Meaningless numbers hinder meaningful debate over pay February 20, 2012 SOME media organisations are likely to carry a headline along the lines of this today: “City Fat Cats Award Themselves 10pc Pay Rise”. A press release sent out by Incomes Data Services (IDS) does indeed claim that pay increases for FTSE 100 non-executive directors averaged 10 per cent last year. Closer inspection proves the claim [...]
SAS AUTHOR FIXES CITY ROLES FOR MILITARY February 20, 2012 THRILLER writer Andy McNab is juggling more than one deadline. When the former SAS hardman is not working on his latest novel – a Channel Tunnel thriller starring his new character Tom Buckingham – McNab is fixing jobs in the City for service leavers as a director of military recruitment agency ForceSelect. McNab, who has [...]
Black Cats to taste victory with second bite of cherry February 16, 2012 SUNDERLAND vs ARSENAL TOMORROW – 5.15PM ITV 1 HAVING watched Arsenal’s disastrous trip to the San Siro on Wednesday, Sunderland might be licking their lips in anticipation of progressing to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Arsenal were abject against AC Milan in their midweek Champions League clash, the 4-0 result becoming Arsene Wenger’s worst [...]
NEWS IN BRIEF February 5, 2012 TAXED ON TIME According to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), this year saw a record 9.45m self assessment tax returns filed on time, with a record 7.65m filed online. This means that 90.4 per cent of taxpayers met the deadline – an increase of 4 per cent on last year and the highest on-time filing [...]
TCHOYI’S ROY’S BOY | Fulham held by Baggies February 1, 2012 FORMER Fulham manager Roy Hodgson enjoyed a profitable return to Craven Cottage last night after Somen Tchoyi’s 82nd-minute equaliser ensured West Brom left west London with a share of the spoils and a 1-1 draw. Hodgson, who quit Fulham for Liverpool in the summer of 2010, saw his Albion side fall behind to Clint Dempsey’s [...]
The thinking man’s games February 1, 2012 Last year saw a host of games that pushed the boundaries of what the genre can achieve. New techniques give almost cinematic animation quality and video game acting is no-longer the refuge of Z-list talent. Titles like LA Noire and Skyrim were vast in their scope and brilliant in their execution, proving that games are [...]
THE TIPSTER January 31, 2012 IT SEEMS sterling-dollar may give itself enough cable to hang itself at the $1.5780/90 level again – an area where it has met resistance several times over the past 12 weeks. Sterling has also seen around 10 consecutive days of gains against the greenback. Should the resistance level break convincingly to the upside then the [...]
Former banker follows his dream to go it alone January 29, 2012 IN RETROSPECT, Barbecoa – Jamie Oliver’s attempt to introduce the UK to BBQ food – was not the ideal setting to meet Daren Cox, chief executive and founder of Project Brokers. As a committed pescatarian he doesn’t live up to the stereotype businessman portrayed in such shows as Alan Sugar’s The Apprentice. Sadly, combative television [...]
Easy, tiger January 29, 2012 IN the chilly darkness, I climb into the passenger seat of the open-top Tata 4×4, with binoculars, camera, hot-water bottle and blanket, for the dawn game drive. The birds are fully awake as the dry teak forest of Pench National Park emerges in the soft amber-pink light. We hear the single, punctuated note of a [...]
Wenger in transfer hint as Arsenal fight back to progress January 29, 2012 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger hinted at another late transfer window foray after seeing his side summon a stirring comeback to secure their place in the FA Cup fifth round. The Gunners roared back from two goals behind at half-time to beat Aston Villa 3-2 and set up an away tie against Sunderland or Middlesbrough, who [...]