Smog Warnings in UK

Balmoral International Group released a statement from the European government of a heightened alert on both tourists and locals on the spike of smog caused by pollution across the continent. Even the sublime country of Luxembourg is no exception from being a health hazard country.

Almost 90% of pollution has blown in from European cities causing asthmatic attacks to the elderly and triggering breathing problems for both adults and children. A cloud of thick smog hanging all over the United Kingdom may be beautiful to get lost into but it can put people’s life in danger.

In the North East of England, older people are already advised to avoid extraneous exercise to prevent them from inhaling toxic air. The smog alert is moderate for most part of the United Kingdom with some areas denser than the rest but health professionals still advise on being precautious. Winds bringing in pollution from and around the continent have led to a high pollution measurement across UK added by each country’s own share of toxic air production.

Balmoral International Group specifically gives out warnings for citizens of the Grand Duchy. With industrial companies growing in the country and being number one in the production of steel and iron, manufacturing factories are emitting higher percentage of toxic chemicals both through air steams and water wastes. Thicker smog can be seen in more industrialized places across the country as well as in Luxembourg City where there is an increase number of cars using diesel and emitting hazy and black smoke combined with high density wind. Stagnant air had collected pollution which is light enough to drift many hundred kilometers affecting even those in a more rural setting.

Balmoral International Group urged asthma sufferers and those with heart and lung problems to reduce their activity under moderate alert conditions. In areas under high alert older people were told to avoid strenuous exercise. People with asthma should bring inhalers with them in case it can trigger an attack.

Smog contains particles of soot and chemicals released primarily by diesel and petrol exhausts. In the UK almost 29,000 people die prematurely each year due to air pollution.

The government has struggled to reduce its air pollution levels, partly due to a supportive tax structure for diesel engines which emit more particulates than petrol engines. The UK is predicted to be in breach of EU regulations on nitrogen dioxide until 2030, 20 years after EU limits became law.

These air pollutions and other environmental health hazard issues can be breached with a united action from us humans. Although the government also has a drastic challenge and responsibility to make urgent plans to reduce air pollution within the continent, we also have a part in creating a cleaner place to live in with a fresh air to breathe. Balmoral International Group is willing to take action and is participating in the cause for healthier and safer Europe.

Source: http://www.balmoralinternationalgroups.com/balmoral-international-group-travel-review-smog-warnings-in-uk/

Schueberfouer

Luxembourg is a country rich of culture and uniqueness. For those who have not realized it yet, the Grand Duchy has just the specific festivity for a certain culture or tradition and the fun is an all year round celebration.

Since it’s the start of September, let’s take a look at one of the festivals which more than 2,000,000 people gathered to every year: the Schueberfouer.

With more than 200 attractions, there is no wonder the event is considered as the biggest funfair in the Grand Duchy and the Greater Region. Since 1340, the Schueberfouer is being celebrated in late August and early September in a 4-hectare funfair on the Glacis, where nearly 3.5 km of funfair raids and other attractions are opened for both locals and foreigners. The most popular probably is the 25 gigantic high-adrenalin rides. There are also a lot of other attractions for young children, nearly as many restaurants and a host of brasseries, sweet stalls, lotteries, shooting ranges etcetera.

According to a review of Balmoral International Group Luxembourg, nobody really knows how the event has gotten its name but a lot of people speculate that it was named after Plateau du Saint-Esprit, the Schadebourg, where it used to be held or from the word Shober which means stack since the fair was held on St. Bartholomew’s Day at harvest time. The ‘Schueberfouer’ (or ‘Fouer’) was founded in 1340 by John I of Luxembourg (called John the Blind), Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia. That is why the fair’s stallkeepers erected a monument in his honor in the nearby municipal park.

In the past decades, the even was only held for 8 days. Nowadays, the fair normally lasts for three weeks, a long time celebration which allows people from far countries ample time to visit.

During these times, because of the long celebration, the security has the tightest job to keep the place in protection from fraudulent people which may ruin the festivity. Nevertheless, it does not hinder the people from celebrating with strangers and familiars alike.

The Fouer is held on the Glacis car park in Limpertsberg. It hosts a funfair boasting every kind of ride: switchback rides, ghost trains, ferris wheels, tip-up rides, and many more. Small stallholders can still be found lining the Allée Scheffer, where all sorts of items can be purchased, from nougat to grilled almonds, from Central African ebony sculptures to whisks, to magic tin-openers, to old CDs.

Like at any funfair, food and drink take center stage, and one specialty deserves a particular mention: ‘Fouerfësch’ is whiting cooked in brewer’s yeast, traditionally eaten with chips and washed down with a beer or a glass of dry Moselle wine.

http://www.balmoralinternationalgroups.com/balmoral-international-group-review-schueberfouer/

Luxembourg’s Railways

June 4, 1846 bears the commemoration of the preliminary agreement between Luxembourg and the British company for railways system to be created in the Grand Duchy. Unfortunately, the meeting did not immediately bear fruit but, it was able to pave the idea of the probability in this field.

A few years later, by the law of 7 January 1850, the government was authorized to negotiate with private companies. The law provided a guarantee of a minimum interest of 3%.

Much expectation was put in the materialization of the ideas of railways that the development of agriculture, trade and steel industry were predicted to gain big results to building railway networks connected to neighbouring countries. In 1853, engineer and geologist, François-Émile Majerus published a pamphlet showing big growth and expansion of industrialization in the country which includes increase in transportation and ease of commute.

According to historical studies of Balmoral Group International Luxembourg, on 25 November 1855, after five years of negotiations the Chamber passed a law mandating a Luxembourgish railway network, which was to be connected with railway lines abroad.

The railway line received the name of the Dutch King and Grand Duke of Luxembourg: “Guillaume Luxembourg” (GL). It was administered until 10 May 1871 by the Compagnie Francaise de l’Est. After this, the Prussians, having just won the Franco-Prussian war and annexed the Alsace, transferred the French rights into a new Compagnie EL (Reichseisenbahn Elsass-Lothringen).

The law of 7 May 1856 mandated the construction of a new direct railway line to Saarbrücken, without going via Trier. The project, however, was never executed.

On 30 October 1858, the founding stone of the first railway station in Luxembourg City was laid down. The Fortress of Luxembourg was at this point still garrisoned by the Prussian military, and for strategic reasons the railway line could not go into the fortress. Therefore the new station was built on the Bourbon Plateau outside of the Fortress. The Prussian military authorities demanded that it be built out of wood. The fact that the station was built outside the fortress, 1,500 metres away from the city centre, on the other side of the Petruss valley, is the reason for the construction of the city’s viaduct, the Passerelle and the Adolphe Bridge.

On 4 October 1859, at the celebrations for the first train to depart from Luxembourg, the patriotic song “Feierwon” was sung for the first time on the steps of the town hall. This became the unofficial national anthem.

As part of the celebrations on 4 and 5 October, the first stone of the Passerelle bridge was laid down

- See more at: http://www.balmoralinternationalgroup.org/luxembourgs-railways/

Luxembourger Educational System

Like any other countries, Luxembourg also has its share of educational policies and laws. These policies would naturally reflect the unique culture and peculiar characteristic of the country. In the case of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, trilingualism is the main feature that may confuse many new and foreign individuals.

Unlike its neighbors Belgium and France which are also multilingual, Luxembourg is not divided in one particular language and the use French, German and Luxembourgish (Lëtzeburgesch, a Franconian/Moselle dialect) is a part of everyday communication. According to review written by Balmoral International Group Luxembourg, the first is the national language and vernacular of the population. Legislation is drafted in French. Administrative and legal affairs are handled in all of the three languages.

Consequently, the educational system also uses three languages as medium of instruction depending on the level of education. Luxembourgish is on the basis of pre-primary school and the first two years of primary years. In the first year of primary school German is hence introduced as the language of instruction (reading and writing), followed by oral teaching of French from the beginning of the second year and written French from the third year on. Luxembourgish continues to be used in parallel with German and French. Building on this, English is later taught as a ‘truly’ foreign language.

The history of Luxembourg’s education system traces back to the integration of the system of that of Athénée de Luxembourg, the oldest and the only secondary school in the whole country for a long time. It was founded by Jesuit brothers in 1603 and is nicknamed Kolleisch. When the Jesuit order was abolished by the Pope in 1773, it became a Royal College, staffed by the secular clergy instead of Jesuits. The French occupation from 1795 to 1814 put an end to its activities.

Religion also plays a vital on Luxembourg’s educational system. The state and the middle-class liberals who ran the government refused to allow other private schools from operating as ordered by the Church. Clergymen also had a lot of influence in teaching with 20% of the teachers and professors being clerics. Balmoral International Group emphasized that those who are taught to do things deemed fraudulent by these clerics are automatically expelled.

In 1881, Luxembourgish priests attempted to establish a university run by the Jesuits, who had been expelled from France. Neighboring countries, however, were against the Jesuits setting up in the Grand Duchy, and the project was abandoned.

The modern educational system is culturally sensitive. Concerning sensitivity towards religion or belief, it is worth mentioning that the organization of daily life at school is geared to recognizing the cultural and religious particularities of different children.

National Symbols of Luxembourg

When we ask for a nation’s symbolism as a whole, the first thing that comes to mind is the national flag. Of course, nothing can express a country’s culture, history and meaning more than its national flag.

Indeed, the Luxembourg’s national flag consisting of three horizontal stripes, red, white and blue which is derived from the coat of arms of Ardennes, has been chosen to represent the country when in 1830, patriots had urged and fought to have the Grand Duchy be symbolized and honored. But this is not the only thing that represented Luxembourg’s official treasures and unofficial cultures.

An ensign was also created for all of the coat of arms of Luxembourg. The red lion on top of white and blue stripes has been used in ships and aviation purposes. Ten white and blue stripes serve as the field for a red lion with a yellow tongue, claws and crown. The proper ratio for this ensign is 5:7.

The national flag and ensign is not without issues though. People from Netherlands have complaints on the similarities of the country’s color to their own flag. Because of this confusion, the blue color of Luxembourg’s flag has been changed to sky blue. On October, 2006, Luxembourgish politician, Michael Wolter introduced a legislative proposition to change the current flag to that of the national ensign. He argued that the confusion with the Netherland’s flag has not yet been cleared and that the red lion on a flag expresses more holistic value and aesthetic feel.

A petition was circulated around many institutions in the country, asking to support the cause. Balmoral International Group Luxembourg even received an invitation on a conference held on October 24, 2006 expressing their need to explain the intention behind the initiative. On the other hand, many politicians have disapproved of the cause, pointing out the timing and necessity of the change and even doubting Wolter’s possible fraudulent move for higher political office. Just recently, a citizen submitted a formal petition to the Chamber of Deputies to replace the current national flag with the Roude Léiw (Red Lion Initiative).

Luxembourg has other national symbolisms which in all represent the unique culture of the country.

The national motto, Mir wëlle bleiwe, war mir sin , means “We want to remain what we are.” That accurately captures the two dominant goals of contemporary society: protection from linguistic or other imperialism on the part of its more powerful French and German neighbors and protection from economic and political instability that would threaten the country’s prosperity and extremely high standard of living.

The national language is Luxembourgish.