Branding is ‘the’ buzzword of the 21st Century. It is the consumer’s bible by which we live by to distinguish what is ‘right’ about certain products and services and what is ‘wrong’. Branding is there to create a connection with our inner selves, and just as we as humans are infinitely varied and different, so too are the brands that we are exposed to. Yet what if you turned your back on brands, or at least say you have. If a brand is a corporate identity, are you not in effect turning your back on identifying yourself to the general public? With the debut opening of the first Muji store in the New York Time Building at the end of the year I think it’s a fitting time to introduce the American public to the consumer antithesis, the ‘no brand’ brand.

A lady, sitting next to Raymond Loewy (many call him the father of Industrial Design) at dinner, struck up a conversation.

‘Why’, she asked ‘did you put two Xs in Exxon?’

‘Why ask?’ he asked

‘Because’, she said, ‘I couldn’t help noticing?’

‘Well’, he responded, ‘that’s the answer.’

If there was ever a quote best expressing the brand that is Muji, this would be it. Yes I called Muji a brand so before you double take and make sure your reading the same article let me tell you a bit about Muji.

Muji is essentially a lifestyle shop, specializing in providing simple, affordable goods while considering production and environmental impact, selling everything from wall mounted CD players to a re-used yarn elephant cuddly toy. The company is huge in Japan, with over 285 shops and 3400 employees and a range of offspring within its primary business including Cafe Muji, Meal Muji, Muji Campsite, Muji Opticians and Muji+Infill, an «off-the-peg architect designed open plan, energy efficient house». Muji is all about minimalism, avoidance of waste in packaging and production and a strict no-logo policy. Even the name Muji is derived from the much longer ‘Mujirushi Ryōhin’, which translates as ‘No brand, quality goods’.

The great quote with Raymond Loewy is a perfect example of why Muji’s success is growing exponentially and why I can’t stop being drawn into one of the 3 shops in London every time I’m there. This corporate entity from a different land, exotic, mysterious with its indecipherable Japanese product descriptions, sucks you in like a fly to light. Normally the only readable text in the shop is the name outside although for the Japanese, the store must be like an Ikea. A lifestyle that you buy into with affordable solutions for modern living. In the West the identity of the company changes dramatically, it truly lives up to it’s name as a ‘no brand’ brand so, inadvertently yet entirely understandable, Muji has made a brand out of no brand. Why? Simple, human nature. As a human being, we remember things by association.

We remember that the last time I saw someone wearing a hooded top was that violent youth in the bar the other night, or the last pair of Doc Martins I saw were worn loose, by a guy with a shaved head and a swastika tattoo. We brand things by associations in our lives which are often played up by the companies and retailers themselves through promotion and advertising. You can argue the ‘no brand’ brand allows an openness in interpretation and association so you may brand Muji as an environmentally aware retailer, the next guy sees it as a Japanese company with a philosophy synonymous with ancient Oriental teachings or for someone else as the guys that sell those cool T-shirts that come in 10cm cube packaging.

The real question is whether a ‘no brand’ brand is more beneficial than a ‘brand’ brand? This is of course entirely contextual. For a company, a brand is beneficial in making money and provides them with a consumer base who care about what it means to buy certain items whether it’s clothing or electronics. Yet, people grow up and move on, as do their tastes and ideals. I know a lot of people who refuse to wear obviously, physically branded clothing because as much as the clothes may be top quality workmanship, the brand association doesn’t fit into who they are as a person or they don’t feel clothes need to say anything about them as a person. This is the audience of the ‘no brand’ brand or at least it tries to be. Brands evolve over time, often exploiting certain aspects of their character to form a niche market. A good example is American Apparel. Over time their vertical integration system of manufacture, distribution and promotion has become synonymous with being sweat shop free and environmentally conscious.

In our visually saturated environment, simplifying can often physically ‘de-brand’ something. Anonymous design, as promoted by the Super Normal Exhibition, is a very powerful factor in creating something that is embraced and used, rather than idolized or displayed. Yet there needs to be a degree of availability and accessibility to the idea that means people don’t aspire to this type of design and feel they need to belong a certain type of ‘design conscious’ class. A good example of this paradox is Japanese design studio, plus minus zero, helmed by superstar Japanese designer Nauto Fukasawa. The products available exude simplicity and elegance, but due mainly to it’s availability, the design still only caters for the ‘design conscious’ or those who appreciate the ideals and design theory offered by Fukasawa. Hopefully retailers like Muji, who combine simplicity and accessibility will pave the way for a new conscious consumer, who know what they want, and know where to go to get it.

One morning I was standing in a Muji shop on Carnaby Street in London’s Soho District, inspecting the huge variety in stationary on offer. I picked up every single tool and was in awe at how simple, yet beautiful they were, when from behind me in stormed a young Japanese girl, in her mid 20’s, grabbing a big handful of a very specific ball point pens as she moved past me, walked straight to the counter, paid and walked straight out. It was at that point I realized the success of Muji in providing people what they need, rather than what they think they need.

Needless to say I bought at least 3 of those pens.

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The Emirates will play host to Stoke City on Saturday, December 18, when the Potters take on Arsenal in match week 18.

The Gunners are coming off a 1-0 loss to Manchester United in match week 17, and the game exposed Arsenal’s tendency to choke against the big teams, and that could prove the biggest stumbling block to their title bid, this season. Barring a spell in the second half when Gunners established a pattern, they never looked like taking three points away from the game, as has been the case in their six previous meetings with the Red Devils, comprising five losses and a draw.

Blackpool brought Stoke’s five-match unbeaten run to an end, in match week 17. Stoke have arguably been the most inconsistent team this season, and the 1-0 score-line does little justice to describing Blackpool’s dominance on the day. The Seasiders ruled in midfield, their passing was crisp and they never allowed the Potters to settle.

While pre-season relegation favourites Blackpool have confounded the pundits, all season, their back-line has been porous. And the fact that Stoke could not breach their defence is a more eloquent commentary on the game than anything else. While Etherington and Fuller gave a good account of themselves up front, as did Begovic between the posts, near misses and a late assault could not prevent Tangerines from banking three points from the game.

Arsenal, who despite the loss at Old Trafford are in second place in the points table, have had a 3-1 advantage over 12th-placed Potters, in four past league meetings. The last game, in February 2010, ended 3-1 in Gunners’ favour.

While Arsene Wenger’s charges have won five of their eight home games, they have lost the remaining three. Stoke have not had a great record on the road, losing five of eight away games, while winning two and drawing the one.

Gunners will seek to atone for their loss to United by exploiting home advantage against Tony Pulis’s men who lack the fire-power to test Arsenal’s back-line, ramshackle as it has been this season. 

Arsenal had the following men in their starting eleven against Stoke:Szczesny, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Rosicky, Wilshere, Nasri, Chamakh and Arshavin. Walcott, Fabregas and van Persie featured as substitutes.

Stoke’s starting eleven against Blackpool comprised Begovic, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Collins,Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington, Jones and Fuller. Walters, Whelan and Sanli were the substitutes used.

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Hans Muller was, and still remains to be, one of the best ice skaters the world has ever known. The 1947 result was due to the superb school skating of Hans who not only then, and until he turned professional after the 1948 Olympics, was the best man school-skater in the world, but I think even now still qualifies for that distinction. Hans was also a first-rate free skater, but when it came to competitions, so early after the war, when all young British athletes as well as those who had elected to stay here, were still suffering from nervous strain especially those who had remained in London as Hans had done as well as from the malnutrition inevitable amongst those who did not come into the category of workers, he was not able to reproduce his true form under the tense excitement of a European or World Championship.

Those, however, who were lucky enough to have seen his exhibitions given at hockey matches and other such light-hearted occasions realise what a beautiful performer he was. This was the position when once more into the arena of the 1948 European, World and Winter Olympic Games leapt a new Richard Button, who, together with his trainer Gustav Lussi, had seen and noted all that there was to be learnt in Europe concerning the school figures. The result was the unconquerable Dick, winner of the European in 1948 (before the rule confining it to Europeans came in), five World and two Olympic titles. This was the man who captured the imagination of all by the athleticism and sheer strength of his skating as well as by the very exuberance of his personality. He set a new fashion in the free, one which has now become part of the scheme of things, for a free programme without double and even triple jumps, without combinations of jumps and spins, on the lines first skated by this great American, would certainly be regarded as absurdly easy in any major competition.

I must make one statement here, however, to the effect that Cecilia Colledge had accomplished the double Salchow and experimented with other double jumps before the war started. It must be remembered also that pre-war jumping was not as high as it is today not in the immediate years before the war and in consequence anything away from the ordinary did not catch the eye of the «experts», those at whom Grafstrom and Schafer used to laugh, so what was the use of risking anything extra difficult in any important competition when it would most probably pass by unnoted?

It was only when Dick Button jumped his special jumps at barrier height that notice simply had to be taken of them.

Therefore, except for the fact that there were no resident title holders, the position in the immediate post war years was identical with that in the early twenties; i.e. a new style overlapping and overwhelming the old. Just as Grafstrom in 1920 had entranced the skating world of his time with the sheer beauty of his every movement, so now Button thrilled and stimulated it, with the strength and virility of his performance.

All young skaters were inspired by an ardent desire to emulate the fiery leaps of the new master, and to such an extent did this go, that in a few years by the 1952 Olympic not only were these jumps included in the programme of the candidates for championship honours, but we actually began to see them in both junior competitions and tests by the ladies as well as the men.

After Button had decided to join the professional ranks, not as a teacher, but as a show skater, with a wonderful contract, at a wonderful figure, a contract which does not interfere with his education for the legal profession, at Harvard law school, his mantle fell on his countryman Hayes Alan Jenkins, who won the four World titles, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 and the 56 Olympic crown with consummate ease, and who improves each year, so much so that now one can say we see in him a combination of the delicate artistry of Grafstrom combined with the athleticism of Dick Button. It is to be hoped that he will not succumb to the lure of big money, which of course is his for the asking not yet at any rate. He has a brother David, who is also a grand performer, and these two with their compatriot Ronald Robertson, whose father incidentally hails from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, present formidable rivals for their European competitors. And now what of the ladies? Who are the outstanding ones? and how do they compare with the giants of the past?

As I have said, the first post-war World and Olympic winner (with the 1947 and 1948 European, before the new rule) was the petite Canadian Barbara Ann Scott who won two World titles, 1947 and 1948, as well as the ladies Olympic Competition of 1948. She came over here looking like a Dresden china figurine, dainty and serene, untroubled by war nerves, and she gained her laurels under conditions unique in history.

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According to a recent study 83% of people believe their teeth are more important to their appearance than hair and eyes. Maybe that explains the boom in the cosmetic dentist industry.

Cosmetic dentistry is considered new territory in the dentist world, and I was quite nervous about having any aesthetic work done. I was bullied as a child about my unruly teeth. Names like ‘gappy’ and later ‘train tracks’ still come back to haunt me. But after years of hiding my mouth behind my hand I thought it was time to seek help.

I took time to research around the topic as I didn’t know which clinics were reputable and which weren’t. I even found out some random dentistry facets, like more people use red tooth brushes than blue ones, and each tongue has a unique print just like our fingers do.

Dentists aren’t seen in the same light as doctors, but that is really what they are, doctors of the mouth, and I certainly didn’t want to let just anyone tamper with my teeth.

Cosmetic dentist work seems excessive to some as you are paying for your vanity. Many clinics offer treatments on a pay monthly budget which helps those who cannot afford the treatment straight away. I spent my savings on the treatment I wanted, money that was seen by my boyfriend as a wasted. He said we could put it towards a new car or a holiday. Some people just don’t see what a new smile can bring.

The most popular procedures carried out are tooth whitening, enamel shaping, bonding and tooth veneers. I needed veneers and paid around £750 for porcelain veneers and a cosmetic consultation. The company I used had a great reputation and had been on reality TV so I knew I was going to be in safe hands.

Celebrity smiles are the cream of the dentistry crop with Hollywood actors Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts getting the Oscar for a winning set. When it comes to cosmetic dentistry the US is definitely at the forefront of teeth technology. A lot of people go to America to learn how to be a cosmetic dentist and gain accreditation for practicing.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), founded in December 1984, is the world’s largest organization for cosmetic dental professionals. They boast over 7600 practitioners, educators, researchers and laboratory technicians from 60 countries. It is a recognisable stamp of approval and I would suggest looking out for it when trying to find a cosmetic dentist clinic.

I am so happy with the results of my new teeth. I can’t stop running my teeth over them and laughing, and the clinic taught me all I needed to know about how to maintain it. My boyfriend’s even come round!

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To begin it is perhaps worth looking exactly what charity trustee indemnity insurance is. Put simply, it is an insurance policy that covers a charities trustee against personal liability when legal claims are made against them. And it is important to point out that a claim against a trustee could be made by either the charity itself or a third party.

And so if we now understand what trustee indemnity insurance is: who or what is a trustee? When we talk about a charity trustee, we mean someone who is responsible for the management or general control of the charity.

So if you are a trustee of a charity, is it vital that you make sure that you are protected personally should a claim be made against you. This is in the main difference between a trustee indemnity insurance policy and a charity insurance policy that your organisation is likely to have. Charity Insurance protects the charity, charity trustee insurance protects you.

And there are numerous circumstances which could result in a claim being made against an individual trustee rather than the charity directly. Circumstances including breach of trust, alleged unfair dismissal, discrimination, defamation and the misuse of trust funds to name but a few.

The truth is, we now appear to be living in a more litigious society and as a trustee of a charity, you should really take the necessary steps to make sure you are protected against the unexpected. And the good news is that providing the cost of the trustee indemnity insurance you purchase is reasonable, it is likely that the insurance could be paid for out of charity funds. However, because the purchase of charity trustee insurance will be seen as a personal benefit, you will need to have the proper authorisation before the charity can buy it for you.

It is important to remember that if you are responsible for the general control and management of the administration of your charity then you should really consider getting yourself protected through purchasing trustee indemnity insurance. This can easily be done by a search online for a charity insurance specialist as they are very likely to have access to policies and premiums that a normal insurance broker might not have. Simply visit a search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN and type in charity trustee insurance, trustee indemnity insurance or even charity insurance and let the experts help you get the protection and peace of mind you require.

So what is Commercial Insurance?

Put very simply, Commercial Insurance is protection for your business. From new start businesses to those well established; an unexpected event could destroy your business if adequate cover isn’t in place.

With so many insurance products and providers, it would be easy to think Commercial Insurance was a complicated matter. It doesn’t however need to be this way. Commercial Insurance can easily be broken down into 3 keys areas:

1. Keep it legal
2. Protection
3. How to buy

Keep it legal

Certain types of cover are required by law. Employers Liability insurance, which covers claims from employees for accidents and sickness they may suffer as a result of working for your business, is one type of cover that must be purchased. You will also need to purchase at least third-party motor insurance for all motor vehicles used by the company.

Protection

Ensuring you have the right cover and protection is vital so time should be taken to ensure you find a policy (or policies) that give you exactly the level of cover you require. This again need not be a complicated task if you break down your requirements:

Insure your people – many firms are often dependent on the people they employ. Insurance is available which will protect the business in the event of employees being unable to work. Types of cover available include Keyman insurance, income protection, directors & officers insurance and private health & critical illness cover.

Insure the common risks – certain risks are common to all businesses. These include fire, theft and equipment failure. It is worth investigating (or getting someone to investigate for you) whether common risks such as buildings and contents insurance, cover for money and goods in transit and business interruption insurance can be covered under an all-risks type policy. This may save your business time as well as money.

Specialist cover – depending on your industry and requirements, policies can often be packaged together with some even being industry specific with packages tailored to cover specialist sectors like engineering or manufacturing. Other specialist cover available includes public and product liability and professional indemnity cover.

How to buy

Commercial Insurance is more often than not purchased using an Insurance Broker. The benefit of using a Broker is that they are insurance professionals who can recommend policies to you whilst searching the market to find you the best possible deal.

A good Broker will offer a personalized service and will understand your needs and that of your business. When looking for an insurance provider it is often worth checking to see if they are well established, have schemes with the leading insurance companies and whether they offer a local and personalized service.

If you follow these simple tips then the chances are you and your business wil get the right cover, protection and peace of mind.

In a gathering of football enthusiast, discussing and debating over football issues; some relevant and some others irrelevant. A few about individual players and others about teams with great exploits, teams that have defiled all odds to achieve extra ordinary success, the debate got hotter, and the tempo was raised, then propped up this topic; «Who is the best striker in Europe»?

Silence there was, each sinking into himself. It was a topic that made me ponder, but there is another side to this controversy; what really makes a striker? What are the qualities of a striker? How do we distinguish strikers from strikers?

Pondering over the interesting topic, ideas sprung up; views of mine came alive. The fundamental question as stated above needed urgent answers to put the debate to rest. First, who is a striker? A striker is a front man in team football, whom the whole team look up to produce goals, that will bring victory, he’s that man who bangs the net with goals

Let’s review what really makes a striker?

Some of the qualities, which I can deduce of a competent striker, are: height, speed, skills, strength, wits, calculation and the ability to tear apart opposing defenses single-handedly and most important of all, good finishing.

The rave making strikers in Europe presently, do possess some, if not all, of the above-mentioned qualities of a striker. Possessing of all the above-mentioned qualities makes a striker formidable. The greatest strikers in the footballing history possess all the qualities; the likes of Delima Ronaldo, The great Pele, Roberto Baggio, Romario, etc. which made them famous and deadly during their peak years, in the days of old.

Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Milito, Gonzalo Higuain, and the likes, are all proven goal scorers, who will bury any chance they get and will punish any defensive line up.

Analyzing each of the a fore-mentioned players, will bring to the fore the fact that all these are formidable strikers, who score on a regular basis. England has always being blessed with intelligent and proven strikers at different points in time. There was a time it was Andy Cole, one of the best players that ever wore the red and white England jersey, the first player in the history of Premier League to net five goals in a single match, amazing isn’t it? Well his time is past now, but really he mesmerized fans of the then EPL with his exceptional skills and goal scoring prowess.

There was Alan shearer, what do I have to say about this exceptionally good striker? He equaled Andy Cole’s record of five goals in a single match; he scored goals from different angles of the pitch, from different match situations: set pieces, counter-attack, open play and from even unlikely and remote angle of the pitch, as a result of his forceful style of play, some section s of the fans were not friendly with him, same made him one of the most-feared during his time in the Premier League. Although he has not been successful as a manager, failing to save Newcastle UTD from the relegation troubles, which caused its fall.

The English Footballing world woke to the 2009/2010 season to experience something different, an experience of goal banging, an all-round action experience; The Wayne Rooney Experience. Wayne Rooney as a player has grown to be very matured and confident. Watching the Rooney of five seasons ago in comparison to this season’s, one would clearly notice the improvement in his style of play, his conduct on the pitch, team coordinating brilliance and the likes. All these improvements in Wayne Rooney have made him to be a very formidable and fearful striker in the world football. One of the talents which Rooney possess that endeared him to me and the football fans in general, is his ability to terrorize opposing defenses single-handedly with sheer brilliance. Rooney has scored 38 goals so far this season, and most of them have through his individual brilliance, although with the help of team mates, who have mastered his play in recent games.

Team work is another of his talent which he puts on display in each match, he with his powerful and brilliant, has been able to foster unity in the team in terms of field play, he distributes accurate passes, he doesn’t hold on to the ball meaninglessly, positions himself in the best possible position to be spotted for pass release which on a good day results to goal.

Away from England, and unto the European scene, there is this player, who some have wrongly compared to a great football legend, the player who single-handedly destroy opposing teams, not only with his goals, but also with his passes, dribbles, speed, strength and all the rest.

The player, who is the current World Player of the Year, the most dangerous player on the planet presently; Lionel Messi! Some regard him as the «merciless», some others say he’s the greatest player to walk the earth surface, but I strongly disagree to this notion. You run out of adjectives trying to describe him, no doubt he’s a good player, proven goal-scorer, intelligent destroyer of opposing teams and worst of all he causes night mare to defenders, especially in the Spanish La Liga and also the Champions League, the two competitions which he plays his best football.

The «merciless» truly shows no mercy to teams and players that stands on his way to victory. He has scored 40 goals this season; his finishing and goal build-up play clearly spells out his superiority in Europe. He is being criticized for not excelling in big games with high expectation from him; he silenced his critics against Arsenal, after his well taken four goals to send Arsenal crashing out of Europe’s elite club competition.

Resting the debate, I’ll say strikers should be rated with different stats, the inability of a striker to score plenty goals does not mean he’s not a good striker. Fernando Torres is a brilliant striker, but he has not been able to score lots of goals doesn’t mean he’s not a complete striker. A complete striker is one who scores goals, has the ability to turn the game around with individual skill, spaces himself in the right positions to be given the ball and buries it at the back of the net. A striker is a playmaker.

Backpacking around Europe for very little money used to be something of a rite of passage for many young adults. In Western Europe especially, though, those days are largely over. Europe is one of the most expensive regions in the world to explore, particularly for those who don’t put in the research to find great deals. Still, there are a handful of countries in Europe that continue to present phenomenal deals. Whether you want to explore breathtaking mountains, luxuriate on sunny beaches or take in topnotch cultural attractions, the following five countries will let you do so in a very affordable way.

Lithuania – This Northern European country sits on the southeastern shores of the Baltic Sea and presents plenty of low-priced options for budget-conscious travellers. Whether you choose to explore the fascinating capital city of Vilnius or check out the amazing features at the Kernave Archeological Site, you’ll be able to enjoy a very memorable holiday for extraordinarily little money.

Finland – Out of all of the Western European countries, Finland is among the cheapest to visit. Backpacking through a string of this country’s incredible medieval towns is one low cost way of embarking on a real adventure; hiking through its pristine Lapland region is another. Better still, head over to the Aland islands for unbeatable scenery – and prices.

Slovakia – Slovakia truly has it all, from wonderfully cultural cities to vast expanses of unspoiled natural wonder. Take a tour of Bratislava and its many fine museums for a fraction of the price of many other European cities, or spend a few days in one of this country’s breathtaking national parks – Slovensky raj is one real standout.

Portugal – If a holiday to the Costa del Sol is too rich for your blood, you should consider a sojourn along the long, scenic coast of Portugal instead. There are plenty of cheap hotels to choose from in this idyllic region, and you can take day trips to visit the many nearby walled towns for a bit of variety.

Ukraine – Book a cheap hotel in or near Yalta to enjoy wine country at its finest – and least expensive. The area’s many spas will ensure that you are able to rest and recharge while on holiday here. Alternatively, spend a weekend in Kiev and take advantage of the phenomenally low prices – be sure to do a bit of shopping, too!

1. It is NOT Whitby, Yorkshire. Back in the 19th century Whitley Bay was just called Whitley. Which caused great confusion with Whitby, which meant post was misdirected and residents got annoyed. The final straw came when an ex-resident of Whitley died in Edinburgh but his body was due to be buried in Whitley. Unfortuntely, the body was taken to Whitby, the funeral was delayed, people were in uproar and the council decided they had to do something about it and asked for new name suggestions, enter, Whitley Bay.
2. Dire Straits sung about it. I quote ‘And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did. Like the Spanish city to me when we where kids’, Tunnel of Love (1980). The Spanish City was a fairground located in Whitley Bay, it has subsequently been demolished but there are big plans for regenerating the area which we will come on to now.
3. Spanish City is set for a multi million pound regeneration with the Spanish City Dome, a grade II listed building, being the centerpiece with plans to include top hotels and leisure developments.
4. It was once the regions premier concert venue, hosting names as big as The Jam, The Cure, Oasis and the Stone Roses. Now, visitors and residents alike have travel to Newcastle (Metro Radio Arena) for concerts but fortunately it is:
5. Only 9 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne and is connected to the Tyne and Wear Metro making it a mere 25 minute journey to Newcastle city centre
6. Calling all Stags & Hens (to stay away?). Whitley Bay’s principal nightlife location is South Parade. A bustling street that winds its way from the town centre to the seafront. Lined with bars, hotels, guesthouses and restaurants it also hosts two top nightclubs in the area.
7. Park View. The place to go for shopping. It is known locally for a host of independent shops selling unique products which makes a welcome change to the average high street and typical big retail outlets found.
8. Unchained Melody: Whitley Bay was once home to the well loved English actor, singer – songwriter and presenter Robson Green. Other famous stars who have chosen to reside there at one time or another are Toby Flood (England Rugby Union international), Tom Hadaway – playwright, Graham Fenton – footballer, Ian La Frenais – comedy writer, (The Likely Lads, Porridge, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet)
9. «Bugger off back to Whitley Bay the pair of you!» Victor Meldrew, One Foot In The Grave, famously put Whitley Bay back on the map by spouting this to his oddball friends Ronnie and Mildred.
10. If none of the above nine points has enticed you enough to visit Whitley Bay then maybe this last point will. It has been, and continues to be a popular tourist resort with people coming from far and wide to experience the magic that is Whitley Bay. Rich in history and full of atmosphere you can encounter award winning ice cream, bars and parties, fish and chips, sea front amusements, invigorating coastal walks, wide open spaces and magnificent views.

Common headaches can be caused by a number of reasons-from dehydration to common colds and flu and other symptoms. Migraines, on the other hand, are more serious medical conditions that must be prevented as migraine sufferers are more likely to be at risk for stroke. More than just health risks, chronic migraine sufferers are also exposed to brain damage that may alter one’s memory, movement or speech. Such is the case of Sarah Colwill, a 35-year-old IT project manager who was born in Germany and resides in Plymouth.

Colwill experienced a chronic migraine that was so bad, she had to be taken to the hospital. The paramedics who took her in noticed that she sounded strange and that her accent was of a Chinese person. Colwill admitted that she had never been to China. Doctors later diagnosed her with Foreign Accent Syndrome, a disorder caused by brain damage that occurs during a stroke. Colwill had been experiencing severe headaches for a decade and doctors examined her to find that she had sporadic hemiplegic migraines, which causes blood vessels in the brain to expand. This expansion results in even more serious stroke-like symptoms such as paralysis.

Foreign Accent Syndrome, on the other hand, is a very rare condition that damages a part of our brain that controls speech and word formation. There are only 60 recorded cases of the said condition in the whole world. Some prominent cases include BBC World Service broadcaster Anne Bristow-Kitney, who suffered a stroke and brain hemorrhage in 1996. Another is that of Wendy Hasnip, a special needs teacher from Yorkshire who suffered a stroke in 1999 and subsequently speaking with a French accent. Lynda Walker from Newcastle upon Tyne also suffered a stroke, replacing her normal speech with a Jamaican accent.

A migraine is one form of vascular headache caused by the enlargement of blood vessels. This is commonly caused by a wide array of triggers, which highly depends on one’s health and lifestyle. Smoking is a common trigger for a number of people while food is also seen as a migraine trigger. Such food items such as chocolate, cheese, nuts, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and alcohol are possible migraine triggers. Too much stress and tension can also trigger a migraine, so be aware of your work stress levels and your lifestyle.

The best way to prevent migraine attacks is to get proper exercise and eat a well-balanced, low fat meal. Watching what you eat not only helps in migraine prevention but also contributes to a better, healthier life. Other ways to avoid migraine is to maintain good posture and avoid repetitive motion. If you have a desk job that gets you tied to the computer for endless hours, make sure to take regular breaks to rest your eyes and move your legs and feet. Make sure that you’re aware of the foods that commonly cause you headaches and migraines and maintain a regular sleeping schedule as to ensure enough rest. If symptoms persist, have yourself checked by your doctor and ask for advice regarding medication.