Microsoft's once-mighty multimedia encyclopaedia, Encarta, is about to be no more – yet, a mere 15 years ago, its CD-enclosed pages provided access not just to all sorts of obscure and not-so-obscure facts but also to illustrations with which technology-literate children enlivened their homework. Recently, Microsoft announced that it is finishing the Encarta product, in [...]
The cross-cultural communications guru and celebrated author, Richard D Lewis, wrote in his blog recently: ‘…Not satisfied with its twin sources of Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman French, English has, over the centuries, ruthlessly mugged languages ranging from Sanskrit, Latin and ancient Greek to Hindi, Malay, modern French, Italian and Navajo… A Texan organisation, Global Language Monitor, [...]
This year, on 23rd April – a significant day for lovers of all things English - The Open University (OU) celebrated its 40th anniversary. The OU is now the UK’s largest university, teaching almost 200,000 students each year and, since its establishment in 1969, it has helped over 2m students further career development or fulfil [...]
According to Management Today magazine, data security firm Credant Technologies has reported that, in the last year alone, dry cleaners have found as many as 9,000 USB memory sticks in clothing sent for cleaning. One particular dry cleaner’s in the City of London said that it found some 100 USB sticks a year. Credant also [...]
Greed appears to be a major motivator in today’s world. It lies at the heart of the current global economic crisis but, to be fair, it is a characteristic that has pervaded all of human history. Even in the micro-economic worlds that we all inhabit (and especially in the world of writing), you will find [...]
It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice that now is not a good time for jobs. Some commentators estimate that nearly 2m British workers face unemployment in 2009 as a result of the credit crunch. These job losses seem to be across all sectors of the economy and all levels of worker. Event the Management Consultancies [...]
Most people who move off benefits and into work say that having a job improves their quality of life, according to recent research by Working Links - an organisation that helps the long-term unemployed find work. Of its 1,300 clients, 80 per cent said they were more satisfied with life since finding work. The [...]
Apparently, a Northern Ireland woman has won an unfair dismissal case after being sacked by voicemail. Marilyn Giboney said she found out she had been dismissed after picking up a message on her mobile phone while in hospital. The charity Victim Support Northern Ireland was ordered to pay the branch manager almost £17,000 after a tribunal [...]
A recent survey conducted by communications consultancy group ICUGlobal has revealed that, from a poll of 300 organisations, 70 per cent rated ‘reducing organisational carbon footprints’ as a key driver in their organisation’s decision to invest in webconferencing and collaboration. The survey revealed that while organisations are constantly reviewing corporate travel and other communication [...]
Imagine my delight and surprise the other day when I was taken out to lunch by some senior executives from a very large and internationally known e-learning developer. It is flattering to be offered refreshment from any hand but the bigger the business, the more flattering it is, of course. Comment: We were ushered to [...]
