Staff at Southeastern are becoming multi-lingual, thanks to a new learning initiative.
Three have gained National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level one certificates after completing courses in conversational Spanish at the Red Star Learning Centre, Chatham.
The trio are Karl Rogers, from the Kent Integrated Control Centre; Aleksandra Karon from Chatham railway station, and Paul Mann, from London Victoria, all of whom gained distinctions.
The course was designed and delivered by another Southeastern employee, Juan Serano, a Gillingham-based train conductor.
Employees have been given access to lifelong learning courses at the Chatham centre for nearly a year, and modern languages have proved to be the most popular subjects.
Kent Messenger, Nov 16
Tuesday 20 November 2007
Wednesday 14 November 2007
More virtuality.. This time, a 'virtual theft'!
'Virtual theft' leads to arrest
Habbo Hotel users create a character and can buy furniture
A Dutch teenager has been arrested for allegedly stealing virtual furniture from "rooms" in Habbo Hotel, a 3D social networking website. The 17-year-old is accused of stealing 4,000 euros (£2,840) worth of virtual furniture, bought with real money.
Five 15-year-olds have also been questioned by police, who were contacted by the website's owners.
The six teenagers are suspected of moving the stolen furniture into their own Habbo rooms.
Five 15-year-olds have also been questioned by police, who were contacted by the website's owners.
The six teenagers are suspected of moving the stolen furniture into their own Habbo rooms.
Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7094764.stm
Sunday 11 November 2007
limping wheezing blog
It's been a few months now, and we at the learning centre had hoped to see a lot more copy posted on here. If you read please comment, and if you have any ideas please let us know. It doesn't have to be solely about edukashun - anything interesting will do! We just want to get you used to using a blog - and remember, Mike will be buying at the Christmas do for all our bloggers!
More on squirrels!
Following on from recent reflections, you should know that the squirrel issue is growing! The following is culled (Excuse the pun!) from todays sunday torygraph:
Humans versus squirrels is the latest form of suburban warfare. Foxes are yesterday's foe. The UK's squirrel population has risen to more than three million in the past two years, according to conservationists' estimates.
They attribute the rise to "perfect weather" that has produced an abundance of squirrel food including berries, nuts, acorns, seeds and fungi. "Squirrels are eating well and that helps them to breed almost all year round, producing up to five kits per litter," says a spokesman for the Northumberland Wildlife Trust
“Another neighbour has set tongues wagging after being spotted carrying squirrels in a cage into his car. "It's a bit worrying," says Paul. "Because he runs a gastropub down the road and people wonder if he's serving them up for dinner”
Robin Page, the chairman of the Countryside Restoration Trust, says the solution is simple: a nationwide cull and squirrel on our dinner plates. Celebrity chefs should develop "squirrel casserole, baked squirrel, smoked squirrel and squirrel paté", he says. "Earlier in the year, I was given an absolutely delicious squirrel burger."
One restaurateur in Cumbria agrees. Andy Lemm, the manager of The Famous Wild Boar Hotel, at Crook, serves squirrel canapés, from animals caught in the hotel's 72 acres of woodland. "Our diners seem to enjoy the squirrel pancakes," he said. "They taste rather nice, a bit like rabbit."
Humans versus squirrels is the latest form of suburban warfare. Foxes are yesterday's foe. The UK's squirrel population has risen to more than three million in the past two years, according to conservationists' estimates.
They attribute the rise to "perfect weather" that has produced an abundance of squirrel food including berries, nuts, acorns, seeds and fungi. "Squirrels are eating well and that helps them to breed almost all year round, producing up to five kits per litter," says a spokesman for the Northumberland Wildlife Trust
“Another neighbour has set tongues wagging after being spotted carrying squirrels in a cage into his car. "It's a bit worrying," says Paul. "Because he runs a gastropub down the road and people wonder if he's serving them up for dinner”
Robin Page, the chairman of the Countryside Restoration Trust, says the solution is simple: a nationwide cull and squirrel on our dinner plates. Celebrity chefs should develop "squirrel casserole, baked squirrel, smoked squirrel and squirrel paté", he says. "Earlier in the year, I was given an absolutely delicious squirrel burger."
One restaurateur in Cumbria agrees. Andy Lemm, the manager of The Famous Wild Boar Hotel, at Crook, serves squirrel canapés, from animals caught in the hotel's 72 acres of woodland. "Our diners seem to enjoy the squirrel pancakes," he said. "They taste rather nice, a bit like rabbit."
Friday 2 November 2007
The power of virtual reality
Some of us had a discussion recently about Second Life - the virtual reality, and how it could be used to support training and trade unionism. I mentioned the action being taken by IBM workers at the time so I thought you may like to know the outcome which is below.
(So does anyone fancy creating a virtual learning rep?)
Following the historical protest against IBM Italy in Second Life, on 27th September, some important developments have taken place:
Mr Andrea Pontremoli, IBM Italy’s CEO (who personally received all of your petitions by email) has resigned.It seems our Virtual action had an impact on his role at IBM. IBM Corporation made a complaint to IBM Italy for the way they’ve managed the negotiations with the thousands of employees and how they’ve let it lead to such a harmful image for the company.
The works council hopes to return to the negotiations' table: we'll hear more at the beginning of next week.A big thank you goes to all people who supported IBM Italy workers in their struggle over the last 6 weeks. From protesters who came to Second Life and joined the action, to the petitioners who wrote letters to IBM Europe management, to those who took the time to give their ideas on how to proceed when there were no visible results to our protest and to the press who covered the event in more than 30 countries which helped put pressure on IBM as well.
(So does anyone fancy creating a virtual learning rep?)
Following the historical protest against IBM Italy in Second Life, on 27th September, some important developments have taken place:
Mr Andrea Pontremoli, IBM Italy’s CEO (who personally received all of your petitions by email) has resigned.It seems our Virtual action had an impact on his role at IBM. IBM Corporation made a complaint to IBM Italy for the way they’ve managed the negotiations with the thousands of employees and how they’ve let it lead to such a harmful image for the company.
The works council hopes to return to the negotiations' table: we'll hear more at the beginning of next week.A big thank you goes to all people who supported IBM Italy workers in their struggle over the last 6 weeks. From protesters who came to Second Life and joined the action, to the petitioners who wrote letters to IBM Europe management, to those who took the time to give their ideas on how to proceed when there were no visible results to our protest and to the press who covered the event in more than 30 countries which helped put pressure on IBM as well.
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