Wallpaper that can glow with light and bendable flat-panel screens are a step closer thanks to research into organic LEDs (OLEDs), which are widely hailed as the next generation of environmentally friendly lighting technology. See the Guardian report here.

Recent success on the golf course has given me a free round of golf for 4 at Chester le Street. We have to give a few days notice, and it needs to be on a weekday to avoid competitions, but if anyone is interested please give me a shout. The voucher is valid until this time next year, so plenty of time! 

Names in a hat please…

Competition time: if anyone’s interested, there’s a competition to submit a (speculative) design for none other than the White House, Washington DC. Whilst the topic may be slightly imaginary, there’s a very real $5000 first prize. Registrations and submissions by 20th April.

See the competition website here

My spies at the Pen Shop tell me that our old friends ROTRING are no more. Our careless disregard for the sheer beauty of the hand drawing in favour of the mechanistic impersonal computer has caused their inevitable demise.

A few fountain pens still available going cheap - and hang on to those rapidograph nibs - they’ll be worth a fortune one day

Apparently this photograph was taken recently on a building site in China.

Want to get fit? Don’t have the time, the money or the inclination to get all hot and sweaty? Then let P+HS’s resident personal trainer help.
 

Try these simple exercises to get your new year’s resolution kick started.  ‘The Five Tibetan Rites’ are a series of five yoga postures that are purported to, amongst other things, increase your energy levels, improve your strength and flexibility, help weight loss and be the secret elixir of youth.  I can’t comment on the last but I have anecdotal evidence of the first three effects.  They take only 10 minutes each morning and you even get a little lie down at the end.
 

Repeat each of the following exercises a maximum of 21 times (start off substantially lower) before continuing on to the next.  Throughout each exercise pull in your navel and tense your perineum (as if stopping yourself going to the toilet)

The first exercise is a little strange but is a vital part of the routine. 

• Stand tall with arms outstretched at shoulder height and palms facing down. 
• Spin as fast (or slow) as is comfortable in a clockwise direction for the desired number of repetitions.

• Lie on your back with your hands by your sides.
• Breathe in lifting your legs as straight as possible up to 90 degrees whilst lifting your head so that your chin touches your chest (the pulling in of the navel is particularly important here to help protect the back and prevent doming of the abdominals).
• Breathe out, returning to the start position.

• Kneel upright (thighs at 90 degrees to the floor) with hands resting on your buttocks and chin touching your chest.
• Breathe in, arching back whilst tipping your head back and squeezing your elbows together.
• Breathe out, returning to the start position. 
• After completing your repetitions curl yourself into a ball with your forehead touching the floor to briefly stretch your back. 

• Sit upright with your legs outstretched in front of you with your hands, palms down and fingers forward, by your hips and your chin touching your chest.
• Breathe in lifting your hips in the air, whilst bending your knees so that you end up in a ’tabletop’ position with your head tipped back.
• Tense all your muscles momentarily.
• Breathe out, returning to the start position. 

• Start in a lowered press-up position with your hands by your chest and elbows by your side (if you can’t hold your whole body off the floor then rest on your knees).
• Breathe in whilst rolling your chest forward and up through your arms so that you are arching your back whilst looking at the ceiling (‘upward dog’).
• Breathing out raise your hips to the ceiling so that you are in an inverted ‘V’ position looking between your legs (‘downward dog).
• Whilst momentarily in this position straighten your legs and arms, push your heels to the floor and raise those hips trying to straighten your back.
• Still on the outward breath bend your arms, lowering yourself down to the starting position flowing into the next repetition. 

At the end of all five exercises take a moment to lie down and relax slightly before continuing your day.  Try this meditation technique.

• Lie on your back with your hands by your sides, palms facing up and your eyes closed.
• Take time to feel all of your muscles sinking into the floor as they relax. 
• Once relaxed focus on the following points in turn for at least five breaths each (the longer the better) trying to imagine a localised point of energy.  If your mind drifts or you get distracted don’t worry simply return your focus to the point again: Perineum, Navel, Solar Plexus, Breastbone, Throat, Behind Eyes, Top of Head.
• Now feel the energy flow around your body in a ‘Ready Brek’ glow kind of way.
• Rub your hands together as if washing them, ‘wash’ your face, open your eyes and slowly get up.

Try to do this routine at least five days a week, ideally in the morning for maximum effect.  Enjoy