Making the Supermarket Matter with social media

An exciting new project has been underway in Gloucestershire and Cardiff
and you’ll be forgiven for not knowing about it as it’s been born and
bred using social media networks.

Over the past year a group of unconnected bloggers, social media users,
writers and actors have found each other and come together to write,
act, direct and produce a comedy mini-series for podcast.

The 8 part comedy podcast showcases talent from both Cardiff and
Gloucestershire in episodes which follow the unlikely day-to-day events
in a small town Welsh Supermarket following its eventful opening day.
The star of the show is definitely the bizarre talking doors that tie
the whole story together, a genius invention.

The idea was hatched by Mark Chatterley of In Ear Entertainment, who lives
in Eastington, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire: 'I've always found
supermarkets a very strange place. There is this wonderful mix of
permanent and temporary members of staff and the general public - who,
let's face it, are barking mad. A new supermarket is a perfect location
for a comedy.'

He then went about rounding up like-minded writers to flesh out his
creation, and once the scripts were ready conducted castings user the
social media site Twitter. 'Twitter really has been a great resource for
me,' Mark said. 'I was able to recruit writers, actors, music producers
and post-production technicians though it. There is a wealth of talent
out there just waiting to be found.'

The small cast gathered in Cardiff and recorded all episodes over one
weekend in January, for many, this was only their second time meeting -
the first having been a readthrough session in November.

The result is anything but amateur, the first episode is being released on
their blog and iTunes the week commencing 18 July, In Ear Entertainment
would welcome your feedback so please get in touch. MarkC@InEarEntertainment.com

• More information on In Ear Entertainment Ltd and Supermarket Matters can be found on their website: http://www.inearentertainment.com/

Mirror mirror on the wall - Luscious locks fit for a Queen

Since the Royal wedding in April, the world's focus has undeniably been on the Middleton sisters – Kate for her classic chic wardrobe and Pippa for her quite fabulous derrière!

With the Big Day now old news, Kate and Pippa have fast become magazine cover girls, flashing those perfect Middleton smiles to all the corners of the world.

The Middleton ladies are at the heart of a media frenzy, and while it must be tough to be so in-demand, the world can't be blamed for wanting a piece of them – not only are they leading the style stakes, but Kate and Pippa are genetically blessed and bound to turn heads, with or without a Royal title.

Clothes, bottoms and Royal husbands aside, the Middleton ladies not only have infinite style, they are both boast luscious, glossy locks.

Kate's simple, blonde-brunette waves are becoming THE look of the season, with clients desperate to replicate her hair's gloss and healthy shimmer.

How to get the look:

If you want to steal Kate's glossy style, we recommend using the latest colour system from Wella - Colour Touch Plus. This selection of fabulous semi-permanent colours can be used by your stylist to create 12 fantastic shades which range from Light Natural Golden Blonde to Dark Natural Brunette Blonde - all which promise effortless natural shine, a la Princess Catherine!

The science bit:

The Colour Touch Plus system allows you to regularly change your hair colour and stay bang on-trend while delivering optimum shine radiance and covering 70% off grey. All tones use a gentle formulation - so you can easily create exciting new mixes of tones without the risk of damaging your hair. All shades are available from Scene – The Salon in Charlton Kings, speak to your stylist about high gloss hair!

EXCLUSIVE GLOS365 READER
OFFER!

Get super shiny, high gloss hair for FREE next time you book a cut and blow dry at Scene – The Salon from Tuesday - Thursday. We're offering all our Glos365 readers a complimentary Colour Touch Gloss treatment – this contains no colour, only fabulous bees wax to make your hair shine from the inside out. Offer valid until August 1, 2011. Quote code Gloss365 on booking and at payment.

Call the Salon now on 01242 524135 or visit the website at www.scenethesalon.com

Don't forget for extra tips, trends and exclusive special offers, follow Scene on Facebook /scenethesalon and Twitter @scenethesalon

Thursday Silks - Who owns what?

There is a common misconception that there is a legal status known as "common law wife" or "common law husband". This is not true, and living together does not in itself give rise to a share of the home.

Unmarried couples and those who are not civil partners have very limited financial claims against each other on the breakdown of their relationship. For example, there is no entitlement to maintenance or pension benefits. The Court does not therefore have the power to make Orders in relation to property on the same discretionary basis that it would otherwise do in divorce or civil partnership dissolution proceedings. The Court therefore needs to look to the principles of Land and Trust Law to resolve any dispute which arises in relation to the ownership of a property.

The starting point for the Court is "who owns what?" This can be established by reviewing the Title Deeds to the property and other related documents. Where a property is held in joint names, there has previously been a presumption that unless there is a document in place saying otherwise, both parties have an equal share in the property. This is often despite one party making additional contributions to the property or costs associated with it. However, it may be time for change.

The case of Kernott –v- Jones was heard by the Supreme Court in May 2011 and family lawyers are currently awaiting the Judgment with bated breath. The issue the Supreme Court is being asked to decide is whether a parties’ interest in a property should alter if they make additional contributions despite both parties having equal shares in the property at the date of their separation.

The brief facts of the case are that in 1985 the parties purchased a property in joint names. A deposit was paid by Ms Jones and the property extension was paid for by Mr Kernott. The couple separated in 1993. Ms Jones and the couple’s two children remained in the property, and she discharged the mortgage and household expenses. In 2006, Mr Kernott claimed his 50% share in the property in accordance with the Legal Title.

The High Court initially awarded Ms Jones a 90% share, but this decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal. It is now a decision for the Supreme Court and if they decide that Ms Jones should be awarded a higher share in the property given her additional contributions, this is a fundamental change in the way that these issues have been dealt with previously.

The President of the Family Division, Lord Justice Wall, stated recently that urgent legislation is required for cohabiting couples to assist in the regulation of their financial affairs.

In the meantime, many family lawyers are simply adopting the approach of advising clients who are caught up in cohabitation disputes to "wait and see".

The decision of Kernott –v- Jones, whether ground breaking or not, will hopefully provide some guidance as to how such disputes should be resolved.

For more information on this subject please contact Rebecca Pike at Rickerbys LLP on 01242 246450 or email:

rebecca.pike@rickerbys.com.

DRIVING IN SUNSHINE & HOT WEATHER – TOP TIPS & ADVICE PART 1.

Written by Jim, JSF Driving School

Driving in hot, sunny conditions can cause drowsiness and difficulty concentrating, especially on longer journeys, so be prepared given the unpredictability of British weather!

Whatever the weather conditions, it is always a good idea to make sure that your car and equipment are in tip top condition with a regular check and service. This is particularly important before you begin a long journey.

Tyre pressures can only be checked and adjusted accurately when cold, so do this before you set off, as well as checking your coolant levels! Tyres tend to be the first victim to fall foul of weather conditions, so check their pressure, and look for overheating every 100 miles or so if the weather goes above 90 degrees (F). Check engine oil levels too, which will lubricate and help keep the engine cool. Remember – high speeds overheat tyres and can cause engine blow out!

Glare

Your windscreen plays a key role in dealing with sunshine and glare, and keeping it clean is a priority in the summer months. Check that the washer reservoir levels are topped up regularly, and consider putting an additive in to help keep the screen and wiper blades clean. Greasy wiper blades can smear rather than clear, so replace them as soon as they become inefficient.

In warmer months there will be an increase in insects and bugs attaching themselves to your windscreen, so keeping it free of little bodies will be a priority. Reducing water and grease marks will help cut down on problems caused by glare.

Glare from the sun will obviously increase during the warmer months, and it can cause real problems, especially on longer journeys. The strain of dealing with glare can affect your concentration, as well as your ability to see clearly. Correct sunglasses can really help in these conditions, improving the situation considerably.

This is particularly true if you are driving abroad in warmer and sunnier climates, but also in this country when the road is wet. Wet roads will reflect more glare, reducing your ability to see. Reduce your speed and take extra care.

You will experience some of the worst problems with glare during the winter months, when the sun is low in the sky, and can be almost blinding! Use of your visor to cut out as much glare as possible is essential, and sunglasses help.

Next week I will be covering the other main problem for summer drivers, coping with heat…..if we ever get any!

T: 0800 3777 138/01452 290278 E: sharn@jsfdrivingschool.co.uk

Wired Wednesday - HTC Flyer review

I’ve been watching with interest the proliferation of tablet computers that have been hitting the market since the introduction of the iPad.

Now, at the risk of being branded a show-off, I sold my first tablet PC in 2006 because it wasn’t as much use to me as a laptop. It was a Compaq TC1000 running a tablet version of Windows XP, and you had to use a stylus to operate the touch-screen. It also had a keyboard that connected to it to convert it into a laptop. Happy days…

The issue with it was that it was a compromise, neither a ‘proper’ laptop, nor a ‘proper’ tablet; as a tablet it was too heavy and unwieldy, and as a laptop it was underpowered.

Fast forward 5 years and Apple bring out the iPad, the same screen size as my old Compaq, but that’s where the similarity ends… Hot on the heels of the incredibly successful iPad came no end of similar devices, and now, a quick flick through any technology catalogue will reveal a plethora of such devices.

The question is, what are they for? Is there a place for them in business, or are they just the latest in a long line of over-hyped solutions looking for a problem?

To try to answer this I’ve been testing an HTC Flyer. The reason for choosing this particular device is that it too has a stylus, and I have a specific application in mind for one of my customers that require signatures to be captured by mobile sales teams.

Techy bit

The Flyer has a 7” screen, running at a resolution of 1024 x 600. It runs Android 2.3, and has wireless and 3G connectivity. It also has Bluetooth, a GPS, and 2 cameras; 5MP rear-facing, and 1.3MP front facing.

End of Techy Bit

The form factor fits nicely in my hand, and feels more secure that the larger iPad, which I was in constant fear of dropping when I tried one. Screen is bright and crisp, and looks excellent, and web browsing using a wireless connection is nice and fast.

Setting up my email account was simple, and HTC has a built-in application called Friend Stream which you can use to access Facebook and Twitter through a single interface. The bundled apps are fine, and as with all Android devices, there is a huge selection available from the market, some free, some you need to pay for.

The stylus works fine, but appears limited in its usefulness. There’s a note-taking application built-in, but I couldn’t work out a way of getting anything I wrote converted to text for editing in a word processor. It could of course be that my handwriting is too indecipherable for a machine to cope with…

Sketching with the stylus was easy enough, and when it’s in use, you can select different pen types, colours, and line thicknesses.

So back to the question; what’s it for?

It’s no replacement for a laptop, and if you need to write long reports, or do anything that needs a keyboard this is probably not for you. If, however, you need a portable device to pick up email, browse the net, and keep up to date with your social media feeds, this could be just the ticket.

The only downside is the price, which at over £500 for the wifi/3G model is at least £100 too expensive in my opinion. I’m not sure I’d buy one, but I don’t want to give the one I have on loan back.

If you have any questions about this, or any other IT/Technology related subjects, use our free “Ask The Expert” service by going to http://www.sitm.co.uk/expert/asktheexpert.php