Bye bye everybody...the final blog!

By Simon Wright (Blogger of HappyDude88)

SO, WE have reached the conclusion of this journey and after 22 months, it is ‘Time to Say Goodbye.’  Or is it, ‘The Final Countdown.’  Either way, each song is good.

When I began my blog, first on LiveJournal, before switching to BlogSpot in February 2010, I thought this might only last six weeks/two months before I got bored.  However, I haven’t and I have enjoyed the majority of the content I have uploaded on here, even if some blogs were far more difficult to write than others.

Before I begin, I have had some questions on why I am stopping now and not continuing.  Well, there is a combination of reasons behind my decision.  First of all, this was something I decided back at the end of June, even before I started my work placement in London with Runner’s World magazine.  I was happy with the decision I made back then and although, admittedly, I’ve had a few doubts in recent weeks, I have to stick to what I decided back then.  If I continued into 2012, I would have felt that I needed to do another year of blogging, not say six months.  I don’t think I would have the time to do that.  Also, I am aware that 2012 poses some significant and massive challenges ahead of me.  I have five months left of my journalism degree at the University of Northampton and need to put 100 per cent focus onto finishing off my dissertation and beginning my TV filming on technology for my Individual Practical Project.  Time will be of the essence and I’m afraid, I’m not going to be able to give the blog the time and dedication it would deserve.  Plus, it is best that I went out on a high, rather than a low and see my standards decrease.  Therefore, it is best that I ended things now, rather than let the site decline.

Of course, there are lots of people to thank for supporting the website, giving me constructive or sometimes, damming criticism.  However, I can’t thank you all personally.  You do know who you are, but I don’t want to send anyone to sleep!  But, I do want to thank some people especially, who have supported me, helped me out and always been there for me over the past two years.

First person I want to thank is my brother, Jason Wright.  Over the past two years, Jason has provided extra content for this website on the world of entertainment.  He has been my entertainment expert.  His witty contributions to The X-Factor, Dancing on Ice and many award ceremonies have certainly added a good vibe to the site.  Jason will go on to start his own entertainment site in the New Year and I urge you all to follow it when I get the link up.  I hope you have as much enjoyment on your own site J, as I did with this one.

Jason is not the only writer who has produced a blog on this site.  A friend of mine through the days at Milton Keynes College, Charlie Gardiner wrote an Avatar review for the site, Rochelle Lye did a blog on Doctor Who for me and Robert Jones contributed a 2010 FIFA World Cup preview with me last year.  I want to thank them for helping the blog in its early stages, before me and Jason took things on in its later life.  Also, thank you to the followers of this blog and again, you know who you are.

Another friend of mate gave me the inspiration to move to BlogSpot in the first place, who deserves a mention and that is Anthony Ashfield.  I was at Milton Keynes College with Anthony or ‘Fat Tony’ as he is better known to his close friends and he suggested I should look at BlogSpot, rather than stick with the less frequent LiveJournal blog.  It was a brilliant bit of advice and I haven’t looked back since, so thank you to Anthony for giving me the encouragement to go with the right blogging provider.

Then, there’s Farida Zeynalova, a very good friend of mine on the journalism course at the University of Northampton.  Farida has always drummed up support for the blog, through her fantastic Twitter account, even going on to say that I have a ‘a big and aspiring future.’  Thanks for your help Farida with this; it really did mean a lot. 

Two more friends of mine at the University, Ellie Birmingham and Tamika Short have always been there for me on the course and on the site too.  I know personal columns and viewpoints were a big plus point of mine and it was Tamika’s funny personal views on her site that gave me the pulling power to give this kind of blog a go.  So, she inspired me while Ellie has been a brilliant friend for me and I know she enjoyed reading my personal blogs especially.  Thank you to both of you too for your kind words of support over the past two years.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who has done any kind of reading on the 660 blogs that have gone online.  Whether that was the personal blogs I did into my life, my obsession with Skins, the entertainment reviews from my brother, my regular reports on the 2010 and 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship and those major events in the news like the General Election, the Royal Wedding, the tsunami in Japan and the summer riots in the UK.

I knew this day was coming and I am feeling a bit emotional, but I have high hopes for my future.  In 2012, I want to show that to everyone and hope that this blog has given me the starting point to a better life.  I will still keep the site online, so if you want to check up on something then come onto this site, it won’t close.  I will also put together a University of Northampton 2011/12 page in due course, when I get more work back this year and who knows, I might pop up at some point in 2012 with a few special blogs.  However, regular updating is over now and I’m so pleased I’ve had the passion and commitment to contribute in recent years.  If you still want to get in touch with me, I am still available on Twitter at @HappyDude88.

So, that’s it folks.  There’s little else for me to say, except I wish everyone a safe and brilliant Christmas and a prosperous and exciting New Year.  It has been a pleasure to share my thoughts with you and after 660….that is it. 

Thank you again and goodbye!

HappyDude88

That was 2011...for me!

By Simon Wright (Personal piece)

I WENT into 2011 hoping to have a memorable year, one that I could lookback on full of positives.  As we head into the final ten days of another year, I have to reflect on what for me has been a turbulent year by any sense of the imagination.  There have been phenomenal highs, but also some lows which brought me close to the brink of making some serious errors of judgement.  Generally, I am very thankful that I have got through another year full of health and joy, but ultimately, feel it hasn’t quite lived up to the high expectations I set.

THE LOWS

Well, I thought I should start with the highs, but then it might be better to end it in a positive view.  The main problem has been not being able to settle at times and act as if something minor was the end of the world.  At my age now, I shouldn’t be making these misdemeanours and should be able to deal with life better.  Let’s be fair, life throws a lot at us and then there’s me – generally trying to blow things out of proportion.  That’s not a good sign!  A laptop charger not working is very annoying and frustrating; especially in the midst of a University year, but to go around everywhere feeling like the world has come to an end is not the right attitude.  In my case during 2011, when things went wrong, they generally went wrong for far too long by my liking.  I had a crisis of confidence in March and came very close to walking away from my second year at University.  Looking back at it now, I’m glad that I got pushed into such a position, because it made the final two months of my course go very swimmingly and made me change my outlook on how I was approaching matters.  March’s issues began with a failed laptop charger, combined with a severe lack of motivation to do any work, my general displeasure at the lack of contact with my lecturers, then a severe falling out with a close friend of mine where I really did get the wrong end of a comment and showed my raging or ranting colours shall we say.  After a weekend away from it all, I came back to Northampton a better person, stronger individual and appreciating things far more.  Those who are on my course at Uni can vouch that I was a different person throughout April and May, a time where everything did go right.  In October, things went rotten again.  This time, it was more difficult to explain.  I guess I felt everything was so distant and once again, the lengthy summer break hadn’t done me any favours.  Things got so bad; I needed a three week break from Facebook and what a relief that was.  Facebook had taken over so much and by having the extended break made November not only flyby, but made my life easier.  I now also know that I can cope without Facebook and I’m proud of that.  Twitter is the way to communicate now, especially for my professional career I hope to build in future.  As for Facebook, well I still use it, but it isn’t the attitude of desperation now; more a luxury.  These dips in my morale, confidence and attitude could have wrecked me, but on both occasions, I feel like I turned satisfying corners and that’s a good thing.

THE HIGHS

The Balestra nights out in May were wonderful memories

For me, there are four highs that standout personally for me over the course of the past twelve months.  First, was the two consecutive Thursday nights that as a journalism group, we went out together to the Balestra nightclub.  It was May time and everyone was rushing around to finish projects and beat deadlines.  As I would say, I was as cool as an ice cube and had everything handed in and organised days before!  The nightlife experience was brilliant, because I doubted whether we could do something as a group like go out, dance, drink champagne and have a memorable night/nights.  I’d forgotten what a good night out was upto that point.  I have so many great memories from those nights out on the 11^th and 18^th May and something I will take away from when we graduate next summer.  I’d like to think that we might do a few more like this in the remaining weeks of our degree in 2012.

The page I did that got into RW's October magazine

     Secondly was my work placement experience in London.  I was so nervous in the middle of July, when I went to Runner’s World magazine, part of the NatMags Company.  I didn’t know what to expect, how the staff would be around someone like me, let’s say – not your average everyday person.  There was no need to worry.  I had a brilliant fortnight with everyone there, got on well with 99 per cent of the staff, understood and undertook the tasks given to me with minimum fuss and gained a lot more skills and confidence than what I could have ever imagined.  Some of my work even got into October’s edition of the magazine, something very precious for my portfolio.  I see Runner’s World as the first stepping stone into my future career.

     Thirdly, it was working on the group project documentary for one of my journalism modules.  I had so much fun filming and especially, editing the project with massive contribution from the likes of Tamika Short and Chris Ola within our work.  It didn’t quite get the A grade we were hoping for, but it is the best piece of work I did in 2011 and the one piece in my two years that I take so much pride and place out of.  I am my strongest critic and always have been.  Looking back at my second year work at Uni; it did feel like a case of ‘not good enough, could do better,’ especially from some of the constructive and very harsh feedback I received.  However, I don’t think there was much else I could have done better on the documentary, which leaves me full of vindication and satisfaction.

Enjoying my summer holiday in Fuerteventura

     Lastly, the family summer holiday to Fuerteventura was amazing and the timing couldn’t have been better.  At the start of the year, I didn’t think I’d have time for a family holiday, then decided in April after a hard day at Uni; ‘Nuts to this, I need one!’  I left the country two days after the heist of the UK riots which were sweeping across the country.  I never wanted to leave England so badly and when Fuerteventura was over, part of me never wanted to come back to England.  It’s the first time I’ve ever felt like that after a foreign holiday.  I loved it out there, was so relaxed and really do feel like that in the future, I have a place where I can return for a break, or even set up some sort of holiday home.  So, if things get tough in later life, I can just say; ‘I need to go to Fuerteventura!’  Sorry, but it beats Yarmouth, Dover or Portugal hands down!  (P.S: No offence to any people from those destinations who read this.)

OVERALL FEELING

Am I pleased with how this year has gone?  Generally, it’s been okay.  Could it have been better?  Yes it could have, I mean, I still don’t have a clear future in mind, still single (AGAIN!) and world events this year were pretty grim to witness or hear/read about.

How would I sum up my 2011?  Character building and turbulent, with some great memories and periods where I would rather just forget I existed.

Thanks for reading my thoughts!    

That was 2011...in news

STUDYING journalism at University, it is essential to keep updated on the latest news around the world, no matter if it has any influence on you.  2011 has been one of the most dramatic news years in recent times, but sadly – there were a lot of dark forces and the stories don’t lie.  Natural disasters, media revelations, economic crisis, uprisings in a new world and man-made riots made it a fairly depressing year for many.

         The heart of Japan was ripped out in March by a devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country.  An 8.9 earthquake on the Richter scale; the most powerful in Japan’s history was followed by a 30ft tsunami which swept away everything in its path.  Cars, people, buildings stood absolutely no chance against Mother Nature’s deadly power.  Many thousands were killed and it is unlikely that the total death toll will ever be recorded, due to the sheer destruction.  It was a year when natural disasters sadly came right to the forefront again.  Flash flooding recently has claimed the lives of 500 people in the Philippines; Brazil was hit by massive landslides which left 15,000 homeless in January.  Australia had to bring in the military following widespread flooding in Queensland and Brisbane, which left at least 25 people dead and nearby neighbours New Zealand were left reeling by the earthquake in Christchurch in February which left over 100 dead.   

         Back at home and the media had its own cross examinations, in the form of a gulfing scandal.  The phone hacking scandal not only stained the reputation of the British print industry, but it has left it with a lot of damage to attempt recovery from.  Andy Coulson, who was David Cameron’s former press aide, was arrested and the chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, eventually resigned from her tainted position.  The Murdoch’s faced severe interrogation from MPs over the actions of rogue journalists, which spelt the end for the News of the World newspaper in July.  The voicemails of murdered teen Milly Dowler were hacked into and many celebrities, including Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and Andy Gray reported cases of their conversations being taped.  The Leveson enquiry into this summer’s distasteful events is being held at the moment, but the implications are still far reaching for the press sector of media.

         In America, the former doctor of Michael Jackson, Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.  He has since been sentenced to four years in prison.  Meanwhile, student Amanda Knox was cleared on appeal on the murder of fellow British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia.  Knox had spent four years in jail, having been initially convicted in 2007.  

      America also said goodbye to the Space Shuttle, as Atlantis made its final mission in July.  Having been in service for 30 years, the reusable spacecraft has been retired after some success and devastating disasters in American space exploration history.  In Europe, an economic meltdown has seen the Euro on the brink of collapse.  Greece, Ireland and Portugal have asked for emergency bailouts and a recent EU treaty proposal was rejected by David Cameron, which has left Britain playing a dangerous game, but a correct game against Europe.  It has seen tensions rise in the coalition though.  The Liberal Democrats might be at war with the Conservatives with this, but they also lost the AV vote referendum and suffered severe losses in May’s local elections.  In 2010, Nick Clegg was on a crest on a wave, but now, he is among one of the most unpopular politicians ever to have walked in Downing Street!

        The springtime brought about a changing of the guard in the Arab world.  It started with the rebellion in Tunisia, which led to their president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fleeing to Saudi Arabia.  Bahrain’s government also faced upheaval, but survived.  Hosni Mubarak wasn’t so lucky and after weeks of tense fighting and standoff in Cairo, he fled from his position as Egyptian president.  However, there is still great uncertainly about Egypt’s future direction.  Syria, Algeria and Saudi Arabia have also seen scenes of demonstrations in 2011, but it was Libya where the biggest change happened.  Colonel Gadaffi’s cruel regime finally came under stiff attack as world leaders called for him to depart graciously.  Gadaffi held on and declared war; Cameron, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy reacted and air strikes began on the country, with NATO been called in to help out.  After months of struggle, Gadaffi was captured and killed in September and a new dawn of promise and hope for Libyans might well be on, after years of torture and doom.     

          At the beginning of May, international terrorism came back into the headlines and the world became just a little bit safer.  Barack Obama confirmed the news that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  The Al-Qaeda figurehead was captured and shot dead by US troops in Pakistan; a decade after the search for him began following the September 11^th terrorist attacks.  Ten years on, it will never bring back those who died in the appalling mass murder in America; nor those who suffered in Bali, Istanbul and London in years gone by, but a sense of justice could now be felt.  Despite Bin Laden’s death, terrorism still remains at the forefront of our lives.  In July, Anders Behring Breivik blew up government offices in Oslo, Norway and then, dressed as a policeman, committed a shooting rampage on Utoya Island, where many youngsters were spending a summer holiday at camp.  Around 70 people were thought to have been killed in the two attacks.  More recently, a man threw explosives in Liege, Belgium.  Four died and the gunman took his own life after the four explosions rocked the city centre.    

         In April, Britain had a wonderful day, as millions watched in London and on TV the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  It was a perfect day and put a lot of affection back into our hearts for the Royal Family.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are now officially known brought a tear to many people’s eyes to show that our country can really do something that we should be proud of.

     Four months later, the dark side really came to the force as the UK riots stunned us all.  The shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham began a chain of events within London and spread across many other areas of the UK on a miserable Monday evening in August.  Businesses were destroyed, damage estimated to be in the billions and the leadership seemed to be lacking from the coalition; all on holiday at the time the riots escalated.  Several people died and record arrests were made, as police struggled to control the loonies who were causing such destruction on our country.  The riots disgusted many and brought shame on a worldwide scale.  The cost is still being felt now. 

       One of the greatest geniuses died in October, as founder and visionary of Apple, Steve Jobs lost his battle against pancreatic cancer.  The world also said goodbye to singer Amy Winehouse, found dead in her London apartment in July.  Elizabeth Taylor, the renowned actress passed away from ill health in March, as did Coronation Street icon Betty Driver in October.  Sport also lost three heroes in Wales’s football manager Gary Speed, who took his own life, former heavyweight world champion Joe Frazier to cancer and double Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon, killed in a horrific 15 car pile-up at the IndyCar season finale in Las Vegas. 

           2011 has been a year full of revelations, rebellion and change.  It has brought some cheer, some justice but also, a lot of devastation and uncertainly.  That was 2011….in news.

A brutal battle remembered....

IT HAS gone down as one of the most brutal and sensational boxing bouts ever, but the fight for the title would soon be forgotten, by its tragic aftermath.  16 years on, a documentary to be screened on ITV tomorrow evening will look back at the consequences of this fight, the memories of it and the everyday struggle that Gerald McClellan has in his life.

       On Saturday February 25, 1995, McClellan fought Nigel Benn for the title of WBC Super Middleweight champion.  Benn, known in his boxing days as ‘The Dark Destroyer,’ was part of a fine crop of British boxers in the mid 90s, which included Steve Collins, Chris Eubank and of course, the great Frank Bruno.  McClellan, from Illinois in America was already the WBC middleweight champion and was moving up in weight level to challenge Benn for his bout.  Up to this point, he had only lost twice in his career.  Experts in America gave Benn little hope of overcoming McClellan, whilst Nigel was dependent on the partisan crowd in Docklands, London giving him the extra incentive he needed.  Over 10,000 people attended the fight and an estimated 17 million people tuned into ITV for Big Fight Live.  This was to be a fight that no-one would forget, but the aftermath would completely overshadow the excitement of the contest.

      McClellan started strongly, seemingly wanting to finish things early.  He knocked Benn through the ropes within 35 seconds of the first round; Benn hit the television monitors and he almost needed a push from ITV boxing reporter Gary Newbon to help him recover and get back into the ring.  Somehow, he was given a slow count and allowed to continue in the fight.  In an interview with ITV in 2007, Benn recalls this moment; “I remember him hitting me, I went back and then he punched me again.  I felt my ligaments and my neck stretching out of the ring.”

      As the bout continued, the sparring got more explosive.  Both boxers were pounding each other in dramatic fashion, in a battle that was turning into an all-time classic.  Having recovered his momentum, Benn was fighting back, but McClellan responded and knocked his competitor down in the eighth round.  Surely, it was all over, but inside the minds of both, they were seriously struggling.  Nigel recounts this and wasn’t prepared to quit; “Even when he put me down in the eighth, I still had to win.  For the life I wanted to have, I had to win to secure my family’s life.” 

        McClellan had never been past the eighth round in a fight before and was starting to look more exhausted every time he returned to his corner.  At the start of the tenth, Benn knocked him down rather tamely.  McClellan looked dazed and was shaking his head.  The referee counted him out.  At the time of the stoppage, two of the point’s judges had McClellan infront, the other a draw.  On the other side of the ring, Benn celebrated his triumph, as did the entire arena rooting for the Brit.  McClellan slowly got up to his feet, looking in severe trouble.  Benn was ecstatic but also looked rather animated.  As Newbon went to interview the winner, Nigel started ranting live on TV, he did look seriously wound up, the adrenaline still burning after his victory.  Out of the corner of his eye, Newbon could spot that McClellan had slipped off his stool and was losing consciousness.  With the end of their programme looming, Newbon quickly tried to wrap his interview up and hand back to Jim Rosenthal, saying “We’re going to wrap this interview up because we’ve got a serious problem here with Gerald McClellan.”      

      Gerald McClellan had collapsed in his corner and lost consciousness.  A stretcher came into the ring and he was rushed to hospital where it was discovered that he had developed a blood clot on his brain.  He remained in a coma for 11 days, requiring emergency surgery to even survive.  It was a devastating end to a gripping contest.

      Today, Gerald McClellan uses a wheelchair to get around, although unlike another boxer who got seriously injured in the ring, Michael Watson in 1991, he still has some movement in his legs.  He is completely blind and lost around 80 per cent of his hearing.  His three sisters take care of him.  Nigel Benn was never the same fighter after this bout and lost his title in March 1996.  Two weak defeats to Steve Collins the following year prompted his retirement from the ring.  He now lives in Majorca with his family, with religion taking a strong place in his heart once his boxing career finished. 

      In February 2007, Nigel Benn met Gerald McClellan for the first time since their fight in 1995.  It was an emotional moment for Nigel, as he organised and hosted a benefit dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel in London to help with McClellan’s ongoing medical expenses.  A total of $175,000 was raised on the night as several pieces of memorabilia were auctioned off.  Astronomical medical bills mean that all of McClellan’s earnings as a professional boxer have gone and his family rely on donations through the Gerald McClellan Trust to help with paying for his medical bills.  The address to donate is below;      

Gerald McClellan Trust

C/O Fifth Third Bank

PO Box 120

Freeport, IL 61032

Sport is always competitive and always has been.  Sometimes, people will do anything to win, even if it against the rules.  However, there are occasions where battles sadly end in tragic circumstances.  Gerald McClellan should always be remembered as a talented prospect whose career ended in such a sad and unfair way.  Even now, sixteen years on – seasoned boxing experts will never forget this fight, or Gerald McClellan’s legacy on boxing and his battle to see him in the best care possible today.

London wins 2017 World Athletics bid

THE future of the Olympic Stadium in London is secure after they won the rights to stage the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships.  It will be the first time that Britain has hosted these championships since the concept began in Helsinki way back in 1983.  Britain’s bid came out on top at a World Athletics gala dinner in Monte Carlo last Friday.  It beat a strong bid from Doha, Qatar by 16 votes to 10.  The prestigious event will be staged in the £496 million Olympic stadium, ensuring use for a glorious setting after next year’s Olympics.

DELEGATION: The 2017 team were successful in their bid

       Lord Coe, Denise Lewis and the Mayor of London Boris Johnson were all present at the announcement and reacted with delight and relief at the fact that another top sporting class event will be heading to these shores.  Coe said; “We’ve got the Olympics in 2012, the world athletics championships in 2017 and world championships in virtually all other sports.  It’s an extraordinary clean sweep for British sport.”

       Back in London, David Cameron expressed his satisfaction at overcoming a strong Qatar bid, as the rich oil country was denied a second major sporting event after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup last December.  “There is no better way to follow the Olympics and to build on its legacy, than by welcoming the world’s greatest athletes back to London for the 2017 World Championships.”

         It will strengthen Britain’s armoury of hosting some of the biggest world events over the next decade.  Wembley recently got the news that it will stage the 2013 UEFA Champions League final, after this year’s success.  The Rugby World Cup in 2015, the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2019 Cricket World Cup will also be hosted in the UK.  Sports minister Hugh Robertson had previously said that the Olympic Stadium would remain, despite the prospect of no sport being played after West Ham withdraw from a contentious plan to use the stadium for football after the Olympics in 2012.  On Friday, Robertson’s theory was proven right and he said; “I am delighted that London has won the rights to hosts the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships.  Our bid showed the passion that our nation has for athletics and this will leave a fantastic legacy for the sport.”

         Despite being favourites going into the vote, there were no guarantees, especially with the money Qatar has at its disposal.  On this occasion, tradition and legacy has won and rightly so.  UK Athletics is on a crest of a wave and London will be brilliant hosts in 2017.

The end of the road for Nicole and Lewis

THEY were one of the closest and famous partnerships in the world of showbiz, but after four years together, time has been called on the relationship between Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton.

      McLaren Formula One ace Hamilton, 25, confirmed the frenzied speculation of the past week was true and that the pair had gone their separate ways.  Speaking to reporters in the build-up to this weekend’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix, he said; “We’re friends at least and we can move forward.  It’s never easy going through tough times.  These times are sent to try you, and it’s about how you pull through them.” 

      The Brit, who has had a tough season on the track, has spent some time away from the fast lane with his family and he seemed to be in more positive spirits on arrival at the Buddah International Circuit.  At the last event in Korea two weeks ago, he looked miserable and downbeat all weekend, which had already suggested that the relationship with his popstar princess had already, ran into trouble.  Despite the behind the scenes turmoil, Hamilton broke the Red Bull run of pole positions in South Korea last time out and finished second to reigning champion Sebastian Vettel in the race.  It will be interesting to see how the separation affects or benefits his driving.  He has won two races this season and is hoping to close up on the likes of Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber this weekend in the drivers’ championship.

OVER: Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger's relationship has hit the skids

     There were times when it looked like Hamilton and Scherzinger were the perfect match, despite the age gap between them.  The American singer is currently in London, preparing for a performance of her latest new single ‘Try with Me’ in Sunday night’s live results show of the X-Factor.  She is also booked in for an appearance on Alan Carr’s chatshow programme, Chatty Man on Channel 4, due to also be screened on Sunday.  Nicole has not commented on the spilt, with close friends just saying that the decision had been very amicable last week.  It is believed that the reason for the parting of ways was because of the long-distance working pressures between the pair.

      Scherzinger, 33, is currently judging on the US version of the X-Factor, with certain sources of the media suggesting that she is seeking comfort from Welsh presenter of the show, Steve Jones.  She has had immense success in the UK with her debut solo album ‘Killer Love,’ soaring to the top of the charts with hit singles such as ‘Right There,’ ‘Poison,’ and ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath.’  Her relationship with Hamilton has gone down rocky roads in the past, as they did have a brief separation in January 2010.  Her role in Lewis’s life has also been seen as a catalyst in the decline of the racing driver’s close relationship with his Dad, Anthony.  They first got together in Monaco in 2008, with the former Pussycat Doll cheering for her boyfriend when he sensationally won the 2008 F1 championship on the final corner of the Brazilian Grand Prix.  They were last seen together in public at a Grand Prix event back in Monaco in May.  During the summer, both denied a possible engagement through the social networking site, Twitter.

       It is a sad ending for one of the most well-known and well-liked celebrity couples.  Let’s hope both can put aside the difficult time in their private lives at the weekend and produce electric performances in London and India.  

HappyDude's Inspirational People - Alex Zanardi

By Simon Wright - Human Interest Piece

FOR many, they will have never heard of the name Alex Zanardi.  However, he is one of the most inspirational people I know and is a perfect example of battling back from shocking luck and still being determined to succeed at the top level.  Zanardi, 44, switched sports last summer from motorsport to hand biking, which is a form of Paralympics cycling.  He aims to win gold for Italy at next summer’s Paralympics in London.  If he does achieve this incredible feat, it will complete a remarkable and brilliant story.

     It was ten years ago this month that Zanardi suffered his shocking moment of grave misfortune.  Four days after the terrorist attacks in the United States, Zanardi was competing for Mo Nunn Racing in the ‘American Memorial’ event on the Lausitzring circuit in Germany; CART’s first European event for years.  In 2001, he had struggled for consistent form, but came through from 21^st on the grid to lead the race, setting fastest lap in the process.  After a late fuel stop, the former double CART champion spun on the pitlane exit and back onto the racetrack.  He was narrowly avoided by Patrick Carpentier, but Alex Tagliani wasn’t so lucky.  The impact was absolutely horrific, with Zanardi’s car ripped apart.  In the incident, he tragically lost both his legs; one above and one below his knees.  Tagliani luckily only suffered back pain in the crash.  For a while, it looked like Alex had lost his life, but rapid medical intervention from the Champ Car doctors and Zanardi’s ability to fight on saw him survive one of the worst crashes ever in the history of open-wheel racing.

UNSUCCESSFUL: Zanardi's 1999 season with Williams was a disaster

    Before Lausitzring 2001, Zanardi had achieved immense success in the US Champ Car series.  He raced for Chip Ganassi between 1996-1998, winning the ‘rookie of the year’ award in 1996 and two titles in 1997 and 1998.  His Formula One career was sadly less successful.  He raced for Jordan, Minardi, Lotus and Williams over two different stints, but only ever scored one championship point for sixth place in the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix.  After his first stint in CART, Zanardi went back to F1 with a high reputation, but he had a nightmare 1999 season with Williams.  Seventh place at Monza was his best finish, with 11 retirements from 16 events.  No points against Ralf Schumacher’s 35 saw Sir Frank Williams terminate Zanardi’s contract in preference to 20-year old British sensation Jenson Button.

    Following a determined rehabilitation programme, Zanardi felt he wasn’t finished with racing after the accident and had unfinished business to conquer.  Two years after his crash, he returned to Germany to compete the final 13 laps he was unable to do in 2001.  Had he raced in the 03 event, he would have qualified a staggering fifth on the grid!  A year later, Alex returned to motorsport full-time, by competing in a hand-controlled BMW touring car in the European Touring Car championship.  In 2005, he won a reverse grid event in France in a series that had now been renamed as the World Touring Car championship.  Always a popular figure in any motorsport paddock, he went onto win events in Istanbul in 2006 and back-to-back triumphs in Brno, Czech Republic in 2008 and 2009.  At the end of the 2009 season, having proved his point and showed triumph over adversity, Zanardi decided to retire from all forms of motorsport.

CHALLENGE: Zanardi is one of those people who loves a challenge

    In between his racing, Zanardi did compete in the handcycle division at the New York marathon in 2007, finishing a stunning fourth, having only trained briefly for the event.  He has since turned this into a new sport, rather than an excessive hobby.  In the last two years, Zanardi has won the Venice and Rome City marathons in the wheelchair category and is now aiming high at competing for Italy at next summer’s Paralympics in London.

     Alex Zanardi is one of the most inspirational people I have ever heard of.  His desire and willingness to not let a crushing incident like he suffered on that overcast, German afternoon in September 2001 deserves full recognition.  I am inspired by his story, and I really hope he gets to achieve his new goal of competing at the Paralympics next summer.  This is the ultimate story of bravery and courage against total adversity.  

Everyone makes mistakes

By Simon Wright (Personal Piece)

THE gun goes off twice to indicate a false start and shock sweeps through the world.  The commentators scream in disbelief, millions of television viewers around the globe are left stunned into silence and over 60,000 spectators in the Daegu stadium in South Korea can’t quite believe what they have just seen.  The unflappable, likeable, cool Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt has just false started by miles.  The men’s 100m, expected to be a case of how fast Bolt will run has just been blown wide open.  Under the new, tight IAAF regulations, Bolt is disqualified.  He rips his Jamaican shirt off his torso, probably thinking why did I do that?  This incident alone yesterday just shows the point that everyone makes mistakes.

     Some people in life will claim that they’ve done nothing wrong, have no regrets in life and think they are absolutely perfect.  Hello, wake up and smell the coffee!!  Everyone has made an error of judgement before, no matter how big or small it is.  It’s life, ‘Pobody’s Nerfect!’

    

Mistakes can vary in sizes and form.  Here is a list of several potential examples;

• Someone making a bad career choice.  For example, thinking you can be a top chef and wreck Jamie Olivier’s career, only to realise that you can’t even cook microwave pizza and would never succeed in running a top London restaurant.  Oops!
• A drunken one-night stand, which many have probably done over the years.  Yes, it probably feels great when you have consumed gallons of tasty alcohol, but the next morning, it is bound to be a massive regret.  Plus, if you are in a secure relationship, the consequences are likely to be far more severe.  What were you thinking!
• Deciding to install a popular computer programme to continue competing with the technological times.  Hours later, your laptop simply won’t load up and nothing is backed up either.  Oh why oh why did I do that, I’m an idiot!
• As a football manager, making a bold tactical gamble to win a game, which you end up losing.  Don’t rub your hair furiously like Arsene Wenger!  Be a man and own up to your mistakes via the press.  Real-life or on Football Manager.  Yes, I totally lost the plot there!
• Getting home from the supermarket, unpack your shopping and think, oh nuts, I forgot to buy the crucial ingredient for dinner tonight.  With no money left, that chicken curry isn’t going to taste right now.  Don’t bother with Come Dine with me then, unless you want to be embarrassed.
• Getting out of your car, and putting the wrong type of petrol in!  Ah damn it; I knew it should have been unleaded fuel, not stupid diesel!  Oh no, that Mercedes car is going to pay for my clumsiness. 

Okay, it’s time to open up my closet of some of the daft errors/mistakes I’ve made down the years.  Those who know me must think I’m just an accident waiting to happen.

• Live streaming on illegal websites.  I know it’s dodgy, but when you begin, you think; ‘Ah, no problem, life’s all good.’  Then, when you check your latest anti-virus scan (like I did in April this year) and locate 272 potential deadly viruses, you realise, I made things far too critical.  I’ve learnt my lesson from that, but unfortunately – my current laptop probably will never recover from its previous healthy state.
• Aged 11 on my first foreign holiday in Lanzarote.  It’s December 30 and I see a Virtual Striker football machine.  Time to see if I can play for Brazil haha!  I start walking towards the games room, without realising there are a pair of glass doors in the way.  Ouch! That hurt and it did!  I tried brandy to cure the pain moments later.  Well, it eased the pain but then, I threw up at breakfast the next morning.  One alcoholic drink I must stay away from in future.
• I got mediocre AS level results, and saw the opportunity to go on a BTEC National Diploma Media Production course at Milton Keynes College.  Rather than go for it, I dither about it and by the time I want to go there, all places on the year’s course has gone.  I had to stick it out for another year at Radcliffe Secondary School, in the sixth form!  Wasn’t my smartest move, but luckily, it all turned out good and if I had gone a year earlier, I won’t have met my amazing friends on my journalism course at the University of Northampton.  Remember to put your career choices first before friend preference everybody!
• Saying things in the heat of the moment, when you think; ‘I’m right and you’re wrong, shut the #### up, I’m talking sense!’  Moments later, you think; ‘Why did I say that?’ and are forced to make a grovelling apology to the friend/colleague you just insulted.  It has happened to me time and again and is probably the one mistake I constantly make.  Fortunately, after another unsavoury incident earlier this year, I have managed to control this issue far greater.

     Of course, when you make a mistake, you must learn from the error of your ways and not do it again.    Like I said, no-one is perfect, we’ve all slipped up and we just have to accept the mistakes we’ve made and learn from them.  If you do, we become better people.  As we’ve seen from Usain Bolt in the last 24 hours and my own collection, hold your hands up and come back stronger.  It makes you stronger people.

The UK riots - My view

By Simon Wright (Personal column)

SO, ‘BROKEN Britain’ lies in ruins after last week’s horrific scenes of rioting and looting across the country.  Note to toy manufacturers, no batteries have been included in these burnt out shops, homes and businesses.  Some shops look like the burnt out shell that was The Loft nightclub after the 2009 fire in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, whilst others remain open for business as if last week was a storm in a teacup.

     It wasn’t though.  Approximately 3,000 arrests have been made by police, with at least 60 per cent of these having been charged for the crimes.  The damage is likely to end up reaching £1billion pounds and it is a dreadful promotion for the capital city, with the 2012 Olympics now less than a year away.  Chelsea Ives, one of the rioters, was an Olympic ambassador.  That’s an embarrassing image sight for the organisers and I’m pleased the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has backed us.  I’m shocked to realise that we have so many idiots in our country.  London was the worst hit, but there were also severe disturbances in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol, with minor damage reported in Nottingham, Gloucester, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Milton Keynes and West Bromwich.  So, why did we end up all fearing for the establishments we live and love last week in the worst riots seen in this country for many a generation.  Many reasons have been given, which I will go into detail later on in this blog.

     First of all, as I tuned into Sky throughout Monday night last week, I was appalled to see what was happening.  It shook me to a core and I felt sick to the stomach.  Anger was building up inside me; as the pictures saw London look like a disaster movie, with many industries looking as battered and bruised as you would if you’d taken on Mike Tyson in his prime.  I was leaving the country in 48 hours time and when I heard of trouble reaching my own hometown, I started to wonder what I would come back to.  Luckily, it has calmed down since then, but the damage has been done and left so many heartbreaking stories.

    Ashrof Rassle is brave to say he still loves this country and wants to stay.  The Malaysian student is recovering in hospital after he was attacked and robbed on the streets by thugs.  The video was recorded and uploaded to YouTube and is an absolutely disgraceful act.  I feel massively for Trevor Reeves, who could only watch in horror as his local furniture store burnt down in Croydon.  It had survived two World Wars and lived through four generations of family, what a tragic way for the business to end.  Then there’s Richard Bowes, who was attempting to remonstrate yobs that set fires to bins near his home in Ealing, only to be beaten to death in an act of cynical behaviour.  Finally, there are the three young lads in Birmingham, who were protecting their livelihoods (businesses and mosques) and ultimately paid the price, with their lives.  I’m so proud to see the community of Birmingham come together at a time of such overwhelming tragedy.    

     The government has taken a load of stick for their handling of the carnage to have descended on the UK and some of it is fully merited.  More organisation has to be used around holidays, with rotas the only way forward.  I’m sorry, but you cannot have the five main figureheads of the country (Home Secretary, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Mayor of London and Chancellor) on holiday at exactly the same time.  The one politician I did feel sorry for was Boris Johnson.  He was heckled in the streets, but he was trying to help and also got involved in the cleanup in Clapham.  It got worse when Boris was bullied in an interview last Tuesday night (August 9) by ITN anchor and Daily Mirror columnist Mark Austin.  Johnson did really well to get his points across, despite Austin’s ignorant attempts to butt into his answers.  The way he handled the interview was very professional and dignified.  As for Austin, it was a foul piece of journalism and a bad example of how to do it.  For me, a respected news anchor dropped the ball here.

     As the week has progressed, I have been deeply unimpressed by the way David Cameron has handled this national crisis.  If I knew he was going to be this bad, maybe he should have stayed in Tuscany after all, sipping his precious cappuccino!  Despite the destruction, he still wants to cut 16,000 jobs on the police front.  What on earth is he doing!  Has he had his eyes shut throughout?  If anything, we need more police on the frontline as the anarchy broke out.  I’m afraid Mr. Cameron has been just as clueless of late as Arsene Wenger!  One message to Dave; I’m sure they do decent deals on priceless coffees at Starbucks if you really are that desperate for a caffeine boost!

     Last Thursday, he did say this in an emergency Commons debate; “And to the lawless minority, the criminals who have taken what they can get.  I say this, we will track you down, we will find you, we will charge you, we will punish you.  You will pay for what you have done.”  At least he has stuck to that, with magistrates working 24 hours a day to send a lot of the criminals into prison cells for their actions.  However, boot camps might have to be the way forward, because it might teach all of them a lesson in how to behave.  Any confidence I had in the coalition government has disintegrated.  Nick Clegg looks like a spare part, George Osbourne would rather be somewhere else rather than the House of Commons half the time and Theresa May is under huge pressure now, probably fighting a losing battle for her job.

     Now onto those who caused so much damage, fear and grief to the innocent.  It is inexcusable what they have done and an utter disgrace.  This was thuggery of the highest order.  Some don’t look sorry at all – I’ve heard stories of them smirking in court and laughing away without a care in the world.  You are a disgrace to society and I only wish we had bigger wheelie bins to tip you into!  I say to the courts, lock them up and throw away the key.  Boo hoo that you can’t afford the latest Nike Pegasus trainers, a Dell laptop or a 4-pack of Carlsberg Special Brew – it’s a tough life and we have all had to make sacrifices in the recession.  If you don’t like it, we don’t need you in the country, bugger off onto another planet!

    Despite some of the compensation packages that have been set-up by the government for affected businesses, it will end up being us that pays for most of the damage, not the loonies who did the damage.  Most taxpayers wouldn’t mind seeing these clowns having benefits and hand-outs being taken away from them.  It might help them learn, though that’s unlikely. 

    The parents need to take some responsibility too for the actions of their children.  For some of the criminals, running back to Daddy is probably the best option.  Oh wait, your Daddy probably encouraged you or is getting smashed out of his head at the local watering establishment!  The parents must take more control of their kid’s actions.  I’m pleased to have seen many parents hand their kids into the police.  Well done to you, no matter how hard it must have been, you’ve done the right thing.  To those parents who are protecting their violent youngsters, hang your head in shame, because you are not much better!

    Historian David Starkey will also probably need to find a new occupation.  His comments on last week’s edition of Newsnight have no place on television and he’d better hope that TalkSport offer him a place on their radio programming for sporting history.  After all, they seem to accept those disgraced professionals who make barbaric comments on TV.  Richard Keys and Andy Gray spring to mind!

     After what has happened last week, I have to ask myself, do I want to be a part of this country anymore?  I have to question it.  Our country might recover – but it will take lots of work to repair the burnt-out buildings and shattered glass windows.  I’m afraid, unless these police cuts are reviewed, the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) is restored and parents take more responsibility, this could easily happen again anytime soon.

     Lastly of course, my symphonies go out to those who have lost loved ones and been significantly affected by these devastating riots.

London riots escalate

ONLOOK: Riot police watch a fancy dress shop on fire in Clapham

FEAR, astonishment and disgust are amongst the emotions for many British citizens after the dramatic pictures and videos last night.  For the third successive night, the police were fighting a losing battle against hundreds of violent gangs, simply intent on causing as much destruction and damage as possible.  Hundreds of arrests have been made as London begins to count the cost of the damage.  Homes and businesses have been looted and set ablaze as British society faces upto its biggest problem for many decades.  Prime Minister David Cameron has had no choice but to cut short his summer holiday in Italy and make pleas for calm.  Tonight, 15,000 policemen will be out on the streets of London, but the trouble has now also descended outside the capital.  There were major disturbances in Birmingham last night, along with minor skirmishes in Liverpool, Nottingham and Bristol.

     The trouble began at the weekend in Tottenham, after the shooting of Mark Duggan by police last Thursday.  It spread to Ealing and Brixton on Sunday, with cars being smashed up, shops looted and set on fire, with police seemingly standing back and allowing the mob to take whatever possessions they felt like.  Yesterday, the initial trouble began in Hackney, as hundreds of youths attacked riot police and looted stores in broad daylight.  As the Hackney situation was brought under control, fires began in Peckham, with a Greggs store and a local electrical shop set ablaze; the gangs having no regard for the safety of innocent bystanders.  As YouTube footage came in of a man having his bag pack ransacked, dripping blood on the pavement floor, more London boroughs were targeted.  Gangs flooded the high street at Lewisham, once again, torching cars and looting stores at almost freewill. 

     At Clapham Junction, remarkable footage came in from a Sky News reporter close to the scene of a Ladbrokes store being robbed, with windows smashed, cash points targeted and a plasma TV being hauled off the wall.  Amazingly, it seemed like these idiots were being cheered on by people who found it funny!  The spread of violence has come through organised rumours on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, as well as the BlackBerry private messenger service.  Research in Motion, the Canadian company that owns BlackBerry has promised it will help police to catch those responsible.  In Croydon, a large local furniture store was set on fire and destroyed in one of the most dramatic images of the evening.  The owner is devastated, as it was a business that had gone through four generations of his family.  168 years of graft all burnt out in less than half an hour.

     Prime Minister Cameron has faced a barrage of criticism for his lack of response to the dire situation.  CNN figurehead Piers Morgan wasn’t impressed on Twitter; “Now Cameron’s finally woken up, he should recall Parliament NOW.  This is a national emergency and the British public need protecting.”  This morning, the PM held a meeting with the police and under-fire Home Secretary Theresa May, before revealing in a statement that parliament will be recalled on Thursday for one day.  London Mayor Boris Johnson and Labour leader Ed Miliband are also returning home early from their summer breaks. 

     May went on BBC breakfast this morning to refute claims that heavy-hitting police tactics should be the order of the day, rejecting calls for the army and water cannons to be used, which would be a first in this country.  Yesterday, she pledged that those responsible will face strict action;

“I want to be clear – those responsible for the violence and looting will be made to face the consequences of their actions.”

     The outrage on social networking sites was clear from many shocked onlookers watching on their television screens.  Journalism student at the University of Northampton Chris Ola told me via Twitter the implications will be felt for many; “I can understand the outrage over the police killing the man…but this is ridiculous…it’s going to hurt the taxpayer.”  Another student at the University of Northampton, Stef Ventura fears the worst; “I fear for our country, we might be rewinding to the 1980s.”

     The blame game has already started, with some of the blame being laid at the Metropolitan police, who were over-stretched massively last night.  They made pleas for parents to know where their children were and get them inside as the mayhem continued.  From the skyline, London looked more like a disaster movie, not a bustling capital city that should be looking forward to host next year’s Olympic Games.  Former Labour mayor Ken Livingstone blamed the coalition’s dramatic spending cuts, telling the Daily Mirror; “The economic stagnation and cuts have inevitably created social division.”  Ex-deputy Prime Minister John Prescott expressed his viewpoint by setting-up a Twitter hash tag #where’sthegovernment.

BURNING: The Sony warehouse in Enfield burns to the ground

     However, it isn’t now London where this is happening now.  Birmingham saw trouble too.  Over 50 businesses were targeted by yobs in the Bullring shopping centre.  Melissa Hicks gave me a quick update of the situation on Facebook; “Birmingham City Centre is being smashed up and the big Primark shop has been burnt down.”  In Liverpool and Bristol, it was a similar, if quieter story.  This morning, the large Sony CD warehouse store on the corner of the M25 in Enfield was still burning to the ground, after it was set on fire in the early hours.  The FA have cancelled tomorrow’s night international friendly at Wembley between England and Holland and Carling Cup matches at Crystal Palace, Charlton, West Ham and Bristol City have been postponed on police advice.  The Premier League is also in contact with the police on a regular basis, with significant doubts over the fixtures taking place on the opening weekend involving Tottenham, QPR and Liverpool.  However, despite the Birmingham trouble, the third Cricket test at Edgbaston between England and India is set to go ahead on time tomorrow morning.

     As the cleanup began this morning, the whole country has to reflect on the trouble and the damage it has done to our society, with fingers crossed that tonight doesn’t bring the same amount of carnage and chaos in the country that last night did.

Gina Little - Marathon magic

IN LIFE, we all meet or hear of some amazing feats and more so, people who inspire us.  Historically for me, I’d certainly put Nelson Mandela, the late Mother Theresa and even Bob Geldof into the list of people who have attempted to make the world a better place.  Last week, I was on work placement for Runner’s World and undertook the tricky task of doing a telephone interview (one of my biggest fears!)  I spoke to an inspiring woman, who has plenty of Marathon Magic.

INCREDIBLE: Gina Little has a load of Marathon Magic

     Gina Little might be in her sixties, but her passion to run is inspirational.  Only recently, she just took part in her 400^th marathon; an off-road trail marathon in Hertfordshire.  When I spoke to her, she had just competed in her 402^nd marathon, a staggering and amazing achievement!

    I asked Gina what made her start running in the first place; “The London Marathon goes above the top of my home, so I went and watched the second marathon.  I then did the next marathon in 1983.  I enjoyed it, but thought it was going to be a one-off.”

     401 marathons later and not only is Gina very experienced at this distance, but she still loves the competition and certainly has caught the marathon bug.  In fact, she has competed in 41 marathons in each of the last two calendar years (2009 and 2010).  Admittedly, she said that the marathon suits her body and style of running and finds shorter distances such as 5K and 10K tough to work out, but even so, it takes a lot of fitness and stamina to keep going without even thinking of stopping.  Gina joined a special 100 marathon club in September 1999 and from then, it all exploded.  The following year, she had to cope with the tragic death of her husband, yet the running bug kept appealing to her.      

     Part of her local Plumstead Runners club, Gina told me what keeps her driving to succeed in the marathon distance; “The other people you meet in marathons are great.  I still enjoy the challenges thrown at me.  In fact, I am still beating marathon runners today who are 20 years younger and that’s exciting.”

     Gina’s PB (Personal Best) for a marathon is 3hrs 26mins, achieved in of all places, London in 1993.  Fifteen years later she took part in six marathons in six days in six separate counties of Northern Ireland.  To keep the amazing statistics going, Gina has competed in 21 Berlin marathons and has also competed in Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, Hawaii and last year, Tokyo, which was one of the destinations she’d been determined to compete in.  For the 400^th marathon, she had a cake of her picture to celebrate the remarkable achievement and loads of good luck and congratulations cards from friends, colleagues and well-wishers.

     I asked Gina about today’s training regimes and whether she fits into the crowd of sticking to a demanding physical routine.  “I don’t have a race plan; I simply go and run how I feel.  I prefer to run on my own and do my own thing.  At the end of the day, you can’t plan when you do a PB, it just happens and I’m a prime example of that (the London PB 1993), it just happens.  I firmly don’t agree with all these high-profile training regimes.”

     Gina has absolutely no plans to finish either.  She is still hoping to go to New Zealand and attempt the Auckland marathon and with her desire to run abroad, it’s hard not to see why.  This year alone, she has already run in Cyprus, Spain and Switzerland and trains hard for a marathon nearly every week.  In fact, her next race is this weekend in Faversham, with further events in Cambridge, Ireland and Yorkshire around the corner.  Gina is already booked up for the rest of the year and upto April 2012 and will also be marshalling at next summer’s London Olympics.

     Gina Little is an amazing woman and I had real pleasure in hearing her story, as she said to me; “I just want to carry on doing what I want to do for as long as possible.”  She is an inspirational character if there ever was one.  

Pension strike action take place

THOUSANDS of people went on strike yesterday against the coalition government’s controversial public sector reforms over work pensions.  It might not be the end of the industrial action either, with the unions warning of further action if the government don’t back down on their policies.

UNITED: Strike action and peaceful protests were the order of the day

     Yesterday, thousands of schools were shut across England and Wales, with passport control at airports, courts and driving test centres also being significantly affected.  Earlier in the week, around 750,000 people were thought to be striking, with the figure thought to be much lower on the actual day.  600,000 is the estimated amount, with some 20,000 disgruntled workers protesting in the streets of London.  Despite this, the unions insist that it was a success in the biggest day of strike action taken in Britain for five years.

     The other pleasing significance was that in towns and cities across the country, the protests were in good spirit.  Although a small minority of people were arrested in London and Brighton for criminal damage and harming the peace, it was good to see peaceful protests, which sadly didn’t happen with the angry demonstrations following the rise in tuition fees in November and December.  However, the unions will be annoyed by Downing Street’s admission that the disruption of these strikes was ‘minimal.’

     Both have sides to this argument.  The government pointed out to statistics released from the Cabinet Office, which suggested that not even 20 per cent of the civil service workforce went on strike.  In return, the PCS Union, which runs the police and border/immigration department, said that 84 per cent of its staff went onto the picket lines, with the Metropolitan Police being forced to draft people in from other areas.

     Prime Minister David Cameron has described the strikes as ‘wrong,’ and the leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband is in agreement over this.  However, Miliband has accused the government of ‘wreckless behaviour,’ which led to a fiery showdown between the pair in Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday morning.  Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC told Sky News that he hoped this sort of action doesn’t have to happen again;

“I’m a firm believer of negotiations and as I’ve said, I hope we’re going to be able to resolve this through negotiations – without the need for further industrial action.”

     It was schools, who were significantly affected by the walkouts yesterday, with nearly 5,000 schools partially closed and another 5,069 totally shut in England.  Three teaching unions staged strike action, which left Education Secretary Michael Gove unimpressed.  He said at the House of Commons that the planned walkout was “unnecessary, premature and disruptive.  This strike, at this time, will not help out schools.”

     It is difficult to judge if there were any winners, if there were any yesterday.  However, don’t be surprised if there’s more action to come and for more disruption, as this is an issue for the government that simply isn’t going to go away.