Kubo and the Two Strings: DVD Review
by Leslie Byron Pitt Despite critical acclaim Kubo and the Two Strings only just claimed back its relatively small $60 million budget with its box office gross. We shouldn’t always run to the bean counters to try and attain a film's sense of value, but it’s important to notice that out of the four feature films that stop motion company Laika have made, the return has been the weakest. This is despite the kind words that have been bestowed on...
Exploding Student Debt Ripples Through UK’s Economy
Student debt in the United Kingdom was well on its way to reaching crisis proportions before the recent changes in student finance instituted by the government. With the changes, student debt and the accompanying economic and societal problems it is creating is expected to triple from its present level of about £101 billion to more than £298 billion in 30 years. Although the $1.3 trillion in student debt in the United States dwarfs the UK’s debt load, on an individual...
PM’s Brexit speech leaves unanswered questions for the UK’s engineering & technology sectors
In a major speech to diplomats at London's Lancaster House today, PM May promised a clean break from the EU and Britain will leave the single market membership; leading to Nick Clegg to call the Toires "UKIP-lite." Theresa May finally put a tiny bit of meat on the bones with a 12-point plan for leaving the EU - two months before she pulls two-year exit trigger Article 50. She is aiming for an "associate membership" of the customs union and, arguably,...
Rail enthusiasts builds 45ft replica of Liverpool’s Lime Street Station in his house
A rail enthusiast who fell in love with a train station as a child has now recreated it in full - in his bungalow. Trainspotter John Holden, 69, has built a 45ft replica of Liverpool's Lime Street Station in his house. John has fond memories of trips to Liverpool as a youngster and first had the idea for the model while still a schoolboy. But it took almost 30 years for his dream to come to fruition. John has been...
Thrifty mum feeds family of five and dogs for £38 a week
A thrifty mum-of-three has garnered a legion of online followers after wowing friends with her healthy budget meals. Feeding a family of five and her dogs for just £38 a week, Danielle Ross has clocked up 22,000 followers on Facebook. The self-described "budget queen" is now saving hundreds of pounds a month. Mrs Ross, 30, is a spa host at a local spa and has three young sons and a 35-year-old husband, David. She said: "If I wasn't sticking to...
Single mum goes from dinner lady to headteacher in nine years
A single mum-of-three who worked as a dinner lady at a primary school to make ends meet is celebrating after being promoted - to headteacher. Rosalind Brotherton took a job serving food to youngsters following the break-down of her marriage - but just nine years later she was running a school of her own. While working as a dinner lady at Swan Lane Frist School, she also studied for an Open University degree in History. After graduating in 2005, Mrs...
Today the Prime Minister has “changed the landscape” for business
The Prime Minister has changed the landscape for business following today's defining Brexit speech, according to the Confederation of British Industry. Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said "ruling out membership of the Single Market has reduced options for maintaining a barrier-free trading relationship between the UK and the EU", but added that "businesses will welcome the greater clarity and the ambition to create a more prosperous, open and global Britain". Theresa May's today said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single...
House transactions in London down 40%
House prices are continuing to rise but sales have slumped by one fifth - with transactions in London down by a staggering 40 per cent, it was announced yesterday. The latest figures from the Land Registry revealed the average house in England and Wales cost £217,928 in November. This represents an annual price increase of 6.7 per cent and a monthly increase of 1.1 per cent on October. However, figures show the number of completed house sales fell in September...
Frozen dead horse found dumped in woodland
A teenage girl was horrified when she found a dead horse was found dumped on a lane - frozen solid. Emily Standen was walking home when she came across the black and white horse that was frozen to the lane - and has been trying to track down the owners ever since. The 16-year-old, from Five Oak Green, Kent, who has been riding horses for 12 years, launched a Facebook appeal to help find the owners - but so far...