An advertising campaign by a firm aiming to cash in on the fear of terrorism during the London Olympic games by using images of the 7/7 attacks to sell bomb-blast window film has been banned by the advertising watchdog.
The Advertising Standards Authority described the campaign, which used an image of the bus destroyed in Tavistock Square in the 7 July 2005 bombings, as "wholly inappropriate and shocking" and likely to cause serious offence.
In its ruling the ASA said that the campaign had "exaggerated the potential threat faced by businesses due to the Olympic Games and could have caused undue fear and distress to someone who received the mailing".
The advertising regulator added that the campaign was in breach of the advertising code and banned it.
Used as part of a direct mail campaign by a company called Northgate Solar Controls that aimed to drum up orders for its anti-shatter window film, the 7/7 image was sent to about 4,400 businesses.
Northgate Solar Controls told business owners they may have already been visited by the Metropolitan police or another "government agency" to warn of a "red alert for the Olympic Games".
The campaign talked of a "very real threat" of suicide bombers entering the country more easily because of large numbers of visitors swamping ports of entry and "undetected terrorist sleeper cells" that could launch an attack affecting businesses.
Northgate Solar Controls said that it only targeted businesses in London and the home counties, where most of the Olympic activity is taking place, and that it was not scaremongering but instead wanted to "help minimise the risks in the event of an explosion by the application of bomb-blast film".
However, the business that complained to the Advertising Standards Authority about receiving the direct mail shot was based "almost 50 miles away from the nearest Olympics venue in Essex".
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
London 2012 Olympics: Philip Hindes makes Great Britain sprint squad - The Guardian
Philip Hindes is the surprise inclusion in the Great Britain track cycling team for the London Olympic Games after being named on Wednesday – at the tender age of 19 – as starter in the team sprint squad alongside Sir Chris Hoy.
Less surprising was the inclusion of David Millar in the men's road squad. The 35-year-old Scot was banned for two years in 2004 after admitting use of the banned blood booster EPO. He is now a fervent anti-doping campaigner and was last month officially cleared to compete at the London Games after the British Olympic Association's bylaw banning drug cheats for life was revoked.
According to the GB head coach, Shane Sutton, Hindes, who was born in Germany, could emulate the squad's discovery of 2008, his other team-mate Jason Kenny.
"Philip is the find of the century as far as I'm concerned and he could follow the same course as Jason," said Sutton. Like Kenny, Hindes has risen rapidly at the right time, coming from left field to claim a place in the squad: like the Lancastrian in 2008, he is expected to improve right up to the very last moment.
Hindes, who is still officially part of the academy, put himself into contention after being selected for the world championships in Melbourne in April. He shaved a fifth of a second off his personal best for the opening lap there in spite of a problem with the start gate, posting the fourth fastest time in qualifying, although the team was disqualified for changing outside the designated zone. That was clearly a setback, but his sheer speed appears to have convinced the Great Britain coaches, and Sutton has waxed lyrical about his application since then.
"Philip has really moved on since the worlds. He's very dialled, very focused. He's got leaner, he's been living like a podium athlete for the last few months and when he tapers he will go faster than in Melbourne for sure. It's incredible the way he has applied himself, above and beyond the call of duty.
"He's always been strong over the first half lap, his strength has been what he produces between a quarter and a half. His delivery [the ability to release the man following him in the three-man team sprint line-up] hasn't been great but he's young and he's moving on at a rapid pace."
Hindes was born in Krefeld, Germany, and represented Germany at the junior world championships in 2010, where, en route to the bronze medal, he became the youngest rider ever to go below 18sec for the first lap in the team sprint. He joined the Great Britain sprint academy – he qualifies through his British father – at the end of that year having made initial contact through the British sprint squad's German coach Jan van Eijden.
"He gives us something we were looking for, which we weren't finding with Ross [Edgar – the previous option at man one]," said Sutton. "He gives us that extra kick. Keeping Jason at man two and Sir Chris at man three means Chris in particular can concentrate on keeping his length [the capacity to sustain an effort over more than one lap] for the keirin."
Since 2010 and the retirement of Jamie Staff, whose electric start contributed hugely to the team's gold medal in Beijing, Great Britain have been continually experimenting with the team sprint lineup.
Other riders who have come into the frame and drifted out include Edgar – named as a reserve – the BMX rider Liam Phillips and the 2000 Olympic kilometre champion Jason Queally as a possible man three behind Kenny and Hoy.
Edgar did not go fast enough from man one at the London World Cup and was not selected for the world championships, but remained in contention for a place and will train as part of the squad until London, in essence as back-up in case one of the squad falls ill or is injured. He is a versatile athlete, who was close to being selected at man two in Beijing until Kenny's meteoric rise that spring, and who took silver in the keirin in China behind Hoy.
GB cycling teams for London 2012
Track men's sprint Sir Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, one from Philip Hindes, Ross Edgar, Matt Crampton
Women's sprint Jess Varnish, Victoria Pendleton
Track men's endurance Peter Kennaugh, Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant, Steven Burke, Geraint Thomas
Women's endurance Wendy Houvenaghel, Laura Trott, Jo Rowsell, Dani King
BMX Liam Phillips, Shanaze Reade
Mountain bike Liam Killeen, Annie Last
Women's road Nicole Cooke, Emma Pooley, Lizzie Armitstead, Sharon Laws, Lucy Martin, Katie Colclough
Men's road Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar, Chris Froome, Steve Cummings, Jeremy Hunt, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Kobe Bryant's divorce 'off for now' - New Kerala
Washington, June 13 : Kobe Bryant's estranged wife Vanessa will not sign documents to make her divorce final, at least for now, because she and the basketball star are working on a full reconciliation.
According to reports, the LA Lakers shooting guard and Vanessa are trying to work out the issues that caused her to file for divorce back in December, TMZ.com reported.
They spend a lot of time together but he has not officially moved back in with her.
Under California law, Vanessa has to wait 6 months before she can file final docs making the divorce official.
The 6-month mark hits this weekend, so Vanessa could end the marriage as early as Monday, but she won't as of now.
The two have been working hard at a reconciliation. They were spotted sharing a post-game kiss on Valentines Day after the Lakers' victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Despite the delay in their divorce proceedings, Vanessa is already sitting pretty.
They had previously reached a property settlement deal in which she got all three of their Newport Beach estates.
She got the house the couple were living in, the estate where her mom resides, and the new estate which they have been building for two years. This means Vanessa will already walk away with 75 million dollars, close to half of their total assets, whether she signs this weekend or not. (ANI)
Source: www.newkerala.com
New Jersey Divorce Advisors LLC Offers Divorce Clients Guidance on Creating a Case Information Statement - YAHOO!
New Jersey Divorce Advisors, LLC, the leading divorce financial experts in New Jersey, provides guidance to divorce clients. Getting it right the first time: why a Case Information Statement is the lifeblood of a divorce settlement, and how to be sure this essential paperwork is completed properly.
Red Bank, NJ (PRWEB) June 13, 2012
New Jersey Divorce Advisors, LLC, the leading divorce financial experts in New Jersey, have released their recommendations for completing a Case Information Statement(“CIS”) during the divorce process.A recent high-profile divorce case proves the point that one of the most important preparations a person must make before going to court is making sure the Case Information Statement is thorough and complete.
Luckily for Laura Blank, her original CIS paperwork (in New York State the CIS is called a Statement of Net Worth) in her divorce from Steven Simkin in 2006 was thorough and complete; it worked in her favor when Simkin brought her back to court to try to renegotiate the settlement agreement. According to the New York Times, when the two divorced, Blank and Simkin split their millions evenly. Blank took hers in the form of cash. That meant that her portion of the investment proceeds was liquidated. Unfortunately for Simkin, he chose to keep his portion of the assets invested with Bernie Madoff. When Madoff was arrested for fraud in 2008, Simkin lost everything he had invested with him. Simkin sued his ex-wife to try to alter the terms of their divorce agreement, but a New York judge ruled that the divorce settlement was based on the value of the asset at the time of the settlement, and as such given that the asset was an investment, there’s an implicit understanding that it may change over time. Had there been an error in the value shown in the CIS at the time of the settlement, the case could have been reopened (Simkin v. Blank, Index 48, NYLJ 1202547876121, at *1 Ct. of App., Decided April 3, 2012) .
The CIS is the most critical document in terms of the financial settlement, and indeed every case in the state of New Jersey requires the completion of a CIS, but what exactly is it?
“Simply put it is a Financial Affidavit created by each spouse,” says Jodi Carter, co-founder of New Jersey Divorce Advisors LLC, and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). “The CIS contains a comprehensive list of all assets, liabilities, income, and expenses for both parties. It contains all relevant case information including date of the marriage, issues in dispute, children’s names, and the date of separation. And it breaks down the household income, taking into account bonuses and commission versus wages, and self-employment income, as well as appropriate tax deductions, analyzing required versus voluntary deductions such as 401(k) contributions.”
In addition, the CIS requires each spouse to set forth a budget as to the standard of living acquired during the marriage and expected after the marriage. This is why this form is the most important document in the divorce, it allows each party to track the money that was spent during the marriage, and also prepares each person for life after divorce. The form includes all of each person’s assets and liabilities, not only those that are subject to equitable distribution, and requires the submitting spouse to sign off on the accuracy and validity of the information contained in the document.
“Many parties and even some attorneys fail to appreciate the importance of preparing an accurate CIS. Success in negotiations, mediation, collaborative divorce, pendente lite motions, and trial depends on the accuracy of historic budgets, projected budgets, current income, and financial net worth,” says Hanan M. Isaacs, Esq., a Certified Matrimonial Specialist, mediator, and collaborative attorney located in Kingston, NJ.
In divorce litigation, the attorneys will rely on the information provided in the CIS to present their cases and negotiate an equitable settlement for their clients. The judge will also rely on the data provided in the CIS to assess the marital lifestyle and rule on alimony, child support, and distribution of assets. In mediation & Collaborative divorce, the CIS is not mandatory but is typically used because it is beneficial to the parties to work from this document. In less adversarial situations, the parties may create a joint CIS to be used by both parties.
“For many clients, the CIS represents the first time they’ve compiled a household budget or household balance sheet,” says Bryan Koslow, co-founder of New Jersey Divorce Advisors LLC, and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™). “It forces people to compare their household inflows vs. outflows. At New Jersey Divorce Advisors LLC, we take it a step further by creating separate budgets for our clients for post-divorce to give them a framework for making decisions. For example, the budget will drive decisions about whether you can stay in the marital home, and how many hours you may need to work to support your desired lifestyle. The CIS is also the basis for determining how disruptive the divorce will be to college savings plans, retirement plans, and estate plans.”
Hiring a financial expert to create a lifestyle analysis takes the CIS preparation to the next level. The financial professional will meticulously examine tax returns, bank account statements, brokerage account statements, credit card statements, credit reports and other financial documents provided by the client to create an accurate account of the couple’s standard of living for the court. The lifestyle analysis will demonstrate the couple’s day-to-day expenses, and the spending habits of each party. This can help the court more clearly understand the couple’s finances, which is critical because one of the factors that the court considers when determining alimony is the standard of living to which each party was accustomed during the marriage.
Too often couples see the CIS as another required document for the divorce. By viewing this document as the basis for decisions and a wealth of information for planning for their future, it becomes a pivotal tool in moving from one stage of life to the next.
About NJDA
New Jersey Divorce Advisors, LLC is a financial consulting and planning firm specializing in the financial aspects of divorce. By analyzing the unique situation of each client, the firm structures equitable settlements and creates a plan for the client’s future. The firm, founded by a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner™, provides clients a comprehensive financial assessment that includes tax analysis, financial planning, retirement and estate planning, and insurance recommendations. The firm may be utilized in Divorce Mediation, Litigation, or Collaborative Divorce.
Bryan Koslow
New Jersey Divorce Advisors
732-703-6532
Email Information
Source: news.yahoo.com
London Olympics 2012: Millar Gets Road Race Nod - ibtimes.co.uk
Like us on Facebook
On the track, four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy leads the sprint contingent in London, with Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes making up the remainder of the male squad.
Hoy, who in London will compete at his fourth games, is proud to be representing Team GB on home turf.
"It's a huge honour to be selected to represent your country at an Olympic Games," he said. "It's even more special to know I'm definitely part of the team for London 2012. This will be my fourth Olympics but my first home Games, and it's going to be an amazing experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us.
"The standard in the British cycling team is so high and the selection process is always going to be tough, but there's a great atmosphere in the team and we just need to keep putting in the hours in training and make sure we're in the best shape possible for race day.
British Cycling are however yet to decide whether Hoy or Kenny, who edged the Scot in the World Championships in Melbourne earlier in the year, will take the one individual sprint spot for London, an event which the 36 year-old Hoy is currently Olympic champion.
Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Varnish will look to match their gold medal winning performance at February's World Championships, with both making up the female sprint team.
In the endurance events, all attention will be on the male and female sprint quartets hoping to replicate their Melbourne heroics come London, while Laura Trott will hope to build on her omnium world title. Ed Clancy will compete in the men's omnium event.
Shanaze Reade and Liam Phillips will hope to build on their Olympic debuts with medals in the BMX competition, while Liam Killeen and Annie Last make up the Mountain Biking team.
Reade is hoping support from her British support can help to glory come this summer.
"I'm really excited to have been selected for the London 2012 Olympic Games," she said. "If the test event and the recent World Championships in Birmingham are anything to go by, the home support will be a massive boost to me. I feel that I am in good form at the moment and I'm really motivated for this. I just can't wait to race."
Team GB Cycling squad:
Track (Sprint):
Philip Hindes, Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Varnish
Track (Endurance):
Steven Burke, Edward Clancy, Wendy Houvenaghel, Peter Kennaugh, Danielle King, Joanna Rowsell , Andrew Tennant, Geraint Thomas, Laura Trott
BMX:
Liam Phillips, Shanaze Reade
Cross Country Mountain Biking:
Liam Killeen, Annie Last
Men's Road (five to be selected)
Mark Cavendish, Steve Cummings, Chris Froome, Jeremy Hunt, David Millar, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Bradley Wiggins
Women's Road (four to be selected)
Lizzie Armitstead, Nicole Cooke, Katie Colclough, Sharon Laws, Lucy Martin, Emma Pooley
To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, e-mail:
To contact the editor, e-mail:
Source: www.ibtimes.co.uk
London 2012: Syria's National Olympic Committee Head Could Be Banned From Games - huffingtonpost.co.uk
The head of Syria's national Olympic committee may be banned from attending the London games because of his links to President Bashar Assad.
General Mowaffak Joumaa is expected to be refused entry to the UK because of his connection to the Syrian military, The Guardian reported.
The troubled Middle Eastern state has seen a recent spike in violence by the forces of President Assad's regime.
The Home Office is responsible for carrying out background checks on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and advises the committee on whether an applicant is suitable for accreditation.
A statement on the Home Office website says: "Accreditation will also not be recommended where an individual's presence at the Games (or in the UK) would not be conducive to the public good."
The Foreign Office is also involved in exclusion decisions, and sources said particular interest would be shown in visitors from countries where there are human rights abuses. Officials are expected to keep a close eye on Syria.
Foreign Secretary William Hague has compared the recent massacres in Syria to those in Bosnia in the 1990s while Prime Minister David Cameron has condemned the killings as "brutal and sickening".
The Syrian charge d'affaires in London has already been expelled in the wake of mounting condemnation of the attacks.
Visas are still being sought for all of the 11 athletes and 20 officials - including coaches - wanting to attend the games on behalf of Syria, whose regime has been condemned by Britain for its crackdown on opponents.
It is thought that the athletes may receive visas because those of Olympic standard are not required to serve in the armed forces, but there is a question mark against General Joumaa and other officials.
General Joumaa has said he will complain to the International Olympic Committee if his visa is denied.
General Joumaa said: "If anyone was blocked because of their military background, that would be unfair. Anyone who has a military background in Syria, they are an ordinary citizen of this country.
"You have seen how much Syria enjoys security and safety. We are a peaceful country. The Syrian people have love in their hearts for the British people."
Last month Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that no figures associated with atrocities would be allowed into Britain, under new rules preventing entry by people who are not "conducive to the public good".
However, he would not give assurances on specific individuals.
"As far as we are concerned we have recently said very clearly - if you have abused human rights and that is shown to be the case, you can't come into this country," he said.
Asked whether anybody connected to the atrocities in Syria would be blocked from coming for the Olympics, he said: "Of course, what I can't tell you is exactly who those names are."
The decisions on the Syrians are thought to be imminent and showjumper Ahmed Hamsho, 18, is expected to be allowed to compete, The Guardian said.
Hamsho, who has close family ties to the regime of Mr Assad, is the first ever Syrian equestrian to qualify for the Olympics.
A Home Office spokesman said: "We are undertaking stringent checks on all those seeking accreditation.
"This rigorous process has been designed to ensure those working at the Games are fit to do so. We will leave nothing to chance in our aim to deliver a safe and secure Games that London, the UK and the whole world will enjoy."
Source: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment