Yet Another Plane Falls Out of the Sky?!
February 27, 2009
Don’t you think that there is a proportionally larger amount on planes dropping out of the sky this year?!
I have never been particularly scared about flying before, but it now seems that plane crashes are occurring on a regular basis and this surely means that you and I have a far greater chance of ending up in one of these accidents?!
Turkish Airlines flight came down at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (which I have been to 3 times). According to reports nine people were killed and at least 50 injured. The speculated reason is because the plane ran out of fuel… what?! I hear you say?!
Mustafa Bahcecioglu a survivor said:
“We are in the middle of a field now, approximately five to six kilometres from the airport. The majority of the passengers are injured but there are people who are not injured. Around 30 ambulances have come here.”
Huseyin Sumer another survivor said:
“The plane split into three parts. We are calling people to say the situation is not very serious but there might be casualties on the front side of the pane.”
Air Transport Intelligence Editor Kieran Daly said about Schiphol Airport:
“This is one of the best-equipped, most modern and most sophisticated airports in the world. There is no high terrain anywhere near the airport and pilots have every conceivable landing aid available to them. There are very long, very wide runways and an extremely competent air traffic control service. This is one of the last likely places in the world for an aircraft accident.”
Workers Doing Unpaid Overtime In Britain On The Up!
February 27, 2009
According to reports this week UK workers are putting in on average 7 hours unpaid overtime for their employers each week. With the onset of the recession some workers are putting in many more than this.
The TUC has released survey results done on UK workforce showing that employees in finance, public service and research and development are working far more hours for no extra pay.
On the flip side, overtime hours had dropped for estate agents, insurance and pensions as there was not enough work to go around.
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary said:
“The recession is bringing new pressure for people to work unpaid overtime. Workers in some industries are racking up the hours to complete the job quicker, but elsewhere work is drying up and workers do not have enough work to fill normal hours, let alone overtime”.
According to the TUC British employees work more hours than the rest of Western Europe.
I’m proud to be British, but sometimes I think it would be better to live elsewhere!
New Starters
February 26, 2009
Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect. Who do I talk to? What will my work colleagues be like? Are there any office politics that I need to be aware of so I don’t put my foot in it on the first day?
We can all distinguish new starters by their polished shoes, their neatly pressed clothes and their annoying ability to ask questions that are plainly just stupid. Their desks are kept clear of the usual paraphernalia that adorns most of the normal staff’s workplaces and they are always on time and the last to leave.
What annoys me most about new starters however is the way that they will always do anything for you. Whether it is making constant cups of tea for the boss, filing things away that have obviously found a permanent home amongst the copious amount of paper on your desk or using document scanning as an excuse to chat to the best looking guy in the office, new starters are a thorn in the side of well accustomed office regulars.
You may well say that we were all new starters once, this may be true, but some of us are better new starters than others.
Komodo Dragon Attack
February 26, 2009
An Indonesian Park Ranger was rushed into hospital after being attacked by a Komodo Dragon. According to sources the man needed more than 30 stitches to his hand and foot.
The 46 year old man was at his desk, sat in his hut when the giant reptile climbed in to join him. The Komodo Dragon can only be found on three islands in the world and Rinca is one of them. The attacked man, Main, wrestled with the Dragon until it let go. Main then climbed out of his window, as people rushed to his aid and then him to hospital. They then used sticks to get the dragon out of the hut.
Main said:
“I’m lucky I survived, nothing like this has ever happened to me… in 25 years on the job. I’ve never been attacked.”
Attacks by Komodo Dragons are very rare, with only one death in 35 years.
Baby Found In Bag
February 25, 2009
In the news today is the story of a newborn baby found in a carrier bag by children on their way to school. The crying baby was found, wrapped in a blue blanket and placed in a reusable Tesco’s carrier bag.
The baby is either black or asian and was found in South London. The abandoned baby has been named Grace by the staff at Kings College Hospital.
Police have said:
“It is believed the baby was left outside the address after 4.20am this morning, as the occupant had returned from working a night shift at that time. She was very, very cold but, due to the speedy discovery by these children, she was brought to hospital very quickly and treated.”
Police are worried about the mother who could be in a physical and mental bad state.
Inspector Simon Rooke went on to say:
“I would ask her to please contact us as soon as possible. We are most concerned about her welfare at this time. I would like to stress to anyone who hears this appeal, in particular the mother, that they should not hesitate to call us. We are concerned for the welfare of the mother and want to ensure that she is receiving the appropriate medical attention”.
Too Much Time On Facebook
February 19, 2009
The psychologist Dr Aric Sigman has said that we all need to get off Facebook and such social networking websites and get a life. According to Sigman, the amount of time we spend with each other has dropped and this new culture is affecting our health.
Sigman reckons that the use of these sites could affect the way our immune system, genes and bodily functions work. Ultimately leading to a detrimental effect of our mental health.
Sigman said:
“Social networking is the internet’s biggest growth area, particular among young children. A quarter of British children have a laptop or computer in their room by the age of five and they have their own social networking sites, like the BBC’s myCBBC. It’s causing huge changes.”
I think that it is fair to say that we all spend too much time on social networking sites. Let’s all have some quality time with our friends and loved ones and step away from the laptop!
Jacqui Smith in Trouble Again Over Alleged Expenses Misuse
February 19, 2009
Let’s face it they all do it, but it does appear that she keeps tapping away, claiming as much on expense as her fat little fingers can!
The decision to let Smith claim her sister’s home as her main home, has allowed her to claim at least £116,000 in allowances. It’s just greedy and damn unfair! As if her sister charges her rent anywhere near that amount?!
Though previously turning down two complaints made, thankfully now the Parliamentary Commission for Standards has now accepted a complaint against Jacqui Smith and is following procedures accordingly.
Parliamentarians are paid enough as it is, these ‘allowances’ are ridiculous! How will they ever have any idea how it is to be a ‘normal’ person living in the UK if they can claim money all over the place. This isn’t how the rest of us live.
Not only this but let’s face it, we’re paying for the money she is claiming! She should be sacked and these so called allowances should be stopped!
Industry Trends
February 18, 2009
As the global economy shifts and mass production is moved to newly industrialised countries in the Far East. Production in the UK has had to change, becoming more bespoke. This is enabled by modern, computerised machinery and equipment that allows smaller batches, often as one off’s.
For this reason the marketing channels in the UK are pushing personalised purchasing, predominantly in the form of gifts. Once on a website, it is only a matter of clicks to product personalised canvas prints, mugs and photo books all totally unique to you. Plus, now due to improved production methods the prices are very reasonable for your one off gift or art for your home.
Often when entering someone’s home there are canvas prints of their family or pets. On Valentine’s Day a personalised gift made with an online photo site, makes the perfect present special.
I like photo books, they are so much better than albums, as there is so much more functionality to play with. When you get back from an event or holiday, it is so much easier to upload your photos onto the computer and download them into a photo book, designed exactly as you want. Plus it means that you don’t have lots of loose photos lying around, but do have evidence of your good time for friends to peruse over.
Worst Baby Shower Ever
February 18, 2009
Generally, the worst that can happen at a baby shower is that you received duplicate gifts, have to indulge in boring games and over eat rich foods. Last week however, the baby shower events to unfold were totally out of the norm, with people being charged for murder, other charges flying around, far too dramatic for a run of the mill baby shower.
A man turned up at the baby shower party in Mississauga looking to collect a debt; instead he was given a deadly stab wound by none other than the 7 month pregnant guest of honour. Only moments earlier the mother to be was slicing up bananas for her guests’ fruit tray.
Jazmine Besito organised the events said:
“I saw everything and it wasn’t very pretty, a baby shower gone wrong, totally wrong.”
According to Besito, Jay Kumar Atha burst into the expecting parents’ home and demanded repayment. None of the guests knew what the money was for however, Atha threatened he would take the TV and computer if they did not pay up.
Besito then said:
“He was disrupting everything and told him to come back when the baby shower was done, and he just wouldn’t leave”
According to guests when he started grabbing at the computer the pregnant woman went at him with the knife stabbing his chest once.
The pregnant Ms. Lanthier has been charged with second degree murder and her common law husband Mr. Malik with being an accessory after the fact.
According to local police the debt was related to money owed to Atha for drugs.
Learner drivers, do we need them?
February 17, 2009
I know we all had to learn to drive once, and I’m usually very patient with learner drivers because I remember how difficult it was when I was first starting out and how annoying it was when someone would overtake me or sound their horn in frustration. Therefore I always give them plenty of space and time to perform their manoeuvre.
However, what I get narked about is when learner drivers are taken out at peak times and they’re clearly not ready for it. Where I live seems to be a hotspot for dithering learner drivers practising their 3-point-turns and their parallel parking around my car! It’s extremely annoying and I worry for the safety of my car.
Furthermore, what’s the point in learner drivers being taught to drive on the roads and duel carriage ways, and then when they pass their test they’re let loose on motorways without any further training? Is it any wonder that so many people hog the middle lane when they’ve never been taught to actually drive on the motorway?!?
Learner drivers aren’t the problem, the way in which they are taught is, due to the crap system this country insists upon for teaching drivers.
It wouldn’t happen in Germany.