#Announcements on GOV.UK

[marlinspirkhall]

For UK Mutuals!

[Repost. Info from PTSD UK, via Facebook]

On Sunday 23 April 2023, there will be a national test of the UK Emergency Alerts service. This will test the service created to warn you about events such as severe flooding, fires, and extreme weather, and will be sent by the emergency services, government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies.

As part of this test on the 23rd April, your mobile phone or tablet may make a loud siren-like sound (even if it’s set on silent), vibrate and read out the alert.

One of the many hyper-arousal symptoms of PTSD and C-PTSD is hypervigilance and this refers to the experience of being in a state of high alert, constantly tense and ‘on guard’ and always on the lookout for hidden dangers, both real and presumed – it’s stressful and exhausting to maintain.

This awareness, anxiety, sensitivity to the environmental around you, constant scanning and rescanning of the environment can make people with hypervigilance seemingly overreact to loud sounds and bangs, unexpected noises, smells, etc. – which is why awareness of this up-coming test is important to help you prepare if you feel you need to.

PLEASE NOTE: This isn't something we have all the details about, so can't answer all your questions about this, for full information, please visit the gov.uk website - we simply want to ensure that people are aware of the upcoming test for the reasons noted above.

Find out more about the test, what it will look and feel like on your phone and more on our website: https://www.ptsduk.org/government-alert-system-test/

Via gov.uk:

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Security was the main essence of their plan from the very beginning. Hence the extreme nature of their war against the govt & RAVEC & they will act with increasing extremism and grifting and hoaxing in desperation now. The Royal Grift's brilliant video. by u/ElectricalAd9212

Security was the main essence of their plan from the very beginning. Hence the extreme nature of their war against the govt & RAVEC & they will act with increasing extremism and grifting and hoaxing in desperation now. The Royal Grift's brilliant video. The brilliant YouTuber The Royal Grift's latest video really gets to the nub of the matter.In essence, Markle and Harry's whole plan depended on having permanent tax payer funded security and this can be seen in their statement when they announced their plans.But most arrogantly and psychopathically, the statement was a typical Markle attempt to bounce the Queen and Palace into giving them everything they wanted.She thought that doing this would manifest it to happen, or force the hand by making the media and everyone else assume it was the case, and if they didn't agree, they could play the hate card of abuse and incitement, that the Palace was racist etc.Essentially, they tried to bully the Queen and Palace in the same way that Markle bullied her staff.from their website:Why do they carry out official overseas visits and who pays for it?The Duke and Duchess proudly carry out official overseas visits in support of Her Majesty The Queen at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), as is the case for all members of the Royal Family. The length and location of these tours are determined by the FCO and the Royal Visits Committee. All Official overseas visits are in support of Her Majesty’s Government’s objectives and paid for by The Sovereign Grant as well as contributions from the host country, when appropriate.Does their future financial autonomy extend to covering the costs of security?The provision of armed security by The Metropolitan Police is mandated by the Home Office, a ministerial department of Her Majesty’s Government, responsible for security and law & order. As stated on gov.uk, “No breakdown of security costs is available as disclosure of such information could compromise the integrity of these arrangements and affect the security of the individuals protected. It is long established policy not to comment upon the protective security arrangements and their related costs for members of the Royal Family or their residences.”​+++++++++​Why are they so desperate, to the extent of waging judicial and legal war on the govt and RAVEC?Because everything about their plans to make money and set up a rival Royal House in America with the sole purpose of making money from the royal name whilst pretending to be philanthropists depended on two things:(1) The British government and Foreign Office asking them to represent the UK overseas(2) The permanent funds from the British taxpayer to fund their lifestyle and allow them to travel as if they were Monarchs or the President of the USA and gain access to money making merchandising and commercial opportunities therein.The Royal Grift rightly points out a couple of things:(a) The New York car chase hoax and everything else -- including the Taliban comment -- was an attempt to force the govt to resume taxpayer funding for them and(b) They will not give up and will become even more desperate and extreme and commit more hoaxes and wage wars of deception and hoaxing in order to try and regain their fundingI agree with the Royal Grift. I expect to see strategic genius Markle and her husband indulge in ever more extreme and desperate attempts to regain working royal status, and funding. In short, they are going to become ever more extreme, lying, deceitful, hoaxing and fraudulent as they become more desperate.We ain't seen nothing yet from this pair of lying psycho grifters ​​ post link: https://ift.tt/QSidF16 author: ElectricalAd9212 submitted: March 02, 2024 at 04:54PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[eaglesnick]

“There is an increasing sense of what can be called legal pollution."   Thomas Ehrlich

Just a few weeks ago the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs issued a government paper claiming:

“Government cracks down on bonuses for water company bosse. Water bosses are set to be banned from receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches, the Environment Secretary has announced today.” (GOV.UK: 11/02/24)

Figures out today (27/03/24) confirm that 2023 was the worse year for sewage spills on record.

“Figures from the Environment Agency show that there were 477,972 discharges from England’s 14,000 storm overflows in 2023, a 59 per cent increase from the year prior. In total, over 3.5 million hours of sewage spills occurred in 2023, more than double the 1.7 million hours recorded in 2022.”  ( CITYA.M: 27/03/24)

It will be interesting to see how many, if any, water company bosses are actually denied their bonuses this year. I suspect that this DOUBLING of sewage discharges into our waterways and onto our beaches will be explained away as unavoidable and therefore perfectly legal.

As such we, the public, will be made to pay for the much needed investment to improve our sewage disposal systems.

“Water companies will invest a record 14.4 billion – the highest ever in a single year – to help ensure the security of our water supply in the future and significantly reduce the amount of sewage in rivers and seas...the funds raised by increased water bills are guaranteed only to fund improvements in our water and sewage systems." (Water UK: 02/02/24)

To add insult to injury, it will be we the consumer who will be charged extra to fix the problems caused by years of under-investment by the water companies.

Last year alone £1.4bn was paid out to shareholders in the form of dividends.

And since 1991:

“England's privatised water firms paid £57bn in dividends…nearly half the sum they spent on maintaining and improving the countries pipes and treatment plants.” (Guardian: 01/07/20)

In other words, if the greedy water companies had paid a little less in  dividends and a little more on upgrading the system we would have been spared the 3.5 million hours of raw sewage spillage last year and the  massive rise in water bills that is come.

[insanityclause]

What’s-on-Netflix today is saying that White Stork is happening. Is this a legitimate source? Looks legit.

2) Saney have you seen this thing about White Stork? I'm not buying it

And you shouldn't. Whats-on-Netflix is nothing more than a clickbait site. It ran the same story (virtually word for word) 2 years ago.

It also literally has this in the 'article' (and I use that term loosely):

IMDb Pro has reported in the production status timeline of the series that filming had begun on September 16th, 2021, and ended on January 10th, 2022. However, as of August 23rd, 2022, the production status of White Stork was listed as unknown. Production updates listed by IMDb Pro should be taken with plenty of caution as there are no sources to verify the information.

Another one of our sources currently has White Stork listed for pre-production.

This is what is currently listed on IMDb Pro.

Except we know he didn't film anything in the fall of 2021, as he was spotted elsewhere, and was doing The Play What I Wrote. There was never any other cast announced for WS -- because it wasn't happening. And that's not the normal progression of production - it would go from post-production to released or have a release date, not back to Production Unknown... So that apparent change in status was nothing more than a random troll.

Because at the same time, this was happening with the actual production company:

July 2021 account statement filed with the UK government

They were planning to break up the production company due to not having the main cast member (that would be Tom). Note the words production abandoned - not 'on hold', but 'abandoned'.

And then the official filing to dissolve the production unit in March 2022.

Full dissolution - June 2022

You can't produce anything without a production company to pay the bills.

All information publicly available via Companies House, the UK Government's official listing of all company registrations.

Furthermore, the project is no longer listed on the Eleven Films website - at all. Not even the original news item from 2020. You can check for yourself, but there's no mention of it.

So 1) Don't believe clickbait sites like What's On Netflix; they're just regurgitating stuff they wrote years ago.

and 2) Don't always believe IMDb, since it's editable by trolls. IMDb Pro less so, because you generally have to provide proof for updates, but not 100% guaranteed.

Anyway, White Stork isn't happening. At least not with Tom or Eleven Films involved at this point.

[champouk]

Prime Minister to announce major reform package to boost apprenticeships and cut red tape for thousands of small businesses - GOV.UK

Major package of reforms to support small businesses in PM’s first economic speech since the Spring Budget [Monday 18th March]. — Read on www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-to-announce-major-reform-package-to-boost-apprenticeships-and-cut-red-tape-for-thousands-of-small-businesses

[demsaaccountants]

DEMSA 📢 #Announcement

The Department for Work & Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs will carry out a £299 Cost of Living Payment between February 6 and February 22. 

Approximately 8 million households are slated to receive the payment automatically, so there isn't any necessity for suitable individuals to submit applications.

Additional details can be found on “ https://gov.uk/helpforhouseholds ” website. 🖱

[zrvisas]

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[innonurse]

Commure and Athelas, two health tech firms, announce their merger intentions with the aim of advancing automation and LLM technology integration within health systems

- By InnoNurse Staff -

The healthcare technology firm Commure is strategizing a merger with Athelas, a company specializing in healthcare workflow automation software, with the aim of securing a larger share of the health system market. Commure is set to receive a $70 million investment from General Catalyst, and the combined entity is reportedly valued at $6 billion.

Read more at Fierce Healthcare

///

Other recent news and insights

The NHS health tech deal has been approved by the Competition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK)

Plenful secures $9 million in funding to streamline pharmacy operations through automation (Fierce Healthcare)

[breakingarrows]

Endrant Studios: A History

During my on-and-off playthrough of Wolfenstein (2009) I noticed a company logo during the startup that I did not recognize: Endrant Studios. Looking up the developer on MobyGames (a severely undervalued website) I learned that this was their one and only game. Curious, I started to look into their history and where everyone ended up after its short life.

Endrant Studios Limited was incorporated on December 11, 2007 according to their listing on the Gov.UK website. Neil Postlethwaite was its Secretary and Director and Lenore Zavitz as its only other director at the time.

Postlethwaite is credited on Wolfenstein as Managing Director. His past work was on the Xbox 360 and Windows version of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, and he would continue to work in the games industry after Endrant’s dissolution. Zavitz doesn’t appear to have any other industry credits but is currently a gilder and gilding restorer. They were and are still a director for Forerunner Limited, an “information technology consultancy activities.” They would incorporate this company alongside Benjamin Smedstad, who was appointed as a director for Endrant Studios soon after its incorporation. Zavitz is also listed as a director for Squirrel Army LTD, again alongside Smedstad, as well as a Kalvin Lyle. Squirrel Army was dissolved on July 26, 2016 and was classified under “Other information technology service activities.” Zavitz’s main occupation currently appears to be with Moth and Mirror Limited, “We are a partnership between a lifelong wood turner and a gilding restorer. We specialise in pieces crafted from the finest woods and precious metal leaf gilding, as well as gilded bone displays.”

Our aim at Moth and Mirror is simply to create beautiful things. The name is a reflection of the combining of organic, natural materials, represented by the moth, and the mirror, which represents the fine metal leaf.  Our pieces are a fusion of the textures and sheen of lush wood with the fire and light of exquisite precious metals.  The result is something that’s a little bit of alchemy, a lot of luxury and entirely desirable.  Every item we create has an individual personality and is highly finished, elegant and eye catching.   They could make an excellent addition to your personal collection or a fantastic and unique gift.

On July 7, 2008 Benjamin Smedstad was appointed a director at the company. Smedstad would be credited as Creative Director for Wolfenstein and similar to Postlethwaite had also worked on Enemy Territory: Quake Wars directly preceding their work on Wolfenstein.

Endrant announced they were co-developing the new Wolfenstein game alongside Raven Software with a focus on multiplayer development on July 16, 2008.

"Our goal is to make exciting, fun and accessible games that translate to the masses,” said Ben Smedstad, creative director & co-owner, Endrant Studios Ltd.. “Our backgrounds and experience enable us to be more creative, more focused and deliver a higher quality game no matter what the platform."

Endrant Studios would join Tiga, the UK developer’s trade body on November 17, 2008, according to GameIndustry.biz.

"Endrant Studios is delighted to join Tiga. I have been greatly encouraged by Tiga's increased levels of activity over the last nine months," said Neil Postlethwaite, managing director and co-owner of Endrant Studios, adding: "particularly by its determination to fly the flag for developers in political circles and by its willingness to speak out on issues that matter to the industry." "I would encourage every developer in the UK to join Tiga. The choice is simple: stand on the sidelines, do nothing and see the climate for games development in the UK weaken; or join Tiga and work together to build a vibrant UK games development sector. Endrant Studios is joining Tiga because it genuinely represents developers and is working to make a real difference for the UK games industry. We look forward to working with Tiga in the years ahead."

In an Abbreviated Balance Sheet for December 31, 2008 Endrant reported outstanding debtors owing £102,480 with only £3,540 cash on hand.

In June of 2009 a Return of Allotment of Shares filing would show that Activision Blizzard was now involved with the company as they would be allotted 20 of the B Ordinary shares, while Smedstad would be allotted 40 of A Ordinary shares. In their Annual Return filed June 1, 2009 but for the period ending on November 12, 2008 they listed Smedstad as having 45 shares, Postlethwaite 90, Zavitz 45, and Activision Blizzard 20.

Lead Game Designer Matthew Wilson would give a Q&A to fansite Wolfenstein Zone as well as GameSpot in July 2009. He debunked a rumor that frequent id Software collaborator Nerve Software (a support studio primarily) had begun work on the multiplayer portion originally, saying it was actually Threewave Software (another frequent id Software collaborator and support studio) but that their work no longer existed in the game. He explained there would be no Linux port of the singleplayer game due to running under DirectX and while the multiplayer could be ported as it was using OpenGL it was very unlikely to be done. This would become the first id Software product (though a license and not a directly developed game) to not have a Linux port and this status would carry forward on all id’s products afterward. John Carmack, founder of id Software, would even go on to say at QuakeCon 2012 that while Linux development creates goodwill amongst the Linux crowd it does not pay the bills. This change in attitude is interesting due to Timothee Besset, a french software programmer who was well known for porting id Software games to Linux, posting a blog on September 13, 2009 to reaffirm that nothing had changed after id Software’s acquisition by ZeniMax and the announcement that Wolfenstein would not have a Linux port, and that he would continue to work on Linux ports of idTech games in the future.

Fundamentally nothing has changed with our policy regarding Linux games. Trying to shoehorn the ZeniMax acquisition into this is pointless, as they are true to their word of focusing on the business and letting the studio focus on the games. Linux players represent about 5% of the QuakeLive population, which is in line with the company's previous releases. Nothing new there, releasing Linux versions has always been a matter of higher code quality, good software architecture, and technical interest for the platform. We never commit to releasing Linux versions for any of our titles, at least not until we are reasonably sure that we have the resources to put into it. In the past few years I am pretty much the only one who has been involved in our Linux versions, and most of that work was done in my spare time. It worked out because I spent significant time working on each of those projects to get them shipped (Doom3, Quake4, ETQW), and making sure we had working Linux builds was a natural part of that process. It is unlikely the new Wolfenstein title is going to get a native Linux release. None of it was done in house, and I had no involvement in the project. QuakeLive offers a lot of challenges and eats away everything else right now. As far as idTech 5 (the Rage engine), it runs on PS3 and Mac already. Setting up idTech 5 to run on those platforms early on in our development cycle was a direct result of carrying Linux/Mac support in idTech 4 beforehand. It is likely i will be involved with idTech 5 in the near future, I'll be damned if we don't find the time to get Linux builds done.

Besset’s comment that the new Wolfenstein was not done in-house shifts the blame on the lack of a Linux port to Raven Software and their modifications to idTech 4, the engine powering the game. Wilson of Endrant also seems to shift the blame on Raven for the lack of a Linux port with his comment that Endrant could get it running on Linux just fine but due to the decisions made behind how the single-player campaign was built it would be unlikely. Despite these affirmations and deflections, Linux would continue to be neglected by id Software in all their future releases. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars would be the final id game (technically a Splash Damage game licensed by id Software) to see a Linux version.

Wilson notes the game engine used for the multiplayer was a “recombined branch of ET:QW [Enemy Territory: Quake Wars] that includes all the work Nerve did to the 360 version of ET:QW, plus the patches up to version 1.4 (the last official Activision patch).” Wolfenstein would have three game modes: Objective, Stopwatch, and Team Deathmatch, and three classes: Engineer, Medic, and Soldier. Wilson mentions a more detailed stats website available at launch though I couldn’t find if this ever came true.

Endrant Studios was founded in April 2008 with a clear and simple goal: “Have fun, make games” Why can’t it be about the game? Why can’t it just be about a bunch of skilled, mature people who care about what they do, and make fun games? There are many things that can get in the way of creativity, passion and still being able to live a normal life. Lets get rid of those and focus on what is important: the game. /endrant :D

Though Endrant’s website is long gone, Wayback Machine does have some captures of the barebones website it appears to have been. The first capture is dated July 30, 2008. Though their posts do not contain a date stamp, their first post was prior to the Wolfenstein announcement, as they say, “Our first project is still hush hush. What we can say is that we are working with Activision on a triple-A title with an IP that is well-known and loved. An official announcement will follow from our partners.” The next post is about joining the Games Up campaign via Tiga, and lastly that they were working with Raven and Activison on the new Wolfenstein. “We’re currently hiring for this project and our future titles. Please check out the Careers page for additional information and details.  More announcements to follow!” Sadly this would be the final state of the website, as it would never update again and become a GoDaddy ad page by the capture dated December 26, 2009.

We are looking for passionate, motivated creators with a positive attitude and a desire to make fun games for a world-wide market. Although experience is important, its not as important as talent or attitude.  We are building upon a strong leadership base, and maintaining a positive work environment with good people is the overall goal for Endrant.

Their open positions as of July 11, 2008 were: PS3 Programmer, Programmer, Gameplay Programmer, Level Designer, Effects Animator, Gameplay Animator, Environment Artist, and Character Artist. An updated page on September 13, 2008 lists only Programmer and Gameplay Programmer.

We work exclusively on fun-to-play next-gen console and PC games for a mass audience. We are avid gamers who want deep and engrossing games that are accessible and enjoyable to everyone. We’ve worked in nearly every genre and console platform from the past 13 years and on many triple-A titles.

On the same day Wolfenstein released to the public, August 18, 2009, it would be reported that Endrant had laid off some staff. The company was only made up of 17 people at the time, and the amount of staff laid off went unspecified.

"We have recently completed a development cycle and have regrettably been forced to make adjustments to staff and headcounts," said a spokesperson for the studio. "Those affected are valued members of our team who have worked incredibly hard on our latest title. We hope that they land on their feet quickly."

Co-developer Raven Software would similarly suffer from layoffs after release. On August 26, 2009 Raven confirmed they had laid off 56 of its staff of 180.

With the recent completion of both Wolverine, based on the summer blockbuster movie, and Wolfenstein, the next chapter of the famed franchise, Raven Software is slightly reducing its workforce to better reflect the studio's upcoming slate.

On December 7, 2009, Endrant Studios would file for voluntary winding up, assigning a liquidator to handle their debts. In a Statement of Company’s Affairs on December 7, 2009, a list of creditors showed a balance owed of £100,924.99. Of this balance £52,988.73 was listed as debt owed to HM Revenue and Customs, the “UK’s tax, payments and customs authority.”

Endrant Studios would be officially dissolved on May 6, 2014.

So where did the 17 people who made up Endrant Studios at its height end up? Ben Smedstad was Creative Director and is currently at SEGA as well as continuing to work for Forerunner in consultation for other developers/game industry companies. Matt Wilson was Lead Game Designer and was only credited as “Additional Support” for Tom Clancy’s The Division in 2016 as a part of Massive though his Linkedin has him leaving the company in September 2018. Wilson previously worked for Splash Damage who also supplied Endrant with Mike Armstrong and Mark Fry. Wilson and Fry were both Level Designers for Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory in 2003, and Armstrong was Programming Team For Enemy Territory: Quake Wars in 2008. Mike Armstrong was credited in Wolfenstein as a Technical Director and the most recent credit was in God of War (2018) under Global Technology: Advanced Technology Group and is currently employed as a Software Engineer at Meta.

Programmer Ben Christey was most recently credited as a Technical Lead for the mobile game Seabeard in 2014 and works as a Software Engineer for Space Ape Games. Chris Hallam had a special thank you for LEGO DC Super-Villains on Nintendo Switch and has an undated work experience on Linkedin as a Software Engineer for The Foundry. Richard Crowder currently works at Reygar Ltd as a Senior Software Engineer. On Crowder’s Linkedin they mention working under contract with Activision for the “the development of PC, 360, and PS3 day-one patches for Wolfenstein (alongside Raven Software).” Art Director Kalvin Lyle continues to do art work, most recently as Art Lead for Clash of Clans and Concept Artist for YouTuber MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson). His portfolio website lists his contribution to Wolfenstein being, “Art Direction and lighting for multiplayer map.” Animator Sandy Heslop joined Room 8 Group in October 2022 as Head of CG, gave an in-house interview about creating trailers for video games, and led the establishment of Heroic, a studio focusing on “high-end trailer production for PC, console, and mobile games” in March 2023.

Environment Artist Nathan Newman was most recently credited as Cinematics Producer for Hitman 2 and co-founded Pathway which is “dedicated to the creation of real-time produced media with LED volumes.” Artist Gary Newman is currently a Lead Texture Artist at Framestore whose contributions have included Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw as well as the upcoming The Little Mermaid (2023). Effects Animator Robert Tatnell has continued to work in the industry from Arrowhead to his own game as an independent developer called Hokko Life.

Lead Level Designer Mark Fry seems to have left game development behind for drones as from 2013 onward all his work experience listed on Linkedin are drone related from using them for filming to Amazon’s autonomous delivery service. Despite this he still keeps a portfolio of his level design available for viewing, including Wolfenstein.

Wolfenstein is an id Software game developed by Raven Software, Threewave Software, and Endrant Studios – who joined the project to complete the online multiplayer component of the game. As Lead Level Designer – I hired, trained and developed the level design team. I assessed the scope of work necessary to modify all eight level layouts to accommodate game design changes, reduce the overall footprint of the levels for smaller team sizes, and remix existing areas to improve combat flow.

Level Designer Ryan Spinney was at Sony’s Guerilla studio for awhile but now works at Ubisoft Berlin as the Lead Environment Artist with his most recent contribution being Far Cry 6, much like fellow Level Designer Daniel Leafe. In July 2017 Level Designer Daniel Leafe shared on his website some details about his time working on Wolfenstein as part of his portfolio. Wolfenstein is his first project, and he went on to work for Activision on several James Bond titles before landing at Ubisoft where he continues to work today with the latest credit being Far Cry 6. 

Endrant Studios were contracted by Activision to complete the multiplayer section of the 2009 Wolfenstein project. The level design team at Endrant Studio consisted of 3 level designers and 1 lead who were tasked with converting eight already built PC oriented maps, to something more suited to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 market. Our job as level designers were to help improve all 8 level layouts for gameplay and performance by removing and adding sections wherever necessary, make visual changes and to optimise the maps so that they performed at a solid 30 fps on all platforms.

Che Hamilton was another Level Designer who went on to do some work on 007: Legends for Eurocom but sadly does not appear to have had any updated work since then on their website.

Katherine Winnifrith was the Office Manager and Wolfenstein is her sole credit. She may be the same Kat Winnifrith who is currently Head of HR for Admiral Taverns but information online is limited. Lastly Managing Director Neil Postlethwaite is, as aforementioned, at SEGA Europe and most recently credited on Company of Heroes 3 alongside fellow Endrant alumni Ben Smedstad.

I do wonder if some of the Endrant Studios staff think about their short time working on a Wolfenstein game whose reception was tepid, whose marketing was probably tanked by Activision in response to id Software’s acquisition by ZeniMax, whose successor under Machine Games has all but overridden its relevance despite carrying over some aspects of the 2009 entry (majorly the character of Caroline Becker), and whose multiplayer component was either ignored or regarded as sufficiently average by its players and reviewers. Comments on recent gameplay videos of the multiplayer (which requires work given that the game was delisted from Steam in 2014 and has yet to return, likely due to legal issues between Activision and ZeniMax) are pretty much all about their fond memories of playing both the campaign and multiplayer and wishes for it to return.

Endrant is an example of how fickle the games industry can be. It came together, got a contract, completed it, only to be met with less than needed sales and reception and shut down shortly after launch. It serves as a reminder of how brutal the industry can be. With so many of its staff having gone on to work on a variety of careers, it also shows that a studio closure can be a temporary tragedy.

[mobilephonetechnology]

(2023-05-23 image ©gov.uk) The Shared Rural Network is a part government part mobile operator scheme to build a 4G network that uses shared masts [shared between the 4 operators] to cover rural areas. Areas that would not get 4G any other way. Now O2 have announced another 50 new reliable sites added to the network.

mobilephonetechnology.co.uk sees the SRN as a major scheme that will be used to get (near) 100% geographical coverage over the UK. Once this is in place it opens the door to many mobile applications. Sadly some of the application may not be welcome. Derbyshire CC, and other councils Skye for example, have announced charging for some remote car parks in their area. With 4G coverage, car parking apps will be available to facilitate the charging. With the fun of mobile apps comes the pain!

[daisyiln3001]

Traffic surveillance

[this can be used as a set up paragraph before talking about iBus]

The main purpose of traffic surveillance is used to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow for vehicles on the road. The data is collected in real time through the use of cameras, sensors, and GPS tracking devices. The information is then used by various UK government departments, law enforcement, as well as businesses and individuals. One example of it being utilized is for radio broadcasted traffic announcements. If your vehicle has traffic announcements enabled then your radio system will periodically be interjected with a live update. The updates are usually on M-designated motorways or A roads about traffic accidents and closures. For businesses that rely on deliveries or transportation of goods, they can plan their routes and avoid congestion, which can save time and money. All in all, traffic surveillance helps to make informed decisions about your travel.

[ i was going to talk about radio stations having limited range, which would mean the information can be more specific to your location. However BBC Radio 2 is known to be accessible nationwide, so i felt it would be lengthy to explain something so minor ]

--------------

Department for Transport (2023) GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport (Accessed: 30 January 2023).

Matters, T. for L.| E.J. (no date) CCTV & surveillance cameras, Transport for London. Available at: https://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/privacy-and-cookies/cctv (Accessed: 14 November 2022).

Construction - Traffic management on construction sites (no date). Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/vehiclestrafficmanagement.htm (Accessed: 30 January 2023).

Traffic News | RAC UK Traffic Report Updates and Route Planner (no date) RAC Route Planner. Available at: https://www.rac.co.uk/route-planner/traffic-news/ (Accessed: 30 January 2023).

[eaglesnick]

101 Things You Should Know About The UK Tory Government

Thing 94

According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, there were around 13.4 million people living in poverty in the UK between 2020 and 2021. Since then, energy price increases and inflation have driven  more families below the bread line.

One of the lesser-known consequences of this is the fact that many of the poor can no longer afford to pay for the medicine they need.

“One in two pharmacists had ... seen a rise in people not collecting their prescription, while two in three pharmacists reported seeing an increase in requests for cheaper, over-the-counter substitutes for the medicine they had been prescribed.” (MailOnline: 13/02/23)

England is the only country within the UK to levy prescription charges. Being too poor to be able to afford essential medicines will only cost the NHS more in the long run, with more people ending up in hospital than might otherwise have been the case. The government charges £9.35 per prescription item. 

Rather than scrap the prescription charge altogether, in 2021 the government announced plans to charge the over 60’s who up until now have been exempt from paying.

The government justifies these changes thus:

“Prescription charges generate approximately £600 million in revenue for the English NHS each year. An increase to the upper age exemption could generate additional revenue for NHS frontline services.”  (Gov.UK 01/07/21)

Is it possible for this Tory government to become any more mean-spirited?

[workingmumkitty]

Government announces phased mandation of Making Tax Digital for ITSA - GOV.UK

Government announces phased mandation of Making Tax Digital for ITSA – GOV.UK

Self-employed individuals and landlords will have more time to prepare for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA), following a government announcement today (19 December 2022). — Read on www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-phased-mandation-of-making-tax-digital-for-itsa

[scotiapartnership]

Minimium Wage announce for 2023

The National Living Wage (NLW) will rise to £10.42 from 1 April 2023, an increase of 92 pence or 9.7 per cent.

The Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations ensure the NLW continues on track to reach the Government’s target of two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. The recommendations were unanimously agreed by Commissioners and accepted in full by the Government.

Alongside today’s announcement, the LPC has published its letter of recommendations to the Government and a summary of the evidence that informed them. Our full 2022 Report, which sets out the evidence in detail, will be published and laid in Parliament later this year.

Read the LPC’s recommendations to Government and summary of evidence here.

The increases announced today will support the wages and living standards of low-paid workers at a time when many are feeling increased pressure from a rising cost of living. They are recommended against a backdrop of a tight labour market where unemployment is at record lows and vacancies remain high as businesses compete to recruit and retain staff.

Bryan Sanderson, Low Pay Commission Chair, said:

The rates announced today include the largest increase to the NLW since its introduction in 2016 and will provide a much-needed pay increase to millions of low-paid workers across the UK, all of whom will be feeling the effects of a sharply rising cost of living. For a full-time worker, today’s increase means nearly £150 more per month.

The tightness of the labour market and historically high vacancy rates give us confidence that the economy will be able to absorb these increases.

Businesses also have to navigate these economically uncertain times and by ensuring we remain on the path to achieve our 2024 target, employers will have greater certainty over the forward path.

These recommendations have the full support of the business, trade union and academic representatives who make up the Commission.

Alongside the NLW, the Commission recommended significant increases in the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates for younger workers. The 21-22 Year Old Rate will increase to £10.18, narrowing the gap with the NLW and leaving this age group on course to receive the full NLW by 2024. NMW rates for 18-20 and 16-17 year olds and apprentices will increase in line with the NLW increase of 9.7% in recognition of the tight labour market and strong demand for labour in youth-friendly sectors.

Rate from April 2023Current rate (April 2022 to March 2023)Increase

National Living Wage£10.42£9.509.7%

21-22 Year Old Rate£10.18£9.1810.9%

18-20 Year Old Rate£7.49£6.839.7%

16-17 Year Old Rate£5.28£4.819.7%

Apprentice Rate£5.28£4.819.7%

Accommodation Offset£9.10£8.704.6%

The LPC’s full report will be published and laid in Parliament in the coming weeks. It will set out the full evidence base for this year’s recommendations, and Commissioners’ advice to the Government in several areas. These include the LPC’s review of the Accommodation Offset; evidence around the NLW’s impacts on different regions of the UK; and the effects of the minimum wage on workers with protected characteristics. @Gov.uk

[kensmartin]

The UK announces 75 scholarships for Pakistan - GOV.UK

The UK announces 75 scholarships for Pakistan – GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.You can change your cookie settings at any time.Departments, agencies and public bodiesNews stories, speeches, letters and…

[thxnews]

Online Child Benefit Claims Revolutionize Parenting

The Dawn of Digital Convenience

Child Benefit Goes Online: A Major Leap For the first time since its inception in 1977, Child Benefit claims in the UK have taken a significant leap into the digital age. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced that parents and guardians can now apply for Child Benefit online, marking a monumental shift from the traditional paper-based process. This change is set to benefit millions of families across the UK, streamlining the process and significantly reducing the waiting time for payments. The transition to an online system represents a major advancement in making government services more accessible and user-friendly, particularly for busy parents and guardians who can now manage their claims more efficiently.   Efficiency and Speed: The New Norm Parents no longer have to fill out lengthy paper forms and wait through long postal delays. The new online system on GOV.UK offers remarkable efficiency and user-friendliness. Tasks that once took up to 16 weeks now only require about 10 minutes to complete, with the potential for processing payments in as little as three days. This rapid processing time revolutionizes the experience for new parents who depend on these benefits to support their growing families. The system's ease and speed will likely encourage more families to take advantage of this essential financial support.  

Financial Implications and Benefits

Understanding Child Benefit Rates Child Benefit serves as vital financial support for families, providing £24 per week for the oldest or only child, which totals £1,248 annually. Moreover, for each additional child, families receive £15.90 per week, roughly amounting to £827 per year. Significantly, families can backdate claims for up to 12 weeks, incentivizing them to apply early to maximize their benefits. Consequently, this financial support plays a crucial role in assisting families with the various costs of raising children, ranging from daily expenses to educational needs.   Statements from HMRC Officials Nigel Huddleston, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, emphasized the value of time, especially for families with newborns. The new online system allows parents to focus on what truly matters – family time. Suzanne Newton, HMRC’s Interim Director General for Transformation, highlighted the ease and speed of the new digital process, ensuring families receive essential financial support without unnecessary delays. Their statements reflect the government's commitment to modernizing public services and making them more accessible to all citizens.  

User Experience and Feedback

Real-Life Experiences: Blogger Insights Natalie Smith, a blogger known as Frugal Mum, expressed her relief at the elimination of paper forms, emphasizing the convenience of completing applications online at any suitable time. This sentiment is echoed by many parents who have experienced the new system. The ability to apply for Child Benefit online has been a significant relief for many, particularly those juggling the demands of new parenthood with other responsibilities. The feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive, with many appreciating the simplicity and speed of the online application process.  

Eligibility and Application Tips

Who Can Claim and How Child Benefit is available to parents or guardians responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they are in approved education or training. There's no limit on the number of children one can claim for. Claiming Child Benefit also ensures National Insurance credits towards the State Pension and automatic issuance of a National Insurance number for the child at 16. This not only provides immediate financial support but also contributes to the long-term financial security of the family.   Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide Applicants can begin claiming Child Benefit from the day following a child's birth registration. Firstly, it's crucial to have the birth certificate, bank details, and National Insurance numbers (of both parents, if applicable) prepared. Additionally, for those with adopted children or children born outside the UK, extra information may be necessary. Furthermore, the process is intentionally straightforward and user-friendly, guaranteeing that all eligible families can access the benefits they need without unnecessary stress or complication.  

Additional Considerations

Beware of Scams and Stay Informed Customers should be vigilant about HMRC scams and never share login details. For families with children over 3 months old who haven't claimed yet, it's crucial to apply soon to benefit from up to 3 months' backdated Child Benefit. The government is continuously working to raise awareness about scams and provide clear guidance to help individuals protect their personal information and financial assets.   Further Developments and Information HMRC started accepting fully digital claims for Child Benefit from 10 May 2023 for families with children under 6 months old. The HMRC app further facilitates managing Child Benefit, including reporting changes and viewing payment history. This digital transformation is part of a broader effort to modernize government services, making them more efficient and accessible for all UK citizens.   A Step Towards Modern Parenting The introduction of online Child Benefit claims is a significant advancement for UK families, aligning with modern needs and technological advancements. It not only simplifies the process but also ensures quicker financial support, a crucial aspect of raising a family in today's world. This development is a testament to the government's commitment to improving the lives of its citizens through digital innovation and streamlined services.   Sources: THX News, HM Revenue and Customs & Nigel Huddleston MP. Read the full article