Colin Grady: 2012

Olympics for Free

FOR months accusations that the Olympics are nothing more than a money spinning scheme for big corporations and open only to the mega rich have been rampant.

But it may surprise you to hear that not all Olympic events are ticket only affairs, in fact if you look hard enough you'll find several are completely free.

So here's your chance to enjoy the greatest spectacle on earth without spending a penny.

First up is the women's Cycling Road Race, an energy sapping 140km battle through the streets of London and beyond.

Sadly you've already missed the men's race but there's still much promise of excitement for the women's event when it kicks off at 12pm today.

The route travels through six London boroughs, four Royal Parks and Surrey countryside and offers spectators about 120km of open road to enjoy for free.

Now to some the next 'freebie' on offer may not even seem like an Olympic sport, but the Race Walk really is part of the athletics programme and garners a medal finish.

You can catch the men and women's walks as it loops around Constitution Hill and the Queen Victoria Memorial - just outside Buckingham Palace.

The men's 20km event takes place at 5pm Saturday, 4 August, the 50km from 9am Saturday, 11 August and the women's 20km on the same day from 5pm.

If the Race Walk is not your bag then another free athletics event should tick anyone's box for pure excitement as the Triathlon sprints into action through Hyde Park.

The event is broken down into a 1,500m swim, 40k cycle ride and a 10k run and is one of the most electrifying and high-profile sports at the Games.

There are no heats in the Triathlon merely a single race - a battle to the finish!

Catch the women's final from 9am Friday, 3 August and the men's the following Monday from 11:30 am.

Perhaps the most unique event of the free Games is the Marathon, one of the original modern Olympic sports in 1896 and of the ancient Games in Greece.

And it's fitting that one of the best known events should pass through some of the best known landmarks in the world including Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square.

The gruelling 26.2 mile run has a men's and women's final - 11am Sunday, 5 August for the ladies and the same time for the gents 12 August.

If all that's not enough to feast on for free in this two week sporting extravaganza you can still enjoy the Swimming Marathon.

Again the setting is Hyde Park and you can see the swimmers take to the Serpentine like a duck to water for the 10k event.

The women's 10km Marathon swings into action 12pm Thursday, 9 August while the men's medal event will be on Friday, 10 August from 12pm.

So now you know you don't have to believe everything you hear about the Olympics only being available for the lucky few, everyone can get involved in this once in a life time sporting experience without paying a King's ransom

For months accusations that the Olympics are nothing more than a money making scheme for big corporations and open only to mega rich money men has been rampant

But it may surprise you to hear that not all Olympic events are ticket only affairs, in fact if you look hard enough you'll find several are completely free.

The event is broken down into a 1,500m swim, 40k cycle ride and a 10k run and is one of the most electrifying and high-profile sports at the Games.

There are no heats in the Triathlon merely a single race - a battle to the finish!

Catch the women's final from 9am Saturday, 4 August and the men's the following Monday from 11:30 am.

Perhaps the most unique event of the free Games is the Marathon, one of the original modern Olympic sports in 1896 and of the ancient Games in Greece.

And it's fitting that one of the best known events should pass through some of the best known landmarks in the world including Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square.

The gruelling 26.2 mile run has a men's and women's final - 11am Sunday, 5 August for the ladies and the same time for the gents 12 August.

If all that's not enough to feast on for free in this two week sporting extravaganza you can still enjoy the Swimming Marathon.

Again the setting is Hyde Park and you can see the swimmers take to the Serpentine like a duck to water for the 10k event.

The women's 10km Marathon swings into action 12pm Thursday, 9 August while the men's medal event will be on Friday, 10 August from 12pm.

So now you know you don't have to believe everything you hear about the Olympics only being available for the lucky few, everyone can get involved in this once in a life time sporting experience without paying a King's ransom.

Art by Offenders

Art by Offenders (click here for weblink)

UNLESS you’re a master forger mixing art and crime together may not spring instantly to mind.

But a duck in to the Southbank Centre this autumn might have you scurrying to re-evaluate that idea - and your perceptions of prison life.

Hastings Finest by Anon. Image courtesy of the Koestler Trust

Introducing Arts by Offenders; both fascinating in theme and remarkable in style, it’s the fourth annual exhibition of the Koestler Trust, the Southbank Centre and Britain's incarcerated souls.

From all corners of the country, from secure units to reforms centres, a rich tapestry of creative endeavours have been plucked from criminal hands, dissected and discussed, ready to be unveiled to the masses.

And it offers a fascinating delve into the dark prose of prison life and the polar opposite of hope, redemption and humour.

The show doesn’t suffer from self-indulgence nor is it sombre in nature. Instead it reveals art forms and feelings packed with intelligence and colour, including the primal, almost apocalyptic, painting Hastings Finest, the surreal sculpture Hakahookoo and the touching prose of The Ballad of Any Goal.

This year the curators are volunteer members of the Magistrates Association who have whittled down more than 7,000 pieces to 150. Davendra Singh JP, one of the curators, said, ‘Some of the artwork is funny; it can show a humorous view to some very serious issues such as prison overcrowding. Other pieces represent deep emotions, but none appeared to incite violence or glorify crime, in fact it was quite the opposite.’

Hakahookoo Ashworth Hospital,
PlatinumAward 2011. Image
courtesy of the Koestler Trust

One blogger from the charity Open College of the Arts, summed up the essence of the exhibit with her words, ‘It’s a great way for prisoners to feel like they’re still alive and connected with the outside world hopefully painting works therapeutically to show they can be part of something wonderful.’

You may not condone their crimes, or the punishment they receive, but walking through the exhibit you sense a tragic feeling of a life and gift very much wasted.

But if Koestler Trust were looking for a better example to illustrate their rehabilitative efforts, Anon’s sentiments under his painting, A Glimmer of Keef, which won the Sodexo Justice Services Bronze Award, could not be more searingly honest from the heart: ‘Art has got me through seven years of the worst time I could ever imagine. Hear the oil ROAR! I’ll paint for the rest of my days.’

You can check out this free event at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, in London until Sunday 20 November – for more information visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Sherlock 'Bones' to the Rescue

Sherlock 'Bones' to the Rescue

Rufus, the missing Border Collie

ANIMAL Search UK has produced the first ever Crimewatch style reconstruction for pets - in a bid to wrap-up a dog napping case.

The leading pet search outfit shot the crime show inspired vid to help trace two-year-old pooch Rufus.

Tom Watkins, Animal Search UK founder and former police officer, said of the film idea: “As far as we know it's the first time this method has ever been used to track down a stolen pet.”

Rufus bolted from the Webber family home in September 2010 after giving chase to a cat.

A witness saw him collide with a car before being swept up by a couple in a blue saloon who said they were going to call his owners.

However the Webber's hopes where dashed when the mysterious couple called to tell them Rufus had jumped from a car window and vanished.

It was at that point the couple decided to contact Tom Watkins who hit upon the bizarre reconstruction idea using a look-alike dog.

Sadly to date, the two-year-old Border Collie has yet to be found.

VIDEO: See the YouTube appeal for Rufus here

Getting the message across - electronically (click here for weblink)

A COMPANY wanting to install the first electronic advertising billboards in Luton is hoping to get the green light from council officials.

The scheme, submitted by LED–Advert, would see two giant screens, measuring 10ft high and 20ft wide, installed near major roads leading in to the town centre.

If approved the billboards would show only static images and would not distract the attention of drivers or pedestrians at the proposed sites off Cardiff Road and Telford Road.

Electronic screens are seen as a logical replacement of traditional billboards, and the company believe they offer greater flexibility for local businesses as well as a chance for the Highway Authority to display helpful advice for drivers.

Hoxton Street party launches Shoreditch Festival

IT's always a good sign that even before you reach your destination the omens are good.

And that’s how it felt for this year’s Hoxton Street festival as the rich aroma of foreign foods wafted through the streets informing you you were definitely heading in the right direction.

And despite the never ending drizzle the festival’s first day seemed to be a big hit with the crowds.
First off if you were in the mood for making some noise then the free drumming workshops would have been right up your street.

Elsewhere on the open-mic stage, many took the opportunity to belt out their own rendition of classic pop tunes or catch some of London's top buskers perform unique semi-acoustic sets.

Unfortunately the empty dance floor left a sad sight - no doubt many feared that a bad move could result in injury… or worse… the prospect of looking foolish by flailing about on the floor with as much grace as Bambi on ice.

Still the rain didn’t delay everything; the kids got to have their fun with the Ministry of Stories, the most community minded and imaginative stall of the day.

Founded by, amongst others Nick Hornby, the charity that inspires youngsters to write held a prominent place in the street festival welcoming onlookers to the new Children’s Republic of Shoreditch; a state with its own spy network, embassy and children designed rules. No doubt they were looking for new recruits to carry on the work of the world’s youngest nation – and probably some tips on how to jumpstart the economy.

Of course no street festival could be complete without its arts and craft stalls and this one had a handsome array of vintage bric-a-brac, handmade jewelry and pictures and paintings to entice enthusiastic bargain hunters.

As can be expected in east London the rich variety in communities reflected the multicultural feel to make the first day of this nine day Shoreditch festival a success.

And if all that wasn’t enough, perhaps the opportunity to drink in the atmosphere of the Hoxton Street Beer Festival and sample specially brewed Shoreditch Festival Cask Ale put a smile on many a face well into the night.

Kindle and Blackberry attracting more searches than iPhone 4

KINDLE and Blackberry have overtaken Apple’s iPhone 4 as the most popular online search for consumer electronics in the UK.

According to latest research from independent digital marketing agency Greenlight, over 13 million web-based searches were conducted for electronic goods in February.

In their Brown Goods Sector Report - Issue 11, Greenlight looked at UK search behavior covering audio and accessories, cameras and camcorders, PCs, laptops and tablets, phones and accessories, and TVs and DVD players.

It found Amazon's Kindle was the most queried consumer electronics term, attracting 823,000 searches, followed by Blackberry with 673,000, while 'iPod' was searched 301,000 times.

Curiously, it also noted that although not out on the market, 450,000 searches were conducted for 'iPhone 5' compared to 368,000 for 'iPhone 4s'.

In all more than 7 million searches were made for PC and laptops, accounting for an overall share of 54%, while queries for phones and mobile accessories enjoyed a 26% share, with Nokia, Sony Ericsson and HTC all making the top 10.

In terms of searchs for TVs and DVD players, just 800,000 were conducted in February 2012. The search for ‘TV’ was queried 110,000 times, accounting for 14% of the whole subsector. 'Samsung TV' amassed 5% of the share in second place, with ‘3d TV’ coming third with 4%.

Camden Friends of the Earth: Feed-in tariff fears after Government U-turn, Jan 25th to March 23rd

Friday, March 23rd 2012

THE government has failed to overturn the High Court’s decision over its planned changes to feed in tariff rates.

The Supreme Court has today said it could not challenge a High Court ruling that blocked the halving of payments to households generating solar energy.

The ruling means the government has failed in its final bid to reduce solar payments for any scheme completed after 12 December last year.

In response Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey, said: “We are disappointed by the decision of the Supreme Court not to grant permission to hear this case. But the Court’s decision draws a line under the case.”

The government said it will now focus its efforts on ensuring the future stability and cost effectiveness of solar technologies.

Friends of the Earth Executive Director Andy Atkins said: "This is the third court that's ruled that botched government solar plans are illegal - a landmark decision which will prevent Ministers causing industry chaos with similar subsidy cuts in future.

"The Coalition must now get on with the urgent task of restoring confidence in UK solar power.

Caroline Flint MP, Labour's Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, said the ruling exposed “chaos and incompetence” at the heart of the Department for Energy and Climate and “proves that the government’s cuts to solar power are not just bad for the public, bad for jobs and growth, and bad for the environment, but unlawful.”

Thursday, February 9th 2012

THE government has today confirmed it will slash payments to feed-in-tariff schemes by half.

From 1st April this year the new tariff of 21p/kWh will take effect for all domestic-size solar panels installed on or after 3rd March 2012.

It will also lower the level of energy efficiency required to qualify for subsidies and offer reduced rates for multiple installations.

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “We are proposing a more predictable and transparent scheme as the costs of technologies fall.” He added, “This will ensure a long-term, predictable rate of return that will closely track changes in prices and deployment.”

Friends of the Earth have hailed the proposals as a “significant improvement” on their original plans.

But they’ve warned the government's unclear solar road map has left a “dark cloud” hanging over thousands of jobs.

Andy Atkins, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director said: “Unless these plans are revised schools, estates and communities won't be able to save money by plugging into clean British power.”

Industry insiders have also voiced concerns about today’s announcement claiming it hints at further cuts in the future and threatens thousands of jobs.

Howard Johns, Chairman of Solar Trade Association said today’s announcement is a “huge step forward” but warned the sector’s short term picture remains “challenging.”

He claimed the government’s proposal will inflict real damage to businesses and said: “29,000 people are employed in the sector and many of these jobs are once more at risk.”

Earlier this month the Court of Appeal confirmed that government proposals to cut solar tariff payments for schemes completed after 12 December 2011, before official consultation into the move had closed, was unlawful.

The government has since taken leave to present its case to the Supreme Court.

Friends of the Earth have said the government's refusal to drop its legal challenge only adds to the “cloud of uncertainty hanging over the industry.”

Thursday, January 25th 2012

THE government’s abrupt changes to feed-in tariff rates risk thousands of local authorities’ plans to install solar panels on social housing, claim Friends of the Earth.

On 31 October 2011 the government announced plans to alter the cut-off date of feed-in tariffs for new solar PV installations to 12 December 2011.

According to Friends of the Earth, this proposal will put ‘tens of thousands out of work’ and increase fuel poverty for people living in social housing.

If implemented the new rates will drop from 43.3p to 21p per kilowatt hour – casting severe doubts on whether solar schemes are financially viable for local authorities in London.

Camden’s Cabinet Member for Sustainability, Cllr Sean Birch, said the government’s decision posed a ”significant challenge” to their renewable energy ambitions and was “bad news for homeowners, the low carbon economy and the planet.”

In response to the tariff turnaround, Havering Council pointed out that ‘many schemes will no longer be financially viable and contracts will not be able to be honoured.’

The Local Government Association has raised its concerns, estimating it will put councils at financial risk to the tune of ‘hundreds of millions of pounds.’

Solar installation companies have also hit out at the hastily slashed solar support.

Carillion, the construction company has warned 4,500 UK staff they could lose their jobs as a result of the government’s decision to halve subsidies on solar panel installations.

The feed-in tariff is seen as a cost effective scheme for people living in social housing.

It offers residents the chance to benefit from their own ‘green electricity’ by selling surplus energy back to the government - slashing their annual electricity bill by about £190.

In a bid to stave off the proposed cuts Friends of the Earth launched a legal challenge at the High Court.

In December the court ruled the government’s plans were illegal, saying ministers could only alter the payments after going through Parliamentary procedures - allowing industry time to plan for change.

The government subsequently appealed the decision - creating further uncertainty for the future of solar in the UK.

After much pressure ministers confirmed on 19 January they will fund the higher rate payments for any panels installed by 3 March, irrespective of the outcome of the appeal.

On 25 January the latest efforts by the government to reduce solar subsidies failed on appeal – but said it will seek leave to take the case to the Supreme Court.

The ruling means that, subject to any further appeal to the Supreme Court, solar tariff payments will remain at 43.3p (p/kWh) until 3 March 2012 when - following government moves last week - they will fall to 21 pence.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Andy Atkins said: “This landmark judgement confirms that devastating government plans to rush through cuts to solar payments are illegal.”

He also said the government must “help protect cash-strapped households from soaring fuel bills” and urged ministers to take steps to “safeguard the UK's solar industry and the 29,000 jobs still facing the chop.”