Caroline Anne Anderson's Blog

Our animal friends at work!

carolineanneanderson — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:15:42 +0000

We thought that this article might be an interesting diversion for the Easter weekend!

Ferrets key to bridging the digital divide between cities and rural areas

Specially trained ferrets are being used to deliver broadband to rural areas following groundbreaking techniques used by an Internet provider.

Ferrets have been used by Virgin Media for over a year to help lay cables for its broadband service

The animals have been used by Virgin Media for over a year to help lay cables for its broadband service, the company has disclosed.

The ferrets wear jackets fitted with a microchip which is able to analyse any breaks or damage in the underground network.

The development could help increase broadband in current Internet “dead zones”, giving access to inaccessible places, and and helping bridge the ‘digital divide’.

Currently most broadband technologies are limited to short distances from central switching offices so most companies focus on cities to keep costs down.

The government has set a target of universal broadband access of 2Mbps by 2012. Analysts estimate that the cost of running fibre optic cables to all parts of the country could cost anywhere between £10 billion and £25 billion. A 50p levy of every phone line in the country has been proposed to cover costs.

Currently around two million homes, one in 10 households, are without broadband.

Jon James, director of broadband for Virgin Media, said: “For hundreds of years, ferrets have helped humans in various jobs. Our decision to use them is due to their strong nesting instinct, their long, lean build and inquisitive nature, and for their ability to get down holes. We initially kept the trial low-key as we wanted to assess how well the ferrets fitted into our operations before revealing this enterprising scheme.”

Ferrets have been used to run cables through hard-to-reach places in the past.

Events organisers in London used them to run television and sound cables outside Buckingham Palace for the wedding of the Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

A similar system was used to lay the cables for televised coverage for the Party in the Park concert in Greenwich at the Millennium.

With their long lean build ferrets have historically been sent down holes to chase rodents and rabbits out of their burrows.

Caesar Augustus is thought to have sent ferrets to the Balearic Islands to control the rabbit plagues in 6BC.

A Bit of Friday Fun (Attorneys – please don’t take offence!)

carolineanneanderson — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:50:10 +0000

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn’t know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: He’s twenty, much like your IQ.
___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shitting me?
_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: getting laid
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Take a guess.

____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I’m going with male.
_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All of them. The live ones put up too much of a fight.
_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: If not, he was by the time I finished.
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Are you qualified to ask that question?
______________________________________

And the best for last:

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?

WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law

Spotlight On Your Business

carolineanneanderson — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:40:46 +0000

Do you yearn for 15 minutes of Fame?!

Business Boots, in collaboration with TW Digital Media, can offer you at least one minute of that, in the form of your own short video.

A 60-second film will allow you to promote yourself and your business in person to EVERYONE who visits your website, blog, or YouTube, with potentially fantastic results!

The next Spotlight on Your Business event at The Eco Business Centre, Clifton Moor in York, YO30 4AG, is on:

Monday 22^nd February between 9.30am and 4.30pm.

In order to get the perfect take for your 60 second film, 15 minutes filming time is allowed per person , and slots are available throughout the day.

There will be speakers at different stages throughout the day, to help you get the best out of your film, your online presence, and yourself, as well as a business surgery and various other useful services.

Anyone who attends this event will also receive a full attendees list, as well as having plenty of opportunity to take part in open networking throughout the day.

The cost of a full ‘open ticket’, including excellent buffet lunch, filming slot, and access to all the networking, speakers and stands, is £50 if booked in advance.

For those feeling a little ‘camera shy’, a ticket excluding the filming slot, but still offering access to all the networking and speakers events is only £20 if booked in advance.

Places are going fast, so early booking is essential.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Caroline and the Business Boots Team

www.businessboots.co.uk

caroline@businessboots.co.uk

07843 012629

Quote of the Year for me!

carolineanneanderson — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:32:42 +0000

I look to the future because that’s where I’m going to spend the rest of my life.
– George Burns

Yorkshire Folk in the York Press!

carolineanneanderson — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:21:04 +0000

Hurray! The Yorkshire Folk project today made it into the York Press with an article on page 34, calling for nominees.

I am really pleased that more people will hopefully hear about this very worthwhile endeavour.

Keep your nominations coming!

caroline@businessboots.co.uk

07843 012629

Thanks!

Ten ways to make your event memorable in 2010

carolineanneanderson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:05:44 +0000

Ten ways to make your event memorable in 2010.

Do you want to make a splash in 2010? An event for your potential or current clients, or even your staff could be just the way to remind all those concerned that you are still there, alive and kicking, and that your business is going from strength to strength!

Here are ten possible themes to make a memorable event in 2010:

1) End of the Decade – this works well as so many people would love to forget the last couple of years, and will be glad to have a farewell for the noughties!

2) Start your event at ten past eight in the evening – 2010/20:10 – geddit?

3) A 1910-themed event – see how the world has changed in a century!

4) Ten commandments – you could adapt the original ones for your own message.

5) Ten-pin bowling – a cheaper option perhaps?

6) The ten best advancements of the last decade and how you use them – this could be adapted to suit your business.

7) The Perfect 10.

8) Hanging Ten – surfing themed (great when the snow is on the ground!)

9) Ten most inspirational people in the last ten years?

10) Ten most important events of the noughties.

The list is endless, and for more ideas, or to discuss how a corporate event could kick-start this decade for you and your business, please contact:

Caroline@businessboots.co.uk, or log onto www.peopleevents.com

People Events make events memorable.

Business for Breakfast

carolineanneanderson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:21:33 +0000

I wanted to extol the virtues of connecting with networking buddies again after the long Christmas/snow break!

Today was the first B4B meeting of the North York group for 2010, and it was fantastic to see all those people that I feel are an extension of my own business by virtue of the collaborations we undertake.

The group is very supportive and giving, and I see a fantastic year ahead for us all!

Anyone who fancies coming along, give me a call! 07843 012629.

Lovely People in Yorkshire

carolineanneanderson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:53:20 +0000

I feel compelled to tell everyone about one of the fantastic people with whom I have spoken this morning.

In the course of my role, hunting down good samaritans and unsung heroes for the Yorkshire Folk charity project, I made some calls to individuals nominated by their colleagues, friends, or associates. The conversations I had were heartwarming.

I spoke to a lady who was diagnosed wiith Breast Cancer 14 years ago, and told she would only live another four years, and she is still going strong, and helping care for the elderly to boot! Her name is Denise Thompson, and she runs the Wishing Well Care Home in Dringhouses, York.

I think the most compelling thing was that she didn’t feel that what she is doing should be considered ‘special’, although she cares for elderly people with dementia in an environment not unlike that of a family home, whilst trying to offer support and hope to those recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

I spoke to others, but I think she was the most memorable.

I came away from our chat feeling elated that such a person was doing what she does, and wanting to do more myself.

As Denise said to me:

We only have today. Yesterday is something we cannot change, and we can’t be sure that there is a tomorrow, so enjoy the Now.

Please nominate more people like Denise and make Yorkshire Folk a success.

Yorkshire Folk

carolineanneanderson — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:07:36 +0000

DO YOU KNOW AN UNSUNG HERO?

We are looking for good Samaritans and unsung heroes in the Yorkshire Region to take part in a charity fundraising project in 2010.

In order to raise funds for charity, Mike Nowill Photography are asking the people of Yorkshire to nominate inspirational Yorkshire Folk who have gone the extra mile, to have their photograph taken for a charity fundraising exhibition. The photographs will then be used in a charity calendar to raise funds for The Variety Club, and possibly other fundraising activities for 2011. More details available upon request.

All nominations should be sent to:

caroline@businessboots.co.uk

07843 012629

Confident Ladies

carolineanneanderson — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:54:53 +0000

I had a fantastic night last night at the Confident Ladies event at Stonegate Yard in York, and without blowing my own trumpet, I was rather impressed with myself! My personal goal for 2010 is to do what I do better, and to learn how to do more things, so that I can do them better too!

To that end, with a few hours notice, I volunteered myself to do a presentation on the subject of Social Media.

I am pleased and proud to say that what I said about the importance of our online presence in this increasingly technological world we live in did not fall on deaf ears, and some of the people who attended the event have already modified their LinkedIn profiles, or signed up to LinkedIn for the first time!

The subjects which we ended up discussing went right across the board, from scheduling tweets to blogging, but what I found so thrilling was that people I had never met before seemed to be enthused about the subject!

I am adding that to my list of resolutions for 2010 – enthuse and be enthused more often!