Melbourne Bikefest 2012
Going on holiday in February or March is a great way for UK residents to dodge the low domestic temperatures and bring a sense of sunshine back into life. Cycling enthusiasts can kill two birds with one stone by visiting Australia, where February falls in high summer and the Melbourne Bikefest gets into gear from mid-month until the middle of March.
Although it’s difficult to pick favourites from the action-packed festival calendar, Riverslide Skate Park in Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne, will play host to the noteworthy Bikefest BMX Jam on Saturday 17 March. Some of the city’s most skilled BMX riders will take part in a big boy’s bicycle ballet directed by two of its most celebrated choreographers, Byron Perry and Antony Hamilton. The first half of the show will feature some snazzy simultaneous film sequences showing the riders en route to the skate park, and the second half will consist of a choreographed live performance to remind BMX enthusiasts why they do what they do.
Budding artists with an interest in two-wheeled transportation will also have the chance to win back some of their holiday spending in the Chasing Rainbows poster design competition that runs throughout the month. Entrants must submit designs that include key information about the 2012 UCI Track World Championships and the official world championship ‘rainbow’ stripe. An expert panel of judges will then select five finalists, the foremost of whom will win $1000 in cash and publicity by featuring in an outdoor media campaign promoting the main event.
While February sees some of the highest rates of snowfall at home, it is one of the warmest months of the year down under. Coupled with the fantastic cycling events that make up the Melbourne Bikefest, sunny skies make Melbourne the perfect destination for a winter getaway. Instead of the customary cheap February flights and discount B&Bs in New York , take a cycling-themed trip to Melbourne this year. Flights might cost more, but the smarter shopper can make great savings by booking accommodation through wimdu.co.uk .
Ashley HomeStore Predicts Furniture Trends 2012
American retailer Ashley HomeStores has recently released an exciting top 10 list of furniture trends for 2012. Its list of predictions includes the burgeoning popularity of storage beds among adults, the increasing appeal of mini-office writing desks, and the proliferation of enormous coffee tables – although whether this will prove to be more prescient or premature remains to be seen.
Ashley HomeStores expects sectionals to rise in popularity, owing to “family rooms, more entertaining at home and fashion-forward, younger shoppers”. High-performance leathers and fabrics form part of their contemporary appeal, along with versatile pieces that perform multiple functions in the home, such as comfy ottomans .
Better mattresses may also feature in many bedroom makeovers, as returning holidaymakers yearn for the plush beds of their boutique hotels. Rather than stressing an abundance of pillows, the modern bed should be as sleek and streamlined as possible for maximum stylistic effect.
Another interesting theory put forward by Ashley HomeStores is that console seating will grow in popularity along with big-screen TVs. In particular, “the console loveseat is the rising star”, as the type of functionality that was once reserved for top-end entertainment sofas becomes available in a more convenient size for cosier home owners. We’re not quite convinced these futuristic furnishings will replace elegant designer chairs in every home, but we may be proved wrong.
On the other hand, the prediction of upsizing coffee tables makes perfect sense. Ashley HomeStores attributes this to increasing numbers opting to eat dinner on the sofa rather than the kitchen table, but we think working on laptops and relaxing with tablet computers are equally significant causes. Although a large coffee table can be clunky and cumbersome in a small lounge area, those with larger lounges will find few reasons to object to a convenient super-sized coffee table.
Heating Insurance Cost Worry For Consumers Hit By Cold Snap
As weather fronts from Siberia continue to hit Britain, a survey conducted by Santander Insurance has revealed that almost a quarter of residents hold concerns about the weather causing damage to their homes.
The cold snap is predicted to continue into the coming weeks, with most of the UK already experiencing sub-zero temperatures and biting winds. With this protracted spell of cold weather comes worries that heating bills could be higher than many people have budgeted for. Many people are also concerned that basic heating insurance policies may not be adequate if this extreme weather damages heating systems in households with little or no disposable income. Those with a new heating system have less to worry about, although some form of cover is advised if the system’s warranty is due to end in the near future.
In total, the survey shows that almost three quarters of UK adults worry more about property maintenance issues during the colder months of the year. Concerns over personal safety also increase during this time as almost a quarter of respondents stated they held fears about injuring themselves when out in public or being involved in an accident while driving or travelling as a passenger in a motor vehicle.
Santander’s Head of Marketing; Steve Burton said: “In winter many people have more concerns and fears due to darker nights and the effects of harsher weather conditions. People are concerned about a wide variety of risks from the effects of adverse weather or their ability to pay the bills during the winter, but in some instances there are steps that can be taken to reduce the level of risk.
“We would urge people to ensure their homes and cars are adequately protected by security measures and also by comprehensive insurance cover, so that at least they have some peace of mind that they are financially protected should something bad happen to them.”
In a bid to help consumers pay their energy bills this winter, many suppliers have announced they are to cut the price of everything from domestic gas to commercial electricity tariffs . This news will not be welcomed by those who recently signed up to fixed-price energy deals, as any lowing of price by their energy provider will not encompass these reductions.
Stay in a serviced apartment in Bangkok for a percentage of its true value!
2012 has so far been consistent with previous years’ economic straits. Regular holidaymakers have become quite disillusioned by the lack of affordable foreign accommodation to suit their recently changed means. Many feel pressure to backpedal on traditional holiday plans as they feel unable to afford extravagant hotel stays anymore. Fortunately this age of thrift, while bringing with it tight pockets, has also seen the rise in demand of affordable digs that equate to quality experienced. This different kind of accommodation is not only much cheaper but often results in a more exciting adventure than initially expected.
The idea of creative solutions for tourists on a budget is not an entirely new one. These have ranged from the uncomfortable, for example couch surfing or camping, to riskier pursuits such makeshift hostels in an overly friendly locals’ spare room! Some brave travellers found success (by success I mean they lived!) with these gutsy ventures. But for us not so brave holiday-starved folk a safe, affordable and unconventional opportunity has arisen.
It is now possible to find and book a diverse range of luxury and alternative accommodation in cities all over the world through one secure online base. Whether you are looking for contemporary apartments for a short trip to Barcelona, serviced apartments in Bangkok or a charming bed and breakfast in Prague, new website Wimdu has made connecting with locals and finding a bargain easier than ever. It also brings peace of mind to nervous holidaymakers, by keeping safe a record of data concerning the transfer of money and other transactions.
Accommodation on Wimdu has ranged from hay-stuffed stables to spare bedrooms on boats and even entire apartments, often in well sought after, central locations especially in cities; Wimdu allows you to see all offers in Dublin here. One Sussex woman advertised her donkey’s usual dwelling to weary travellers seeking the authentic Christmas experience! More typically, accommodation consists of a spare room in the host’s own home, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to glean an inside perspective on the real town and learn about the must-do activities that never make it into mainstream tourist guides.
So if you need to tighten your purse strings but also want to have a memorable adventure it is now possible to find this in one up to date database.
‘Tangerine Tango’ is the Colour of the Year for Home Design
Colour is one of the most important elements in any home, so choosing wisely is essential to ensuring both fashionable status and long-term appeal. This year, worldwide authority on colour the Pantone Color Institute announced the perfect contemporary colour is ‘Tangerine Tango’, a shade of orange “with a lot of depth to it” according to Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone’s executive director.
“Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.” continued Eiseman.
Not so long ago, orange was considered a substandard colour in fashionable circles – one to be avoided by the conscientious wearer or designer. However, in the past few years, its popularity has soared, allowing fashionistas everywhere to don orange garments and celebrate the vibrant colour without provoking contempt. This year orange has gone mainstream and will surely feature in some of the year’s most influential design catalogues, not to mention online furniture outlets like the Fashion For Home website.
Tangerine Tango is not a particularly lurid shade of orange so it has many exciting applications in the home. It could make a high-impact wall or carpet colour for a warm, relaxing space. Tangerine tones mix well with lime and moss green, so this can be an exciting colour scheme for a room – think muted lime carpets and tangerine tango comfy settees. Alternatively, tangerine tango makes an excellent colour for crockery in your kitchen and can help to create a warm and cosy dining space. Other potential pairings include eggplant, plum and burgundy – but steer clear of black as this dreaded combination can recall bats and jack-o-lanterns. As with any interior design colour choice, be sure to test tangerine tango thoroughly before deciding to use it in your living space.
Cisco Announce Ten Thousandth Blade Server Customer
Earlier this month, communication technology giant Cisco released a statement stating it had acquired its 10,000th server customer. Since launching into the server market nearly three years ago, the company has faced intense scrutiny and pressure from competitors and industry commentators and the announcement has been regarded by some as a chance for Cisco to brag about the growth of the server area of the business and who its customers are.
Cisco entered the server industry in March 2009, with the introduction of the UCS B Series of Blade servers and the release of the C Series in June. The servers Cisco manufacture boast 10 Gigabit Ethernet networking, which enables servers to link to other servers as well as external storage; a system management tool- UCS Manager- that is fully integrated and features hypervisor capability; and virtualised I/O via UCS systems to manage the server.
When Cisco entered the server market, server and storage networking were coming together. Established server makers such as IBM and Fujitsu sold data centre switches with their server cabinet and server hardware that they either made, or purchased wholesale and rebranded and were searching for marketing opportunities to increase their market share. This convergence of server technology made Cisco’s entry inevitable.
It is also arguable that Cisco’s entry into the server market caused other manufacturers of tier one servers to speed up work on networking plans. It is for this reason that industry experts believe that Cisco’s embracing of server production has been a benefit to the industry as a whole, even if the server wing of the business is yet to prove itself profitable financially and could have effected its networking wing, as companies that were previously partners became competitors.
Cisco sold almost 40,000 blade or rack-mounted servers in the third quarter of 2011, the latest that sales figures are available for. The company’s marketing manager for unified computing, Todd Brannon stated that the UCS server side of the business was generating orders at the end of 2011 that if calculated over the course of a year would total $1.1bn.
The rate at which Cisco added customers during the Spring and Summer of 2011 was impressive and although the numbers fell slightly in the Autumn, it is worth remembering that Cisco has existing relationships with a large number of the top businesses around the world that use large data centres. Industry commentators state that even if the company does not sell a single server to a small to medium enterprise (SME), the total market for Cisco servers would remain extensive and would not affect sales for server manufacturers like Hewlett Packard, Fujitsu or IBM or other computer parts UK companies.
Brits Seek Cheaper Holiday Accommodation And Destinations
For the travel industry, the first two months of the year are usually key, with a large number of people booking their summer holidays. Things appear to be changing this year though, as UK holidaymakers look for ways to save money on their breaks.
Research conducted by Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance has shown that almost 29 million UK residents are planning on going on holiday this year; with a collective spend of £22 billion between them. This means the average amount people are willing to spend is £765.
Whether looking for B&B accommodations in Rome or all-inclusive beach resort deals, with the pound not stretching as far as it used to, almost 80 percent of those questioned admitted they were looking for ways to save money when booking a holiday this year and were likely to spend less money than they had when booking holidays in previous years. Almost 16 percent of Brits have booked their summer break already, although figures show that the numbers planning to book by the end of February are significantly lower than they have been in the past.
45 percent of respondents said they were planning foreign holiday, with 17 percent of them staying in a hotel, 13 percent staying with friends or family, 12 percent opting for a self-catering break and a mere 10 percent looking to stay at an all-inclusive resort. Sites offering private rentals direct from the property owner seem to be faring well during this time, Wimdu offers in Amsterdam, for example, have steadily increased over the last few months as people around the world look for new sources of income.
Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance Manager David Barrett said: “It appears that more people will delay booking their holiday this year, presumably hoping to secure a better deal. We would also encourage holidaymakers to carefully consider their travel money and travel insurance and shop around for the best value for money without forfeiting quality.”
He continued: “Good quality travel insurance will give you peace of mind that your possessions, holiday costs and healthcare needs are covered in the event of unexpected mishaps. Also, organising your travel money before you go means that you have one less thing to worry about, and are fully prepared when you reach your destination.”
Almost half of those questioned (43 percent) said they were planning to holiday in the UK this year, a fact that could give the economy a much needed boost.
WWII Veteran Short Of Choices As Homephone Is Cut Off Over Christmas
An army veteran who served in the Second World War was forced to spend Christmas without a working landline this Christmas after his line was disconnected by service provider TalkTalk on 20 December 2011. Ninety-one year-old Jim Bradshaw of West Chesterton, Cambridgeshire was stuck without his home phone for more than ten days.
Although TalkTalk did eventually re-route Mr Bradshaw’s calls to his mobile phone, the former teacher explained that due to his arthritis, he often finds it hard to answer calls before the caller rings off, and when he does get there in time it is not uncommon for him to press the wrong button, accidentally terminating the call before it even takes place.
Mr Bradshaw said he was “absolutely brassed off. Somebody of my age shouldn’t have to be in this predicament. I’ve missed no end of appointments and invitations – I’ve had a very miserable time.”
Mr Bradshaw noticed that his line was not working when he attempted to connect to the internet. He presumed that work was being conducted on the line, although the longer he remained unable to connect, the more suspicious he became.
With a host of price comparison websites like Homephone Choices providing support and guidance on low price landline deals and service providers that will install your phone line for free , those in Mr Bradshaw’s position are able to research more reliable services and read feedback from existing customers before committing to a contract, although this information would not have been too useful for Mr Bradshaw over the holiday period as he noted what a struggle it was to get hold of any assistance from TalkTalk during this time due to lower staff levels.
Mr Bradshaw continued: “They routed my home number through my mobile phone so at least I can take incoming calls, but I’m not quick enough on the draw and sometimes I miss the call. I must have spent £20 ringing people back on my mobile.”
Mr Bradshaw is a retired teacher who lives alone. During the Second World War he achieved the rank of sergeant while a radar specialist in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. His son Andrew, a Cambridge-based estate agent, said the family had been doing their utmost to help but dealing with TalkTalk was proving to be a ‘complete nightmare’.
At the time of writing, TalkTalk have not provided a statement relating to this matter.
China Telecom Announces UK Mobile Coverage Plan
China’s largest fixed-line telephone company in terms of customer numbers; China Telecom, has announced it is set to enter the UK mobile phone market in a groundbreaking deal that will see the company utilise existing local mobile networks to provide branded mobile coverage for the UK’s Chinese residents as well as visitors to the country such as tourists, business leaders and students.
The deal with Everything Everywhere Ltd, the British operation of the combined European communication giants France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom is targeting the UK market ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in London, when the numbers of Chinese tourists arriving in the UK is set to increase significantly. Managing Director of China Telecom Europe, Ou Yan said: “Entering the UK mobile market is a strategic move. We are keen to launch the service in the UK as soon as possible as there is a real gap in the market for the provision of tailored mobile services and competitive tariffs aimed at the growing Chinese population in the UK.”
Everything Everywhere is the UK’s largest mobile operator, boasting close to twenty-eight million customers. The company runs two of the UK’s most famous brands; Orange and T-Mobile, and the deal will see China Telecom utilise their extensive 3G network to roll out their plan.
As the Chinese population is the target market, China Telecom will provide services in Chinese languages and make calling China easy to do and easy on the wallet. It has not been announced whether they will also sell branded handsets, but with a wide range of mobiles £100 and under on the market, customers will surely be able to choose a mobile phone with best battery life and additional features that they will understand and be able to use freely. If the uptake is good, China Telecom will also set up packages that will make customers in China able to easily contact mobile phone users on the plan in the UK, making communication easier and more affordable for families and businesses in both countries.
China Telecom estimates the number of Chinese citizens living in Europe to be close to two million, with more than six hundred thousand of them living in the UK alone. If the move is successful, China Telecom plans to expand the operation to mainland Europe.
China Telecom stated their belief that the new service will be available to customers from the end of March 2012.
Enfield Council Fears Digital Switchover Could Cause Increase in Fraud
As North London is switched over from analogue television signal to digital, Enfield Council has warned that the switchover could see an increase in con artists and fraudsters coming to the area posed as TV engineers, to scam vulnerable local residents. The local Trading Standards team have urged local residents to be vigilant as the switchover picks up speed in the next few months, as the fear is that rogue traders may target the elderly and the infirm by offering to help ’switch the signals’.
The Trading Standards team believes that con artists will use the digital TV switchover as an excuse to gain access to and burgle homes of less technologically savvy local residents, while pretending to adjust their existing television sets.
Those looking to learn more about the switchover to digital from analogue should contact Digital UK to find out exactly what it entails. This is recommended by Chris Bond, cabinet member for the environment, who also stated that should someone call round at your home offering help for the switchover, they ‘will almost certainly be a fraudster’.
Mr Bond said: ‘We will take every step necessary to track down and prosecute rogue traders, they are a scourge of our society and prey on our most vulnerable residents. Residents who think they have been visited by a rogue trader or conman should report them to Consumer Direct so they can be investigated.’
With recent figures showing that a large proportion of London residents have spent vast sums of money on new digital-ready TVs, Enfield Council are also keen to inform residents that they only need to purchase a set-top box to make the change from analogue to digital. In fact, a campaign stressing that people need not shell out hundreds of pounds to be ‘digital-ready’ was launched last month in Enfield Town and featured an installation by Holly Freeman that was constructed entirely from old television sets.
To find out whether your area has been switched over to digital yet or to find out when it is scheduled to, visit Digital Choices , an independent price comparison site that details comprehensive information and links about the digital switchover, as well as reviews of cable and satellite digital television packages and a simple to use HD TV coverage checker.
Always ask for ID if someone calls at your house and asks for access. You are well within your rights to take their identification and call their head office for confirmation. Any legitimate visitor will happily wait for you to do this.