A Quest to Make Rampion the Champion

By Samuel Peace

Ever since the proposal to build a wind farm off the coast of Brighton & Hove was made public, controversy was sure to follow. Protests against turbines is nothing new as farms can take up lots of land, destroy habitats and are considered eyesores by many people. Off-shore sites can often solve these issues. However, for a project the size of the proposed wind farm (named Rampion), there are still hurdles to overcome. The E.ON owned venture which will stretch between the Newhaven and Worthing coasts, has to please many people before it has the chance to make Sussex one of the UK’s greenest areas.

What is Rampion? – Rampion (named after the county flower of Sussex) is a proposed wind farm which will be located 13-23km off the coast of Sussex. The area of the site will take up 167 square kilometres with water depths of between 19 and 50 metres. The installed electrical capacity of the farm is going to be around 700 megawatts; however, the number of turbines is as of yet unknown (though it will be no more than 195). The generating capacity for each turbine will be between 3MW (maximum height being 180 metres) and 7MW (210 metres). Based on wind speed data from existing off-shore wind farms around the UK*, E.ON is hoping to be able to generate over 2,100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year. According to the Office of National Statistics census data, this would be enough to power 450,000 average homes, which is over two thirds of the homes in Sussex (including Brighton & Hove).

Sussex was chosen as an ideal place for such a venture via the Government’s Off-shore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The Crown Estate who owns the seabed around the UK awarded E.ON the development rights for Sussex in January 2010. With many old fossil fuelled power stations being closed because they can no longer viably meet the emissions regulations, the Government’s now looking for ways in which to get renewable (and cleaner) energy. Off-shore wind farms are one source they are focusing on. In the last three years E.ON has been working hard to build up the prospective plans, and to consult all relevant and interested parties. This also included the local community under section 47 of the Planning Act 2008.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust was one of the organisations who was consulted. They helped assess the possible effects the farm could have on the natural heritage of the county. Although the trust is all for cleaner energy, they found a number of issues which could seriously affect the local marine life. The main concern is over the seahorse population which has been spotted around the location of the proposed site. The seahorses are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly harm or disturb them or to damage their place of shelter. Shell fish, herrings and other sea creatures were also thought to be at risk.

Timothy Loughton MP for East Worthing and Shoreham commented on concerns raised about the safety of sea creatures by saying that the turbines would be “Beneficial for creating new marine feeding grounds”. His constituents were ‘mostly in favour’ however he said: “Those on Shoreham Beach were split 50-50 in a survey I carried out there”.

E.ON went on to create an Environmental Statement – made available online for the public to see in mid-2012. It details the project and the steps taken to ensure every potentiality is covered. This includes reports on all surveys undertaken and every consultation held. Because the farm will generate more than 100MW it is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the Planning Act 2008. This means unlike most planning applications which are submitted to local authorities under the Town and Country Planning Act, the Rampion proposal will instead be seen and considered by the Planning Inspectorate (formerly the Infrastructure Planning Commission).

The statement was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate alongside the planning application for the development on the 1st March 2013. After 28 days E.ON’s application was accepted for examination. This means that the Planning Inspectorate will fully examine the details of the proposal and will make the final decision of whether or not to grant or deny planning permission by mid-2014.

Peter Hunter a Specialist Off-Shore Wind Energy Consultant believes that the visibility shouldn’t be too much of an issue. He said: “The ‘cons’ are only visual and only applicable for those to whom it means something. What people did not realise then, but do today, is that it is very rare that the view at just above sea level is absolutely clear.  There is nearly always a sea mist or, during the summer, a sea haze.  Consequently the white/grey structures fade considerably to the land based eye.  At that time I said in a BBC interview that; “the wind turbines would appear as sea gulls dancing on the horizon”.

Simon Kirby MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven also doesn’t think the visual aspect will be a problem. He said: “I think tourism may be enhanced because there will be people who will want to see the turbines.”

If permission is granted, E.ON expects to complete the farm by 2017/18. They estimate it will take two years to finalize plans and two years to construct, with a total cost of £2 billon.

Norman Baker MP for Lewes and Newhaven said in the Leader newspaper “I’m pleased that matters are moving forward. This development, if given permission, will create an initial 85 jobs in Newhaven, as well as helping the UK both to become more energy self-sufficient and cut carbon emissions.”

For more information on the project visit the links below:

Rampion Proposal & Map

Environmental Statement

Rampion FAQ

Current Status

To see the final proposal currently under examination from the Planning Inspectorate and to register your interest visit:
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/south-east/rampion-offshore-wind-farm/?ipcsection=overview

*As stated on E.ON’s project information page.

Video Game Console History

By Samuel Peace

The video game industry has become a huge player in today’s multimedia market. It has integrated itself into mainstream society with big blockbuster titles such as Call of Duty making more money than top Hollywood films. Mobile and social gaming have also become sensations with advanced smart-phones and social networks offering new addictive and connected ways to play. This enables more people than ever to play video games as a dedicated gaming machine is not now required to enjoy these interactive experiences. Because of this it is widely foreseen by industry experts that the video game home console will go the way of the Dodo. This isn’t hard to believe either as current consoles are showing their age and are struggling to compete for sales as cheaper games are easier to find on other devices. However, the quality of a big budget, top selling blockbuster such as the previously mentioned Call of Duty series can only be found on a console (or its PC rival). While there are sometimes mobile versions (or clones), these are always watered down and have awkward controls which simply cannot give the same experience. Also console makers Sony and Microsoft are hotly anticipated to be releasing their new systems by the end of 2013. If designed well they should be able to offer everything their competitors can and more. In preparation for the next ‘generation’ of consoles let’s take a brief look at the history of home gaming…

Generation 1 (1972 – 1977) & Generation 2 (1976 – 1984):

It’s now been over 40 years since the arrival of a home entertainment system. Television engineer Ralph Baer conjured up the idea during the 60s where he was able to make a two player game called Chase. Two lights appeared on the TV screen which were controlled by two different people. Though simple it was a first for interactivity on a TV. Baer later sold his concept in 1969 to electronics company Magnavox. Then a few years later in 1972 the Magnavox Odyssey was born. This now primitive piece of hardware came with six special cartridges which gave the console different command codes when plugged in, which then activated the games which were built into the console. To go with these carts were special translucent overlays which were stuck to the screen and acted as graphics for the game. Unfortunately the original Magnavox Odyssey only managed to sell about 330,000 units, but the Odyssey 2 in 1978 sold 2 million.

Several other companies including world renowned retro kings Atari entered the fray not long after the Odyssey’s release. Atari first hit the mainstream when they created the game Pong for arcades in 1972. They followed this up by releasing a home version in 1975 which helped start the second generation of consoles. This new era (known as the 8-bit era) saw a flurry of machines trying to replicate the success of Pong. These systems all had microprocessors and cartridges with built in memory. This meant that the games were now on the cartridges instead of the console allowing for more games to be made available. The Fairchild Channel F was the first to use this new technology in 1976 but only sold 250,000 units. However it was the Atari 2600 who took the glory by selling a phenomenal 30 million systems (as of 2004). This monster of a machine came out in 1977 and fast became an icon of gaming’s past with retro classics such as Space Invaders and Pac-Man making their debuts on a home console.

Video Game Crash of 1983:

The future of home gaming was thrown into doubt when the video game industry crashed and went into recession in 1983. Company after company went bankrupt causing many of Atari’s competitors to vanish. There were many factors as to why this had happened. For starters the market was flooded with consoles all vying to become the next ‘Pong sensation’. With Atari doing stupendously well it was no surprise that other companies wanted a piece of that success. Unfortunately this along with a plethora of bad games and a surge in PC gaming over saturated the market and turned it sour, thus causing consumers to lose interest. The eroding market quickly needed a saviour.

Generation 3 (1983 – 1992) & Generation 4 (1987 – 1996)

In 1983 a Japanese electronics company named Nintendo decided to enter the unstable gaming market with the release of the Famicom (Family Computer) in Japan. They released their console in North America two years later under the new name of NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), and needless to say it took the world by storm. Managing to sell 61.91 million units (as of 2009) and creating one of gaming’s most iconic characters (Mario) the console almost single handily revived the industry. Its closest competitors included Sega’s Master System which sold around 11.8 million and Atari’s 7800 which sold about 3.77 million.

With the new revitalised game industry in full flow, the fourth generation was kick started with the introduction of 16-bit graphics. Following on from the NES, Nintendo bought out the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1991 (North America). Once again they dominated the market share selling a massive 49.10 million units. Although this was enough to win the generation, the biggest success story was Sega who’s Master System follow up the Mega Drive (Genesis in North America) sold 40 million units and created a new gaming icon by the name of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Generation 5 (1993 – 2006) & Generation 6 (1998 – 2013)

The fifth generation (known as the 32-bit and 64-bit era) probably had the biggest leap in graphical capabilities and gameplay since the very birth of gaming. The introduction of 3D graphics wowed people across the world and helped to create brand new gaming experiences. It also gave birth to a new competitor – Sony’s PlayStation. The console released in 1995 (North America) and blew people away with its modern technology and new IPs. The electronics giant used a newly developed CD-ROM for its games which held more data and was cheaper to mass produce. The popularity of the PlayStation saw it sell an eye watering 102.49 million units (as of 2007). Meanwhile Nintendo continued to decline slowly with the release of the last cartridge based console the Nintendo 64. It sold a solid 32.93 million but it wasn’t a scratch on Sony. Sega suffered too, but it was Atari who fell from grace as their Atari Jaguar sold a measly 500,000 units, thus the pioneers of home gaming bowed out of the hardware market.

Sega were in desperate need of a revival so they bought out the Dreamcast in 1999 to start the 128-bit era. Unfortunately only 10 million were sold so they too exited the hardware market. Sony once again dominated with the release of the PlayStation 2 in 2000. The system sold a record 153.6 million units (as of 2011) and has to this day not been beaten by another home console. Nintendo suffered greatly this generation as its GameCube only managed around 21.74 million sales. Microsoft also entered the ‘console war’ in 2001 with the release of the Xbox. This marked a return for North America into the home console market .

Generation 7 (2004 – Present) & Generation 8 (2011 – Present)

Generation seven saw the most tightly contested battle yet as Sony failed to repeat the success of their previous two consoles. Microsoft jump started things with the release of the Xbox 360 in 2005. Using a one year advantage they managed to gain a good market share and have sold a respectable 75.9 million units (as of 2012). Nintendo also enjoyed resurgence as they decided to shake things up by focusing on new innovations such as motion control rather than improving the power of their console. The Wii which was released in 2006 became a worldwide phenomenon and has reached 99 million sales (as of 2012). While Sony has suffered a fair bit this generation, it has still surpassed 70 million units and could take over Xbox 360 sales due to a strong presence in both Europe and Japan.

Nintendo whose Wii was behind in terms of power decided to make the first move in this eighth generation by playing catch up. Their console matches the power of the PS3 and Xbox 360 but it has an innovative ‘tablet-like’ controller. Sony has also announced their new PlayStation 4 which is expected to hit shelves before Christmas 2013. Microsoft have yet to respond.

Future:

Despite being little over 40 years old, the games industry has a rich history, one which is too big to fit into one article. While home consoles have enjoyed a lot of success over the years, it is hard to tell if they can stay relevant when a huge variety of devices are now able to play video games. What we do know is that once again Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will battle it out for supremacy, however this time they might not be alone.

An Insight into the Life of an Amputee

By Samuel Peace

“Two steps forward, one step to the side, and one step back,” is a description of how amputee John Tarrant made his way home on crutches after a drunken night out. In an interview given earlier today, John, 69, from Peacehaven told of the ups and downs of having only one leg, and how it has shaped his life over the years. With modern technology and the Paralympics showcasing the incredible abilities of disabled people, and what they can achieve these days, there is no lack of inspiration to behold. However, not everyone is able to afford the latest advancements, or enter the games. Most folks like John just don’t have enough money, or don’t have enough time to commit. This is why John’s story is so interesting to hear because he’s an everyday person doing everyday things.

John, a retired senior medical technician, lost his leg at the age of 18 following a motorbike accident which nearly cost him his life. The crash happened roughly six months after his birthday on the new Royal Enfield 250cc Crusader Sports he was given. The collision was caused by the negligence of a driver coming from the opposite direction. John said: “A yellow Ford Anglia hit the right side of me when it tried to overtake a car. It was a clear day on a straight road, there was no need for it.” The contact temporarily impaired his vision as he struggled to stay on the bike “having no control is terrifying,” John said as he recalled the heart stopping moment. The last thing he can remember before losing consciousness was: “God I hope nothing hits me in the face.”

It was June 3, 1961, when John’s life changed forever. The clanging bell of a Red Cross ambulance acted like a wake up alarm as he came around from his slumber. He was suffering from shock and blood loss, but witnesses wouldn’t let him move because of the serious injuries he had sustained. At the hospital he was told there was no circulation in his right leg where he was initially hit, and it was unlikely they could save it. Gangrene had begun to set in fast, so they needed to ensure it wouldn’t spread any further. Despite having an amputation however, John was out of hospital within three weeks, yet he had to go back every other day for check-ups. Taking off the dressing was “incredibly painful,” John said. He also remembered his mother’s initial reaction when she saw the injury, he said as he laughed: “It looks like something out of a butcher’s shop.”

What about the emotions he went through after the realisation he had lost a limb? He replied that it was quite upsetting to begin with, but overall he was “just happy to be alive”. John was faced with a long road to normality; it was like stepping into a “whole new world”. Although he likes to remain optimistic he describes how he was at first in a “dark place,” after enduring the harrowing experience. Things didn’t improve when he eventually came face to face with the culprit of the crash who simply said: “No hard feelings.” Not fazed by the lack of remorse however, he managed to get justice by winning the court case and was determined to get back to work as soon as possible.

Having to adjust to moving around on one leg with the support of crutches John was often confronted with difficulties. He didn’t let this deter him however, as he tried to lead a normal life. This involved doing things himself, and going out to get intoxicated with his friends. How he managed to drunkenly get home with only one leg (when most can’t with two) no one will ever know. It took just over two years to get his first prosthetic limb, in which time John was in and out of hospital for about five months. Constant checkups were needed to make sure the stump didn’t get infected, yet unfortunately ulcers started appearing. After the amputation the surgeons had put a skin graft on the wound, but consistent rubbing made it sore, and caused it to swell up. Therefore it was decided he should get some plastic surgery in order to create a ‘smooth round off’ at the end.

John was sent to Odstock Hospital in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he not only sorted out this stump, but also met the love of his life, Mabel, a trainee nurse. He got to know her quite well throughout his stay, and they became very attached. Their happiness was short lived however, when she had to fly back to her home in Hong Kong at the start of 1963. He wouldn’t see her again until 1965 by which time he finally had his first prosthetic leg, at the age of 20. The prosthetics back in those days were a lot more basic and cumbersome he recalled. He had to: “adjust the foot angle to match the height of the heel.” Luckily John’s amputation was below the knee, which means he had his own joint allowing him more control over the new leg. He could just “plug in,” and use his upper leg muscles, and knee joint to fling the leg forwards.

With this he was able to go back to work and do most of the things a fully abled person can do (eventually), which even includes the ability to run! To begin with “it was frustrating,” he said as he was unable to ride his bike again until he passed a new test. While still getting used to normal life a huge surprise came when he found out that Mabel had managed to find a way back to England. She wrote a letter to his house hoping he was still living there. When he received it he went straight up to the hospital where they originally met to try and find her. Once they were reunited he proposed by saying: “I think we better get engaged don’t you?” John laughs: “There was no ring and I was standing up,” but he said he “knew it was meant to be”.

Over the years of being disabled John has made the most out of life. Not once has he let his disability get in the way of what he wants to do. In fact he made light of the defect and recalls more funny moments than troubled ones. One such time he was setting up an operating theatre (putting out the equipment and sterilizing them) when he decided to stick a metal spike through a hole in his prosthetic leg as a joke. Unluckily the student nurse he was with thought it was real and fainted. John also worked on giant industrial chimneys at one point. He reminisces about a day where he was quite high up a ladder when suddenly his knee strap came loose causing his prosthetic leg to slip down his jeans. Once it got to the bottom it got caught, so it ended up looking like he had a double length leg, which got a lot of passer bys chuckling. A few of the other highlights include one of his mates accidentally stepping on his fake foot on a lad’s night out, which consequentially pulled his leg off when he stepped forward causing them both to fall over. There was also a comical occasion when one of his more recent prosthetic legs would come off with a press of a button. His mischievous granddaughter therefore took advantage of this, and decided it would be funny to run off with his leg while he was sitting down. Lastly there was one moment where he was lifting a heavy object when all of a sudden his prosthetic leg collapsed. The ankle bit broke and twisted upwards causing him to become lopsided, and immobile. This made it look like a horrific injury causing passer bys to be in a state of shock. John has now had over 14 legs, but his current one has lasted a lot longer due to it being an improved build.

Wrapping up the interview I asked him about his thoughts on modern, and near future prosthetics which connects to the body’s nervous system. He told me how even though he thinks the technology is great he is more than happy with his current leg: “I have no complaints about my leg, why would I want to move my toes?” To finish off I asked if he missed his real leg, John responded by saying: “I have no regrets because I met the nurse who I married. I’ve never felt disabled because I’ve always been able to do what I want to do.” Many people suffer from some sort of disability, John has been lucky, but he wants people to know that a bit of optimism can go a long way. Don’t give up and live life to the limit.

Medical Marvels – Coronary Heart Bypass

By Samuel Peace

Modern day health care has evolved at a phenomenal rate over the past hundred years. New technology and a greater knowledge of what can be done with the human body have helped create some major success stories; stories which sound like miracles. These days however, what used to be seen as quite miraculous has now just become a “common practice” or a “standard operation”. One such surgical procedure is the Coronary Heart Bypass (CHB) surgery.

As the name suggests the CHB surgery is focused on the heart and the flow of the blood. Coronary is the name given to the arteries which directly feed into the heart. The term bypass is used in its literal sense which is to ‘avoid’ or to ‘go around’. A build up in the arteries of a fatty substance called Atheroma leads to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) which is the reason a CHB is needed. If left untreated then the build up could eventually lead to full blockages and blood clots, which in turn can often cause fatal heart attacks and strokes. The CHB surgery is an option which will create a diversion for the blood flow enabling it to avoid the blockage altogether, and to reach the heart without any problems.

Ray Peace a 76-year-old man from Bognor Regis recently underwent a quadruple CHB. He had a vein which was the length between his groin and his ankle taken out of his leg in order to create the four new routes needed for his heart. However, despite having this high risk and complex operation he was walking again two days later. He was then discharged from hospital only seven days after he had the surgery. Six weeks have passed since the operation and he is nearly fully active again. He has daily exercises, takes regular walks, and has checkups once a week. He has also started driving again and he plans to restart his daily swimming routine around Christmas time.

He said “I’m pretty much back to normal now. The experience was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, and I didn’t feel too much pain afterwards. In fact the only pain I have now is in my leg where they took out the vein. I usually take painkillers before bed, but the past few days I haven’t”. He went on to say: “My last check up is at the end of November, so hopefully I can start swimming again after that. It all depends on my blood pressure and how my chest muscles are.”

Cardiovascular diseases such as CHD are responsible for approximately 32% of all the deaths in the UK each year. This is higher than any other cause including cancer mortalities. In 2010 there were almost 180,000 deaths from heart diseases with CHD alone causing just over 80,000 of them. Of these around 46,000 were men and 34,000 women. The big difference was their age range, as both genders had over 27,000 fatalities in the 75+ category. While below the age of 35 there was only 102 for men and 36 for women.

However despite the severity of such an illness, there has actually been a 45% drop in CHD since 1998. In fact the number of deaths per 100,000 people in 2010 is less than a third of what it was in 1980. While a couple of years ago there were 114 male and 50 female deaths per 100,000, 30 years ago there were 380 and 164 respectively. Compared to the rest of Europe the UK isn’t too bad, however it falls slightly behind its biggest neighbours.

As of 2009/2010 France leads the way for men with only 52 deaths per 100,000 people. This is closely followed by Portugal on 57, the Netherlands on 59, Spain on 65, Italy on 80, Germany on 111 and Ireland on 131. The worst mortality rate falls with the Ukraine which had 656. It’s a similar story with women albeit on a smaller scale. France once again leads with only 20, followed by Spain and the Netherlands on 27, then Portugal on 30, Italy on 40, Germany on 57 and Ireland on 61. This time Moldova suffered the highest with 424.

It’s not all doom and gloom though as there are plenty of success stories like Ray’s. Every year it is estimated that there are around 28,000 bypass operations. Although the CHB procedure is very dangerous, the survival rate in the UK as of 2009 is as high as 98% for the first 30 days post op. There is a further 90% chance for five years and 85% for 10. As a majority of these ops occur with people over the age of 75, a life increase of 10 years is astounding. Even if it’s not classed as miraculous, it’s still pretty impressive.

Sources:

http://www.bhf.org.uk/publications/view-publication.aspx?ps=1002097

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Coronary-artery-bypass/Pages/Introduction.aspx

http://www.bypasssurgerycomplications.com/bypass-surgery-statistics.shtml

Disney’s Dream Destination

By Samuel Peace

Of all the many wonders in the world today the only place children want to go to is Disneyland. I often dreamt of going when I was younger but my parents couldn’t afford such a luxury. I would boil with envy when my friends told me of their magnificent adventures with Buzz Lightyear, Indiana Jones, Mickey Mouse and more. “I’m going for the third time this summer holidays” one would say, “Oh really?” I’d reply with gritted teeth. As I grew up the child’s fantasy land became less appealing, and the thought of going to a foreign country never crossed my mind. I had many great holidays around England and was quite content with staying on home soil. However, soon after turning 18 I was on a plane heading towards Disneyland Paris.

My grandparents decided to treat me and my family to a holiday in the summer of 2009. Originally we had planned to stay at a deluxe villa in the south of Spain. The very thought of a hot tropical scene with beautiful, naturally tanned Spanish girls got my heart pounding with excitement. Seeing the pictures of the proposed villa just made it even more enticing. Therefore a sudden change of plan in order to limit travel time and to please my younger siblings left a bitter taste in my mouth. For me the Disney plane had flown into the sunset and left me behind many years ago. There was little excitement to be had except for the prospect of visiting Paris. Everything soon changed though as walking through the entrance of the park woke my inner child.

The gloriously decorated buildings, giant floats and mascots made it feel as if you were actually in a Disney cartoon. There was so much going on that I didn’t know where to start. While most theme parks are just giant fun fairs with lots of rides, this place seemed different. The magical aura of the classic childhood fairy tales was present. The park was separated into zones with each one focusing on different notable franchises. It was great to see the attention to detail with each area being designed in certain ways to make it feel like you’re in the world of that film. But while I was impressed by the aesthetics, I was still yet to be convinced by its attractions and other offerings. That was until I went on an adrenaline train they called a rollercoaster for the first time and nearly shat myself with how thrilling it was.

The first one I tried was based on Indiana Jones and saw us sitting in a mine cart whizzing in and out of caves with plenty of drops and sharp turns to keep you on your toes, so to speak. The rush I got from the ride was fantastic, I had felt as if I had been on a wild adventure. The one down side was the loop the loop part which made me feel disorientated and a bit queasy, but other than that it was great. With my excitement boiling over and my passion revitalised, I couldn’t wait to go on some more rides. Most of my family were not keen on these heart exercises, but my little sister was accustomed to them despite being 6 years younger. Another one we went on was some indoor space shuttle rollercoaster (probably Buzz Lightyear). This was even better than the Indi one as it launched nearly vertically at a phenomenal speed. It felt like someone had stuck a rocket onto it. It then began rushing through a tunnel of darkness with neon lights circling as if you were going through a time warp on Doctor Who. Although these rides lasted all of but a few minutes, the experiences live on forever in my mind.

On our travels through the fantasy worlds we encountered a variety of wonderful things, some of which weren’t even Disney. There was a set of Hollywood, a set of London, an American trailer cafe, shops with all sorts of goodies (although they didn’t allow non Disney brands so most shops were the same), the Statue of Liberty and much, much more. There were a few shows on too including a live stunt/action performance and a wild west arena spectacular. Although I’d been to stunt shows before, this one stood out because it was like watching a movie being filmed on a Hollywood set. There were crashes, fighting, shootouts and explosions galore, it was utterly exhilarating. The western show was more of a story and revolved around a person called Buffalo Bill. It had some good live animal acts, but I didn’t find it as engrossing as I’d hoped it would be.

During our visit we stayed at an offsite hotel which had a direct bus link to the park. The staff there were nice (one of the French waiters actually wanted England to beat the Netherlands in a football friendly which was on!). The rooms were basic and did the job, but the food service was excellent. Of course being in France meant I had to have Croissants and Pain Au Chocolates for breakfast, as you’d imagine such delectable food was difficult to endure. The best part was the daily hot chocolate which was divine, needless to say I have not tried one as nice since. We ate out at many places, but the most memorable was a place named Pizza Planet. This restaurant is a replica of the one found in the Toy Story films. It has the same giant logo, the same robot guarding the door, the same three-eyed aliens in space rocket grabbing machines etc. It was an awesome and surreal experience.

We stayed for a week in total, but only went to Paris once. Although it was marvellous and the Eiffel Tower was remarkable, I did not feel the same sense of joy or excitement as I did at Disneyland. Looking back now, it was not only my best holiday by far, but it was also the most fun I had in years, and to my surprise my heart was pounding again, much like with those Spanish girls who are still waiting for me.

The work of a cameraman at Pinewood studios

By Anna Hayward

Jeff Paynter on the set of Voyage of the Damned in 1976 with Faye Dunaway

British film has been thrust into the spotlight this week with the news that Pinewood studios are broadening their horizons to America. Pinewood studios announced today that they would be building their first film and TV studio in the US in Atlanta, Georgia. This exciting endeavour aims to expand Pinewood’s global name and target US audiences. Pinewood is teaming up with RiverRock which is owned by fast food company, Cathy’s, but will be run under the name of Pinewood Atlanta. Brighton Lite speaks to Jeff Paynter about his experiences at Pinewood and about his career as a British cameraman.

Jeff, 60, of Shaveswood Lane, Devil’s Dyke, has had a long career in film spanning thirty-five years. He has worked on blockbuster films such as Voyage of the Damned, American Werewolf in London, Blade Runner and Superman 2 and 3. He left school at eighteen to build his career as a cameraman. He joined the film rental company, Rank, in 1971 which supplied camera equipment for Pinewood studios. Jeff had no college training and has learnt everything he knows while working on films. He said: “There weren’t a lot of film classes or courses at colleges in those days. So most people in the film industry started at the bottom making tea and worked their way up. It was a great way of doing it.”

Much like Jeff’s start in film work the road to building Pinewood studios was not an easy one. The origin of British film in 1888 was when the first moving picture was shot in Leeds by Louis Le Prince. The success of British film rests on Pinewood which was built by Charles Boot in and brought talking films to the British masses. After years of struggling to find financial backing Boot eventually bought a distinguished bankrupt’s estate to build the studios in 1936. James Sloan was brought in to design the studios and together they turned the hundreds of acres of land Boot had bought into one large and small stage, several dressing rooms, offices and anything you can imagine a films studio would require. Pinewood was built with the philosophy that the studio should be self-contained and that the workers should live next door to their work. Pinewood’s first completed production was Talk of the Devil, made in 1936. This cemented the roots of Pinewood as a film studio.

Exactly thirty years later Jeff started his very first job as a freelance clapper boy on Voyage of the Damned starring Faye Dunaway. It was directed by Stuart Rosenburg and Jeff describes it as a ‘fantastic’ experience. The story was inspired by true events concerning the fate of the MS St. Louis ocean liner carrying Jewish refugees from Germany to Cuba in 1939. Jeff described going freelance as ‘tough’ but it helped him build up a reputation in film. A camera crew consists of four people and for each film Pinewood would use a crew like this. The basic crew starts with the camera man, then the camera operator, then the focus puller (the man who focuses the camera while it’s shooting and moving) and finally the clapper loader (the man who maintains the film equipment and loads the film into the camera). He said: “Those are the people that when you watch a movie, they are responsible for the visual look of that film. If a film is well made and the photography is good quality, you shouldn’t be aware of the camera because you become involved in it.” A typical camera crew shooting at Pinewood would shoot with a 35mm film. However this is now ‘dying out’ because of the expense and the invasion of video which is cheaper and more versatile. Jeff said: “It has had a big effect on film production. It’s becoming more CGI.”

 

Jeff’s big break came when he worked as a focus puller on Superman 2 which was directed by British director Richard Lester. The Superman films were one of the most important productions for Pinewood studios as they were among the top grossing box office successes of all time. Jeff has fond memories of playing darts with Christopher Reeve in between filming. He said: “He was a great guy to work with. He used to do most of his own stunts and sometimes he could be 50 to 75 ft off the ground. The wires were gossamer thin and he was lifted by a huge crane. He worked very hard to get the shots. They were very convincing.” In the late 70’s and early 80’s CGI was an unheard of concept and so Pinewood had to shoot stunts for real. Explosions were shot using dynamite and cranes were used to lift Christopher Reeve in the flying shots. Jeff found it was a ‘pleasure to go to work’ at Pinewood and thought the producers were very good. His favourite moments on Superman 2 were the night shots at Pinewood where the whole New York metropolis was replicated. He said: “It was just like walking down a normal high street. There were real products in the store, very authentic.”

Jeff’s cameraman career is long behind him after leaving the industry ten years ago to set up his own Hi-Fi company. He felt he left at the right time because the magic of films is “not what it used to be”. Jeff added: “It’s lost a bit of the sparkle than when you had to do it all for real. Seeing an actor or an actress do a really good performance is still the most wonderful aspect of a film I think.”

The future of Pinewood seems to be looking across the seas to America. In the past Pinewood resembled a shepherd among sheep in the film industry. However in recent times it has tragically followed other film studios which invest in U.S films to keep their financial heads above water. In 1980 only 31 British films were made because American backing was withdrawn proving that the crux of the British film industry is fuelled by U.S funding.  In the same way that video killed the ‘radio star’; CGI seems to be killing the magic of ‘real’ film as more directors turn to 3D to enhance the viewer experience. In the face of financial and technological adversity, the one thing that is certain is that Pinewood will adapt and its legacy as one of the greatest film studios in history will live on.

 

What is the cost of the NHS reforms?

By Lucette Davies

What has happened to the NHS? Is this simplified, streamlined system better and cheaper? What have all the reforms meant to the services provided? Looking at what was said and what is actually happening could leave many people feeling confused. Nye Bevan said when the NHS first started that it will last as long as people have faith enough to fight for it. Perhaps it is time to start fighting.

There is much argument between the Conservatives and Labour about what the true cost has been of Andrew Landsley’s reforms of the NHS. Health Minister Simon Burns has claimed the cost to be £1.3bn but Andy Burnham, the Shadow Minister for Health reported that much of the cost has been hidden away; the true cost being around £3.5bn.

The NHS reform bill is a far lengthier document than the original NHS bill written in 1948. All 400 pages are heavy with legal jargon, so it is not surprising that the majority of the public are still not sure what these changes mean.

We have heard much about how GP’s are running the commissioning of services and how patients will have a choice about where they receive any treatment. Many people are experiencing changes to the local health services available to them in their area. It will be a long time before we forget the scandal of Mid-Staffs hospital and the protests that surrounded the closure of Lewisham hospital.

It is not surprising that the public cannot understand the implications of the NHS reform bill but people will be aware of how the services offered have changed. Services are now also being affected by the £20bn of cuts that will be implemented by 2015.

If you look into what the new structure of the NHS is, it becomes hard to believe anyone would feel it is streamlined or even simple. Davis Cameron’s promise to ring-fence expenditure to frontline NHS services has certainly been broken. Here in Eastbourne the level of public protests against changes suggest that patients get very little choice.

At the Eastbourne District General Hospital a decision was made to move the general surgery and orthopaedic wards to the Hastings Conquest Hospital and for a temporary closure of the consultant led maternity unit and the inpatient pediatric unit. Only a midwife led maternity unit will be offered for the next 18 months. Many fear that this may become a permanent change and that A&E will be the next to go.

Eastbourne lies just 18 miles from Hastings but it often takes  over 45-50 minutes to get down the very poor road that links Eastbourne with Hastings.

Sussex Partnership runs all the psychiatric inpatient units from Chichester to Dover and has made a large reduction to the number of beds available. Looking at these cuts revealed some truly alarming facts

One person who works tirelessly for improvements to be made to psychiatric services in the area is counsellor Greg Szanto.

Mr Szanto does a lot of work with Eating Disorder patients and said: “It is much harder to get a bed for any patient these days, I often try to find a bed for people who are dangerously underweight but by the time a bed is available it is usually too late, I have been to a lot of funerals in the last 18 months.”

Mr Szanto does some voluntary work with prisoners in Lewes Prison, a place that he describes as “dreadful”. He says  between 80 and 90% of the prisoners are in need of psychiatric help and he feels: “They have to rely on each other for help when they have problems.”

When asked about how recent changes to services and changes to personal income are affecting his clients Mr Szanto has said that many patients had suffered a crises that resulted from financial or housing worries, he said: “All these changes alongside the reduction in social services support have led to many emergency hospital admissions, suicides and prison sentences.”

Going back to Geg Szanto, after making a lot of effort to find someone from within the NHS to speak to me, and getting no response he told me: “Psychiatrists are under pressures not to speak to the media, but they are not happy.”

Sussex Partnership, the trust that runs all psychiatric care in this area did answer a freedom of information act request. They have said that at times of increased demand they may have to offer someone a bed outside of their home town. When this happens and a patient is informal they may choose to decline that offer. They also said they avoid sending anyone home from an inpatient unit early because they need the bed for someone else.

Eventually I managed to get a psychiatric nurse to agree to speak to me. In response to the reply I had been given by Sussex Partnership she said that this is not true She said: “The figures are being manipulated,  people are sometimes offered a bed as far away as North London in a private hospital but will usually turn that down as it is so far away.

“It is not true that patients are never discharged prematurely, I have  to do this  often.”

When asked about the working conditions for nurses in psychiatric hospitals she replied that: “Morale is very low, we cannot give the care that we would like to. I never seem to stop, the workload has become huge. After a long period with a pay freeze we have now all had to take a pay cut and the public were angry when we took action over our pensions.

“There is a lot of bullying from managers, nurses will get bullied even if they take time off through sickness and certainly there is bullying not to speak as I am now.”

Changes are still being made that will affect the lives of psychiatric patients. Many people have been take off incapacity benefits and put on job seekers allowance when they are clearly far too ill to hold down a job even if there was one available. Atos has now started assessing everyone who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and the Independent Living Fund has recently been stopped.

Many people may say that all this is necessary to cut the deficit, but the deficit has been the same for two years. Every politician has said that they believe the NHS did need some reform, but this reform means some people are paying a very high price.

The Shadow of the Wind: Book Review

By Henry Smith

I was first drawn to The Shadow of the Wind when a friend recommended it to me. I had never heard of the author Carlos Ruiz Zafon and I was eager to learn more. It struck me to learn that his main influences stem from 19^th century classics, crime fiction and noir authors. I was intrigued to find out how Zafon could combine certain elements of these genres to weave a tale of drama, intensity and passion.

Southcoast Zodiacs fly the flag for UK Competitive Cheerleading

By Nathalie Jacquemard

Cheerleading is booming in the UK.

A study published by the Department for Education showed that nearly two in five schools (37%) now offered cheerleading in P.E lessons. Even though cheerleading is on the rise over here, it is a discipline that is still met with scorn by many.

Last month British cheerleading team Southcoast Zodiacs attended the two-day National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia: their first international competition.

Brighton’s music stores in the digital age

By Matt Berryman

Ever since the sixties, Brighton has been the alternative music hub of England. With the counter culture movement, many more people felt fully able to express themselves artistically, and Brighton provided the freedom necessary for many creative types to spread their wings in a city free of prejudice and intolerance.

But with the emergence of the digital age, clubs and electronic music seem to be the new rock and roll. Does this mean the death of the guitar era? And, if so, what will become of the instrument outlets of central Brighton?

The Best European Festivals You Won’t Have Heard Of

By David Hillier

It might not feel like it, but summer is on its way. Honest.

As our limbs thaw out, the festival-minded among us turn our minds to what fields we are going to be rolling around in come the warmer months. Whether you want to see some great music, crack open a chemical suitcase or talk to strangers at dawn, there are loads of events across Europe that mean you don’t just have to go to Benicassim or Rock Werchter. Here’s some of the best.

Top 3 Anticipated Films 2013

HMV: Where It All Went Wrong

The Art of Connecting Communities to Conservation – Laura Coleman

By Mary Stevens

Laura Coleman’s second exhibition at her gallery Onca launches tomorrow. ‘Our Time in Ice’  showcases work inspired by the Arctic landscape as it changes due to ice melt. Originally from Ditchling, she opened the central Brighton gallery in November 2011. The gallery aims to show work on conservation themes, and engage the community in artistic and educational events inspired by those themes.  Five years working in overseas conservation, combined with her background in art, encouraged her to develop the concept.

I visited the gallery and spoke to Laura, to find out more about the aims of the project. First I asked her why Brighton?

“I was planning to move back to Brighton and wanted to combine my conservation experience with my artistic interests. There is already a strong awareness of environmental issues.  There is also a large creative community here, with very few galleries, so it seemed the ideal place.”

“I wanted to create a space to bring people closer to its landscape and the life it supports. “

The gallery is in St Georges Place, outside Brighton’s Cultural Quarter and the fashionable North Laine. I asked if this was a disadvantage.

“There is a high footfall here, and we are deliberately not in the North Laine. I feel that makes the gallery more accessible to the wider community” said Laura. “Also, we knew the owners of the building, which made things easier, and were attracted by the window this space offers, the light and the beautiful original Victorian stained glass”.

Laura’s first exhibition, Ghosts of Gone Birds, Onca proved the unorthodox location an intelligent choice – winning the public vote in Brighton and Hove City Council’s 2012 ‘Dressed for Success’ Christmas window display competition.  An advent calendar of bird boxes was created by young people and artists.The bird boxes were  built in collaboration with City College, and children from local schools and artists created the birds. Onca is already achieving Laura’s vision of bringing together artists and community to further understanding of, and support for, conservation .

I asked Laura about the theme of  Our Time in Ice.

“It is very current, in the moment, reflecting concerns about changes affecting the Arctic. It also links with the forthcoming exhibition at Brighton Museum. The Arctic may feel remote and distant but its changing environment is affecting us all”

Linked to the exhibition is a programme of educational and community activities. The window will feature poems written by children from Balfour Primary School that reflect their understanding of melting Arctic Ice.

The gallery has recently achieved charitable status, and profits from this show are supporting the Unnammaq Children’s Home in Greenland.

‘Our Time in Ice’ is open from 28^th February – 31^st May, at Onca (One Network for Conservation and the Arts), 4 St George’s Place (near London Road), Brighton.

Snoopers Attic – A Vintage Wonderland

http://www.greenlandphotography.com 

By Louisa Michel

IF YOU haven’t already had the pleasure, allow me introduce you to Snoopers Attic, the most delicious boutique I know of in Brighton. Set out as a boudoir-come-vintage market, it is to clothes lovers what Selfridges Food Hall is to foodies – a ‘couture’ candy shop. It is home to a collection of the city’s most innovative makers and vintage collectors.

Located above Snoopers Paradise in the North Laine, the spacious wooden floored attic is a shop unlike any other. Think French haberdashery meets leopard print fur, fringed lampshades, sheepskins, antique birdcages and lovingly dried roses in bunches hanging from the ceiling.

When Iona of Future Folklore co-visioned the Snoopers Attic cooperative two years ago, nothing about her plan was conventionally ‘sensible’. In fact, she tells me through a girlish grin – she didn’t have any kind of business plan, or financial backing to speak of.
“I found so many shops too serious and clinical, I knew I wanted to create an indoor space with an atmospheric market feel; a playful platform for fashion with all the buzz and banter that I used to love as a trader.”

“We did it all backwards from a business perspective,” she giggles. “We put it together within a week, manically painting the walls and trawling the local markets for furniture. The five of us had been market traders for years. By then we each had a feel for what sells and how to talk to people…but it was a big leap of faith opening a shop!”

What Iona lacked in money, she made up for in taste, and it is her creative background in visual art, design and love of markets that make this place so alluring. The Attic is not just a shop, it’s an experience; like an ongoing interactive fashion exhibition where everyone, including men, get a chance to play dress-up.
New things are created, bound, found and bought-in all the time, and that is partly why this place is so exciting – everything is current and constantly changing, so the possibilities for both shoppers and makers are endless. Twydl the in-house taxidermist explains that his artistic sensibilities are constantly stimulated by the cooperative’s vibrant environment, and I can see why.
It’s such a rare thing to find a shop so filled with love and playful creative talent – and the best thing – they’ve just opened ‘Lucia J Elliston’ a smaller sister shop in Kemp Town.

The Commuter Diaries

By Robert Dean

I never thought that commuting on the train would be so fun. After two weeks of Britain’s unreliable service I had started to develop a real hatred for my daily journeys. I then started to think of ways that I could brighten up my day. It suddenly struck me that trains are the only place where you can see such a varied cross section of British life in such an intimate setting. I then, rather voyeuristically, decided that I would keep a small diary of all the weird and wonderful things that I came across over the month of December. Here are the highlight entries.

Þ     December 4th 2012

Sleeping Beauty

A nice early finish on a Friday and I make my way home whilst trying to plan the weekend ahead. I found a nice empty block of four seats in what seemed like an empty carriage. It was then I started to hear a strange murmur coming from a few rows behind me. I got up to investigate and saw two feet sticking out into the aisle – strangely one with shoe and one without.  Connected to those feet was  a rather rotund, weather-beaten man sprawled across three seats and enjoying a snooze. I stood there mesmerised as on every out breath a loud whisper of incomprehensible babble shot out of his mouth. It was almost a shame that no one else was on the carriage to enjoy this comedy gold. But then my conscious started to play tricks on me. What if this guy is in trouble? What if he needs help? I toyed with the idea of waking him to see if he was ok but in the end I let comedy -  and in all fairness common sense  -  rule the day and let the man sleep it off.

Þ     December  12th 2012

Shameless Phone Call

It had been a long day and the last thing I wanted to do was sit on the train home for an hour. However my journey was to be brightened up by a young man having a phone conversation whilst overly caught up in the grips of passion. The man, who was sitting opposite me, started his chat in an innocent enough fashion:

“Hiya love, how was work?”

“What we doing for dinner tonight?”

“What you up for doing later then?”

But that last contribution seemed to trigger some x-rated dialogue between the pair. Whilst I wouldn’t want to go into full detail of what was said, I think it’s fair to say that  passengers recoiled as he explained how “he’s gonna lick that” and where “he’s gonna stick this”, so to speak. I thought to myself does he not realise he is on a busy train and 50-60 people are within earshot or does he just have no shame? I left the train with a strange feeling of admiration and disgust in equal measure.

Þ     December 16th 2012

Fear stricken man

I got on a packed train in the morning and was struggling to find a seat. I decided to settle where I was and politely asked a man if he could move his suitcase so I could use the seat next to him. Much to my confusion he greeted my request with a look of fear and bemusement. He quickly gathered his stuff and clung to it tightly. I sat there pretending to read my paper but was really thinking about what I might have done to scare this man so much.  I mean I am quite a large gentleman but I don’t consider myself to be an intimidating figure. I decided to try and defuse the situation by giving him a little nod and a smile. However, this only made things worse. I started to wonder what he must be thinking about me and pictures of Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher sprung to mind. At this stage I realised there was nothing I could do to convince this man that I mean him no harm, so my devious side started to kick in. I started to think of jokes I could play on him. I thought a wide eyed, continuous stare or deep, heavy breathing would really freak this guy out but then normality struck me so I spared his blushes. He got off one stop before me and awkwardly bundled past without saying a word and I am still none the wiser as to why he was so shaken.

Þ     December 18th 2012

The heart warming tale

This entry turned out to be very different than I first expected. An exhausted looking man  got on the train with his young boy, who I would guess was around 5 or 6. The child was very lively and the man, who was in paint splattered overalls and had clearly had a tough day at work, was struggling to handle his son’s excitable mood.  The youngster was eating a packet of sweets and was running up and down the aisle. When the train came to a halt, he unfortunately fell thus releasing a shower of Smarties  into the walk way. This was clearly the last straw for the dad so he picked his son up, put him in a chair and gave him a stern telling off. However, it was at this stage that the anecdote took an uplifting turn. The son sat there for a few minutes and stewed on what had happened. He then sat on his father’s lap and told him “I’m really sorry daddy, I really love coming to your house”.  Whilst clearly trying to fight the tears back the father replied “Thanks son, I love having you”.  If that doesn’t bring a festive cheer to your heart then I don’t know what will.