Your Town Your Choice : Issue 34

£1 4 LY 3 N E O SU IS

YOUR TOWN YOUR CHOICE

BRINGING POSITIVE NEWS TO POSITIVE PEOPLE

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

GOT A POSITIVE OR INSPIRING STORY TO TELL? WE WANT TO HELP YOU GET IT PUBLISHED!

Only a few short years ago our publishing company was launched with an aim to promote more positive news reporting within the pages of British regional newspapers and magazines.

Led by a small team of former Fleet Street journalists, many disillusioned by the downward spiral of the national press, we embarked on a mission to give our own local titles a genuine feelgood factor.

In our first few months we received a modest government loan and full business support from InBiz and Avanta. This, along with immediate interest in our editorial policy from both readers and advertisers, really got the good news waggon rolling!

Amazingly, in such a short space of time, we are now very close to making our publishing dream a much larger reality.

The rapid advance of technology over the intervening years, far from being the predicted curse (many feared would be the ruin of the traditional publisher) has, in fact, offered exciting new methods for expanding for

our communication reach.

Good news works, and far beyond our original catchment areas!

In high tech Apps and iPad formats we continue to get our message across to ever more readers.

As ever, we thank you all for your continued support. As off next month all of our titles are available as Apps for you to download wherever and whenever you like!

Yours faithfully,

Duncan Williams Editor

CONTENTS 7

James Bond Quiz

8

Spirelife

12

Buying you own boat

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Holidaying in the UK

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Residual Heat - Episode Two

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Film Review - The Godfather

20

St. Martin’s Court

24

Space Travel: Science or Fiction?

25

Pad Thai recipe

26

Ormonde Jayne

27

Famous Quotes - Coco Chanel

28

Addicted to God

THE YTYC MAGAZINE OFFICE 41 EDITH GROVE CHELSEA LONDON SW10 0LB Tel: FAX:

0871 2341991 0871 2341992

EDITOR Duncan Williams (Mobile 07960 829 615) E-mail editor@yourtownyourchoice.com PUBLISHER Independent News Ltd

SALES Linda English Sonia Edwards Scott Clancy Andrew Pescud DESIGN Stef Hayes stef@hotbeddesign.co.uk ISSN 1758-1842

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by James Murphy

Answers on page 30

?

MGM studios have now sorted their finances and so can green-light 'Bond 23'. EON Productions, headed by the lovely Barbara Broccoli, are on the case, Sam Mendes is rumoured to be directing, with preparations already in motion. Expect the return of Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond, delivering

refined masculinity, wit and grit but a dash more fun and humour than in recent adventures. There will be gadgets, girls and the belated return of Money-Penny and Q. We all deserve a fix of the heightened reality that one associates with Bond's greatest movies. It is equally important to

1: Which of these is NOT an evil organisation in the James Bond films? a) QUANTUM b) SPECTRE c) THRUSH

4: In how many films does Pierce Brosnan feature as James Bond? a) 2 b) 4 c) 7

2: Who sang the theme tune to 2008's Bond film, 'Quantum of Solace'? a) Alicia Keys b) Aleesha Dixon c) Alicia Silverstone

5: What film sees James Bond resign from the secret service? a) 'From Russia with Love' b) 'Licence to Kill' c) 'Tomorrow Never Dies'

3: Who was the actor that only played James Bond in one film? a) Roger Moore b) Timothy Dalton c) George Lazenby

6: Name the villain in charge of the evil organisation known as SPECTRE a) Franz Sanchez b) Ernst Stavro Blofeld c) Dominic Greene

keep the series fresh, relevant, charged and challenging, with nods to the past while avoiding both pastiche and parody.

'Bond 23' will no doubt satisfy viewers on all counts!

Meanwhile, why not test your 007 knowlege with our Bond themed quiz.

Go on, live and let try..'Good luck, 007..'

7: Name James Bond's friend and ally in the CIA a) Felix Leiter b) LeChiffre c) Pussy Galore

10: Complete the famous line; "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to..." a) Die b) Live c) Fail

8: Which of Bond's colleagues turned villain in the 1995 film, 'GoldenEye'? a) 006 b) 008 c) 003 9: One of these works by Ian Fleming has not been used as a title for a James Bond film yet. Which one? a) 'Casino Royale' b) 'Risico' c) 'Octopussy'

11: We all know how Bond likes his Martinis. What name does he give his special recipe? a) The Golden Gun b) The Living Daylights c) The Vesper 12: What is James Bond's family motto? a) 'Die Another Day' b) 'The World is not Enough' c) 'Live and Let Die'

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SPIRE LIFE LTD – Interview with Jonny Sayle.

By Jennifer Sutcliffe I have signed up to do the Blenheim Triathlon this June and, as it is my first triathlon and it will be my first time exercising in a while, I thought that I would call on Jonny Sayle, owner of Spire Life Ltd, a personal training company to get me into shape and hopefully make the training process easier.

Jonny set up the company as he felt “it was the right thing to do”, as he has a degree in Sports Science and a flair for coaching. After teaching in several summer camps he felt it was “time to use the use the things that I am good at.”

Jonny said; “There was a lot of demand from friends and family who were too busy for the gym and I decided to create a fitness concierge that was more fun than your regular workout.”

Spire Life is different from other personal training companies. “All of the people working for me are all of a certain standard, they are well educated and well spoken personable people. We are more qualified that most private companies and personality wise we can make exercise fun.” Including Jonny the company

“...make training a challenge and as fun as possible” employs 10 freelance employees.

Before setting up Spire Life Jonny worked for a similar company but concentrated more on the business development side. He worked to launch the company onto the high street. A benefit of working for this company in the past Jonny feels, “working for other companies, I have seen where they have gone wrong and therefore it makes me want to do better for my company and not make the same mistakes.”

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Jonny offers tailor made programmes for his clients. First he breaks down the goals that the particular client wants, whether it is to tone up, bulk up, lose weight etc. Then the timeline is discussed, how long they want to achieve their goals and a realistic time frame, taking into account how often they can train and how hard they can train. A nutrition plan can also be arranged. Jonny aims to “make training a challenge and as fun as possible and make it manageable by breaking it down into chunks.”

I wanted to know how Jonny would be able to get me ready for my triathlon. His reply was, “easy, we will structure a training programme and I will train with you, running together which will make it more fun and easier.”

Being based in London, Jonny says his typical clients are, “Chelsea housewives, aged from 30 to 60 years old. 65% of his total are female. I do however train a broad spectrum of people. At the moment I am training a national show jumper and I train International rugby clients. I train the Sisterhood (a group of women who do extreme challenges for charity) and also heavyweights from business and finance world.”

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Jonny does not feel there are any clients that he couldn’t train. He says that he can tailor make a programme to anyone within reason. “At the moment I am training one client who had meningitis and had to have brain surgery as a result. Their coordination is very limited so we are having to go back to the basics in order to build this back up.”

“I also train people who are doing Ironmen Races and what I enjoy is not being confined to training just one type of person.”

With the plethora of celebrity personal trainers

“I wanted something that was inspirational...” offering to train you to aquire the body of a celebrity, I asked Jonny if he aspired to be like these trainers, “yes and no. Yes in that, with the knowledge that I have I know I can offer a more unique and experimental training regime than most. No, because my client base has grown organically from personal referrals as I am good fun to train with. I don’t want people to train with me if they just want to look like a certain celebrity that I train and therefore sign up with me.”

Jonny’s prices are competitive and for the service that he provides, very reasonable. For a one to one personal training session it is £65 per hour. If you train with a partner, it is £30 per hour. If you book in blocks of 20+ sessions it is £55 per hour. Spire Life also offers sports massage which is £80-100 per hour depending if it is in

your home or not and also life coaching which is £65 per hour.

A typical one to one personal training session would consist of interval training, strength and conditioning and flexibility, usually consisting of “yogaesque” exercises to warm down after a session.

Spire Life offers specialised training programmes, if like me, you want to get ready for a triathlon or a marathon. The company offers, pre and post natal training, rehab work – if you are recovering from an operation or an injured ligament etc. Also seasonal training say if you want to get fit for the ski season they will tailor make a programme to get particular muscles ready for your ski trip. Spire Life offers the obligatory “beach body” work out, being able to get you toned and ready for your holiday.

The name Spire Life was creates as Jonny “wanted something that was inspirational and directed towards housewives and mums. I wanted it to incorporate perspire - which you get through the training, inspire which is from working with the body/wellbeing/mind and aspire - through the life coaching.”

Spire Life is much more than personal training, its aims are to look after the person as a whole, working on your fitness but also making you mentally fit as well. It is refreshing that they train with you rather than watching and barking orders at you. I am sure this is going to make it a lot easier to train and hopefully less painful. I look forward to my first training session with Jonny and hopefully this will kick start me into being fitter and healthier as a result.

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By Peter Jones

SAILING yachts and power boats are complicated pieces of machinery and at the same time they are both costly to purchase and maintain.

If the vessel you are considering to purchase has had little or no regular maintenance you could find it costly to repair.

Apart from the inherent safety considerations of your family and crew there may also be insurance ramifications.

Also depending on the age of the vessel it may adversely effect your ability to obtain insurance if you don’t have a recent survey.

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A marine surveyor will be able to help steer you through the potential pitfalls of buying a previously owned vessel.

A surveyor will be able to draw on considerable experience and understanding of the marine industry this combined with many years of hands on experience will help to identify any problem areas that could save both lives and considerable sums in maintenance costs.

Before you place a deposit on a boat you must be assured that the purchase is correct for you in all material respects. Do as much research as you can first and do not merely make a deposit on a whim or as is often the case when the sun is shining on the water!

When you find the correct boat for you and have made an offer which has been accepted at an agreed price then you would normally pay a deposit which would be made "Subject to Survey".

If the survey proves to be satisfactory and reveals no significant faults then the onus will naturally fall on you the buyer to complete the purchase and if you do not then you may well forfeit your deposit.

Agreement The majority of Yacht brokers will usually provide a draft sales and purchase agreement which the buyer would sign at the time he makes the deposit.

The agreement should contain a reasonable time frame to allow for the survey to be completed and should specify the conditions when the deposit may be returned.

If one merely changes one mind and decide to buy another boat that has recently come on the market then you will

undoubtedly forfeit the deposit and be considered a time waster if you withdraw from the sale.

Should a material defect be revealed which you could not reasonably of been aware of at the time of making your original offer then your deposit should be refunded less any lift out costs or related expenses which have been incurred on your behalf.

Payment More often than not the buyer will arrange and pay the boat yard directly for any lift out. Usually this is arranged with the vessel held in slings during the lunch time of the boat

yard.

Where a private seller requests a deposit (which is reasonable) one should make a similar agreement with them.

You then as the buyer will have an exclusive right to arrange to have the boat independently surveyed in order that you can complete the purchase within a reasonable time frame and be assured that the vessel has no material defects.

It is sound advice before purchasing a used vessel to use the services of a marine surveyor.

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g n i y a d i l o H K U e h t in

By Jemma McGarry

ALTHOUGH we have been told by our ever trusting politicians that the recession is over, times are still tough.

What with job losses and the rise of VAT up to an extortionate 20%, the last thing on your mind would be going on holiday.

Yet here at Your Town Your Choice, we are going to do everything we can to let you get that break you need – in the UK. Yes that’s right! Why not go out and enjoy the very own country that you love so much!

I know what you’re thinking. The UK? You have got to be joking, why would I want to spend my holiday here?

Well, you seem to forget that we hold stunning sceneries of lakes and mountains as well as sandy beaches to relax on (when it’s not raining obviously!). From adventure holidays to relaxing spa weekends, the UK has it all. Fair enough it hasn’t got the temperatures of Dubai or the sun filled days of Greece but with all the activities that you can experience in the UK, why not give it a go?

Holidaying in the UK used to be prevalent amongst British families back in the 1960’s with the likes of the HiDe-Hi camps. There are many caravan parks all over the country that have much to offer. Whether it is with your family or just you and your partner, they can be a great cheap holiday that will give you the desired time off that you require.

Park Resorts are a famous chain of caravan parks with 39 different sites located around the UK. Ranging from Scotland through Wales and the South of England on the Isle of Wight, there is a destination that is easy to get to as well as affordable.

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Image © Hot Bed Design Ltd

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Accommodation will be hard to decide on.

Caravans, chalets and lodges are set up in grades from bronze to platinum depending on what you want from your stay It is not only caravans that are provided as accommodation in these parks as you can even choose from a couple of hotels (the Southview hotel, East Anglia and Lincolnshire and St Margaret’s Bay hotel, Kent and Sussex). Not only that but they provide tour sites where you can bring your own caravan and camping sites.

Lisa Mills, 40, of Coulsdon, Surrey said: “I went to the Bideford Bay site in the summer.

I loved every minute of it. It’s great to go away in the UK as you really don’t appreciate what your own country has to offer.

“My friends and I enjoyed the sites of Devon as well as the entertainment facilities in the park. I would definitely holiday around that area again.”

Family holidays can get stressful for the parents which is why Park Resorts provide kids and even a teen club to keep their minds occupied! Little Sparks are for the under fives, Sparky’s Krew are for the 5 - 11 year olds and the new Xcite club for the 12 - 16 year olds where they can enjoy many different activities.

Water fun is a must on a holiday (yes ... even if it is in the UK!). With both indoor and outdoor pools to have a splash about in, it is fun for everyone. They also have activities such as body boarding, snorkelling and hydrodomes, where you are put into an inflatable ball and can literally walk on water, which you can take part in throughout the resorts.

Yet the parks also provide activities and workshops for the whole family to enjoy. Such as hovercraft racing, sports competitions as well as taking part in their very own stage academy.

Evening entertainment is always a must while you are on holiday and Park Resorts also provide quality shows such as cabaret, themed nights and eventful karaoke!

Quality Typical stays at the Lower Hyde park resort located on the Isle of Wight will set you back £312 for seven nights for a family of four in the graded bronze chalet. This includes free gas and electricity within the accommodation with heating in the lounge area, fully functional kitchen with all utensils, a TV in case you don’t want to miss your programmes and free facilities and entertainment passes for the park.

I have personally been to Lower Hyde Park Resort and can say that it was a great experience. With all the activities and entertainment in the park as well as the beautiful scenery and attractions on the Isle of Wight, it was a truly enjoyable holiday.

So, don’t worry that you won’t be able to afford a two week stay at Disney World! Take advantage of the great offers to be found around the UK and get some much needed time off !

For more information about Park Resorts head to their website at www.parkresorts.com www.ytyc.co.uk

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RESIDUAL HEAT - Episode Two: “You know this goes against everything I believe in,” said Sergeant McBride, grimly. “Come on, Lee. It’s Tony’s leaving do. You don’t have to touch, you can

By John O’Neill

just look,” said Mill as he leant up to the leopard skin thong gyrating in front of him and slipped a tenner under the hip strap. “Anyway, you’re a Quaker not a Wee Free, I thought you lot were meant to be accepting and non-judgmental....”

“Yes but if the Friends at the Meeting House knew.... Did you know I’m descended from both Wee Frees and Catholics? A fiery combination!! Heaven knows how my parents got it together....” said McBride with a shudder.

“Well, my brother goes to that Quaker place near Covent Garden and if they can accept an over-sexed shirt lifter like him I’m sure your... Friends... won’t be too bothered that you were at a colleague’s retirement party in a den of slight iniquity,” said Mill with a grin.

“For a man with a gay brother, you do use some unflattering language about homosexuals,” laughed McBride.

“I know,” said Mill. “I don’t mean anything nasty by it. I use the same language when I’m out in Soho with my brother and his gay mates and they don’t mind. They know it’s all tongue-in-cheek. I think they find the image of a neanderthal policeman quite exciting, actually.”

Spearmint Rhino on Birmingham’s Hagley Road was doing brisk trade that Friday night. Three stag parties were in, all of them drunk and just the right side of rowdy. Mill noticed five steroid-stacked heavies at a table with Besnik Shala, a local Albanian gangster. Sitting with them, looking fearful, was a skinny man, early thirties, no more than 5’ 8”, ghostly pale and with ash-blond, spiky hair.

“I see Shala’s in,” said Mill. “That small feller sitting with him doesn’t look like the kind of guy he’d be hanging out with, certainly not in a place like this. I wonder what’s going on.”

“Can’t you leave work alone for one evening, John? That Serena Thompson case ended up being harder to complete

than

we

were

expecting. I could do with a night off.”

“I didn’t expect that little mincer, Tom Webb, to refuse

to

answer

questions. I thought he’d crumple straight away,” sighed Mill.

“Anyway, it was a fait accompli so he’ll be

going

whatever arguments

down weasel

his

counsel

raise. Fancy another?”

Mill grabbed a passing waitress.

“Now, now, Sir! You don’t need to manhandle me quite so vigorously,” said the waitress with a stern smile. “Not unless you’re going to reward me with something in a large denomination.”

Admiration Mill put his hands up and did his best to look innocent, whilst admiring the cleavage that exploded above her bustier. “Aren’t you a little overdressed, young lady?”

“Here, the dancers go topless. Waitresses are expected to protect their virtue,” she said, boredom seeping from every pore.

“Fair enough. We wouldn’t want you spilling drinks all down your....” said Mill, lasciviously. “Right, I’ll have another JD and coke. Teetotal Trixie here will have another Virgin Cuba Libre.”

“A Virgin Cuba Libre?”

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“Yeah. A Cuba Libre without the rum.”

T H RO U G H A G L A S S DA R K LY “So just a coke and a twist of lime, then?”

“Yeah. I’d say put a shot in it and make it a bit more slutty but he turns weepy if he has booze,” smirked Mill.

“Leave it out, John!!” said McBride, blushing.

“It’s....” A dark cloud seemed to pass over his face. “My name’s Julian Rimbaud.”

“Rimbaud? As in the French libertine poet who had a season in hell?” asked Mill, disbelievingly.

“JD and coke and a coke coming up. Do you want ice?”

The wraith, now looking paler and sicker than ever, nodded.

The image of Duran Duran’s video for “Girls on Film” flashed into Mill’s head.

“Well, Mr.... Rimbaud, it is clear that an offence has taken place. Were you

He bit his lip before he could say something outrageous and then said “Two or

attacked by three of the men we saw you sitting with at a table inside? There

three cubes will do, we’re not American.”

are CCTV cameras about the place so we should be able to use the tapes as

As she turned and walked away, Mill admired her form and growled

evidence. Sergeant McBride, Mr.... Rimbaud will need to be seen by a doctor first.

“Look... at the arse on... THAT!!”

Take him to the hospital. Make sure his ribs aren’t broken and his spleen isn’t

“Oi!! John!! Behave!!”

ruptured. Afterwards, bring him down to the station. We’ll need to question

“Well.... It’s not as if I’ll be doing anything....” said Mill, with defeat.

you, Julian. Don’t worry, we just need your witness statement. I’ll go and have a

“You know you’re lucky to have Caroline. You’ve had two affairs since I’ve

word with our friend Mr. Shala.”

known you and she’s taken you back each time. Many women wouldn’t.”

“John, before you go.... How the hell does a geezer like you know about things like French poets and Pepin the... Small?” asked McBride.

Instinct

“Pepin the Short. Well, Lee, I’m an autodidact. Not just a shagger,” said Mill with a wink.

Mill shrugged with resignation etched across his face. He looked over at

Back inside Spearmint Rhino, Mill walked over to his colleagues’ table. Tony

Shala’s table and noticed that three of the muscle men had left and so had the

Rawson had clearly been given far too many goodbye drinks and was bleary

wraith-like man with ash-blond hair.

eyed and struggling to nod his head in time to Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious”.

“Something’s going on. Come outside with me.”

The peach-buttocked nymph dancing in front of him was clearly wasting her

As he turned towards the exit, the waitress was walking towards them with

talents as he was too far gone by this stage and would soon be poured into a

the drinks.

taxi.

“We’re just popping outside for a cigarette. Hope you’ll be here to entertain

“Sorry to end your party so soon, feller, but I need some assistance from a

us when we get back,” Mill said, knowing that indulging him would be the very

few of the lads. Chris, call for a couple of patrol cars. Justin, get in touch with

last thing she’d want to do.

“Of course, Sir. It’s serving people like you that makes me realise I am living the dream!!” she said, without a hint of seduction.

“Careful!! You don’t want the rozzers to get their truncheons out for you,” teased Mill.

“Oh great!! That’s all I need. Inspector Shagwell and his sidekick, Pepin the bleedin’ Short!!”

“That’s a bit cultured for a place like this,” said Mill, laughing.

“I’m in the third year of my PhD at Aston, Inspector Shagwell. Weren’t you disappearing for a cigarette....”

It was only 10pm and the dual carriageway that was the Hagley Road was still busy with passing cars, most of them speeding. Mill went right and McBride went left. Going to the end of the red-bricked building, Mill saw nothing.

“John!! There’s someone over here,” shouted McBride.

the control room and ask for footage from the CCTV cameras in Hagley Street for the last 30 minutes and then go to management here at the club and ask to see any CCTV videos they have of the premises inside and out. You’ll know what you should be looking for. There has just been an assault outside. Darren, Steve come over here with me.”

Shala was still sitting at the table. He was leaning back in his chair while he ogled the dancer in front of him, his hand at his crotch, his tongue protruding from between his teeth.

“Evening, Shala. I don’t think you’ve been behaving, have you? Eh?” “Why, Inspector Mill!! It’s been too long!! I’m just here admiring the female form.”

“And there’s plenty of female form to admire, I’ll give you that, Shala.

However, that blond-haired, streak of piss you were sitting with earlier.... There’s been a very unfortunate occurrence, as I’m sure you well know.”

Mill ran to the other end and turned the corner. McBride was standing over

Shala grinned at the two henchmen that remained at his table. “Why,

somebody on the ground, somebody with pale hair. Nobody else was around,

Inspector, if you mean Mr. Julian Rimbaud who was here with me earlier.... As

certainly not the three short-necked toughs. The prostrate body gave a hard

you know, I am a very important man in the Albanian community and Mr.

cough.

Rimbaud is designing a website that I am setting up to help my fellow

“Here, let us help you up,” said McBride, offering his arm.

countrymen who are less fortunate than myself. When our business was

“Thank you,” said the under-fed and under-weight man.

concluded, he left alone.”

“Christ!!” thought Mill. “My forearms are almost as big as his thighs. I can’t imagine he gets laid very often....”

The man coughed again and then winced, clutching the left side of his back with the pain. Blood was now pouring from his nose and onto his jacket. The jacket was black, tapered to the waist with white stripes at the cuff and hem. It

“I’ll be the judge of that, Shala. Aaah, here come my men!! Officers, arrest these three men on suspicion of aiding and abetting an assault and put them in the cells for the night,” said Mill to the four patrol officers who had just arrived.

“Won’t you be coming with us, Inspector,” asked Shala, with mock disappointment.

looked sporty and Italian; Mill realised it would make a brawny man like him

“No, I’ve drunk far too

look an absolute idiot but on a slender individual like this fellow, it looked good;

much this evening. I’ll see you

well, on this fellow it looked like a cagoul on a famine victim but on someone

tomorrow. Right now, I’ve got

with decent nutrition it would look good. In the half light from the street lamps

a drink to finish and some

he saw, to the left of the zip, a red leather strip embossed with the word Prada.

flesh I would like to press,”

“I hope your jacket is a fake and you didn’t buy the real thing somewhere like Milan,” said Mill.

“I’m afraid it’s the real deal,” came the reply. The man wiped his nose with

said Mill, rubbing his hands.

He’d just seen that waitress.

And that certain waitress’s

his sleeve and the white stripes were now smeared with red. “No problem. I can

shoulders started to sag at the

afford to get another.”

prospect.

“I am Inspector Mill and this is Sergeant McBride. You’re lucky we were here

(To be continued...)

for a colleague’s leaving do. Can we have your name please, Sir?”

'Residual Heat' is part of a literacy and fund raising project created by James Murphy and David Endicott. Advertising and sponsorship featured on this page will go towards the ongoing work of RAPt - the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust. You can donate direct online at; www.rapt.org.uk

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Reviewed by George Hutton

YOURTOWNYOURCHOICE

Voted in our online readers' poll as the best movie ever made!

There is nothing like a movie that is layered so deep and tells so many stories, and that is filled with so much fantastic acting, that you can see it again and again, and never grow tired of it. "The Godfather," based on the best selling novel by Mario Puzo, is such a movie.

This epic tale tells the story of an American family empire and the man who slowly rises to take the reigns.

The movie begins with a large wedding.

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This does many things. It shows the power and reach of Don Corleone, the patriarch of the family. It shows us all the different characters, most importantly his sons.

As we see that the Don is getting on in age, it will become important to see who succeeds him. We meet his youngest son, Michael, who has just returned from the War in Europe. He is telling his young wife that he has no plans to go into the family business.

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His desire, is of course respected but the other family members. As the movie progresses, we find that there are other, important and powerful family that are competing for business. And the business that is growing quickly is the drug business. One thing that Don Corleone vows to do is to never enter the drug business.

It has always been his dream, it seems, to have his son take over a legitimate business, and not a criminal enterprise.

Drugs would be in the opposite direction.

When he returns home, he spends many hours sitting at his fathers side, listening to how to run his business. In yet another tragedy, his older brother, Sonny, is gunned down by rival gangs.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

But because Don Corleone is very powerful, his refusal to enter into the narcotics trade angers his rivals. This sets off a drug war, and there is an attempt made on the Don's life. The family gets together, and decides what to do. The murderer must be killed, and Michael Corleone is just the man to do it. His loyalty has shifted from that of a law abiding citizen, to that of his family, irrespective of their relationship to the law.

It is becoming increasingly clear that not only does he need to throw his loyalties completely with the Corleone family, but he must become more ruthless than his enemies in order to survive.

And ruthless he does become.

In one of the most highly acclaimed climactic scenes ever, Michael Corleone literally becomes the new Godfather, as the scenes of his nephew's baptism is expertly juxtaposed with all his enemies being viciously destroyed.

"The Godfather" is a movie not to be missed.

After killing the assassin, Michael has to flee the country. He stays in Italy for a few years, where he falls in love and gets married.

The far reach of his father's enemy find him, and kills his wife with a bomb that was meant for him. Any trace of loyalty to the law is gone in young Michael. His loyalty now is completely to his family.

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By Jennifer Sutcliffe BANANA REPUBLIC - is a global ‘accessible luxury brand’.

Banana Republic delivers elevated design in luxurious fabrications and a versatile collection. The clothes are elegant and the service provided by the staff is impeccable.

COS - offers high quality fashion at accessible prices. The colours of the clothes are beautiful with the inspiration coming from nature. Cos has an ability to provide wearable yet glamorous clothes while still being affordable.

BILL’S - is a unique cafe and produce store created by a team of people who are passionate about food. A vast selection of salads, pizzas, quiches, sandwiches and pies as well as organic fruit and vegetables and freshly made smoothies. Bill’s is a must for those who want delicious food that is good for you.

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JAEGER LONDON - a luxury British fashion brand that was established in 1884. It is renowned for designing stylish and contemporary womenswear, menswear, homeware and accessories. For something special and impeccably made, Jeager is the place to visit.

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St Martin’s Courtyard comprises of 25 shops, 5 restaurants, 70,000 sq ft of premium office space and 30 luxury apartments.

THE COVENT GARDEN ACADEMY OF FLOWERS a new floral design school and shop where you can be taught to make elegant floral works of art. Courses are available in a variety of skills including making your own hat out of flowers.

There is also a professional flower design course which is 30 weeks long.

MELVITA - the first shop in England comes to St Martin’s Courtyard from France with its vast array of organic beauty products and oils.

It is France’s largest certified organic beauty brand and offers skin, hair, body and beauty supplements for the whole family.

DISHOOM - London’s first Bombay cafe. A modern take on the street grills and food stalls of Bombay, Dishoom offers an eclectic mix of food and caters for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do not expect just a normal curry, Dishoom offers so much more.

RELAX - an elegant drop in spa that provides a welcome retreat from the busy life of London.

Highly trained massage specialists and natural beauty specialists will work their magic on you.

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There are those who deny Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and maintain the whole story was a government conspiracy. The idea that man could actually break away from our cradle of atmosphere and gravity was once fiction of the highest sort. Yet one dreamer made it a reality.

What is there not to believe about space travel? Will there be a time when such a thing is feasible? If interstellar travel requires travelling at light speed, the situation is not promising. The biggest hurdles against such travel are gforces and time. G-forces are the force exerted on your body when undergoing high accelerations.

flat, the fastest way to get from your position to a point at the other end of the page would be a straight line.

However, if the page was to bend, and you could drill a hole through the page, you would find a shortcut. This is the idea behind wormholes. Unfortunately, geometric equations show wormholes to be impossibly unstable.

Before they could be used as viable bridges to new star systems or galaxies, one would have to find a way to keep them from pinching off the moment a speck of matter entered its throat.

Accelerating to the speed of light would have to be done gradually or the body would be torn apart. It would take about 2 ½ months to get to just half the speed of light!

Still, wormholes are our greatest hope for space travel.

While wormholes are still only hypothetical (there is no experimental evidence for them), they are great theoretical fun, and valid solutions of the Einstein equations.

This explains the need for inertial dampers - the cosmic shock absorbers created by the writers of Star Trek. Inertial dampers somehow cancel out the force responding to the accelerating force.

It’s no wonder that they are a topic of interest among scientists and writers science fiction alike.

While this solves the problem for script writers, there is no such tool in the real world of physics. Which takes us to the problem of time in space travel. Theoretically, two things happen when objects travel at the speed of light.

First, time becomes relative and “slows down” for the objects in motion. A ten year journey on a star craft would correspond to 25,000 earth years -making any communication impossible.

In addition to this, objects get heavier the faster they travel. When approaching the speed of light they become infinitely heavy, which is why only massless objects, like waves, can travel at such speeds.

Hence, space travel at light speed or faster is probably not feasible; however, space travel could still become reality. Imagine you are a microscopic mite on a flat piece of paper.

Your world would seem to be flat; and indeed, all experimentation on your immediate environment would lead you to that conclusion. If your world was

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A report by Francesca Black

Recipe

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MAIN INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS: 1. Boil water, turn off the heat once boiling and add noodles, cover and let stand for 7 minutes then drain and set aside.

2. In a measuring cup, combine the stock, lime juice (or tamarind paste), fish sauce, sugar (or palm sugar) and chilli sauce.

3. Heat a wok over medium-high and add 1 tbsp of the oil. Beat the eggs and add to hot pan, swirl to coat bottom and then scramble. Remove from heat when cooked and set aside.

4. Add your choice of meat to the hot pan, stir fry for 2 minutes until just cooked then add the noodles, sauce mixture, sprouts and eggs. Toss to combine and cook for 1-2 min until the noodles are soft but not mushy.

5. Serve dish on a serving platter, sprinkle with remaining bean sprouts, green onions, peanuts, coriander and garnish with lime wedges.

Recipe

• Rice noodles: 1 packet, medium (250 g) • Chicken stock: 3 tbsp • Lime juice or tamarind paste: 3 tbsp • Fish sauce: 2 tbsp • Brown sugar: 2 tbsp • Hot chilli sauce: 1 tsp (or red chilli flakes if you prefer) • Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp • Eggs: 2 • Garlic: 2 cloves • Shrimps: 6 large (or replace with chicken breast) • Bean sprouts: 3 cups (keep some aside for garnish) • Spring onions: 2 • Peanuts: 3 tbsp, chopped (garnish) • Fresh coriander: 1/3 cup chopped • Lime: 1, cut into wedges

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By Jennifer Sutcliffe ORMONDE JAYNE has launched a new couture perfumery on Pavilion Road just off Sloane Square, London.

Designed by Caulder and Moore, the smoked glass and antique gold shagreen give the new Ormonde Jayne a decadent and elegant look with a spacious shop floor to browse the selection of perfumes and beauty products.

The new complimentary Perfume Portrait service, an innovative way to find your signature scent, can now accommodate small groups of people at the same time. Customers having their Portrait taken with expert staff are invited to smell their way through 21 raw ingredients taken from the seven different perfume groups. Likes and dislikes are noted and then the staff will offer customers one or two scents to spray and then the customers will be given a sample of their favourite to take home.

Linda Pilkington, creator and owner of Ormonde Jayne set up the company after being asked by some friends who worked at Chanel to make them some candles and oils she then decided that this is what she wanted to do for a living.

Linda also said, “The perception of smell consists not only of the sensation of the aromas themselves, but of the experiences and emotions associated with these sensations. Smell can evoke strong emotional reactions and this is not an invention of poets of perfumers.

For more information visit www.ormondejayne.com 192 Pavilion Road London SW1X 0BJ 0207 730 1381 Mon - Sat 10am-6pm Sunday 11am-5pm 26

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L E N A H C O C O C S E T QUO “Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.”

“Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty”

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

“There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony.

There is time for work.

And time for love.

That leaves no other time.”

“Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them.”

"The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!”

“A women who doesn't wear perfume has no future.”

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.”

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” www.ytyc.co.uk

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An inspiring report by Marijke Hoek, our regional Christian news correspondent

Standing outside the prison where she was once an inmate, Mandy Ogumokun holds a placard that reads: Now I Am Addicted to God. At one time Mandy, 50, was selling her body on street corners, shoplifting and pick-pocketing to raise funds for her next fix of heroin, while her four children were being raised in care.

Hailing from two generations of prostitutes, it wasn’t any wonder that London-born Mandy herself became caught up in a life of vice. That was until she had a chance encounter with a former crack addict who had given his life to Christ.

“When he told me Jesus had set him free, I thought he’d robbed the church so I decided to go along”, recalls Mandy. “This nice lady asked if I wanted to accept Jesus into my heart. She said to me: ‘You are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come’. Later, when I was withdrawing from drugs, I spoke those words into the addiction and God lifted me out of it.”

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Nowadays Mandy regularly visits the prison where she herself was once interned to work with women recovering from drug addiction.

She says that her only addiction today is to God. Mandy is among countless people who can testify to a life-changing experience by hearing God speaking through The Bible.

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ANSWERS TO THE JAMES BOND QUIZ (from p.7) 1: c, 2: a, 3: c, 4: b, 5: b, 6: b, 7: a, 8: a, 9: b, 10: a, 11: c, 12: b

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