Skip To The End » Meh News http://skip-to-the-end.com Giving you more time to waste time Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:44:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Mumbai gets Comedy Store http://skip-to-the-end.com/mumbai-gets-comedy-store/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/mumbai-gets-comedy-store/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:31:54 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=748 Monsoon thunderstorms are not the only thing heading to Mumbai. With them comes a wave of western Comedy, courtesy of the London first Comedy store.

comedy store

The doors to the First international comedy club to open in India’s Capitol of Mumbai opened to more than 1000 attendees last weekend. There is a large amount of British expats living in Mumbai. The opening of the comedy store had been delayed since last year.

The Mumbai Comedy Store took over two years to build at a cost of more than £3m and joint owner Don Ward called the venture his most exciting and risky of his career. In India, you must be Indian to own a business in the country, so Ward has gone into the Mumbai venture with local businessman Amar Aggarwal.

“In England, there are 400 comedy venues, India had none and now it has one in a city which is home to more than 22 million people. To celebrate 30 years of London’s Comedy Store we decided to look East for our next major project and I am glad we did. People will see here exactly what you will see in the the UK.”

3 Comedians will fly to Mumbai each week to perform to the Indian crowds which will certainly prove to be a challenge compared to what they are used to. India is a country which only recently removed a ban on kissing in films.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/mumbai-gets-comedy-store/feed/ 0 A Quiet Week in Flowers News http://skip-to-the-end.com/a-quiet-week-in-flowers-news/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/a-quiet-week-in-flowers-news/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:33:11 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=704 I’m sorry. I have searched and searched all week but it doesn’t look like anything is happening in the world of flowers. People are still talking about the controversy of the poisoned flowers in the Bloom of Britain that we talked about last week. But fear not.

In my great quest across the wilderness that is the internet, I have found some worthy flowers news to fill your cravings for the week. It even involves tanks!

Flowers Huge Hanging BasketYes, it’s official, this is the biggest hanging basket of flowers ever. Weighing a massive 1.5 tonnes with a circumference of 18 feet, it is so big it needs a tank to lift it (I told you it had tanks). It was made by gardener Wil Thomas to raise money for soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Britain is Brilliant.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/a-quiet-week-in-flowers-news/feed/ 0 Men to get off Sofas? http://skip-to-the-end.com/men-to-get-off-sofas/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/men-to-get-off-sofas/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:43:21 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=694 The Men’s Health Forum is to attept to prevent the early deaths of 1 million men by urging them to get off their sofas. Initial reports say that men can’t be bothered at the moment and “will do it later”.

Lazy Sofa ManThe Men’s Health Forum is calling for the government, NHS, local authorities, sports organisations & charities to work together, in an attempt to make more middle aged men more active by the 2012 London Olympic games. The challenge is prompet by National Men’s Health Week (14-20th June). It will be the first week to specifically encourage men to get up off their sofas and become more physically active through things like sport.

It coincides with the beginning of the World Cup in South Africa, which is likely to have men across the nation making it to at least the very edge of their sofas, hopefully bouncing up and down on them with joy. The NHS has launched a campaign challenging England fans to see how their fitness compares to the fans of other nations. Action is needed as 22% of men still die before the age of 64 in the UK, compared to 13% of women.

It is thought that higher levels of physical activity could make a big impact. Physically active men have a 20-30% reduced risk of premature death and up to 50% reduced risk of developing major chronic diseases. Physical inactivity is directly linked to a wide range of major health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and several cancers.

Men of England. It’s time to get off the sofas!

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/men-to-get-off-sofas/feed/ 1 Facebook Bigger than Newspapers in Abu Dhabi http://skip-to-the-end.com/facebook-bigger-than-newspapers-in-abu-dhabi/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/facebook-bigger-than-newspapers-in-abu-dhabi/#comments Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:31:59 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=665 Yes it’s officially. In Abu Dhabi there are now more people reading their Facebook news feeds that reading actual news in newspapers. A study by Dubai-based marketing and communications agency Spot On Public Relation has concluded that there are more Facebook users across the Arab-speaking world than there are newspaper readers.

Camel chilling

The study found that there are now more than 15 million people using Facebook. Only 14 million newspapers are sold in the region including Arabic. English and French languages. Facebook is now believed to be the number one method of communication and source for news in the area.

The largest number of Facebook users are found in Egypt with 3.5 million, far larger than the biggest newspaper. In the United Arab Emirates, which includes Abu Dhabi, a third of the population had a Facebook profile.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/facebook-bigger-than-newspapers-in-abu-dhabi/feed/ 0 You Could be a Lingerie Model http://skip-to-the-end.com/you-could-be-a-lingerie-model/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/you-could-be-a-lingerie-model/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:51:40 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=653 Fancy yourself as being the next Noemie Lenoir? Do you look good in Lingerie? Do you have DD+ Boobies? If you said yes to all of these questions then I would love to meet you, but more importantly, you could be the next lingerie model for Marks & Spencer.

dd lingerie

Newspaper The Sun is running a competitions in partnership with M&S to find their new face, and body, of the DD+ M&S lingerie range. The lucky winner needs to be beautiful, with beautiful big boobies and will feature in the Autumn advertising campaign, a spread in The Sun and will get a 6 month contract with the agency that launched the career of current M&S super babe Natalie Suliman.

The winner also gets £1000 of M&S lingerie. To Enter, you need to send 2 clear pictures (1 head and shoulders shot and 1 full length of you wearing a 2 piece bikini or lingerie set) via email to modelsearch@the-sun.co.uk along with your contact details. Or you can visit here for more information.

To enter you need to be over 18 and a non enhanced bra size DD or above, finalists will be chosen by a panel of experts from The Sun and M&S and the overall winner will be determined by a Sun reader vote later this summer.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/you-could-be-a-lingerie-model/feed/ 1 Rainbow Roses: It’s Flowers News http://skip-to-the-end.com/rainbow-roses-its-flowers-news/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/rainbow-roses-its-flowers-news/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:40:37 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=645 Yes it’s that time again, after the success of last weeks critically acclaimed ‘flowers news update‘ it’s time for this weeks flowers news. This week, the Britain in Bloom competition turns nasty and no, you’re not taking drugs (or are you?), those roses are multi-coloured.

Multi-coloured Rose Flowers

Yes apparently mother nature was slacking off a bit so good old science came to the rescue. These multi-coloured flowers, known as rainbow roses or happy roses, are genetically mutated cream roses. Various food dyes were placed in the flowers water supplies one at a time so they get sucked up by their stems. The new flowers are to be brought to the UK where they will be sold to the public for the first time.

The reputation of this years Britain in Bloom competition has been thrown into doubt after flowerbeds in one town have been purposely poisoned. Organisers of the lavish flower beds at Cayton on the Yorkshire coast between Scarborough and Filey have been told by detectives that the care and planning of the attack smacks less of vandalism than a “calculated and malicious act”. Sodium chlorate, withdrawn from shows last year for being too toxic for plants, has been found in over 30 flower beds around the town. Police are now looking into likely rivals that might be responsible.

Seriously people? What the F? What are you doing? People will cheat for anything nowadays. Sort your lives out!

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/rainbow-roses-its-flowers-news/feed/ 1 England: Who is on the plane? http://skip-to-the-end.com/england-who-is-on-the-plane/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/england-who-is-on-the-plane/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:28:46 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=639 So Fabio Capello has finally announced his squad of 23 men, 23 English men, with the hopes of a nation riding on their shoulders, that will be flying from the UK to represent England in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Fabio Capello

The headlines will be full of the absence on Theo Walcott. But lets be honest, he has been poor this season, and poor for England for quite a while. Aaron Lennon should be the first choice left winger with Joe Cole a worthy replacement. Ledley King also makes the cut despite long term injury worries, another great call in my opinion as he has been one of the best (if not the best) defenders in the Premiership last season. His Tottenham co defender Michael Dawson misses out on a place on the flight, but to be honest he did have a great season, but perhaps this is a bit beyond him.

So far so good. but he did make a very poor call in my opinion. Do we seriously live in a country that chooses a 32 yr old Emile Heskey as one of it’s elite athletes? Darren Bent had a great season, and although rarely performed for England, he is surely better than Heskey. God help us if he actually gets picked over Rooney, Defoe and Crouch. Here is the full list of the 23 men that have perhaps the best chance of winning the World Cup since the legendary team of 66. Don’t let us down boys.

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/england-who-is-on-the-plane/feed/ 0 Apple vs Microsoft http://skip-to-the-end.com/apple-vs-microsoft/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/apple-vs-microsoft/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:08:46 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=622 So yeah I tried to avoid talking about this but nothing much else is happening on the internet at the moment so I guess I have to. Last week was a big week for Apple as their new product, the “iPad” hit stores in the UK on Friday, days after officially becoming bigger than Microsoft. The iPad is deemed likely to fail miserably or transform portable computing, creating a new category of product that we will all end up needing.

Apple iPad

I personally am not an Apple fan boy. However, looking at me and what I own you might say that I am. I have an Macbook Pro with Final Cut Studio and Logic 9, an iPhone, and I used to have an iMac. The reason I have these things is not because I think they are cool, or because I want to look cool like the Apple stereotype would have you believe. I have them because they are the best tools for the job that I use them for. Period.

I do sound engineering, I do video editing and live video mixing. The best software for these tasks run on Macs and they work well on Macs. I can’t be doing live visuals only to have windows cut in half way through saying you have committed an illegal operation and need to shut down. I have seen that happen first hand and it can destroy shows. So there you go, at the end of the day if you look past all the bullshit arguments between Mac or PC, Macs are better for this situation that I am in, by a long way.

Anyway back to the iPad. It is basically just a massive iPhone lets be honest. Lets be brutally honest here: iPads are cool. They are fun to play with and it is much more exiting to view web pages with. But is it useful? That is what really matters. I wont buy one, because I don’t need one. For me it would essentially be a toy. I can do far more things with the combination of my smart phone and my laptop than I could with an iPad. But if you want to give me one for free, I would love it.

This viral video however tries to prove that iPads can be more than a toy. So how do you make the iPad useful? No, not through modern technology, you need something from the past to help you out. Velcro. The video shows off it’s many uses from using as a digital picture frame to a sat nav for your car hire journeys. I’m still not buying one.

Related articles
]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/apple-vs-microsoft/feed/ 0 Summer Car Hire http://skip-to-the-end.com/summer-car-hire/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/summer-car-hire/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 14:44:23 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=614 Loads of you will be going on holiday this summer, if you actually still have a job that can pay for it that is. If you are from the UK it’s safe to assume you will be going to Spain or Cyprus or some place hot like that, just like everyone else does.

Be sure to do one thing. If you are going to use car hire when you are on holiday, you should book now before its too late. Car hire companies across the board have reduced their fleet size over past months in an effort to see them through the recession. This year I am hearing of likely shortages in Spain and Cyprus especially, so if you think you are going to need to hire a car, you should book now before you miss out.

“Rental companies always try to look ahead and estimate demand for peak periods, but with finance in short supply and new vehicle prices rising, they can ill afford to have cars sitting around idle. There will be periods when demand outstrips supply. You wouldn’t go to an airport and expect to buy a ticket on the day you want to travel, and the same should apply to renting a car.” Source: The Telegraph

You don’t want to end up like this guy:

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/summer-car-hire/feed/ 0 Florida Times http://skip-to-the-end.com/florida-times/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/florida-times/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 15:31:41 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=601 You may or may not remember that I recently travelled North America. On the last leg of my travels I went to Florida to stay with some friends for a few days. It was a weird place to be, having spent months in the freezing mountains of the north. It was certainly strange to no only be in the heat of the south, but to be somewhere where the land was so flat.

Florida

Car hire in Florida is a must as everything is so spread out. It’s worth getting a GPS as well, as there are tall palm trees everywhere which makes it pretty hard to navigate where you are going. We were in the city of Orlando, in Central Florida, which is best known for its theme parks and water parks. The Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios Florida, SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove and Wet n’ Wild attract millions of visitors each year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the U.S.A.

Orlando’s International Drive is home to attractions such as Wonder Works and Ripley’s Believe It or Not, as well as mini-golf courses, food outlets and some of Florida’s best malls. Other attractions in and around Orlando include: championship golf courses, such as Shingle Creek; the Gatorland alligator park, where you can watch “gator wrestlers” in action; and the city’s famous themed dinner shows, which include the Pirates Dinner Adventure and the Arabian Nights Dinner Show.

Gator

On the last day we took a drive to the city of Fort Lauderdale. It is situated on the south-east coast of Florida, just north of Miami, and is often referred to as “the Venice of America”, thanks to its canal system and waterfront homes. Greater Fort Lauderdale has more than 23 miles of beaches, including Deerfield Beach, Hollywood Beach and Hillsboro Beach, so the city is a great place to use as a base from which to explore these.

Fort Lauderdale has a reputation for attracting the wealthy. Its marinas are usually filled with expensive yachts and you can take a closer look at these on a sightseeing cruise. For arts and entertainment, head for the Riverwalk in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, where you’ll attractions such as the Museum of Art and the Museum of Discovery and Science, as well as restaurants, shops and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Other Fort Lauderdale attractions include the Beachfront Promenade, and the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/florida-times/feed/ 0 Not Viral: Ironing Man http://skip-to-the-end.com/not-viral-ironing-man/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/not-viral-ironing-man/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 11:26:42 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=596 Not every funny video on the web makes it to ‘Viral’ status. Much like this Iron Man spoof “Ironing Man” which I have just come across. It has been out for the better part of a year, and has been seen more than a quarter of a million times, yet I would describe it as a flop.

A flop only because it has clearly been designed to be a viral video and has had a lot of money spent on it. Yet Viral videos of recent days have managed to hit millions in less than a couple of days of release. If it was just 2 guys messing around having spent no money, maybe we could class it as a success, but not when its had so much work into it. Anyway nothing else interesting is happening on the internet today so here it is:

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/not-viral-ironing-man/feed/ 0 Cirque du Soleil Does Dubai http://skip-to-the-end.com/cirque-du-soleil-does-dubai/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/cirque-du-soleil-does-dubai/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 10:21:43 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=593 The Cirque du Soleil is to begin a 15 year run in Dubai after branching out to the middle east. Nakheel has signed an exclusive multi-million dollar 15-year deal with Cirque du Soleil to have a permanent venue and show at the heart of the Palm Jumeirah.

Cirque du Soleil in Dubai

The venue will be the only permanent Cirque show outside the US, China, and Japan – “a major coup for Dubai,” claims Nakheel CEO Chris O’Donnell. “We will have the Atlantis Hotel, Trump tower and now the Cirque du Soleil, three iconic buildings and entertainment venues on the Palm Jumeirah”. Cirque du Soleil made its first appearance in Dubai at the beginning of this year from January 4 and ran an extended two-month long run of shows.

Their permanent show in Las Vegas called ‘O’ opened in 1997 and every show has played to full houses for thirteen years bringing in seven million people. People often plan their holidays around their viewing of the show. This is the desired effect for the Dubai version.

But this the deal was signed back in 2007 before the global economic meltdown. Will people still be prepared to fly to Dubai now that money is much tighter? Here is what they had to say to BBC News:

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/cirque-du-soleil-does-dubai/feed/ 0 Meanwhile, In Flowers News http://skip-to-the-end.com/meanwhile-in-flowers-news/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/meanwhile-in-flowers-news/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 10:50:52 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=588 Yes it’s that time again where I bring you all the latest stories on flowers from around the world. No need to hold in your excitement any longer. We start off today with some very sad news. Heartless thieves have stolen £100 worth of flowers from the garden of South Norwood Baptist Church on Oliver Grove in Croydon.

stolen flowers

artists impression of the crime

The thieves left a “trail of destruction“ after stealing the flowers from the ground for the second time in less than a week. They may well have ruined any chance of the church winning a third prestigious gardening prize, with the June deadline approaching. Gardener Mr Powell fears there is not enough time to undo the damage done by the louts.

“It’s heartless, I can’t believe they would stoop so low. They’re scum of the earth. We’re a family church and I can’t see any reason why it’s happened to us.”

To less depressing news now. Marks & Spencer are to give 25% off their range of fresh flowers this weekend with the Telegraph on Saturday. The deal is valid on any purchase of over £10, so maybe it’s time to let the loved ones in your life know how important they are.

Finally to round up the flowers new this week, we give you our decennial Scratch and Sniff update. Supermarkets are to trial Scratch and Sniff labels on their flowers to demonstrate to shoppers how they should smell in bloom. Hailed as “try before you buy” technology (how could you refer to scratch and sniff as technology), it is aimed to lure in more customers by letting them sample to future smell of the flowers.

scratch and sniff

”Consumers demand that their flowers last longer and in recent years cultivating cut flowers with a consistent quality and long vase life has bred out the scent genes – it’s one of the side effects. However, we’ve worked closely with our suppliers to ensure that the long life and scent of the flower is not compromised.”

Your welcome.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/meanwhile-in-flowers-news/feed/ 1 Brits Vote for most Important Inventions Ever http://skip-to-the-end.com/brits-vote-for-most-important-inventions-ever/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/brits-vote-for-most-important-inventions-ever/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 15:33:10 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=580 Britain, Britain, Britain. You wonder why some people think we are idiots. Here is your answer. Tesco mobile has just released a survey of 4,000 of customers between the ages of 18 and 65 to discover what people believe to be the greatest inventions of all time.

the wheel

Surprisingly at number 1 is the quite logical answer of the timeless and ever practical ‘wheel‘. The Aeroplane is in at number 2, hardly surprising when you remember that we live on a pretty small island with not a lot of interesting places to go. We do like our flights to the beach here in Britain. In at number 3 is the “light bulb’, another intelligent and practical choice. Well done.

iPhone

Number 4 is the Internet, shortly followed by the PC in 5. If that was a Mac instead of a PC it would be a lot more credible ;) . All goes well on the list until we hit number 8, and the 8th best invention of all time as voted by the British public is… the iPhone. Now I have an iPhone, I like the iPhone, but would I rate it as a better invention than the flushing toilet (No.9) or the Combustion Engine (No.10)? A telling sign of the state of British society at number 11, the contraceptive pill. We are not fans of condoms obviously.

At Number 29 we have ‘hot water’. Now I’m sorry but did we really ‘invent’ hot water? We definitely invented the Kettle (No.40) but we can hardly be credited for creating something that occurs naturally in parts of the world. Number 50 was Power Steering. Lazy, Lazy Britain! Expected to see a better result for the Tea Bag (No.54) being out performed by Sky Plus (No.53) and possibly one of the most random things on the list, the ‘Roof’ (No.44).

Facebook made it on the list at number 82, however outperformed by its internet counterpart eBay at number 60. Furniture made it onto the list too, with the bed at 42, chairs at 67, sofas at 71 and everyones favourite, the ‘desk’ rounding up the rear at number 99.

Here is the complete list:

top 100 inventions

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/brits-vote-for-most-important-inventions-ever/feed/ 0 Internet Votes on Most Iconic Dresses http://skip-to-the-end.com/internet-votes-on-most-iconic-dresses/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/internet-votes-on-most-iconic-dresses/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 15:26:06 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=575 Internet polls. Completely pointless, yet most people tend to care more about them than actual important polls. This week you folks out there on the world wide webs have voted on the top 10 most iconic dresses of the last 50 years. And the results are in:

1st Place: Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and the Union Jack dress at 1997 Brit Awards.

geri halliwell union jack dress

2nd: Liz Hurley in ‘that dress’. The dress was actually a Gianni Versace safety pin design, but was better known by its other name after she wowed the world, wearing it to the 1994 London premier of ‘Four weddings and a Funeral’.

liz hurley That Dress

3rd: Marilyn Monroe and the white halter-neck dress. She wore the dress in the movie ‘The Seven Year Itch’ where she famously stands over a blowing subway vent.

Marilyn Monroe White Dress

Here is the rest of the list:

4th: Audrey Hepburn in the Black dress and pearls in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

5th: Lady Gaga in the White outfit and wig worn to the Brit Awards

6th: Princess Diana in her wedding dress designed by The Emanuel’s

7th: Kylie Minogue in Gold hot pants (win)

8th: Jennifer Lopez in the Sheer green Versace dress worn to the Grammys

9th: Björk in the Swan dress worn to the Oscars

10th: Cindy Crawford & Red Versace dress worn to the Oscars (is it me or is it blue?)

I think the reason a lot of the dresses are modern is because of the people voting, and we have short attention spans. But I do remember watching Geri in that dress live and it instantly got people talking about it. So I guess she is a worthy winner.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/internet-votes-on-most-iconic-dresses/feed/ 1 Costly Car Hire http://skip-to-the-end.com/costly-car-hire/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/costly-car-hire/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 12:07:36 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=569 Holidays, everyone has them, unless your poor. Turns out if you do take a holiday you will almost definitely be poor afterwards thanks to ever increasing costs. Getting around a place you don’t really know is often difficult, which is leading more and more of us to use car hire as the chosen method of transport on holidays.

car hire in spain

Not only down to the convenience of having transport immediately from the airport and back, but it also opens up many more possibilities for people travelling around a country, allowing you to see and cover a much greater distance easily. But a new report published by the Mirror newspaper claims that the cost of car hire has soared over the past few years, with the cost of car hire in Cyprus and Spain reportedly increasing by 200% over the past 2 years alone. The headline of the article claiming that ”car hire costs us more than holiday”.

Experts in the industry believe prices will increase again this summer due to a shortage of vehicles. Shortages are becoming more and more common as car hire companies reduce fleets to cope with the recession, forcing prices up. Personally, I used car rental in LA recently and it was seriously cheap. But then again travel in the USA is much cheaper that in Europe. Domestic flights are a fraction of the price they are in the UK. I had 5 flights around the US & Canada within a few weeks and together they must have cost me no more than $550. So there you go, problem solved: go to the states.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/costly-car-hire/feed/ 0 2 Billion Hits… A Day! http://skip-to-the-end.com/2-billion-hits-a-day/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/2-billion-hits-a-day/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 10:54:13 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=555 2 Billion. A number too high to possibly imagine. Now imagine you have a thing, and this thing gets seen 2 Billion times a day. To put that into perspective, that is almost as many times as I have thought about punching Piers Morgan in the face.

Youtube foundersI am of course talking about YouTube, which today proclaims it has reached 2 Billion hits a day. A marvellous achievement for the co-founders that started the site only 5 years ago, that sold the website for $1.65 Billion to Google in 2006, less than 2 years after it started.

To put that further into perspective, currently approximately 1.6 Billion people have access to the internet. That means we all go to YouTube more than once a day. Perhaps then we have found the real culprit of the global economic crisis. Maybe if we spent less time watching pointless shit on the internet we might have noticed the worlds economy fall down around us.

Good work people. Don’t forget there’s a world out there.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/2-billion-hits-a-day/feed/ 0 Being Cool in Dubai http://skip-to-the-end.com/being-cool-in-dubai/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/being-cool-in-dubai/#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 15:02:52 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=546 Here is a nice little video from the BBC for those of you that are flying to Dubai any time soon. I say nice, it would be much nice if a really annoying guy wasn’t presenting it. Basically it’s the desert so you need to keep cool. So you could buy some trousers with fans in them, or a shirt that absorbs your sweat. Or even a bottle that tells you how much water you have drank. Or you could just be a normal person.
OR, you could be a legend and go skiing in Dubai. There is a sentence I never thought I’d say. Take THAT mother nature! I am defiantly up for that one day. I have just spent a season working in a ski resort, and now I need to ski, all the time, like right now! Anyway, if you are rich and you want to be cool you should go and ski in Dubai, is what I am trying to say.
]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/being-cool-in-dubai/feed/ 1 Lady GaGa gets pwnd by Small Child http://skip-to-the-end.com/lady-gaga-gets-pwnd-by-small-child/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/lady-gaga-gets-pwnd-by-small-child/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 09:46:54 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=532 I’ve always liked Lady GaGa a little bit. Because despite the ridiculous character she has created to get famous, she is actually a really good musician. To be fair she writes terrible songs, because she knows people will buy them, but that’s what pop music is. Regardless, I’m pleased to announce that Lady GaGa has officially been pwnd by a small boy singing in school.

Yes, this small child has managed to not only make one of her terrible songs great, but sing better than her too. It’s hitting the web pretty hard right now so expect it to end up with more views than GaGa’s original. Consider yourself pwnd woman. Try writing some good stuff!

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/lady-gaga-gets-pwnd-by-small-child/feed/ 1 Viral: Swagger Wagon http://skip-to-the-end.com/viral-swagger-wagon/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/viral-swagger-wagon/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 09:20:18 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=529 It’s rare that companies do advertising well nowadays, especially when it comes to attempting viral videos. So you can imaging when Toyota came to advertise their new 8 seater van, lameness would ensue. The Result: Swagger Wagon

What do you think? It’s OK in my opinion. It’s not really funny and I wouldn’t pass it on to friends, but not a bad attempt. But the fact of the matter is that this video spread like wild fire, and in 9 days has been seen more than 1.2 million times and topped the viral video chart. It can only be labelled then as a huge success.

They have clearly reached out to the ever growing number of older internet users. By older I mean 25+ (dont hate me old people, I’ll be old soon). It’s a good tactic as Toyota, more better known for selling smaller city cars, try to get a foot hold in the ford and VW dominated vans sector. After a successful advertising campaign we will have to wait and see if it actually effects how many vans they sell.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/viral-swagger-wagon/feed/ 1 The Men Who Stare At Goats http://skip-to-the-end.com/the-men-who-stare-at-goats/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/the-men-who-stare-at-goats/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:48:28 +0000 Darth Viral http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=443 One of the best and most overlooked films of 2009 was the fantastic “The Men Who Stare At Goats“. Funny, thought provoking and disturbing this is definitely a movie for our time. Take a look at this trailer:

This is a film adaptation of the book by the investigative journalist Jon Ronson. This book is a work of non-fiction which examines the more far out experiments undertaken by the CIA, psychic warfare, mind control.  The film takes the content of the book and hangs a fictional story on it set during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, staring Ewan McGregor as an investigative reporter and George Clooney as an ex special forces ‘Jedi Warrior’. This is a piece of inspired casting as the film makes repeated Star Wars references. The goats of the title are a recurring motif throughout the film.  In flashback we learn that one of the objectives of the psychic warfare program was to train a soldier to kill one of these unfortunate  animals using the power of the mind alone. Clooney’s character succeeds in this, which he sees as bringing curse upon himself and the New Earth Army as he has used his powers for evil and, “turned to the dark side”. There are a lot of laughs, but there is a serious message at the heart of this film. In particular questions about the secret development and use of secret psychological torture techniques on captives in the global war on terror.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/the-men-who-stare-at-goats/feed/ 0 A Week In Vancouver http://skip-to-the-end.com/a-week-in-vancouver/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/a-week-in-vancouver/#comments Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:07:06 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=415 Sorry if things have been a little quite of late. I am currently taking a bit of a break from the real world to take in some clean mountain air up in Canada. It’s my first time in North America and it’s been quite surreal experiencing things here in contrast to the U.K.

I flew into Vancouver last week, soon to be home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The first thing that hits you stepping into Canada for the first time (and flying over it) is the scale. Everything is bigger. The roads, the pavements, the buildings, the cars, even the tree’s are huge. Like most Brits, my only experience of North America had come from TV and movies. You don’t really get a proper idea of just how big everything is from that at all.

Vancouver

I stayed in a backpackers hostel downtown Vancouver for 5 nights which was pretty cool. Hostels are a great place to meet people, most of whom are pretty awesome. If you ever want to meet an Australian or a Kiwi, they are all in Canada. Seriously, I have met more Aussies and Kiwis that any other people put together. I met loads of people around the sofas in the hostel. Many had just arrived in Canada for the first time in hope of finding a job. With the winter Olympics just around the corner Vancouver is probably not a bad place to start looking.

Vancouver is an amazing City. Everything I usually hate about big cities like London just don’t occur there. I hate London because everyone is rushing around with no respect for anyone, everyone is so tensed and stressful. Its dirty, cramped and you are usually a couple of hours from the countryside. Vancouver is none of these things. There are 2.2 million people living there, but it not once felt busy or overcrowded. There is so much space everywhere that you just don’t realize quite how big it really is. Its also so clean. The roads and sidewalks get cleaned nearly everyday. The people are all chilled and laid back, no one is rushing around willing to stab you if they could get to where they are going that second quicker. The food was also amazing. Many restaurants offered Christmas hampers of their own cuisine for the festive season. All you can eat Japanese lunch is certainly one to look out for. The nightlife is pretty good. The Hostel we stayed at had a bar downstairs which was always full and screened Canucks games most nights.

But the best part about Vancouver by far is the scenery. It is so unique to have a massive coastal city that has mountains bordering it. Skiing mountains as well. On a sunny day, you can stand on a beach in Stanley Park and look up into the mountains and see a ski slope. You could Ski and Surf in the same day! Its insane. The flight out of Vancouver on a clear day was simply awesome. The view was probably the best thing I have every laid eyes on. Its worth going just for that.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/a-week-in-vancouver/feed/ 0 Lingerie That Lights Up The Bedroom http://skip-to-the-end.com/lingerie-that-lights-up-the-bedroom/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/lingerie-that-lights-up-the-bedroom/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:25:03 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=360 Is your man easily distracted? Even in the bedroom? Wish your boobs could glow in the dark? I’m sure you gal’s ask these questions all the time but now there is a simple solution. Glow in the dark Lingerie.

Yes your prayers have been answered with this sexy lingerie that is sure to light up the bedroom and put a twinkle in your man’s eyes. The latest in lingerie technology is the brainchild of Australian Jan Hawley.

Jan’s new lingerie range has hit shops the world over, proving to be a huge it in many countries. Everyone knows guys like boobs, but we also like cool stuff. This ticks both boxes.

In this range the underwear is much smaller and sexier. We’ve called it the Boudoir collection because it’s strictly for the bedroom after dark. When the lights go out, the lace on the bra and knickers glow beautifully, defining the tiny shapes of the micro G-string, bikini or triangle bra. It’s very sensual and sexy. Blokes just love it. This collection is easy to whip on, but even easier to whip off. The glow is to inject some fun into the bedroom.
It’s quirky and has novelty value and men especially like it. Lingerie designer Jan Hawley

She added that the idea for her latest lingerie endeavour came from her two sons. Nuff said.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/lingerie-that-lights-up-the-bedroom/feed/ 2 Dogs Go Crazy For Hampers http://skip-to-the-end.com/dogs-go-crazy-for-hampers/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/dogs-go-crazy-for-hampers/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:15:04 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=346 It’s true I’ve seen it on the Internets! This dog loves this laundry hampers.

I know what I’m getting my dog for Christmas this year. I wonder if they do Christmas hampers for pets? I know hampers are popular for gifts at Christmas. Here are some other wacky gifts for your pet this Christmas:

For the dog that likes to drink…

The Squeaky wine bottle. How about a bottle of Kennel-Relax’n Chardonnay for pooch whilst you enjoy your Christmas lunch?

Feel the Force…

Some people dress up for Christmas, your dog can too. Although I cannot guarantee your dog we be as happy as this pet clearly is.

Living in a Box…

Lets face it, no matter why present you buy a pet this Christmas, they are always going to have more fun with the box. So why not just by them a box? Saves wasting the money on the actual gift. Problem solved.

]]> http://skip-to-the-end.com/dogs-go-crazy-for-hampers/feed/ 1 Habitat Furniture Chain Up For Sale? http://skip-to-the-end.com/habitat-furniture-chain-up-for-sale/ http://skip-to-the-end.com/habitat-furniture-chain-up-for-sale/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:45:55 +0000 Skip To The End http://skip-to-the-end.com/?p=325 Furniture retailer Habitat may soon be up for sale according to the company’s chief executive. A review into the furniture store has been launched, which claims Mark Saunders “may or may not lead to a sale of the company”.

The company is currently owned by the Kamprad family, Billionaire founders of the Ikea Furniture chain. But the success Ikea which may have hindered furniture retailers like Habitat. The Recession and decline in the housing market has seen consumers spend much less on furniture, instead opting for cheaper easier flat packed options offered by Ikea.

Despite the possibility of the sale of Habitat, the company continues to expand with new stores in the UK and Europe. According to Mr Saunders no decision has yet been made on the sale of the company.

Habitat made headlines earlier this year when they abused social site Twitter for marketing purposes, targeting the controversial election in Iran to increase traffic to their website.

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