Having heard the number of redundancy figures so far in 2009 (less than a 1/2 month old)I though I would tally them up. I have added the figures found for jobs also "at risk" either due to their company having gone into administration or something similar:
Woolworths: 27000
Barclays: 2500
Wedgewood: 370
Zavvi: 353
Land of Leather (at risk): 850(tbc)
McLeish Brothers (Deli): 175
Economist group: 13
Financial Times: 80
JCB: 684
Newcastle production (at risk): 420
deVries (at risk): 130
Welcome Finance (tbc): 1000
Wincanton: 1000
TOTAL 34575
This is only the ones I have found, there are probably more. The economic downturn continues to bite. Papers were quoted as saying at the end of December: "Next year could see 600,000 workers facing redundancy and others having their pay frozen, a gloomy new report predicted today." However if this is the figure for just the first 2 weeks of January and continues at this rate there could well be 800,000 made unemployed this year.
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There has been a boom from the credit crunch for Sheffield based retailer "Approved Food". For the last 8 years they have been selling food past its sell by dates including tins of soup, biscuits and more.
Take a look at http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/ to get a taste of what they have to offer. One item they currently have that makes me smile is "past its sell by date" water!! The six pack of Acqua Panna - Natural Mineral Water - 250ml is for sale at just £1. Now reading the website about Acqua Panna it says the water has been flowing for centuries:
"The Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water source is located 3,700 feet high in the serene Apennines Mountains of Tuscany. Known for centuries to noblemen, hunters, shepherds and farmers for its remarkable purity and freshness, Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water comes from a source located on a vast, unspoiled natural reserve."
What I don't understand is how this centuries old water suddenly goes out of date on October 2008?!?
Visit the website and save yourself some money this credit crunch season!
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Boy, six, drives family car to school after missing bus..
read more | digg story
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Marks and Spencer, the company that was once the "darling" of the High Street have announced the worst trading figures in more than a decade. Furthermore they have announced just over 1000 job loses (800 from stores, 400 from back office staff).
But what has happened to our economy when a company who's Chairman Sir Stuart Rose said this, this morning on Sky News:
* 21 million customers
* £400 million being investment in systems
* 56 million people went into a Marks and Spencer shop in the 10 days to Christmas
* Same sales volume as previous year over Christmas
* £50 million pounds worth in one day of sales over the Christmas period
* Sold a turkey every second in the run up to Christmas
* 1 in 5 had something as part of their main dish at Christmas
How can a company that seems to have such such successful statistics become an ailing high street giant?
It has been revealed that 25 Simply Food stores that are not performing closing which according to Sir Rose were a mistake and too small to give proper service.He went on to say that 2009 will continue to be tough till 2010 only the strong will continue to be there, we (M&S) will continue to be there.
If larger companies like Marks and Spencer are struggling in the current economic downturn there seems to be much less hope for the smaller traders. One survey this morning believes that 1 in 6 of the High Street stores will close this year.
Perhaps the Church of England needs to produce a "prayer for the ailing High Street giants" after yesterday their rapid response prayer unit released The ‘Prayer on being made redundant’ and ‘Prayer for those remaining in the workplace’!
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Celebrity Big Brother 2009 is here and similar to last time we have a"Jackson" in the house. There has been some debate and discussion in the past questioning if one or other of the Jacksons are the same person for example is Janet and Latoya one person, or is Michael and Latoya the same person? I did some googling and came across some old pictures of Latoya Jackson and she used to look pretty amazing, but it seems perhaps the plastic surgery has gone too far. If you look at this picture you will see the similarities between Latoya and Michael and perhaps some will ask if it is one and the same person! I think though image 3 and 4 is quite telling as whilst Michael could possibly get away with wearing a Latoya wig to look like her, Latoya wearing a Michael wig just does not work!
One thing that would worry me would be waking up next to Latoya - you would look and see this amazing body lying next to you... then she turns over and you see her face and think - man I fell asleep with Michael!
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Is another blow for any glimmer of democracy in Zimbabwe about to be shattered. The latest news is that despite power sharing agreements made on September 15 2008 Mugabe is preparing to devise a new cabinet. According to local media he has fired about 12 ministers from the current cabinet but is this a sign he is about to set up a new cabinet without the involvement of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)? That is not necessarily the case however the Presidents press secretary has been quoted as saying: "It is not my place to announce appointments or disappointments of an executive nature. What I can tell you though is that President Mugabe has already started preparing an administration. He is taking steps towards an early realisation of the formation of a new Government as per the mandate given to him by all three parties to the dialogue."
Indications by MDS and their leaders is that they are unhappy with the situation as all the key posts would still be held by Zanu PF. Mr Tsvangirai in the new deal would become Prime Minister - leaving Mugabe as President but with less powers. The Prime Minister would take on day to day control of the government. However MDC are holding out for control of the Ministry of Home affairs. I wonder though if Mr Tsvangirai by holding up this whole process is perhaps adding to the plight of the people?
Whilst the bickering continues, the starvation, cholera and lack of hope for the regular people of Zimbabwe continues. Only time will tell if Mugabe is serious about setting up a new cabinet and power sharing one thing is clear change is needed urgently.
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So we are a few days into 2009 - what do you predict for this year? I thought I would wait a few days to post this to see what others were saying. There are predictions of a light global depression this year and after the chaos in the global economy in 2008 I guess it is pretty likely. But what else is in store?
I think there will be some changes around the internet this year. Facebook is becoming old hat so the next big thing in "networking" on-line I believe is on the way. Friendfeed will be one to watch - lets see if Google buys them out at the very least. Openid will grow more this year - I wonder if Facebook will finally embrace it. I think Yahoo will finally sell up this year - the question is to whom.
Other predictions, I hope that finally this year Mugabe either, quits or finally the rest of the world stands up and deposes him. I do think though that much worse is in store for Zimbabwe this year sadly before it gets better. In Zambia I think that inflation will continue to rise this year making the gap between rich and poor even bigger.
One prediction I would like to come true is that my football team West Ham stays up - but the jury is out on that one!
The real question though is will you be driven by "fate" and inevitability this year or will you shape your destiny and have a fantastic 2009?
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Not sure what to do on a a cold -4' January evening (yes it really has been -4') fear no more Celebrity Big Brother is back to cause more bother in your front room!
Probably the oddest thing I have read so far about this new series was on the Sky News website, I quote: "Former contestant Michael Barrymore will appear on sister show Celebrity Big Brother's Little Brother, giving his thoughts on the celebrities and reporting."
Now perhpas I am old fashioned but I always thought a "brother" was a brother and a "sister" was a sister - so how can he appear on the "sister" show "little brother"?!?!
That aside there 11 "celebs" trying to revive their career are back for Celebrity Big Brother. The first "twist" was revealed last night - Terry Christian became immune to next weeks eviction and became "head of house"..... Why it was called a twist when it has become a regular feature of Big Brother. Prepare to waste your evenings for 2 weeks - perhaps not I doubt this show will be much different to any of the other recent series.
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A light aircraft has crashed this evening in Staffordshire killing at least two people. The plane which crashed near colwich has also caused massive disruption to the West Coast mainline - the news is that there are massive delays from Euston train station with passenegers being advised to travel tomorrow if possible.
I wonder, Richard Branson has recently been getting invovled in the NHS and has said something along the lines of you are less likely to die in a plane crash than die of an infection in a hospital that you were not admitted with. He went on to say "the health service could learn a lot from the airline and rail industries on how to avoid mistakes. In the airline industry if we had that kind of track record we would have been grounded years ago,"
Now call me a cynic, and I do like flying but I have noticed a larger number of these small aircraft crashing lately.
Lets hope the airline industry continues to do all it can to ensure the safety of its passengers.
Untill tomorrow have a good evening!
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I read today the startling headline in the Times: "Only a military invasion can save Zimbabwe", now whilst many people have been suggesting that perhaps the West should intervene more in the Zimbabwe / Mugabe situation is military action the only real solution? The article suggest that "nothing else has worked" I wonder though how many other solutions have been tried? Mere "arguing" with Mugabe I agree has not worked - but did anyone really think calling Mugabe names via the press would work?!
Having visited Zimbabwe a number of times between 2000 and 2003 when the exchange rate was just 300 Zim dollars - £1 (on the parallel market of course) - I've lost track as to what that would be worth now with all the re-valuing that has taken place since, I believe last month a $500million Zim dollar note was released which 
was worth around $8USD. It has been distressing to see what has happened to Zimbabwe over the last number of years, a mixture of bad government actions, bad crops and more has driven the country to the brink of disaster - so would a military invasion really help or would it be a further kick to the ordinary downtrodden and impoverished people. So what is the solution? Perhaps the neighbouring countries and their leaders need to really stick their collective necks out and take action, sanctions against the Mugabe regime - unless the "local" African leaders act what can the West really do without being accused of meddling in African politics. When we look at other recent examples of "meddling" or military action it is easy to be reminded of the chaos that ensued when the invasion of Iraq began.
Further reading: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article5429628.ece
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Happy New Year! This is the first post in my shiny new blog. A New project for 2009 to actually right a regular blog for at least the whole of 2009! Are you a member of facebook - I lost count of the number of "New years wishes" I only hope that by getting some many they combine together to actually work!
I was stumbling through some choices for content, technoology, photoshop tutorials, my local area, Africa, the Zimbabwe situation.... then decided on the "Worlds Latest" a kind of breaking the breaking news - there will be a slant on the Zimbabwe situation and news about Africa in general but overall this will cover the breaking news this year.
So please help me on my journey, make some comments, join me, provoke me, challenge me but most of all help me!
Thanks
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2009
