ELEANOR RIGBY DOCUMENT AUCTIONED

Most Beatles fans remember their famous song about Eleanor Rigby, the famous lady who picked up the rice in a church where a wedding had been! However the question as to whether or not Eleanor Rigby was a real character has intrigued Beatles fans for many years. The song was always thought to be based on a fictional character especially after one of the fab four Paul McCartney told fans they would never find a trace of Eleanor as she was entirely fictitious, even though a gravestone bearing her name was discovered in a churchyard in the 1980’s. But it seems that Eleanor Rigby did actually exist in the flesh and Paul McCartney knew more about her than he was letting on! After being asked for a donation from The Sunbeam Trust, a charity which uses music to help children with special needs, Paul sent them a document.

The document was none other than a Liverpool City Hospital salary register, featuring the signature of one E Rigby. Eleanor Rigby worked there as a scullery maid and had to sign for her monthly wage. She earned £14 per annum. How times change! That wouldn’t get you very far today the way the cost of living has risen nowadays. The document dated back to 1911 and is one of the biggest clues to date of the true identity of the Beatle’s Eleanor Rigby, a poor soul who dies lonely and alone with nobody to mourn her according to the song. It was auctioned for charity this week and sold for £115,000. Wow! All the money raised from the sale will go towards helping children with special needs. The Beatles are as popular today as they have always been. The fab four’s album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was recently voted the nation’s favourite no. 1 album in the BBC’s Radio 2 Music Club Top 100 Album chart.

To hear more about Eleanor Rigby, click on the player shown below:-

LORD COE CALMS OLYMPIC MONEY FEARS

As the credit crunch continues to bite, Lord Sebastian Coe has calmed Olympic money fears and reassured the Olympic Committee that London will still be going ahead with plans to host the Olympic Games in 2012, despite the current economic climate. London is currently facing a major challenge to stay within its £9.3billion budget, mainly because of problems in raising the anticipated level of private financing to cover the cost of the £40million media centre and £1billion Olympic village.

After the lavish spectacular of the Beijing Olympic Games, Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge stressed the importance of holding down the cost and size of future games to ensure that they remained affordable in these current tough economic times. Lord Coe once an Olympic athlete himself, stated that the economic climate in Britain now was very different to the time when London first bid for the chance to host the games but nevertheless the city was determined to honour its commitments. Oh well they could always host an “It’s a Knockout” style games and save even more money. Maybe Stuart Hall will come out of retirement to host them. Just a suggestion! Ha ha!

KYLIE TO HOST BRIT AWARDS

It's rumoured that Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue will be hosting next year's Brit Awards ceremony in February. However she won't be alone and will be sharing presenting duties with Gavin and Stacey stars Matthew Home and James Corden. Apparently Kylie has been in lengthy talks with the organisers of the ceremony, who are said to be planning “the best show ever”. It will certainly be very different to this year's show hosted by the Osbournes, when viewers jammed the Offcom switchboard complaining about the bad language used during the show. Last minute details of next year’s Brits are still being finalised but according to a show insider, organisers believe getting Kylie to host is “the icing on cake”. Kylie is herself a Brit award winner, having won several awards in the past.

The British public took Kylie into their hearts after she starred in the Australian soap, “Neighbours” in the mid 1980’s. She then went on to launch a successful singing career, selling millions of albums and producing many hit songs along the way. She was awarded an OBE by Prince Charles earlier this year for her services to the music industry. Kyle was also an inspiration to millions of women after fighting her way back to health from breast cancer. The singer has always acknowledged Britain as her “adopted homeland”.

PEDAL POWER FOR BRITISH WORKERS

As the credit crunch continues to bite, It seems that more British workers than ever before are now cycling to work both to save money on petrol and public transport. According to the results of a recent survey by Sainsburys Home Insurance, up to eight per cent of workers and fifteen per cent of men are now cycling to their jobs on a daily basis resulting in big savings on transport costs. On average the survey found that using pedal power as opposed to cars or public transport, results in average savings of £33.70 a week or a whopping £11 million a year! Even more reason to cycle to work! There are also the health benefits as well.

Regular aerobic exercise such as cycling can help to reduce the risk of various life threatening conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes. Cycling is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise available, giving the body a vigorous and energetic workout. It is the third most popular sport in the U.K. and one of the easiest to fit into your daily routine. Cycling helps to reduce obesity, burning away body fat and keeping the body toned and healthy. It is also one of the few forms of exercise that actually helps to reduce cellulite. Good news for women everywhere! Cycling home is a good stress reliever too, just the thing to help you wind down after a stressful day at work. Any form of exercise is also good for releasing lots of the body’s “feel good” hormones, helping to banish any symptoms of S.A.D. or the Winter blues. So what are you waiting for! Get on your bike!

BECKS HAS NO. 1 CELEBRITY CALENDAR

Well it’s that time of year again! You know Christmas is just around the corner when the suite adverts start appearing on tv. It seems everybody wants a new settee in time for Christmas to impress the outlaws and other relatives! And if that wasn’t enough, next year’s calendars have been in the shops since September! It seems they have proved very popular with shoppers too! According to the results of a recent Woolworths survey, David Beckham is definitely the hottest date in Britain with his new calendar shooting straight to the top of the celebrity calendar charts and David is laughing all the way to the bank! Other popular celebrity calendars in the top 10 include Kylie Minogue, Cliff Richard, Dr Who star David Tennant and popular girl band Girls Aloud.

BEING BRITISH NO LONGER POLITICALLY CORRECT

Under new guidelines recently set out, Welsh council workers have been warned not to call Scots people British in case it causes offence. Apparently it is no longer politically correct to describe yourself as being British as it could cause offence to people from Scotland, Wales and Ireland and ethnic minorities. Sounds like Gordon Brown definitely needs to seriously re-think his thoughts and comments on Britishness then lest he should cause offence! Please accept my apologies if I’ve ever described myself as British on this blog. No offence intended! Honestly! I always try to fly the flag for common sense on this blog. I think some people more than others need a large dose of it!

SHORTAGE OF SHEEP SHEARERS IN BRITAIN

Are you an accomplished sheep shearer or talented ballerina? Then Britain wants you! Under a new Australian style immigration points system, the two career options appear on a list of occupations where there is a skills shortage. The new system is described as the biggest shakeup of the immigration system for a generation. Other occupations where there is a skills shortage include chefs and pipe welders! It’s quite funny that Britain now has a shortage of accomplished sheep shearers, a popular occupation in some parts of Australia. In years gone by, many Britons with this skill would take the opportunity to emigrate to Oz to take full advantage of their skills over there but now it’s the other way round! There is a catch however. Pipe welders will need to have at least three years experience, sheep shearers will need to hold the British Wool Marketing Board Bronze Medal and chefs will need to be able to earn at least £8 per hour after board and lodging deductions. The new rules also demand that employers must prove that they can’t find a suitable employee to fill a vacancy locally before offering the job to an overseas applicant.

PRINCE CHARLES CELEBRATES 60TH BIRTHDAY

Princes William and Harry described their father Prince Charles as an “inspiration” to them and many others as he celebrated his 60th birthday yesterday, whilst the Queen praised his work with the Prince’s Trust saying his “vision and conviction” had transformed “countless lives”. The Prince spent his birthday meeting schoolchildren at a special classical music concert held in his honour at The Royal Opera House. The children joined Camilla in singing a special rendition of “Happy Birthday” to the Prince, whilst a 41 gun military salute was fired in Hyde Park to mark the occasion. The concert was one of many special events held to celebrate Prince Charles’ milestone birthday. A special comedy gala night was also held in the Prince’s honour on Wednesday night, whilst the Queen hosted a special dinner at Buckingham Palace on Thursday night and Camilla is planning to host an informal party on Saturday evening with Rod Stewart providing the entertainment.

An official portrait showing Prince Charles wearing the ceremonial uniform of the Welsh Guards was released to mark his milestone birthday. It’s hard to believe that Prince Charles is now 60. Charles Philip Arthur George was born at Buckingham Palace on 14th November 1948. He was just 3 years old when his mother became Queen. Time flies by so fast and still Prince Charles is no nearer to becoming King. The Queen at 82, is one of the oldest reigning monarchs in the nation’s history. Sh is still in good health, one of the hardest working members of the Royal family and shows no signs of slowing down. According to the results of a recent YouGov poll, the majority of Britons don’t think Prince Charles is too old to become King and believe he rather than Prince William should succeed the Queen as Monarch. Despite the fact that Prince Charles is one of the most experienced and well trained heirs to the throne we have ever had, until recently many members of the public were still reluctant to accept him as King, preferring William to take the throne in his place. Many remained unforgiving over Charles’ marriage breakup and were reluctant to accept Camilla as a possible future Queen, preferring the late Princess Diana. However it seems that many people have now warmed to Camilla since her marriage to Prince Charles. They also admire Prince Charles for his charity work and his views on climate change.

Photo:- Courtesy of Yahoo News

THE QUEEN LEADS THE NATION IN REMEMBRANCE

The Queen led the nation in two minute's silence laying the first wreath at the Centotaph memorial in Whitehall yesterday on Remembrance Sunday, as the Royal family, politicians and war veterans gathered for the Remembrance day service in honour of British serviceman killed in battle. This year’s service was particularly poignant as it marked the 90th anniversary of the end of World War 1. Crowds lined the streets to watch the annual Remembrance Day parade, as similar ceremonies took place all over England to honour those who have given their lives for their country.

My grandmother on my mum's side was the eldest of eleven children and I grew up hearing how some of her brothers and cousins fought in the World Wars. I always support the British Legion's Poppy Appeal and wear my poppy with pride at this time of year. I think everyone should.

Photo:- Courtesy of Yahoo News

QUANTUM OF SOLACE RECEIVES ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL

Actor Daniel Craig was shaken but not stirred after meeting Princes William and Harry at the premiere of his latest Bond film Quantum of Solace. The movie’s glittering premiere was held at The Odeon in London’s Leicester Square, where outside crowds of eager fans lined the streets in the freezing cold, hoping to get a glimpse of some of their favourite stars. Daniel Craig duly obliged by signing autographs and waving to the crowd. The sound of old and new Bond theme music could be heard playing through giant speakers, setting the scene for the premiere of the 22nd Bond movie. Daniel arrived dressed to kill with his arm in a sling, the result of an injury during filming final scenes of the movie. The actor, who arrived with his partner Satsuki Michell, was asked who his favourite Bond girl was and replied, “I can’t say. The one on my arm of course.” Craig also stated the importance of the Bond premiere being held in London, as it’s “Bond” and as “British as you can get”. Meanwhile another star of the film, the Aston Martin car took pride of place in the centre of Leicester Square Park. Other stars joining Daniel Craig on the red carpet at Quantum’s explosive premiere, included Bond girls Gemma Arterton and Olga Kuryl who wowed fans with their daring choice of outfits.

Quantum of Solace is very different to the other Bond films and the first Bond sequel of its kind, continuing on from where the last movie Casino Royale ended. The mood of the film is much darker than usual, with Bond seeking revenge for his love Vesper, whilst trying to stop a mad environmentalist from taking over a country’s water supply. Veteran actress Judi Dench who also attended the premiere complete with glittery 007 tattoo on her back, reprises her role as the formidable “M”. The new Bond film has received a severe mauling from the critics, many of whom have criticised the thin plot line and compared the new film to the Bourne movies. I certainly don’t think it’s as good as Casino Royale, even if Princes William and Harry have given Quantum of Solace the royal seal of approval. On the other hand it’s still worth going to see the movie just to get another glimpse of hunky Daniel Craig starring in the role he has made his own!

To view the film’s trailer, click on the player shown below:-

BONFIRE NIGHT

"REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER, GUNPOWDER, TREASON AND PLOT"

Tomorrow night we celebrate Bonfire Night, one of my favourite times of the year. I love watching firework displays. I also love Parkin and Treacle Toffee, which are traditionally eaten at this time of year. Parkin and Treacle Toffee are as much a part of Bonfire Night as Guy Fawkes himself.

Here's a recipe for Parkin, the traditional cake eaten at this time of year. The recipe comes courtesy of the BBC Food website.

Ingredients
350g/12oz medium oatmeal
175g/6oz self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
175g/6oz soft brown sugar
175g/6oz butter
250g/9fl oz golden syrup
50g/2oz black treacle
2 free-range eggs
110ml/4oz milk

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and line a small, deep baking tray with parchment paper. Combine the oatmeal, flour and ginger in a large mixing bowl.
2. Melt the sugar, butter, syrup and treacle in a bowl in the microwave or in a saucepan over a low heat. Pour the melted ingredients into the flour with the eggs and milk and stir well.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray.
4. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown, but still soft and sticky on top. Reduce the oven to 130C/250F/Gas 1 and bake for a further 30 minutes until firm to the touch.
5. Allow to cool, before tightly wrapping in cling film. Store for at least three to five days to mature.

The origins of Bonfire or Guy Fawkes Night (as it's also known) go back to 1605 when a man called Guy Fawkes plotted with a band of others to blow up the Houses of Parliament, in the "Gunpowder Plot". They were angry at the persecution of Catholics by the King and planned to kill him in the explosion. The group were captured in the cellar of parliament, and executed before they had chance to go ahead with their plan. All over Britain on 5th November, we celebrate the capture of Guy Fawkes by having bonfire and fireworks displays and burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes. Groups of children can be seen with "guys" made out of old clothes asking for a "penny for the guy", a few days before Bonfire Night. Happy Bonfire Night everyone!

BRITISH SCIENTISTS CREATE PURPLE CANCER FIGHTING TOMATOES

I’ve always loved tomatoes and was quite excited to hear that British scientists have created a genetically modified purple tomato that will help in the fight against cancer. Good news for all of us! The purple super tomato contains anthocyanins, antioxidants found in blueberries and blackcurrants that give them their distinctive purple colour. The unusual looking fruit, which was created by genetically combining a normal tomato with genes from a snap dragon flower, has been shown to extend the lives of cancer prone mice. In addition researchers have discovered that the anthocyanins contained in the tomatoes are thought to protect against heart disease and degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

Scientists stated that the purple tomatoes could be on sale within the next 3 years. However the bad news is that it’s unlikely they will be sold in England due to strict European regulations governing genetically modified foods. Instead the purple tomatoes are likely to make their debut in India, China and the U.S. which are all counties with more relaxed regulations. Things are changing so fast, let’s hope the regulations will have relaxed a bit more by then to allow foods like this with health giving properties to be sold in Britain as well as other countries of the world. The new tomatoes will certainly brighten up a salad with their distinctive purple colour and help us all to live longer too! Can't wait to try them!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Well only a few more hours to go and soon it will be Halloween again. Time to get the pumpkins organised and carved into jack-o-lanterns! But more importantly time to get your Halloween costumes ready to go trick or treating or to that special Halloween party. Halloween is originally derived from the Celtic festival of Samhain, a time that marks the end of the Summer and the beginning of the Winter. It’s quite appropriate really as here in England, we have just put the clocks back one hour to mark the end of British Summertime. Nowadays we associate Halloween with people dressing up in Halloween costumes and going trick or treating.

Sadly according to the results of a recent survey, some children will not be going trick or treating this year, particularly those in inner city areas as their parents think it is too dangerous for them to be out in the dark due to the increasing incidences of knife crime and violence. It’s a sad state of affairs unfortunately in modern day Britain.

When I was growing up, we never celebrated Halloween over here in England, even though it has always been a popular holiday in the States. It’s only in recent years that Halloween has become more popular in this country. Halloween has now become a million pound industry in Britain and we are fast catching up with our American neighbours. Halloween is now the most profitable time for British retailers after Christmas and Easter, with a staggering £25million being spent on pumpkins alone. Whole supermarket aisles are now dedicated to Halloween novelties as people shop for Halloween themed food and drink and decorations for their houses. Some people even want Halloween themed outfits for their pets!

One of my personal favourite ways to spend Halloween is to go on a ghost walk where a guide takes a group of people on a walk around supposedly haunted parts of a town or city and tells spooky tales about it. It’s fun and great exercise too! One of my favourite Halloweens was spent at a place called Pendle Hill, home of the Lancashire witch trials. Very spooky! This year, I’ll be going to a Halloween party and have my witch costume all ready!

Happy Halloween Everybody!

LONDON EXPERIENCES FIRST OCTOBER SNOW IN OVER 70 YEARS

It always makes me smile when I hear some of the thoughts people from other countries have about England. Many people have read some of the books by British classic novelist Charles Dickens, particularly “A Christmas Carol” and imagine London in particular, to be white in Wintertime and covered in a blanket of snow, just like a scene from one of Dickens’ novels. However you might be surprised to hear that snow is actually quite a rare occurrence in London, particularly in October. However the weather has been particularly cold this week, so cold that London experienced its first October snowfall since 1934. What's the betting we'll have a white Christmas!

Photo:- Courtesy of Sky News

PRINCE HARRY PLANS TO BECOME MILITARY PILOT

Prince Harry is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his brother Prince William by training as a military helicopter pilot. A Clarence House spokesman announced earlier this week that Prince Harry had already taken and passed an initial aptitude test, part of the Army selection process and will begin a four week assessment course next month to determine his suitability to become a pilot. Prospective candidates are graded according to their ability but apparently the failure rate is quite high. If successful Harry will take part in the full Army Air Corps programme and begin flight training in January. Harry’s elder brother William gained his wings earlier this year.

Harry comes from a family of military pilots. Apart from his brother William, Harry’s father Prince Charles and uncle Prince Andrew were both military pilots. Prince Andrew flew Royal Navy helicopters during the Falklands War. Prince Harry himself served on the front line in Afghanistan earlier this year and was bitterly disappointed when the Ministry of Defence took the decision to bring him home for his own safety and that of his fellow troops, after a website revealed his whereabouts making him a prime target for the Taliban.

BUSINESS IS BOOMING AT MCDONALDS AS CREDIT CRUNCH BITES

As many businesses, particularly shops and restaurants struggle to survive the credit crunch, business is booming for one of our favourite fast food chains. McDonalds have reported serving over 100 million customers in the last 3 months up to the end of September. Bosses at the fast food chain put their success down to the fact they have recently revamped many of their restaurants and given their menu an overall too. There is also a good choice of special offer items on the menu which is probably why so many Britons are heading there as they look for cheaper dining options. The only downside is that junk food in excess can be bad for us. But on the other hand, as the old saying goes, “a bit of what you fancy does you good”. Moderation is the key. As most Britons know a McDonalds meal makes great cheap and cheerful comfort food in these recession hit times. Meanwhile Ronald McDonald is laughing all the way to the bank!

FIVE A DAY FOR MENTAL HEALTH

The government is constantly recommending everyone to eat their “Five a Day” (five portions of fruit or vegetables per day), to keep our bodies healthy and reduce the risk of many serious conditions like heart disease and cancer. However the results of recent government backed research at Cambridge University recommend “Five a Day” to keep our minds healthy too. Not five fruit and vegetables but five simple actions to keep our minds in good shape. The recommendations are that we should all aim to connect with friends and family, learn new things, help others, keep active and notice the beauty in everyday things.

These are all important factors in our overall happiness and mental wellbeing and university researchers are recommending that we should all aim to do them on a daily basis. Connecting with family and friends is good for us as it gives us support as well as enriching our lives. Learning new things is good as it keeps the mind active, giving us something to focus on. Helping others is rewarding both for ourselves and for those we help. Keeping active helps us to keep fit and the exercise helps us to feel good. It’s just a shame that the government has to remind us all to look for the beauty in everyday things. We live in such a materialistic world that it is sometimes easy to miss the simple things that can give us such pleasure in our everyday lives. Taking notice of and admiring the world around us, helps us to truly appreciate what we have.

£6,000 FOR A ROCK STAR LIFESTYLE

Do you fancy living a rock star lifestyle? Well now you can have one and all for the princely sum of £6,000! An American firm is running a six day “Rock ‘n’ Roll” Fantasy Camp” at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London from November 4th, where prospective rock stars can learn how to play from the likes of former Beatles drummer Pete Best, Pink Floyd drummer, Nick Mason and ex Stones bassist Bill Wyman. The finale of the course is playing in a gig at the world famous Cavern Club, where the Beatles made their debut. Sounds like the stuff dreams are made of to me and it certainly is for those lucky enough to be able to afford it.

David Fishof, the promoter of the course, says it attracts many kinds of people from all walks of life. He describes time spent at the rock camp as a life changing experience, saying it’s something you can’t really put a price on and when you come out of it you are a different person. It’s only the second time the course has been hosted in London, although it has been running in the States for 11 years. So what are you waiting for, if you fancy yourself as a budding Roger Daltrey or Bill Wyman and you have £6,000 to spare, click on the link shown below:-

www.rockcamp.com

How does that song go - Hey, hey I want to be a rock star!

THE QUEEN VISITS GOOGLE

It was interesting to hear of the Queen and Prince Philip’s recent visit to the Google headquarters in London. During the visit, the royal couple were shown some Google searches on topics including Buckingham Palace and the royal corgis. The Queen was also reduced to giggles after being shown one of You Tube’s most popular videos of a laughing baby in a high chair. The video has already received more than 63 million views. The Queen described the baby as a “lovely little thing” and said it was amazing that a child would laugh like that. Google’s homepage logo was also given a makeover for the day to mark the Queen’s visit and featured a profile of her Majesty wearing a crown.

Despite being in her eighties, the Queen is very much in touch with modern technology. Like many grandmothers, she regularly e-mails her grandchildren, some of whom introduced her to the famous video sharing website You Tube. Although she did admit to not owning a computer until four years ago, the Queen is certainly very IT literate. Her Majesty made history last Christmas when she posted her annual Christmas message to the nation on You Tube, becoming the first monarch to do this. The Queen’s speech appeared on a special dedicated Royal Channel also launched in December 07 on You Tube. The Royal Channel received more than one million visitors during its first week of launch, making it one of the most popular and fastest growing channels of all time. The Queen was given the task of uploading a new clip to the popular channel during her visit to Google. Apart from the Queen’s speech, the Royal Channel also features a special regal homepage showing archive footage of Britain’s royal family. Click on the link shown below to find out more:-

Royal Channel - You Tube

The Queen is definitely a monarch of our times and very much in touch with the changing trends of the nation. Long may she reign over us!

NAOMI CAMPBELL TURNS UGLY

As some of my readers know I love the U.S. show Ugly Betty. It’s one of my favourite programmes and a very popular show here in England. I was watching the last episode of the current series the other night. I was interested to see my namesake, Naomi Campbell making a guest appearance. She was seen playing in a charity baseball game. It made me laugh when her phone was ringing, she picked it up to answer it and everybody ducked! I’m sure Naomi will never live that particular incident down!

The name Naomi is Hebrew Jewish and also a bible name. It was quite rare when I was growing up, with the most famous Naomis being the writer Naomi Jacobs and the yachtswoman Naomi James. However now Naomi Campbell has come along and changed all that and made the name more popular than ever.

I always remember going to a job interview a few years ago and the person interviewing me looked a bit surprised when I walked in. She said to me that she hadn’t expected me to be white. The interviewer said, “Oh I thought you would be black as Naomi Campbell is black!” I remember thinking what a stupid statement that was. I couldn’t believe that companies would entrust interviews to people like that! It doesn’t give prospective candidates a very good impression of the company when you hear comments like that. Times have certainly changed a lot since then.

PHOTO:- Courtesy of CBS