Why we’re letting Virgin staff take as much holiday as they want

 

Flexible working has revolutionised how, where and when we all do our jobs. So, if working nine to five no longer applies, then why should strict annual leave (vacation) policies? Read about Richard Branson's newest bright idea. Read more.

A brilliant J.K. Rowling's speech at Harvard - The Benefits of Failure

Northern Soul: Keeping The Faith. By The Culture Show BBC2

One of the best documentaries about the Northern Soul scene to date, it's been done with love and affection. Produced and Directed by Maurice O'Brien and Edited by David Arthur. Well worth seeing!

How to sound like a native speaker

"You're not part of the conversation": The young and voting

Breast is best. Shopping vouchers rewarding breastfeeding in UK

In the UK new mothers are to be offered up to £200 in shopping vouchers to encourage them to breastfeed their babies. 
The pilot scheme is targeting deprived areas in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. To qualify for the full reward, the women will have to breastfeed until their babies are six months old. 
Critics say the money would be better spent helping those mothers who have difficulties feeding their newborns.

Tesco: ugly and misshapen fruit and veg will go on special offer

Wonky carrots and blemished apples thown away by supermarkets will be put on special offer as Tesco plans to 'educate' public that it is good food.

Misshapen fruit and vegetables which are thrown away by supermarkets will be put on special offer and the public need to be "educated" that it is good food, Tesco has said. 

Matt Simister, the group food sourcing director at Tesco, said that British customers "always pick the cream of the crop" when they shop leaving "old, ugly and misshapen" produce to go to waste.

How To Make A Traditional Full English Breakfast

Traditional Full English Breakfast Recipe. Gail and Jill, of the Blacksmith's Café in Hastings, guide us through the ritual of making the perfect fried breakfast. Savour our Traditional Full English Breakfast recipe.

For source go here.

Europe’s new designs that may help the UK’s housing crisis

As the UK faces a housing crisis, The Culture Show travels across Europe to find the latest architectural movements which could provide a solution.

The combination of population increases, a shaky economy and changes in working and living habits has led to a housing shortage in the UK. The Culture Show visits three locations in Europe to see how innovative new projects could offer solutions to Britain’s housing problem.

Reading the world in 196 books

Writer Ann Morgan set herself a challenge – to read a book from every country in the world in one year. She describes the experience and what she learned. 

I used to think of myself as a fairly cosmopolitan sort of person, but my bookshelves told a different story. Apart from a few Indian novels and the odd Australian and South African book, my literature collection consisted of British and American titles. Worse still, I hardly ever tackled anything in translation. My reading was confined to stories by English-speaking authors.

Michael Morpurgo on how to write for children

Michael Morpurgo is one of England’s best-loved children’s writers. He discusses his fascination with historical subjects and how he writes for children with Razia Iqbal.

Michael Morpurgo has written over 100 books, the most famous of which,War Horse (1982), has since become an award-winning and hugely successful stage play. It was adapted into a feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. Morpurgo has won several prizes, including the Whitbread Award. In 2005 he won the Blue Peter award for his novel, Private Peaceful.

He talks with Razia Iqbal about preserving traditional values, the importance of historical accuracy in his novels, and how to tackle serious and disturbing subjects when writing for children.



For source go here.

UK wages decline among worst in Europe

Wages in the UK have seen one of the largest falls in the European Union during the economic downturn, according to official figures.

Figures from the House of Commons library show average hourly wages have fallen 5.5% since mid-2010, adjusted for inflation, which is the fourth-worst decline in the 27-nation bloc.

By contrast, German hourly wages rose by 2.7% over the same period. Across the European Union as a whole, average wages fell 0.7%.

Why Do Young Women Shy Away From Science & Engineering

BBC Radio presenter, Liz Barclay, sits down with female science and technology experts: Dr Susan Etok, Dr Polly Mcguigan, Dr Emily Sidonie Grossman and Jassel Majevadia, to find out why young women shy away from science and engineering. 

You can listen to what they have to say here:



Participants:

Dr Susan Etok is a Materials Engineer & Intellectual Property Specialist – Read more
Dr Polly Mcguigan is a Lecturer in Biomechanics – Read more
Dr Emily Sidonie Grossman is a Science Teacher & Molecular Biologist – Read more
Jassel Majevadia is a PhD Student – Read more

For source go here.

Delay on plain cigarette pack decision 'sad day for child health'

Scientists and campaigners say lives will be lost and accuse ministers of bowing to tobacco industry lobbying. 

Lives will be lost as a result of the government's decision to kick the notion of plain packaging for cigarettes into the long grass, say scientists and campaigners who accuse ministers of bowing to tobacco industry lobbying.

Girls 'lack ambition' for good jobs

 





A new report from the Women's Business Council says our economy needs women's contribution, and action is required to remove the obstacles that currently restrict women from realising their full potential.

These obstacles appear at all stages of their working lives. Among the report's recommendations are a call to broaden girls' aspirations and career choices and to create a business culture that embraces them.

Ruby McGregor-Smith, chair of the Women's Business Council (WBC) and author of the report, told today presenter John Humphrys that she has seen "a real lack of confidence in young girls".

Gladys Lawson, a microbiologist who volunteers for the charity Inspiring the Future, said some girls "don't have any guidance" in schools and described how girls "lack ambition". "Parents need to encourage their children as well as teachers" she added.

For source go here.

Cult of celebrity 'is harming children'

The cult of celebrity is producing a generation that believes education and hard work are not important in achieving success, claims the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

A survey found that more than 70 per cent of teachers in primary and secondary schools said the cult of celebrity was perverting children's aspirations and expectations.

About 37 per cent of teachers believe their pupils want to be famous for being famous.

They fear that many youngsters do not realise how hard their idols have worked to earn their fame.

Margaret Thatcher

James Naughtie considers the lasting influence of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the 20th Century and the only woman to hold the post. Her uncompromising policies and leadership style earned her the enduring nickname "The Iron Lady". She passed away 13 April 2013.

Listen to the 12-minute BBC radio broadcast.




For source go here.
More podcasts from The New Elizabethans programme are available here.

Ovulation And Pregnancy Test Sales Soar in UK: Is Baby Boom Coming?

Droves of British women have caused a huge spike in the sales of fertility and pregnancy tests in the wake of Kate Middleton’s pregnancy announcement. Is a UK baby boom on the horizon? 

An increase in tests
Clearblue has divulged that sales of home fertility monitors and pregnancy tests have spiked recently -- the increase? As much as 60 percent in the UK.

“We’ve never seen an increase like this before,” said Hugh Ayling, Clearblue UK Brand Manager. “We were pretty stunned when the stats came in and we wondered why it was. Then we worked it back and saw the spike came after Kate made her announcement.”

Diabetes warning over soft drinks

People should consume fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks, say European scientists

Drinking one or more cans of sugary soft drinks a day is linked to an increased risk of diabetes in later life, a study suggests. 

A can a day raises the relative risk of diabetes by about a fifth, compared with one can a month or under, say European scientists.

Why do criminals smuggle garlic?

Sweden has issued international arrest warrants for two Britons suspected of illegally importing 10m euros (£8m) worth of garlic into the EU via Norway. Why would criminals do that? 

 
Swedish state prosecutors claim to have cracked one of Europe's more seemingly strange, if lucrative, smuggling rings.

They say two British men are believed to have made millions of euros smuggling Chinese garlic from Norway into Sweden.