Greater London Authority officials moved on artist Ken Howard in Trafalgar Square, warning that people might trip over his easel. What other serious menaces might one encounter there? Trafalgar Square is not a safe place. It is so unsafe, in fact, that within three minutes of arriving there a pigeon hit me slap in the face. Then, as the bird beat a sluggish retreat, a gaggle of Spanish tourists began to laugh at me, adding insult to facial pigeonry. Greater London Authority officials were not on hand to help me. They were elsewhere, possibly protecting the square from an even greater menace: Royal Academy artist Ken Howard OBE, who, it was reported yesterday , had been moved on by officials insisting that someone could trip over his easel. Annoyed, Howard told reporters: “If these people had been around in previous generations, we wouldn’t have paintings by Monet, Whistler, Sisley or Boudain.” Quite how British local government officials in the late 19th century would have stopped Monet painting a pheasant is unclear, but the man does have a germ of a point. In the course of one short visit to Trafalgar Square yesterday, I counted 10 considerably more serious menaces. 1 Pigeons. See above. No-fly zones begin at home. 2 Street performer. A man juggling with knives . Police did nothing. 3 Massive ship in a bottle. Totally out of scale. This could easily confuse a stupid person into thinking they’ve become a giant, and then crushing someone. 4 Bath full of foamy, semi-naked vegan women. They were making a point about how a single steak has the same environmental impact as 50 baths, apparently. All I know is I was distracted and could easily have fallen over. 5 Weird Olympic clock. Counts backwards and doesn’t tell the real time. Potentially fatal to people who schedule insulin injections using faulty commemorative timepieces. 6 Giant concrete steps. Whose great idea was it to put these next to the semi-naked vegans? 7 Fountains. Mum always used to warn that you can drown in 2in of water. There’s around 2ft of water in these death traps. That’s enough to drown 12 times. 8 Huge lions. Sure, they’re made of brass for now . But what happens when lightning hits? They’re also way too tall. Fall off one and your lion-riding days are over. 9 This woman. Who is she? She could literally do anything . 10 This bloke in a suit. That’s a coffee he’s holding. A scalding-hot face-melting coffee. Someone needs to get in there and pin him to the ground asap. I’m looking at you, “the police”. London Painting Art Tom Meltzer guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Frank Cottrell Boyce found writing a sequel to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang required a leap of faith, but she was ready to fly once more I can remember everything about my first trip to the cinema. We went with Aunty Pat and my cousin Tricia. We took a Tupperware bucket full of pick’n’mix and cartons of Kia-Ora. The film was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Howls of anguish shook the building when the car drove off the edge of a cliff, followed by roars of frustration when the image froze mid-plummet and the word “Intermission” blazed across the screen. The innocent part of me was swamped with pity for that lovely Edwardian family plunging to its doom. The writer in me was already thinking: “OK. This had better be good.” And of course it was good. Like a duenna snapping open her fan – the car snapped open a pair of elegant wings and soared off into Adventure. To this day, whenever there’s an unexpected but perfect twist in a tale – or in life – I think of it as a Chitty Flies Off The Cliff moment. I had one of those moments a year or so ago when the Fleming family got in touch and asked if I would consider writing the sequel. It was as if they’d offered me the loan of a 1920s Paragon Panther – yes obviously I’d love to drive it but do I really want that responsibility? Wouldn’t it be better to leave it safely parked on the gravel in a motor museum? In the event, the decision was made for me. As soon as I mentioned the notion at the dinner table it became clear that there would be no discussion about this. I was doing it. Not that I needed persuading. One of the most important choices you make as a writer is who are you doing it for? I’ve always been clear about this in my head. Reading is usually seen as a solitary pleasure but I first learned to love books when people – teachers, parents, Bernard Cribbins on Jackanory – read them out to me. My ideal reader is a grown-up sharing the story with the children in their care. I’m always looking for ways to make the story a genuine pleasure to both ages. Writing a new Chitty Chitty Bang Bang book gave me the chance to harness a
Continue reading …
Like-for-like sales in the 10 weeks to 19 March were up 1%, against growth of 3.6% in the previous quarter Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s revealed a bigger-than-expected slowdown in sales growth today as it highlighted the squeeze on consumer spending. The UK’s third biggest supermarket chain said it had seen “customers manage their spending carefully” with same-store sales growth of 1%, including VAT but excluding fuel, in the 10 weeks to 19 March. This compared with market expectations for a figure in the region of 2% and against growth of 3.6% in the previous quarter. But chief executive Justin King said the chain still outperformed the market in the fourth quarter of its financial year after attracting 21 million customers a week – up one million on last year. Sainsbury’s surpassed its “big four” rivals in Christmas trading, but competition pressures have intensified in recent months as Tesco and Asda have launched price-cutting initiatives. Shoppers’ finances are being hammered by soaring fuel and energy bills, as well as the January VAT rise and wider government austerity cuts. Growth rates are slowing across the supermarket sector, particularly on an underlying basis when VAT and rising food price inflation are taken into account. Sainsbury’s reported total sales growth excluding fuel and including VAT of 3.5%, a slowdown from 6% seen in the third quarter. The supermarket said it had seen significant growth in fuel sales – despite fuel price inflation of around 16% – as it offers competitive prices at the petrol pumps. To combat the tough consumer environment, King said the supermarket had introduced initiatives such as its meal planner tip cards, which help shoppers find up to five family meals for around £20. The group’s focus on non-food sales, which includes clothing, DVDs and electrical items, is still paying off, with the sector growing at three times the rate of food. The supermarket unveiled a partnership with celebrity fashion expert Gok Wan in the quarter to promote a range of womenswear. The chain continued to roll out its expansion strategy – opening 193,000 sq ft of space, comprising three new supermarkets, one extension and 21 convenience stores. King said: “We expect the consumer environment to remain tough, with our customers facing fuel price inflation, uncertain employment prospects and government spending cuts.” But the chief executive added that the firm was well-positioned for further growth in 2011/12. Recent supermarket share figures from Kantar Worldpanel have shown that discounters are enjoying a boost as hard-hit consumers look to cut their weekly outgoings. In the 12 weeks to 20 February, Kantar said Sainsbury’s was the fastest-growing of the top four with growth of 4.5%. Lidl and Aldi notched up impressive hikes of 13.6% and 13.4% respectively. J Sainsbury Supermarkets Retail industry Consumer spending Economics Petrol prices guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Libyan leader calls coalition ‘fascists’ during speech at Tripoli compound as Hillary Clinton claims aides are considering exile Muammar Gaddafi has made his first public appearance since air strikes on his forces began, pledging that he will not surrender and calling the international coalition against him a “bunch of fascists”. The speech came after Barack Obama warned the Libyan leader may try to hang on to power despite the military intervention. But the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, said she understood people close to Gaddafi were in touch with other countries asking for advice on exile options. Clashes continued on Tuesday morning along the front line between rebels and Gaddafi forces north of Ajdabiya. Those forces, which appeared to be well dug-in, fired barrages of mortar and tank shells at the opposition fighters, whose advance on the city appears to have stalled. Gaddafi appeared outside his Tripoli compound early on Wednesday morning to speak to supporters who have formed a human shield to protect him. “We will not surrender,” he said. “We will defeat them by any means … We are ready for the fight, whether it will be a short or a long one … We will be victorious in the end,” he said in comments carried live by state television. “This assault … is by a bunch of fascists who will end up in the dustbin of history,” he added, to the approving roar of the crowd. The early morning address was his first public appearance in a week, and there was nothing in it to suggest any lessening of his determination to sit out what he calls the “colonialist-crusader” attacks on Libya. Gaddafi seemed aware of growing rumours about his whereabouts after two strikes on his Bab al-Aziziya compound – with one opposition source reporting him at a hideout deep in the Sahara. “I am here, in my modest tent,” Gaddafi told them. “I am here.” Clinton told ABC News she understood people close to the Libyan leader were in touch with other states about the situation. “We’ve heard about other people close to him reaching out to people that they know around the world, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, beyond, saying what do we do?” she said. “How do we get out of this? What happens next? “I’m not aware that he personally has reached out, but I do know that people allegedly on his behalf have been reaching out.” Speaking to CNN during his trip to South America Obama said he hoped the military intervention would help the Libyan opposition start organising for change. He said it might not be “military might” but a belief among the Libyan people that it is time for a change that ends with “ultimately sweeping Gaddafi out of power”. “I think – our hope is – that the first thing that can happen once we’ve cleared the space is that the rebels are able to start discussing how they organise themselves, how they articulate their aspirations for the Libyan people and create a legitimate government,” Obama said. He added that the immediate goal of the mission that began Saturday was to prevent Gaddafi’s military from conducting an onslaught on the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. “Because the international community rallied, his troops have now pulled back from Benghazi,” Obama said. While Washington and its coalition partners, including Nato allies and Arab states, are establishing a no-fly zone over Libya and attacking the Libyan leader’s forces, the US president warned that Gaddafi was unlikely to back down soon. “Gaddafi may try to hunker down and wait it out even in the face of the no-fly zone, even though his forces have been degraded,” Obama said. Yesterday, Britain, France and the US agreed that Nato should play an important role in enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya . Muammar Gaddafi United States France Europe Nato Hillary Clinton Ian Black Chris McGreal Adam Gabbatt Dominic Rushe guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
From public finances to petrol prices – a brief breakdown of what George Osborne is likely to pull out of his red box The economy The chancellor will announce the latest forecasts from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which are expected to downgrade projections for GDP; 2.1% growth was expected this year and 2.6% in 2012, but the City consensus is currently 1.8% for 2010 and 2.1% for next year. Petrol prices An above-inflation increase in petrol duty planned for April, which would have added 5p per litre, is expected to be cancelled. A “fuel stabiliser” may help to shield motorists against the impact of soaring oil prices caused by unrest in the Middle East. Public finances Osborne will offer his predictions for the size of his budget deficit over the next few years. Until yesterday, experts were expecting him to have up to £10bn to spare, but after grim news on February’s tax receipts, it looks as though the deficit will hit £141bn, instead of the £148bn he was expecting in November. That gives him little room for giveaways, especially as slower growth over the next two years is likely to make the deficit larger in future years. Tax reform The Office of Tax Simplification, commissioned by Osborne, has recommended abolishing the divide between income tax and national insurance. The chancellor is likely to say he’s considering this radical shakeup. Growth review Ministers have been hauled before Osborne, Vince Cable and Oliver Letwin to explain how their departments can boost growth – without spending money. The Treasury will publish a “growth review” alongside the budget, detailing the results: pro-enterprise measures on skills, planning and infrastructure to “rebalance” the economy away from unsustainable, debt-fuelled growth, towards a more sustainable model. Green investment bank The £1bn a year bank, which will channel cash to promising environmental firms that are unable to raise cash on the markets, was meant to be a flagship of the government’s environmental policies, but it is understood the Treasury has banned it from borrowing until 2015 at the earliest, which could limit its power to unleash a green revolution. Planning Councils will be told to presume housing development is needed, instead of making developers argue the case. Critics are warning this could lead to concreting-over of the green belt. Local authorities are also expected to be given the power to hold on to some of the business rates they raise, giving them an incentive to approve commercial developments. Housing The Treasury and housebuilders will be jointly funding a scheme to help hard-up homebuyers get a foothold in the market, by offering them shared equity in newbuild homes. Income tax threshold The coalition agreement included a promise to make progress each year towards the Liberal Democrats’ promise to lift everyone earning less than £10,000 out of paying tax, by raising the personal allowance. Expect a fresh increase. That means a handout for all basic rate taxpayers, but the Treasury is likely to repeat its strategy in last year’s budget of pulling down the higher rate tax threshold, to ensure that bigger earners do not benefit. Youth unemployment A £300m package to get young people into work or training, including the creation of 50,000 apprenticeships. Tax avoidance Reports suggest Osborne is banking on new tax avoidance measures to bring in £1bn a year. He may also tighten the rules on non-doms, who can avoid tax on their overseas earnings. Environmental measures Osborne agrees with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that the government’s green taxes and incentives are too complex. With Europe’s emissions trading scheme, the climate change levy and renewables targets, it is hard for firms to calculate how much going green is going to cost. Expect streamlining. Booze If the government applies the duty escalator, raising the price of alcohol faster than inflation each year, it could add up to 7p to the cost of a pint of beer from April. Surprises? Every chancellor likes to pull a rabbit or two out of his budget red box, and we can rely on Osborne to hold back a few surprises to lighten the mood of austerity Britain. In 2005, Gordon Brown used his statement to announce funding for a statue of the Queen Mum. Could the chancellor be about to join in royal wedding mania? Budget 2011 Budget Economic policy Economics Tax and spending Petrol prices Motoring Public finance Tax Economic growth (GDP) Banking Housing Communities Unemployment Tax avoidance Corporate governance Alcohol guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Sammy Hagar was this close to having the day’s weirdest quote (it’s here ) about extraterrestrial life, but then Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez gave a speech. “I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived…
Continue reading …Plenty of observers see the Libya conflict in the shorthand of Obama vs. Gadhafi (as much as the US president objects), and the two main players made fresh appeals today: Gadhafi: In a 3-minute address on state television, he remained defiant, reports the BBC . “In the short term, we’ll beat…
Continue reading …An oil spill has covered thousands of endangered penguins in crude after a cargo ship ran aground on an island in the South Atlantic, the AP reports. The MS Olivia of Malta broke into two pieces after it hit Nightingale Island in the Tristan da Cunha chain. Its 1,650…
Continue reading …Google’s plan to build a giant digital bookstore is in limbo after a federal judge rejected a proposed settlement between the search giant and an alliance of book publishers and authors, MarketWatch reports. Judge Denny Chin said the $125 million settlement, which gave Google approval to digitize all books except…
Continue reading …Ginni Thomas is no fan of the media, but now she’s a part of it. Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas who is a Tea Party activist in her own right, has joined the right-wing site Daily Caller . Her job will be “identifying and interviewing people who…
Continue reading …