The union is seeking a less “authoritarian” approach by management, a two-hour reduction in the working week to 35 hours and 100 per cent pensionable pay.Mick Rix, the general secretary of Aslef, said he was delighted with his members’ response to the strike call, but he expressed his “distress” over the disruption it caused. “However, the worry is that if the further five planned strikes go ahead, employers will be less understanding and will start to demand that their people make it in, come what may.”The industrial action by Aslef, the train drivers’ union, was staged in protest at an alleged breakdown in industrial relations, although both sides have also accused each other of political posturing. Integrated Transport Information Services, which provides travel data, said a “nightmare” on London’s roads was averted because people decided to stay away from the capital. Traffic in London increased by an estimated 15 per cent, although a series of early-morning breakdowns and accidents, including one at the Blackwall Tunnel, made congestion worse.”The real nightmare was averted because many people, often with their employers’ consent, took days off or worked from home,” said Nick Simmons, business development director of Itis. Urgent talks were being held yesterday to avoid more strikes by train drivers on Britain’s busiest rail routes after a walkout yesterday caused chaos for tens of thousands of commuters.
Union leaders and senior managers at the train operator Connex started negotiations aimed at preventing another stoppage next Wednesday and four more throughout February.Nine out of 10 services run by Connex, which covers much of South-east England, were cancelled yesterday and while some rush-hour trains were packed, many of the 200,000 commuters who normally use the routes decided to stay at home. Urgent talks were being held yesterday to avoid more strikes by train drivers on Britain’s busiest rail routes after a walkout yesterday caused chaos for tens of thousands of commuters. The resort plans to open a Jackson-related exhibit this year..

Holly Williams: ‘Life Streaming’ – technology, intimacy and intensity –
Features, Theatre & Dance – The Independent

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}. That was well below the 12,000 dollar suggested minimum bid, however.A 30-year-old IBM computer on which Roddenberry wrote scripts for the TV series sold for 475, about half what the auction house estimated it’s worth.The highest priced item to sell outside of the Jackson glove was $185,000 for a Jimi Hendrix Fender Stratocaster. A lock of Elvis Presley’s hair sold for 20,000 dollars, Madonna’s “stage-worn” bra went for 10,000 dollars and hand-written Purple Rain lyrics by Prince sold for 55,000 dollars.While the 192,000 dollars spent on Jackson’s white glove was the most paid for any item at the auction, it fell well below the 420,000 dollars paid in November for another of Jackson’s white gloves.That one went to Hoffman Ma, a deputy chief executive of the Ponte 16 casino-resort in Macau, China. Jackson fan Wanda Kelley of Los Angeles bought that as well as several of Jackson’s gold records on sale.In addition to the glove, three of Jackson’s ornate jackets also sold for more than 100,000 dollars each.By contrast, none of the lots related to Roddenberry and other Star Trek figures garnered more than 8,500 dollars, a 2005 Harley Davidson motorcycle owned by actor William Shatner. “It’s absolutely amazing how much he is loved.”More than 1,600 lots of items once owned, signed by or associated with the famous were sold in the four-day event.Jackson’s rhinestone-encrusted white glove was one of five worn by Jackson in 1984 during the Jackson 5’s reunion tour. Late ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson remains the king of celebrity memorabilia after dominating a Las Vegas auction which wrapped here Sunday.

A beaded glove worn by Michael Jackson sold for 192,000 dollars on Friday, the first anniversary of his death, one of 240 lots which brought in an eye-popping total of nealry 2 million dollars.
Lots associated with Jackson easily eclipsed lots belonging to other celebrities, most notably late Star Trek creator Roddenberry.”Michael Jackson clearly remains the most sought after and most collectible celebrity ever,” said Darren Julien, chief executive of Julien’s Auctions, which executed the event. If successful, it is
likely to be launched on the mainland, providing another twist to the drink
referred to as a “Pint of Plain” in a poem by Flann O’Brien.. Guinness Red sank largely without trace, and it will be
interesting to see whether its new Black Lager and Mid-Strength variants can
take off and give its sales a much-needed boost.”

Mr Roscoe said the company was concentrating on improving the quality of
draught Guinness in pubs, introducing the drink to new licensed premises and
innovating – including the launch of Guinness Black Lager in March

Guinness staff have been handing out the drink free. “It suffers from a similar problem to the ale sector in that it is overly
dependent on pubs for its revenue… which has meant that its revenue has
been declining rapidly in the face of pub closures,” Mintel said.

“Guinness has not had a successful innovation since its Extra Cold variant a
decade ago. Shops sales
rose by only £6.5m to £120.3m – leaving a net loss of £28.5m.

Mintel was sceptical about its ability to counteract the long-term decline in
pubs despite growing its share of the ale and stout market – which it said
was not surprising given its advertising spend. “People are
going to the pub less and there has been a move away from beer and into wine
and spirits.”

Pub closures are of particular concern.