Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
On the news this morning was the government’s spending challenge - our chance to help shape the way the government works by suggesting cost-saving measures. Checking the website it looks as though you can’t submit any additional suggestions but you can rate those that have already been submitted. You can search ideas by tag name or take a look at the complete list and then vote for the ones you like.
I’ve just take a look at the ‘Quango’ tag and not unsurprisingly, scrapping many of them is top of the list of ideas. Browsing through ‘environment’ a tax on packaging is one idea, as is increasing tax on short haul flights. HS2 - the proposed rail link between Birmingham and London is not popular. There’s also a suggestion that services normally run by councils and central government should be outsourced to small businesses.
Interesting reading…
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Continuing our astronomy discussion (did anyone actually see the Northern Lights?) I can say with much more certainty that the Perseids meteor shower will be visible for a few nights from tomorrow. The Jodrell Bank website says:
“If it is clear on the 11th to 14th of August, one will have a chance of seeing the meteors in the Perseid Meteor Shower - the year’s most dependable meteor shower. It is a great year to observe the Perseids as the thin crescent Moon will have set early in the evening so its glare will not hinder our view. Look up towards the North-East from 11 pm onwards on the nights of August 11th, 12th and 13th and 14th. The peak of activity - when you might expect to see 20-30 meters an hour is predicted to be between 00:30 and 03:00 BST on the morning of the 13th. This is the best time to observe on the other nights too, as Perseus is rising in the sky and the Earth is facing the meteor stream. Most meteors are seen when looking about 50 degrees away from the ‘radiant’ (the point from which the meteors appear to radiate from) which lies between Perseus and Cassiopea.”
The best way to watch them is on a lounger in the garden, maybe with a blanket but definitely with a glass or two of your choice.
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Nothing to do with small business, but apparently the Northern Lights may be visible from the UK tonight, so I for one will be looking upwards when I’m walking the dog later.
There’s a brief explanatory video about it on YouTube.
I’m struggling to find info on times but you can read more on Monday’s solar flare and the how’s and why’s of magnetic energy here BBC website.
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Interesting page on the BBC website, quizzing entrepreneurs on what they feel matters most in their business. Opinions vary as you would expect – here are three to consider:
It’s a useful discipline for all businesses – and when you’ve defined what matters most to yours it’s probably worth writing on a very large yellow sticky by your desk / on your PC.
And on the subject of passion, if you feel your passion deserves more, take a look at some customer testimonials on how they’re using technology to drive their businesses onwards and upwards.
Source: Microsoft Small Business
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Watch our 1.40 minute video and find out why.
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Format: wmv
Duration: 1.4
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Showing off our our great range of videos - here’s another one. Office 2010 - hear what the customers are saying.
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Format: wmv
Duration: 1.21
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Spare 30 seconds to see how you can create great-looking documents in Office 2010.
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Duration: 0.5
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Illuminating article on the BBC website on women in technology. Girl Geek Dinners is now an international not-for-profit network of women with a personal or professional interest in technology. Groups meet regularly to listen to female speakers – men can attend only if they’re accompanies by a girl geek.
We’re not talking feminism here though; in the US projects include donating laptops to women in need and repairing old laptops to give to women returning to education. The general aim is to provide support and encouragement to those who need it – including older women who are keen to get to grips with new technologies and become silver surfers.
It’s an interesting read….
Source: Microsoft Small Business
We’re number 29 in Evan Carmichael’s list of The Top 50 Startup Blogs to Watch in 2010 – something we’re obviously pleased about here in the office. Browse through the list – there are some very interesting blogs out there!
Source: Microsoft Small Business
Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that our Small Business blog looks a bit different today, and that we’ve republished a couple of stories from last week. We’ve done some platform moving behind the scenes and are now enjoying an updated ‘look and feel’. Normal service is now resumed!
Source: Microsoft Small Business