After yesterday’s Opera Concert organised by twitter it’s time for “Police of Pimlico” a single by Punk Band The Grit. After a 6 month hiatus, their first show back is at the Garage in London on the 6th May w/ Roddy Radiation (the Specials), and 999! Tickets available to pre-order at Haunted Tattoo’s, and Strummers Studio’s in Holloway.

You can find out more about the band from their Facebook Page or follow them on Twitter

Using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) in your posts on Ning and other HTML based Forums and Bulletin Boards is easier than it sounds. It is surprising how important knowing basic HTML is to a quality online existence – of course many people don’t care about things like grammar, spelling, let alone the things that HTML gives you like layout, well presented quotebacks, embedding videos & pictures, anchor text links …… nevertheless I think it worthwhile in order to present a professional image.

Learning basic HTML through posting on an HTML BB like Ning is a painless way of picking up how HTML works, which will then allow you to do more sophisticated things like adding HTML widgets to your Blog. You don’t need to become an HTML expert – or even that competent – the 80:20 works in your favour – understand 20% of HTML and you will be able to undertake 80% of what you need to do.

In your normal posting view you are shown what you post will look like, but actually it is produced using HTML – as you type you produce HTML which is hidden from you. You can see the HTML that is being coded for you as you type by clicking on the HTML button.

Some simple tags to get you started:

Firstly understand a “Tag” – this controls the content within the “< >” TAG it’s best understood by trying out some of the examples, and also clicking on the HTML view of your posts before posting them to see what the HTML looks like ………..

Note that on the WWW colours are identifies by a code of the form #ffffff – a hash and 6 digits. Every combination of the 6 digits produces a different colour (the digits have to be 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b,c,d,e,f – for a geeky reason that we won’t go into!).

Joining HTML together

You may have noticed that the font, and colour are changed using the <FONT> tag.

If you wanted to change the text to a courier font, and red you would put the following
<FONT FACE=courier COLOR=red>Edited text</FONT> which gives Edited text

Example 2: To make the text bold, underlined and green all at the same time use

<B><U><FONT COLOR=green>Text here</FONT></U></B> gives you Text here

It is important that you close the tags in the same order as they were opened. In the example above <B> was opened first so must be closed last <FONT> was the last opened and first to be closed.

Rules:

• Only tags with the same beginning can be merged together
• All < > tags must be closed with the appropriate </ > tag
• The first tags opened are the last ones to be closed

Adding a link to a different page

Links are what allow people to move to other pages on the Internet. They can usually be identified because the mouse pointer changes when over a link and the text is usually underlined and a different colour. To create a link use the following:

<A HREF=http://www.pimlico-flats.co.uk>Pimlico Flats</a> will look like Pimlico Flats

To display a picture

Use the following:

<IMG SRC=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/mepage/69.gif”> gives

Please note: There is no closing tag for a picture

<IMG> tag properties

You can set the following properties for the <IMG> tag. It is recommended that you set the width and height for each picture as it makes the picture load faster.

WIDTH	The width of the picture
HEIGHT	The height of the picture
ALT	Text to be displayed if the image can not be displayed – note a description should be included to help the visually impaired

Both width and height are specified in either pixels or as a percentage of the screen size.

<img src=”http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/mepage/1236.jpg” width=150 height=100 alt=”Snowy mountain”>

You just need to put the two codes together

<A HREF=address of page you want to go too><IMG SRC=address of picture></a>

Create a numbered list

Create a bulleted list

Adding a picture is really simple. All you need is an image host (somewhere to store your pics) the following instructions are for how to use photobucket.

Click on a picture to make it larger

1. Sign up for a free Photobucket account
2. Activate the account
3. Right click on a pic you want to use and select “Save Picture As…”

1. Choose an appropriate place on your computer (recommended place:my documents) and select save
2. Sign in to your photobucket account
3. Click the browse button

1. Find where you saved your pic and click on it, then select the open button
2. Select submit (your picture will now be added to your bucket)

Under the picture there are 3 lines…

• Right click the tag line <img src=”….”> and select copy

• Go to where you want the picture to appear (the boards)
• Right click and select paste in the message box
• Post the message

The picture should now have appeared

You can also rotate and change the size of the picture once it is in photobucket by clicking on the edit button above the picture you want to change.

Creating a signature picture

To put your name on a picture you need some drawing software

Most people use a specialised program called Paint Shop Pro (PSP) to add their name to pictures.

You can download a free trial here.

Now just get creative

Landlord? (Photo credit: the justified sinner)

Just visit any property forum or website & ask what landlords think of the idea of licensing and regulation and you will get a loud and clear indication that Landlords consider regulation to be an expensive useless waste of time.

In spite of this new rules were introduced in January 2010 which meant landlords of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) must have their properties inspected and licensed. During the first year, until December 2011, Oxford City Council issued 338 licences – and just 11 of those, or three per cent, were issued without any additional conditions. To my mind this sends a loud and clear signal – either the Private Rental Sector is rotten to the core, or the Regulations are!

97% of Privately Rented Accommodation Isn’t Fit For Purpose?

The new regulations were introduced in two phases. From January 2011, landlords of three-storey houses or two-storey houses for five people or more were told to get their property inspected for £362, make any necessary alterations and renew the licence annually. The rules were then rolled out to include properties with three or more sharers this January, resulting in an extra 1,065 applications. Oxford is currently the only council in the country to require all HMOs to be licensed, more than 2,000 warning letters were sent to landlords in December, and since the scheme came into effect there have been eight prosecutions against landlords managing unsafe HMOs and one letting agent. The council has also taken over the management of one HMO because the landlord was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence.

So what is wrong – Landlords, or Regulations? During 2011 Pimlico Flats received 2 letters from Westminster City Council threatening enforcement action.

• One was because we had 5 Flats which only had 1 lock on the door – in spite of 30 years without a crime, a daily manned reception and a 24/7 CCTV monitoring service WCC still estimated that the likelihood of death or serious injury from there only being 1 lock on each flat entrance was 1/7. It was cheaper to put a second lock on every door than argue with the Environmental Health Office about the regulations.
• The second was that a tenant wasn’t sleeping with his girlfriend. How WCC were able to identify the couple’s nocturnal habits is beyond me, but they readily confessed to their crime – apparently they were working different hours and were using a sofa to avoid disturbing the partner. WCC were not prepared to accept the argument that as Landlord I had no right to dictate my tenant’s sexual habits, but fortunately the tenants were happy to give me a letter voluntarily committing themselves to sleeping together.

Clearly when 97% of the Private Rented Sector fails to meet regulations something needs to be done – what do you think should be done?

The Police have a plan to help us prevent and deter cycle theft and criminal damage – they offer free security marking and advice. Security marking your bike deters potential thieves as your bike can be easily traced if it is stolen.

Today and every other 1st Thursday of every month, from 7.45 – 10am at Duke of York Steps, The Mall SW1.

On alternate months the time will change to 4 – 7pm.

February 2nd 7.45 – 10am at Duke of York Steps, The Mall SW1.

March 1st 4 – 7pm at Duke of York Steps, The Mall SW1

April 5th 7.45 – 10am at Duke of York Steps, The Mall SW1.

etc etc

Buy a decent lock – preferably two
Expect to pay at least £40 for a decent lock
Locking your cycle securely:

• Lock ‘tight’ so that your cycle is hard to move around when parked
• Lock both wheels and the frame to a cycle stand or other immoveable object
• Secure your lock so it does not touch the ground

Visit the London Cycling Campaign website for types of lock and Sold Secure for certified locks.

Get insurance

An easy way to do this is to extend your home contents insurance to cover your bicycle – but make sure it covers you for thefts outside the home too. If your bicycle is particularly valuable you may need to insure it separately. See Bike For All for recommended insurers.

Security mark it

A number of bike marking schemes are available. Always ensure you use an ACPO-approved marking scheme, such as BikeRegister kits – the MPS preferred bike marking product.

As part of their move to improve cycle security, the Cycle Task Force regularly set up engagement stalls offering free security marking and registration onto www.BikeRegister.com. For more information about Cycle Task Force security marking emailcycletaskforce@met.police.uk

If you are marking your bike, please ensure the security mark:

• Is clearly visible, highlighting that the bike is security coded
• Is secure and difficult for a thief to remove
• Include a registration log book, proving ownership

Follow the Three R’s:

Record

Keep a record of the frame number, make and any other marks that can identify your bike if it stolen. If you can’t find your bike frame number, have a look:

• Near the handlebars
• Below the seat post
• By or underneath the pedals
• Towards the back wheel

Register

Register your bike details onto online property databases such as BikeRegister.com. This will help the police return any recovered bikes to the rightful owners

Report

If your bike is stolen in London, please report this to the Metropolitan Police Service by calling 101 or online atwww.online.met.police.uk. In an emergency dial 999.

If you are a victim of bike theft and you suspect your bike is being sold, do not arrange to meet the seller, contact the police, quoting your crime reference number.

Extra points to remember

• Park your bike where it can be seen – people will also see if someone is trying to steal it. Use designated parking areas.
• Make sure the locks catch the bike frame as well as both wheels and the post, or a thief may steal the bike and leave the wheels behind. Also, make sure the post can’t be cut through, or the bike lifted off it
• Don’t leave your bike in the same place every day
• Make it impossible for a thief to smash the lock open: fill the D part of a lock with as much of the bike as possible. Never leave the lock lying on the pavement, where it can be sledge hammered easily
• Take any items that can be removed without tools – wheels, lights, pump, computer, panniers, seat post and saddle – with you

a

A sculpture inspired by a notorious Pimlico prison has won an award for emerging artists.

The piece, by Chelsea College of Art and Design student Gloria Zein, will be exhibited in the grounds of the college from today – the area where Millbank Penitentiary stood between 1816 and 1890.

Previously I reported a legal case relevant to Pimlico, Property, and Flats about one of the most contentious property estates in the country – Pimlico’s Dolphin Square.

Dolphin Square, Pimlico (Westminster London SW1)

I gave a full description of the law case about Dolphin Square which is a massive central London complex of 1250 luxury flats. that is home to dozens of MPs, peers, judges, lawyers, QCs and senior military officers, and where Oswald Mosley, Harold Wilson, Christine Keeler, Charles de Gaulle, CP Snow, Donald Campbell, and Princess Anne once lived.

The High Court has ruled on the case of  Westbrook Dolphin Square Limited v. Friends Provident Life and Pensions Limited.

Mr. Justice Arnold struck out the claim. He decided that the principle of finality of litigation, that the claim amounted to an abuse of process, and a person should not be vexed twice.  Whilst withdrawing the Notice was acceptable Westbrook should not have discontinued the claim and then looked to in effect bring a second claim on substantially the same facts. They should have pursued the Court claim and had that adjudicated upon and at that stage, if they had been successful, they could have withdrawn the Notice.

It also seems likely that the Judge viewed this case as a Corporation with deep pockets abusing the due process of law to further it’s own ends.

Happy Hippy

A small Landlord in a Rural Village goes out every day to tidy up the hall and entrance of the HMO that he rents rooms out from. The landlord tidies, repairs & cleans for three or four hours, before returning home. Every day he does this, without fail.

One week, a London Estate and Lettings Agent is having a holiday in this same village. Every day he sees this small Landlord go out, tidy, repair & clean, come back, go out, tidy, repair & clean, and come back. So after a few days, the London Estate and Lettings Agent approaches the small Landlord and he asks the small Landlord if he maintains his property like that all the time.

“I do,” says the small Landlord, who is about thirty years old.

“How long have you been renting?” asks the London Estate and Lettings Agent.

“All my life,” says the Small Landlord. “Since I was a boy.”

“And you rent like this every day?” He looks at the small HMO.

“Yes,” says the Small Landlord. “I have nice tenants, they tell me about their jobs, they pay their rent on time ……. then I go home for the afternoon”

“But you only go spend a short while in this house!, Why don’t you go out into town when you have finished – leaflet drop? You could source more properties, do them up, rent them out”

The young Small Landlord thinks a minute and looks down at his feet. He looks back up at the London Estate and Lettings Agent. “Well, I like to spend time with my family play with my children, go to the pub and play cards with my friends, watch the big game on TV. Some afternoons I go fishing, or I go for a stroll with my pretty wife”

The London Estate and Lettings Agent nods, he steps closer to the Small Landlord. “Look,” he says, “if you redecorate, and put a new kitchen and bathroom in, you can remortgage and draw your equity out – you’ll make double the amount of money you make now. You can afford to pay someone to do the leafleting for you. Plus you can use the equity that you’ve drawn out for the deposit on another house”

“Why would I want to do that?” asks the Small Landlord.

“Because once you’ve got 3 or four houses then you can hire a few people to do the cleaning and decorating for you, which will give you the time to follow up more leafleting leads, buy more houses, and get more mortgages”

“Why would I want to do that?” asks the Small Landlord again.

“Because then you’ll quadruple your earnings and pretty soon you can have your own Portfolio.”

“And why would I want to do that?”

“Well, once you have your own portfolio you’ll have enough houses to cut out the middle men and rent a High Street Office, and set up a lettings agency to rent out your own houses as well as some for other people You do well enough and then I can help you – we do a joint venture, and then we franchise out the business model, and we go National. Then we a float on AIM and take the whole operation public. We will cash in. We will be rich.”

“And then what?”

“Then,” says the London Estate and Lettings Agent, “you can spend time with your family, and play with your grandchildren, go to the pub and play cards with your friends, watch the big game on TV have someone push you and your wife’s wheelchairs round some pretty walks ….…”

1 Euro Coin

If you want to quickly calculate whether you can afford to rent a property abroad, or you have Euros and wish to calculate how much they are worth in order to rent a London flat you can use this nifty widget written by Slagthemoff a member of our forum.



Just embed this script into your web page…



<?php
// Euro calculator Script v1
// Copyright (C) 2011 Slagthemoff

// Convert Euro to Pound Sterling
?>
<TITLE>PHP Calculator v1</TITLE>
<form name=”calc” action=”?page=calc” method=”POST”>
How many Euros do you have: <input type=text name=value1><br>
Operation: <input type=radio name=oper value=”add”>Addition <input type=radio name=oper value=”subtract”>Subtraction <input type=radio name=oper value=”divide”>Division <input type=radio name=oper value=”multiply”>Multiplication</input><br>
<input type=submit value=”Calculate”>
</form>
<?php
echo(“Your Euros are worth = 0″);
?>

And here it is installed in this blog and working. Thank you Slagthemoff.

echo(“Your Euros are worth = 0″);
?>

London Aborigini

Yay! Thames Festival 2011 is going to be bigger than ever, with spectacular entertainment and amazing music from right around the globe.

With two boarding points in Pimlico it makes sense to take part in this weekend’s river festival. Throughout the month of September all of the major river transport operators are taking part in a 2-for-1 ticket deal, and this weekend there is a River Festival

Thames Clippers

• 2-for-1 on River Roamer tickets throughout September.
• 2-for-1 on single tickets 10 & 11 September only.

City Cruises

• 2-for-1 on River Red Rovers throughout September.
• 2-for-1 on single tickets 10 & 11 September only.

Crown River Cruises

• 2-for-1 on single tickets 10 & 11 September only.

Thames River Services

• 2-for-1 on single tickets 10 & 11 September only.

Turk Launches

• 2 standard price tickets for the price of 1 on all Monday to Friday scheduled sightseeing services.

Tate to Tate

• 2-for-1 on River Roamer tickets throughout September.
• 2-for-1 on all single tickets 10 & 11 September only.

Parr’s Circular Cruises

• 2 standard price tickets for the price of 1 on all Monday to Friday scheduled sightseeing services, including Kingston – Hampton Court service throughout September.