Outrage over Royal Mail plan to offer cheaper stamps to five million claiming benefits

Outrage over Royal Mail plan to offer cheaper stamps to five million claiming benefits - Benefit claimants will be able to buy stamps at 2011 prices under plans - Royal mail bringing in April price hikes

Royal Mail came under fire yesterday over a plan to sell cheaper stamps to five million customers on benefits.

Since the Penny Black was introduced in 1840, the company has delivered a letter anywhere from the Scottish highlands to the Cornish coast for a uniform price.

But embattled boss Moya Greene said Royal Mail planned to break with tradition and make cheaper stamps available for ‘the most vulnerable members of society’ this Christmas.

Cut price: Since the Penny Black was introduced all stamps have been priced the same - but now benefit claimants may be in line for a discount

They will be able to buy stamps at 2011 prices – 46p for first-class and 36p for second-class – while everybody else will be hit by price hikes from April.

The move – labelled ‘means-testing’ by angry MPs – threatens to spark chaos by creating two-tier stamp prices, with around five million people expected to be eligible for the discount.

Royal Mail refused to reveal many details about the scheme, but did say that anyone who receives Pension Credit, Incapacity Benefit or its replacement, Employment and Support Allowance, will get the discount.

Around 2.6million elderly receive Pension Credit, which tops up their weekly income by an average of £33 a week.

Benefits discount: Although stamp prices will go up in April, five million people on benefits will be eligible to buy them at 2011 prices, under the controversial plan

But the controversy surrounds those on Incapacity Benefit, which closed to new claimants in 2008, and the Employment and Support Allowance, which ministers have admitted includes many fraudulent claims.

Around 1.95million claim Incapacity Benefit, with a further 662,000 on Employment and Support Allowance.

It raises the prospect of benefit cheats being allowed cheaper stamps.

Around 55 per cent of all ‘personal’ mail sent each year, such as Christmas cards and thank-you letters, is sent over the festive season.

The move comes at a controversial time, with Royal Mail on the brink of revealing huge increases in stamp prices.

The postal regulator, Ofcom, wants to scrap the cap which limits the amount Royal Mail can charge for the price of sending a letter or a parcel. An announcement from the company is expected within weeks.

During a heated grilling by MPs yesterday on the business, innovation and skills committee, Miss Greene admitted: ‘I think prices in the UK will have to rise.’

Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi, who sits on the committee, rubbished the plan to offer cheaper stamps to vulnerable people.

The former entrepreneur said: ‘How are they going to do it? How are they going to police it? If you go into a Post Office wearing a scruffy coat, will you get cheaper stamps?

‘Do you just send out your granny, who gets Pension Credit, to buy all the stamps? Is there a cap of ten on how many stamps you can buy? This is means-testing of stamps.’

Emma Boon, campaign director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘This is a ridiculously complicated way of solving a problem that only exists because of Royal Mail’s inefficiency.

‘Taxpayers want to see improved standards and a change to working practices that are out of date, not a complicated system of reduced prices for those who are on certain benefits.’

During the committee hearing yesterday, Miss Greene, whose bonus last year of £142,000 is equal to the Prime Minister’s salary, insisted current stamp prices offered ‘incredible’ value. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Letting ‘keroncong’ flow

Letting ‘keroncong’ flow - Thousands of spectators crowded the Solo Keroncong Festival 2011 in Ngarsopuro, right in front of the Triwindu Market in Solo.

They were mesmerized as Endah Laras, a traditional singer from Solo, presented “Gemes” (Carried away), a song in the langgam or Javanese-style of keroncong, which is long known as Portuguese-tinged Indonesian music.

The song, written by Anjar Any and popularized in the 1970s by keroncong maestro Waldjinah, was jovially and temptingly sung by Endah that evening, testimony to the fact that keroncong is not always slow and soothing music.

Endah was not alone in adding color to keroncong during the festival. Earlier, the Zakaria Keroncong Orchestra offered a humorous piece entitled “Pakne Thole” (Boy’s dad). Presented in a duet, the old Javanese song triggered roars of laughter after being modified into an intensely expressive and almost theatrical composition for the stage, leading to calls to repeat the performance.

.Opening: Pesinden Sruti Respati appears on the first day of the 2011 Solo Keroncong Festival in Ngarsopura, Surakarta.

On the first day of the festival, Congrock from Semarang appeared with a blend of keroncong and rock music to suit the taste of the youth in the audience, making the show more attractive and less monotonous, while stirring the crowds to dancing and shouting. The notion that keroncong is for retirees was also dispelled as “Rumah Kita” (Our house), a song from the rock band Godbless, spurred people to sing along in the keroncong style and wave like rock music fans do at concerts.

“Through such music, we’re trying to offer and introduce keroncong to the younger generation. Keroncong will survive unless it’s monotonous, so there should be [new] creations. We can’t force today’s youth to enjoy keroncong in the style of olden times,” said Marco Manardi, Congrock’s leader.

For two nights the public welcomed the Solo Keroncong Festival with overwhelming enthusiasm. Many visitors were even prepared to sit in the road to watch the performances on two big screens set up on both sides of the stage. The throngs of onlookers in Ngarsopuro seemed untroubled by the suicide bombing that had recently shocked the city.

Opened by former Transportation and Manpower Minister Erman Suparman, the second Solo Keroncong Festival had 18 keroncong groups from various regions as participants, including five foreign troupes from Italy, Hong Kong, Hungary, Malaysia and Singapore.

The event started with teenage keroncong musicians from the Putra Mawar Timur Solo Orchestra. Mostly junior high school students, they elegantly presented an instrumental medley that displayed their musical skills. The famous keroncong hits “Kota Solo” (Solo city), “Bengawan Solo” (Solo River) and “Tanah Air” (Motherland) marked the beginning of the international festival.

Compared with last year, this time bolder alternatives emerged in the sense of not being restricted to standard conventional keroncong instruments like the cello, violin, ukulele, string bass and flute. They were played in collaboration with traditional conical drums, keyboards and modern drums. The songs chosen were not necessarily of genuine keroncong and langgam origins, but they included pop and rock numbers in keroncong rhythms.

The Suara Banua Keroncong Ensemble from Banjarmasin, for instance, had three Malay songs including “Cindey” (Sash), which was once popularized by Malaysian pop diva Siti Nurhaliza. In its Malay keroncong version, “Cindey” sounded beautiful with violin enhancements slipping out to emerge between verses.

Two groups from Banyumas, Central Java, Nada Pertiwi (Purbalingga) and Citra Sudirman (Purwokerto), retained their thick regional accent and combined keroncong with traditional music dominated by cello-like instruments.

A singer from Hungary, Agnes Serfozo, was no less attractive. With the Bintang Surakarta Orchestra’s accompaniment, Agnes, who speaks fluent Javanese, sang “Putri Solo” (Lady of Solo) and “Pamit” (Taking leave) by noted composer Gesang. A pesinden (traditional Javanese singer) from Japan living in Solo for over a decade, Hiromi Kano, offered two versions of “Bengawan Solo”, in Javanese and Japanese.

Hong Kong’s James Chu was a magnet for his rendering of “Sewu Kutha” (Thousand cities) arranged in Javanese and Mandarin. He added color to the song through an amazing Hawaiian guitar performance. The fourth child of Waldjinah, Bambang Herry, demonstrated his electric saxophone prowess through “Di Bawah Sinar Bulan Purnama” (Under the full moon) and “Sarinah”, after pesinden Sruti Respati’s captivating “Pandanwangi” (Fragrant pandanus).

A classical singer from Italy, Max Valerio, had a duet with Waldjinah in “Semusim” (A season), a song she had sung with (the late) Chrisye a decade earlier. The duet this time made “Semusim” sound like an astonishing mantra with Max’s classical touch. Earlier Max had presented “Indonesia Pusaka” (Precious Indonesia) composed by Ismail Marzuki.

Duo: Classical singer from Italy Max Valerio appears in a duet with Waldjinah singing "Semusim".

“Keroncong continues to exist among others due to such improvisations. I’m quite happy to see the young ones beginning to like keroncong, though not necessarily in its original form,” said Waldjinah, who on the second day was awarded with a song titled “Ibu” from the D’Temasik Orchestra from Singapore for her dedication to the preservation of keroncong music.

When in 2007 Bondan Prakoso created keroncong potrol as a modified form of the music, many keroncong lovers, particularly the older generation, voiced their objections, for they considered Bondan’s work detrimental to keroncong.

“The times have changed so that keroncong modifications are legitimate. Those who like genuine keroncong can hold on to it, while those preferring modified keroncong can just go ahead,” said Solo musician and music observer Max Baihaqi.

The second day of the festival saw Waldjinah collaborating with Hudson Perananjaya, a singer emerging from the Indonesia Mencari Bakat (IMB) talent scouting program. Hudson had a duet of “Gethuk” (Sweet potato snack) with Waldjinah, followed by a keroncong-styled “My Way” to wind up the festival, perfectly featuring the two characters he assumed.

“I’m proud to witness keroncong music spreading a long way off, with not only Indonesians but also foreigners capable of singing in this style. I wish keroncong would spread farther away,” said Waldjinah at the end of the event. ( thejakartapost.com )

READ MORE - Letting ‘keroncong’ flow

After the holiday season are you fitter or fatter?

After the holiday season are you fitter or fatter? - I hope you enjoyed Eid and your summer leave and are back ready to make a fresh start.

From the letters I receive, I can see a certain keenness to get back on track and take up healthy eating and get back into exercise with renewed vigor and extra determination. If you are like me, all the relaxation and socializing during the summer vacation means you return fatter not fitter: Now is naturally a time for new resolutions and a fresh start. Let me motivate you to make changes.

Start each day well

So let’s get ready to think about making changes. Start the day well, but before you do anything else, drink a nice detoxifying glass of hot water with a slice of lemon. Then take a few minutes to exercise in the privacy of your bedroom. Start with some stretching and then exercise each part of the body and then take a minute or two jogging on the spot — great for a healthy heart! My Mini-morning Workout is ideal for this and you can get an illustrated copy by e-mailing to minian@ardenhealth.com.


Give your body the best meal

Breakfast: Choose something low fat and healthy with fresh juice. (An excellent time to get your quota of cereal and refreshing yogurt and fresh fruit juice). Choose whole grain cereals that are sugar and salt free. Breakfast is not the time for chocolate-coated cereals. Porridge oats are so cheap (cheap, at low cast, or don’t cost much), healthy and great for the slow release of energy as well as lowering cholesterol and being good for the heart. Add some fruit and yogurt

Lunch: If you are working, pack a nice healthy sandwich, and low fat desert. Take lots of fresh fruit for snacks. If you are lucky enough to be at home for lunch you may prefer to have this as your main meal of the day.

Supper: Have some pasta, rice or lovely new potatoes with lean meat or fish and loads of fresh vegetables or salad. Follow with fresh fruit salad.

Try to drink at least 2 liters of water a day and cut down on tea and coffee.

Try to cut down on snacks, but as we are all human, do allow yourself one treat per day.

This is a good time of year to make some new exercise resolutions. The cities of the Gulf have plenty to offer — beautiful beaches, swimming pools, as well as plenty of gyms and exercise classes. So, don’t be shy as the facilities are there for everyone.

Try to fit exercise into your routine. If it is part of your daily routine, you will soon be doing exercising out of habit.

If you would like to join a gym, do! They are there for everyone, whatever shape or size. It is probably easiest to stop off at the gym on the way home from work or school — or on the way home after dropping the children off at school in the morning. Don’t go home first and sit down — that’s doing it the hard way! If you are naturally lazy go to a class where the teacher will push you to work harder or join a team sport. My husband always wanted to play tennis and so started to take lessons at the age of 40 and now regularly takes part in tournaments and belongs to a team, which gives him great pleasure.

At work, try to use the stairs as often as possible. Remember that exercise gives you energy and releases feel-good endorphins to make you feel happy, confident, and able to tackle every opportunity. If you are crouched over your computer all day then get up regularly to do some stretches. For more information on keeping healthy go to ardenhealth.com. ( arabnews.com )

READ MORE - After the holiday season are you fitter or fatter?

The spectacular clouds

The spectacular clouds that look as if they were sculpted out of the sky. They drift through the atmosphere, looking as if they have been elaborately sculpted by an artist from above.

The fleecy white clouds that usually litter the sky like cotton wool have been carved into waves and volcanoes and shapes of extraordinary beauty.

Cumulus Clouds blanket the skies

From swirling Lenticular clouds to pouch shaped Mammatus clouds these are some of the rarest formations known to meteorologists.

Clouds are visible mass of droplets, suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body.

Roll clouds loom over Sydney, Australia

A Shiveluch Volcano cloud erupts in the atmosphere

Generally they consist of water droplets, ice crystals or a mixture of both, and the shapes of the various cloud forms are caused by a number of factors such as temperature, the ratio of water and ice, the altitude of the cloud and the windspeeds within it.

The exact forms are also governed by a complex interplay of wind, rising and falling air, and changes in humidity and density.

Classified into four categories (High Level, Mid-Level, Low-level and Vertically developed), meteorologists use clouds to predict climate and weather patterns and even studying the impact of global warming.

A Sarchev Volcano eruption cloud bursts out of the sky with brown fumes

A Kelvin Helmholz Wave cloud drifts across the sky at sunset

The Mammatus clouds, the strange globular clouds pictured below, which resemble drops of oil poured into a murky pond, appear to herald the appearance of an alien spacecraft, here to cause havoc.

In fact, it is a rare but perfectly natural (and perfectly harmless, provided you do not try to fly through it in light aircraft) meteorological phenomenon.

Mammatus clouds are a sign of the massive quantities of water vapour that are held in the languid summer air

Strange clouds such as these are probably behind one of the most perplexing phenomena of modern times - the UFO sighting.

Earlier this year, the Cloud Appreciation Club, launched 'The Cloud Collector's Handbook' to enable cloud-spotters to identify rare and unusual formations. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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The giant iceberg that went walkabout... towards the coast of Australia

The giant iceberg that went walkabout... towards the coast of Australia. Australia is known for sunny beaches, surfers, and blistering Outback heat.

So scientists were a bit taken aback when they spotted this giant iceberg floating near an island Down Under.

Australian Antarctic Division researchers were working on Macquarie Island when they first saw the iceberg last Thursday about about five miles off the island. It is rare to see an iceberg floating so far north of Antarctica, researchers said.

Should that be there? A giant iceberg is seen off Macquarie Island which lies halfway between Antarctica and Australia. Scientists say it is unusual to see one so far north

The iceberg was about five miles off the island, part of which can be seen in the foreground, when it was spotted last week

Macquarie Island is about halfway between Antarctica and Australia, some 930 miles from Tasmania.

The iceberg is about 160ft (50m) high and 1,640ft (500m) long.

It is probably part of one of several larger icebergs that broke off Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf between 2000 and 2002, said Neal Young a glaciologist with AAD.

Several icebergs have been drifting slowly northward with the ocean current toward the island over the past year, but it is uncommon for them to move so far into warmer northern waters, he said.

The scientists believe the iceberg will break up and melt rapidly as it continues its journey north.

Before it melts, however, it could present a danger to ships navigating the region, Young said.

In 2000, several massive icebergs broke off from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf and the Ronne Ice Shelf.

The first iceberg was about 190 miles (300 kilometres) long and 23 miles (37 kilometres) wide. Those icebergs are now drifting away from Antarctica.

Icebergs are formed as the ice shelf develops. Snow falls on the ice sheet becomes compressed and forms more ice, which gradually flows outwards to the edges.

Eventually, pieces around the edge break off - forming the floating icebergs.

The unusual sight is likely to furnish evidence for both sides of the argument on global warming. While some may say it is indicative of the world cooling others will say it shows the opposite and that the iceberg was created precisely because the planet is heating up.

Recent polls have shown that belief in global warming is waning.

Last month, Cardiff University found an increasing number of Britons are becoming more sceptical about climate change.

It found that 29 per cent believe the threat has been exaggerated - compared to just 15 per cent five years ago. One in five are hardened sceptics who believe manmade global warming is a myth. In the U.S. polls have shown that nearly half of Americans no longer believe in global warming.

Only 57 per cent of Americans agree that world temperatures are rising, while just one in three believes humans are causing climate change, the survey carried out by the Pew Research Centre based in Washington showed.

Adrift: The journey taken by the iceberg

Andrew Kohut, director of the think tank, said: 'The priority given to environmental concerns and other issues is down because of the economy and the focus on other things.'

In some parts of Antarctica, ice sheets have been losing 30ft a year in thickness since 2003, according to a paper published in the journal Nature in September.

Some of those areas are about a mile thick so still have plenty of ice to burn through. But the drop in thickness is speeding up.

In parts of Antarctica, the yearly rate of thinning from 2003 to 2007 was 50 per cent higher than it was from 1995 to 2003.

The more the ice melts, the more water surrounds and eats away at the remaining ice.

'To some extent it's a runaway effect. The question is how far will it run?' said Hamish Pritchard of the British Antarctic Survey.

'It's more widespread than we previously thought.'

The study does not answer the crucial question of how much this worsening melt will add to projections of sea level rise from man-made global warming.

Some scientists have previously estimated that steady melting of the two ice sheets will add about 3 feet, maybe more, to sea levels by the end of the century.

Macquarie Island, in the southwest Pacific between Australia and Antarctica. The iceberg was spotted five miles of the island's shore ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - The giant iceberg that went walkabout... towards the coast of Australia

It's all in the stars!

It's all in the stars! Forest park in Scotland named one of the world's best for stargazing. By day, it is a huge area of dense woodland and rolling hills. But by night, the Galloway Forest Park in Scotland is alight with a plethora of stars.

The park, in southern Scotland, has been recognised for its spectacular views and now named one of the best places in the world to stargaze.

It is the first park in the UK - and indeed Europe - to be awarded the title of Dark Sky Park and one of just four around the globe.

It's in the stars: This image of the night sky above Galloway Forest Park appears circular as it was created with a special 'fisheye' lens. The park has been voted one of the best places for stargazing in the world

The award, presented by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), recognises the quality of the night sky in the area, where light pollution is minimal.

The pitch-black sky makes it easy to see distant galaxies such as the Milky Way and Andromeda.

Until now, there have been only three other Dark Sky Parks in the world - the Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah, the Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania and the Geauga Park in Ohio.

The IDA said the new addition was a 'fantastic asset' for the network of such parks.

Martin Morgan-Taylor, UK board member for the IDA, said: 'A core aim in creating such a park is to identify and honour protected public lands with exceptional commitment to, and success in implementing, the ideals of dark sky restoration and preservation.

'Its location is ideally situated for access from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and northern England, meaning that many people, including children, may have access to a quality night sky, both now and in generations to come.

'Such skies are rapidly disappearing and less than 10% of people in the UK can now see the Milky Way from where they live.'

As part of the selection process, the quality of sky above the park was measured using a sky quality meter.

The darkest reading, such as that in a photographer's darkroom, would be 24, while a likely reading in a major city would be 15 or 16. Galloway Forest Park was rated 23 on the scale.

The sky at night: The views from Galloway Forest Park are stunning

While in a city such as Glasgow one would see 500 stars at the most on a good night, above Galloway Forest Park one could expect to see as many as 7,000.

The park, established in 1947, covers 300 square miles (185,329 acres) and is the largest of its kind in the UK, Forestry Commission Scotland said.

Light pollution is kept to a minimum because of the limited number of buildings within the park's boundary.

Forestry Commission Scotland submitted an application for dark sky status six weeks ago, and the IDA decided it merited the award at its AGM in Phoenix, Arizona, over the weekend

Forestry bosses said they were delighted with the result. Keith Muir, Forestry Commission Scotland's head of tourism and recreation in Galloway, said: 'We have boldly gone where no-one in the UK has gone before.

'I'm so pleased that everyone's support and hard work has paid off. The award is a massive feather in Galloway's cap.'

Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham said: 'Understandably all those involved in this innovative project are over the moon and I'm thrilled for them and for Scotland.

'The award is great news for putting Galloway Forest Park firmly in the spotlight and for attracting more tourists to the area.' ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - It's all in the stars!