2010

20
010 WORLD CUP
C Photographic Memories
ENGLAND – SCOTLAND – N. IRELAND – WALES
Lavishly illustrated books with fine quality
photographs from the world-famous Francis Frith
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IN THE UNION JACK!
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17
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Vol. 27 No. 12 March 2010

THE HEADLINES Argentina Employ

Singer Cheryl Cole
Splitting From Husband
SINGER and
TV personality
Cheryl Cole says
she is separating
from her hus-
band, footballer
Ashley Cole.
The 26-year-
old Girls Aloud pop singer is a
judge for the British reality talent
show The X Factor along with Si-
mon Cowell. She asked the media
to respect her privacy “during this
difficult time” in a statement issued
February 23 by her publicist.
Ashley Cole plays left back for
Chelsea and the England national
team.
British media had speculated
the marriage was in trouble after
tabloids published front-page stories
reportedly linking Ashley Cole to
other women.
New Falkland’s
Shipping Controls
THERE are echoes of 1982 in the
South Atlantic, as Argentina has
announced new controls on ship-
ping through its waters to the
Falkland Islands in a growing
dispute over British oil drilling
plans.
A permit will be needed by ships using
Argentine waters en route to the Falklands,
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands – all UK controlled.
The UK Foreign Office said the Falk-
land Islands’ waters were controlled by
its authorities and would not be affected.
Argentina has protested to the UK about oil
Harry and William are publicly jousting over new portrait. exploration due to begin this year.
country claims the south Atlantic islands as
its own and calls them Las Malvinas.
DEPTH
“The well is being drilled to an esti-
mated target depth of circa 11,500 feet,”
the company said in a statement. “Drilling
operations are expected to take approxi-
mately 30 days.”
The sabre-rattling over oil is just the
latest episode in a dispute that’s remained
unresolved since the Falkland’s War April
2, 1982. The war lasted for 74 days and saw
255 British and 649 Argentine soldiers and
sailors killed.
A BBC world affairs correspondent said
Argentine anger had been “brewing for a
while, and that the sabre-rattling over oil in

Prince Could Be A
the South Atlantic is just the latest episode
Cheryl Cole’s song Fight for This Buenos Aires claims sovereignty over in a dispute that’s remained unresolved
Love was nominated for a 2010 Brit the Falkland Islands, which it calls Islas since the War in 1982.
award. Malvinas. The waters surrounding the disputed

Brown: Tony Blair Has
Major Election Role
PRIME MIN-
ISTER Gordon
Brown says his
predecessor Tony
Blair will play a
major role in the
country’s upcom-
ing national elec-
tion campaign.
Brown was quoted last month as
telling the London Evening Standard
newspaper in an interview that
Blair “has a major role to play in
the election.”
Blair quit as leader in June 2007,
after he won three straight national
elections from 1997, handing over
to his sometimes quarrelsome ally
Brown.
Britain must hold a national
election by June 3, when Brown
and Blair’s Labour Party will seek
to hold off the confident opposition
Conservative Party – who have led
in opinion polls for two years.
Brown did not specify what role
Blair would play, but says he’ll likely
tap the advice of a host of veteran
campaigners.
‘Ginger Whinger’
ON THE release of the first double
portrait of Prince Harry and brother
William last month, Harry was said to
be not too pleased with his image due
to him looking “too ginger.”
The third-in-line to the throne thinks
his locks had been given too much of a
red tint, reported The Sun. The Prince
also grumbled that Prince William had
been given a too generous head of hair in
the painting. The portrait, which depicts
the Royal brothers in military uniform,
was painted by artist Nicky Philipps.
Harry, 25, made his comments in an
interview during his visit to Barbados
UK Raises Pay-Out To Soldiers Wounded In Battle
BRITAIN’S defense secretary says Brit-
ish soldiers injured while fighting in Af-
ghanistan and Iraq will receive increased
compensation following a review.
Bob Ainsworth has told lawmakers
that some one-time payments for inju-
ries will rise by 50 percent.
He said last month the guaranteed
lifetime income paid to the most seri-
ously injured troops who are unable
to launch the Sentebale Polo Cup. He
said: “I don’t know, I’m a little bit more
ginger in there than I am in real life, I
think, I don’t know, and (William) got
given more hair so, apart from that, it is
what it is, but no it’s nice, it could have
been worse.”
The Royal brothers appear to be hav-
ing a light-hearted public disagreement
when it comes to their hair. William
recently referred to his brother as “gin-
ger” during a speech, while Harry told a
Second World War veteran in Barbados
that his older brother “was already bald
aged 12”.
to carry on working will also be raised
to reflect likely promotions they would
have received.
That change will particularly benefit
young soldiers who suffer life-changing
injuries.
The Ministry of Defense had set up
the review amid public pressure to
increase compensation given to soldiers
wounded in battle.
It has previously threatened that any
company exploring for oil and gas in the
waters around the territory will not be al-
lowed to operate in Argentina.
Last month, a ship carrying drilling
equipment was detained by Argentine of-
ficials. Later Desire Petroleum PLC said it
started drilling for oil about 60 miles north
of the disputed Falkland Islands, despite
strong opposition from Argentina. The
Man’s Castle Could Possibly Not Be His Home
A MAN who hid his castle-home for four
years is now being ordered to demolish
the structure.
Robert Fidler, a farmer from Surrey,
constructed the mock-Tudor property
without planning permission and put up
bales and a tarpaulin to hide it. He hoped
to take advantage of a law stating that if
there are no objections to a building within
four years, the owner can keep it.
The 61-year-old completed the house,
which cost £50,000 and features cannons
and battlements, in June 2002 and he and
his family moved in.
Fidler, his wife Linda, 40, and their
nine-year-old son Harry lived there for four
years before removing the bales, thinking
they were immune from prosecution. But
in 2007 Reigate and Banstead Borough
islands are considered part of the British
Overseas Territories.
Full diplomatic relations were restored
in 1990 and both sides have since largely
agreed to disagree on the issue of sover-
eignty. But anger over the issue still lingers
and has been exacerbated by the prospect
that Argentina could lose out on mineral
Continued on page 6
Council ordered him to demolish the house
at Honeycrock Farm in Redhill, Surrey.
Planning officials refused Fidler’s ap-
peal a year later, saying the building works
only finished when the straw bales were
Continued on page 6
Kraft To Close One
Cadbury Plant In UK
KRAFT FOODS INC said last month that
it will close Cadbury’s Somerdale plant
in the United Kingdom as the British
chocolate company originally planned,
saying the plans were too far advanced
to reverse.
Kraft, which got final approval last
month to acquire Cadbury, previously said
it hoped to keep the facility open.

BRING NEW Abbey Road Studios Now A Historic Building But Kraft, based in Northfield, Illinois,
determined during extensive talks with

CUSTOMERS TO
Cadbury leaders that the process of closing
OFFICIALS say Britain’s culture the facility was too far along and will close
minister has officially declared The it by 2011 as planned.

YOUR BUSINESS!
Beatles’ Abbey Road Studios a his-
toric building. Kraft did not immediately disclose how
Last month’s announcement en- many workers will be affected at the plant
in Keynsham, near Bristol.
sures that the venerable – but money-
Advertise in the next losing – music studios cannot be The company said Cadbury had already
invested $157m in building new produc-
significantly altered without govern-
issue of the Union Jack! ment permission. tion facilities in Poland and the majority
of its lines have been transferred there – or
The north London town house
will be by midyear.
Call:
once hosted one of the world’s most
sophisticated recording studios, used Kraft’s acquisition of Cadbury had
by artists including The Beatles, Pink many workers and unions worried about

1-800-262-7305 Floyd, Jeff Beck and Radiohead.

It is still used by orchestras: The
job cuts. But Kraft said it remains com-
mitted to investing £30m to improve its
factory in Bournville and will review its

for Rates and

film soundtracks for Harry Potter and
Lord of the Rings were recorded at combined manufacturing network over the
Abbey Road. next six months.

Information £1 = $1.52
But the studios’ future had been
called into question in recent days.

uro = $1.35
Current owner EMI says the studios
or email: have been losing money for years
and that it is seeking cash to revital-
ujnews@ujnews.com ize them.
at press time
Page 2
in the past month . . .
Pancake Day Falls Flat In
Modern-Day Britain
SHROVE Tuesday or Pancake Day, February
16, passed without much recognition here in
the new world, and sadly, for most Britons
back home this traditional precursor of Lent
has lost much of its former excitement. A
more religious Britain that celebrated 40
days of Lent, used the sugar, fat and honey
to make pancakes as the last sweetener
before the days of denial and to rid the larder
of any temptations. Today, the High Streets
boast branches of IHOP, while grocery store
mixes are easily available. Pancakes are
not the yearly culinary delight anymore and
the occasion has lost much of its former
significance.
It’s not completely uncelebrated however,
and pancake races do occur in the smaller
communities where women running with a
frying pan and tossing pancakes in to the air,
endeavor to cross the finishing line first. Brit-
ain’s most famous pancake race is at Olney,
Buckinghamshire, which reputedly started
this tradition back in 1445. Another famous
pancake race is run at North Somercotes,
Lincolnshire. The pancake races bring out
the crowds, where contributions raise money
for local charities.
Shackleton’s Scotch Supply
Salvaged From Antarctic Ice
THE JANUARY story in Today’s Britain,
about the scotch whiskey beneath the icy
Antarctic wastes that had been left by Sir
Ernest Shackleton’s 1907-9 expedition
came to fruition last month, when the New
Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust removed the
frozen booze from its 100-year-old icy burial.
They had expected to find only two crates of
the MacKinlay brand, but there were three,
while an unexpected surprise revealed two
crates of Brandy. Some of the bottles had
broken and the nearby ice was permeated
with the smell of whiskey, but Al Fastier of
the NZHT reckons that the majority of the
bottles are intact.
It’s good news for master blender Rich-
ard Paterson of Distillers Whyte & Mackay,
(the company that took over Mackinlay)
who want to replicate that particular one
hundred year old brew and can’t wait to get
his hands on one of those precious bottles
of ‘nectar’.
Oldest Fish And Chip Shop
Owner Nan, Passes On
To Deep Fry In Sky
BRITAIN’S oldest fish and chip shop owner
died last month. Constance (Nan) Brown of
Pembroke, Wales, was still serving behind
the chip shop she and her husband opened in
1928. At that time cod and chips, plus a cup
of tea and a round of bread and butter cost
just sixpence. She was 102-years-old.
The Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife, Scotland,
was named the best Chippy in Britain after
winning the 22nd National Fish and Chip Shop
of the Year competition, sponsored by the
Sea Fish Organization. Robert and Alison
Smith took over the business in 2003, and
have won Scotland’s top fish shop award
four times. “This is the Oscars of our indus-
try,” said a very proud Robert Smith.
Britain’s first fish and chip shop opened
in London around 1870, and by 1927, there
were some 35,000 chippies nationwide.
Today, there are some 11,500 shops, but
chippies still outnumber MacDonald outlets
eight to one.
Drink Driving Offender Had
Supped 15 Pints Of Lager
A 29-YEAR-OLD Coventry motorist, recently
pulled over for drunken driving recorded one
of the highest breathlyser readings in the UK.
Marcin Ziebacz admitted to drinking fifteen
pints of strong lager, and was monitored with
a reading of 191 micrograms of alcohol per
100mls of his breath. He was six times over
the limit. His license was taken from him and
he was jailed for four months, and referred to
a drink-driver rehabilitation course.
The record for the worst drinking and
driving violation goes to Peter Banks,44,
of East Grinstead, Sussex, whose record
of 210 milligrams of alcohol per 100mls of
breath put him top of the list at an breathlyser
in 2008.
Six times over the limit, he was banned
for five years and sentenced to four months
jail time.
Staff Quit Top Restaurant
Because Owner Wants
To Serve Burgers
A POSH restaurant in Britwell Salome, Ox-
fordshire, which was recently awarded a Mi-
chelin star for a gourmet menu that included
French style scallops, veal sweetbreads, and
muntjac deer with lobster amongst other
delicacies, is in turmoil after the whole staff
quit. The owner of the Goose, a Mr Castle,
loved his Michelin star, but wanted more
business coming through the door. He told
head chef Ryan Simpson, he wanted some
regular pub fare on the menu like burgers
and chips.
The head-chef was absolutely flabber-
gasted that the Goose could be turned in to
a gastro-pub, and when the owner insisted,
Ryan Simpson and four staff resigned en-
masse forcing the restaurant to close.
“He wants to change it to a pub and serve
burgers and chips,” said the thoroughly
disgusted head-chef.
The owner remains unrepentant however,
and has scheduled a re-opening this month
with a new chef and new staff, accompanied
by a menu that which will include burgers.
Homeowner Charged
For Defending Family
Against Thieves
DAVID FULLARD’S quick thinking by us-
ing an ornamental samurai sword to deter
to two thugs who had invaded his home,
proved instrumental in halting a frightening
situation as he almost sliced off one of the
men’s ears. The strangers had threatened
to rape his wife and kill his two teenagers,
before he desperately fought back with
his prize Japanese sword. He also used a
knuckleduster in defence of his family. He
then called the police. Local police did not
consider his heroics with the sword and
knuckleduster as appropriate however, and
Fullard, 47, was arrested and charged with
unlawfully using a battlefield weapon.
Michael Severs, 22, had his sliced ear
re-attached at the local hospital and his
accomplice Michael Smith, were given a
ujnews.com
TODAY’S
BRITAIN
BY LARRY GARDNER
suspended prison sentence after both admit-
ted the incident.
At Hull Crown Court last month, a judge
and jury heard the story of David Fullard’s
nightmare where he defended his family
and he was exonerated on all charges. It
had taken nine months to reach court. The
family were utterly relieved and delighted
that the case had finally been decided and
said it had lifted a shadow from their lives.
Neighbours had rallied round and supported
Fullard’s unusual but successful defence of
his family.
“You cannot stand around and do nothing
when someone comes to your house and
starts threatening your family,” affirmed the
father of two, who was most irate that the
two young men had previous convictions but
were not given jail time.
Two Brides, Two Dresses –
Exactly The Same
TWO BRIDES scheduled within an hour of
each other at the Bickley Manor Hotel in
Bromley, Kent, needed a sense of humour
when both women turned up wearing the
exact same wedding dress. The civil-registry
service brought Emma Johal, 31, ahead of
Lisa Goodhew, 26, but while her party was
taking photographs, members of Lisa’s wed-
ding who were assembling for her nuptials
noticed the similarity. The two women saw
the coincidence without animosity however,
and both were later photographed smiling
together in their identical, white full-length
strapless garments. It later turned out that
both women had used the same shop, the
Bride & Groom, to purchase their gowns and
both wore head-veils. They had also used the
same local restaurant for their hen parties.
“Some people may have found it upset-
ting, but we found it hilarious,” grinned
Emma Johal.
Handyman Mayor Turns Out
To Be A Ladies’ Underwear
Thief
IAN STAFFORD was a well-respected handy-
man in th Lancashire village of Preesall, and
in neighbouring hamlets, his diligence and
skills endeared him to a community that
easily supported his position as Mayor. But
when women’s undergarments began mys-
teriously disappearing in the neighbourhood,
residents became extremely alarmed at the
unknown interference in their underwear
drawers. Many did not suspect the hard-
working and conscientious Mayor, but a
woman who put a camera in her bedroom,
delivered a half-hour DVD to local police that
finally revealed the duplicity of Ian Stafford. A
search of his home revealed a collection of
panties each marked with the names of the
women he had taken them from. He resigned
as Mayor, soon after the disclosure.
At Preston Crown Court, Judge Heather
Lloyd called it “bluntly revolting,” and told
him his victims were “embarrassed, dis-
March 2010
gusted and shocked.” Stafford, 59, pleaded of pet ownership.
guilty to three counts of burglary and was
jailed for two years.
Researchers at the University of Bristol
say the superior intelligence of cat owners
is unlikely to be caused by their exposure to
their pets, reported the Daily Telegraph.
Marmalade, Sadly Moving
Rather, more educated people tend to
Towards A Sticky End work longer hours and choose a pet to fit
THE TRADITIONAL British breakfast is a their lifestyles. Unlike dogs, cats require no
disappearing event that has been slowly walking and can manage with little human
erased as modern life became increasingly company.
frenzied and faster. A delicate poached egg, Dr Jane Murray, cats protection lecturer in
or a tasty kipper, or the more fulsome bacon, feline epidemiology, who led the study, said:
sausage and eggs breakfast are now week- “We don’t think it is associated with income
end repasts where time has no restrictions. because that was one of the variables we
Such changes have engendered very differ- looked at, and there was little difference. Cats
ent eating habits, and some former favourite require less time per day than a dog, so they
breakfast morsels are becoming rare. are more popular with educated people who
Marmalade was once a major fixture on work late and have long commutes.”
every British breakfast table, but sales have Homes with degree-holders were 1.36
slumped over the years and unless you’re times more likely to have a cat than other
over 45-years-of-age, you probably do not households. The same homes were less
have a jar in the house. While manufacturers likely to have a dog than households where
have produced oodles of different marmalade no-one went to university.
flavours, if no-one sits down to breakfast The study of 2,980 people, published in
anymore and lathers it over their toast, it’s a the Veterinary Record journal, also found
difficult sell. Last month’s National Marma- that cat owners were more likely to be older
lade Festival in Penrith, was doing its best and female.
for the product but marmalade lovers say the It also revealed that the combined cat and
sweet orangey spread needs to be marketed dog population of Britain is more than 20.8
and re-introduced to the young. million – 50 percent higher than previously
Paddington Bear lived on marmalade thought.
sandwiches, while Queen Mary Tudor ate
Dr Jane Murray said: “We are confident
vast quantities in the belief it would help get that our figures are the most accurate yet. We
her pregnant.
are not saying there has been a huge spike
Romans saw it as protection against in the cat and dog populations – we are just
evil spirits. Britain’s top television chefs are getting better at counting them.”
pushing it as a forceful ingredient in des-
serts, but with the demise of the sit-down
breakfast its proving an uphill task to move
Jilted Lover Chooses
jars from grocery shelves at the same pace ‘Murder By Curry’
of years past. CURRIES CAN be spicy, flavourful and
tremendously hot, but rarely lethal as in
Pensioner Denied Bus Ride the case of such a dish in Feltham, west
London. After a 16 year relationship ended
Because He Carried Paint with her former lover’s plan to marry a much
OUTRAGE IN Dorset, where a commuter was younger woman, Lakhvir Singh, 45, laced a
denied entrance to a public bus because he curry with aconite, an ancient Indian poison
was carrying a can of paint. Brian Wakely that provided the ultimate revenge. Lakvin-
of Wareham, was ready to take the ten mile der Cheema’s decision to take 22-year-old
journey home by bus with a fully sealed, Gurjeet Choongh as his wife, did not go
container of non-toxic green fence paint. But down well with his former girlfriend. As
the driver said no, and cited the reason that the pair planned there coming nuptials they
it may cause a mess on the vehicle and was partook of some leftover curry in the fridge,
against regulations. The do-it-yourselfer was and when Cheema discovered his tongue
fuming but was not allowed to board the bus. had gone numb he guessed something was
He finally had to call a friend to pick him up amiss and called an ambulance. Both col-
to get him and the paint home. lapsed soon after, where emergency room
“It was five litre sealed plastic pot,” said doctors were unable to keep the 39-year-old
the exasperated 65-year-old Brian Wakely. Cheema alive.
”Its absolutely diabolical.” At the Old Bailey in London, the court
A complaint to Poole Transdev Yellow heard that a lodger living at the house had
Buses did not bring satisfaction either. Head witnessed Singh interfere with the curry, and
of Operations Ed Willis, said paint spilling and Police had found evidence of the aconite herb
splashing over the floor and other passengers in her coat pocket and handbag. Singh had
had been a problem in the past. Company originally put the blame on a brother-in-law,
rules leave such decisions to the discretion but the court was told that she was heart-
of the driver says Willis, who stood by the broken that the relationship was ending after
driver’s assessment that it breached the 16 years. The jury returned a guilty verdict
Conditions of Carriage. and she is awaiting sentencing.
“It makes me feel like my human rights
were violated,” said the thoroughly disgusted
Easy Gift-Giving —
Wareham resident.
One-Year Subscription To
Dog Owners Not As Smart As
Cat Owners Union Jack Only $35
A UNIVERSITY degree is more likely to be
found on a Cat Owner’s wall that a dog See Page 3 —
owner, according to a new scientific survey
March 2010 ujnews.com
of people raced through Dunraven Street,
behind the Park Lane property, smashing
bottles and cars. They also broke windows
in the five-storey building and sprayed graffiti
on the walls.
One of the organisers, an 18-year-old sixth
former from Camden, expressed remorse
over the damage and disruption. He claimed
to be part of a collective called Future Chil-
dren, which is protesting against lack of live
music venues and the issue of homelessness
in London.
He said: “We found out that this house
was owned by a bank, so it felt right to hold
A Snap Election? the party there. What’s really sad is that this
is not what we wanted – we wanted people
SPECULATION about the date of the next general election has been banned at to have a good time and to be safe.
Downing Street since the fiasco of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s procrastina- “We did have lots of friends controlling
tion about the matter in the autumn of 2007. the situation, but a small number were badly
But now, with less than four months to go before June 3 – the last possible date when an behaved. The average age was 16-18, so
election can be held – a number of advisers are urging Mr Brown to call a snap election if that group was always going to be hard to
Labour’s poll ratings improve over the next few weeks. control.
“We are part of a group of young people
Personally, I doubt whether a snap elec- he insisted that it was “a minor incident”. who find little unused spaces and use them
tion could still be on the cards. The strategy The policeman is understood to have for things like art events. We are rebelling
behind it is that Mr Brown would benefit jumped to move two Japanese tourists out against the Government: there are lots of
from the element of surprise by going to of the path of the prince’s Range Rover. They homeless people in this country and houses
the country earlier than the widely expected had not seen the vehicle heading towards the sitting empty like this.”
date of May 6. gate on Constitution Hill and he feared that The house was bought for £10m in
Labour strategists are mindful of the they would be hit. Witnesses said that the February 2007 and is registered to a limited
mistake made by the then Prime Minister prince failed to stop at the gate. company based on Jersey. The owner is said
James Callaghan in 1978, when he delayed A police source said: “The officer realised to be a Middle Eastern businessman.
taking advantage of a temporary respite in that the tourists hadn’t seen Andrew, and GOING DOWN THE TUBES
the polls, thus delivering victory to Margaret rushed to protect them, but was hit himself. There is widespread anger at plans by
Thatcher in May 1979. Andrew didn’t slow down and carried on as maintenance firm Tube Lines to close the
If those advocating an early election win if nothing had happened.” Northern Line for 82 weekends for vital
their argument, expect a call to the polls on The prince, 49, has not been arrested or repairs. Mayor Boris Johnson said that it
March 25. questioned, but CCTV film is being studied. was “intolerable” for Tube Lines to suspend
ANDREW AND THE LAW RIOT IN PARK LANE the Northern line at weekends for 20 months
Prince Andrew is being investigated by Riot police were called to a £30m property from March.
police after he hit an officer in his car at in Park Lane, west London, last month and The proposed closures – affecting much of
Buckingham Palace. The prince knocked were pelted with bricks and bottles as they the line north of Kennington – are in addition
down the policeman as he sped through a tried to evict 2,000 teenagers from an illegal to 16 months of early weekday closures from
side entrance without slowing down. Facebook party. July, which will mean that the last Northern
The uniformed officer suffered an arm There were fears of a serious accident line trains leave central London at 10pm.
injury and made an official complaint about as dozens of partygoers swarmed onto the The Mayor said that the firm had a record
the Duke of York’s driving. roof of the abandoned building. Two revellers of “hideous delay and disruption” on the
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: were hurt and taken to hospital with minor Jubilee line and told it to think again before
“We can confirm that the incident is being in- injuries. inflicting similar misery on the Northern
vestigated for health and safety reasons” but Neighbours described how hundreds line, which is used for 206 million journeys
a year.
He said: “The programme suggested is
intolerable and there has to be a better way. I
cannot possibly ask Londoners to put up with
this pain unless Tube Lines can convince us
that every single closure is unavoidable and
EGAL Credit Card Processing &
ATM’s that their overall plan will work.”
But Tube Lines chief executive Dean Finch
We treat you like Royalty told a City Hall meeting: “We can’t upgrade
the Northern line without closures. I wish that
were the case, but it is not.”
* British owned in America, serving America Richard Parry, interim managing director
of London Underground, told the London
* Unbeatable service Assembly’s transport committee: “I’m very
concerned about the scale of the closures.
* Unbeatable rates, as low as 1.29% We think it is unnecessary disruption in terms
of the number and the scale. It is well beyond
* Free equipment available what is needed.”
So far, no alternative plan has materia-
Please call for a free quote lised.
BUT A NEW LINE FOR KENT
248.767.8353 A new cross-channel commuter train line
Keith Baldwin Fax 248.499.9937
email keith@regalccp.com
could be up and running before the 2012
Olympics. The chairman of a French council
claimed that he was “in negotiations” with
counterparts in Kent about a “metro” service
National Sales Manager www.regalccp.com from Lille to London.
All merchant accounts are referred to and processing provided by North American Bancard, a registered ISO/MSP
M Dominique Dupilet, of Pas de Calais
council, said that the plan would see trains
calling at Calais and Ashford, and help safe-
of HSBC Bank USA, National Association, Buffalo, NY and Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Walnut Creek, CA
guard the Kent station. It has come under
Millie Woolf
1938 - 2005
Walter Woolf VMD
ext. 223
petsfly@aol.com
4120 W. Cypress Street
Tampa, Florida 33607-2358
813.879.3210
800.635.3448 USA toll free
813.874.6722 fax
877.874.6799 USA toll free fax
www.airanimal.com
From the U.S. to the U.K.
From the U.K. to the U.S.
Page 3
threat as Eurostar is more likely to stop at 2007. General Manager Kiaran MacDonald
Ebbsfleet or Stratford International. said: “The refurbishment is very much in
Kent County Council’s cabinet member delay, and it’s fair to say that the budget is
for the environment Nick Chard said that they now in excess of £100m.”
were “very supportive” of the plan. Conrad Reardon, managing director of
‘NUDE’ SCANS FOR AIR specialist hotel architects Reardon Smith,
TRAVELLERS said that much of the hotel’s original con-
Heathrow Airport has introduced full body struction work and additions made in 1910
scanning of passengers to avert major terror had been “bodged”. A new wall installed on
attacks. Airline passengers will not be allowed the side of the hotel facing the Thames was
to fly if they refuse to go through a full body built with no foundation and had been “hung”
search scanner. from the roof beams.
Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary, said Reardon said: “That all had to be sta-
that a small proportion of passengers would bilised. The building was basically jacked
be selected for scanning.
There were plans to use the scanners at
up, the new structure put in, then lowered
down again.”
every airport,Lord Adonis told Parliament: THIS AND THAT…
These scanners are designed to give airport Olympic chiefs have proposed radical
security staff a much better chance of detect- measures to keep traffic moving during the
ing explosives or other potentially harmful 2012 Games. They will switch off about
items hidden on a passenger’s body.” 1,000 sets of traffic lights in the capital and
The Equality and Human Rights Commis- build temporary pedestrian bridges over
sion has warned that the scanners breach busy roads to keep the average speed for
privacy rules under the Human Rights Act for cars transporting athletes and officials at
their naked images, but Manchester airport’s about 45mph.
head of customer experience, Sarah Barrett, Work on the £26m project to transform
said that privacy would not be compromised, Exhibition Road into a world-class attraction
and added: “Contrary to reports, the equip- began last month. The route in South Kens-
ment does not allow staff to see passengers ington will lose its street markings and kerbs
naked.” to create a shared space for pedestrians,
SAVOY: A YEAR’S DELAY cyclists and motorists.
The £100m refurbishment of the Savoy Britain has had its coldest January for
Hotel has been delayed by more than a more than 20 years, according to the Met
year after major structural problems were Office. Temperatures averaged 0.7C for the
discovered. month, making it the coldest January since
The hotel may now not open until July as 1987, and the seventh coldest since 1914.
fears mount that the total cost could exceed FINALLY
£200m, although operators Fairmont Hotels A Few more spoonerisms – but I promise
and Resorts will not disclose the exact that they’ll be the last:
figure. Three cheers for our queer old Dean! (Dr
Part of the hotel has had to be underpinned Spooner) A statement was issued last night
with 200 tonnes of steel after rotten timber by the British Broadcorping Castration (BBC
and weak floors were discovered. The hotel’s Radio Home Service, c.1950) and
dangerous wiring and plumbing have also Mr Arthur Commonly, the Bottomwealth
delayed the project. Secretary, arrived in Lusaka (Zambian radio
The makeover was supposed to last for 16 newscaster).
months when the hotel closed in December squentinholmes@yahoo.co.uk
Council Bans Running For
Pancake Racers
CONTESTANTS in a pancake race were banned from running last month
due to ‘dangerous conditions’.
Hundreds of spectators booed as the rule was announced at the start of the
race in St Albans, reported the Daily Telegraph. St Albans City Council Tour-
ism Manager Charles Baker told contestants: “We have a new set of rules today.
Due to the wet weather conditions and health and safety regulations, in this
year’s race, there will be no running allowed. Only walking is permitted. Any
team that runs will be disqualified. It is a genuine health and safety concern.
People fall over in the dry, they will certainly fall over in the wet.”
Ten teams took part in the Pancake Walk, three of whom were disqualified
for not following the new wet-weather rules. Hertfordshire NHS Community
Partnership team captain David Emery, 34, whose team was disqualified in
the final, said: “This is health and safety gone mad. I have been disqualified
from a running race for running.”
Birthday, Anniversary,
or any other reason . . .
a $35 present
right here!
Page 4
Blair Fights For His Legacy As He Defends Iraq War
By Gregory Katz
HE WAS RIGHT and he’d do it again.
That was Tony Blair’s message last
month as he fought for his place in history
against critics who contend it was folly
to join the Americans in invading Iraq
based on intelligence that was faulty and
weapons of mass destruction that turned
out not to exist.
The highly anticipated testimony before
an official inquiry into Britain’s role in the
Iraq conflict provided both a reprise and a
coda to the Blair years: The former prime
minister showed his impressive rhetorical
skills and high-minded principles, but left
unanswered whether the war that defines
his mixed legacy was justified.
Many in the audience, including the
relatives of soldiers and civilians killed in
the war, were not impressed. Blair’s claim
to have no regrets drew an angry outburst.
As he left, one man stood up and shouted
“You are a liar!” A second added: “And
a murderer.”
The six-hour session capped a wide-
ranging inquiry that since November has
heard extensive evidence from government
lawyers and ministers who raised doubts
about the legality and wisdom of the
2003 Iraq invasion, which was extremely
unpopular in Britain.
The Iraq Inquiry panel plans to issue
a report next year, but does not have a
mandate to apportion blame or the power
to bring any criminal charges.
Many Britons blamed Blair for blindly
following the Americans – he was dubbed
“Bush’s poodle” and accused of making a
backroom deal with the US president.
But while Blair showed signs of nerves
during testimony – even nibbling on the
wings of his spectacles at one point –
he was unrepentant as he defended the
decision to topple Saddam Hussein and
warned that today’s leaders face similar
tough choices as they confront Iran over
its nuclear program.
TV Presenter Gosling Confesses To Killing Lover
VETERAN TV presenter Ray Gosling has
been arrested on suspicion of murder by
Nottinghamshire Police after he admitted
on a television show to killing his lover.
The 70-year-old’s confession that he
had smothered the unnamed man who was
dying of Aids was broadcast on the BBC’s
Inside Out programme last month.
The Nottingham filmmaker said he had
made a pact with his lover to act if his suf-
fering increased.
Police questioned the presenter over
his claims. A police spokesman said: “A
70-year-old Nottingham man was arrested
earlier on suspicion of murder following
comments made on the BBC’s Inside Out
programme on Monday evening.”
SMOTHERED
In the BBC East Midlands programme,
he told how he smothered the man with a
pillow while he was in hospital after doc-
tors told him that there was nothing further
that could be done for him.
Gosling did not name either his lover
or the hospital.
Ray Gosling’s solicitor, Digby Johnson,
spoke outside Oxclose Lane Police station
Immigration Attorney
Kate AL. Raynor
L TTORNEY AT
“This isn’t about a lie, or a conspiracy, or a deceit, or a
deception,” Blair said. “It’s a decision. And the decision
I had to take was, given Saddam’s history, given his use
of chemical weapons, given the over one million people
whose deaths he had caused, given 10 years of breaking UN
resolutions, could we take the risk of this man reconstituting
his weapons program?” — Tony Blair
“The decision I took – and frankly
would take again – was, if there was any
possibility that he could develop weapons
of mass destruction, we would stop him,”
Blair said. “It was my view then and that
is my view now.”
CONSPIRACY
“This isn’t about a lie, or a conspiracy,
or a deceit, or a deception,” Blair said.
“It’s a decision. And the decision I had to
take was, given Saddam’s history, given
his use of chemical weapons, given the
over one million people whose deaths he
had caused, given 10 years of breaking
UN resolutions, could we take the risk
of this man reconstituting his weapons
program?”
Blair said the September 11 attacks
changed everything, showing that religious
fanatics were determined to inflict mass
casualties. That made it too dangerous to
leave Saddam in power, he said, because
Saddam’s Iraq – or other rogue states, like
North Korea or Iran – could form links to
terror groups and attack the West.
Blair conceded there were no known
ties between Saddam and the al-Qaida
architects of the 9/11 atrocities, but said he
feared such links could have developed if
Saddam and his sons remained in power.
Blair also insisted the US-led invasion
would have been called off had Saddam
changed course and proved to UN inspec-
tors that he had destroyed his arsenal.
That was met with a rebuff by one panel
member, renowned historian Sir Lawrence
earlier.
He said: “Ray
has been at the
police station for
approaching five
hours and inves-
tigations are at a
very early stage.
He’s in good spir-
its but these are very difficult times for
Ray.”
Gosling later revealed he told police the
identity of the former lover he smothered
to death.
Gosling said he was aware of the pos-
sible consequences and had no regrets.
In the film, he said: “It’s a terrible situ-
ation. I loved him to bits.
“We had a pact – he said if the pain gets
bad and if nothing can be done, don’t let
him linger on.
“I don’t think it’s a crime.”
He said: “I said to the doctor: ‘Leave
me... just for a bit,’ and he went away.
“I picked up the pillow and smothered
him until he was dead.
“The doctor came back and I said: ‘He’s
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Freedman, who pointed out in acid tones
that it would have been difficult for Sadd-
am to prove he had dismantled weapons
he didn’t have in the first place.
Blair did acknowledge postwar planning
was flawed. He said his government did not
anticipate the role al-Qaida and Iran would
play in destabilizing Iraq after the fall of
Saddam. The government had planned for
a humanitarian crisis but did not foresee
the sectarian violence that followed the
invasion, he said.
The mood in the hearing room was
strained. The audience included many
with family killed in Iraq, and their pres-
ence added a sobering dose of reality to
the legalistic jousting between Blair and
the distinguished panel, which included
knights and a baroness.
REVULSION
Rose Gentle, whose 19-year-old son
Gordon was killed in Iraq in 2004, said she
felt revulsion at Blair’s presence.
“Actually, I felt sick,” she said. “He
seemed to be shaking as well, which I am
pleased about – the eyes of all the families
were on him.”
It was more raucous outside the Queen
Elizabeth II Conference Center, where
some 150 protesters shouted slogans
including “Jail Tony” and “Blair lied –
thousands died,” while rows of police kept
them away from the building.
It was an uncomfortable return to the lime-
light for the once popular Blair, who swept
to power with a landslide victory in 1997 but
gone.’ Nothing more was ever said.
“When you love someone, it is difficult
to see them suffer.”
CRIMINAL
Assisted suicide remains a criminal
offence, but interim guidelines issued in
September by the director of public pros-
ecutions set out the factors which weigh in
favour of and against prosecution.
Over the years Gosling has written and
presented more than a hundred television
documentaries, as well as several hundred
radio documentaries. In the 1960s and
1970s he was one of the best known faces
in television documentary programming.
In this period he also hosted a weekly
North-West regional programme on
Granada TV, On Site, in which members
of the public, in a different town each
week, confronted officialdom with their
concerns and complaints. In many of his
documentaries on BBC Radio he used his
distinctively quirky writing style to point
up the rich diversity of people and places
in Britain. Some of his best-remembered
radio programmes were personal portraits
of a series of different towns.
• STUDENT VISA
• PERM
• PROFESSIONAL WORKERS
• O1 VISAS
March 2010
Pope Worries
About Scottish
saw his strong bond with the British public
disintegrate after the Iraq invasion. Support For
The bouncy step, easy smile and “Call
me Tony” bonhomie of Blair’s early years Euthanasia
was gone, replaced by a stern, lawyerly
figure who found himself interrupted and POPE Benedict
contradicted by his skeptical inquisitors. XVI says he is
He seemed defensive and sometimes worried about
exasperated; he is not a man accustomed support in Scot-
to being interrupted, as happened fre- land for eutha-
nasia as he pre-
quently when he started to elaborate and
digress. He showed signs of aging – a pares for a visit
spreading bald spot, fine lines around his there later this
gray-blue eyes – but otherwise looked year.
tanned and fit. In January a
At times, Saddam seemed to hover over deputy in the Scottish parliament
the proceedings – hanged for his crimes who has Parkinson’s disease pro-
in 2006 but still vilified by Blair as evil posed a bill to make it legal for
incarnate. someone to seek help to end their
ABSENT life.
The other absent figure whose presence Benedict plans to visit Britain,
was strongly felt was former President and told Scottish bishops in a meet-
George W Bush, who early on enlisted ing that the pilgrimage will include
Blair’s support for the Iraq invasion. a stop in Scotland. The visit is ex-
Drinking Malvern spring water through- pected in September.
out the lengthy hearing, Blair denied The Vatican considers assisted
falsifying intelligence to boost the case suicide a form of euthanasia, which
for military action or making an early is forbidden by Catholic teaching.
commitment to Bush to use force against The Vatican also opposes abortion
Saddam more than a year before Britain’s and the scientific manipulation of
Parliament approved military action. embryos.
He also said he did not pressure his at-
torney general, Peter Goldsmith, to change
his view and assert that the invasion would
be legal under international law.
Blair also insisted the existing UN
resolution offered sufficient authority for
the invasion.
Mark Wickham-Jones, a professor
of political science at the University of
Bristol, said Blair’s testimony would not
change the view among Britons that the
war had been a disaster that was Blair’s
responsibility.
“Iraq is the millstone around his neck,”
Wickham-Jones said. “His legacy is Iraq,
and the inquiry didn’t do him any favors.”
Britain Launches
Civilian Force For
Trouble Spots
GORDON BROWN says a new
1,000-strong pool of civilian specialists
will provide expert help to failing states
and countries that have suffered conflict
or natural disasters.
Brown said last month that Britain’s
civilian stabilization group is now estab-
lished – almost two years after he first
announced plans to create the group.
Members include economists, gover-
nance experts, lawyers and police train-
ers. They will work alongside military
and humanitarian experts.
Brown says the new force will be able
to deploy in 24 hours, and bolster work
in places including Afghanistan, Iraq
and Sudan.
He confirmed civilian experts are
traveling to Haiti to help rebuild prisons
and assist the World Bank in identifying
priority projects.
Publishers
Ronald Choularton
Jeff Choularton
Editor
Ronald Choularton
Contributors
Martin Burniston, Sandra Cherry, Larry Gardner,
Deborah Gilbert, Patricia Kawaja,
Leo & Karen Lewis, Ridge Mahoney,
Joe Nicholls, Luthar O’Connor, Karen O’Keefe,
Ron Rehling, Bernard Sidman, John Shannon,
Anna Titley, Stephen Ure, Jerry Watson, Mitch Wexler
In UK
Stewart Quentin Holmes,
John B Polley, Glenda Young
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March 2010 ujnews.com Page 5

Growth Limit Urged N Ireland Leader Resumes

Office After Ethics Probe

Tis the Season…H-1B Cap Season That Is
WHILE IT isn’t as anticipated as Christmas,
many people look to April as the time of giv-
ing, when the H-1B cap season begins. Like
accountants, immigration attorneys have a
busy season that starts in March and ends
in April. While accountants hunker down with
their calculators and review the tax codes to
find deductions for their clients, immigration
lawyers work fastidiously to file H-1B cases
on behalf of their clients with the US Citizen-
ship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by
April 1, with the hope that USCIS will grant
these cases. April Fools Day has become
known as H-1B Cap Day for immigration
practitioners and employers around the
country who need the skill sets of certain
professional level foreign nationals.
An employer that seeks to employ a
foreign national has limited options. The
H-1B visa program is a nonimmigrant visa
category available to companies to sponsor
professionals that will be employed in a
specialty occupation. A specialty occupation
is one in which the position requires the theo-
retical and practical application of knowledge
normally gained through a bachelors degree
program.
The USCIS permits H-1B visa cases to
be filed six months before the US fiscal year
starts on October 1. As a result, thousands
of H-1B cases are filed with USCIS on April
1, or “H-1B Cap Day”. USCIS estimates that
in 2007 and 2008 it received over 150,000
H-1B cases in the first week of April. An
unintentional result of this rule that permits
cases to be filed six months before the start
of the fiscal year is that USCIS has held a lot-
tery to decide which cases will be considered
but the conservative advice is to file cases
on April 1 to ensure that the case will have
an opportunity to be considered in another
H-1B lottery in the event there is one. As a
result, it is important for employers who have
identified H-1B candidates either from their
existing work force (perhaps in another visa
category where there is a strategic reason
to change visa categories to H-1B) or new
candidates, to initiate an H-1B cap case as
early as possible so that it can be prepared
and filed to USCIS by April 1. If H-1B cap case
filings do not reach the annual quota in April,
USCIS will continue to permit case filings until
the H-1B Cap is reached. It is unknown if this
will be in April or extended to December as
it was in 2009. It’s best to be proactive and
initiate any H-1B cases so that they can be
filed to USCIS as quickly as possible. A com-
mon population for employers to consider are
foreign students that are graduating or who
may have already graduated and are working
pursuant to Optional Practical Training may
be eligible for the H-1B visa.
Not all H-1B application are subject to the
annual cap. A person is no longer subject to
the H-1B cap once he or she is the recipient of
an H-1B case approval perhaps with another
employer. Additionally, there are many people
that have H-1B status with educational insti-
tutions or non-profit research organizations
that are exempt from the H-1B cap rules.
Such individuals may become subject to the
H-1B cap in the future if they were to seek
employment with a company that is subject
to the regular H-1B cap rules.
It is critical to understand that hiring
foreign professionals pursuant to the H-1B
By Government
A COMMITMENT has been asked by
a cross-party parliamentary group to
not allow the UK’s population to reach
70 million. The group hopes to include
this call in their manifesto for this year’s
general election.
The Cross-Party Group on Balanced
Migration said that political commit-
ment to reduce net immigration to the
levels of the early 1990s – around 40,000,
compared to 163,000 in 2008 – was the
first step towards avoiding reaching the
70 million figure by 2029.
The group’s Declaration on Popula-
tion, entitled “70 million is too many”
was signed by 19 parliamentarians,
including former Archbishop of Can-
terbury Lord Carey, former Commons
Speaker Baroness Boothroyd, five La-
bour MPs and peers, 10 Conservatives
and two crossbenchers.
The declaration warned that the
current scale of immigration is “unprec-
edented” and said that failure to stem
it “would be seriously damaging to the
future harmony of our society”.
ACCUSED
It accused the major political par-
ties of failing to address intense public
concern over the issue, and warned that
their silence has provided an opportu-
nity for the far-right British National
Party.
Asda Making Big
Cut In Prices
ASDA, the supermarket chain, last
month cut prices on thousands of
“Nearly a million votes by our fellow
citizens for an extremist party amount
to a danger sign which must not be ig-
nored,” said the parliamentarians.
“For too long the major political
parties have failed to address these is-
sues and the intense, if largely private,
concern that they generate throughout
our country. If politicians want to re-
build the public’s trust in the political
system, they cannot continue to ignore
this issue which matters so much to so
many people. The time has come for
action.”
DECLARATION
The declaration noted official projec-
tions suggesting the population of the
UK is on track to increase from 61.4
million in 2008 to more than 70 million
by 2029 – with nearly all of the increase
coming in England. It warned that im-
migration on such a scale “will have a
significant impact on our public services,
our quality of life and on the nature of
our society”.
The signatories acknowledged that
returning to immigration levels of two
decades ago “will not be easy to achieve”
and could take several years.
But they argued: “The first require-
ment is a clear political decision to put
in hand the measures required to restore
control over our borders, to break the
present almost automatic link between
coming to Britain and later gaining
citizenship, and thus take a range of
further measures to limit the growth in
our population.”
DEMOCRATIC Unionist Party leader
Peter Robinson says he has resumed his
duties as leader of Northern Ireland’s pow-
er-sharing government after a state lawyer
cleared him of any ethical wrongdoing.
Robinson temporarily stepped aside last
month as Northern Ireland’s first minister
after a BBC documentary accused him of
failing to report his wife’s questionable
financial dealings to parliamentary watch-
dogs. His wife admitted having an affair
with a teenager and funneling £50,000
from businessmen to him. Peter Robinson
was accused of playing a role in returning
money to the businessmen.
Robinson announced last month that an
investigating lawyer found “no breaches
whatsoever” of Robinson’s code of
conduct, pledge of office or other ethics
rules.
14-Year-Old
Confirmed As UK’s
Youngest WWII Death
A 14-YEAR-OLD who died at sea in 1941
has been confirmed as Britain’s youngest
World War II casualty.
Officials say Reginald Earnshaw was
killed under enemy attack aboard the SS
North Devon. He had lied about his age in
order to join the Merchant Navy.
The Commonwealth War Graves Com-
mission confirmed that Earnshaw was the
youngest service member to be killed dur-
ing the war. His sister placed flowers at his
grave last month to mark his birthday.
His remains were buried in an unmarked
grave in Edinburgh, Scotland, for decades
until a fellow shipmate launched an inves-
tigation that led to him being identified and
given a headstone.

Live & Work In The USA

for review, rejecting the thousands of cases
without review. The reason for this lottery
system is that the law prescribes a numerical
limitation to the H-1B visa program each year.
This quota limitation is commonly referred to
as the H-1B Cap. The law provides for a total
of 85,000 H-1B visa applications per US Fis-
cal Year. This number is deceiving though, as
20,000 of the H-1B numbers are specifically
reserved for individuals that have obtained
advanced degrees from US universities. Of
the remaining 65,000 another 6,800 are
supposed to be made available to citizens
of Singapore and Chile based on free trade
treaties with those two countries. In the event
that the H-1B quota has been reached, USCIS
established an H-1B lottery to fairly decide
which cases would be reviewed of the ones
filed on the day the cap was reached.
It was widely reported in 2009 that the
H-1B cap was not exhausted until close to
the end of December. This was the first year
in many that the H-1B quota was not quickly
reached by employers in need of university
educated, specialty workers to fill critical
professional level positions within their
companies. It is unknown if there has been a
continued build up of cases to be filed in April,
program is not cheap for an employer. The
government filing fees alone on these ap-
plications exceed $2,300 and often exceed
$3,300, not to mention legal fees and internal
costs for the employer in maintaining required
documentation for each H-1B worker and all
for the privileges of paying the foreign worker
the same or more than a similarly employed
US worker. These workers are therefore truly
extremely valuable to US companies.
Those interested in the H-1B visa program
should keep a close eye on future consump-
tion rates. Although the current state of the
economy might lead some to believe H-1B
visas will be around for a while, it is certainly
prudent for employers to be sure to get these
applications prepared as soon as possible.
Enjoy the season!
Mitch Wexler is a Partner with the world
wide immigration law firm, Fragomen, Del
Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, resident in its Irvine,
CA office. He is a Specialist in Immigration &
Nationality Law, Certified by the State Bar of
California Board of Legal Specialization. He
has been practicing immigration law exclu-
sively for 24 years. He welcomes all queries to
mwexler@fragomen.com or (949) 660-3531.
products by an average of 13 per-
cent.
Throughout January, the price
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Page 6
UK Auditor: 392 Lawmakers Profiling For Airline
Must Pay Back Expenses GOVERNMENT
Passengers Being Considered
ministers are consider- rity measures, Johnson said passengers
By David Stringer
MORE THAN half the lawmakers in
Britain’s House of Commons made exces-
sive or bogus expense claims, an auditor
reported last month after investigating a
scandal that tarnished British politics.
Thomas Legg, appointed after legisla-
tors’ leaked claims caused an uproar, said
392 of the 752 current and former House
of Commons legislators have been asked
to repay funds, including Prime Minister
Gordon Brown. The total to be repaid is
£1.12m.
He said a “culture of deference” and a
“prevailing lack of transparency” created
the scandal, because officials in Parliament
whose job it was to check expense claims
were too timid to overrule lawmakers’
wild demands.
Procedures that allowed lawmakers
to fund expensive second homes were
“deeply flawed – in particular, the rules
were vague,” Legg said, adding there was
a “widespread lack of proper evidence” to
support the lawmakers’ claims.
EXPOSURE
The exposure of lawmakers’ expense
claims showed how legislators manipu-
lated housing rules for profit and attempted
to bill the public for items including porn
movies, horse manure and an ornamental
duck house. One legislator demanded
reimbursement for cleaning the moat sur-
rounding his country mansion.
The scandal – which touched every
political party – provoked deep anger in
Britain, coming as voters struggled with
a daunting recession and rising unem-
ployment. Brown saw nine ministers quit
and suffered heavy losses in local and
European elections as voters deserted
mainstream parties.
Two legislators have been ousted over
their claims and about 150 others are not
running in the next national election –
which must be held by June – as a result
of the furor.
DISCLOSED
Details were disclosed only after a five-
year freedom of information campaign and
repeated attempts by Parliament to use
British courts to block their release.
Legg initially ordered lawmakers to
pay back a total of £1.3m, but the amount
was reduced to £1.12m following suc-
cessful appeals by 44 lawmakers. Brown
was ordered to repay £13,000, mostly in
excessive claims for a maid.
His report showed that Barbara Follett, a
lawmaker with the governing Labour Party
and wife of novelist Ken Follett, repaid the
highest amount of any legislator – £42,458
wrongly claimed for security patrols,
CCTV monitors and a burglar alarm.
Nick Clegg, leader of the opposition
Liberal Democrat party, said Legg’s report
should mark the end of “the rotten system
of expenses we had in the past.”
An independent body is drafting new
rules to govern expense claims. Details
already announced include a ban on leg-
islators using taxpayers’ money to employ
family members as staff.
CHARGES
Meanwhile, it was announced four Brit-
ish lawmakers will face criminal charges
and the prospect of jail for alleged shady
accounting practices during Britain’s ex-
pense claims scandal, the country’s chief
prosecutor said last month.
Keir Starmer, Britain’s director of
public prosecution, said three members of
the House of Commons and one member
of the House of Lords had been charged
with false accounting offenses.
Investigations into six cases followed
the exposure last year of the misuse of
claims by hundreds of British lawmakers,
who used taxpayers’ money to fund ex-
penses on everything from swank second
homes to horse manure, porn movies and
a mole catcher.
Starmer said three Labour Party law-
makers in the House of Commons – Elliot
Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine
– and a Conservative Party member in the
House of Lords – Paul White, known as
Lord Hanningfield, had been charged.
FALSE
All four men will appear at London’s
City of Westminster court on March 11.
Charges of false accounting carry a pos-
sible jail term of up to seven years.
“We totally refute any charges that we
have committed an offense and we will
defend our position robustly,” they said
in a joint statement.
Court Grants Hindu’s
Outdoor Cremation Plan
BRITAIN’S Court of Appeal has ruled
that an elderly Hindu man has the right
to be cremated in a traditional outdoor
funeral pyre.
Davender Ghai wants to have his
body burned in an open-air cremation at
a remote site in northern England once
he dies.
A High Court judge ruled last year
that such pyres are forbidden by UK
law, which states that all cremations
must take place within a building with a
wall and a roof.
But Ghai appealed the ruling and the
court said that the 71-year-old’s wish
could be granted under existing law.
Eating Tips From World’s Fattest Man
PAUL MASON, labelled the world’s
fattest man, is to share his diet tips in
his autobiography.
Mason, 48, now weighs 49 stone
(686lbs) after shedding 20 stone to make
him eligible for gastric bypass surgery,
but is still believed to be the heaviest
man alive.
The former postman has now had the
band fitted, and is understood to have told
staff at Chichester Hospital, West Sus-
sex, about his book plans during his three
week stay. He wants to tell people how
he achieved his dramatic weight-loss, and
will write all about it in the autobiography,
which he is calling The Journey.
A source told The Sun: “He has been
telling people in hospital how he has
been writing this book and it will reveal
ujnews.com March 2010
Argentina Employ New
Falkland’s Shipping Controls
Continued from page 1
wealth discovered offshore.
ing using controversial passenger profil- would face further delays as more were As the drilling platform made its way
ing in response to the attempted Detroit searched before they board planes. to the islands, Argentine President Cristina
plane bombing. By the end of the year all UK airports Fernandez decreed that any ship traveling
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said will be required to have trace equipment to or from the islands must get prior per-
he was looking at whether “additional in place to detect explosives in the air. mission from her country – a requirement
targeted profiling” was needed to beef In a House of Commons statement, Britain told captains to ignore.
up airport security. Mr Johnson accepted no one technology The Latin American nation is taking
Passengers could be searched accord- would be “100 percent effective”. He the diplomatic offensive, lobbying coun-
ing to their race, ethnic background, age acknowledged there were civil liberties tries at the Rio Group summit of 32 Latin
and gender, a decision that is likely to face concerns about profiling, but said minis- American and Caribbean nations in Playa
opposition from civil rights groups. ters also had an “overriding obligation” del Carmen, Mexico.
Announcing a series of new secu- to protect lives. The summit later backed Argentina’s
position. Argentine officials late Monday
quoted a statement from Mexican Presi-
Man’s Castle Could Possibly Not Be His Home
dent Felipe Calderon as saying “the heads
Continued from page 1
of state represented here reaffirm their
support for the legitimate rights of the
removed – so the four-year rule republic of Argentina in the sovereignty
did not apply. Fidler took his case dispute with Great Britain.”
to the High Court to appeal, but a
judge upheld the order to have the
house torn down.
US Returns UK Fugitive
But Fidler says he will appeal Wanted For Attempted Murder
again and will take the case to the US OFFICIALS have returned a British fu-
European Court of Human Rights gitive caught by authorities after he crashed
if necessary. “This house will never into a police car in Washington state.
be knocked down. This is a beauti-
ful house that has been lovingly
Scotland Yard says that Julio Martins-
Paes was flown to London’s Heathrow
created. I will do whatever it takes Airport last month and was due to appear
Robert Fidler next to his “Tudor” castle. to keep it,” he said.
in court.
The 45-year-old is accused of stabbing
BNP Scraps Whites-Only Member Rule his partner on an off-ramp in London’s
A FAR-RIGHT British political party criminatory membership policy or face East End on February 1, 2006, apparently
has voted to scrap its whites-only mem- a possible court injunction. after an argument that erupted as the pair
bership rules after a court forced it to were driving.
comply with race relations laws. The BNP opposes Britain’s immigra- He was taken into custody nearly four
tion policy and claims to fight for “in-
Members of the British National years later after his car collided with a state
Party voted during an extraordinary digenous” Britons. Leader Nick Griffin police trooper’s vehicle on a highway south
is notorious in Britain for denying the
general meeting last month to change of Seattle.
the party’s constitution so that black Holocaust in the past. He had been charged with drunken driv-
and Asian people could join. Griffin said anyone can join the party ing following the December 12 crash but
The Central London County Court if they agree that the UK should “remain was extradited after US officials learned he
has warned that it must change its dis- fundamentally British.” was wanted in the UK.
David Beckham Academy
Shuttered In US, Britain
THE DAVID Beckham Academy in Car- children worldwide.
son and another location in Britain have The Daily Breeze of Torrance originally
closed, although the Los Angeles Galaxy reported the Carson shutdown, saying it
star is working to develop another soccer cost a handful of full-time staff their jobs.
coaching program for children. There was no public announcement.
Both camps were jointly run by An- Beckham’s Web site said the lease on
schutz Entertainment Group, which owns the location in Greenwich, England, had
the Galaxy, and 19 Entertainment, Beck- expired.
ham’s management team.
AEG spokesman Michael Roth said last
month that the Carson location was closed 2010 UK BANK HOLIDAYS
before Christmas. He said AEG is working & SPECIAL DATES
with Beckham to develop a program and
coaching model that would not be limited St David’s Day March 1
to a single location and could reach more Mothers’ Day (UK) March 14
St Patrick’s Day March 17
how he has managed to lose so much
weight. He has been in good spirits.” Brit Summertime Begins March 28
Prior to the treatment, Mr Mason Good Friday April 2
Easter Monday April 5
admitted eating 20,000 calories a day,
eight times the amount needed by an St George’s Day April 23
average man. His care bill costs taxpay- Early May Bank Hol May 3
ers an estimated £100,000 a year and is Mothers’ Day (US) May 9
believed to have topped £1m over the Spring Bank Hol May 31
last 15 years. Coronation Day June 2
Firefighters had to demolish the front Queen’s Birthday (official) June 7
wall of Mason’s former home in Ipswich Trooping The Colour June 14
so they could drive a fork lift truck
inside to lift him out and put him into Father’s Day (UK/US) June 20
Bank Hol N Ireland Only July 12
an ambulance when he needed a hernia
operation in 2002. St Swithun’s Day July 15
Bank Hol Scotland Only August 2
Mason took the title of the world’s
heaviest man after Mexican Manuel Summer Bank Holiday August 30
Uribe, 43, more than halved his 90 stone Trafalgar Day October 21
weight to get married last year. Brit Summertime Ends October 31
Guy Fawkes Night November 5
Remembrance Sunday November 14
St Andrew’s Day November 30
Perfect Christmas Day December 25
Christmas Day (In Lieu) December 27
Boxing Day (In Lieu) December 28
Gift
One Year
SWEETS - MCVITIES - MRS BALLS CHUTNEY - LUCOZADE - TEAS - GIFTS
WINSTONS SAUSAGES - HOME MADE SAUSAGE ROLLS - PASTIES - SCONES
of
Union
ENGLISH EASTER EGGS
Jack NOW IN!
– See
page
Coming Soon
3
British Selection
D.V.D. Rentals
March 2010
CONGRATULATIONS to Ringo Starr who
proudly received his star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame right outside Capital Records,
and near the stars of his late band mates John
Lennon and George Harrison. Starr was
honored with the
2,401st star dur-
ing a ceremony
that also marked
the 50th anniver-
sary of the Walk
of Fame.
Eagles guitar-
ist Joe Walsh,
bassist and
music producer Ringo Starr with Chris
Don Was, sing- Carter of Breakfast
er-songwriter with the Beatles,
Ben Harper and America’s longest
actress-wife running Beatles
Barbara Bach show every Sunday
were by Starr’s in LA on KLOS 95.5.
side for the un-
veiling February 15, as was LA Mayor Anto-
nio Villaraigosa and Chris Carter, producer
and host of the long running Sunday Morning
show Breakfast with the Beatles on KLOS
radio. Ringo had called in and had a great
natter with Chris, who we’ve listened to for
years and never knew what he looked like!
Handsome devil! You’re welcome to bring
the family any weekend and come sailing on
the tall ship Bill of Rights with us. We’ll tell
you all about one of the most memorable and
unforgettable evenings we’ve spent in a long
time with Beatles producer Sir George and
Lady Judy Martin.
On the invitation of Barbara Burger www.
granadasb.com we turned out for a reception
welcoming them to Santa Barbara for the
show LoveLoveLove: featuring the world pre-
miere of The Mission Chorales by composer
and conductor George Martin; the music of
The Beatles arranged by Stephen Dombek
featuring soloist Adam Phillips.
At the reception Sir George gave us a brief
account of how it all came about and how he
first started working at Abbey Road Studios
making £7 a week. (He’s lucky. I made all of
five quid working for Liberty of London and
45 shillings and six pence went on accom-
modation). Sir George really liked music as
he started playing at age five, playing by ear.
It wasn’t until he was in his early twenties that
he first took lessons.
Martin’s credits are very diverse, and
so much more than the Beatles producer.
His accomplishments: conductor, writer,
composer, working with legendary artists
which include jazz band leader Humphrey
Lyttleton, comics Peter Sellers, and Mi-
chael Bentine, singer Ella Fitzgerald, rock
acts Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, Peter
Gabriel and Celine Dion.
A really fascinating man, I’d first met Sir
George when he received recognition by the
Grammy Foundation of America at a two
day event at USC in LA July 2008, when it
seemed like the whole world turned out to
honor and pay tribute to him, recognizing him
as probably the greatest producer of the last
century. Many of the top artists in the music
world each went on stage and performed
one of his songs (I’d never seen that kind of
“love”) or that many ‘stars’ in one place. See
our column August 2008. The next night he
took us back in time through film, video and
narration for an evening I will never forget. It
was like living my youth all over again.
As guest of Brooks Firestone and his
English wife Kate, they were able to put this
special occasion together. Whether it is the
magic of Sir George or the effect he has on
everyone around him, the following night
was another unforgettable evening, this time
at the Granada!!
The Granada is a masterpiece theatre.
Originally built in 1924 and destroyed by
earthquake in 1925, The Santa Barbara
Center for the Performing Arts took over the
property in 1983, raised $60m, and spent
four years rebuilding the eight storied building
to its present grandeur with a state of the art
theatre. They’ve really out done themselves.
The quality of shows they produce is a tribute
to their efforts.
We shared a box with a young musician
Jeffrey, and his lady Louise, from Australia.
The show started with the shows sponsors
dancing across the stage to the music of
ujnews.com Page 7
George Gershwin, sung by Judy Garland.
The curtain lifted to an enchanting ballet
performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream
and the music of Mendelssohn, choreo-
graphed by Rodney Gustafson with the
staging by Ballet Masters Marina Fliagina
and Gary McKenzie but as much credit is
deserved by the artist/dancers themselves.
Their lithe bodies floating gracefully across
the stage was quite mesmerizing. A beautiful
performance!
This was followed by Sir George Martin
conducting the music he composed, The
Mission Chorales performed by the 120
Santa Barbara Choral Society with 26 or-
chestra members, including violins, violas,
and cellos. The audience was enthralled and
rewarded with a standing ovation.
After the intermission the ballet dancers
with the Choral Society and orchestra, this
time conducted by JoAnne Wasserman,
performed LoveLoveLove with music by Brooks and Kate Firestone with Lady Judy and Sir George Martin
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George at The Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara for the performance of
Harrison, arranged by Stephen Dormbek with LoveLoveLove.
soloist tenor Adam Phillips, choreography by
William Soleau; costumes by A Christina A huge wave nearly washed away our very missed. On the upside, www.britweek.
beloved pub Cameron’s Inn in Half Moon org 2010 starts April 22.
Giannini and Anaya Cullen. Best described
as an historic journey back to the 60s depict- Bay (make sure that too much froth doesn’t Amy you little darlin! It was 11:15pm
get in our beer, Cameron). when we saw you take gold. My arms went
ing the change and upheaval between the
Vietnam War, the Flower Children, and the Is it possible that Janette Rawlings has up as I lifted off the sofa, with an almighty
taken over The Lookout Bar and Grill from “Yes,” hitting the coffee table, falling over and
music that defined that era. An absolutely
superb performance that we hope will be Gary Richards and has already added a flattening a cat. (It’s OK. We’ve got another
woman’s touch: a couch, coffee table, one?!) A resounding well done Amy Williams,
performed again nationwide.
plants, and improved the menu by traveling capturing gold in women’s skeleton at the
As a footnote: I had just arrived in America
to Iceland once a week for Icelandic Cod. No Vancouver Olympics for GB, the first gold
in the late 60s and found this performance
spot-on. Interesting that none of the danc- excuse now not to get a visit from our friends since 1980 in Lake Placid, NY!!
Michael and Pamela Bennett of the British
ers had been born then. Which leads me to
believe if you can keep art alive then there’s Connection in Torrance, who luv their fish Continued on page 14, plus
and chips.
hope for us all. Karen and I can not thank you Karen’s Calendar
enough for this fun-tastic evening of music On a sad note we lost jazz saxophonist and
band leader, 82 year old Sir John Dankworth,
and dance. Thanks to the dozens of people
that put their heart and soul into this show. husband of jazz singer Dame Cleo Lane.
Dankworth studied at the Royal Academy of
CALL (800) 262-7302
May it live long for all to enjoy. Thanks to
everyone in Santa Barbara for another memo- Music from 1944 to 1946 and worked with
such jazz greats Nat King Cole and Ella
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See MOTHER’S DAY,
page 6 NATIONS 14
SUNDAY MARCH
~NOW TAKING RESERVATIO
NS~
RUGBY Join us for St Patrick’
s Day
3 Wednesday, March 17
Bagpiper, DJ, Green Beer,
SHOWN LIVE Special Menu