Dream Jobs

By Giovanni Marks

During our teens, all the pupils at my school had to have a meeting with a ‘careers advisor’ who only seemed to know about jobs at the local ship-building works. That was fine for some, but many of us would have liked to hear about a wider range of opportunities at that time. If only she had known about the jobs I’ve been researching for this article! It seems there are positions out there that are almost too good to be true.

Take, for example, the job with the title ‘Ice cream flavour advisor’ for ice cream manufacturer Frederick’s. Imagine making and tasting ice cream for a living! From the Fredrick’s website I learned that the people who do this job are all chefs and food scientists, and often go on what they call ‘taste hunts’ where they travel to other countries, trying new foods to get inspiration for new products. The website’s home page also states that ‘every ingredient deserves consideration’, meaning anything from peanuts to potatoes could make it into the next flavour advisor’s invention. I guess the one downside of this job could be tasting failed creations.

For those worried about the health implications of eating so much ice cream, then how about something more active? The perfect job for water sports lovers was advertised in 2015 by holiday company Travel Now. They needed a water slide tester! This involved getting into swimming gear and speeding down slides at various holiday centres around the world to check for any issues. The company was seeking applicants with strong written and verbal skills, experience in social media and a willingness to travel.

Another job that seems impossibly wonderful is one for those who dream of living on a remote island. As the caretaker of a private island in the Maldives, Simon Grainger gets to enjoy fabulous weather, fishing and boating as part of his job. However, he says that while it may sound more like an extended holiday than work, the responsibilities of the job can be very demanding. These include maintaining and repairing the island owners’ property and cleaning up after storms. On top of that, being by yourself on an island means that your social life suffers. Seeing friends involves an hour’s boat ride, which is never easy and sometimes impossible. Grainger warns anyone considering a job like his to be realistic about it. He explains you’ve got be very practical with good physical fitness, and happy in your own company. If you are this type of person, you’ll do the job well and
never want to go back to life on the mainland.

A fortune cookie is a moon-shaped biscuit given away in Chinese restaurants that contains a little piece of paper with a message on it. Millions of these are read every day, but few realise that people actually get paid to write the words of wisdom you find when you crack your cookie open. Daisy Cheng, president of New Asian Food in Los Angeles, used to be one such person. It wasn’t exactly her chosen career path, it was more of a role she fell into. When the company expanded and realised they needed to update their cookie messages, she was asked to do it because her English language skills were stronger than other employees’. She found it difficult to start with, but soon she was finding inspiration everywhere, from subway signs to newspapers.

As a writer myself, I would love to create messages for fortune cookies, but I would be delighted to do any one of these amazing jobs. Listen up careers advisors!

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The homes of the future viewed from today

Mark Finchley reviews TV series Tomorrow’s Homes

Having just watched the whole of Channel 8’s TV series Tomorrow’s Homes, I’ve been wondering about how anyone can predict the future of domestic life. You’d imagine that if you knew what architects and technology companies were developing now to make life easier, more exciting and more beautiful, you’d have a pretty good idea of what to expect in tomorrow’s homes. In reality, it’s more complicated, and just as much about what we’ll choose to hang on to from today’s – the things that are ‘future-proof’. In the 1950s, people thought that in the twenty-first century household tasks would be done by labour-saving devices or robots – with food pills for dinner. Yet people still wash up and cook, even though the technology exists that makes neither of these tasks necessary.

Tomorrow’s Homes, however, dared to make predictions which it turned into reality using an average home belonging to a family called the Forseys. Four miles of cable were installed in the house so that all the electrics, from lights to the fridge, could be controlled via the internet, and various other devices and gadgets were introduced in addition to this. The family were then filmed as they got used to their new home life. Programme presenter Harry Thwaites is also a consultant who spends his work life imagining the
future, so testing out his ideas for the programme was a fascinating experiment for him. His approach was to use technology that was not totally brand new, but had only
recently become more affordable. CCTV cameras for security have been around for years, for example, but they are no longer only an option for the mega-rich.

The Forsey family consists of a husband and wife with four children and two grandchildren. They appear to be very natural and ordinary on the programme, and it was always interesting to see how they reacted to the technology they were testing. One example that sticks in the mind is when Janine, the mother, enters her reconstructed, all-white home (after successfully unlocking her new front door by using her thumb print as a key), and she immediately bursts into tears – quite understandably it has to be said. A short while later, her husband Ben gets locked out because the skin on his thumb is too rough. As the series progresses, however, they slowly come to accept the technology, and even start to believe it could have some value in their lives.

I was keen to see during the show if anything emerged as potentially future-proof, and there were some great examples. To help Janine deal with various worries, she was provided with a mind-controlled relaxation tool. This was a kind of headband connected to a DVD, which, incredibly, she could control with her thoughts. When
she relaxed mentally, she made an image of the sun go down, as it would at night, on the DVD. When she had tried the gadget and achieved the sun set, she
was asked how effective the gadget had been. Janine commented, ‘Nothing can compare to a nice cup of tea and a good soap opera!’

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Student life and technology

By Debra Mallin, a business student at Greyfort University

Last Saturday, as my grandfather drove me and my sister home from a dinner to celebrate his birthday, he got frustrated at not being able to remember the name
of the singer of a song he’d just heard on the radio. Without a second thought, I grabbed my smartphone, searched for the song and found the name, Bob Dylan. For me and my friends, this is a completely natural course of action, but it totally astonished my grandfather, who didn’t understand how I had checked the information so quickly. My sister and I laughed and explained, but afterwards, it made me think about how much I depend on technology.

The list of the ways I use technology is endless: writing, planning, socialising, communicating and shopping, to name a few. When I reflected on its impact on my education, I saw that, for my fellow students and I, technology has been significant in many ways. Returning to the story of my grandfather and the smartphone, he had asked me more about how I used it and about university life. He said he thought we had an easy life compared to previous generations. My sister caught my eye and we exchanged a smile. But whereas she was thinking our grandfather was just being a typical 65-year old, I could see his point.

Not only are we lucky enough to have the same educational benefits as those of previous generations, we have so many more as well. We still have walk-in libraries available to us, and I can see why some students choose to find and use resources in these distraction-free locations. However, the only option for studying used to be sitting in these libraries with as many books from your reading list as you could find, yet now a single search for your chosen study topic online can immediately provide access to a huge range of resources. At universities, interaction between students and university staff is another area that has changed considerably with developments in technology. We can have face-to-face time with our tutors when we need it, and also communicate using our electronic gadgets from the comfort of our homes, or on the bus. The most popular means of doing this is via instant messaging or social media – email is often considered too slow, and it has become unacceptable for messages to be unanswered for any length of time. While this puts an extra strain on the university’s academic support team, who usually have to answer the queries as they come in, we students are greatly benefitted.

It’s important that we remember to appreciate how much the advances in technology have given us. Electronic devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops are now standard equipment in most classrooms and lecture halls, and why shouldn’t they be? The replacement of textbooks with tablets allows students the luxury of having up-to-date, interactive and even personalised learning materials, with the added benefit of them not costing the earth.

When we compare the student life of the past and that of the present day, it is tempting to focus on the obvious differences when it comes to technology. In actual fact, students are doing what they’ve always done: embracing the resources available and adapting them in ways which allow them to work more efficiently and to live more enjoyably. The pace of change in technology continuously gathers speed, so we have to value each innovation as it happens.

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Play to win

16-year-old Harry Moore writes about his hobby, tennis.

My parents have always loved tennis and they’re members of a tennis club. My older brother was really good at it and they supported him – taking him to lessons all the time. So I guess when I announced that I wanted to be a tennis champion when I grew up I just intended for them to notice me. My mother laughed. She knew I couldn’t possibly be serious, I was just a 4-year-old kid!

Later, I joined the club’s junior coaching group and eventually took part in my first proper contest, confident that my team would do well. We won, which was fantastic, but I wasn’t so successful. I didn’t even want to be in the team photo because I didn’t feel I deserved to be. When my coach asked what happened in my final match, I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe I’d lost – I knew I was the better player. But every time I attacked, the other player defended brilliantly. I couldn’t explain the result.

After that, I decided to listen more carefully to my coach because he had lots of tips. I realised that you need the right attitude to be a winner. On court I have a plan but sometimes the other guy will do something unexpected so I’ll change it. If I lose a point, I do my best to forget it and find a way to win the next one.

At tournaments, it’s impossible to avoid players who explode in anger. Lots of players can be negative – including myself sometimes. Once I got so angry that I nearly broke my racket! But my coach has helped me develop ways to control those feelings. After all, the judges have a hard job and you just have to accept their decisions.

My coach demands that I train in the gym to make sure I’m strong right to the end of a tournament. I’m getting good results: my shots are more accurate and I’m beginning to realise that with hard work there’s a chance that I could be a champion one day.

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Water-skiing barefoot

by Dan Thomas

Have you ever been barefoot water-skiing? It’s just like normal water-skiing, being pulled along behind a boat at 40 mph – but without any skis! It sounds scary but it’s amazing! My cousin used to take me water-skiing, and that’s where I first learnt to stand up and balance. But I moved on to barefooting when I did it for a laugh with some mates. And I loved it!

Barefoot water-skiing is one of the most popular watersports there is – to watch, anyway! When someone jumps really high and then lands, it’s awesome. And you don’t need expensive stuff like boards, although a wetsuit’s a good idea. But catching your toes on things in the lake can hurt. I guess you can’t help getting water up your nose when you start learning, too, as you have to lie almost flat in the water before you pull yourself up – but it’s OK.

Now I’m experienced, I’ve learnt not to attempt new moves in rough water as it never goes well. Instead, I make sure I limit myself to skiing directly behind the boat, where the water’s calmer. I ask the boat drivers to warn me about big waves coming, although they can’t always see them.

Finding time to practise regularly is hard as I’m still at school – but then it’s not as if I’m into winning prizes and stuff. But if I want to learn a new move, I need to repeat it over and over, and that’s not easy in winter when it’s cold. Lots of skiers say they’ll continue during cold weather, but not many do. So I’m often the only one out on the lake!

 

El 21 de junio de 2016 la policía nacional efectuó varias actuaciones en el centro de Madrid, debido a determinados altercados producidos como consecuencia del enfrentamiento con armas blancas entre dos bandas callejeras. Como consecuencia de estos altercados, diversas personas resultaron detenidas debido a que algunos de ellos presentaban heridas de distinta consideración que hicieron necesario el traslado al hospital.

En el caso de P.H.G fue puesto en libertad tras haber estado detenido preventivamente durante 75 horas, en tanto que C.M.S y dos personas más fueron puestos a disposición judicial a las 24 horas.

Una vez en prisión, el subdirector de seguridad decide acordar la incomunicación de los detenidos, puesto que entiende que puede haber peligro para la instrucción de la causa ademas de ser un elemento perturbador del régimen ordinario, denegando todas las peticiones de los presos para ver o comunicar cualquier manera con sus familias y abogados, afirmando que se trata de una medida cautelar admitida por la normativa penitenciaria.

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Con fecha 10 de enero de 2016, Teodoro, sin antecedentes penales, presentó demanda por despido contra la empresa «Ingenieria Machine S.L.», en la que reclamaba una condena a la demandada por importe de 5.374,30 euros más el 10% de interés legal. 

Durante el acto de la visita del juicio oral, celebrado el 16 de mayo de 2016, se presentó por la representación procesal del ahora acusado un documento supuestamente firmado el 7 de diciembre de 2015, por Fernando como legal representante de «Ingenieria Quipons S.L.» en que éste certificaría que las condiciones de trabajo de Teodoro eran: «Salario Neto 1.300 euros ampliables a 1.400 euros en 3 meses con 2 pagas extras. Contrato laboral fijo». Dicho documento había sido elaborado por el acusado, empleando para ello algún sistema informático adecuado.

El acusado confeccionó el referido documento con la finalidad de presentarlo en juicio y llevar a engaño al Juez de lo Social que conocía de la demanda por él presentada y así obtener una resolución que le reconociese las cantidades de dinero antes reflejadas.

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Santiago, mayor de edad, sin antecedentes penales, en la fecha de los hechos el acusado trabajaba como empleado laboral en la oficina de correo de Toledo, llevando a cabo las funciones de reparto de correspondencia como cartero, teniendo, como consecuencia de su trabajo, la obligación de custodiar la correspondencia y entregarla a sus destinatarios.

El día 16 de julio de 2009, se produjo desahucio, ordenado por el Juzgado de Instrucción 2 de Alicante. Efectuaron entrada en el domicilio en que vivía de alquiler el acusado, y respecto del que se acordó el desahucio: la oficial del juzgado, la oficial de la procuradora y el abogado del propietario de la vivienda.

Tras entrada en el domicilio se encontraron:

• Un total de 541 cartas sin repartir, 138 de ellas abiertas, habiendo accedido el acusado a su contenido, secreto, sin el permiso previo de sus destinatarios y que contenían facturas, extractos bancarios, curriculum vitae, entre otros. Esta correspondencia de la que se apoderó el acusado tiene fecha de entre el 10 de noviembre de 2006 y el 20 de mayo de 2009 y todas ellas con dirección de Alicante.
• También se encontraron avisos de llegada M4 de certificados rellenados en sus epígrafes manualmente con la letra del acusado.

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Raquel, mayor de edad y sin antecedentes penales, sobre las 12.51 horas del día 23 de septiembre de 2015 interpuso una denuncia en la comisaria de la policía nacional de Sevilla, manifestando haber sido víctima de un delito de robo con violencia por el método del tirón, sobre las 10:30 horas del mismo día en la calle Pompillo, afirmando que un individuo varón se le acercó por la espalda de un tirón le sustrajo el bolso que portaba en el hombre y en el que llevaba un móvil de 1oo euros y un abanico.

Habiéndose instruido como consecuencia de la denuncia diligencias policiales y dando lugar a la incoacción de diligencias previas ante el Juzgado de Instrucción nº 10 de Sevilla por Auto de fecha 30.09.2015 acordó su sobreseimiento provisional.

En la tarde del mismo día 30 de septiembre de 2.015, la acusada fue citada a declarar en comisaría a fin de proceder a concretar las circunstancias y poder identificar al autor, siendo que la misma finalmente reconoció ante la policía la falsedad de los hechos que había denunciado, expresando que su principal motivación había sido cobrar la indemnización del seguro por robo, que finalmente ni tan siquiera intentó, estando arrepentida por haber procedido así.

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José Antonio, mayor de edad y sin antecedentes penales, en fechas no determinadas pero anteriores al día 10 de abril de 2015, procedió a «colgar» en su muro de la red social de Facebook, operando bajo el nick Tronero, un vídeo de alto contenido antisemita.

En el vídeo titulado «Asesina a los judíos», de contenido musical para así atraer a personas jóvenes y con la letra en inglés, que hace más sencilla su distribución y comprensión por las redes sociales, aparecen unas mujeres que incitan a la violencia contra las personas de religión judía y contra el Estado de Israel, diciendo reiteradamente, «mata, mata a los judíos», arrancado la cabeza a un muñeco vestido de judío ortodoxo, al que también simulan clavar de forma reiterada un cuchillo.

En el citado vídeo se incluye la imagen de tres mejores judíos que fueron primeramente secuestrados y luego asesinados, bajo la rúbrica » tres judíos aniquilados», así como la imagen de una familia que se identifica como «sionista aniquilada».

El citado vídeo estaba publicado sin ningún tipo de restricciones para facilitar su reproducción teniendo el mismo carácter público, como también el perfil del acusado.

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