Us debt negotiations behind the series

Through travel agents to pay bribes in the form of cross-border tourism. Shopping bag full of banknotes in the parking lot. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), just above year United States Asian government officials in many facilities for the IBM corporate bribery in two ways.

SEC settle in March, the multinational computer companies to $ 10 million fine, civil accusations against it. SEC complains, IBM attempted to China and Korea when its hardware products in government procurement, violated the foreign corrupt practices Act (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).

IBM is not alone. Only 6 weeks ago, the United States Department of Justice, said California energy storage products manufacturer maikesiwei technology company (Maxwell technologies) to sell power to State-owned enterprises in China to the underlying device, bribed to exaggerate the contract price, the company paid nearly 15 million dollar fine to settle criminal and civil charges against themselves.

There are other examples of known companies, for example in 2009 France Alcatel-Lucent (Alcatel-Lucent), and United States regulators settle, which found that group Telecom was a group of Chinese officials visited the factory and training trip, most of the time spent in Disneyland (Disneyworld), Universal Studios (Universal Studios) or Las Vegas.

The United States authorities with unprecedented intensity, possible violations of the foreign corrupt practices Act investigations, attracted by reconciliation, publishing, and also fined is more and more, Weijia, New York law firm (Weil Gotshal & Manges), United States Department of Justice and the allegations of SEC brought a total of 74 last year, only 12 and 5 years ago. As part of the reason is that companies are increasingly in the Western world to indicate the countries whose economies are largely controlled by the Government. "It is part of globalisation," said a regulator. -When in the market of emerging countries, it is difficult to go from a compliance perspective. ”

But there is also another reason, namely surveys might be hard-pressed to provide federal financial matters also with regard to this pre-admits that harvest. WAI-Kay law firm (White & Case) study showed that within 3 years, target reconciliation brought revenue of us $ 3 billion to the Treasury. When the relevant bodies to get congressional approval when their larger budgets, this is a lot of "selling points". The global financial crisis and bonade · maduofu (Bernard Madoff), after the fraud, the supervisory authorities also felt the pressure to prove his ability to work. The foreign corrupt practices Act is a strong proof of the tool objectives.

As a result, for those companies that do business abroad--whether it is the largest transnational corporations, including the smallest investment institutions--the problem is becoming increasingly difficult. Also operate problem, organizing travel for customers or vendors, may also incur unsecured.

United States businesses complained about strict rules which constitute unfair barriers and United States complain businesses than United States regulators for cross-border jurisdiction. When under beike · maijian advokatbyr? (Baker & McKenzie), in fact, six cases in which foreign corrupt practices act in the largest settlement, 5 has its headquarters in the United States outside the company. Siemens AG (Siemens) to pay fines and up to ever profit recovery in the United States and Germany paid a total of 1.6 billion dollars, since companies in Argentina, Bangladesh, Iraq and other places undue payment of money to government officials to obtain contracts.

Other Governments would follow the United States. United Kingdom anti-bribery law entered into force on 1 July. The OECD (OECD) has several anti-bribery initiative, but transparency International (Ti) noted in 2011 survey, OECD member countries, only 7 countries to actively implement these initiatives, 21 countries which have failed to take action, or a very small, the other 9 countries had taken appropriate measures.

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Large image of the challenges that your company

Through travel agents to pay bribes in the form of cross-border tourism. Shopping bag full of banknotes in the parking lot. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), just above year United States Asian government officials in many facilities for the IBM corporate bribery in two ways.

SEC settle in March, the multinational computer companies to $ 10 million fine, civil accusations against it. SEC complains, IBM attempted to China and Korea when its hardware products in government procurement, violated the foreign corrupt practices Act (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).

IBM is not alone. Only 6 weeks ago, the United States Department of Justice, said California energy storage products manufacturer maikesiwei technology company (Maxwell technologies) to sell power to State-owned enterprises in China to the underlying device, bribed to exaggerate the contract price, the company paid nearly 15 million dollar fine to settle criminal and civil charges against themselves.

There are other examples of known companies, for example in 2009 France Alcatel-Lucent (Alcatel-Lucent), and United States regulators settle, which found that group Telecom was a group of Chinese officials visited the factory and training trip, most of the time spent in Disneyland (Disneyworld), Universal Studios (Universal Studios) or Las Vegas.

The United States authorities with unprecedented intensity, possible violations of the foreign corrupt practices Act investigations, attracted by reconciliation, publishing, and also fined is more and more, Weijia, New York law firm (Weil Gotshal & Manges), United States Department of Justice and the allegations of SEC brought a total of 74 last year, only 12 and 5 years ago. As part of the reason is that companies are increasingly in the Western world to indicate the countries whose economies are largely controlled by the Government. "It is part of globalisation," said a regulator. -When in the market of emerging countries, it is difficult to go from a compliance perspective. ”

But there is also another reason, namely surveys might be hard-pressed to provide federal financial matters also with regard to this pre-admits that harvest. WAI-Kay law firm (White & Case) study showed that within 3 years, target reconciliation brought revenue of us $ 3 billion to the Treasury. When the relevant bodies to get congressional approval when their larger budgets, this is a lot of "selling points". The global financial crisis and bonade · maduofu (Bernard Madoff), after the fraud, the supervisory authorities also felt the pressure to prove his ability to work. The foreign corrupt practices Act is a strong proof of the tool objectives.

As a result, for those companies that do business abroad--whether it is the largest transnational corporations, including the smallest investment institutions--the problem is becoming increasingly difficult. Also operate problem, organizing travel for customers or vendors, may also incur unsecured.

United States businesses complained about strict rules which constitute unfair barriers and United States complain businesses than United States regulators for cross-border jurisdiction. When under beike · maijian advokatbyr? (Baker & McKenzie), in fact, six cases in which foreign corrupt practices act in the largest settlement, 5 has its headquarters in the United States outside the company. Siemens AG (Siemens) to pay fines and up to ever profit recovery in the United States and Germany paid a total of 1.6 billion dollars, since companies in Argentina, Bangladesh, Iraq and other places undue payment of money to government officials to obtain contracts.

Other Governments would follow the United States. United Kingdom anti-bribery law entered into force on 1 July. The OECD (OECD) has several anti-bribery initiative, but transparency International (Ti) noted in 2011 survey, OECD member countries, only 7 countries to actively implement these initiatives, 21 countries which have failed to take action, or a very small, the other 9 countries had taken appropriate measures.

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Silicon Valley battle for talent

Through travel agents to pay bribes in the form of cross-border tourism. Shopping bag full of banknotes in the parking lot. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), just above year United States Asian government officials in many facilities for the IBM corporate bribery in two ways.

SEC settle in March, the multinational computer companies to $ 10 million fine, civil accusations against it. SEC complains, IBM attempted to China and Korea when its hardware products in government procurement, violated the foreign corrupt practices Act (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).

IBM is not alone. Only 6 weeks ago, the United States Department of Justice, said California energy storage products manufacturer maikesiwei technology company (Maxwell technologies) to sell power to State-owned enterprises in China to the underlying device, bribed to exaggerate the contract price, the company paid nearly 15 million dollar fine to settle criminal and civil charges against themselves.

There are other examples of known companies, for example in 2009 France Alcatel-Lucent (Alcatel-Lucent), and United States regulators settle, which found that group Telecom was a group of Chinese officials visited the factory and training trip, most of the time spent in Disneyland (Disneyworld), Universal Studios (Universal Studios) or Las Vegas.

The United States authorities with unprecedented intensity, possible violations of the foreign corrupt practices Act investigations, attracted by reconciliation, publishing, and also fined is more and more, Weijia, New York law firm (Weil Gotshal & Manges), United States Department of Justice and the allegations of SEC brought a total of 74 last year, only 12 and 5 years ago. As part of the reason is that companies are increasingly in the Western world to indicate the countries whose economies are largely controlled by the Government. "It is part of globalisation," said a regulator. -When in the market of emerging countries, it is difficult to go from a compliance perspective. ”

But there is also another reason, namely surveys might be hard-pressed to provide federal financial matters also with regard to this pre-admits that harvest. WAI-Kay law firm (White & Case) study showed that within 3 years, target reconciliation brought revenue of us $ 3 billion to the Treasury. When the relevant bodies to get congressional approval when their larger budgets, this is a lot of "selling points". The global financial crisis and bonade · maduofu (Bernard Madoff), after the fraud, the supervisory authorities also felt the pressure to prove his ability to work. The foreign corrupt practices Act is a strong proof of the tool objectives.

As a result, for those companies that do business abroad--whether it is the largest transnational corporations, including the smallest investment institutions--the problem is becoming increasingly difficult. Also operate problem, organizing travel for customers or vendors, may also incur unsecured.

United States businesses complained about strict rules which constitute unfair barriers and United States complain businesses than United States regulators for cross-border jurisdiction. When under beike · maijian advokatbyr? (Baker & McKenzie), in fact, six cases in which foreign corrupt practices act in the largest settlement, 5 has its headquarters in the United States outside the company. Siemens AG (Siemens) to pay fines and up to ever profit recovery in the United States and Germany paid a total of 1.6 billion dollars, since companies in Argentina, Bangladesh, Iraq and other places undue payment of money to government officials to obtain contracts.

Other Governments would follow the United States. United Kingdom anti-bribery law entered into force on 1 July. The OECD (OECD) has several anti-bribery initiative, but transparency International (Ti) noted in 2011 survey, OECD member countries, only 7 countries to actively implement these initiatives, 21 countries which have failed to take action, or a very small, the other 9 countries had taken appropriate measures.

View the original article here

Social network marketing hard?

Through travel agents to pay bribes in the form of cross-border tourism. Shopping bag full of banknotes in the parking lot. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), just above year United States Asian government officials in many facilities for the IBM corporate bribery in two ways.

SEC settle in March, the multinational computer companies to $ 10 million fine, civil accusations against it. SEC complains, IBM attempted to China and Korea when its hardware products in government procurement, violated the foreign corrupt practices Act (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).

IBM is not alone. Only 6 weeks ago, the United States Department of Justice, said California energy storage products manufacturer maikesiwei technology company (Maxwell technologies) to sell power to State-owned enterprises in China to the underlying device, bribed to exaggerate the contract price, the company paid nearly 15 million dollar fine to settle criminal and civil charges against themselves.

There are other examples of known companies, for example in 2009 France Alcatel-Lucent (Alcatel-Lucent), and United States regulators settle, which found that group Telecom was a group of Chinese officials visited the factory and training trip, most of the time spent in Disneyland (Disneyworld), Universal Studios (Universal Studios) or Las Vegas.

The United States authorities with unprecedented intensity, possible violations of the foreign corrupt practices Act investigations, attracted by reconciliation, publishing, and also fined is more and more, Weijia, New York law firm (Weil Gotshal & Manges), United States Department of Justice and the allegations of SEC brought a total of 74 last year, only 12 and 5 years ago. As part of the reason is that companies are increasingly in the Western world to indicate the countries whose economies are largely controlled by the Government. "It is part of globalisation," said a regulator. -When in the market of emerging countries, it is difficult to go from a compliance perspective. ”

But there is also another reason, namely surveys might be hard-pressed to provide federal financial matters also with regard to this pre-admits that harvest. WAI-Kay law firm (White & Case) study showed that within 3 years, target reconciliation brought revenue of us $ 3 billion to the Treasury. When the relevant bodies to get congressional approval when their larger budgets, this is a lot of "selling points". The global financial crisis and bonade · maduofu (Bernard Madoff), after the fraud, the supervisory authorities also felt the pressure to prove his ability to work. The foreign corrupt practices Act is a strong proof of the tool objectives.

As a result, for those companies that do business abroad--whether it is the largest transnational corporations, including the smallest investment institutions--the problem is becoming increasingly difficult. Also operate problem, organizing travel for customers or vendors, may also incur unsecured.

United States businesses complained about strict rules which constitute unfair barriers and United States complain businesses than United States regulators for cross-border jurisdiction. When under beike · maijian advokatbyr? (Baker & McKenzie), in fact, six cases in which foreign corrupt practices act in the largest settlement, 5 has its headquarters in the United States outside the company. Siemens AG (Siemens) to pay fines and up to ever profit recovery in the United States and Germany paid a total of 1.6 billion dollars, since companies in Argentina, Bangladesh, Iraq and other places undue payment of money to government officials to obtain contracts.

Other Governments would follow the United States. United Kingdom anti-bribery law entered into force on 1 July. The OECD (OECD) has several anti-bribery initiative, but transparency International (Ti) noted in 2011 survey, OECD member countries, only 7 countries to actively implement these initiatives, 21 countries which have failed to take action, or a very small, the other 9 countries had taken appropriate measures.

View the original article here

New rise of the extreme right in Europe

Through travel agents to pay bribes in the form of cross-border tourism. Shopping bag full of banknotes in the parking lot. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), just above year United States Asian government officials in many facilities for the IBM corporate bribery in two ways.

SEC settle in March, the multinational computer companies to $ 10 million fine, civil accusations against it. SEC complains, IBM attempted to China and Korea when its hardware products in government procurement, violated the foreign corrupt practices Act (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).

IBM is not alone. Only 6 weeks ago, the United States Department of Justice, said California energy storage products manufacturer maikesiwei technology company (Maxwell technologies) to sell power to State-owned enterprises in China to the underlying device, bribed to exaggerate the contract price, the company paid nearly 15 million dollar fine to settle criminal and civil charges against themselves.

There are other examples of known companies, for example in 2009 France Alcatel-Lucent (Alcatel-Lucent), and United States regulators settle, which found that group Telecom was a group of Chinese officials visited the factory and training trip, most of the time spent in Disneyland (Disneyworld), Universal Studios (Universal Studios) or Las Vegas.

The United States authorities with unprecedented intensity, possible violations of the foreign corrupt practices Act investigations, attracted by reconciliation, publishing, and also fined is more and more, Weijia, New York law firm (Weil Gotshal & Manges), United States Department of Justice and the allegations of SEC brought a total of 74 last year, only 12 and 5 years ago. As part of the reason is that companies are increasingly in the Western world to indicate the countries whose economies are largely controlled by the Government. "It is part of globalisation," said a regulator. -When in the market of emerging countries, it is difficult to go from a compliance perspective. ”

But there is also another reason, namely surveys might be hard-pressed to provide federal financial matters also with regard to this pre-admits that harvest. WAI-Kay law firm (White & Case) study showed that within 3 years, target reconciliation brought revenue of us $ 3 billion to the Treasury. When the relevant bodies to get congressional approval when their larger budgets, this is a lot of "selling points". The global financial crisis and bonade · maduofu (Bernard Madoff), after the fraud, the supervisory authorities also felt the pressure to prove his ability to work. The foreign corrupt practices Act is a strong proof of the tool objectives.

As a result, for those companies that do business abroad--whether it is the largest transnational corporations, including the smallest investment institutions--the problem is becoming increasingly difficult. Also operate problem, organizing travel for customers or vendors, may also incur unsecured.

United States businesses complained about strict rules which constitute unfair barriers and United States complain businesses than United States regulators for cross-border jurisdiction. When under beike · maijian advokatbyr? (Baker & McKenzie), in fact, six cases in which foreign corrupt practices act in the largest settlement, 5 has its headquarters in the United States outside the company. Siemens AG (Siemens) to pay fines and up to ever profit recovery in the United States and Germany paid a total of 1.6 billion dollars, since companies in Argentina, Bangladesh, Iraq and other places undue payment of money to government officials to obtain contracts.

Other Governments would follow the United States. United Kingdom anti-bribery law entered into force on 1 July. The OECD (OECD) has several anti-bribery initiative, but transparency International (Ti) noted in 2011 survey, OECD member countries, only 7 countries to actively implement these initiatives, 21 countries which have failed to take action, or a very small, the other 9 countries had taken appropriate measures.

View the original article here

BP profits soar, but calls for break continue

BP Bob Dudley was accused by an analyst of the implementation of a strategy of "business as usual". Photograph: Toby Melville /Reuters

BP has raked in profits of over ￡ endowed in the past three months, just a year later near the terminal Deepwater Horizon disaster - but faces renewed demands for their break-up of certain sectors of the city.

Oil group reported a $5 benefits took (2,400 ￡ 3) as the rise in crude oil prices you allowed to put an end to the loss of. 1bn of $17 from the same period of last year, when an explosion on the platform operated by BP in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in the accidental the world's largest offshore oil spill.

Drivers organizations expressed outrage for the great benefit obtained a price of oil has an average of more than $100 per barrel and pushed the price of gasoline to almost 140 pence per litre. Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "increase the benefits of BP please shareholders but do nothing for drivers that ultimately the funds through the increase of fuel prices".

He added: "this will do nothing to stem calls for bodies such as the Fédération Nationale d'Automobile, representing 35 m controllers, to the authorities of competition, transparency in the crude oil and oil products prices."

However, shares in BP fell 2.6% to p 463.25 as analysts pressed for more details on the Group's strategy and expressed his disappointment with numbers that fell below expectations.

While BP has focused on the cleaning of the damage to the environment and your corporate image by the accident of deep water, investors noted strategic changes by rivals that have pushed their own shareholders returns.

Bob Dudley, Executive Director of BP, could not use the radical proposals such as the separation of the operations of the "upstream" group: production and exploration of gas and oil, from its "downstream" activities, such as refining and petrol stations. However, Dudley refused to rule out unroll the great is better, "supermajor" strategy carried out by Lord Browne, BP chief until 2007.

"Well, we're not rule in or out." What we often do is often review our portfolio and consider all the options, "said Dudley." "Now our priorities in 2011 should further stabilise the company and reduce the uncertainties of the environment we are in." It is our highest priority. "Strategy-wise, has been very active in the last year and will remain so".

This week's HSBC analysts estimate that BP had lost $77bn in value compared to their European peers from the spill in the Gulf.

Dudley added: "we certainly are not patients within the company." We feel a great sense of urgency about where is our price and think that the value of the company. "Thus, shareholders, I believe are also impatient".

This discomfort about the strategic direction became more acute by the failure this year of an Alliance proposal with Rosneft, the Russian State oil group.

In a note yesterday it was titled "Strategy, what strategy?" Arbuthnot Securities said that BP had done nothing following strategic changes by rivals such as ExxonMobil, Shell and ConocoPhillips, which has won plaudits in recent years to announce a wave of sales of assets that have helped to finance higher dividends.

"BP seems to be running a strategy of" business as usual "and we are not convinced that the market is ready with this much longer," said analyst Arbuthnot Dougie Youngson.

Options include selling of us assets of BP North Sea in order to focus on emerging markets such as Brazil, India and Russia. Another is to take the money from its Russian TNK-BP joint venture, possibly through a commercial market.

BP has taken a loan of $40bn in its Deepwater Horizon books, including a compensation fund of $20 billion, which has been paid so far. 8bn $6. American operations chief Lamar McKay, BP said it had delayed the pace of payments of compensation claims, suggesting that the phenomenon-of "spillionaire" a phrase coined for those who have exercised more false claims after the disaster: can be coming to an end.

"Claims volume has declined," McKay said. "We are moving response in recovery now." The indications of the tourism and seafood are buenas.?

A decrease in the production of oil and gas from the entire group also contributed to the negative reaction from stockmarket, with Deepwater again a key role. Production fell 11% to 3.4 million barrels of oil per day, in the midst of a moratorium on the U.S. Government on new drilling in the Gulf and the sale of oil fields to pay for the compensation fund.

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Country diary: Achvaneran, Highlands

The vision of a Badger in your garden can be a fascinating experience. Photography: Andrew Fox the Guardian

Although we have lived in this Valley for 24 years to grow the garden still, fortunately, still out with surprises with regard to wildlife. However, it is exceptional, as in the past two weeks, they have had two incidents involved two mammals.

The first was in half later when the Mandarin and the mallard ducks in the pond below my study were, typically, loafing at the dam. Some were sleeping while others were busy preening. The young ducklings were trying to imitate the adults in preening and sometimes fall in their efforts. Suddenly everything changed as the Mallard began quacking loudly and mandarins with calls coot-like is Union. Some mallards were diving and splash, and then all the ducks began to swim laps and turns the small island. It was the culprit, and swim in the pond, was a black mink. It reached the Bank and disappeared into the bushes. At least not have domestic ducks and chickens these days but I was wondering what havoc would be airing in wildlife.

The second was late in the night, 11 pm, when I was looking down from the bedroom window. The bird table was lower, about six metres from the House. As usual, I looked into the pond where ducks were swimming around, but then there was the time when it is there that something different is happening. Had sprinkled some grain under the table for real and ducklings pintails Mandarin for supplies early in the morning. Feeding grain, there was a Badger. After a few minutes he joined and patterns in white and black heads shone and saw grey hair on the back. I was spellbound and impressed and had trouble sleeping that night.

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Green News: wind power Offshore, Euro-ciclismo and smuggling of animals

Sorry, that I couldn't read the front content here.

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Fungi could protect rice against climate change, researchers say that

A farmer working in a rice field plantation. Photography: Guang Niu/Getty Images

Inoculár are seeds of rice with mushrooms is more tolerant of salt, drought and cold plants, which may become more common as changes in climate, according to researchers.

Researchers obtained two types of fungi is known, that have symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationships with plants. One was coastal dunegrass and the other of a variety of Strawberry that thrives on soils geothermal even in winter below freezing temperatures.

When two varieties of commercial rice seeds were inoculated with the mushrooms, the resulting plants, cultivated in greenhouses, growth and grain production has increased and were more tolerant of drought.

In addition, plant inoculadas fungi of coastal plants thrived under saline conditions and host fungi from wild strawberries grew well at low temperatures, according to research published this (July 5 month) in PLoS One.

"The fungus makes it all work," said Russell j. Rodríguez, co-author of the research and a microbiologist with the geological inspection. "In 24 hours, we have seen the benefits." "[Inoculated] plants grew to five times faster".

Technique does not change the genetic material of plant rice, his DNA, he said. "But changes the expression [switching on and off] genes and the plant now has the ability to resist environmental stress," he told SciDev.Net.

Researchers do not understand the mechanism, but they suggest that fungi could produce a substance that regulates the growth of plants.

In its symbiotic relationship with the plants, fungi confer tolerance to stress by nutrients, a phenomenon known as 'symbiogenics' because a symbiotic partner influences the expression of other genes.

The technique should work for different varieties of rice and other crops, like corn and peas, said Rodriguez, adding that researchers are trying to now make rice plants heat too tolerant.

Glenn Gregory, who studies plants tolerant to stress at the International Institute for research of rice in the Philippines, said the experiment on salt tolerance was "impressive and very promising".

But more experiments are needed to see if the rice thrives under field conditions, he said, because the fungi often require specific habitats, such as geothermal soils, to survive.

"In field conditions, the soil and the overall environment [are] ' contaminated' with other agencies, which can also interact with the plant and, in essence, to compete with the fungus," said Gregory.

RODRIGUEZ said his team has been working with Korean and African scientists to test the findings in the field.

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UK growth: industry struggles behind the figures

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As UK growth falters, the helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland is one of the few businesses propping up George Osborne's economic policy. Photograph: SWNS.com

Graham Cole, chairman of helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, says manufacturing needs nurturing if it is to grow and prosper

Twenty-five years ago the Westland helicopter company nearly brought down a Conservative government. In the wake of the GDP numbers, underlining manufacturing's poor contribution to the nation's wealth, it is now one of the few businesses propping up George Osborne's economic policy.

Known these days as AgustaWestland and Italian-owned, the business employs 3,700 people at its base in Yeovil, Somerset, and spent more than ￡ 500 m with UK suppliers last year, vital generating revenues for 845 companies. Margaret Thatcher's decision to push it into a life-saving merger with America's Sikorsky prompted the resignation of her then defence secretary, Michael Heseltine.

Last week AgustaWestland underlined the manufacturing sector's need for government support as the chancellor attempts to lead to "march of the makers" that will generate the economic growth and job opportunities required to restore economic health vacated by public spending cuts.

The award of ￡ 22 m loan from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will allow AgustaWestland to build the AW169 commercial helicopter in the West Country, securing 100 highly skilled jobs initially.

Graham Cole, AgustaWestland's chairman, says the government has to create the right "mood music" around manufacturers, as exemplified by this loan.

Earlier this year more than 1,000 jobs were secured when the company signed to technical support contract for Merlin helicopters with the Ministry of Defence.

"We need the mood music that the government wants to do it," Cole says. "They have got to do what they are doing now, which is to talk the talk."

But a 0.3% reversal in manufacturing GDP in yesterday's figures, not helped by the Japanese tsunami's impact on vehicle production, underlined the slow pace of the pledged manufacturing revival. And money for further loans is short: the new Regional Growth Fund, for instance, is allocating ￡ 1.4bn over the next three years, but that figure is a third of the total invested by now-abolished regional development agencies.

Dan Milmo

Rufus Hallhief, executive of Orchid Group, one of the UK's largest privately owned pub and restaurant operators, says food and drink outlets need a tax cut

It's simple, says Hall: "We need a VAT cut." Although brisk trade at hotels and restaurants, boosted by the April heatwave and royal wedding fever, were the only bright spot in yesterday's gloomy figures, the eating and drinking business has been in the frontline of the slowdown in consumer spending triggered by the financial crisis. "In recession the first thing to go is a new TV or sofa;" "the second is a night out," says Hall. This year, adds, I've seen a "perfect storm" for companies like his: "We have had VAT and duty [rises] as well as food and energy cost inflation."

With the helpful boost provided by the extra bank holiday: "April was a good month, but we thought it was going to be a lot better."

298 With pubs and restaurants and a staff of more than 6,500, Hall says there has been a noticeable "stifling of demand" since VAT went up to 20% in January. The St Albans-based group owns a number of pub brands, including Bar Room Bar and the Living Room, and operates to handful of restaurant chains, including Dragon, which has a Thai theme, and the upmarket East, which serves Asian food.

Industry magazine the Publican Morning Advertiser is running to "Thrive on 5" campaign to get VAT reduced to 5 per cent across the hospitality sector. Five major pubs groups including JD Wetherspoon, Marstons and Greene King, who employ more than 100,000 people, have thrown their weight behind the campaign, arguing the shot in the arm it would provide, at at time when consumption, particularly in the on-trade (pubs and restaurants) is falling, would result in higher corporate tax receipts and create jobs. The latest figures from the British Beer & Pub Association show beer sales down more than 7% in the last 12 months. "To VAT cut would create jobs and stimulate demand," says Hall. "There is quite a strong wind behind this in the sector."

Hall points to other European countries: as part of its recovery plan Ireland reduced VAT on hotel accommodation and food to 9% earlier this month while France is seen to have benefitted form the decision, taken two years ago, to reduce it to 5.5% on restaurant meals.

"we are overtaxed as an industry and this would be a big help," says Hall.

Pubs closed at a rate of seven a day last year and struggling landlords bemoan the alcohol duty "escalator" introduced by the Labour government that automatically pushes up duty by 2% above inflation each year. That added 4 p to the price of to pint of beer this year.

Orchid is still expanding, buying 11 pubs this year, but Hall says it is difficult to predict week-to-week, or even day-to-day, how trade will pan out, making him cautious about the outlook. "The reality in 2011 is that the consumers of all our businesses, from the mainstream to the aspirational venues, are looking for better value... and going out less." zoe wood

James Small, to sheep and cattle farmer in the Mendips, Somerset, says cash-strapped consumers are changing the way they shop - and farmers are feeling the impact

Farmer James Small was watching the GDP figures as keenly as any industrialist or business leader.

"You'd think farming ought to be relatively safe - everyone needs to eat, everyone needs to have food," says Small, 35, whose family farms sheep and cattle on 1,000 acres above Cheddar Gorge in Somerset.

"But when times are hard, people tend to consume in different ways." They start to treat things like lamb as a luxury. "And the retailers try to cut their costs, often by targeting the producer."

The received wisdom is that farming is one of the few industries that have done relatively well over the last few years. Things were pretty terrible four years ago. In 2007 one of Small's lambs was fetching ￡ 22 at market. The business was losing money on every animal sold it. Small and his family (he farms with his father and uncle) cut the flock from 2,500 to 900 and many other farmers got out of the industry altogether. Because fewer animals were being produced, the price has gone up and Small now averages ￡ 65 to head.

Small grant turnover is up but adds that costs have soared, meaning profits also are "marginal" still.

The price of red diesel (rebated fuel for farm vehicles) has shot up. Small says that in 2008 budgeted about p per litre on farmers. He is now paying about 65p. The vagaries of the weather also has a huge impact on the business. The dry spell at the start of this summer means that the price of straw could be "horrendous" this year - up to ￡ 100 per tonne compared with as little as ￡ 60 last.

As deputy chair of the NFU, the farmers' union, in Somerset, Small has an insight into how his neighbours are doing. There is a huge contrast. Arable farmers are doing well, thanks to grain shortages around the world, but dairy farmers are struggling because the price retailers will pay for milk is so low.

Steven Morris

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Supporters DeChristopher emit "call to action"

Tim DeChristopher prison: our call to action! Since the uprising peaceful on Vimeo.

An activist who became a hero for the American left to gatecrashing an auction of the Government for the oil and gas industry began its first full day in prison on Wednesday.

Tim DeChristopher was sentenced at a court in Salt Lake City on Tuesday to two years in prison and a $10,000 (￡ 6,100) well to tender for $1. 8 m (￡ 1. 1 m) did not have drilling rights in Utah. He began his sentence in a prison in the County in Farmington, Utah, about 20 kilometers from Salt Lake City.

The activists of the filmmaker Michael Moore to the scientist James Hansen denounced the sentence as excessive. "2 years 2 much." Tim's demonstrated courage, lack the rest of us, "the environmental activist Bill McKibben twitteo."

Organization of civil disobedience DeChristopher, lifting Pacific, said Wednesday that hopes to use the phrase to encourage protests in Washington next month against a proposed pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta for Texas. "Consider this your call to action", said the Group on its Web site.

More than two dozen activists were arrested Tuesday as Judge Dee Benson handed down its ruling, saying the Court that they change their strong beliefs of the DeChristopher climate does not justify interrupting the action of the industry.

"I am not saying that it is not a place for civil disobedience," said Benson. "But it cannot be the order of the day."

He continued: "Mr DeChristopher had many other legal forms to go against or protest the auction".

However, it allowed DeChristopher read a statement from 35 minutes before the Court which argued that its purpose was to be responsible for the environmental damage caused by the oil industry.

"My intention at the time of the auction and it was now expose, embarrass and take responsibility for the oil and gas industry, to the point that cut into profits of $ would cost" DeChristopher said.

He said that it does not seek to deliberately go to jail.

"I have no desire to go to prison and any assertion that I want to be that even a temporary martyr is wrong", said. "You cannot sentence me to a wide range of efforts of the community service that draw my commitment to a healthy world and just a different way."

As a bidder not 70, DeChristopher interrupted what was seen as a final gift to the oil and gas industry by the Bush administration, bidding $1. 8 m (￡ 1. 1 m) did not have the right to drill in remote areas of the State of Utah. He was found guilty of defrauding the Government in March and could have been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In a telephone conversation with the guardian one day before the ruling,

DeChristopher said he had no plan clear when fulfilled at the auction in Salt Lake City, in December 2008.

"" The time I went with a type of direct action of thinking mode of thinking that if I can cause enough delay, stop this action and keep oil in the ground, then that could be worth the effort, he said.

He had come directly from write one of their finals, shaving, and in an old down jacket. "Certainly does not look like someone who was there," said. "Not to be an Executive of oil or anything else".

The federal Bureau of Land Management officials asked if he wanted to bid. DeChristopher said yes, still thinking at that time that he just wanted to shout something or cause a disruption.

But when the auction ended, DeChristopher had driven prices in some plots and winning bids by 14 pieces of land: some of which close to national parks. I knew that he had no money to pay for it.

The administration of Obama later cancelled the majority of sales, due to doubts about the Bush leasing plan.

DeChristopher defense was complicated from the beginning when the judge refused to hear the arguments that had been forced to act, to prevent a greater evil: climate change.

But while the argument do not move to the Court, won DeChristopher track on the campus and a greater generation of activists. He also founded a group of civil disobedience, peaceful insurrection.

"Tim is a hero to me," wrote Peter Yarrow, American folk singer and member of Peter, Paul and Mary, in an article in the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that DeChristopher compared to the leaders of the civil rights movement.

"American history, acts of civil disobedience have led to change." Thinking on the underground railroad helped slaves to freedom, or on the courageous actions of people like Rosa Parks, who refused to stay at the bottom of the bus simply because of her skin color. "Without this kind of challenge unjust laws our country would probably still denied fundamental freedoms to people of color."

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Pakistan U.S. espionage wars hit flood as aid workers fall into dragnet

A million Pakistanis are still homeless and in need of aid after the floods of last summer. Photography: David Berehulak/Reuters

Last summer in Pakistan aid workers fought with epic floods that affected 20 million people, destroyed crops and it flooded one fifth of the country. A year later found in a very different mess: the war spy escalation between United States and Pakistan.

With millions of flood victims still in urgent need of aid, Western charities say that their efforts are being affected by the impact of the death of Osama bin Laden as the Government hunting spies for the CIA. Visa strict regulations and restrictions on the movement by the military are causing long delays, rising costs and affecting the delivery of aid to areas affected by the floods and conflict with the Taliban.

A young American cooperating with Catholic Relief Services last month was brought before the courts for visa irregularities, imprisoned for nine days and then deported. British agencies say that its staff has fallen under the microscope in the service of spying for Pakistan, ISI, with officials of the visit to the field offices and the introduction of restrictions on travel.

"We have seen incremental restrictions on the movement and more time for visa processing," said a spokesman for the Forum of humanitarian aid in Pakistan, representing 40 aid groups.

The crackdown started after Raymond Davis CIA agent shot and killed two Pakistanis in Lahore last January and intensified after the death of Bin Laden in Abbottabad on May 2.

The aid workers in Sukkur, a town in the South in the Centre of flood relief efforts, began to complain of regular visits of intelligence and police officials. In Jacobabad, location of a sensitive air base, agencies said that visiting certain areas now does not require a "no objection certificate": an official letter of permission.

"The authorities have started paying more attention to who is in the country and what you are doing," said paragraph or ' Michael O'Brien of the Red Cross.

Pakistan embassies abroad have also begun to restrict access. "Is making things very difficult," said Paul Healy of Trocaire, an Irish aid agency. "Before, we could get a visa to an expert technician in a week;" now take 10 ".

The biggest impact is in the North-West Province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the origin of the floods in the past year, and where 850,000 civilians made homeless by fighting between the army and the Taliban. Aid workers now need permission to visit previously open areas, such as hope near the Valley of Swat and Kohistan. Applications are approved by the 11 Corps of the army, who heads the local military operations; the UN says that 43 certificates of no objection are stationed there.

A European aid administrator said that had been able to send staff to his rural project during more than one month because of the restrictions. "We are being included in with diplomats and other foreign nationals service." They need to be educated about who we are, and not that agents of the CIA, "said."

"Much of the population are affected by the floods and conflicts," said a British aid worker. "The irony is that they are receiving half of the aid, despite the fact that the needs can be twice as large." The aid worker, like several others, spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of discrimination by the authorities.

The National Directorate for disaster management, which oversees relief of disasters, said it was issuing permits for travel on a priority basis. "We are committed to providing the aid workers in their search for assistance to the affected communities," said spokesman Brigadier Sajid Naeem.

Tensions were compounded by news that the CIA had a false vaccination program in Abbottabad to identify the occupants of the House of Bin Laden. "Add fuel to the fire of mistrust," said a senior official of the UN. "Now the Pakistanis can say ' we were right all the time, these non-governmental organizations are only doing a job of espionage'."

Doctors without borders said that the CIA operation was "a dangerous abuse of medical care" which could compromise the humanitarian work.

The intrigues of bureaucracy and spy coincide with a severe crisis. Some 800,000 families still lack permanent housing and more than one million people need food aid, according to Oxfam. In places has quadrupled the price of bricks, making it impossible for the survivors to rebuild their homes. An appeal for A to help families to return to their feet has a deficit of 600 million dollars (366 million pounds sterling).

Then there is the psychological toll. "People are still afraid of the sound of running water," said Suzanna Akasha, an expert psychosocial of the Danish Red Cross. "They have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep".

The monsoon began last week in the North of the Punjab, and although the rains so far are normal, devastation of last year left many vulnerable to disease and hunger. United States says that it will affect 2 million people this year, although contingency plans are based on 7 million affected should deteriorate it time.

Tensions between United States and Pakistan spies still bubbles. Last week an American convoy entering Peshawar he was sent to Islamabad because, officials said, he lacked the proper documentation. Peshawar has been widely opened to foreigners, but the ISI is willing to curb the activities of a CIA station presumed to operate from there the American Consulate.

In Washington, the FBI recently arrested the director of a lobby group centred in Kashmir allege is an ISI front; If convicted, faces up to five years in prison. As the ISI runs Pakistan to CIA agents not declared, aid workers concerns about of in the dragnet. Some accuse the United Nations of not doing enough to push its case with the Government. "Are asleep, like Rip Van Winkle," said one.

A UN official said that some aid workers were "hurting". "Certainly the situation has caused distrust," he said. "But enter the country for a short period, who doesn't know the system and react."

The gods have been cruel to Pakistan. The country had barely recovered from the earthquake of 2005 killed 73,000 people when the floods of 2010.

The Indus River increased, wreaking havoc on a large scale: causing 2,000 deaths and the destruction of 1.5 million homes, sufficient land to meet the United Kingdom and the displacement of 11 million people.

The crisis continues today. Some districts are suffering from malnutrition on an equal footing with sub-Saharan Africa. In others, child labour has increased by one third as parents struggle to earn a living.

Some children are turning to drugs to combat their trauma. "As", is always the weakest who suffer most, said Marco Aviotti of the medical charity, Merlin.

Worrying, the country is poised for another flood, with a stunted disaster management system. But scarce money: the Government owes $59bn at various agencies, tax collection remains disastrously low, and the economy depends on which the IMF.

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UK forward browse offshore wind energy

Walney offshore wind farm in Furness, Cumbria. Photography: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

United Kingdom has sailed ahead in energy generation wind marina in the past six months, offshore windfarms more than any other country in the world of construction and accounting for almost all the turbines erected in European waters this year.

Offshore turbines 108 built around the coast of Europe from January to June, a whopping 101 were built around the United Kingdom, with only six built in Germany and one single Norway, according to estimates published Wednesday by the European Association of wind energy (EWEA) of the trade body.

Secretary Chris Huhne change, energy and climate, the Guardian said the figures showed how fast it moved United Kingdom in renewable energy. "United Kingdom is the undisputed home to offshore wind power." Our natural resources and competitive advantages mean that we have the largest market in the world. We're blowing the competition, "he said." "It is part of the revolution of low carbon which is underway in the United Kingdom, what employment and growth in new industries and building us a future less exposed to volatile global energy prices".

Wind energy is now one of the most important sectors of the construction in Europe, like the rest of the industry suffered badly during the recession. Wind power is seen as particularly important the turbines can be larger and winds tend to be higher so it can generate power more efficiently, and because in many countries the best places in onshore wind have already been taken or wind developers face opposition in construction of turbines.

However, there is still a gap between the construction of offshore turbines and its connection to the mains, as during the first six months of the year only about two thirds of the number of turbines in United Kingdom were actually connected to the network. In United Kingdom, 68 turbines were connected in the period compared to the 32 turbines, the vast majority of them built before the beginning of this year, which were connected to the German network in the same period.

Due to the difference between the number of turbines built and connected United Kingdom showed less progress should be adding capacity to the network of new generation: 245 megawatts (MW) added so far this year, against 103MW of Germany due to the amount of turbines previously stranded wired now up.

But the scale of the ambitions of the United Kingdom is also the EWEA research: the turbines built this year represent only a fraction of the numbers provided for windfarms that have already begun, and United Kingdom plans now exceed those of other countries. When complete the windfarms started or added to this year, they will be able to provide about 2 240MW of generating capacity in United Kingdom. Instead, its capacity will be only one-fifth of both to 450MW size to complete German farms.

These numbers also not capture windfarms that are planned but not yet under construction, of which there are many more in the United Kingdom. Across Europe, as of June 30, 2011, had 1,247 wind turbines offshore grid completely connected with a total of 3,294 MW capacity in 49 windfarms distributed in nine countries. Although seven turbines were erected in the first six months of 2010 in the same period this year, the turbines you tended to be larger and more powerful, so the amount of installed generation capacity was higher this year.

Christian Kjaer, EWEA Executive Director, said progress had been on wind energy in the first half of the year, but cautioned about the financial problems still facing the sector. "Although we see many positive trends for the European sector offshore wind energy does not Harbor and dry yet," said. "We are emerging from financial crisis, but still faced a possible worsening of the general economic crisis." "The number of banks loans for offshore windfarms is growing, although there is a need to continue to attract one increasing number of large institutional investors for wind energy projects - currently the largest construction companies in Europe."

EWEA found that more banks were now interested in finance offshore windfarms - more than 20 are now involved - and said that it was "positive" that the European Investment Bank continues to provide funds, and that the Government of the United Kingdom is to make wind power a priority for the planned "Green Investment Bank", that is set with a few gifted ￡ next year.

It is also advancing the technology of wind energy - the only turbine erected in Norway was a floating prototype turbine, which if successful could allow turbines in deeper waters that at present time, opening up new areas for exploitation and allowing turbines will move around if necessary.

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'World's oldest bird' Archaeopteryx struck in its hanger in controversial new study

Archaeopteryx, supposedly the oldest and most primitive Bird on Earth, would not have been a bird after all, say scientists.

The controversial assertion, if confirmed, is something of a pump for researchers, who have seen the evolution of birds and feathers for flight through the lens of the species that was discovered 150 years ago.

The finding leaves to explain the history of birdlife paleontologists in the uncomfortable position of having to identify another creature as the oldest and original avian.

Archaeopteryx was discovered in 1861, two years after Charles Darwin published the origin of species. Spectacular fossils of an animal with wings with feathers of birds, but the teeth and tail of a dinosaur, caused an immediate sensation in England where the society was dealing with the consequences of evolution through natural selection.

Although the descriptions of archaeopteryx as a "missing link" are widely failed by the scientists, the creature became a renowned as the bird more primitive planet.

Now, this view has been challenged by researchers in China who have tried to topple the fossil with feathers on his perch in a reassessment of family tree dinosaur bird.

XING Xu in Linyi University and colleagues ran the fresh analysis after studying a new fossil archaeopteryx as purchased at a dealer of the Shandong Tianyu Museum of nature, the world's largest dinosaur museum. The fossil was probably excavated from the 155 million years ago the Tiaojishan formation in Eastern China. The size of chicken creature called Xiaotingia zhengi in honor of the scientist who established the Museum as a repository of vertebrate fossils, shares several characteristics with archaeopteryx, including resistant and long arms which presumably allow him to fly.

But when the team rebuilt Xu family trees to include Xiaotingia, they found the creature belonged not in the lineage of birds, but a group of dinosaurs called deinonicosaurios. Most notably, archaeopteryx appeared in the same group, according to the study in nature. Deinonicosaurios, like velociraptor walked on two legs, ate meat and had vicious retractable claws. The finding is temporary, but is based on the doubts that have arisen on the special status of archaeopteryx after the discovery of other dinosaurs from birds and dinosaurs during the last decade.

In an article that accompanies it, Lawrence Witmer of Ohio University wrote: "there has been growing concern about the situation bird archaeopteryx, one by one, their attributes 'bird' (feathers, arm and hand with three fingers) began to appear in dinosaurs." "Perhaps now the time to finally accept that Archaeopteryx was a small theropod with feather bird fluttering around in the early Jurassic."

If archaeopteryx was a dinosaur, it means flight evolved at least four times in vertebrates: reptiles, birds, dinosaurs and more recently in bats.

Witmer adds that dethroned archaeopteryx, most recently discovered fossils, including epidexipteryx, Jeholornis and sapeornis, become candidates for the world's oldest bird. In a note of warning, add the following fossils unearthed in China easily feathered could recover the main condition of archaeopteryx.

Paul Barrett, a researcher of dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural history in London, said: "the overall picture of the descendants of the dinosaurs eat meat of birds is now very firmly established." This is an argument in a relatively small reorganization of some of the branches in the evolutionary tree close to the origin of birds. Does not affect a large part of our panorama view of how the birds came from dinosaurs, but some of the details: small changes that are important to the biology of animals.

"This part of the evolutionary tree is very sensitive to small changes in the way we interpret the anatomy and the combination of anatomical features that we see in these animals are discovered." As a result, the structure of the evolutionary tree is very unstable and can turn around. "Archaeopteryx was perhaps not in the direct line of ancestral to birds, but it was part of an early experiment in the creation of a bird body."

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Beaches of Brittany by toxic algae

A wild boar on the coast of Britain. Boars around 31 have recently died off the coast, suspected of drinking water contaminated by green algae. Photography: Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images

Growing fears about algae potentially lethal to accumulate on the North coast of Brittany after carcasses of wild boars of washing in the picturesque resort of c?tes d'Arm?r.

Three dead wild boar were found floating in the water or slumped on the muddy banks of the Gouessant estuary in Morieux Wednesday when 18 were found dead the previous day. Found a total of 31 animals killed this month.

Close to the river beach of Saint-Maurice has been closed because of stinking heaps of rotting seaweed mud. The local mayor said that the Beach had been cordoned off because the mud could harbour pockets of toxic gas fatal to humans if he slipped in the same.

Local environmentalists long have campaigned against the dangers of what is known as Seaweeds from Brittany "killer". It has been affecting the rugged North Coast Breton for decades but has increased in recent years, causing the death of a worker that was removed in 2009, as well as the killing of dogs and a horse walking on the beach.

Environmentalists blamed the spread of the algae in nitrate fertilizers in intensive swine, sheep and dairy products from Britain, saying that the nitrates of flow in the river and entering the sea.

The Government has launched a plan long term mass to clean up the beaches of seaweed, carry away the harmful growth with bulldozers. But activists say that nothing will change unless the food industry and Agriculture of powerful Britain reduces its use of nitrates. The algae is harmless until it dries and then decomposes, releasing a foul odor. Pockets of toxic gas can be trapped under the bark.

Carried out autopsies on the bodies of wild boar, which also were being analyzed to sulfide, a poisonous gas.

But officials said it was too early to say how the animals died, or if green algae is blamed. A formal analysis of the water in the estuary found green algae "above the warning level, but below the level of danger".

An officer of local police, Philippe deeds, said the dead boar: "[something else] were not sick and not drowning".

Yvette Doré, the Socialist Mayor of the neighbouring area of Hillion, told Le Monde he was "under no illusions" and the death of the wild boar was "most certainly" linked to the toxic gas from the green algae. At Hillion in 2009 a 27-year vet was dragged unconscious from a patch of algae deep decomposing once his horse collapsed and died just a few minutes of smoke in the mud that was crowded on the beach.

Local environmentalist group Eau et Rivières de Bretagne suggested that boars could have been murdered by drinking water contaminated with algae and harmful gases. This year, thousands of tons of green algae have been deleted from the coast of Brittany. In Finistère, the amount of algae has grown since last year.

In a front-page editorial entitled, green algae: the unbearable denial, Le Monde said that the French State, slave to pressure groups, minimizing the role of agricultural pollution in the proliferation of harmful algae.

Environmentalists argue that politicians are too fears alienating the vote of agriculture before next year's presidential election and there was no large steps in the reduction of nitrates.

Britain is the largest region of France, with a high concentration of pigs, poultry and livestock farms.

In a visit to Britain this month French President Nicolas Sarkozy defended farmers, saying they were not guilty of green algae. He dismissed as "environmental fundamentalists" those people who campaigned loudly on the link of nitrate to the algae.

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Can a different bike do a different rider?

Peter Walker leads to work on the bike of Pilen Lyx. Photo: Shelly Morris

As well as each city has its own architecture, food, or even nightlife, many also developed a distinctive culture of cycling. This evolves over decades and is, of course, much in the form of infrastructure.

But other factors come into play, not less autoperpetuación with new cyclists automatically imitating modal options of bike, clothes and road that already in their local streets.

It is a small wonder that some cities in UK dominant cycling habits may seem, foreigners, both ultra defensive and, to some extent, a little aggressive. Forced into battle by main roads crowded, many runners don't space helmets and all sorts of paraphernalia fluorescent hi-visibilidad even for a trip relatively short. Upload speeds are often relatively fast, making hybrid motorcycles and swift standard. This in turn sees significant numbers wearing full Lycra cycling gear, exclusive fan of weekend in countries of Eastern Europe more favourable of the bicycle.

In the worst cases - and I am particularly thinking here of my own cycling patch, London: this degenerates into a default approach that is challenging aggressive, even macho. Speed is essential, other users of the highway distrusted, traffic lights, seen as optional.

Even as a respectful of the law and hope, cyclist Cortés, I have a nagging feeling of being more part of the problem than the solution. When he left to work (see below) usually do so by a stripped, light, machine designed for speed. I set up quickly and have more suits in Lycra that is strictly worthy for a man of my age.

More usual route get top of Peter Walker. Photo: Shelly Morris

This has intrigued me to offer, on loan, a motorcycle from the opposite end of the spectrum of cycling. Pilen Lyx is the flagship of a small Swedish company created in 1998 for the manufacture of which is called proudly "utility bikes".

What this means, I found, is a challenging bike anachronistic and more or less indestructible. Almost entirely of steel and heavy appeal: the oversized frame rear would be strong enough for the transport of a pig to the market, is designed to last for decades instead of years. Although there are modern touches, for example a speed train system eight hub and LED dynamo lights, with its framework of powder coating, saddle leather Brooks and handlebar sit-up-and-beg the Lyx barely could look more 50 years stationed outside the Festival of Britain with a jacket draped tweed on the crossbar.

It is used, of course, similar in design to millions of bicycles in all Europe, something for him, in normal clothing. This was the perfect machine for my brief campaign, a man in a more civilized culture of cycling in UK.

Use fifteen arrived with a couple of suggestions. Never I used in the rear to retract the brake of the mountain: Fortunately this is optional, and while heavyweight Lyx passes along without problems on the ground is, for obvious reasons, people with allergies to steep hills.

But otherwise it was something of a revelation. Once on the usual compulsion with cycling traffic: there was a moment almost comically clear when I thought: "hold on, this is not a race.:" trundled along happily, progressing but never work up enough of a sweat worry in my work clothes, even in my 10-mile route.

The paradox was, of course, that they often caught the gimps of Lycra in the next set of traffic lights. My extra time travel was much less that I would normally take a shower and change at work. After a few days of these elegant travel almost louche, had another sudden realization: there is something almost pathetically absurdities about these merchants frenetic urban speed, legs pumping furiously and pellizcados faces in a grimace. And Yes, I I am also in this.

Now the Lyx has returned there to his bike, a London bicycle shop specializing in similarly practical machines, I'm a reformed character? I have thinking about carbon fiber and sets embracing figure?

No, still not enough. I still enjoy the fact that a quick trip, even in the absence of other exercise much, keeps me relatively appropriate. In addition, for many years habits are difficult to ditch. I would, however, a day add a "European style" bike for my collection. Perhaps not a Pilen: bella be the Lyx is almost fetishist in his retro style and extreme robustness. The craft also has a price: ￡ 795 to the model used. But it will be a pleasure to hear other suggestions.

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