Monthly Archive for November, 2008

Economic crisis, work and unemployment (+video)


There is no such expression like “economic crisis”*

Economic crisis 2008

How we all know in there is “economic crisis”*, what makes nervous not only employers, but workers as well. If some employers just delay with salaries, then some are simple dismissed from work.

If some time ago delay could be connected with inflation (as it was explained) then now economic crisis. Somehow now situation looks oposit. If some years ago it was easy to get any job (we can do this now as well), then now we’ll need think twice before quit. For employers this mean more larger arbitrariness. Now it’s very easy to be in job-seekers row which in last months are becoming bigger.

For me it look like, that more secure feels workers, who are working in two or more places, or even are self employed. Like me.

Speaking about employment. Since mid-October I’m self-employed. So I can make out bills. :) Currently already starting to think about my own mini-company just like my sister did by establishing StudyStart.

And how sure about your future are you?

* in Latvia there is no such expressions like “economic crisis” or any crisis in general. More: Juris Kaža “Repression of Free Expression in Latvia” in his Free Speech Emergency in Latvia blog.

PS for government of Latvia: this is not about economic crisis in Latvia ;)

Weekend trip to Hansa-city Bremen


How it all began? So we, me and Roland, decided to use that moment when the days of cheap airfares and go to Bremen to enjoy last autumn days.

Arrival

Hostel we reserved (hostelbookers.com) already one month in advance and it was 10 min drive from the airport and the center of Bremen (Bremen Southend Hostel, southendhostel-bremen.de).

The flight went smoothly and already in Bremen, we decided that weather is too good to go with public transport and went on foot, enjoying the Bremen office and later residential areas. First, we wanted to go to Hostel, but because we did not have a city map, we went to the center of Bremen. First we saw a bridge over Weser river with small market under bridge. There was able to buy clothes, shoes, lamps, of unknown origin discs, toys and everything that in the home can be found. Next to the main square, on Saturday morning in full swing at the beautiful St. Petri church was another market.

There was able to taste fruits, cheeses and German favorite dishes. We both didn’t taste this time, because the row was too big, and if you do not know exactly German, then read descriptions and titles of food is not possible. As has been thoroughly tourists we ate nearby in the “Subway” sandwich and salad fast food restaurant. My very surprised, that a normal coffee shop, with ordinary dishes there is a rarity. There is generally sandwich, pizza and kebab street-shops on every corner.
Continue reading ‘Weekend trip to Hansa-city Bremen’

Twitter Halloween icons (emotions)


I was just tweeting and saw that it possible to ad emotions to twitter tweets. After short searching on google, here is result. As it will be hard to remember, I’ll post them here for future tweets.

twitter halloween icons

I’ll keep them here for next year’s Halloween tweets

>o< }:o{
+-( 8-#
`O :-[
[:-]-I- X-/
∑:*) ( | )
<|:~( (|:|/)

Halloween’s event in office (+photo)


So far only once (as far as I remember) I was attending to Halloween’s event. This year we were “celebrating” at work. Everything was as it should be – pumpkins, candles, spiders and “witch vomit”.

Till now I was escaping from such events, but this time was OK.

Most interesting for me was the “pumpkin bowling”. Of cause some people were wearing facial masks, but as I still don’t like them, I didn’t wear anything.

This was just in few words about what happened on my (first) in the office.

For pictures, look in flickr: flickr.com/photos/rolandinsh/tags/halloween/