Press Release Rocket

With the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games the BBC have announced their plans for digital coverage of the events.

The BBC will be broadcasting live coverage of every single event throughout the day and are able to use digital TV technology to give viewers the chance to switch effortlessly between each.

The BBC’s enhanced digital experience will give audiences the option to enjoy as many as 24 live High Definition streams which will come to 2,500 hours of coverage. Digital customers will be able to switch between each of the live events seamlessly, be able to rewind live sports coverage in order to re-live those hairs breadth deciders, as well as giving the option of chapter markers that intelligently understand key moments in the upcoming action to help viewers navigate to enjoy the events they want. The BBC will also be providing constantly updating and relevant information towards the sports in question in an unobtrusive fashion.

As well as being available on the Red Button, the BBC will also provide a dedicated channel to the Games.

This will make London 2012 the most comprehensively covered Olympic event of all time.

This array of coverage will be available to digital customers with providers like Freesat, Virgin Media and Sky. Connected TVs will also be able to receive the BBC’s Sports App, which will give digital customers access to live and interactive commentaries from BBC Sport.

This news is likely to further increase customer interest in digital television as they want the best access to the biggest international sporting event in the world.

To secure the best digital TV services customers can check for availability of HD channels with the digitalchoices.co.uk HD checker, this provides comprehensive information regarding digital TV options. With increased interest will come increased competition too from digital TV providers making price comparison services like digitalchoices.co.uk all the more valuable to customers who want the best Olympic coverage for the most reasonable cost.

The BBC’s advances in digital TV coverage are just one more of the many business opportunities that the London 2012 Olympics are presenting to Britain. Not only will the nation be able to enjoy better services and increased competition but, as thousands of visitors arrive to enjoy the Games, the BBC are taking the opportunity of showcasing the best television and media talents of our country to the whole globe.

And after years of economic pressure and austerity, maybe Britain can recover it’s investment (and maybe more) whilst enjoying the most spectacular international sports and peace event held on earth.

Virgin Atlantic has introduced its new policy to allow passengers to use their mobile phones when flying. Customers that fly with Sir Richard Branson’s airway will be able to enjoy sending and receiving text messages and calls, and are even welcome to use the internet via GPRS connection while on board.

The new action is aimed at business travellers and is being made possible with the one hundred million pound investment into redesigning the A330′s first class cabin. This is also part of a grand scheme of development within Virgin Atlantic airways as it also spends fifty million pounds refurbishing its Boeing 747 planes. Over twenty aircraft are expected to be offering the service by the end of 2012 as refurbishment continues.

Virgin Atlantic often appear in holiday news as a leading airline introducing new ideas, and its chief operating officer, Steve Griffiths, assures that the implementation is necessary and with reason. He said “We have listened to what customers want and connectivity in the air is always on the wish list” as he emphasises “looking at what customers want, rather than simply installing technology”.

However some concern has been raised regarding how mobile phone conversations could disrupt the other passengers. Val Weedon from Noise Direct states that “it could be very annoying” thinking of the other passengers in such a confined space, going on to state that usage of mobile phones at nighttime “should definitely not be allowed”.
Passengers taking cheap city breaks will enjoy the service as a means of entertainment as they dot around the world, and those flying from London to New York on the Airbus A330 will be the first to experience new service that Greg Dawson, director of corporate communications says that “many people will have experienced that moment when you’re about to take off on a 10-hour flight and you need to send an important message to the office”.

Patricia Duncan has been singing the praises of her local services. Her breakdown service came to rescue her from her near death experience as the call centre worker advised her to read her number plate since she couldn’t remember it. Avoiding death, she stepped out of her car moments before a Rover car plowed into her small smart car. Both drivers survived.

The driver of the other car, a local man in his forties, had to be cut out of the vehicle by firefighters. The cars were written off. Mrs Duncan avoided being caught between the cars. Her momentary memory lapse kept her out of harms way. That Patricia survived is close to a miracle she says. In her words, “God smiled on me that day.”

Getting out of the car to give the breakdown company her car number saved Mrs Duncan from the crash. Moments after she got out of her broken down car, the other vehicle smashed horrifically into where she had been sitting moments earlier.

Mrs Duncan says: “Had I gone to the back or the front to read the plate or stayed in the car I have no doubt I would have been killed.” This is an extremely lucky escape from a very dangerous breakdown issue. It highlights the necessity for drivers to have their lights on and to be very aware of where their breakdowns occurs and the added dangers of busy roads and the junctions around them.

Mrs Duncan had sensible comprehensive breakdown insurance. This was key to her getting out of her car. It is advised that drivers have breakdown cover. The options and offers for breakdown cover can be bewildering. breakdownchoices.co.uk can help with these decisions. www.breakdownchoices.co.uk is a link to the cover possible from the various breakdown insurance companies.

Mrs Duncan woke up from the incident in the ambulance which was taking her to the local Bloomfield Hospital. They think she must have been hit in the face with debris as the cars collided knocking her backwards. The gentleman is recovering in the Hospital. The NHS and Ambulance and breakdown services are praised by Mrs Duncan, their utmost kindness and professionalism aided her recovery.

Thankfully Mrs Duncan was not killed in the terrible accident. Brain damage was suspected and she was airlifted to the hospital. Thankfully she was given the all clear but the trauma of the crash will take weeks to recover from. The gentleman, who did not want to be named, is recovering well from his injuries but is also suffering from severe shock.

Property prices have increased 105 fold since the Queen was crowned in 1952 and 16 times since the Silver Jubilee in 1977, according to new research from Hamptons International.

At a time when the nation is gearing up for a weekend of street parties and celebration, the Hamptons International research analysed the cost of a home in 1952, 1977 and 2012.

In 1952, the average price of a home in the UK was just £1,520 and £9,737 in 1977, compared with £160,000 today. The research found that the average price of a home in London has risen 134 fold since 1952 and 21 fold since 1977. In 1952, the average price of a London home was £2,650, in 1977 it had risen to £16,493 compared with the average price of £354,300.

Adam Challis, Head of Research at Hamptons International, commented on the findings “Britons are well known for their love affair with bricks and mortar and our jubilee property price analysis goes some way to prove just what a reliable investment property has been over the long-term. A 105 fold increase in the value of the average home in the UK over a 60 year period equates to a profit of just over £7 a day. This profit is inflated even more in London, where price growth represents £16 a day over a 60 year period, representing a rather healthy return on investment.”

Hamptons International is selling a number of properties which were for sale and/or built in the 1950s:

Highfield House

Description: An imposing country house which had recently been considerably enlarged to provide a home of exceptional style and quality. The property benefits from nine bedrooms, five bathrooms, a three bedroom detached cottage and over 10 acres of land. The winery currently produces wine for private use of the owners. The whole process happens on site from growing, pruning, resting and labeling.

Price: £3.75m

Agent: Hamptons International Sussex Country House 01403 262828
Previously for Sale in March 1952 (marketing price unknown as sold at auction)

Albermarle House, Guildford

Description: On the market for the first time since being built in 1950 a detached 3 bedroom house which is in need of complete modernisation and has potential to extend, subject to obtaining the necessary planning permission. There is an entrance hall with coats cupboard and cloakroom, a sitting room, dining room, study and kitchen with door to the garden. To the first floor are three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Price: £768,000
Agent: Hamptons International Guildford; 01483 502222

Avalon, Marlborough

Description: An attractive detached house built in the 1950s by a local builder for his own use. The house has a wealth of character features including a fine hallway with central oak staircase and parquet flooring. On the ground floor, there is a sitting room which opens onto a conservatory, separate dining room, newly fitted kitchen with utility/breakfast room. Upstairs there are 3 double bedrooms and a good bathroom.
Price: £425k
Agent: Hamptons International Marlborough 01672 516256

About Hamptons International

Hamptons International is a leading residential agent operating in London and the South of the UK. With more than 140 years of experience in the property market and a commitment to industry innovation and exceptional levels of customer service, Hamptons International today offers a wealth of award-winning services including UK and international Sales, Lettings, Property Management, Corporate Services, Residential Development, Development Land and Valuation, and Property Finance.

Headquartered in London’s Mayfair, Hamptons International has an international network of more than 85 offices and is a subsidiary of Countrywide, the UK’s largest estate agency and property services group.

In her speech to parliament on the morning of the 9th of May, the Queen outlined a list of proposed bills by the government including a series of reforms to the supply of energy.

The Energy Bill will reform the electricity market to promote the next generation in low carbon and clean energy, not only to promote improvements to the world environment but to try and help Britain become less reliant on foreign oil imports in the future. The Energy Bill will also be placing increasing restrictions on the emissions coming from new coal plants as well as introducing an independent regulator; the Office for Nuclear Regulation, that will be funded by the industry.

This bill will directly affect England and Wales but the majority of proposals will also apply to Scotland and Northern Island.

Before even the speech, the Energy Bill had to face opposition from a backlash of extreme right wing Conservatives who don’t agree with environmental concerns. There was also speculation that the Energy Bill might not make it through to the Queen’s speech in order to make space in the wake of proposed reforms to the House of Commons.

The Green Investment Bank was another proposed bill that will be able to make available increased funds to support the developments of initiatives started by the Energy Bill. Altogether promoting a brighter environmental future and an internally growing economy that doesn’t need to rely on external fuel imports.

These announcements by the Queen are an important step on the pathway to a greener future. They outline the government’s dedication to wrestling power away from multi- national fuel corporations like Centrica; who have it in their interest to continue supplying less effective fossil fuels to drive up the price. If the reforms are successful and renewable and efficient energies do begin to take a genuine hold on Britain’s energy industry then consumers will enjoy the direct benefit of reduced fuel bills.

Increased promotion of energy reform could also induce customers to make more active steps themselves towards saving their energy bills. Things like ancient, decrepit boilers have been sitting in people’s homes for years using up unnecessary energy, increased impetus on energy change could see more customers looking for a new boiler guide from energy choices and perhaps making the effort to upgrade. Also as green companies become more viable price comparison websites will be recording the benefits and encouraging customers to switch their home and business electricity on energy choices.

It is hoped that improving energy conditions and a more discerning energy culture could noticeably reduce bills for consumers and make it easier for them to afford other vital services for their home like insulation and boiler cover.

How much impact the bills will have is yet to be seen, but even if the effect is not immediate, they at least reflect the beginning of what will be an unstoppable trend towards a greener future.

Although West End shows remain as popular as ever, it could be argued that London’s residents and visitors have never had such a wide range of entertainment at their disposal. Fears of rising competition from the Olympics, the BBC Proms, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee remain but the brightest and best continue to bring world touring shows to London, keeping up the area’s reputation for originality and creative integrity.

There is a conviction among theatre producers that the London Olympics will damage the thriving trade that the West End has continued to boast despite the recession. King of West End musicals , Andrew Lloyd Webber, expressed his fears in dramatic terms in an interview on Radio 4, stating he expects a “bloodbath of a summer” for London entertainment, while writer Will Self described the approaching Sports festival as a “boondoggle” ( a waste of time and money).

The West End will hit back this summer bringing spectacular new shows to London audiences. The expectations of West End musicals have steadily risen over the last few decides as great shows have longer and longer runs and new shows hit very respectable popularity. The Phantom of the Opera is currently celebrating its 25th year in London and The Lion King is consistently praised as a family friendly and cool production. With a host of other critically acclaimed shows coming to the area, it seems the West End’s reputation is only going to soar further.

Competition for tourists will be fierce this summer but musicals have tactics to help them hold their own. With publicity for shows beaming down on tourists all around the famous sights of London, the West End has its home advantage over the Olympics, tucked away in the docklands. With famous actors coming to the London stage, including Avengers Assemble star Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Nixon, and James Corden in One Man, Two Guvnors the West End will be packed full of some of the greatest acting talent in the world this summer.

Some of the best musicals of recent years bring touching honesty, vulnerability and in different turns dark and camp humour. Rock of Ages is the latest star studded show to bring an alternative audience to Leicester Square, this time Rock and Heavy Metal lovers.

Musical theatre is a family-friendly affair that will leave you warm inside. As long as people keep walking through those doors, musicals in London will continue to thrive, despite the competition this summer.

We live in a time where the word privacy has taken on a new meaning. With the ever-increasing advancement in technology, and the mass-communication made possible by social networking sites, we appear to live in a world where information itself has become one of the greatest forms of commodity.
Every time we use a computer, we leave what is known as a ‘digital trail’, this can reveal all of our online behaviour and every time we visit a website, some of this information is recorded and used to improve search engines and online services. Sounds innocent enough. However the problem comes when that information is passed to third parties without your prior knowledge or consent. This can be culprit responsible for our e-mail accounts being infiltrated by spam. Recent reports suggest that there is a growing level of people that strongly object to this, citing that this is an invasion and breach of privacy laws.
The controversy was ignited by the increasing popularity of smart phones and of the internet in general, and now that controversy looks set to continue with similar paranoia being directed towards the new breed of smart TVs. Some brands are installing built-in microphones, cameras and face and speech recognition software, the idea being that the TV will be able to recognize the person viewing and tailor the viewing experience to suit their individual needs, much in the same way that Google personalizes the advertisements that appear using information from your search history.
Many people feel alienated by the language used in technological manuals and it is this fact which has led some to criticize the new smart TVs. The concern being, that if people don’t truly understand the ways in which their TV works, then they could end up having their conversations recorded without their knowledge.
The pertinent question is, is this paranoia justified or is it simply more technological hysteria that will fizzle out as quickly as it began? History is littered with examples of people prophesizing the end of humanity as soon as any significant advancement is made, whether it be medical, technological, or otherwise.
The fact is that with each progression made, measures will be implemented to protect against any problems presented. However, with such advancements happening at such a dizzying speed it can present the illusion that much of it is out of our control.
As long as we take these things into consideration before making decisions relating to what TV set or broadband bundle to buy, and arm ourselves with as much information as possible, then there is no reason why we should be caught out by any nasty surprises. This is made increasingly possible by comparison websites such as www.digitalchoices.co.uk who do most of the work for you, and this website among others, provide useful tools such as a HD Postcode checker which allows you to check your HD options by postcode.
Comparison websites and online tools such as the aforementioned put the power well and truly back where it belongs-in the hands of the consumer, through providing as much relevant information as possible (in reader-friendly terms), the onus is now on us to take advantage of that fact.

The global scientific community is buzzing with news of a unique discovery in Argentinian Patagonia. Palaeontologists from Argentina and Sweden discovered two fossilised eggs and a set of bones that belonged to a little-known bird-like dinosaur that lived in the region over 70 million years ago.

The remains, of a species in the Alvarezsauridae group of dinosaurs, was found during an expedition to Patagonia in 2010 by party member Dr. J Powell of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales but has been named Bonapartenykus ultimus in honour of Dr. Jose Bonaparte, who discovered the very first specimen of an alvarezsaurid in the same area of South America in 1991.

In recent years Patagonia has exploded in popularity with holidaymakers seeking an alternative to lounging by the pool, this is evident by the sheer number of results you get if you search for a travel adventure website that serves the area. With cruises to Antarctica on offer as well as walking routes such as the infamous Torres del Paine w trek, it is not hard to see why tourists from around the globe are discovering the amazing landscapes that have enthralled scientists and provided valuable data about the history of our planet for decades.

The newly identified species is said to have measured 2.6 metres (8.5 feet) in length, making it one of the largest members of the Alvarezsauridae family to be discovered. The palaeontologists who discovered it believe it could be one the last survivors of its kind to live on Gondwana, the southern landmass during the Mesozoic Era.

As the eggs were found so close to the hind quarters of the fossil specimen, the experts have ruled out the skeleton and the eggs mixing after the dinosaur died and have suggested that the eggs may have been inside the oviducts of the animal when it met its end.

Martin Kundrat of Uppsala University said: “So it looks like we have indirect evidence for keeping two eggs in two oviducts. They were close to being laid, but the female didn’t make it.”

The scientists also found that there was fossilised fungus on pieces of egg shell they found. Kundrat explained that various fungi affect bird eggs today: “It looks like at the very late stage the eggs could suffer from the same contamination as in common birds,”

“It doesn’t mean it must kill the embryo, because usually in the embryonic space or inner space it’s still protected by a very dense network of organic fibres called the shell membrane.”

The British Design Council have announced a number of innovative new concepts to hopefully improve the lives of dementia sufferers.

Alongside the Department of Health, the Design Council challenged designers create concepts that could improve the lives of those who suffer from the debilitating condition of dementia and have subsequently come up with five new designs set to undergo further development and enter the market. These new designs are as ingenious as they will be stylish, inventions such as these could represent considerable improvements in the care of dementia patients, not simply as systems themselves, but also as designed products which will fit perfectly into people’s lives and eliminate any embarrassment or inconvenience of being seen with them.

The winning concepts range from trained dogs to scent clocks, but the really ground- breaking value of this project has been in unlocking the potential of designers and creating health products with a pleasant, or at least more palatable aesthetic. The Design Council believes that sterile and bland design is not conducive to patient’s health. Although it might seem simple, the more nicely designed a product or environment is, the generally happier a patient will feel and positivity has a major impact on recuperation.

To this end the Design Council’s new ideas are a major step in the improvement of health care. They are aimed at the care of dementia patients, who suffer a loss in cognitive abilities. Out of the Design Council’s rigorous selection process five entries have won through, these are;

Specially trained dogs, these dogs will aid in the day to day lives of dementia sufferers as well as providing company.
Buddi, a discreet wrist band that will help provide user identification, personal monitoring as well as emergency alert functions.
Trading Times, an internet service dedicated to carers of people with dementia, giving information about employment that will work around their caring responsibilities.
Grouple, a dedicated social network for carers of people with dementia, helping them share and seek out any advice or support they might need.
The scent clock, a device devised to stimulate patient’s senses, particularly appetite which has been known to decline in many dementia sufferers.

Developments like these won’t only improve the lives of those people suffering from dementia, but may influence the medical world as a whole. The effect a pleasant environment has on personal well- being is clear and should be considered in the care of medical patients. In general a pleasant environment contributes to mental well-being firms like Fashion For Home can help create a pleasant living environment for everyone, many people even get cheered up by just browsing the products from this website.

Although it might not seem as impressive as penicillin; evidence is increasingly appearing that people are happier and healthier in better designed surroundings with some snazzy designer chairs and the occassional stunning chaise lounge too. The Design Council might be changing the way medical professionals perceive medical care.

Tim Minchin’s magical interpretation of the classic novel manages to sweep in a record breaking 7 Olivier awards, beating the previous record of 6.

Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book has been subjected to a number of justifying and successful renditions over the years, namely Danny DeVito’s critically acclaimed 1996 interpretation that brought fame to child star Mara Wilson.

Australian comedic-musician ‘Tim Minchin‘ was next to have a go at bringing Dahl’s words to life, turning the all-time favourite children’s story into a bright and colourful musical that captures the imagination of both children and adults, who may have even read the original book when they were younger.

‘Matilda the Musical’ was created with Minchin’s musical and lyrical know-how and Dennis Kelly’s writing skills, showcased in BBC3′s ‘Pulling’. Both Kelly’s artistic vision and Minchin’s childlike passion and enthusiasm have helped to make this production one of the most successful British musicals of all time. But credit goes also to Sophia Kiely, Kerry Ingram, Eleanor Worthington Cox and Cleo Demetriou, the four charismatic little girls that share the lead role, Matilda, and were each awarded with best actress for their fantastic performances of the iconic Dahl character, and the shared honour is an achievement not seen since the Billy Elliot production reached this feat back in 2006.

The four girls were greeted on stage by none other than Ronan Keating and Kimberly Walsh as they excitedly accepted their award, before posing for photos and bringing a smile to everyone’s faces. The six other awards that Matilda the Musical picked up included: best sound design, best set design, best theatre choreographer, best director, best actor in a musical and best new musical

Nominated in ALL TEN categories, Matilda was bound to pick up something, but no-one could predict just how successful it was. Bagging itself seven awards, it marks a new record for the Laurence Olivier awards, first awarded in 1976.
Minchin’s career looks very bright and so does the future of theatre if we continue to have young talented writers creating such enjoyable works of art to such great reception like these london musicals have. As theatre returns to a relevant and exciting art form, customers are starting to use online theatre websites, like this one to book tickets to the other shows the stage has to offer. Tim’s magnificent triumph on theatre’s biggest night is an exciting thing for the world of theatre as it grows more and more popular.