Friday, December 31, 2010

Toilet goes on sale as a holiday home.

Loo with a view: The disused public toilet perched on a cliff which is set to fetch £100,000 as a seaside getaway

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 2:27 PM on 31st December 2010

A former public toilet is going on the market in a seaside town - so it can be converted into a holiday home.

The Victorian toilet block boasts spectacular sea views from its raised position at the base of a cliff beside the promenade in Sheringham near Cromer, Norfolk.

But potential buyers will need to be 'flush' with cash to buy the two-storey building as it has been priced at £100,000 by North Norfolk District Council.

The council estimates that it will cost another £50,000 to convert it to residential use.

Clifftop cubicles: This former public lavatory is going on sale as an unusual holiday home for £100,000

Any buyer will have to be able-bodied as the toilet block can only be accessed by steps down from the top of the cliff or a small flight of steps from the promenade. Proceeds from the sale of the 110-year-old lavatories will be used to fund the building of a new toilet block around 300 yards away down the beach.

The sale has been welcomed by the Sheringham Enhancement Group which has been campaigning for improved public toilets in the town.

Spokeswoman Avril Duke-Millar said: 'I am sure it will make a lovely home for somebody. It is absolutely beautiful.

'There is no garden or land to go with it and there are steps to climb to reach it - but it is not impossible. The sea views are just wonderful.'

Mrs Duke-Millar is campaigning for the council to put a reserve price of £95,000 on the toilets to ensure there is enough cash made to build the new block.

The pebble-dashed toilet block with separate ladies and gents facilities was built in 1900 on the eastern promenade of the resort town.

Council officials were forced to shut the toilets in 2006 because they needed major improvements including electrical work.

They were faced spending £75,000 on upgrading the toilets up to modern standards. But the steps to the toilets meant the council would still have had problems complying with legislation to ensure access for the disabled.

Fancy a seaside getaway? North Norfolk District Council believe the ocean views offered by this two-storey toilet block could attract buyers

Councillors are being recommended to seek planning permission to convert the block to a holiday home before selling it.

The property world was stunned two years ago when a two-storey public toilet near Fulham Broadway, London, was sold for £403,000 - four times the guide price - after it was flagged up as a great site for a club, school or cafe.

A one-storey stone-built loo in the Scottish golfing town of St Andrew's sold for £195,000 in 2007 - also more than four times the expected figure.

Another block in the run down Toxteth area of Liverpool was bought for £90,000 in 2008 - a staggering nine times the asking price.

It was snapped up, after a fierce bidding war, by a Turkish businessman as a gift for his student daughter.

He hoped to transform the block and surrounding land, already in the hands of her property-owning family, into 18 luxury apartments and eight shops.

Earlier this week a rather humbler toilet block in the tourist village of Boscastle was sold by Cornwall County Council for just £5,000.

The price at the bottom end of the £5,000-£15,000 guide price was achieved, despite auctioneers saying they hoped it would 'create a good stream of interest'.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Frozen turkey boards plane as hand luggage... strange luggage.

Frozen turkey on luggage list at Cardiff Airport

People find it hard to part with the things they love the most and are forced to take them on their flight. However, a list of items from Cardiff Airport may challenge these relationships with personal luggage.

Related Tags:: goldfish; luggage; item; flight; list

Among the crazy discoveries at the terminal are a goldfish, a briefcase full of bricks and a frozen turkey.

A frozen turkey and goldfish were taken into Cardiff Airport (PA)

Despite wholesale improvements to security checks after the September 11th attacks in 2001, people have still felt the need to bring bizarre items along with them on their flights.

The Christmas delight of a 10lb frozen turkey was one passenger's idea of a normal item for hand luggage. What's more, his only concern was whether or not it would defrost by the time he reached his destination.

A butcher's knife was also passed off as something used for gardening, while no-one quite knows why ten bricks were needed by the briefcase owner.

The owner of the goldfish tried to take their pet on their plane as hand luggage and, failing this, tried to check it in, though they were politely told this could not happen.

One passenger even tried to check in a palm tree, while other items denied boarding rights include a bowling ball, two unpackaged armchairs and a chainsaw.

Stay young.... think young.

Want to stave off ailments of old age? Then try thinking young

By FIONA MACRAE
Last updated at 1:05 AM on 30th December 2010

Research also shows that older mothers tend to age more slowly than those who give birth in their 20s. While this may be partly due to having the money and know-how to look after themselves, they may also benefit from forming friendships with younger women at the school gates.

Dr Langer, a psychologist, said: ‘Suddenly the older mother’s world is surrounded by younger cues, including younger mothers and their young children.

‘The conversations an older mother may have about her body may be more similar to a younger mother who has just had a child than with another woman her own age who is lamenting her body “breaking down”.’

Similarly, someone with a young spouse may think and act young, to the benefit of their body.

Research also shows that wearing a uniform to work can slow down ageing – perhaps because it prevents more elderly staff from dressing according to their age.

Even prostate cancer and heart disease may be influenced by the mind, with studies finding they are more prevalent in men who are prematurely aged by going bald early.

Dr Langer suggests that simply thinking young can do the power of good. She advised people not to dwell on the ageing process, adding: ‘Don’t buy the mind-set in the first place, then you won’t be vulnerable to it.

‘I think we have far more control over our health and wellbeing than most of us realise.’

Cary Cooper, professor of psychology and health at Lancaster University, described the findings as ‘common sense’.

He added that youthful thinkers tend to exercise their bodies and brains more, boosting physical and psychological health.

Designer clothes, gourmet meals, and manicures for pampered pooch.

Scrambled eggs for breakfast, his own wardrobe, bubble baths and a daily moisturise, Clarins of course: Is Prince the pup Britain's most pampered pet?

By TAMARA COHEN
Last updated at 11:22 AM on 30th December 2010

He has a wardrobe of designer clothes, lovingly cooked meals and regular beauty treatments.

Meet Prince, the most pampered dog in Britain.

The one-year-old Chinese crested is spoiled rotten by his devoted owner, Emma Butarrazzi, who spends £250 a month attending to his every need.

Emma spends £250 a month on her beloved pooch as she attends to his every need

Emma Buttarrazzi with her heavily pampered dog Prince, who she spends £250 a month on as she attends to his every need

Every day Prince enjoys a long bubble bath, while she applies shampoo and conditioner to his hair, followed by a lathering of Clarins moisturising lotion.

He is then dressed up in one of his 200 outfits, and enjoys a breakfast of warm scrambled eggs.

Lunch is a refreshing fruit and vegetable salad, and after more dog biscuits for dinner, she brushes and flosses his teeth for bed.

Miss Butarazzi, 19, who runs an internet business from her home in Loughborough, spends all day entertaining Prince at home with his array of dog toys, including a doggy skateboard, and he enjoys going for drives in his special car seat.

She and her boyfriend James Powdrill, a 23-year-old chef, even let him sleep in their bed at night, and never go on holiday abroad as they would have to leave him behind.

Prince with his wardrobe full of clothes. His outfits include hats, hoodies, tracksuits, fancy dress costumes and a £120 navy blue coat from Harrods

‘I just love him so much, we both do’, she said. ‘I grew up with dogs and we loved them like children, but I’ve always wanted to have my own and really spoil him.

‘He’s got a lovely nature and I just want him to have the best of everything. I scour the internet to find him new outfits and toys from America.

‘I spent hours looking after him and want to spend my money on him. He comes with me everywhere, I never leave him on his own.

‘We bought him a bed, but he won’t sleep in it, he likes to be with us.’

Prince’s outfits - including coats, hats, hoodies, tracksuits and fancy dress costumes - cost £30-£40 each, although his most expensive is a £120 navy blue coat from Harrods.

As well as clothes he has an array of toys. His clothes and spa treatments every month cost £200 and his pet insurance and dog food another £50.

Miss Buttarazzi has spent £1,000 on his Christmas presents - which she started buying in August - including a sleeping bag to keep him warm in bed and a personalised bathrobe, as well as more jumpers, vests, hats and scarves.

He has an array of Christmas costumes including an elf outfit which he wears from December 1.

His owner added: ‘Prince is so friendly unlike a lot of small dogs, and most people who meet him think its great that he’s always dressed up.

‘Some people think its cruel to dress dogs up, but he loves it and always puts his arms up for me to put his clothes on in the morning.

‘He’s a hairless breed and feels the cold terribly, he even shivers around the house, so its better for him to wear something.

‘In the summer and on holiday, he wears light t-shirts and vests.’

Emma takes Prince for a walk in his pushchair

Miss Buttarazzi’s boyfriend and parents are just as devoted. She said: ‘I was poorly recently and couldn’t look after him so James did it all, as we’d never let him go without.

‘We always go on holiday in the UK so we can take Prince with us. We went away to Tenerife once and just missed him terribly, so although my parents have offered to look after him, we wouldn’t do it again.’

Prince does not get on well with other dogs however.

Miss Buttarazzi spent £1,000 on Prince's Christmas presents - which she started buying in August - including a sleeping bag to keep him warm in bed and a personalised bathrobe, as well as more jumpers, vests, hats and scarves

‘In the park, they are always a bit mean and try to bite him, so I try to keep him away from them now.

‘I wouldn’t get another dog as it would really take up all my time and I think Prince would find it difficult.

‘I’ve thought about a cat, but I still wonder if he might get jealous.’

Prince is nominated for the Drontal’s My Pet Superstar Competition, to find the top dog or cat in the UK.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Australian discovers missing wife on BBC TV show after 28 years...

Australian man 'discovered missing wife on Antiques Roadshow' after 28 years

An Australian has claimed his missing wife has been spotted on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow in Britain, almost three decades after she mysteriously vanished.

A wedding picture of the Dawsons (left) and the woman in Padstow on the Antiques Roadshow Photo: APEX

11:00PM GMT 29 Dec 2010

Lynette Dawson, a mother-of-two, went missing from Sydney in 1982 and was presumed dead - although her body was never found.

Now her ex-husband Chris Dawson claims that an image of a woman at the Antiques Roadshow, which was filmed in Padstow, Cornwall in 2006 and recently aired on Australian TV is his former spouse.

But her Australian family dispute his claims that the woman is Lynette and have launched an appeal to help trace the identity of the woman.

They have called on residents of Padstow to identify her they hope they can finally put the matter to rest.

Mr Dawson, a former Sydney footballer, who has remarried and is living on the Golden Coast sent an email to his daughter after a friend recorded the show.

Nagging can cause serious health problems-may cause death...

Why a nagging partner is bad for your health

It is a complaint heard in households across the country, usually muttered under the breath: ‘All this nagging will be the death of me.’

( 0 )

Related Tags:: risk; British Heart Foundation; health; nag; nagging

Nag, nag, nag, its bad for your health.

Now, all those browbeaten husbands and wives have the proof to support their claims.

Research has shown a partner’s ‘excessive demands’ can significantly increase a person’s risk of suffering angina – a painful condition that can be a precursor to heart attacks.

‘Serious worries from significant others seem to be important risk factors,’ said the report’s authors, from Copenhagen University in Denmark.

In a six-year study of 4,500 men and women aged 40 and 50, demands from a partner increased the risk almost fourfold, while stress from children and other loved-ones almost doubled the risk.

Commenting on the report, Cathy Ross, a nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘There is evidence stress may be linked to an increased risk of heart

disease but the mechanism of how this happens is not clearly understood.’

The study is in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Eat this Pepsi fruit snack.....

Eat this drink: Pepsi creates liquid fruit 'snack' in bid to expand

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 4:25 PM on 29th December 2010

New line: PepsiCo is trialling a new fruit flavoured liquid snack as it bids to branch out into convenience foods

It's the drink you can eat - and Pepsi is hoping its new pureed fruit product will improve flagging sales.

Tropolis, an 80-calorie fruit puree, is considered thick enough to be a snack rather than a beverage and is being marketed at mothers and children.

The company's Tropicana unit is trialling apple, grape and cherry flavours of the new product in the U.S. Midwest in January as it tries to expand its product line into nutritious convenience foods.

Shares in PepsiCo have been lagging behind U.S. rivals Coca-Cola Co and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc, both of which have no significant food business.

The company is best known for its namesake cola and Lay's potato chips - part of its 'fun-for-you' and 'better-for-you' ranges, which make up $50billion of the company's $60billion in revenue.

Chairman Indra Nooyi is gambling on building up the 'good-for-you' portfolio to close the gap on rivals.

She aims to triple the nutrition arm of PepsiCo from $10billion to $30billion by 2020.

Earlier this month, the company announced it would buy Russian dairy and juice-maker OAO Wimm-Bill-Dann in a deal worth around $5.4billion.

Ms Nooyi told the Wall Street Journal: 'We see the emerging opportunity to "snackify" beverages and "drinkify" snacks as the next frontier in food and beverage convenience.'

Dr Mehmood Khan, who heads PepsiCo's nutrition group, said the idea that snack were dry and beverages wet was outdated.

Branching out: Shares in PepsiCo have been lagging behind rivals including Coca-Cola

'Consumers don't wake up in the morning and say "I'm going to have a whole grain; I want a dairy product",' he said.

'They're looking for combinations of those things.'

Researchers who developed Tropolis said the texture has been designed so it would flow out of the pouch openings.

The mix of juice and puree has been adjusted without the use of gums or starches and ingredients include apple puree, filtered water, banana puree concentrate and three other kinds of fruit concentrate.

But Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, said the product was simply sugar.

She said: 'They start out with real food, so let's give them credit for apple sauce and mashed-up bananas.

'The rest of it is sugar. Kids would be better off eating an apple or a banana.'

PepsiCo already sells smoothies in its Naked Juice line.

The Quirky Globe

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