23/07/2009 by admin.

1.       So-and-So commented: “…a comment is an opinion, not another word for said

2.       A spokesperson said: …apart from a few uses on the politically correct BBC, I have never seen the term used in a half-decent print publication. The word “spokesman” does not indicate gender.

3.       So-and-So Integrated Passenger Transport Authority is pleased to be associated with this wonderful…bet you £10 that if the reporter doesn’t, a sub will strike it out and replace it with “we”.

4.       So-and-So, Chair of Suchabody, said…a chair is a piece of furniture and, like spokesman, CHAIRMAN is gender neutral.

5.       “Safety is our first priority…even though six people have just died? 

Posted in Media, Journalism, Business | Print | 1 Comment »

23/07/2009 by admin.

ROXY, THE LAKELAND TERRIER https://share.acrobat.com/adc/document.do?docid=bd5d5ab9-9a14-4281-b9ca-e6e6d580d4f6

This is our new dog, Roxy, aged about 15 months. They are supposed to be gay (in the old fashioned sense) and fearless. That, she certainly is.Admirable qualities they are, but Ted and Boris, two elderly Jack Russell Terriers who were here first are having a little difficulty understanding all that.They want to put her in a corner to speak when spoken to. She doesn’t take the hint and no matter how much they growl and snarl and lunge, she just keeps coming back for more. She accepts their authority but hasn’t learned yet to respect their space. It makes for some lively exchanges… Watch this space

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16/07/2009 by admin.

Supply.gov is a government-backed service to alert business to public contract. They charged me a couple of hundred pounds last year to receive alerts from all over the country.

I decided this year to retreat a  little and revert to the basic free service which alerts me to Greater Manchester only.

This arrived this week: 

 ” UK-Manchester: Brand Development and Creative for Helpline Campaign

Wondering why it would not let me access a contract based in Manchester, I contacted the helpline. This is the response I got:

“I have now located the contract on our system and can see that the contract has been tagged with the UKD location code, indicating that the contract is taking place at various locations in the North West. As such this falls outwith your current access level of Greater Manchester and would require an upgrade to a minimum of low value - Regional access, which costs £70 + VAT per year.

To upgrade your account you must do this online. Please follow the steps below.”

Ever felt ripped off?

Posted in Business | Print | 1 Comment »

12/07/2009 by admin.

Just been reading about the latest ideas on building a replacement to Heathrow in the Thames estuary. Makes a lot of sense to me.

Posted in Politics, Transport | Print | No Comments »

09/07/2009 by admin.

The man to lead us through the tech revolution? Nathan Smith of Smith&Smith PR. A couple of years ago I spent almost £1200 with the Charetered Institiute of Public Relations doing some courses in London.

Excellent though they were, this man has just delievered a free seminar on social media for the Chamber of Commerce which was every bit as good!

Posted in technology, Journalism, Business | Print | No Comments »

06/07/2009 by admin.

This from the SMMT:

SMMT Press Release
6 July 2009

Scrappage incentive scheme successful

• 29,796 vehicles have been registered under the scrappage scheme since its start
• Scrappage accounted for 9.7% of June’s new car registrations total with 17,014 units

The much anticipated vehicle scrappage scheme, which started on 18 May, is proving hugely popular and is working well, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

In June, almost 10% of the total 176,264 new car registrations were as a result of the scrappage incentive scheme, giving a much needed boost to the UK motor industry. In the commercial vehicle sector, 323 vans were registered under the scheme, accounting for 1.9% of the total scrappage registrations and 1.9% of overall van registrations in June.

“The scrappage incentive scheme is working well and has encouraged a lot more people back into showrooms,” said SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt. “In the coming months, we will see an increase in the rate of deliveries and this will confirm further progress on the industry’s long road to recovery.”Total vehicle registrations by brand through the scrappage incentive scheme

Please note, these figures are generated by SMMT by aligning information submitted as a result of the scrappage incentive scheme and its own Motor Vehicle Registration Information System (MVRIS). Due to the timings involved in the scrappage scheme’s administrative process, there may be a short time delay on some vehicles appearing within this data. The figures are therefore subject to change.

Notes:
At €20 bn, the automotive sector is Europe’s largest investor in R&D, driving industry forward and helping deliver more sustainable motoring for the 21st century. Technological innovation has helped car and CV manufacturers slash CO₂ and air quality emissions from vehicles. New diesel cars for example emit 95% less soot from the tailpipe than those made 15 years ago and average new car CO₂ has been cut by 19% since 1997.

The energy needed to produce each vehicle is down 12%, water use is down 9% and waste to landfill is down 25%, compared to 2006 performance.  CO₂ emissions per vehicle produced have fallen 14% in the last year and by 45% since 1999. Almost 10,000 tonnes of waste have been prevented from entering landfill sites. For more details, download SMMT’s ninth annual Sustainability Report from the SMMT website www.smmt.co.uk/publications.

There are some awfully posh cars in there…

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »

06/07/2009 by admin.

Well, what a load of rubbish. Four Startrek extras -(or were they shop dumies?)  standing on stage with computer graphics behind them which would have done the Sinclair Spectrum - and I have one - proud.  The music droned on and on and on and on. There was one minor hit I recognised from history which raised a half hearted cheer.

I thought perhaps I was missing the point because I had not been given any 3D glasses on the way in. So I borrowed someone elses and no, I wasn’t missing anything so I gave them back.

But this was Manchester and the appearance of the four Olympic cyclists on the Velodrome track was a masterstroke, the like of which this city speicialises in. (I’m still waiting, incidentally, for the Olympics to do the decent thing and designated the Velodrome as the 2012 venue).

And then it was into town for the after-show party in Albert Square….something else Manchester does rather well - catering for C listers. But all that showing off was interupted by something even more magical than the cyclists - the Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Pipe Band suddenly marched through the champagne drinkers and were superb!

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