One of the unique feautres of Hamilton Grammar is the fun Elf Day which happens annually.
Elfs are S6 pupils dressed up as Santa's Little Helper's who are basically slaves for the day! Mind you each Department has to bid for these elfs at a charity auction. Our Faculty spend a few quid this year to secure EIGHT elves!
They did a grand job...
building a bookcase
cleaning the shelves
laminating filing cabinets
labelling trays
comb-binding SG Admin booklets
cleaning out the cupboard/studio
going for lunches
collecting the calendar for Miss Dunlop
and general errands
Some other slave drivers had them washing cars or having to hop around all day!
I certainly enjoyed Friday, and I think the elves did. Mind you there were a few elves who were posted 'missing'... hiding in the S6 area in the afternoon because they were tired!
Over £600 was raised for the S6 charity 2009-10.
Every school should have an Elf Day!
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Xmas Discos
Thanks to all the Young Enterprise team - Triumph - who battled the elements to serve the S1/S2 disco on Monday and the senior disco on Thursday.
A great time was had by all - and a special thanks to Mr Ferguson for his DJ antics. The man is frenetic and enthusiastic... and he even dressed as Santa... with a redbeard!
However where is his Jedi outfit? His audience all wanted to know where it is?
So we have it all to do again when the S3/S4 disco goes ahead on Monday. It will be a poignant one for many of the S3/S4 as Mr Kee the Year Head is taking up a new post as Headteacher of Larkhall Academy. He will be greatly missed. I also think he may be the youngest Headteacher of a Secondary in Scotland, which is no mean feat.
So I hope if the S3/S4 are going to be blubbing all night, perhaps we should invest some Young Enterprise money in hankies?
A great time was had by all - and a special thanks to Mr Ferguson for his DJ antics. The man is frenetic and enthusiastic... and he even dressed as Santa... with a redbeard!
However where is his Jedi outfit? His audience all wanted to know where it is?
So we have it all to do again when the S3/S4 disco goes ahead on Monday. It will be a poignant one for many of the S3/S4 as Mr Kee the Year Head is taking up a new post as Headteacher of Larkhall Academy. He will be greatly missed. I also think he may be the youngest Headteacher of a Secondary in Scotland, which is no mean feat.
So I hope if the S3/S4 are going to be blubbing all night, perhaps we should invest some Young Enterprise money in hankies?
Avatar
I went to the Glasgow Science Centre on Wednesday Night to see a special advance preview of James Cameron's Avatar.
Not only was it at the IMAX, but also in 3-D!
The movie was just under 3 hours long, but it was pretty exciting and the time flew in. There was a little bit of motion sickness which cropped up in the flying scenes.
Overall the film itself was superb, but the experience of a 3-D movie at the IMAX was surreal. This is surely the future of cinema, and another step for the movies to differentiate themselves from TV.
This happened in the 1950s when people began to stay at home to watch TV and not go to the flicks. Hollywood responded by inventing Cinemascope and later Surroundsound to have a unique experience you could only have in the movies.
Films became more outlandish and had bigger budgets and indeed became spectacles.
In the 1980s and 90s cinema again fought back against the rise of the VHS Videotape by creating the modern multiplex cinema, offering more choice of 10-16 screens rather than the tradtional 1-3 screens.
However I do miss the old Odeon in Glasgow with the giant screen 1. I remember seeing Superman the Movie way back in around 1978/79, and indeed the epic Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979/80 when I was a nipper. These incredible experiences of seeing such spectacular films on the big screen are great memories. And I am sure the children of today who got to see Avatar in 3-D will never forget the experience.
I just wish I had a share of James Cameron's profits!
Not only was it at the IMAX, but also in 3-D!
The movie was just under 3 hours long, but it was pretty exciting and the time flew in. There was a little bit of motion sickness which cropped up in the flying scenes.
Overall the film itself was superb, but the experience of a 3-D movie at the IMAX was surreal. This is surely the future of cinema, and another step for the movies to differentiate themselves from TV.
This happened in the 1950s when people began to stay at home to watch TV and not go to the flicks. Hollywood responded by inventing Cinemascope and later Surroundsound to have a unique experience you could only have in the movies.
Films became more outlandish and had bigger budgets and indeed became spectacles.
In the 1980s and 90s cinema again fought back against the rise of the VHS Videotape by creating the modern multiplex cinema, offering more choice of 10-16 screens rather than the tradtional 1-3 screens.
However I do miss the old Odeon in Glasgow with the giant screen 1. I remember seeing Superman the Movie way back in around 1978/79, and indeed the epic Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979/80 when I was a nipper. These incredible experiences of seeing such spectacular films on the big screen are great memories. And I am sure the children of today who got to see Avatar in 3-D will never forget the experience.
I just wish I had a share of James Cameron's profits!
Saturday, 12 December 2009
In the News...
UK GO SLOW ON BROADBAND
The UK is trailing when it comes to next-generation access, new figures show.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK is placed 21st out of 30 in terms of speed.
That puts it below countries such as Greece, Portugal and Spain. The report suggests that countries that invest in fibre networks are likely to see the best economic returns in other areas.
When it comes to broadband penetration, the UK is doing ok - placed 13th out of the 30 OECD members. But most of these subscribers still access broadband via so-called DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) rather than via fibre.
NOKIA v APPLE COLD WAR TURNS HOT
The legal battle between Finland's Nokia and its US rival Apple has taken a new turn, with Apple countersuing Nokia over alleged patent violations.
The move follows a Nokia lawsuit filed in October accusing iPhone maker Apple of 10 Nokia patent infringements. Now Apple, in turn, is claiming that the Finnish phone firm is infringing 13 of its technology patents.
"Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours," Apple said.
Apple has not yet revealed which patents are at issue. Nokia was unavailable for comment.
In October, Nokia said it had not been compensated for its technology, and accused Apple of "trying to get a free ride on the back of Nokia's innovation".
The 10 alleged patent infringements by Apple involve wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption.
SHELL AND PETRONAS TEAM UP
A joint venture between the UK's Shell and Malaysia's Petronas oil companies has won the right to develop Iraq's giant Majnoon oil field.
A total of 44 companies took part in a bid for 10 fields in the second such auction since the invasion in 2003. Shell and Petronas beat a rival bid from France's Total and China's CNPC.
Although Majnoon is a huge oil field, with reserves of 13 billion barrels of oil, it currently produces just 46,000 barrels per day.
Shell and Petronas have pledged to increase that output to 1.8 million barrels per day.
UK FACTORY PRICES RISE
The cost of materials and fuels bought by UK factories rose at their fastest annual pace in a year in November.
Input prices gained by 4% last month from November 2008, and by 0.4% from October.
Output prices - the prices of goods leaving UK factories - rose 2.9% on the year, the fastest pace since February.
The numbers suggest that inflation is set to rise in the short term, however, most economists do not expect any increase to persist for long.
"The time lags involved mean that this is unlikely to have much of a bearing on High Street inflation for some time yet," said Vicky Redwood, an economist at Capital Economics.
The annual inflation figures "are likely to increase further over the coming months, as last year's big energy-driven drops in costs fall out of the annual comparison. But the rise should be short-lived."
SOURCE: BBC Business News
The UK is trailing when it comes to next-generation access, new figures show.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK is placed 21st out of 30 in terms of speed.
That puts it below countries such as Greece, Portugal and Spain. The report suggests that countries that invest in fibre networks are likely to see the best economic returns in other areas.
When it comes to broadband penetration, the UK is doing ok - placed 13th out of the 30 OECD members. But most of these subscribers still access broadband via so-called DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) rather than via fibre.
NOKIA v APPLE COLD WAR TURNS HOT
The legal battle between Finland's Nokia and its US rival Apple has taken a new turn, with Apple countersuing Nokia over alleged patent violations.
The move follows a Nokia lawsuit filed in October accusing iPhone maker Apple of 10 Nokia patent infringements. Now Apple, in turn, is claiming that the Finnish phone firm is infringing 13 of its technology patents.
"Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours," Apple said.
Apple has not yet revealed which patents are at issue. Nokia was unavailable for comment.
In October, Nokia said it had not been compensated for its technology, and accused Apple of "trying to get a free ride on the back of Nokia's innovation".
The 10 alleged patent infringements by Apple involve wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption.
SHELL AND PETRONAS TEAM UP
A joint venture between the UK's Shell and Malaysia's Petronas oil companies has won the right to develop Iraq's giant Majnoon oil field.
A total of 44 companies took part in a bid for 10 fields in the second such auction since the invasion in 2003. Shell and Petronas beat a rival bid from France's Total and China's CNPC.
Although Majnoon is a huge oil field, with reserves of 13 billion barrels of oil, it currently produces just 46,000 barrels per day.
Shell and Petronas have pledged to increase that output to 1.8 million barrels per day.
UK FACTORY PRICES RISE
The cost of materials and fuels bought by UK factories rose at their fastest annual pace in a year in November.
Input prices gained by 4% last month from November 2008, and by 0.4% from October.
Output prices - the prices of goods leaving UK factories - rose 2.9% on the year, the fastest pace since February.
The numbers suggest that inflation is set to rise in the short term, however, most economists do not expect any increase to persist for long.
"The time lags involved mean that this is unlikely to have much of a bearing on High Street inflation for some time yet," said Vicky Redwood, an economist at Capital Economics.
The annual inflation figures "are likely to increase further over the coming months, as last year's big energy-driven drops in costs fall out of the annual comparison. But the rise should be short-lived."
SOURCE: BBC Business News
Sisters ARE doing it for themselves!
Fortune have published the 50 most powerful women in Business for 2009:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/2009/index.html
It throws up some incredible facts and figures... such as the salary of the highest paid woman, Safra Catz, the CEO of Oracle (the Database firm) who receives a staggering $42.4 million!
Mind you the highest paid man was Aubrey K. McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy (CHK) who received $112.5 million!
The female supremo who was voted the head honcho was the CEO of Pepsi, Indra Nooyi. This is the fourth year in a row she has been ranked first. Pepsi sales are in the region of $42 billion (yes you read that right) and she has turned a great deal of that into profit!
Another interesting businesswoman to highlight comes in at number 5. She's Andrea Jung who is the CEO of Avon Products! Mind you, number 6 is Oprah Winfrey!
As one of my Higher class pointed out, it is really sad that it is hard to name many businesswomen and indeed many female entrpreneurs. We keep trailing out the same old names such as Michelle Mone, the late Anita Roddick, and to a lesser extent Deborah Meaden (after all who knew who she was before Dragons' Den?).
So at least with Indra Nooyi girls can have a new role model. The boss of the world's second largest soft drink company, and someone who is obviously superb in her job.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/2009/index.html
It throws up some incredible facts and figures... such as the salary of the highest paid woman, Safra Catz, the CEO of Oracle (the Database firm) who receives a staggering $42.4 million!
Mind you the highest paid man was Aubrey K. McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy (CHK) who received $112.5 million!
The female supremo who was voted the head honcho was the CEO of Pepsi, Indra Nooyi. This is the fourth year in a row she has been ranked first. Pepsi sales are in the region of $42 billion (yes you read that right) and she has turned a great deal of that into profit!
Another interesting businesswoman to highlight comes in at number 5. She's Andrea Jung who is the CEO of Avon Products! Mind you, number 6 is Oprah Winfrey!
As one of my Higher class pointed out, it is really sad that it is hard to name many businesswomen and indeed many female entrpreneurs. We keep trailing out the same old names such as Michelle Mone, the late Anita Roddick, and to a lesser extent Deborah Meaden (after all who knew who she was before Dragons' Den?).
So at least with Indra Nooyi girls can have a new role model. The boss of the world's second largest soft drink company, and someone who is obviously superb in her job.
Higher Business Management Videos
I did quite a few screencasts for Higher Admin which helped with the practical nature of that subject, so this Xmas I am planning to flood the internet with more ramblings but this time aimed to Higher and Int 2 Business Management.
It is really simple! I'm using images to help burn key ideas and facts into your heads! Call it learning, brainwashing or whatever you like, but I think it will help.
So I have created a Methods of Production vid for you to refer back to time and time again.
I aim to do at least 1 per day during Xmas so that will be around 13 or 14 ready for January and I'll keep going. Plus I will take requests.
So get watching!
It is really simple! I'm using images to help burn key ideas and facts into your heads! Call it learning, brainwashing or whatever you like, but I think it will help.
So I have created a Methods of Production vid for you to refer back to time and time again.
I aim to do at least 1 per day during Xmas so that will be around 13 or 14 ready for January and I'll keep going. Plus I will take requests.
So get watching!
Well done Higher and Int 2 BM
Congrats all round to the Higher and Int 2 pupils at a 100% success rate in passing the Marketing and Operations NAB.
A massive improvement as a whole in terms of quality of answers from the first NAB.
Top of the leaderboard is Stuart Annets with 104 pts. Can Stuart keep it going with 2 Prelims and 1 NAB to go (and perhaps a further 2 AB tests?).
Ross Cunningham, Calum Innes, Gemma Lindsay and Jennifer Barr are breathing down his neck. Can Stuart take on the mantle of Edison McKenna who was last year's prize winner for Business Management?
On the Int 2 front, totally delighted that all 3 passed easily this time. A special mention has to go to Greg Steele, our Franchise man in the know, who scored a fantastic 35 out of 40, and in fact he will kick himself when he sees the marks he let go or else he'd be getting the 100% award!
A great job well done by everyone. But to be honest the hard work is just starting... to quote Karen Carpenter... "It's only just begun..."
So now on to Finance and HRM and the first Prelim in Jan/Feb.
But oh, there is the small matter of Christmas. So enjoy your holidays but remember it is tough at the top!
A massive improvement as a whole in terms of quality of answers from the first NAB.
Top of the leaderboard is Stuart Annets with 104 pts. Can Stuart keep it going with 2 Prelims and 1 NAB to go (and perhaps a further 2 AB tests?).
Ross Cunningham, Calum Innes, Gemma Lindsay and Jennifer Barr are breathing down his neck. Can Stuart take on the mantle of Edison McKenna who was last year's prize winner for Business Management?
On the Int 2 front, totally delighted that all 3 passed easily this time. A special mention has to go to Greg Steele, our Franchise man in the know, who scored a fantastic 35 out of 40, and in fact he will kick himself when he sees the marks he let go or else he'd be getting the 100% award!
A great job well done by everyone. But to be honest the hard work is just starting... to quote Karen Carpenter... "It's only just begun..."
So now on to Finance and HRM and the first Prelim in Jan/Feb.
But oh, there is the small matter of Christmas. So enjoy your holidays but remember it is tough at the top!
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