The Spoon Drawer

Source As you will be more than aware, we are currently in the middle of the intensely busy build-up to Christmas and we are all focussed on getting our final bits of Christmas shopping for our loved ones . While I am in no way trying to play down the importance, or take away the fun of Christmas, I am, however, suggesting that you plan ahead accordingly and make sure that summer 2016 is one to remember. If you are currently approaching in your final year at college or university, then this is particularly aimed at you. While the economy is certainly improving in the UK , things are far from rosy and there is still a lack of jobs available to young people; those who are lucky enough to find employment only have the prospect of low wages and unaffordable rents to look forward to. With all this in mind it is hardly a surprise that more and more-young people are opting to leave the UK for foreign shores with the prospect of higher salaries and better employment oppor

Source: Ty Francis 2015 saw the rise of a new breed of professional within the digital industry. Freelancers and outsourcing work is nothing new in the fast paced environment of a digital agency, but many young professionals have taken a new approach to freelancing, paying for their travels around the world with remote work for agencies and businesses in the UK. We can track this trend back to the UK itself, with hundreds of tech workers leaving London for more affordable and friendly digital environments in areas such as Bristol, Birmingham, and Brighton. It was also commonplace for a Birmingham or Brighton web agency  to hire remote workers from London who had the experience but didn’t want to leave the capital. The philosophy soon grew and digital freelancers begun taking their remote work elsewhere, mainly outside of the UK. We get a glimpse of what this sort of profession may entail from an article in The Telegraph . Anna Hart, who used to work in Hackney as free

Following on from my Gift Ideas for Her Christmas post, I’ve been figuring out what present to get my friend. I thought about going for some kind of voucher but my mother tells me that isn’t a very thoughtful gift – something I guess I won’t be getting her this year then! My friend loves music like me but short of getting him gig tickets, which will break my bank account, I’m not sure what to get as he has all the usual merchandise you’d expect.   Source: Martin Fisch via Flickr I spent some time trawling the depths of the internet to get some ideas quickly so that I could capitalise on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts. Thankfully, there are some useful resources on the internet and I came across a number of guides and quizzes. The coolest was this one which suggests some great products from the gadget online store RED5. The quiz is short and sweet and asks a variety of personality-based questions about your friend to find out which gift they’d recomm

In general, healthcare logistics supply chains are under-optimised when compared to the technological and retail industries for instance. One major factor pharmaceutical and healthcare industries must address is their products are often extremely delicate and require special treatment whilst in transit and storage. Ultimately most products will be destined for human consumption or intended for use on humans so ensuring that specialised products are handled correctly within transit and that it is in compliance with the latest Good Distribution Practice (GDP) Guidelines is a very important aspect. This means that the degree of trust required from the supplier has overshadowed any potential optimisation strategies as this could carry an increased element of risk to the supply chain and in turn, the end customer. https://www.flickr.com/photos/directrelief/ The Issue The dilemma that is currently running through the minds of many healthcare manufacturers and distributors alike is t

The UK was once considered to be one of the world-leaders with regards to being completely reliant on non-renewable energy and in 2014 the UK exceeded previous records, generating enough wind energy to power more than 6.7 UK households so it appeared as though the sector was going from strength to strength. Britain invested heavily in renewable energy between 2010-2015, with over £40bn going towards onshore and offshore wind farms, solar PV and biomass projects. However without the influence of the Liberal Democrats, the now untethered Conservatives look set to deliver on their promises to rapidly cut the amount of money invested in renewable energy sources. The decision to reduce the amount of money invested in the renewable energy sector has unsurprisingly seen the UK lose its place in the top 10 renewable energy rankings for the first time since its inauguration 12 years ago. This has led to confusion within the industry and the confidence of investors in the sector

Image Source:  http://twentysomethingliving.com/why-you-need-to-visit-barcelona/ Ever since I first visited Barcelona, it has captivated my heart and imagination, compelling me to return time and time again. Even when I returned to the heart of Catalonia during a time of intense flooding , it didn’t fail to disappoint me and to this day I am able to find new corners of the city to fascinate and intrigue me. Imagine my surprise then, when I read in the local paper that a “chavtastic” corner of Brighton is set to become the UK equivalent of La Rambla in Barcelona. If you are not familiar with Brighton, West Street is infamous in our seaside-city for being more than a little run down and despite the council’s best efforts, it continues to attract those who feel the desire to fight and cause other generally anti-social behaviour. The plans to spruce up West Street include a Barcelona–style tree-lined boulevard with an abundance of hotels, restaurants and tasteful street

After the big Scotland in/out referendum last year and the general election back in May, attentions have now firmly turned towards the next massive vote to impact upon the UK - that of EU membership. One of David Cameron's election pledges was that he'd open the debate on EU membership to the electorate, promising us a referendum before the end of 2017 to decide on whether we stay or leave. https://www.flickr.com/photos/124913477@N08/ Now of course just because the bigoted liar promised us a referendum as part of his election campaign that doesn't guarantee it has to happen. After all Cameron famously claimed he'd not be reducing tax credits and yet that's exactly what the party have tried to do this week, although thankfully they've so far failed to get the cuts past the House of Lords, but that's another issue! So Cameron's promises aren't worth the paper they're printed on however in this instance the backlash he'd face from his

Since finding the God particle over three years ago, scientists at CERN chose not to rest on their laurels and have continued pushing for new answers in the field of physics. The wider population, especially after hearing of the Higgs Boson discovery , may not have been following the amazing work CERN has been doing since 2012 with the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva.  Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/azure_radiation/ After its major discovery, the LHC was shut down for refurbishment, and word died down about the project. In May 2015 however, the LHC was switched back on to continue the search for more elusive particle masses which helped form the universe in the early stage of the big bang. The Higgs Boson itself was incremental to the formation of billion-year-old universal matter into the planets and galaxies we observe today, serving as an invisible field which bonded these elements to create the world as we know it today.   Although the LHC has technically comple

If you are currently on a quest to commence your Christmas shopping ahead of everyone else and get it over with as soon as possible, then you are not alone. There have been reports that some shops have already started getting ready for Christmas and showcasing their festive ranges to over-eager shoppers. The recent emergence of the American traditions of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the UK, has only increased the frenzy of commercialism surrounding Christmas in this country. From my own personal experience, many of my friends used Black Friday and Cyber Monday to purchase items for themselves as opposed to taking advantage of the generous discounts for their friends and loved ones. It appears that more and more people are shopping online for Christmas presents and this is only likely to increase in the future. With this in mind it is worth considering starting your Christmas shopping as early as possible in order to ensure that you  aren't  scrapping with other d

Living in Britain is more often than not a little strange; it is possible to experience all four seasons in the space of a couple of days and last week was certainly no exception. Last weekend the whole of Sussex was basking in uninterrupted waves of blissful sunshine that reminded me more of the south of France. I cannot deny that I certainly am something of a sun-worshipper, and that is why whenever it is sunny I aim to be out and about, and if possible, relaxing on Brighton beach. For those of you who are reading this from outside of the UK, trust me when I say that making the most of the sun is a British necessity as you can never be sure when (if ever) it will return. I was more than aware that last weekend could well have been my final chance to feel the warm sun on my skin and that is why I headed down to Brighton marina with several friends of mine who are keen sailors. Despite living by the sea I do not posse

There is something big going on in the city of Brighton & Hove, yet no one seems to understand exactly what it is or what it is doing here. We are continually told that it is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks in the UK , but Brighton residents seem to be unaware exactly what it will bring to the city and there are concerns exactly what the benefits are for the famously diverse south coast seaside resort. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rogersg/19754696283 It cannot be denied that over the centuries Brighton has developed somewhat of a reputation for building extravagant landmarks. We have the Price Regent’s lavish Royal Pavilion, and before that, the West Pier, one of three piers to have existed in the city, was certainly seen as a decadent luxury when it was built in 1866. Now it represents something of a location guide for both us Brightonians and tourists alike, representing both the coolness and quirkiness of our unique city. I am yet to encounter a l

I am sure that you all remember that final week in June of this year; there was a belief that we were approaching one of the hottest summers on record and we were all eagerly anticipating our upcoming summer holidays. However, there is another reason why this hot and humid week sticks out in my mind. I clearly remember lounging in front of the television sipping on my first café au lait of the morning when a rather bizarre news story appeared. I was informed that a  toddler had her head shaved   during a hairdressing ‘role-play’ at a London nursery. I must admit that I was rather taken aback by the fact that a group of toddlers had been given hair clippers to play with, but then again, I seem to remember playing some equally bizarre games at school when I first moved to this country. In France we used to sing songs together and play games in the playground. However, when I came to England I remember being entrusted with a toy sword and encouraged to chase another child arou