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TEDxAmsterdam reminds us to be human

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:55:11 +0000

With devices that are capable of driving cars for us in the works, smartphones that can research any topic in the world, banks who decide to our economical fates, governments to tell us right and wrong, and computers that allow us to take shortcuts to just about anything it is easy to forget that humans have the power to think for themselves as well.

However, behind each of the large technological advances and political diatribes is a human brain that actually brought the thought to the attention of others which is why TEDxAmsterdam is reminding people this year what it means to be human.

It is easy to forget that we have brains that are capable of being creative and producing their own thoughts as ideas are nicely packaged and produced for us to buy, but there is a lot to be said for the human experience if you allow yourself to actually experience it. Taking place on November 25^th this year TEDxAmsterdam hopes to remind people that there are some aspects to being human that cannot be replicated or experienced without actually taking the time to share and exchange ideas that come straight from the brain.

In an effort to demonstrate this to a larger degree TEDxAmsterdam has teamed up with WE ARE PI and some of the top creative minds in the nation to help create a documentary that expresses the thought that there are plenty of ideas worth doing and plenty of ideas worth spreading that can only be created by humans. One of the largest of the resulting projects has been a ‘living brain’ that is composed entirely of people and can be glimpsed during rehearsal stages via an online video that is worth sharing with friends because the results of the effort are stunning.

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Looks like News Corp’s forgotten about hacking scandal

Alan — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:26:13 +0000

The share price for News Corp’s has certainly taken a battering lately, so it’s good to see them making headlines for the right reasons. The group has published their end of year results which show that their annual profits rose to £1.7bn ($2.7bn) in the year ending June 30. This is up by $2.5bn, or 7.9% from the previous year and their revenues have also risen to $33.4bn, an increase of almost 2%.

Although the full impact of the phone hacking scandals won’t be felt until the next quarterly results, and the News of The World ceased trading 10 days after the end of this results period, the chairman and CEO, Rupert Murdoch, said that he was very confident there would be no real material impact.

The television branch of the company also saw strong growth, whilst profits in the film division shot up by a whopping 53%, thanks to the success of such blockbusters as the Chronicles of Narnia and the Black Swan. Even the publishing arm saw its operating income rise from $467m to $864m, due to higher revenues from ads in the Wall Street Journal, favorable currency movements and lower costs.

And although the effects of the phone hacking scandal won’t be felt until its next quarterly results (News of the World’s final issue came 10 days after the end of this results period), Rupert Murdoch, the company’s CEO and chairman, said he was confident it will have ‘no material impact’.

Despite this impressive financial performance from News Corp, the phone hacking scandal is still at the front of many of their investor’s minds, and Murdoch is all too aware of this. It is no coincidence that this is the first results presentation that he has been present at for a very long time.

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The Business of Holiday Money

admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:40:02 +0000

The countdown to your holiday has begun; the flip flops are packed, the sunglasses are in your bag and the trashy novels for the beach are just waiting to be popped into your hand luggage. So what forethought have you given to your spending money? If you were just intending on taking your credit or debit card then think again, this is just one of the ways that holidaymakers get burnt while on holiday, and it can be a lot more painful than the sun!

A new campaign has been launched by the credit card company Capital One, with the sole intention of bringing certain things to the attention of their customers that are aimed at them saving money while on their travels. Their first tip is to always use cash to purchase your foreign currency, and to do it on the high street not at the airport. There are 2 reasons for this; a) so you don’t pay any charges and b) so you get the best exchange rate.

Did you know that while most cards incur a charge every time you use them abroad, there are others intended for this use and incur no charges? Many aren’t aware of this and come home to statements that are littered with fees and charges. Be a savvy traveller and make sure you have the right card with you.

Speaking of fees and charges, these vary dramatically when you make withdrawals from foreign cash machines, and you often don’t realise how many you have incurred when you have made repeated trips to the ATM. By making just one or two large withdrawal as opposed to a lot of smaller ones you will only have one or two charges on your statement instead of several.

There are two video to back the campaign which are available to view on the Capital One website, along with lots of other hints and tips all aimed at saving you money on your holidays.

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Centrica, is almost certain to increase rates

Alan — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:20:53 +0000

Householders may want to compare electricity and gas prices now before the next announcement from their energy supplier that says they are increasing. Centrica, British Gas’ parent company has released forecasts for profit and expects full year profits to show growth for year on year but subject to certain variables that include retail margin recovery.

Another price hike may occur thanks to the caveat from the company, said director of energy comparison, Mark Todd of energyhelpline.com. There is without a doubt price increases down the road and the announcement by Centrica of a retail margin recovery is the most recent sign of increases to come.

This just means it is a matter of when and not if that consumers will once again get hit in their pockets. Signs indicate it will be sooner than later and the increase could be as high as 20%. Research at the site says over a half a million people have been switching energy prices since a round of price increases were announced by Scottish Power.

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Summer is nearly here –get a water cooler now!

Alan — Fri, 13 May 2011 09:14:05 +0000

The hot weather of April has left many of us sweltering at the workplace and many businesses are realizing the need to ensure they keep their workers hydrated this summer.

One good way to ensure this is by investing now in a water cooler for the business and the leading water cooler service provider in the UK, Angel Springs, has the perfect answer to the water needs of your business.

Angel Springs have over twenty years offering both mains fed and bottled water coolers and their experience in water coolers dates back to 1989 and they can offer flexibility in pricing packages including a fixed price arrangement so you can pay the same exact amount each month ensuring that the summer months do not hit you with huge bills.

Offers range from an unlimited pay as you go package for either mains fed or bottled water, to bronze, silver and gold packages ranging from £32 to £52 per month.

Whatever the scale of your businesses and staff numbers, Angel Springs will be able to tailor a package to suit you, and your budget. With so much flexible choice and competitive prices there’s no reason for anyone to swelter in the sun this summer.
For more info visit www.angelsprings.com or call 0845 370 1177

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Thomas Cooke says people sidestepping their summer hol’s

Alan — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:19:15 +0000

UK bookings have slowed says Europe’s second largest travel company, Thomas Cooke, due to cash strapped Britons trying to survive the government’s fiscal squeeze and sacrificing their annual two weeks of sun.

Most markets are still up for cumulative bookings nevertheless the rate of bookings has declined noticeably in the UK because of the continual economic uncertainty said the company. When the group last updated the market the cumulative bookings were up a total of 6% about the cumulative Britain summer bookings were only 1% ahead of last year.

Due almost nil earnings growth and much higher inflation due to the VAT increase in January and oil and food hikes, British consumers are becoming much more unwilling to spend. The reductions in welfare and increased job losses due to government cuts and higher interest rates also have may worried.

Normally this does not cause Britons to give up their hard earned holiday even if it meant cutbacks in other places, but this situation has caused many to reconsider travelling. TUI Travel’s Chief Executive Peter Long said on Monday that demand for the annual holidays for summer was proving to be quite resilient.

While Thomas Cooke announced that their cumulative summer reservations were up close to 4% in central Europe (Austria, Germany and Switzerland) and over 11% in northern Europe with Airlines Germany up 9% and down 1% in West/East Europe. The selling prices had increased both in Britain up 4% and Central Europe up over 3%.

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A look at MyHammer – the site that helps you find a handyman

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:57:07 +0000

At one time or another, we will all need to find a good, professional tradesman to do some work for us. The first place we should be looking is on the MyHammer website. This has quickly become the number one site in Europe for finding tradesmen. The beauty of this site is that as well as finding a professional service, there is also a great range of invaluable self help guides. These give advice on such matters as choosing the right kind of flooring or giving your tiles a makeover.

For example, if you wanted to make an oasis in your garden, the step by step guide makes this daunting step a lot simpler. It will take you through all the planning stages, such as how and when you will use it. Do you want easy maintenance or are you prepared to get someone in to do it. The guide helps you choose the theme, the colour, the size etc. and before you know it you have your garden oasis.

Making the most of a confined space is a headache for many, but there is a guide to help with this too. It takes you through four simple steps to make any room look larger, brighter and more welcoming. If you are planning a large event and starting to panic, log onto MyHammer and check out their event checklist guide. Work through this checking things off as you go and you can rest assured everything has been taken care of.

Giving your home a makeover on a tight budget can be difficult, unless you read the guide to doing just this on MyHammer. Simple, easy to follow guidelines give you the impetus to make the changes you want, without spending more than you can afford. Asbestos has now been eliminated from being used in construction, but can still be lurking behind walls in older buildings. This invaluable guide tells you how to dispose of it safely, while ensuring your health isn’t compromised.

Tiling is a job many of are happy to tackle ourselves, but trying to tile wet spots can prove tricky. The MyHammer guide to tiling a wet spot takes your through the procedure, so you know your tiles will look good and perform how they should.

These are just of the jobs you can now successfully tackle thanks to the MyHammer, the site where you can find great guides to successfully completing jobs yourself.

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London 2012 Games offers huge numbers of jobs

Alan — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 05:55:39 +0000

Now that there is less than 600 days before the London 2012 Games officially open pre-registration has opened for those seeking work at the London 2012 Job Board. Those who want to be part of the fun as London creates ‘the greatest show on Earth’ can head over to www.jobsforthegames.co.uk to apply.

According to the LOCOG (London Organising Committee), there should be tens of thousands of new jobs available due to the many different groups that will need staffers throughout the games including suppliers, businesses, and the sponsors of London 2012.

The website is run by Adecco the official recruitment agency of both the Paralympics and Olympic Games and will offer a wide variety of jobs suited for all skill levels. Different jobs that will be on offer for the taking include jobs cleaning, catering, administrative support, security, tourism, hospitality, leisure, and sport. There will also be some positions for technical and professionals available via the website.
The first jobs will appear in March so applicants are encouraged to pre-register now in order to give themselves the best chance of securing their dream role. Those who pre-register will be alerted as soon as relevant jobs become available, placing them in pole position. Interview tips and career guidance will also be available on the site.

Roles created in the local areas as a result of increased footfall are expected to be as diverse as receptionists, who may be employed by local businesses to help them with the surge in visitor numbers to security guards, who may be brought on board as businesses increase their security at such a busy time. Kitchen staff, waiters and bar staff will also be needed as large numbers of existing hotels and restaurants take on new employees to deal with the demand and new establishments open.

To find out about the thousands of roles available, people are encouraged to pre-register on www.jobsforthegames.co.uk as early as possible.

Paul Deighton, LOCOG’s Chief Executive said: “The London 2012 Job Board is a fantastic opportunity for people across the UK to get involved with the Games and play their part in helping put on the greatest show on earth. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and helping people to get their first foot on the career ladder. There will be tens of thousands of jobs available over the next 18 months and I would urge people to register their interest and make sure they hear about the opportunities first.”

Steve Girdler, Adecco’s Director of London 2012 Partnerships, said, “We see the Games as a catalyst for change and a reminder that no matter what is going on in the wider economic climate, there are always opportunities to do something new, innovative and exciting. This is the kind of event that should provide real opportunities to people in the lead up to and beyond the Games. Getting involved in London 2012 is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and through www.jobsforthegames.co.uk we hope to give as many people as possible the chance to apply.”

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Belfast benefits from £7 million business investment

Alan — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:53:25 +0000

Belfast is the recipient of an American firm’s investment in the UK. The US tech company, KANA, will generate more than 100 positions as it pumps in £7 million into a new company centre.

This is an additional boost to the already cheerful news that SQS, a German tech firm, will produce 40 new positions in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast – the two of which will alleviate the depressing news about the 8% increase of unemployment in Northern Ireland.

In November last year, Lagan Technologies, an Irish company, was bought out by KANA, taking with it the client base. Among Lagan’s former clients are Nokia, eBay, and Adidas.

The next three years will see a 100% increase in the jobs at KANA’s Belfast location. 90 are employed at the Lagan location on Airport Road.

KANA considered other countries for its operations, including Eastern Europe, China, the Philippines, and India. However, they just couldn’t pass up Belfast, in a natively English speaking country.

UK CEO, Mark Duffell, revealed that nearly 50% of the Fortune 100 firms are among their clients. He also said that their presence in Europe will be greater due to their new location in Belfast.

£981,000 were invested into the transition, by Invest NI. Duffell said, “Invest NI has made us feel supported and invited into the Lagan operations. We are obtaining some great people with that company and the location is super. We will easily be able to access European markets, while continuing to have relatively easy access still to American markets.”

Declan Kelly, the US Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, said that the announcement is a slice of great news and that Northern Ireland is a great target for American firms to set up operations on the global market.

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Sainsburys was top of the tree at Christmas

Alan — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:27:36 +0000

Sainsbury’s, the third largest grocer in the UK, outsold the competition in the month before Christmas, according to data from Nielsen. Sales increased by 8% on last year, and the four weeks leading up to December 25^th saw an increase of 10.1%, with an accompanying rise in market shares of half a point, bringing it to 15.4%.

Rivals Tesco and Morrisons both showed a rise of about 6.9% in the same time period, and Wal-Mart’s Asda came in just behind at 5.8%. Nielsen reported on Friday that supermarket sales in Britain hit a record of £3.36 billion, partially owing to the rise in prices.

Though all of the retailers reported a slump due to inclement weather, they also reported a surge in the period just before Christmas Day. The trend also seemed to be towards high-end foods, with Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose outselling the lower-end Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.

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