March 20, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Unexpected Coronavirus:  When the unexpected happens – plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.   “The work goes on.   The cause endures.   The hope lives on.   And the dream will never die” – Ted Kennedy Guessed the Word?         Series 55 (5/7)          pic: rodrigo rodriguez

March 13, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Tracing Coronavirus: contact tracing to stop disease spread  dates  from 1854, when Dr. John Snow traced London’s cholera source to a Soho water pump.  No need to reveal personal details of a worker with the virus, but warn others at risk quickly, so they act suitably.  UK response has gone from Contain to Delay, so…

March 11, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Isolate Coronavirus: how does isolating ourselves stop the spread?  The maths of contagion applies.  Minimize the contact each carrier of the virus has with others, to reduce the number who can be infected.  Reduce personal interactions to zero & the outbreak will end.  Miss the meeting to miss the bug Guessed the Word?     …

March 10, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Stockpile Coronavirus fears driving stockpiles.  Governments aren’t immune & have previously hoarded:  raisins, helium & rubber (USA), maple syrup (Canada), pork (China), butter, milk & wine (EU), sugar (USA & China), cotton (China & India).  Better to devise supply-chain contingency plans, & partner with others, than try to guess what stock to pile & how…

March 6, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Rounds Coronavirus: how many will get it & in which round?  If R (reproduction no.) is the average number of people who get infected from 1 new case, with R2 (each new case infects 2 others) after 5 rounds, we have 32 new cases.  If it’s R3, after 5 rounds we have 243 new cases. …

March 5, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Dark Coronavirus:  really, we’re all in the dark with this black swan event.  No one actually even knows the latest position, so why rely on forecasts?  Best to organise work & workers for the days ahead in ways which help the business stay afloat.  Adapting fast makes the best of the situation, which will get…

February 24, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Guess the Word  and Contact Us for Prizes!  Series 55 starts soon….. 1st letter of each Post Title (in a Series) spells a business word – spelt correctly or jumbled up.  Previous answers: Series 54  spelt  S-W-I-N-G-S-U-P   (UPSWINGS) Series 53  spelt  LO-O-K-O-U-T   (OUTLOOK) Series 52  spelt  R-O-B-B-I-N   (RIBBON) Series 51  spelt  P-A-W-W-I-S-H   (WHIPSAW) Series 50  spelt …

February 21, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Ploughman’s lunch The ploughman’s lunch – all porky pies?  Alludes to rustic, outdoor, bygone times, but actually dates from 1950s promotion in pubs to boost cheese sales.  Sounds hot, sophisticated & substantial, when it’s a simple, light meal – bread, cheese, pickle, maybe added pie, egg & salad – eaten cold, with a glass of…

February 20, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Upside-down cake Pineapple upside-down cake: shows how to solve a problem by viewing it as an opportunity.  Can’t bake in an oven? Use a frying pan on stove-top.  No fresh fruit? Use canned.  Too dated to work now? This retro classic has comeback & now has a National Day on 20 April.  Flip things over…

February 18, 2020 admin123@ No comments exist

Scotch egg The humble Scotch egg lays out features of successful products: Simple components, well planned & properly executed (hard or soft boiled egg, enclosed in sausagemeat, rolled in breadcrumbs & fried).  Many claims to invention (Scotland, England, India, Algeria).  Enduring (from pre-18thC).  Convenient (portable snack).  Good anywhere (indoor meal, outdoor picnic).  Popular (versions worldwide). …