In this issue:

• Feedback on the Feedback
• RIAT - a photographer’s day out
• Has decoding the genome lived up to hype?
• Locked-in man seeks right to die
• Broadband: the Finns are putting us to shame
• Websites take on bogus reviewers

Risk v Freedom

Does anyone else feel like there is a “freeing up” in government at the moment? Maybe I’m deluding myself but as an SME my attention was drawn to demands in the press that our banking system support small businesses...I’m all for that, but perhaps the Government could look to its own? Having watched helplessly as friends businesses have failed it’s really galling that the Government would rather have no tax collected in future rather than having small instalments now.

Another freedom, and one I am looking forward to is the proposal that we can chose our GP instead of having the one closest to home. Some of my (male) city-based colleagues refer to the "wife's doctor" as they don't have one themselves being unable to loiter in the home counties even if they are sick. So much better and healthier for us all if we can combine work and health visits.

But ah, best ‘til last, a freeing up of H&S extremes....kids will be able to play conkers, we can attend an organised bonfire, school trips...maybe children today don’t want to do these things and I’m just out of touch but I am sure they develop an adventurous spirit.

I believe that whatever happens on the H&S front the younger generations will still remain constrained by society, but just maybe the freedoms which are permeating the adult world will allow us all to relax a little and ease off on the cocooning of the next generation....allowing more entrepreneurial behaviours to develop, so we have more SMEs....to replace the ones we are losing because....oh dear...

Gayna

Feedback on the Feedback

How exciting! Last week our Corporate Assurance Manager, Kelly, won a shiny pink iPod Nano after completing an online customer service questionnaire for Certification International, one of our suppliers.

The iPod was the prize awarded to one survey respondent, picked at random, to Certification International Customer Satisfaction Survey, which was sent out to all of their UK clients. They have provided our ISO 14001:2005 certification since we first achieved the environmental standard back in 2005.

RIAT - a photographer's day out

For me it all started back in May with the announcement at the monthly team meeting 'we will again be receiving tickets for RIAT this year' and an excited buzz went round the room. Being newish to Quicksilva I'm afraid I needed to get back to my desk and do a swift Google to find out what 'RIAT' might be. Quickly find www.airtattoo.com and go 'ah the air show at Fairford' I know all about that and have been wanting to go for years!

Has decoding the genome lived up to hype?

From BBC News

When scientists first decoded the human genome there was much excitement.

Quicksilva thoughts...

The Genome Project was started in 1990 by the United States Department of Energy and the U.S. National Institutes of Health and was expected to take 15 years to complete, with an aim of determining the sequence of all the chemical base pairs which make up DNA and the genes of the human genome from both a physical and functional standpoint and it was completed in 2003.

The data published by the HGP does not represent the exact sequence of each and every individual's genome but it does provide a scaffold for future work in identifying differences among individuals. Using the data a researcher investigating a certain form of cancer may have narrowed down his/her search to a particular gene. By visiting the human genome database on the World Wide Web, this researcher can examine what other scientists have written about this gene.

However most diseases are not caused by one gene alone because there is no gene for obesity and environmental factors would make a more significant impact. By analysing their life styles and genetic variants in an individual it could be possible to calculate if a person is more or less likely to get a particular disease than the rest of the population.

Locked-in man seeks right to die

From BBC News

A man with "locked-in syndrome" has begun legal action, asking the director of public prosecutions to clarify the law on so-called mercy killing.

Quicksilva thoughts...

Now I know this is a very delicate subject, one I hope never arises for me personally, but after reading this article it was definitely the one I felt I should write about.

We have a man whose quality of life is such that he can only communicate via blinking, nodding or arranging letters on a board – now is this any sort of life? It would appear he thinks not.

Now when an animal is in pain, or is said to be so badly damaged they can no longer maintain a good quality of life a vet will ask you as an owner to take the decision to put them down – why as a person can you not make the same decision? Obviously there has to be criteria that needs to be met before such decisions are acceptable but surely this poor man would meet them?

The idea that the only lawful way he can die is to refuse food and liquid to me is awful – this is something that will cause him great pain and discomfort, something we will not allow an animal to go through to die, however it would appear it is fine for a human being?

This poor man has been the victim of a stroke, who previous to this had a full life, now wishes he'd never rung the ambulance and just let nature take its course. A victim of a natural act now unable to end what's left of his life without extreme pain and discomfort. A sobering thought and one I hope to never have to encounter, what would you do faced with his dilemma?

Broadband: the Finns are putting us to shame

From The Telegraph Blogs

Is broadband a human right?

Quicksilva thoughts...

The UK is a leading world economic power, in fact an original member of G8. I’m not particularly bothered that the country is not providing the fastest broadband speeds in the world relative to other leading countries. As a family that has recently changed over to Wi-Fi from direct dial modems which has allowed much more devices to be internet enabled easily, without installing telephone points in every room and masses of wiring etc, we are feeling the impact.

I signed up to my ISP for its advertised high speed connections up to 20 MB / sec, but I’m actually only receiving an average 3.2 MB / sec connection speeds, but it quite regularly falls below 2.0 MB / sec, which doesn’t allow On-Demand TV or online games are far too slow to play or enjoy. I would really appreciate stable higher speeds to enable a more improved experience of online TV and Games. I’m told the local BT exchanges will be upgraded in the next 12 months to get the headline speeds, but experience tells me this will probably be delayed by many months, if not years.

If the government elections were due next month, and there was party which had a mandate to provide Wi-Fi infrastructure UK wide, including rural areas with 10 MB / sec; with many suppliers to ensure competition and affordable prices; to be available by the end of 2011; with a commitment to deliver speeds in excess of 50 MB / sec by 2013, then they would have my vote.

Why isn’t this possible, surely we’re a main economic power and we should have the best infrastructure for its citizens?

Websites take on bogus reviewers

From BBC News Click

Customer review sites are a useful way to find out about products and services, and for the businesses themselves they can be a valuable source of publicity.

Quicksilva thoughts...

One of the more usable and useful items that came into being during the web 2.0 eras is that of product reviewing.

This simple little addition to the internet has provided many people with a quick and easy way to evaluate a product or place giving quick informative word of the mouth information. I use this regularly and find it invaluable especially while buying from unknown suppliers! This article highlights some of the dangers within this system and how easily it can be used to damage reputations and livelihoods. If a company the size of Google cannot create a systems void of these fake reviews what chance does the average company stand! Time should be spent creating an advanced intelligent system which can read and interpret reviews to provide a more in depth validation to remove the fakes and hopefully ensure these web 2.0 niceties continue to be an invaluable source of information!

Caption Competition 28

How to enter

Email captions@qxlva.com

Deadline: 19th August 2010.

We will include our favourite(s) in next month's newsletter!

Our favourite(s) from last month

- Now where did I put my bike again…

"Consider the postage stamp, my son. It secures success through its ability to stick to one thing till it gets there."
- Josh Billings

Quicksilva: Langley Gate, Kington Langley, Wiltshire, SN15 5SE. United Kingdom

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