London for ever - 6

London is more than one thousand and a half square meters large and has more than eight and a half millions of inhabitants, which makes London one of the widest capitals in the world (though not one of the most populated).
There are 32 boroughs in London (thirtythree with the City of London which is the number 1 but is not a London Borough, being simply a district, though historically of preminent importance,  without a proper London Borough Council).
Twelve of them are named as Inner London; the remainents are defined instead as Outer London.
There are some administrative differences between the two kinds of Boroughs, though most of people think that Inners are those closer to the City of London, while the Outers should be those more far (both feature are anyway exact).
In the southern boundary we find Croydon, while the western boundaries are delimited by Hillingdon; on the extreme north we find Enfield and on the east boundaries both Bexley and Havering.
It's useful to know that the  boroughs are local authorities, each one of them administrated by its  own London  Borough Council, elected every four years, which is responsible for local services, many of them as important as local education system, housing and libraries.

There is also the Greater London Authority which is responsible for wider services like fire, highways, transports and strategic plannings.

6. to be continued...

The broken violin

We all know that a violin is used to make sounds; at least since the great lutist in Cremona Stradivari and great genoan player Paganini have showed the world how enjoyble is to hear its music. They must be tossing and turning in their graves, knowing the way British Airways treats musicians and their instruments. 
As matter of fact, like reported by her friend Sara Avery,  B.A. forced a violin player flying for concerts with the above named flying company,  to check her violin. (Their policy doesn't allow instruments over 56 cm/22 in in length on board. Her only choices were to check it, leave it behind despite needing it for practicing + getting routine maintenance in the US, or forfeit a $3,000 plane ticket and perhaps her last chance to visit her elderly mother.)
2. They smashed it to bits.
3. They are paying her less than 1/4 of the appraised replacement value.
Until #BritishAirways changes their policy, it is not safe for musicians to fly BA with their instruments.
As a lawyer I'm not so sure that the way B.A. has behaved is utterly correct!
At least, according to italian law, the story shows a negligent and faulty behaviour to be blamed on charge of the international flying vector, though is reported that British Airways employees have made up their decisions against the safety of the Sara's friend's violin, obeyng, it's reported,  to their own regulation.
Nevertheless I would listen to a specialized lawyer, in order to find out if such rules, as those applied by B.A.,  are in line with good faith and right care which are required to any contractor all over in the world.

5 Things to Teach Your Child About Riding the Bus

When the time comes for your little one to begin attending school, it can be heart-wrenching to watch his tiny little form clamber up the steps of the massive school bus, knowing that he’s growing up no matter how much you may not want him to. Even though you can’t stop him from getting older, you can help him prepare for this transitional age in his life, starting with what to expect when riding the school bus. There are a wide variety of things that your little scholar should know before he takes his first school bus ride, but these five are among the most important.

1. What to Do if the Bus Is Late – While the system governing school transportation is usually an efficient and effective one, it’s important for parents and kids to understand that the system is run by human beings, who are not infallible. Buses can be late, delayed by inclement weather or other situations out of the drivers’ control. A late bus can cause children who are eagerly waiting to return home from school to panic. To prepare your children for this situation, be sure that they know what they should do and who they should contact to notify them of the situation.  Instill in them the notion that the most important thing to do is follow the instructions of their teachers and school administrators until the bus arrives. Almost all schools will have a contingency plan in place for just such an event, but your child needs to know that he will be taken care of and that the event, while new and scary to him, is one that the school staff is trained to handle.
2. Pay Attention At All Stops – Very few experiences that your child has on the bus are as disconcerting as realizing that their stop has been passed and that they’re now in unfamiliar territory. While many drivers will keep in mind that a very young, inexperienced rider could be distracted by socializing and the novelty of riding a school bus, most will only wait so long to see if a child is present for their stop before heading to the next. Sleeping children are particularly difficult for a driver to see, so your child should be taught the importance of paying attention, staying awake, and getting off at the right stop.
3. How to Follow the Rules – Though some rules can seem unnecessarily strict to young children, your child should understand that those rules are in place to protect him and ensure his safety, as well as the safety of others. Shouting, standing up, roughhousing, or otherwise misbehaving can cause him to be subjected to disciplinary action up to and including suspension of bus privileges. Your child’s school will inform you about the rules governing bus behavior and will usually include a dedicated section in the school handbook. Taking the time to go over these rules and ensuring that your child is well-versed in what is and is not allowed when riding the bus can help him avoid any disciplinary problems and ensure a safe riding experience.
4. General School Bus Safety – Kids should know general bus safety guidelines before their first bus trip to ensure that they don’t inadvertently engage in unsafe behavior. It’s important to teach your child that he should always step away from the curb as the bus is approaching, and should only walk towards it after the bus has come to a complete stop. He should also know that he should never stoop to pick up objects that have fallen under the bus, and that he should only cross the street in front of the bus and at a distance of at least ten feet to ensure that the driver can see him. The small stature and quick movements of younger children make it difficult for drivers to spot them, and also makes it harder for a child to spot oncoming vehicles and other obstacles.
5. The Dangers of Bullying – Bullying is a very serious problem, and it’s one that often occurs in the raucous environment of the school bus. Because bus drivers can have difficulty hearing everything that’s being said to an individual child over the collective din of many little voices, you simply cannot rely on the bus driver’s ability to detect and prevent bullying. Your child should understand the dangers of being a bully themselves, and know what to do if they’re the victim of bullying from other children on the bus. Letting him know that he can always tell an adult about any problems that he’s having or difficulties he’s forced to endure on the school bus is very important, because he may feel as if he has nowhere to turn if he becomes a target of school bus bullies.

To get children prepared for their first trip on the school bus, role play various scenarios and talk about what to expect from the trip. Be sure to include everything from boarding the bus, to paying attention at each stop, to exiting the bus safely, and everything that could happen in between.

 

P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by  Molly Cunningham.  I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:

 

 http://www.liveinnanny.com/blog/5-things-to-teach-your-child-about-riding-the-bus/