Ulster workers strike

Published 8 April 2015 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing A fast food chain's oldest employee in Europe has turned 90 and says he has no plans to retire. World War Two veteran Bill Dudley of Connah's Quay celebrated with a party at the Mold McDonald's restaurant where he works. The great grandfather started working part-time in customer care nine years ago after becoming bored pottering around the house. Mr Dudley, who served in the Navy, said: "I still love coming to work." A day of celebrations took place at the store Wednesday for the former crane driver, whose wife calls him "Old McDonald". The restaurant's franchisee Stewart Williams said he admired Mr Dudley's "constant enthusiasm". "We are all incredibly proud to work alongside him as he's such an inspiring member of the team. I look forward to celebrating his birthday again next year," he added. … [Read more...] about Europe’s oldest McDonald’s worker, Bill Dudley, turns 90

I CANNOT help taking fire at anything said in disparagement of Walter Scott. I feel that I have got from his writings, not only immense pleasure, but some good. He was a truly noble-hearted gentleman, a model of that class, and his character is impressed on all the works of his pen. A type, he seems to me, of social chivalry. In all his writings, too, there is the buoyancy of perfect health. In reading them you breathe the air of the Scotch hills. I can conceive no better mental febrifuge, no better antidote to depression, no more sovereign remedy for dull care. Scott was a hot Tory, perhaps a Jacobite, and his worship of monarchy in the person of George IV betrayed him into the one ridiculous action of his life. I have always been glad that he sat down upon the wineglass which he had put into his pocket to be kept as a relic because it had touched the sacred lips of the King. But his Toryism was not flunkyish. Nor was it narrow. It did not interfere in the slightest degree with the … [Read more...] about Scott’s Poetry Again

Fred Savage Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images Fred Savage, the executive producer and director of the Wonder Years reboot who played the lead role in the 1988 original, was fired from the reboot in May following allegations of misconduct on the set of the show, a 20th Television rep confirmed at the time. Savage was previously accused of misconduct on the set of the original Wonder Years in 1993 and Fox’s The Grinder , which ran from 2015 to 2018. On August 9, new details emerged about the misconduct allegations, with multiple female crew members telling The Hollywood Reporter that Savage’s alleged “erratic” behavior and proximity to a young woman on set led six women on the crew to report Savage to HR, which resulted in a swift investigation. “To their credit, I was contacted within hours,” one woman tells THR . “An investigation started immediately and he was barred from set.” Beyond Savage’s alleged multiple personas (higher-ups “all see his … [Read more...] about Fred Savage Accused of ‘Erratic’ Misconduct by the

As Europe suffers its most severe drought in decades , one group has emerged as a reluctant winner of the extreme conditions. Salt farmers in France say they are expecting record levels of production thanks to land drying up after a series of blistering heatwaves. The group's success contrasts sharply with the problems water shortages are causing other parts of society, including leaving homes without running drinking water. Francois Durand, a salt farmer in the Guerande region, north-west France, acknowledged his sector is one of the few short-term winners of climate change. "You could say that, yes. Unfortunately. It's clear it's good for us. We're heading towards record production," said Durand, who has worked on the salt marshes for over 20 years. He added that sea salt production had averaged around 1.3 tonnes per salt pan in the last decade - but the yield this year was nearly double that at 2.5 tonnes. Soaring temperatures and a lack of rainfall have … [Read more...] about Salt farmers emerge as reluctant winners of Europe’s severe drought

Italy's far-right, right-wing and centrist bloc is on track to win a broad majority in both houses of parliament at next month's national election, benefiting from divisions among its opponents. The conservative alliance leads opinion polls ahead of the 25 September ballot, with the far-right Fratelli d'Italia or Brothers of Italy set to be the largest single party. On the basis of its election promises of tax cuts and higher pensions, a win by the conservative alliance may strain Italy's public finances, while the bloc would also be expected to crack down on illegal immigration. A study by the Cattaneo Institute think tank, based on the latest polls, suggests the alliance could elect 245 lawmakers out of 400 at the Chamber and 127 out of 200 at the Senate. Analysis from Italy: A political crisis that nobody wanted Italy's President Mattarella dissolves parliament, new election set for 25 September The conservative bloc includes Giorgia Meloni's … [Read more...] about Right-wing coalition on course to win Italy election, says study

By Justin Parkinson Published 15 April 2015 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing In 1955 the first McDonald's franchise restaurant opened in the US. Now it is the world's biggest fast food chain, employing 1.9 million people. The word "McJob" has become a term of derision, but what's it like to actually work there? "Hello, can I help you?" asks the smiling young woman behind the counter. Within about 20 seconds of receiving the order, an Egg and Sausage McMuffin is on the counter. The woman smiles again and moves on to the next customer. The restaurant's only part-full but the serving area is still busy. That's the way McDonald's likes it. Staff are set time targets for service. Efficiency and profit margins are key. It's fair to say that, in the 60 years since the first franchised McDonald's restaurant opened, portrayals of its workplaces have not been universally … [Read more...] about What’s it really like to work at McDonald’s?

Published 19 July Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Fish and crayfish have been rescued from a "dried-up" river amid the ongoing heatwave. Fisheries workers from the Environment Agency worked to save the fish from the depleted River Redlake in Bucknell, Shropshire. Almost 100 brown trout, Atlantic salmon and an eel were rescued and relocated further downstream, the agency said. White-clawed crayfish were also moved from a section of the river to Malvern, Worcestershire. There, it added, it hoped they can breed and "help prevent extinction", it added. The UK's only native freshwater crayfish, it is listed as endangered on the global International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species. It is in decline due to the introduction of the invasive, non-native North American signal crayfish, which has brought disease to which the indigenous … [Read more...] about Fish and crayfish rescued from ‘dried-up’ Shropshire river

Juliana Sargeant always thought she was too busy to volunteer. But when the South Canterbury woman saw first-hand the importance of volunteering, after she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, she decided to get involved. In the past few weeks, volunteers and the vital work they do has been celebrated in South Canterbury with two events. Joining in the celebrations was Sargeant, now a South Canterbury Plunket co-ordinator, who shared her story to the 50 attendees at Volunteering Mid and South Canterbury’s 15-year-anniversary event. READ MORE: Volunteering a family affair for two Timaru sisters Plunket Timaru to move its six sites into one hub Temuka woman retiring from voluntary role after almost 32 years “Everyone’s too busy these days, too busy working, too busy earning money, but there’s always things you can do,” Sargeant said. “Obviously being a mum of three, it’s hard to find the time do anything.” However, several years ago, she needed help looking … [Read more...] about South Canterbury woman journey from ‘too busy’ to volunteer co-ordinator