often find a great bargain and you avoid the initial depreciation of the car since it has already left the showroom.

What do you want?

When it comes to buying a new car it seems that every man and his dog has an opinion about what, how and where you should do it. But when it comes down to it, who do you trust? The important thing is to figure out what you want from your new car, not what everyone else thinks you want. If you are searching for something small and fuel efficient to drive around a city with, or a big family car that is economical as well as safe, then the places you look for cars is going to be quite different. Before you even start looking for a new car, decide exactly what it is that you are looking for. This will save a lot of stress further down the line and help to keep you on track.

Reputation

When you are buying your car, you want to go to a place that has a trusted name and a strong reputation for good customer service and after-sales. Online review sites are a vital part of this process and can be instrumental in finding the right purchase for you. Check trader websites for their testimonial and review pages, as well as their sales to build up an idea of the company itself. Websites that have pages such as Reviews of Big Motoring World for example, are a great way to get an overall idea of the standard practices of a business.

Do Your Research

In the end, the simplest advice is the best – do your research. As with any big purchase, don’t feel rushed to buy the first thing that comes along. Take your time, mull it over and make sure your buying the right car for you.

Russell Kane, Paul Chowdhry, London Comedy Clubs unite as Foster’s brings 4 nights of live comedy

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comedyRussell Kane, Paul Chowdhry, London Comedy Clubs and more unite as Foster’s brings four nights of live comedy to Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park

Monday 8th to Thursday 11th July will see live comedy acts take over the 450-seater Barclaycard Unwind Theatre

Today AEG Live and The Royal Parks have unveiled a stellar billing of comedians for four nights of first-class comedy as part of the amazing line-up at Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park.  Boasting big names such as Russell Kane and Paul Chowdhry, Hyde Park Comedy presented by Foster’s, the UK’s leading sponsor of comedy, will run from Monday 8th to Thursday 11th July, bringing together acts from The Comedy Store, Laughing Boy Comedy Club and many more for a series of laugh-out-loud nights in the park.

The Comedy Store Players get the laughs going in the Barclaycard Unwind Theatre on Monday 8th July as they take centre stage.  Best known for their performances at The Comedy Store in London, the collection of renowned improvisational comedians will use their innovation and sheer brilliance to create a night of sketches and comical dramas that have garnered international critical acclaim.

“The best ad-lib ensemble in the UK” Evening Standard

“Brave performers who arrive with no script and not the faintest idea of what will happen.  Through improvisation they create whole sketches and comic dramas that are amazingly inventive and sometimes take off into flights of surreal brilliance” Daily Telegraph

“Some of the finest improvisers in the world” Eddie Izzard

Tuesday 9th July brings together Kevin Eldon And His Very Funny Friends, featuring BBC Radio 4 AND Gloucester’s Bridget Christie, the determinedly non-metric Paul Foot, One Direction fan Robin Ince, and children’s entertainer and red diesel salesman Jeremy Lion.   (Plus poetry from Paul Hamilton).

Wednesday 10th July welcomes Laughing Boy Comedy Club at Hyde Park starring Charlie Baker “a superior take on the modern showman” The Guardian, Neil Delamere “the rising star of Irish comedy, a wryly brilliant live performer” Sunday Times, Kerry Godliman “Brilliantly casual and unpretentious” The Guardian, and Paul Chowdhry ‘Revives distant memories of Richard Pryor at his relentless best’ The Times

Independently run, Laughing Boy Comedy Club has put on some of the most successful shows in London over the past ten years and helped launch the careers of some of the UK’s finest stand-ups. This night is no exception as these top British and Irish comedians take control of the stage.

The series draws to a close on Thursday 11th July as Russell Kane hosts award winning rising stars Lucy Beaumont and Jarlath Regan.  Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner Russell Kane is a multi-talented writer and performer who has firmly established himself as one of the best comics in the UK today and in Hyde Park he presents a hugely talented lineup not to be missed.

James Russell, Head of Events, The Royal Parks said: “What a fantastic line-up for our midweek programme. We’ve said from the start that Barclaycard British Summer Time is a new era for events and these four nights of comedy along with all the other amazing acts and entertainment planned will make Hyde Park the place to be this summer.”

3D Visuals Explained

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Since the dawn of time, we as a species have used imagery to project thoughts, feelings and emotions. From cave paintings, mosaics, roman statues to the development of photography and cinema in to the modern day, where we have a new obsession for 3D imagery in every form. We crave to be immersed in a whole new world, quite literally, hence the popularity of Pandora in 20th Century Fox’s record breaking Avatar. 3D is considered to be the next key feature that is and will continue to enhance our visual experience.

Ever wondered how a 3D visual is actually created? Well, sites like www.dhub.com can help to give you a breakdown on the process. 3D visualisations are used over a wide variety of can be a life-like or photo-realistic images and animation, it can also be used to explain an idea or concept. 3D visualisations, or other 3D content can even be used along side other mediums to create a collaborative mixed media projects.

Interactive content and applications are invaluable for helping your visualise designs and products, whilst at the same time engaging users. Interactive content can be anything from a simple interface to link images and text together, or as complex as a 3D product configurator, allowing customers to customise products in real-time.

3D virtual visualisation can not only help you and others to visualise your product, but it will also help you to identify design issues, it can be used for your market research minimising your risks and saving you lots of money before you have your physical product in the market.

What a 3D Visual can do for you:

  1. It can help not only you, but also your prospective investor or customer to visualise your proposal within its early stages. You will be able to identify and solve design problems.
  2. Your designer can explore the design concept with you, by adding or removing features, variations, colours, and textures. Once to generate photo realistic images, you can use these for your market research.
  3. 3D visualisation will also allow you to virtually simulate how your product will look on the shelves against competitors.
  4. Once you have your feedback and research complete, you should be thinking about a physical prototype and manufacturing. Don’t stop there; you can use your 3D visuals for Marketing and Promotion purposes. Recycle your virtual model again and again, using it to aide printed material in marketing campaigns, as well as using this within fully animated TV adverts, online videos, presentations.

Products and scenes can be easily created and manipulated within the 3D visualisation arena to create true to life images that are more cost effective than producing the real thing.

The possibilities endless and the CGI era has only just begun…