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Well that’s absolutely amazing! I heard that in America an albatross who is known to be sixty years old just hatched a chick – well a few weeks ago!

John Klavitter - a biologist & wildlife worker spotted the bird – which has been named Wisdom - at a wildlife reserve on a small island in the North Pacific Ocean 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu. He said she’d also nested there in 2006, 2008, 2009. & 2010.

They can recognize her from her banding & according to records she’s the oldest known wild bird ever documented in the United States.

Bruce Peterjohn – the head of the North American bird banding programme at the US geological survey wildlife refuge in Laurel Maryland – said:

“To know that she can still successfully raise young at age 60-plus, that is beyond words. While the process of banding (ringing) a bird has not changed greatly during the past century, the information provided by birds marked with a simple numbered metal band has transformed our knowledge of birds.”

Wisdom was first tagged by biologists from the United States geological survey back in 1956 when they estimated her age to be eight or nine. That was also the year in which she produced her first recorded chick. During the intervening years she has got through five sets of aluminium bands.

Wisdom has far surpassed the average age for the life span of an albatross & government biologists reckon she has probably produced more than 30 – 35 offspring. Interestingly albatross lay only one egg a year & they spend about a year incubating & raising their chick. Following that they usually have a year off. The birds mate for life, but in Wisdom’s case she may well have outlived her original partner.

In her extensive lifetime its reckoned she could well have clocked over 3m miles of flight - & that’s the same as flying to the moon & back six times! Wow!

I couldn’t believe it when I heard last year that the government was planning to sell up to 150,000 hectares of our beautiful forest and woodland in England. If they did it would be the largest sale of public land for nearly 60 years! Seems like it was all another part of this ‘Big Society’ thing that the new Prime Minister - David Cameron - & his party have got going on. He seems to think it’s the best thing since sliced bread judging by his comments! : “I think we’re onto a really big idea, a really exciting future for our country.”

Anyway, at the time the forest plans were announced the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said on their website, “[Our] intention is to fundamentally reform the public forestry estate, with diminishing public ownership and a greater role for private and civil society partners. This will be a new approach to ownership and management of woodlands and forests, with a reducing role for the state and a growing role for the private sector and civil society. We are committed to shifting the balance of power from ‘big government’ to ‘big society’ by giving individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and local authorities a much bigger role in protecting and enhancing the natural environment and a much bigger say about our priorities for it.”

A lot of people, both conservationists & the general public thought it was outrageous that the government proposed to sell England’s commercially run forests to private bidders & that ancient woodlands would be lost. They could even be turned into golf courses! Thousands of people would be at risk of losing their jobs too! Over 80% of people are opposed to the plans according to opinion polls.

Nearly half a million people have signed a petition opposing the planned sale. The petition has been organised by 38 Degrees – an organization that ‘brings you together with other people to take action on the issues that matter to you and bring about real change in the UK.’ The campaign has got loads of diverse groups involved from ramblers to hunters.

When the government first announced the proposed sale they stated that: “Full measures will remain in place to preserve the public benefits of woods and forests under any new ownership arrangements. Tree felling is controlled through the licensing system managed by the Forestry Commission, public rights of way and access will be unaffected, statutory protection for wildlife will remain in force and there will be grant incentives for new planting that can be applied for.” However many people felt that there wouldn’t be enough protection for wildlife & public rights of way. Now the first 40,000 hectares has been taken off the market purportedly to allow for greater public consultation & to strengthen the protections in place. The postponement is thought to be a response to the success of the campaign run by 38 Degrees. The government is hoping to carry on with its plans but not if 38 degrees has anything to do with it! David Babbs - its executive director said: ‘It’s welcome news that our people-powered campaign has pushed the government to postpone the start of the sell-off for at least a few months. But if David Cameron hopes the fuss will now die down, he’s going to be disappointed.’

One embarrassing factor to emerge is that the sale could well cost the government as much as it would raise. It could also mean the government losing millions in tax revenue, because of a tax loophole allowing buyers of woodland a reprieve from inheritance tax.

If you feel like you want to add your name to the petition then you can do so at: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests#petition

1. Mechanic: Mechanics have a strong relationship with vehicles. Mechanics need rarely talk with customers, other than asking what the problem might be and spend the majority of their work time under the bonnet of the vehicle. Even comes with a sense of achievement from making something broken, work!

2. Cost estimator: Cost estimators can work alone, analysing the plans of a project to determine the potential costs. They try to calculate the costs of materials, labour, location and duration of the project to work out if their business manager should put in a bid for a contract.

3. Interior designer: Interior designers need to begin by meeting with their clients to establish their requirements and budget, but the majority of their time is spent planning and decorating. A lot of interior designers are self employed and work alone.

4. Librarian: Possibly the most obvious choice for a quiet person would be to work as a librarian; after all, their work environment is near silent. You can expect to spend most of your time organizing and maintaining library materials, and the remaining time will be spent directing advising and helping visitors.

5. Medical transcriptionist: Medical transcriptionists spend most of their time listening rather than speaking. They copy recordings made by doctors or other health-care professionals to reports, correspondence or other materials. The recording will be played into headphones and they will pause it with a foot pedal, with many working from home-based offices.

6. Network systems analyst: Network systems analysts work mainly with computers rather than people, designing, testing and checking computer systems. Working from home or not leaving the office is becoming more common for network systems analysts as more can be done from remote locations.

7. Survey researcher: The purpose of a survey researcher is to understand what people think. Instead of speaking to people on a face-to-face basis, they create and conduct surveys on the Internet, posted questionnaires or telephone interviews. A normal day may involve writing reports, developing charts and evaluating survey results; all alone.

8. Translator: Translators, well translate. Translators will translate from one language to another and most often from written materials. As a translator you will spend a lot of time reading, writing, editing and analyzing. Many translators conduct their work from home and one-fifth are self employed.

9. Undertaker: It doesn’t come much quieter than working with the dead. Of course, you will need to communicate with the family of the deceased when carrying out the funeral, but you can expect silence for the majority of the time.

10. Writers/Authors: It’s common to think of a writer or author to sit writing in silence. After all, with so much writing to do, it needs to be done in a quiet place in order to concentrate!

Here is a list of 10 jobs of the future.

Organic Food Producers/Retailers. By 2010, the organic food and beverage industry will represent about 10% of the market; a tenfold increase since 1998. This will increase the need for organic food producers, certification experts, retailers and scientists.

Computational Biologists. Computational biologists join computer science, biology and mathematics to understand research data in huge quantities. This could be massively important in genetics, allowing for faster analysis of the hundreds of thousands of measurements or more.

Parallel Programmers. In 2012, computers will move from just core duo processors to multi-core processors, with experts predicting as many as 80 processors per computer. This means that the average desktop computer will have supercomputer powers.

Data Technologists. By 2012, radio frequency ID chips, video cameras, computers and sensors will create more information than humans can handle. Data technologists will build real and virtual structures that turn the ocean of data into something useful.

Simulation Engineers. In 2012, high processing power and solid data will form more realistic and user-friendly simulations. Simulation will become an important factor in almost every industry and engineering field.

Caretakers. As people reach old age, they will want to stay in their homes and will need help with errands, chores, home care or social company. Up until 2014, this could be the fastest growing field.

Genetic Counselling. As more tests become available, doctors will be able to test for dozens of genetic markers and make predictions on when a person will experience a genetic health condition. Genetic councillors will be needed to help people to cope with these issues.

Brain Analysts. Neuroscientists will determine how people feel and react as brain imaging technology improves. Many things will be detectable, from diagnosis of mental illness, deliberate deception and identification of intellectual strengths.

Space Tour Guide. Approximately 200 people have made reservations for space travel, and Space Adventures will initially aim to hire about 10 space tour guides. The space tour guide will assist passengers in much the same way that aeroplane cabin crew currently operate.

Robot Builders. The processors, components and sensors for robots are already available and getting cheaper all the time. Robots are already working in some research laboratories and many factories.

The job market has never been so competitive. With the credit crunch still looming overhead and a skilled people taking lower paid jobs just to gain employment, the best option can be to gain extra skills and improve one’s employability.

There are a range of opportunities available to enhance your skill set, and below will list a few of the options available to get started.

1.      Think about what you want to do. Think about what kind of job you want. Gaining skills can be beneficial to develop your all-round employability, but it should be a priority to focus on skills that will benefit your future career.

2.       Pay a visit to a career centre. Career centres are designed to offer advice and direction for those who are seeking to gain employability skills. Once enrolled, you can begin a course which is specific to the skill you require.

3.       Spend time searching the internet. There are a wealth of resources and advice available on the internet that can help you. Online courses are also available and many are free.

4.       Visit your local library. There are a range of books available to help improve skills and employability. Books on skill set development and employability will often have sections which engage the reader in undergoing tasks to develop their skills.

5.       Find out which skills are currently required by employers. By reading up-to-date literature on what businesses are looking for in a person’s skill set, you can stay ahead of the game.

6.       Engage in a typing course. By taking a typing course, you will improve your typing speed an accuracy. This is beneficial to modern day businesses, as most jobs require at least some typing skills. The better equipped your typing skills are, the more productive an employee you will be.

7.       Find out the most popular interview questions. There are some interview questions that will be used in most interviews. Use the internet to research common interview questions, then develop clear, structured and intellectual answers. Next, practise the answers in front of a mirror, a friend or a family member to become confident in your answers.

Most of the options available above are available for free, so there’s no reason to hesitate. Don’t just sit around, waiting for the next opportunity to be perfectly tailored to your abilities; tailor yourself to the job you want!

Forget The Recession - Excel In Your Career

When your job is potentially on the line and the economy is taking one swift beating after another, it makes sense to spend some time thinking long and hard about measures you can take to strengthen your stance within your business.

Instead of feeling scared and nervous about the future of your job, let’s instead take a look at how you can make sure you are a needed employee that can’t be cut when the times get tight.  Instead of being asked to leave why not find out what you do to be asked to stay for more money…

Ask For Help

Who knows better about success than people that are successful?  Email whoever you can who is in a position of success and ask them for advice.  Ask them what advice they could give to someone trying to advance in their career and if you’re feeling good about yourself why not ask if they would be willing to mentor you?  What have you got to lose…

It’s like a job application - a lot of people will ignore you, but some will take in what you’ve got to say and will want to respond and help you out - despite what a lot of people think the world is not entirely made up of greedy people looking out for number one!  People have been known to help other people!

Volunteer

There are so many benefits involved in volunteering - you’re helping the community, or whoever is involved, and you are also benefiting your own CV.  When you’re a student you’re often told that volunteering can help you get the legendary “edge” over the other applicants, but when you already have a job volunteering can be equally as helpful!

Volunteering can get you recognised by the bosses above you who will be looking at your level for people who they would want to progress within the business.  When they see that you volunteer you will shine compared to everyone else.

Opinion Matters

Don’t be afraid of your opinion, even if it goes against the grain.  If you are asked for your opinion then give it, even if you think it isn’t what the majority of people would think.  You are an individual entitled to your opinion and you are being asked for it.

If you feel strongly about something and you aren’t asked for your opinion then you should feel free to stand up for your beliefs as well!  Learn how to present your ideas and opinions in a professional way rather than giving your opinion in an emotional mess of words.  You will get noticed and you will be respected.

Want to get ahead?

Are you stuck in a rut and you want to climb the career ladder?  Have you found our advice useful?  Leave us a comment and let us know…

Are you a sheep or a wolf?

A lot of people are satisfied taking orders and doing their duties to the best of their abilities - for others this is torture.  Others like these dream everyday about being in control and taking the lead in the office - well don’t worry…your dreams aren’t as far away as you’d think…

You might not have the “Director” label on your desk just yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t position yourself as a strong leader in your office already - follow these simple yet powerful steps and make your boss start worrying about his/her own job…

One Step Further

In large offices there is the obvious possibility that you will just get lost amongst a sea of names and faces - don’t let this happen because if it does you could get comfortable and be there forever.

Break away from the normal duties your job entails and distinguish yourself as a strong worker who deserves and can handle more.  Take on new challenges and assignments and get a better understanding of how the business works in the process.

Start small and don’t find yourself out of your comfort zone and then work your way up from there.  The more you prove yourself to your bosses the more work they will entrust in you and the more you will get noticed.

Be The Best!

Be the person that people come to for information and plant your position in the office as the person who can help with feedback and opinions - be the person that people seek out for help and you won’t go far wrong.

But if you aren’t there already you will need to look into developing your expertise into a certain area of the business - it might take a fair bit of time and effort but this will pay off eventually when people start understanding that you are the person in the know and people start spreading the word about your expertise and knowledge.

Listen

You can’t lead if you don’t know what those beneath you are saying - you need to listen to lead!  Just because you one day find yourself in a position of power doesn’t mean you know everything that needs to be know…President’s and Prime Minister’s don’t run countries without advisers.

When talking to co-workers listen intently and be aware - don’t be fake as people will see straight through you.  Be interested and take everything on-board and you will find out that everyone has a good view point.

What makes a good leader?

People may be natural born leaders, but most people don’t always know what makes a good leader.  Don’t expect to go from sheep to wolf over night and don’t expect to know everything that needs to be known to be a leader overnight.

Spend time understanding what it takes to be a leader and try hard to get what you want!  Let us know if this advice has helped you or if you have other advice that you could pass on for potential leaders!

Re-fill your wallet the easy way…

If you’re feeling the pinch through this recession that we’re fighting through, and you’re worried that your job isn’t going to last very long, you might want to start thinking about how you can earn the extra pennies…

Don’t’ stress out about the recession any longer - you don’t have to worry about money any more…read on to find out the different ways you can fill your wallet again and enjoy the summer sun the way you were supposed to;

Freelancing

There are very few jobs that can’t use freelancers today - and freelancing is very attractive for employers as they don’t have to factor in a heavy monthly salary into their records.  You can skip from job to job in your own time and if you want to spend a week by the beach then that’s up to you…the bad side is there is always the possibility there won’t be any work available, but the risk is part of the game…

Boot Sales

I’m not suggesting you fill your boot with your books, drive down to the local car boot sale and hope for the best - a better option is to sell your books online.  Whether they’re educational, fictional or sci-fi they’ll pull in the pennies and you’ll also declutter your house which is never a bad thing…

Focus Groups

There isn’t enough said about focus groups - imagine if you could get paid to give your opinion…actually, you can!  That’s right, it’s possibly the easiest money you’ll ever make and it’s pretty well paid in most occasions.  You can earn anywhere between £5 and £100 or more depending on the type of group you decide to do.

eBay

You might have thought you’d stay away from online auctioning in the past, but now the times are tight and you’ve got a load of stuff in your basement that could bring you a pretty penny.  Get on eBay and sell it on.  It’s easy to set up an account and all you’ll need to do is take a few pictures and fill out a bit about the item and away you go.  Some people even go to car boot sales looking for bargains and then sell them on for much more online.

Secret Shopper

If you like shopping and you like to pick at the service then you should try and get a job as a secret shopper - all you need to do is go to a shop and discover how the shop works from the customer’s point of view.  Easy!  Start earning money while you shop, it doesn’t get better than that…

Looking for a way to make the pennies?

Have you been struggling through the recession and have been looking for ways to earn a few extra quid?  Have we helped?  Let us know…

Are you crazy?

A Stockholm student took her degree course a little bit too far as she convinced the authorities that she was crazy just to get into a psychiatric hospital for her university degree show.

The student, Anna Odell, created an elaborate fake attempted suicide scenario which saw her being eventually taken to a psychiatric ward.  According to the St Goran’s hospital, Odell put up a fair old struggle as it took 8 hospital staff to restrain her.

Odell found her way up bridge and started screaming out that she was going to take her life by jumping off it.  Witnesses around scrambled to contact the authorities who apparently could barely control the supposedly frantic woman.

However, it didn’t take long to get the truth out of the student, who apparently gave up on the morning after the stunt and was happily kicked out onto the streets.

Wouldn’t we all say that?

According to Odell, the whole scenario was fake and is meant to be part of a larger university project that will be ready in May.

Mind you, the sceptic in me starts to wonder that if I was in a position where I was needing 8 hospital staff to reign me in and was looking at a long old sentence in a psychiatric hospital, I might come up with the same story.

“Disgraceful” says the hospital.

However, the hospital don’t share my views on the matter and are absolutely furious that the whole stunt was carried out.

“It’s not only disgraceful that she used our resources, but what she also did to other patients, the staff - to everyone - is shameless,” commented David Eberhard, the chief physician at the hospital.

“She and the head of her college ought to cut their hair and get real jobs.”  Perhaps their hair isn’t their biggest worry, but thanks go out to the physician for apparently acting on behalf of the fashion police.

A serious waste of resources!

According to the student, however, who is astonishingly 35 years old, is adamant that the world knows that she took the stunt seriously.

“It was well thought through and no joke,” said Odell.

However, some criticism could be thrown at Odell for perhaps taking the stunt a little too far.  Odell was said to have spit at hospital staff who were trying to calm her down and she was eventually given drugs to relax her.

“Shameless” act of indecency.

It’s extremely easy to share Eberhard’s point of view, as the stunt could have taken the emergency services away from serious and legitimate incidents and even in the  hospital it has been reported that a number of other seriously ill patients had to wait as staff tended to Odell.

“Her project is in the same league as paintings of crying children or white horses in the surf.  It’s not only cheeky that she used society’s resources, what she also did to other patients, the staff – to everyone – is shameless,” continued Eberhard.

Honda have pulled out of Formula one. The costs of running the team, £200 million a year, were too much for the owners who are currently looking for a buyer.

This is just another reflection on the state of the economy at the minute. Woolworths has gone down the drain, the banks are borrowing money from the government with no real intent of ever paying it back, even Dragon’s Den start Theo Paphitis has even said that ‘he’s out’ of a deal to save a large portion of the Woolworth company.

Money is the first thing on anyone’s mind at the minute and I’m starting to think that I’ve spent to much for Christmas, even though I’ve spent less than I ever have in previous years. One thing that I do see is lots of people finding themselves slipping further down a slope that is difficult to climb out of.  I’m actually starting to think that if this trend were to continue for another year, we could be looking at a 1980’s revolt all over again.

The queens speech, I’ll be honest I never watched it, I knew that she’d be coming out with ludicrous suggestions and madcap plans, and if I’m being completely honest, I think the near £40 million a year we pay to keep the Royal family living the high life is beyond outrageous. It’s a slap in the face to the average worker trying to find spare coins down the side of the couch, and I for one believe that they don’t do anything for us: American’s still think we all have bad teeth and stupid accents.

This is a nightmare time for businesses too. The funny thing is I get offered these insane business loans still, which sounds great: “you’ve been pre-approved for a £30,000 loan” but if you read between the lines it means: “Take this money, but we want it back with massive interest, and we know know-one is spending any money, leaving you with a massive debt, oh is that your house? We’ll take that thanks, and your car, and everything else, but at least you could get a job in a supermarket, but unluckily for you know one is hiring”.

It’s a sorry state, but I’m desperation people are doing it. Thousands of people are going into business and find themselves owing huge amounts of debt. Know one knows what will happen when/if this economic doom ever comes to and end.