BELFAST TAXI DRIVERS - TREATED BADLY BY DVA ENFORCEMENT

Frustrated public hire taxi drivers are set to continue their demonstrations in the city-centre following their mass rally to Stormont last Thursday (November 18) — protesting on a range of issues they claim are “seriously damaging their daily trade”.

Yesterday, (Tuesday, November 23), Sean Beckett, chairperson of The Public Hire Coalition, (the official group that speaks on behalf of public hire taxi drivers), told the Community Telegraph: “Things are going from bad to worse for those of us working in the public hire taxi trade.

“Private hire taxi companies continue to pick people illegally off the street and the laws dealing with issues are not being enforced effectively — even though we have presented evidence to the correct authorities to deal with this, we have been told by official enforcers the only way to prosecute is if they act covertly as members of the public and are picked up in this way — video evidence is not enough.

“We have serious concerns about the number of rank spaces in Belfast too — there are only 87 rank spaces in the city, that is not enough for 600 taxis. And we have to remember that not all of these spaces are workable, many drivers sit for ages before they pick up a fare. It’s difficult when you get private hire companies handing out pre-booking business cards — people don’t even have to phone up to book a private taxi now, it’s getting out of hand and we are losing a considerable amount of business as a result.

“We have had four taxi drivers fined this week alone for waiting outside Central station in the bus lane but there is nowhere else for them to go.

“Every other major city, London, Edinburgh, supports their public hire taxi trade, but we feel ignored here.”

Belfast Lad Commented:

I have been Taxiing over the years both Privately and Public Hire and to be honest each side has their own story. Public Hire are renown for ripping people off, charging £5.00 and £10.00 per head for short journeys, it's not a lie I have witnessed it myself. Those people who do not use their meter properly in Belfast have shafted all of the decent drivers out of a living. In regards to the DVA Taxi Licencing and Enforcement office, they are a useless bunch of individuals who are nothing more than blood sucking leaches on the tax payer. They do not do what they are supposed to do. You very rarely see them out catching unlicensed taxi drivers, I see it every night of the week, people with no plates, hence No Insurance. Private Hire picking up outside bars and cluns in Belfast, which they are not licensed to do, therefore " NOT Insured" What are the Taxi Enforcement Crew doing about it? ( NOTHING ), What do the Police do about it? ( NOTHING ) The Police also condone this illegal activity in Belfast by asking Private hire drivers to take people home as well as not challenging the Drivers who are clearly standing and plying for hire outside the pubs and clubs in Belfast. To be honest DVA - Taxi Licensing and the Police are a joke. One more thing to add, DVTA charge £138.50 for a PSV Licence for a car each year and we were told that the majority of this money goes to the Police for security checks on the vehicle. Only a few days back I found out from the horse mouth that this is Bull.. The DVA get all of this money and for What? Its a take -on and all of the Taxi drivers in Northern Ireland Private, Public should get together and shake this stupid system, it does not work and Mr. Spratt should be fired.

Limavady Arts and Culture Centre (Ionad Ealaíon agus Cultúir Ghleann na Ró) By Scott Smyth

Limavady Arts and Culture Centre (Ionad Ealaíon agus Cultúir Ghleann na Ró) By Scott Smyth

Located on Main Street on the site of the old Town Hall the centre is intended to become the new cultural focus in Limavady. Roe Valley Arts and Culture Centre (RVACC) has taken more than 18 months to complete at a cost of £3m, but after seeing the centre, I for one think it is time and money well spent. The imposing facade of the old Town Hall combined with modern architecture of the new building creates an air of sophistication rarely seen in Limavady and when I got in touch with the new Arts and Culture Services Officer, Desima Connolly, who is effectively managing the centre, I was eager to get her spin on the centre, its aims and function within the town and borough as a whole.

The Centre opened over the Halloween weekend so what can we expect to see as a launch for the Centre? “The staff, including myself, began only a few months ago and therefore we are having a ‘soft’ opening and the official launch will take place in January 2011. We have an exciting opening season (Oct-Dec) which will be launched within the next few weeks including a series of open days consisting of free workshops, live entertainment and more, to encourage people to come in and see the Centre and get a taste of what we’re about. Our launch event in January will focus on celebrating the cultural successes of Limavady and will have a few fantastic spectacles thrown in!”

Programming for the Centre is expected to cater for all tastes comprising theatre, music, performance, visual arts & crafts and local histories initiatives. The Centres Gallery Programme aims to entice us with established artists whilst showcasing the up and coming talent of the local art scene. The towns local film society, the Roe Valley Film Club, will no doubt take advantage of the recently acquired film screening license which will allow screenings for all ages as part of RVACC Reels launching early in the new year. The impressive Danny Boy Auditorium, with a seating capacity of 215 provides the centre with a multi-purpose space which evokes a sense of intimacy while at the theatre, a rare and pleasing sensation from an area designed to be something of an ‘occasion’.

In the upper level the O’Hampsey Studio provides a smaller performance area and with its mirrored interior is ideal for dance courses and rehearsals, while the colourful workshop rooms are designed for creative educational courses. Of course an Arts Centre would not be complete without a gallery and RVACC comes up trumps with three. The main Keady Gallery will host bi-monthly visual art exhibitions, complimented by the Broighter Gallery showcasing crafts and sculptural shows whilst the Ritter Gallery will provide us with local community and heritage-related exhibitions.

Desima discusses the value of having the large outdoor stage; “The Borough’s large seasonal events will now operate from the Centre’s Drumceatt Square such as Halloween and the Illuminations Ceremony. Drumceatt Square is a wonderful bonus to the Centre and will now fulfil the role of the community town square, which Limavady hasn’t had.”

Limavady has many links to international talent such as Cara Dillon, who will be launching the Danny Boy Festival, but Desima is eager to emphasise that the RVACC is here for the local artists, musicians and writers; “We are here to support local artists and already have pledged assistance to the Jane Ross Writers Group and the local film society. We are promoting emerging local artists, such as David McDowell and Donna Marley who are exhibiting with us in Nov & Dec and hope that the Centre will become a hub for all of the local creative practitioners, including independent artists, local cultural groups and cultural businesses. We will also offer employment to local artists where possible through our education programme and I believe that an arts centre excels when it enables the wonderful dynamic that occurs with creative engagement between grassroots and professional practice. I am so excited about our first main exhibition in 2011 which will be by Limavady-born and now internationally acclaimed painter Michael McGuinness. Now based in England, Michael went from Limavady to the Slade Art School in London and his work is both revered and sought after. What better message is there for us to proclaim, than to celebrate such fantastic local talent?”

Limavady over the past few years, has seen a surge in interest of all things artistic but there are some who still feel this is for a certain "elite" group of the community. Personally I think this couldn't be farther from the truth. You only have to look at our schools to see talent and enthusiasm shining through. When asked how the Centre aimed to reach everyone in the community Desima said “The key is to foster dialogue and mutual learning between artists and the community and to create unique projects and opportunities which facilitates this wonderful alchemy. Our outreach service will achieve this. Though I have to say I even dislike the word outreach – it implies there is reaching out to be done. Any good arts centre should have the local community at its core. Art should never be viewed as elitist. If it is, there’s something seriously wrong.”

The Centre is set to be the epicentre of all things cultural, a long awaited project since the closure of the Town Hall almost thirteen years ago. At a time when many feel the town is in decline, the council have brought to light a new, exciting and modern venue which will bring new life and enthusiasm to Limavady and the Roe Valley. For that, I personally thank them, and I hope you will too.

John Lennon's Irish Roots

In my opinion, John Lennon should be recognised as the greatest Irish singer ever: his California-based biographer Jon Wiener after all said that Lennon "thought of himself as Irish." The Irish roots of the two main members of the Beatles, Lennon and Paul McCartney, has not yet been fully acknowledged, despite the fact that Lennon, like McCartney, also had two Irish Grandparents. Incredible then, considering how well known the Irish roots of the world's most popular duo of songwriters - they are for some strange reason, not listed for example in The Guinness Book of Irish Facts and Feats by Ciarán Deane (Guinness Publishing, Enfield, Middlesex, 1984).

The Beatles came from Merseyside - an area around the city of Liverpool which has the largest Irish population in England, mainly as a result of the exodus of people from Ireland during the Great Famine in the 1840's. Early in their career, the Beatles had played in Ireland three times: in Dublin and Belfast in 1963, and once again in Belfast in 1964. It was after the split of the Beatles in 1970, that both Lennon & McCartney began releasing songs about the Irish question - all of which were all banned by the BCC: McCartney wrote Give Ireland Back to Irish which became a hit single in 1972, and Lennon wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday, and The Luck of The Irish, both of which were on the album Some Time In New York City that was also released in 1972.

On one hand The Guinness Book of Irish Facts and Feats informs you, for example, that the Socialist anthem, The Red Flag was written by Jim Connell from Co. Meath in Ireland (d. 1929), and under the heading "Top-selling contemporary Irish and Irish-related popular music artists" it lists only U2, Van Morrison and Bob Geldof. Under the heading "The London Irish", it lists John Lydon from the Sex Pistols (whose father is a Gaelic speaker from Co. Galway), Boy George, Elvis Costello and The Pogues - but nowhere is either Lennon & McCartney, or the Beatles mentioned - but then again neither is another world famous Irish singer - Mary O'Brien - commonly known as Dusty Springfield.

Lennon - like another famous son of Ireland, Che Guevara Lynch - was more Irish than for example than either President Kennedy or Ronald Reagan, but l suspect that the main reason why the Irish state has not given these two proper recognition is because they were both regarded probably as dangerous revolutionaries and atheists - in Lennon's case, for example, he once sang about his opposition to the Catholic Church in Ireland, and expressed outright sympathy with the Irish Republican movement in his song Sunday Bloody Sunday:

Repatriate to Britain
All of you who call it home
Leave Ireland to the Irish
Not for London or for Rome!

Lennon's grandfather, John (Jack) Lennon was born in Dublin in 1858, and like many Irish people after the Great Famine of the 1840's - when Britain allowed over a million Irish people to die of starvation - emigrated to Liverpool to seek better prospects of employment. There Jack married an Irishwoman called Mary Maguire and started a family. Sadly, their children, including Alfred, were orphaned early on and grew up in Liverpool orphanages. As his father Alfred Lennon walked out and left him at the age of 5, Lennon never knew either of his Irish grandparents or anything of his Irish roots. This is probably because he was raised by his mother's family, the Stanleys, were Welsh. In later years he became increasingly interested in his Irish ancestry. In 1975, John give his second son the name Seán, the Gaelic version of his own name.

Like many Irish people, John Lennon came from a musical family, in this case a long line of minstrel singers and crooners. His grandfather had earned his living as a minstrel singer, and his great-grandfather was also a known singer in Ireland. Alfred Lennon had also earned extra money singing as a young man also. The Lennon family tradition of crooning, which started back in Ireland, continued with John Lennon, and later through his own son Julian, who released his highly acclaimed debut album Valotte in 1984.

A real Christmas campaign

Northern Ireland man launches campaign to make John Lennon Christmas No1 2010

A real Christmas campaign

With Christmas being hi-jacked over the last few years by X-Factor, a County Down man, has started a campaign to put a John Lennon classic at the top of the charts.

2010 should have been the year John Lennon celebrated his 70^th birthday, however it instead marks the 30^th anniversary of his murder outside The Dakota building in New York, where he lived, by lone assassin Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980.

In honour of his life, this campaign aims to make John and Yoko’s timeless anti-war/Christmas masterpiece Merry Xmas (War is Over) a hit during this festive season.

The single, Happy Xmas (War Is Over), was released in the US on 6 December 1971, but never charted on the Billboard Hot 100 charts; the UK release was delayed until the following November due to a publishing dispute. Upon release, it reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was re-released in the UK on 20 December 1980 shortly after John Lennon's death on 8 December 1980, peaking at Number 3.

"With the world in such a war-torn state, there has perhaps never been a better time to remember this song, and in doing so, we celebrate the genius of Lennon and remember that he was a true songwriter and musician who would be horrified at the music-industry as it stands today." Said Marc.

So, for Christmas 2010, let us remember a true musician and artist, let us remember and celebrate real music makers and the message of Christmas and finally, let us say together 'War is Over...'

By using using the following link: http://bit.ly/cW4HOD we can make this the Christmas download No 1. Download the track on December 12^th to have a real chance at the Christmas No1 slot.

Join the campaign: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Make-John-Lennon-Christmas-No1-2010/101568756580534

This campaign has been started by Marc Savage from Banbridge, N Ireland. Marc is art director in a newspaper production house called CNS, situated in Blackstaff Square, Belfast.

He can be contacted at: marcsavage1706@gmail.com

Living in the 1500's

Living in the 1500's Ireland

Next time you're washing your hands and the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s. Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children -- last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water." Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw -- piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs." There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence. The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway, hence, a "thresh hold." In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite awhile. Hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old." Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat." Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous. Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often trenchers were made from stale bread which was so old and hard that they could be used for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times worms and mold got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy, moldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth." Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust." Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake." England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer." And that's the truth. . . (who ever said that History was boring)?

Peter Andre with Special Guests The Overtones - Odyssey Belfast

ODYSSEY BELFAST
Tuesday 7th December 2010 20:00

Tickets £33
Parents with small children are advised to book tiered seating

Due to phenomenal public demand Peter Andre has announced he will play eleven dates around the UK in December this year.

The tour will see Peter performing live with his band, with audiences treated to tracks from his new album including top five single Behind Closed Doors as well a number of his previous classic hits including Mysterious Girl.

Following the success of his album Revelation last year, he has followed this with the release of Unconditional Love Songs a collection of Peter's favourite love songs from previous albums, as well as five covers of classic love songs, reworked and sung in Peter's own style.

Both Peter's albums have shown how he has developed as an artist, showing a more musically mature approach to his lyrics.

The new tour will give Peter the chance to prove to everyone that he is not only a brilliant studio artist but also a talented live vocalist and musician.
Tickets : click here **

What you should know about Taxis in Belfast.

Many of us use taxis rarely; perhaps only when going out and not wanting to drink and drive. But for others, using taxis each week can be a necessity. Such users include those who do not own a car and have too many shopping bags to climb on and off a bus, the disabled, and the worker who finishes too late to get a bus home. A survey has shown that most taxi users feel they have cause to complain. This is either about the fare charged, the attitude of the driver or the condition of the vehicle.

A few tips for when using taxis in Belfast would be, 1. Ensure the taxi has a valid licence plate. 2. Check to see if the driver is wearing a taxi drivers badge, 3. Check to see if the meter begins at the correct fare, generally £3.00 and make sure the driver switches on the meter when starting the journey. Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous drivers out there that will try to charge a rediculously high fare or charge per passenger travelling in the vehicle. This practice is against the law and should be reported to the DVA on the number below.

Useful information

All Licensed taxis must display the driver's ID badge, a roof light or sign and licence plates on Windows and both the front and back of the vehicle. The taxi Licence plates are rectangular shape and are either coloured Green, Yellow, White or White and Blue.

• A green licence plate means the taxi must be pre-booked either in person at a depot or by phone. These taxis are not required to be wheelchair accessible or have a meter.
• 
  
• A yellow licence plate means the taxi can be hailed in the street or from designated taxi ranks when the roof light is on. These taxis are wheelchair accessible and must have a meter and are the only Taxi's that can pick up on taxi ranks or randomly in Belfast without being pre booked in advance.
  
• A white licence plate means that the taxi can be pre-booked or hailed in areas outside a five mile radius of Belfast City Centre. These taxis are not required to be wheelchair accessible or have a meter.
• White and blue licence plates are issued to taxis that provide bus type services, ie they charge passengers an individual fare. These taxis - which operate in North and West Belfast and in Londonderry - are not required to have a meter but are wheelchair accessible.

In Belfast, public hire taxi rates are fixed at £3.00 for the first 0.5 mile and 10p for each one-tenth of a mile thereafter. These rates apply until 8pm Monday to Friday. Fares increase on journeys made between 8pm and midnight Monday to Friday, midnight to 6am Monday to Sunday, and all day Saturday and Sunday. There are other rates for carrying five or more passengers, waiting time and luggage. No other taxi rates are fixed, so make sure you shop around and, especially if you're going on a long journey, make sure you know beforehand how much you're going to have to pay.

Under disability law, all public hire taxis are to be able to cope with wheelchairs. However, there are still some which cannot accommodate a wheelchair. If you're intending to use a taxi, you'll want to be sure that it's safe. First, make sure that the vehicle is actually a taxi. Check that it has a proper roof sign and the appropriate plates, and if in any doubt, ask the driver to let you see his badge. When applying for a taxi-driving licence, drivers must show that they are medically fit and of good conduct. They must not smoke while in the vehicle. Taxis are regarded as Public Service Vehicles and are checked at least once a year by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). The DVA inspects to make sure the vehicle is roadworthy and clean, that it and the driver are properly licensed, and that there is proper insurance. Meters in Belfast public hire taxis are also checked to make sure they're working out the charges correctly.

What to do if you have a complaint

As we have said earlier, most taxi users feel they have cause to complain. But of those, only about six out of every ten actually do complain. Reasons for complaining include-

• the taxi failing to show up at all, or coming late;
• high fares;
• unacceptable conduct by the driver; and
• the condition of the vehicle.

If you feel you've been treated unreasonably, try first to get it sorted with the taxi driver or, where appropriate, the depot. If that fails, write to the Taxi Licensing Officer. The address and phone number are shown below. Please remember, if you're going to make a complaint, it will make things much more simple and quicker if you've taken a note of the vehicle's registration number or the driver or taxi licence number which can be found either on one of the windows or at the back and front of the vehicle.

Contacts

Taxi Licensing Officer
Road Transport Licensing Division
Driver Vehicle Agency
148-158 Corporation Street
Belfast
BT1 3DH
Phone: 028 9025 4180 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 028 9025 4180 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: 028 9025 4186
Email: martin.smyth@doeni.gov.uk
Web: www.dvlni.gov.uk/commercial/taxi/index.htm

Sky 3D television channel gets October UK launch date

There seems to be no stopping the 3D revolution – and now it’s going to be beamed directly into your home, as Sky announce they will launch Europe’s first 3D TV channel in millions of British homes on October 1.

To immerse yourself in the full 3D experience you will need a 3D-enabled TV and the company’s high-definition package. About a third of Sky’s 9.9million customers are on HD.

‘Following hot on the heels of the success of 3D cinema, Sky customers will now be the first anywhere in Europe to experience 3D TV from the comfort of their living rooms,’ said Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s chief executive.

Sky has also struck a deal with HBO - the US broadcaster behind TV hits such as The Sopranos, Sex And The City and The Wire - to air its programmes in Britain and Ireland. The agreement will see all new HBO-commissioned programmes and series broadcast exclusively on Sky channels.

The first HBO production to be seen on Sky as part of the deal will be Prohibition-era crime drama Boardwalk Empire, from director Martin Scorsese and The Sopranos’ writer Terence Winter. It will star Steve Buscemi.

Nadine Coyle dumps boyfriend ahead of solo comeback

Nadine Coyle’s solo career might be about to kick off but her love life has hit rock bottom after her two-year relationship with Jason Bell has ended.

The Girls Aloud star has broken off her romance with American football player Bell, who she had been dating while living in Los Angeles since 2008.

The 25-year-old is said to have broken up with the New York Giants player, 32, because the relationship ‘was going nowhere’, the Daily Star reported.

A source told the tabloid: ‘Nadine was the one who decided it wasn’t working. They were together for two years but there was no marriage on the horizon.

‘It’s all very amicable and they will remain friends. But relationships are all about taking steps and making commitments and they weren’t moving to the next step.’

Meanwhile, the Irish singer’s solo career is about to take off and has been in London, Scotland, Ireland and Sweden in recent weeks working with top producers, reports say.

Girls Aloud’s record label has recently denied rumours that Cheryl Cole, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh are about to regroup without Nadine.

But while Nadine has been living Stateside, she’s not been seen with any of her Girls Aloud pals since last year and there have been constant rumours of feuds between the girls.

Nadine’s solo comeback is set to prove her amazing talent and will also give Cheryl Cole some stiff competition in the music charts.

Teenage girl sells her virginity to British bidder for £200,000

An 18-year-old Hungarian girl who put her virginity up for sale to the highest bidder is on her way to Britain after a buyer from the UK pledged to cough up £200,000.

The girl - who identified herself only as 'Miss Spring' - is a student that hopes one day to be a doctor - but lives with her mother and brother in a small village in Hungary with little possibility to study or find work.

The girl was so desperate to be allowed to sell her virginity that after the bid was closed down on eBay she wrote to papers like the Huffington Post, The Telegraph and The Sun and to celebrities like Lady Gaga and Madonna, attracting enough attention that some of the original bidders were allowed to continue offering bids via email.

It came down to a final battle between a British man and an Irish man, with the British man winning, although the Irish bidder is reportedly still trying to gazump the deal.

The pretty blond dreams of going to university to become a doctor and has already qualified for a place - but has put it on hold for her family.

She said: "My family has debts, we cannot afford to pay them. My mother borrowed a lot of money in Swiss Francs, and now with the credit crunch in Hungary the repayments in Hungarian forints have tripled, she couldn't pay it back. We faced losing our home and being on the street. I want to be able to pay back those loans - that's why I came up with the idea for this auction.

"It is not such a lot of money for what is on offer, considering half will vanish in tax, but it will be enough to pay of my debts and leave us clear.

"I was in contact with two final bidders - the Irish guy and the British guy. Both wanted me to come to them. I chose the British guy. He was very sympathetic to my cause.

"Both men wanted to marry me take care of me and my family. But for me this was supposed to be a one off thing. Getting married and living with someone is a challenge I am not sure I am yet ready for.

"However I would really like the opportunity to go to Britain or Ireland. So who knows." In her blog she does not say how she is proceeding to conclude the deal.

Naked woman falls through roof in Aberdeen

The accident happened yesterday after the woman clambered out of a third floor window that she’d smashed with her partner.

The pair, both in their twenties, stripped off and had sex on the roof - but then the earth moved in entirely the wrong way for the woman when she plunged through the roof slates into an empty photography shop.

The saucy shenanigans were heard by a builder working in the flats on Aberdeen’s Bridge Street. He said: ‘They made a hell of a racket. They put me off my work.

‘God knows why they thought it was going to be a good idea.

‘But it all ended in tears and the next thing I knew the police, ambulance and fire brigade were all here.

‘They landed me with extra work because I had to patch up the window that they smashed.’

The woman had to be released by the emergency services and incredibly only suffered minor injuries, although she was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a check-up.

A witness described her as looking shell-shocked.

One thing’s for certain – she has definitely fallen for her partner.

Audrey Hepburn voted most beautiful woman of the 20th century

Actress Audrey Hepburn has been voted the most beautiful woman of the 20th century.

The star beat fellow beauties such as Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly to top a poll for shopping channel QVC.

Hepburn was perhaps most famed for her classic glam pose in a black Givenchy dress, pearls and gloves in the 1961 film Breakfast At Tiffany's.

The actress - who died in 1993 and was also a Unicef ambassador - narrowly held off the nation's 21st century crush, Cole, who took the runner-up spot.

Third place went to Some Like It Hot siren Monroe, famed for her pout and classic curves.

Kelly, later Princess Grace of Monaco, made an appearance in fifth position, while Diana, Princess of Wales, was ranked eighth.

Surprisingly, Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor were not in the top 10.

The survey was carried out to celebrate the start of QVC's Beauty Month throughout July with more than 2,000 women being asked to choose the top beauties of the past 100 years.

Someone who knows a little about beauty is Victoria & Albert Museum curator Jenny Lister.

"I think what is interesting about this top 10 is how different all these women are," she told Sky News Online.

"Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly both seem to be equally enduring in their appeal as style icons, but they represented quite opposing looks - Audey Hepburn was more individual and quirky, while Grace Kelly's signature style was classic, and elegant.

"Perhaps they shared a similar taste for simplicity, and were true to their own fashion sense. Grace Kelly said that clothes should enhance the wearer's personality rather than dominate - maybe that's the secret."

Just missing the top 10 were Kylie Minogue, Beyonce Knowles and Audrey Tatou.

The top 10 most beautiful women were voted as:

1. Audrey Hepburn
2. Cheryl Cole
3. Marilyn Monroe
4. Angelina Jolie
5. Grace Kelly
6. Scarlett Johansson
7. Halle Berry
8. Diana, Princess of Wales
9. Kelly Brook
10. Jennifer Aniston

Article from Sky News all rights reserved

Man Marries a Dog - True Story

We have all heard the 'hair of the dog' saying, but how about a real-life 'man marries dog' tale!

This one takes the biscuit, and it could only happen in India, the land of the Kama Sutra.

But you won't find this kind of love story between man and beast in the ancient Indian sex manual.

It took place for real during a traditional hindu ceremony at a temple in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The groom in question was a 33-year-old Indian farmer named Selvakumar, and he was wed to a female dog named Selvi.

He married his four legged bitch to atone for stoning two other dogs to death and stringing them up in a tree 15 years ago.

He believed the act cursed him and he had been suffering ever since, he told the Hindustan Times.

After he stoned the dogs he said his legs and hands got paralysed, he lost hearing in one ear, and his speech was impaired.

With doctors unable to help him, Selvakumar turned to an astrologer who told him he was cursed by the spirits of the dogs he had killed.

He could undo the curse only if he married a dog and live with it, the soothsayer warned.

Family members chose a stray female dog who was then bathed and clothed for the wedding occasion.

Selvi the bride was brought to the temple by village women and a Hindu priest conducted the ceremony.

The paper showed a picture of Selvakumar sitting next to his canine bride, which was adorned in an orange sari and flower garland.

The paper said the groom and his family then had a feast, while the dog got a bun.

It was reported that Selvi attempted to make a bolt for it -- apparently due to the big crowds -- but she was tracked down and returned to her new 'husband'.

"The dog is only for lifting the curse and after that, he plans to get a real bride," a friend of the groom said.

Deeply superstitious people in rural India sometimes organize weddings to dogs and other animals, believing it can beat certain curses.

Oxegen 2010 line-up

Arcade Fire
Fatboy Slim
Eminem
Muse
Kasabian
Jay-Z
Black Eyed Peas
Julian Casablancas
Dizzee Rascal
The Prodigy
Laura Marling
Biffy Clyro
Plan B
The Cribs
30 Seconds To Mars
Florence & The Machine
Paolo Nutini
Faithless
Groove Armada
The Black Keys
Chase & Status
Stereophonics
David Guetta
Vampire Weekend
John Mayer
Calvin Harris
Newton Faulkner
Gossip
Temper Trap
Empire Of The Sun
Goldfrapp
La Roux
Wolfmother - CANCELLED
Rise Against
The Coral
Broken Social Scene
Ellie Goulding
Two Door Cinema Club
Armand Van Helden
Steve Angelo
Simian Mobile Disco
Erol Alkan
Steve Aoki
A Trak And Aeroplane
Wild Beasts
The Drums
Gabriella Climi
Delphic
Chipmunk
Local Natives
Alex Metric
Tinie Tempah
Dirty Projectors
Airbourne - CANCELLED

Click on Picture for Full Line-up and dates

Diversity date confirmed, Odyssey Arena ,Belfast

Diversity have confirmed a date for their appearance at the Odyssey Arena Belfast, Sunday 28th November 2010.

In May 2009, Diversity took the UK by storm by winning Britain's Got Talent. Nearly 20 million people in the UK, and much of the world were glued to their television screens to see Diversity overcome the odds and sweep to victory, in what was the most watched TV programme in these shores for over six years.

Formed in 2007, in memory of a dear friend, the dance troupe consists of eleven members from East London and the Essex area. Ranging in age from 13-26, Diversity are really one big family.

Ashley, the group's leader and choreographer has been dancing since he was just 5 years old. Incorporating several genres of music from classical to hip-hop, their diverse eye-catching routines won the hearts of the nation and forced Simon Cowell to describe them as "sheer and utter perfection". Spurred on by the group's motto 'Dream, Believe, Achieve', they are a remarkable example of what can be accomplished with hard work, dedication and belief. Tickets on sale Tuesday 6th July @ 9am, £80 VIP Meet & Greet, £35, £32 & £27.50.

Shakira Announces her Global Tour

Shakira - Hot on the heels of her incredible World Cup performance, Shakira announces her global tour and highly anticipated return to the UK. Her tour promises to push the limits of the live concert experience, bringing fans a pulsating spectacle crossing all musical boundaries. The Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter takes to the live stage with live dates in Manchester, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and London in December. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 2nd July. Shakira can been seen at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast on Friday 17th of December 2010. Seated £55 & £44, Standing £49, Standing restricted to over 16's only..

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