The United Kingdom is a perfect place for all car enthusiasts. You may be surprised to know that there are more number of cars than households in the nation. This indicates that there are at least one or more car users in every home in the country. Traveling without insurance in UK is highly toxic and can result in dangerous circumstances. The only way to safe guard is becoming ensured with a car insurance option. When there are more than one car users in the home, the Multi Car Insurance is the best option. This allows you to cover more than one driver with a very low car insurance cost at the same address and can save up to 23%. Here the car drivers can be you, your wife, children, parents, friends or drivers. However, it is mandatory to show all the proofs to the insurance company that these drivers use the car.

There are huge benefits of multi car insurance option; they cover good discounts for generous cars, by providing insurance to more than one vehicle at the same time a lot of paper work is reduced. Also for getting discount for the second car, the user need not hang around for the next car to be insured. While submitting an application for the car insurance, the user can give different launch dates for each car and still state the multi car insurance discount. Then the vehicles renewal dates can be gathered as a unit to fall on the same day. They also cover stereo cover, wind screen repair, flexible excess options, personal injury indemnification, legal protection, courtesy car when the car is abroad or in foreign country. Usually the Multi car insurance covers up to five cars provided that all the drivers reside at one address. It offers all the benefits that are present in the individual plan. Third party damages, accident damages, satellite channel, protection against theft are also covered in the car policies.

For getting a Multi Car Insurance you need to provide details of the vehicle like registration numbers, number of  cars, model, names of car drivers, occupation, age, impairment history if there exists. At the same time it is important to see that you even include the renewal dates of the cars in the policy. Based on your requirements you can choose the plans with the comprehensive cover. How ever it is important to go through all the car insurance policies and choose the one that suits you the best. Taking proper guidance from an insurance agent before making a final decision is highly recommendable for obtaining Multi car insurance policy.

It’s official. The make-up of the UK’s singles chart might never be the same again as the dominating genre of ‘pop’ has spread it’s influence over what was once a chart full of diversity ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to dance and back to hip-hop/rap. And the problem doesn’t end there; pop isn’t what it used to be. Dance DJs and rappers are now struggling to pull themselves away from the encroachment of pop music and have become immersed in a world of auto-tuned, catchy lyrics and dull, lifeless beats.

This might seem a rather pessimistic view but the evidence is clear. The latest Official UK Top 40 Chart (from 27 Feb 2011) contained only 8 ‘non-pop’ songs meaning that the chart was dominated by only one genre: pop, making up a staggering 80% of the chart.

Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates present a weekly show listing the UK music chart on Radio 1

However, what is ‘pop music’? The term is originally derived from the phrase ‘popular music’ which was first used in the 1920s. But the term ‘pop music’ came into the public’s perspective during the late 1950s with the introduction of The Beatles (the acclaimed ‘Kings of Pop’) onto the national music scene where it was used to distinguish between classical and non-classical music. This has since developed further to differ between the modern genres we listen to today.

The concern is that musical progress might begin to undo itself and move backwards as one genre starts to control the musical landscape (like classical music did up until the late 1800s). Have a look at any official chart and you’ll see that there is a stark lack of  variety in the genres on show.

So is the future bleak for the other competing genres? In a short answer – yes. If the current movers and shakers of the music industry have their way and retain their iron grip on the charts, the hope of other alternative acts breaking through is minimal.

I know many people will talk about Simon Cowell in an article like this but one should have a lot of the respect in the way he has taken his chances and possibly revolutionised the music charts forever. The appeal and influence of The X Factor is phenomenal and 2010 conveyed how far the TV show has progressed since its birth in 2005 with JLS, Alexandra Burke, Diana Vickers, Olly Murs, Joe McElderry, Matt Cardle and Cheryl Cole all having number one hits.

That brings me onto the question of whether the public is being spoon-fed by music moguls  and producers or whether the songs we listen to are in fact ‘popular music’? Or should I say: where does the money lie?

After a fantastic feat of winning both British Breakthrough Act and Best Single (Pass Out) at this years Brit Awards, Tinie Tempah looks set for even bigger things. But has he always sung in such a style? This song was recorded in early 2005.

It’s the perfect example of how a young grime artist wasn’t getting the success he craved. Changing his style and image has turned him into one of the most sought-after ‘pop stars’ in the UK and who can blame him? His pop career has brought him fame and success which he could have only dreamed of when the above song was recorded. However, I’m sure he would have preferred his legacy to have been formed on his grime roots instead. But the case studies don’t stop there. Even the likes of Eminem and Snopp Dogg have collaborated with Rihanna and Katy Perry in an attempt to produce more number ones.

Tinie Tempah back in his MC days

So, what would be your answer if I asked you: When was the last time a rock song successfully topped the Official UK Singles Chart – (I warn you, it’s a difficult question)?

If you guessed that it was 14th September 2008 when the Kings of Leon went to number one with Sex On Fire… Then you’d be correct. An incredible 82 different singles have ‘graced’ the top of the charts since and pop doesn’t look like slowing up yet.

However, the one exception was Christmas 2009 when a Facebook campaign effectively managed to alter the charts by sending Killing In the Name by Rage Against the Machine to the top of the charts. The lyrics included in the song: ‘F**k you, I won’t do what you tell me’, seem to have more and more relevance as our radio stations continue churn out the same ‘pop’ drivel across the airwaves.

But is there really anyway we, the British public, can flee from this ‘pop’ monster? In a way I feel like the last of a generation where bands such as Oasis, Blur and U2 used to be leading the way. Younger teenagers are increasingly being brought up to listen to contemporary artists who come and go without leaving much impact or a proper legacy. The rise of music on television and an ever expanding celebrity culture show little promise of a change in this trend and it seems that the likes of Chipmunk, Ke$ha and the Glee Cast will continue to be the norm.

What’s your opinion on the UK’ top 40? Even if you’re a pop fan or not, please leave your comments below.

By Hugh Wolton

To find out more, follow me on Twitter @HughWolton or ‘Like’ echoblog on Facebook

This week it was revealed that mother Aly Gilardoni has put her young daughter, Corleigh, on a diet since she was two-years-old. The revelation has caused outrage amongst many and certainly split public opinion. As a recovered anorexic, I am particularly shocked and furious at Gilardoni’s wish that her daughter ‘getting an eating disorder like anorexia would be preferable’.

It is clear to all and sundry that Gilardoni’s parenting is irresponsible. She is pushing her insecurities onto her impressionable daughter; Gilardoni herself is overweight and has always hated being so. Now, her own obsession with weight has rubbed off on her daughter who, despite her young age, is ‘always looking in mirrors’. Ironically, Gilardoni says that she feels guilty about restricting her daughter’s diet to a mere 700 calories. Although the recommended calorie intake for children is less than that of adults, the brain needs 500 calories to function properly. It is vital that growing children meet their recommended calorie allowance. Anything below, over an extended period of time, can seriously damage a child’s growth and development. The consequences for Corleigh could be dire: she may never hit puberty if this continues and is susceptible to premature osteoporosis.

The effects of calorie restriction are more serious than one may think. Side effects which I have personally experienced due to anorexia have been:

• Brain shrinkage
• Bone shrinkage
• Swollen joints
• Broken bones
• Hypothermia
• Extreme fatigue
• Pallor
• Hair loss
• Muscle loss
• Weak heart
• Low blood pressure and pulse
• Loss of fertility

After my two-year battle, I have concluded that it simply isn’t worth it. Nobody has the perfect body and developing an eating disorder will never help you obtain it. Before you realise it, things spiral out of control and you find that your body will never satisfy the anorexia, no matter how deadly thin you become. The consequences are horrendous and take a painstaking amount of time to reverse.

Anorexia has the highest mortality rate for a mental illness and, unfortunately, the victims are becoming increasingly younger as girls are forced to mature quicker in a society that is superficial and, for the major part, only allows someone with a particular look to succeed. The pressures on girls are incredible. Flicking through magazines and newspapers, one wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that the only way a woman can achieve anything in this world is by flashing her body (which must be painfully thin and big-boobed). This is reiterated in this year’s list of most influential British women, which named celebrities such as Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham. Yes, they have had successful careers, but how are they positive role models for the youth of today? Shockingly, they were ranked above arguably more deserving women, such as famous philanthropists. What kind of message does this give to our generation?

Isn’t Gilardoni giving her naïve daughter the kiss of death? The girl has clearly demonstrated early signs of an eating disorder with her obsessive mirror-checking. Unfortunately, anorexia seems to be harder to fight the younger you get it because the road to recovery involves a high level of deep cognitive therapy, usually psychotherapy. This involves finding the root of the problem, ways to combat it and challenging the way that the anorexia makes a sufferer thinks, which is so much more difficult than one may think. Gilardoni’s ignorance to the problem with a 700 calorie diet is shocking and horrifying. She is not promoting a positive message to her daughter and is setting her up for a lifetime of insecurities. It seems that history will only repeat itself in this sad story of mother and daughter as Gilardoni has confessed to having a negative body image.

The highly disturbing wish of Gilardoni for Corleigh to develop anorexia is astounding. How could anyone wish such an affliction, especially upon someone they profess to care about and love? The gut-wrenching reality is that if Corleigh did develop an eating disorder, her mother would probably be proud of her and encourage her to become thinner and thinner. When will it stop? Will it take poor Corleigh to be on her deathbed before her mother finally awakes from her sick delusion?

Ok, so in my infinite wisdom I’ve noticed that alot of the articles on here, good as they are, are about politics, music and sport, which leads me to believe this: too much pontificating.

Now lets think, what is really interesting for girls who aren’t up for the challenge of being “one of the boys”? The answer, good women, is clothes and make-up. So here’s my stab at a fashion blog :

I’m sure most of you have noticed that the aviator has been absolutely everywhere this season. They’ve been selling out in seconds online, and when I went into Primarni to get my knock-off on Saturday, they’d completely vanished. Luckily, I’m not a grown-up, so I managed to aquire what the French call “la perfecto” (the perfect little leather jacket. yes, they have a word for it) with the aid of mother-dearest.
For those of you who haven’t got one yet, I’ve done some digging and found a few of my favourites at the moment:

£110 ASOS

I adore the colour on this, it’s kind of tan/camel, which means its still quite high-fashion, but my favourite bit is the elasticated jersey sleevy-bits. It makes the whole thing look really authentic. This will set you back £110 mind, so be careful: are you willing to spend that much on a singular trend?

£58 Topshop

Ok, so it’s not technically leather, but how else are you going to get it cheaper? And anyway, how can you say no to that cut? It’s more of a smart take on the aviator, so you can probably get away with it for slightly posher occasions than you would with the one from ASOS.

£30 Matalan

Aha! look at that, it’s almost exactly like the one in Topshop and it’s only £30, I knew it would be possible, you just have to pray to the Fashion Gods and they send you a lovely knock-off. I recommend this one if you’re anything like me and can’t bear the though of spending loads on a trend that might not last till next season.

and of course, for the chic among us…

£1895 Burberry

The Burberry original, worn at fashion week with feminine florals, tea-dresses and the like. Beautiful isn’t it?

I recently acquired a pair of Vivienne Westwood ‘Pirate Boots’ and have practically lived my life in them since I got them. They are the comfiest shoes I own but also the most striking. From the moment I put them on I knew that these boots would open my mind to express itself through fashion and so ever since then I have been dressing myself in more and more interesting and individual outfits.  Ever since my life has become more interesting, I feel happier and it has reignited my passion for clothes.

To some people who want to break away from convention to show their true selves, it may seem frightening as it is not always easy to do. People worry whether they will still be accepted since we all wear the same things and do pretty much the same things. However, I have discovered that by taking this leap it is not only the relieving decision that you will make but also the most fun. By dressing who you are, you will get so much more respect and confidence. As your real friends will be revealed and those people are all you need and everyone else will be totally SHOCKED!! By showing your true colours people take you more seriously and they watch as you walk past, you effectively show the world you feeling, your soul.  Since you are also dressing yourself on the outside you will almost always look amazing as the clothes will always fit your personality which is what takes fashion to the next level.

This may sound serious but in reality it isn’t, it is sooo much fun as you see who looks at you, and you then see the true power of fashion and how it shocks people into awe and amazement. Fashion is there to make you feel happy and empowered so you shouldn’t feel scared, let you inhibitions run wild and the clothes will take care of the rest.

Trust me it is worth showing yourself to the world. Look at Johnny Depp, Lady Gaga, Rihanna (except her fashion is not crazy enough to get the look she wants, at least she tries and she get points for that (she does need a new stylist though!!)) or even Carla Bruni. They all use fashion to set the world on fire, to show the world that they are fearless and amazingly sexy. Give it a try, see what happens, see if you make waves.

Top Tips.

1)      Use everything. I often wear fags on my boots, or as tops (under hoodies). I also use belts as bracelets. Nothing is off limits. Saftey pins are an easy and quick way to add punk to an outfit.

2)      Turn things inside out!! I regularly wear one of my tops inside out because the lining is so much nicer and more of a statement.

3)      Time your unveiling. Don’t do it in the middle of term, do it after a holiday so you have the outfits ready to go.

4)      It is worth saving up for designer goods. They are far more interesting and will almost always have a detail that is different and interesting.  They will also be more versatile and give you more flexibility for your outfits.

5)      Second-hand can be better, they can be from a different decade so they may give you a vintage edge or after being worn have an edgy look.

Good Luck and Happy Being Yourself-ing.

The acclaimed British fashion designer Julien Macdonald has recently labelled plus-size models as ‘a joke’ to the fashion industry and has also asserted that supermodels should be no more than a size 8. His remarks surfaced as he commented on the new series of Britain’s Next Top Model, which itself has seen a reshuffling in presenters, from the curvaceous Lisa Snowdon to the pencil-like Elle MacPherson. Macdonald’s remarks have obviously caused outrage in both the fashion industry and amongst the public, not only because of their offensive demeanour but because of his hypocrisy – his clothing range caters for women up to a size 20. He seems, in fact, to have conceded an own goal, as many of his previous, larger clientele have begun boycotting his range in protest.

Not only does this spark interest for the aforementioned television show, it scratches old scars. Is there really any hope for plus-sized models? And what of the rakishly-thin ones who currently prowl the catwalks?

Sadly, a large majority of the fashion industry is against the use of plus-size models and continually use dangerously thin models to promote their clothing, perhaps because of habit or because of the general attitude that models are there to show the clothes, not themselves. They act as portable clothes hangers. The issue with using plus-size models is that they have shape, curves and not every masterpiece is going to sit well on them due to their individual characteristics. Therefore, designers hide behind this argument and defend the employment of barely-there beauties to parade around in their frocks.

The lack of ‘real-sized women’ in fashion is highly detrimental to the passing public. It causes us to put ourselves down and construct a sinister, bitter perception of ourselves. Subconsciously, we tell ourselves, ‘the only way to look good is to be thin’. Is this really the message that we want to send out to young, impressionable girls today? Don’t the irresponsible comments of Macdonald only contribute to the potent problem of eating disorders caused by pressure to conform to a certain image? And isn’t that all it is down to: conformity? Unfortunately, we live in a society dominated by unnerving rules which constantly harangue us into doing this or that. To be successful in life, it seems that you have to have certain characteristics and traits. You have to fit a certain mould. If you don’t, you’re not worth the time or the space. This sense of having to be a specific way doesn’t just occur in the fashion industry – it’s everywhere. It’s obviously most conspicuous in the media, but it seems to have infiltrated our quotidian lives too. We are all guilty of passing by a stranger in the street and immediately reacting to the way they look in a negative manner. We are trapped in a society of negativity and it is the media and the companies around us which seem to be most at fault as, due to the exposure that we have to them, we are greatly influenced by them in this negative way.

In respects to the models themselves, it is vital to remember the immense pressure and despair they must feel. They are restricted to having a specific physical demeanour or they are ostracised, as Macdonald’s comments clearly demonstrate. What is, however, a promising hope for the future, is how former top models such as Tyra Banks are desperately trying to change the attitude of the industry by promoting plus-sized models and real beauty, sporting various campaigns to try and alter the hard-line views of those at the apex of the industry.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being thin. Or overweight. Or any shape. What matters is how you feel inside about your exterior. If you can accept who you are – a size zero or a size with a number as large as your age – what does it matter? The important thing is to learn to accept yourself the way you are. Of course, we’d always like to be a little thinner, or have a bigger chest, perhaps more of a button nose or those sexy, pouty lips. But some things can’t be changed. Perfection can never be achieved. Stop focusing on what will only hold you back. The fact of the matter is that there will always be careless people such as Macdonald, constantly picking flaws in everyone that they interact with. What is important is how you deal with these doubters. Don’t let them hold you back. Flourish and be free!

Photo by Jens Mortensen (NYTimes)

A reproduction based on designs from Horrockses Fashions, for the V&A

Oversized Tees, as made popular by Flashdance

From Esquire ; On Stanislas Nève de Mévergnies, thirty-three, corporate communications consultant: Two-button cotton seersucker jacket and vest (part of three-piece suit, $1,395), cotton shirt ($165), and silk tie ($75), Polo by Ralph Lauren; cotton trousers ($165) by Dunhill.

I was instantly attracted to that sweater when I saw it in the Times, in a section called Timeless. It not only looks beautiful, offering, as Tommy Hilfiger puts it, ‘easy elegance’, but also conjures a sense of pride, even in a non-American. The powerful colours hark back to sporting pride, and the days in which national kits were not optimised for performance but for beauty and pride. It’s a far cry from the designer clothing we see now, that seeks to push boundaries without looking at the beauty that’s already in the things we possess. Thank god then, for Ralph Lauren, who consistently sells a similar range of sweaters, and for Tommy Hilfiger who now displays the jumper prominently in his flagship store on Fifth Avenue.
IN STYLE : 40s -60s, but still worn today.

Moving on to the flowery patterned dress, which I discovered only last week at the Victoria & Albert Museum, I’m prepared to make a confession. I don’t like it. Having seen it from a distance, with my impaired eyesight, my brain removed the lines that proliferate this dress, replaced them with a beautiful blue, made the colours far more vibrant and powerful, and thought back to the classics that one could just as easily use for a tablecloth as a dress. Dresses like these have been popular since the 30s, and to me have always been truly beautiful, and thankfully have remained popular, though not without some horrific variations which I’ll leave you to discover for yourself.
IN STYLE : 40s-60s, but never out of out fashion really!

Where do we see oversized tees anymore? They seem to have departed from our stores and shops, but continue to exist in a few forms. So-called ‘boyfriend’ shirts and t-shirts are as popular as ever, if not more so, and many t-shirts or shirts have been lengthened so as to be worn as dresses, like those sold on Coco De Coeur. But to be honest none of them really come close to the style and elegance of those original tees. The new variations lack the iconic status that came with their presence in the movie Flashdance, and many of them are simply awful. It’s sad to hear that such a film only gets a rating of 5.6 on IMDb, despite being a film that was loved by a generation. If anything, it speaks volumes about the power of time to change the impact of the things we once held dear.
IN STYLE : 80s

Finally, we come to the preppie look. It used to signify being middle or upper class, and sometimes even popular, and originated in the Ivy League schools. What I find interesting about it as a style is the fusion of casual and formal. The amusing thing perhaps about preppie fashion, is that nowadays designer clothing is often so expensive that the same people who would once have been preppie are its market, despite the completely outrageous clothes that they now produce. For more information about Preppie fashion look here. As a style it represents the idea of a clean-cut, all american man, which differs only slightly from the working class perspective of an ideal man in America, as their dress would be less formal, though the rugby tops and similar which are staples would remain.
IN STYLE : 50s, 80s, 00s

From the top,  (I believe) a Skane jumper selected by Tommy Hilfiger in an article in the Times last year. Next, a Daisy and Rose dress, designed using patterns from Horrockses Fashions, currently on sale at the Victoria & Albert Museum Shop. Below, an oversized tee, as worn by  Jennifer Beals. Further below, a vintage style – preppie, with modern clothes, Stanislas Nève de Mévergnies models Ralph Lauren and Dunhill.

I’ll also shortly be adding a little sectionette on another timeless piece of clothing within the next day, so keep checking back for updates.

Comment below, and tell me what you think of the dog as my Column’s signpost!

And now for something that didn’t make it. At all. Leopard print jeans. No comment neccessary.

IN STYLE : Never.

Leopard Print trousers from Dolce & Gabbana

From Ohio, that is the news. In a scene more reminiscent of a Greek Myth, a statue in Ohio of Jesus as been struck down by a lightning bolt.

The statue of Jesus Christ towered at around 6 storeys high, but was brought down to merely ashes on Monday night at 11.45pm. The costs of the damage to the 16 thousand pound (by weight) artwork of Styrofoam, wood and fibreglass  are said to be above $500,000.

A youth pastor of the Church, Mark Moore said this in response to the devastating blaze “It’s horrible. There’s been a lot of souls saved just because of this statue. People drive down the highway, both ways, and see that, and remember that they once had a relationship with Christ.”
The church has promised to rebuild the statue.

It’s funny what you can find whilst trawling through the endless slurry pit of the internet. For example, you managed to find this website. I managed to find this.

So, bending down and holding my nose, I gingerly picked it out of the mire. And I need someone to explain.
Why have pig costumes for cats? Surely, it is just a waste of the lovely furry bit, and unknowing guests might mistake it for a very tacky pillow and unwittingly find themselves in a tussle with the sharp ends.
This must be a breach of some sort of animal right. It seems the WWF are so hung up about those pandas, and they don’t seem to notice that something is under even more threat. Besides, there are mighty feline beasts here, relatives to the almighty tiger, cousins to the powerful lion, veritable house –

-sphinxes.

Yet here they are, humbled by their monkey overlords, without being able to do so much as mew and look sad for retaliation.

And surely the owner cannot stay in this halfway house? It is very non – committal; he cannot hover over cat and pig, not knowing which side of the fence to land. Either the outfit should go, or the cat should go. After all, a real pig looks much more…. real. And they act as a good footrest, as long as you sedate them first so they don’t move about too much. Apparently good old Yorkshire ale does the trick nicely. And, like cats, they keep the bed warm at night. Although they aren’t quite as furry, unless…

Someone should design a cat costume for pigs.
Oh wait…

Also :

The Bumblepig

The Catfrog

The Tigercat

Found more? Put a link below!

Antipathy is spreading through the Lib Dem ranks, and the reasons behind it are foreboding for the Liberal Democrats. If they swing to Labour they’ll keep their core, but any swing will crucify them for propping up an unelected government. But the core are feeling betrayed by what was seen as an an anti Tory vote, and the thought of having to leave behind all their principles, including giving up on Proportional Representation, the heart of their election promise.

Throughout the past week every member of the Labour Party from Mandelson to Miliband has been pushing the idea that ‘First Past The Post is on its last legs’ due to the hung parliament in which it’s resulted. Several members of the Liberal Democrats have also joined this rallying call, but it’s a call which Clegg seems not to hear, unless he is in the midst of some well planned trick, whereby he can fulfil his promise to offer the Conservatives a chance at power and at the same time stick to his principles.

Last night in Liberal Democrat HQ, a secret meeting was conducted between Clegg and his party, whilst he spent the rest of the night in conversation with the Tories. Will his party go with him into unmarked territory despite many of its members including the Energy spokesman having lost faith in such a deal? Cameron’s head will be just as worried about this deal, as there are already clear divides within the Conservative Party, on key issues like Europe, Green Issues and the NHS which will worsen as they swing further left.

On a side note, if your principle is Proportional Representation, sign this petition :

“I  just signed a petition to Take Back Parliament. We can see from the results that the system isn’t fair – and that Parliament doesn’t represent us. The only way we can change this is the same way that we got the vote in the first place – by coming together and fighting for change.”

Saturday’s Protest Video :