Big freeze in England

         Although everyone thought we had seen the last of winter, the recent cold snap surprised London, England, and in a large part of Europe.

         Nobody expected the snow which fell in England last Sunday, what was welcomed with joy by young people, but not so much by working and travelling adults.

         Obviously, snowfall means delays on roads and public transport. But it is not that depressing to be stuck by the snow. It is a definitely a good reason to have a rest, to contemplate an amazing white landscape, and, why not, to organise a great snowball fight.

       

La conférence sur les changements climatiques : les accords limités de Durban

article publié sur le site Eco-cité 

http://www.anciela.info/contain/ecocite.php

      Comme chaque année, les différents Etats se sont réunis afin d’évoquer les grands sujets climatiques. Du 28 novembre au 11 décembre 2011, la conférence s’est déroulée à Durban, en Afrique du Sud.

                

       Depuis les échecs conjugués des conférences de Copenhague en 2009, puis de Cancun en 2010, l’assemblée à Durban se présentait comme décisive à la survie de le Convention –cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques. Une institution internationale qui a l’ambition de limiter le réchauffement climatique.

            Tout d’abord, les Etats membres se devaient de trouver un accord sur le prolongement du protocole de Kyoto qui prend fin en décembre 2012. Le traité international signé en 1997, puis ratifié à Marrakech en 2001, et enfin mis en vigueur en 2005, constitue le seul accord qui contraint les nations à réduire leurs émissions de CO² de 2% en moyenne de 1997 à 2012. L’autre ambition de la conférence était de mettre en place le projet des fonds vert destiné à aider les pays en développement face au réchauffement climatique.

            Alors que les enjeux écologiques étaient de taille, la conférence de Durban a bénéficié d’une couverture médiatique limitée. La crise économique a en effet quelque peu occulté la conférence sur les changements climatiques. Les principaux dirigeants politiques n’ont que très peu évoqué la conférence, puis surtout ne se sont pas déplacés en Afrique du Sud, laissant leur ministre se rendre à Durban. Pour la France, c’est le ministre de l’écologie Nathalie Kusziusko-Morizet qui a représenté la France en Afrique du Sud.

            Du 28 novembre au 9 décembre, les Etats membres n’ont pas réussi à s’entendre sur les principaux accords. Alors que l’Union Européenne proposait un calendrier qui visait à instaurer un cadre contraignant de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, les Etats-Unis et la Chine ont repoussé cette proposition. Les Américains, qui n’ont pas ratifié le protocole de Kyoto et qui ont été les principaux acteurs de l’échec de la conférence de Copenhague, constituent la principale limite aux avancées des négociations. Le gouvernement américain estime le protocole de Kyoto comme allant à l’encontre des intérêts économiques du pays.

            La conférence de Durban a surtout mis en lumière un désaccord grandissant entre les pays développés et en voie de développement. Le Brésil, l’Inde et surtout la Chine sont devenus des puissances économiques importantes qui polluent énormément pour satisfaire leur production. Alors que ces derniers doivent faire des efforts au niveau de la réduction du CO², le refus de Washington à ratifier le protocole de Kyoto est de plus en plus mal perçu. Les pays émergents, qui prennent une importance grandissante dans les relations internationales, clament une plus grande équité dans les réductions de gaz à effet de serre entre les différents Etats.

            Le 9 décembre 2011, l’impensable se produit. Alors que la conférence arrive à échéance, les Etats-membres ne parviennent pas à trouver un accord au prolongement du protocole de Kyoto. Pour la première fois depuis dix-sept ans, la conférence est prolongée. Les représentants de chaque Etat continuent alors à débattre pendant 36 heures d’affilées. Après une longue nuit, les délégués parviennent finalement à trouver un consensus le 11 décembre. Le texte prévoit un accord sur la poursuite du protocole de Kyoto, ainsi que la mise en place du fonds vert avec un capital de 100 milliards de dollars.

            Alors que Chrstiana Figueres, la responsable de l’O.N.U. pour le climat, a déclaré  « qu’en l’honneur de Mandela : cela a toujours l’air impossible, jusqu’à ce que ce soit fait. Et c’est fait », le bilan de la conférence est plus contrasté qu’il n’y parait. L’ONG Oxfam qualifie cet accord de « strict minimum possible qui laisse le monde se diriger comme un somnambule vers un réchauffement de 4°C ». Les promesses de réduction de CO² sont en effet insuffisantes. D’après les estimations du Groupe internationale sur l’évolution du climat (G.I.E.C.), il faut limiter le réchauffement climatique à 2% d’ici 2100 afin de limiter les effets les plus graves tels l’extinction d’un quart des espèces végétales et animales. D’après les estimations scientifiques, on se dirigerait plutôt vers une hausse de 3,5°C.

            De la conférence de Durban, il existe bien une feuille de route sur un accord juridique contraignant englobant pour la première fois tous les pays pour lutter contre le réchauffement climatique, mais le texte est vague, et surtout ne sera pris en compte qu’à partir de 2015. Alors que les Etats membres saluent l’accord de Durban, les écologistes, eux, se montrent bien plus mesurés. Au lieu d’une véritable avancée, les négociations sur le climat stagnent dangereusement. La conférence sur les changements climatiques de 2012 aura lieu au Qatar, le pays qui produit le plus de CO² par habitant.

           

 http://www.anciela.info/contain/article.php?id_art=136

         

                       

           

Rio de Janeiro

      With its 6.1 million inhabitants, Rio de Janeiro is one of the most populated city in Brazil. But the megalopolis is mostly famous for the carnival. An event celebrated every year between January and March, during five days in the row.

       Since the 19^th century, the Brazilians: children, adult and old people, in Rio dance and play in the street, disguised with traditional and colourful clothes. The happiness, the joy and the originality of the parade attract more and more people around the world.

        Each day of the carnival, we can count about 2 million people in the street to celebrate the celebration. This event is a good way to discover a new habit, a way to live and especially how Brazilian people celebrate party. The smell, the colour, the noise...disorient completely the tourist, which one could meddle easily into the festival. 

Anonymous attacks the European Parliament

           The most famous international web hacker has struck again. Yesterday, the European Parliament website has been interrupted between 10.30 AM and 12:30 AM. The Parliament charges the web hackers Anonymous to be the main actor of this perturbation.

            It is not a surprise that the Parliament suspects Anonymous. The closure of the downloading website Megaupload, and especially the target to sign in a few time the treaty Acta (Anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement), has awaken the hackers around the world.

            The authorities have clearly the target to blame definitely any illegal downloading. It didn’t take time to push the strongest web hacker to attack those new rules which constrain the freedom of people. The different acts of Anonymous and other web hackers show to the world a power which may disturb seriously the political. The war is officially declared.

A new view of life in another country

 Examen pour le London School of Journalism        

       Krisztina, graduated in 2006 in degree in Packaging Technology in Hungary, had known before she didn’t want to do it. The internship experience in the office of a packaging industry confirmed this in her mind. She decided then to move another country to embark on a new adventure where she will find what she really wanted to become.

        

        “I had realized quite early that this life wasn’t for me. At 23 years old, I felt too young to be stuck in the same company. I wanted to discover myself.” The croupier training was a good opportunity to see something different. “When I have seen this ad, I was thinking, “why not.” I was really bad in mathematic in elementary school, so it was a double challenge. Then the school offered job abroad. I chose Edinburg because I was speaking English.”

            On the eve of departure, Krisztina was not that confident. “Of course, I was scared a bit at the beginning because I left my family, my English wasn’t that good and especially I had never worked before. But I was with a Hungarian friend I had met in the training. I use to work, live and spend a lot of time with Gabriella. Definitely, to be with my friend was really important, especially at the beginning of an adventure like that”. Like a lot of young people discovering a new country, Krisztina felt excited by her new life. “Even if I missed my family, I enjoyed this period because I discovered a new country, language, people, and especially I felt free. It was a new life for me”.

            Since her childhood Krisztina has always been interested in art. She has never stopped to draw, to paint and to write so far. “When I was child, I was just good at creation and art. So I have kept going in this direction. On one side I have always wanted to work in art but I have never been further.” An exhibition in Edinburg has led back her to the art. “In Scotland, I saw a lot of exhibitions. But one of them was a turning point for me. It was the Pixar exhibition. When I discovered pictures, illustration and animation, I said to myself: “Oh my god I want to do it, this is for me.” Even though I didn’t apply for anything straight away, I kept this idea in my mind.”

            After a year and a half, Krisztina wanted to move from Edinburg. Then she decided to go to London where a croupier position was promised for her. “With the same friend, we have been to London but the job never came. Therefore, I decided to find another one.” After a while, she found a position in a coffee shop and soon became a supervisor. “I really enjoyed working in Maison Blanc. For the first time, I got a higher position. But it wasn’t what I wanted to do. After one year, I decided to take my destiny into my hands.”

            Krisztina went without appointment to a little animation company in London to ask a job. “Staff members said it wasn’t the way to get a position, but they told me some schools to study. One of them caught my attention: Central Saint Martin School which specialized in 2D and 3D animation. I decided to specialize myself for the second one. Since the Pixar animation, I had the target to work for this company which is specialized in 3D animation.”

            After passing a difficult English test and making her portfolio, the Central Saint Martin School accepted the Krisztina’s application. But this step was far to be the most difficult. “The school cost £3250. For me, it was a lot of money, and I didn’t have it. The idea was to go back to casino where I could get a better salary.”

            But even if the school was paid, Krisztina had to earn money to live. “I decided to stay in casino during my study year.  Therefore I was on school from Monday to Friday all day long. Then I was working Friday and Saturday night at the casino. It was a period really tiring both physically and mentally. I wasn’t experienced in 3D animation which is a subject really difficult. Therefore, I was to be concentrate up during the lesson and work a lot at home. Sometimes I felt dizzy, depressed, and sad but it was worth. Without hesitating, it was the best period of my life because I was with people who shared the same interest and learn something really interesting for me.”

            Last summer, Krisztina received her degree. She is now looking for a job. “To succeed this year was just a step. Now, I have to find a job as 3D animator which is really hard. But I am quite confident, and I have found recently a really interesting internship.” Even if Krisztina is scared sometimes about her future, it is never long. “I am sure I will become animator because I have worked hard for it. People who have dreams should never give up.”

How a French, without any qualification in hospitality, working currently for one of the best hotel in London, the Savoy

 Examen pour le London School of Journalism

            How a French, without any qualification in hospitality, working currently for one of the best hotel in London, the Savoy

When Sammy Floret had left France four years ago, he didn’t believe he would stay that long in London. He came to England thank to his school, the Chamber of Commerce in France, which gives a chance to students to work in London. Along with 13 students from his school, Sammy started to work for Maison Blanc, a French coffee shop, as a sale assistant. He became quickly supervisor. After two years, he decided to change for the coffee shop Gail’s where he met a customer who will influence his life.

            “I moved to Gail’s to shove my life. I had seen everything in Maison Blanc, and I wanted new challenge”. Sammy has always loved to create good relationship with customers, but he didn’t know that one of them would change his life. “Stephanie works for an important hotel company and was coming every day in Gail’s to have a coffee. I really like to be close to my customers to provide them what they wish for. When I told to her I wanted to change my job, she proposed me to apply for The Savoy Hotel. She gave me the website address, her business card and a lot of advice”.

            The Savoy opened in 1889. It is one of the most luxury hotels in London. In 2005, Fairmont Hotel and Resort bought The Savoy from Maybourne Hotel Group around £250 millions. From 2007 to October 2010, they decided to close the hotel to refurbish the main building. For the reopening, the leaders of The Savoy had to recruit a new staff. “At the moment where Stephanie told me about this opportunity, I didn’t hesitate to apply via internet. The manager from the recruitment contacted me quickly and invited me for an interview at The Savoy. This interview was so different from what I had done in other companies. It was shared in three steps. Even if it was a long interview, I didn’t really feel the pressure on me. Some managers were interested about my personality, not only about my work experience”.

Sammy realized the reputation and the luxury of The Savoy only when he was introduced to his new staff and discovered the whole establishment. “The Savoy was not open yet, but it was already very impressive. Some managers took me to visit the hotel which is wonderful and huge. There are 268 rooms including the Royal Suite. As well for the convenience of customers, The Savoy has two restaurants, two bars, the Bow room where the special representation are shown, and the Thames Foyer, the place where I work. Definitely, I felt that I arrived in a new world. It was so different from other place where I used to work”.

A week after the reopening, Sammy was called for his first day. “When I started, I was stressed. The Savoy was -of course- more impressive with costumers. And I wanted to show I was hard worker”. He barely had time to realize than Prince Charles came one week later to inaugurate the reopening of Savoy. “It was just amazing. Everything was prepared with accuracy. I was impressed by the Prince but as well by the camera for the TV reportage”.

In The Savoy, Sammy holds the position of host in the Thames Foyer which is the tea room. “I have to welcome our guests and organize this room which is near to the entrance. I think it is a really important position because the afternoon tea is a very special event in England. So I have a direct contact with all kinds of customers”. Of course, the most impressive is to welcome famous people. “I was lucky to welcome Arnold Schwarzenegger who as charismatic as in his movies. But to see Buzz Aldrin was a special feeling. I stopped for a moment and was thinking: this guy had been walking on the moon”. At the beginning it was complicated to treat celebrity as any other customers. But after a while, it has become easier and easier for him.

In this kind of job, a good workforce is important. “Of course, I have pressure on me because we have to accomplish every single customer wishes. The Savoy has to find an alternative solution for any request. But the quality of our staff enables to have the highest standard of the performance. Sometimes it is quite tiring, however the atmosphere is always good between us. This aspect is really important for me because I work there full time and do sometimes overtime as well”.

Working in Savoy has given to Sammy more ambition than before. “I wish to evolve within The Savoy as an assistant. And later, I want to open a medium bed and breakfast hotel. The Savoy has given to me a chance to work for them, without relevant experience. Now, I know that everything is possible if you have a dream. To my opinion, an opportunity like this would not have happen in France which is more focus on degrees and qualifications. It was definitely, a very good choice to move here”.

Happiness on the Hampstead Christmas festival

Examen pour le London School of Journalism

Each year, the local organization NW3 Hampstead sets up the Christmas festival in the Hampstead High Street, this year it was on Sunday 27^th November from 10am to 5pm. 

This event is more and more expected by the locals. A father’s family living in Hampstead said “Each year, my family are going here. Actually, we really love festivals. For example, we were in the Spanish festival in Regent Street which was really rubbish if you compare with this one”. These words are echoed by his twelve year old daughter who said “This festival is like a before Christmas, I enjoy attractions and eat different sweets”. Not just locals are coming here, a lot of people came from other areas of London. A bride living in Shoreditch said “It is the first time that I am coming to this festival and I don’t regret it at all. It is representing the spirit of Christmas. I will come next year for sure”.

Various attractions like rides, animal shows, Christmas carols, the presence of the stand-up comedian Michael Mc Intyre, and especially the different market stalls of food, clothes, and other staff attracted people. A seller of a clothes’ stand called 100% lambswool said “It is really much busier than last year because of the effective advertisement and the really nice weather. The people are enthusiastic to walk on the street, to speak with others, and to discover items”.

For independent business company, it is really an asset to present their products on festival. Bhusha, the patron of the Soy Candle Collect said “Our company is going to different markets in London. The Hampstead Christmas festival is one of the top. We try to come every year because our target is to create a link between us and the regular customers. There is a really formidable atmosphere here”.

It is as well a really good opportunity for the shops in Hampstead High Street because they account more costumers and can sell their products on the street. A manager of the coffee shop Maison Blanc, Rino Eramo, explained “It is an excellent opportunity to attract more people and make bigger profit. But it is not enough long. I think that they should organize more festivals in Hampstead. You could indeed feel the expectations from the locals”.

The police was in the area to provide the security, but as well to give advice. A policeman Sarah Ashley said “People are really interesting about our stand because they are feeling more and more insecure nowadays. A mugging took place in Hampstead few weeks ago”.

The desire from volunteers to participate on the Christmas celebration reflects the spirit of this festival. Susanne, one from the many volunteers, who had to take care of the road, said “I enjoy helping on the Hampstead festival. My award is to see happy people around me”. And it is a good opportunity for charity. Tam, a volunteer from Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, said “The atmosphere in the Hampstead festival is transmitted to people who are more generous. We are collecting much more money than we are expected to”. In a period where everyone is talking about crisis, an event like the Hampstead Christmas festival allows people to think about less serious subjects and coming slowly to the spirit of Christmas.