Category:
Jobs and Occupations
Jobs and Occupations
LifeSkills Pod
Barclays Bank in the UK has created a "LifeSkills Pod" which it explains is a "futuristic work experience simulator" that mirrors "real-world work scenarios."Pods will be installed in various schools so that young people can sit in the pod and "build the skills needed in the workplace."
Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 30, 2016 -
Comments (12)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, Technology
Malone the Rat Fighter
Tough way to earn a living.This 1908 news story may have inspired Roald Dahl's short story "The Ratcatcher" (first published in 1953 in Someone Like You). Even if Dahl hadn't seen this exact news piece, he must have heard stories (urban legends) about rat catchers doing this.
The Royal Gazette - Oct 6, 1908
A man named Malone, who was fined at Northampton, for breaking hotel windows, was said to earn his living by going from place to place exhibiting freshly-caught rats. These he tethered to a table with string, giving them a certain latitude, and then, with his hands tied tightly behind him, he fought and killed a rat with his teeth. Nine times out of ten he was said to succeed, but frequently the rat bit him severely.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Apr 03, 2016 -
Comments (9)
Category: Animals, Jobs and Occupations, Pests, Plagues and Infestations, 1900s
Bus Driver’s Revenge
Today of course he would face federal charges for kidnapping, and many, many lawsuits.Original article here.
See clean transcription below.
“They’re going to fire bus driver William F. Jackson today but he doesn’t care—he already quit in spectacular fashion.
"Passengers—phooey,” was his battle cry yesterday when he revolted against traffic jams, abusive drivers, supervisors and noisy children and took what someday may be known as “Jacksons’s ride.”
The Chicago Transit Authority driver was inching his bus through Loop traffic, swollen to three times its usual density by the Christmas rush, when he suddenly decided he was sick of it.
He slammed the doors shut and from then on nobody could get off.
“Passengers—phooey,” he muttered darkly.
He rolled out of the busy Loop on his regular route. But when waiting citizens pounded to get into his bus Jackson was aloof. When his angry passengers demanded to be let off he would not relent.
When a company supervisor tried to board the bus at an intersection Jackson ignored him too.
Finally he wheeled the big vehicle into one of the CTA barns, turned off the ignition, and hopped off the bus.
He headed straight for his boss, stared him straight in the eye and announced:
“I quit.”
Wounded CTA officials said, “He can’t quit just like that, but tomorrow we’ll fire him.”
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 12, 2016 -
Comments (8)
Category: Annoying Things, Jobs and Occupations, 1950s, Bus, Nausea, Revulsion and Disgust
Death of the Human Ostrich
1906: Robert Naysmith, the "human ostrich," died from eating too many hatpins and brass nails.Back in the day, I think there were a number of people who earned a livelihood by exhibiting themselves as human ostriches. Tough way to make a living.
(left) Topeka Daily Capital - July 17, 1906; (right) The Sketch - July 4, 1906
Saint Paul Globe - Sep 24, 1898
Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 27, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1900s
Safety Glass Tester, 1939
High-test safety glass was developed jointly by five American companies during the 1930s. It had an inner layer of polyvinyl acetal resin. This meant that you could smash a man's face into a pane of the glass, and it would crack but not shatter. As demonstrated by the safety-glass tester below.
Image source: Newsweek - Apr 10, 1939
Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 24, 2015 -
Comments (8)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1930s
Get rid of that man — he’s a homicidal maniac!
Sounds like Norman White had a good scheme going. I wonder how he got busted.
The Southeast Missourian - July 5, 1955
Man Gets Self Fired To Collect Week's Pay
LONDON — The voice on the phone said: "Get rid of that man White — he's a homicidal maniac." Norman White, 29, lost the job he started only an hour before.
The same thing had happened four times in three weeks. Each time Norman was fired within two hours of starting a new job, and each time he collected a week's pay.
Today he started another new job. This one — sewing mail bags — will last longer. The voice on the phone, a City Court was told Monday, was White himself posing as a police officer. The court gave him eight months in jail for obtaining money by false pretenses.
LONDON — The voice on the phone said: "Get rid of that man White — he's a homicidal maniac." Norman White, 29, lost the job he started only an hour before.
The same thing had happened four times in three weeks. Each time Norman was fired within two hours of starting a new job, and each time he collected a week's pay.
Today he started another new job. This one — sewing mail bags — will last longer. The voice on the phone, a City Court was told Monday, was White himself posing as a police officer. The court gave him eight months in jail for obtaining money by false pretenses.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 02, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Crime, Jobs and Occupations, 1950s
Funeral Traffic Control
1948: Chicago's Mt. Carmel cemetery sought FCC approval so that it could operate a two-way radio system to direct funeral processions, so as to avoid traffic jams in the cemetery.I wonder if they had to build a traffic control tower as well?
Freeport Journal-Standard - Apr 14, 1948
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 17, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Jobs and Occupations, 1940s
Sleeping Time
I like this guy's way of thinking. Too bad the judge didn't go for it.
Altoona Tribune - Jan 21, 1957
Sues For Back Pay For 'Sleeping Time'
LONDON — Albert English, 70, went to court claiming 2,051 pounds—$5,742—in back pay.
He said he was paid 6 pounds, 7 shillings, sixpense—$17.05—a week for 30 hours work as a restaurant odd job man, but that he should be paid also for the 61 hours weekly he spent "asleep with an ear cocked" in a bedroom behind the restaurant provided free by the management. The judge threw out English's claim.
LONDON — Albert English, 70, went to court claiming 2,051 pounds—$5,742—in back pay.
He said he was paid 6 pounds, 7 shillings, sixpense—$17.05—a week for 30 hours work as a restaurant odd job man, but that he should be paid also for the 61 hours weekly he spent "asleep with an ear cocked" in a bedroom behind the restaurant provided free by the management. The judge threw out English's claim.
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jul 30, 2015 -
Comments (2)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1950s
Ken Gidney, Professional Ant Catcher
Ken Gidney made $1.4 million catching ants. He supplied the ants for the Uncle Milton Ant Farm sets. He got the job in 1956 (by being first in line in response to the job ad) and continued at it for over 20 years, getting paid 1 cent per ant.His technique: "At first I excavated and I would catch 'em on broom straws. Then I found I could dig a narrow hole alongside an ant hill and place a baby food jar next to it." He would blow into the hole using a plastic hose and the ants would scurry out into the jar.
Sources: Lawrence Journal-World - Jul 4, 1976; The Evening Independent - Feb 17, 1976
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 04, 2015 -
Comments (2)
Category: Jobs and Occupations
In-home lice removal
This company has found an odd, but apparently profitable, niche: "personalized and discreet head lice removal services" in the comfort of your own home.
Posted By: Alex - Mon May 18, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Insects and Spiders, Jobs and Occupations
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