Would you have an English lesson at 7.00am? Well, would you? It’s an interesting question, and as I discovered it has multiple answers…
There is the student’s point of view and also the teacher’s point of view. You could be a morning person or perhaps an evening person? We are all different. Another thing to consider is: are we talking about having an English lesson at work or at school? The latter could be in a language school or at High School or University. You could be studying at High School now or could be looking back at your time when there.
Category: Lifestyle / Living / English Lessons
British banks are to cut thousands of jobs and close hundreds of bank branches. The huge shake up is a result of them being allowed to get too big. The devastating 2008 financial crisis saw two of the biggest UK banks taken over by the government because of the losses they incurred.
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), that is 81% owned by the government, is expected to axe 30,000 jobs this year. The bank will withdraw from risky business and severely cut its international division. Its new Chief Executive Ross McEwan aims to decrease the RBS Group headcount by a quarter over the next 3-5 years.
Category: Business / Economics / Banking
Recently stock markets around the world took a tumble after investors dumped emerging market stocks. In this lesson we will look at what happened in the last week of January when investors yanked some US$3.3 billion; causing the largest outflow on record in dollar terms.
Emerging markets have been hit this year because of a slowdown in China, rising interest rates in the US, political turmoil in several countries around the world and overall concerns that emerging markets haven’t reformed fast enough to make growth substantial.
Category: Business / Emerging Markets / Funds
Would you buy an electric or hybrid car? Well, would you? Every month car manufacturers are introducing new models; some of which are hybrid cars; others are 100% plug in electric cars.
A hybrid engine combines an electric motor with a petrol engine. This saves you fuel while still getting ample power. If the petrol engine isn’t running they are also quiet. You thus save money by not having to buy so much petrol. When the engine is running they charge themselves.
Category: Technology / Electric Cars / Hybrid Cars
New research has shown that working nights can throw your body into chaos. It could also cause long-term damage. It is already known that shift work can lead to higher rates of ovarian cancer, as well as breast cancer.
Night work can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes. One can suffer a stroke or have a heart attack. Shift work can also have an adverse effect on one’s lifestyle.
Category: Health / Science / Night Work
Recently the National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden was interviewed by German TV channel ARD. In it he said the NSA is involved in industrial espionage. He added that the NSA takes intelligence regardless of its value to national security.
Snowden cited German engineering firm Siemens as one target. Snowden also revealed he no longer had possession of any documents or information on NSA activities. He has though turned everything over to select journalists.
Category: Technology / Edward Snowden / NSA
Recently a study revealed that Facebook could die out in a few years. The hype surrounding the highly popular social networking site is starting to dissipate. Its growth and fading has been compared to ‘an infectious disease’ by scientists.
Using a mathematical model they charted Facebook’s demise. The researchers from Princeton University first used the number of queries for MySpace, a similar popular site which experienced a steep rise and an even steeper fall.
Category: Technology / Facebook / Social Networks
Today let’s talk about Valentine’s Day! In case you didn’t know it is on February 14th. It is celebrated in many countries around the world. These days it is pretty commercial. Known also as St Valentine’s Day it is associated with love! Valentine’s Day symbols include heart shapes, doves and the figure of a winged cupid.
In Britain in the 18th century handwritten greeting cards were sent. Lovers also expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, and confectionary. By 1900 handwritten cards had given way to mass-produced greeting cards; all these traditions still continue. Nowadays lovers also send SMS messages and email cards. A dozen red roses remain a popular gift to send your lover.
Category: Love / Valentine’s Day / February 14
Today, let’s talk about the Winter Olympic games that are being held in Sochi in February 2014. It will be the first time the Russian Federation will have hosted a winter games. Sochi, population 400,000 is situated in Krasnodar, which is in the third largest region in Russia.
Snow is already covering the mountains. There’s lots of it down by the ski jump. February is the best time for snow in the resort. Metrologists have warned that rather than a lack of snow, avalanches and poor visibility are potential problems for the games that begin on the 7th February and end on the 23rd February.
Category: Sport / Olympic Games / Sochi 2014
Is the sun going to sleep? It’s an interesting question. Scientists have said that the sun is in a phase of a “solar lull” – meaning it has fallen asleep. This is baffling them as right now the sun is actually at its solar maximum – the point where it is at a peak of its 11-year cycle. The giant ball of plasma should be spewing out more flares and sunspots than normal. Instead it is relatively quiet.
Analyses of ice-cores, which hold a long-term record of solar activity, suggest the decline in activity is the fastest that has been seen in 10,000 years. In the near future Europe could see ‘a cold snap’ forming more often; with cold air coming in from Russia and the Arctic.
Category: Science / The Sun / Temperature Change
