Posts tagged household insurance
Mind where you Tweet…
Feb 22nd
Everyone loves social networking, and whether it’s twitter (we’re @adrianflux), facebook, or one of the other myriad social sites out there we are becoming a nation obsessed with the connectivity that the web 2.0 era has brought us.
But there are hidden dangers, and a Dutch student, called Barry Borsbroom, has recently highlighted the dangers of Geotagging your social posts.
Geotagging is where you allow your phone, computer or other device to share your current location with the web service using GPS, allowing your friends, and others to pinpoint where you are at any moment in time. While many applications are relatively benign, and companies as big as Google have jumped on the bandwagon with Latitude, there are circumstances in which this information can be used for less than savoury purposes.
Barry’s site is called PleaseRobMe, and he has created it using feeds from the popular third party Twitter ‘game’ FourSquare, where players accumulate points by tweeting locations that they are visiting and finding locations tagged by other players. No, I don’t get what the point of that is either, but grown men and women are doing this.
What Barry realised is that players, having set a ‘home’ location have given you all the information you need in order to rob them, including the data on where they are now, and how far from home they are. Some are clearly on extended vacations, based on their location updates. Not only that, but a browse through past Tweets will invariably yield useful info about their domestic situation, and lifestyle – all helpful to career burglars.
And with tools like Google Streetview available too, the crims could even ‘case the joint’ virtually.
So always think twice before sharing information online, otherwise you could get a nasty surprise when you get back home to find your home ransacked. Not only that, but, assuming you have home contents insurance (and you really, really should) you’ll be paying increased premiums for years to come.
There’s no need to be unduly worried, but you should always consider who gets access to the data you are sharing. Google isn’t going to rob you, your friends probably aren’t either. But making personal data public could well be a game of Russian Roulette.
Dave Wilson on Google+Adrian Flux Quiz 2007 – The Results
Jun 26th
by Julie Carter, Household Man-eater – sorry Manager
Wow what an event it turned out to be! Thank you to all who made the effort to attend, the event was the ‘biggest ever’, making all the hard work organising it worthwhile.
Here’s a Little Summary:
The evening kicked off at 7:30pm and each team had a supply of drinks, sweets, biscuits and nuts to help keep everyone’s brains ticking along and prevent the tummy grumbles. Each team had 6 answer sheets, 1 sheet per round, each round contained 12 questions and each team had a Joker.
The question rounds consisted of Music, Sport, True or False, Celebrities, Intro’s and TV & Film. We also had a ‘BONUS’ round supplying each team with some lyrics. The teams needed to identify the name of the songs that the lyrics appear in.
We were fortunate enough to have the help of our very own Mr Twite who took his usual role of Quiz Master and a smashing job he did too, albeit he probably ended up with a sore throat after 2 ½ hours of shouting out the questions. We did supply him with a microphone however he declined the offer as he didn’t want to be restricted to one spot. He wanted the freedom to roam around the marquee and I quote, ‘to walk about and hang around the tables with the pretty ladies!!!’ (Editor’s Note: He was also wearing a fetching pink top, which showed off his toned muscles!)
At the beginning of each round Mr Twite asked if any team wished to use their joker, in doing so any points they earnt during the round would be doubled.
At half way point we had approx 10 teams who were in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places so things were pretty tight. However most of the teams had already played their jokers so all teams had everything to play for in round 2.
Round 2 was under way and the managers team; ‘Jen’s Fantasy Team’ were doing well (sorry correction, Jen was doing very well while Carl put his feet up and was thinking of England and Elliot was getting drunk!!), so it pretty much left Lee and Jen to fend for the Managers honour and on the basis that Jen subscribes to ‘Closer’ she was always going to be the strength within the group – real girl power!!
More disturbingly was the fact that the winners of the 2006 quiz were also fairing well, surely they could not win it for the second year running!!!!
The minutes ticked by and before we knew it the questions had come to an end. Now it was up to the scorers to collate the answers and announce the winning teams, but low and behold we had a tiebreaking situation for 1st place, between ‘The Arsehole of Flux’ – No the team was not named after you Rushy, although I can understand why people would think it was!! – and ‘Dogtanian and the Four Marketeers’ – last year’s winning team – boooo.
(Editor’s Note: I would like to point out that only 60% of last years winners (Darwin’s Unnatural Selection) were in Dogtanian this year – there was no Jemma and with the aforementioned Jenny having been poached by the managers, we were lucky to have two new recruits available in the shape of Steve and Charlotte.)
We were prepared for such an eventuality. The tie-breaking question that determined who would win the jackpot of £210 or the 2nd prize of £100 was: ‘According to Ask.Com how many islands make up the Maldives? First with their answer was ‘Dogtanian and the Four Marketeers’ with 2000. At this point Paul thought Dogtanian had finally been beaten, but it was not meant to be; ‘The Arsehole of Flux’ had answered 130. The correct answer was 1190 so ‘Dogtanian’ had done it again!!!!!
In third place was the Managers’ team who won £50. I think it worth a mention that the Managers’ team did not accept their win and in its place donated their £50 to the RSPCA, what a lovely gesture!
Below we have a picture of the winning team and Craig has even agreed to show us how big (or little as the case may be) his tackle is – enjoy…
So in all we had a fantastic evening and special thanks must be given to Juliet Canham, Emma Pooley and Jane Overson for their much-appreciated (and needed!!) help.
2008 Quiz Event – Word of Warning to the marketing department – Bring it on! 2008 is the year we kick butt!! (Editor’s Note: Anytime, Carter, we’re ready and waiting!)
Vicki Runs the 2007 London Marathon
May 31st
As you may have seen in our news item, Vicki Burt from our Household Insurance department recently ran (and finished) the London Marathon, raising over £9,000 for the African Revival charity in the process. Here is her account of an amazing two days.
April 22nd has now gone by but two sprained ankles later, a couple of days off work and one trip to A and E will never let me forget such an amazing achievement.
Saturday 21st April
One day to go. I was feeling the pressure, the nerves but most importantly the excitement. Julie Carter her, son Tom and I travelled to London in the early hours of the morning armed with the company credit card. GREAT…. the Ritz I thought, but Holiday Inn we got! It was a long day of tiresome travelling on trains, the underground, our feet and then finally a cab. We all did quite well not to get lost; we even managed to direct the cab driver to the hotel in his own territory…. AND he was a BLOKE!!!
Later in the day we travelled to EXCEL to register for the Marathon, get my running number to which when I received a red running number that I was to start at the Red Start (obviously) but having previously thought I was to start at the Blue Start…what a twit!
I signed the ‘Impossible is Nothing’ wall with the words ‘Vicki Burt going for GOLD’ However I later realised that this was far from the truth. It was amazing to see everyone the day before race day going through the same emotions that I was. From that point on…26.2 miles was sinking in!
We arrived at the hotel tired, exhausted and ready for some grub. A 3 course meal was on the menu, but a couple of glasses of wine was for Julie! Anyway after stuffing our faces it was time to get some well-deserved sleep, as it was an early start to the morning.
Sunday 22nd April
Race Day. 5.30am. AAARRRRGGGHHH!!! Thousands of thoughts were playing havoc on my mind. The day was finally here. After having a big breakfast we boarded the bus to take us to the ‘correct start’.
9.45am. Start Time. As we all crowded together the camera from high above studied us and we all cheered and waved in such excitement. We then began the gruelling 26.2 miles
The first couple of miles I was feeling fantastic, on top form and in great shape. The atmosphere was amazing and unmissable, something that will never be forgotten by any of the 35,000 runners taking part.
Then the heat started to get the better of me (sunburn to prove). However at mile 11 I saw Julie and some of my department who came to support me (thank you so much by the way). They were all cheering and shouting for me, which really lifted my spirits and willed me to continue running until mile 13 (halfway!)
Miles 14, 15 and 16 started to takes it toll me on, I ran half of each mile then needed to walk the other half to the next mile. I struggled to keep going and whilst I received a massage to relieve me ever so aching legs I thought about everyone who sponsored me, my department, all the supporters, the crowd cheering me on and African Revival. I soon got up and proceeded even through all my pain!
Miles 17 to 19 was pure pain but my only thought now was finishing the London Marathon. The crowd were the best, offering sweets for a sugar rush, various types of fruits and sandwiches, which all helped as I was starving by this point. Everyone was cheering my name (printed on my t-shirt) I felt famous!
From mile 20 to 25 I was forced to walk having now got blisters and swollen feet! It was in these last unforgettable miles that I befriended a rhino, a clown and a big hand! The last 800 metres had arrived…. they felt never ending but well worth it! I began sprinting to the finish line where I saw the familiar faces of my department once again, this time they were crazy with excitement knowing that just around the corner I would cross that important line.
Vickis Results
| 10K 1:09:25 | Overall Position 34,242 | |
| 20K 2:27:48 | Gender Position 10,061 | |
| Half way 2:34:36 | Age Group (18-19yrs) 48 | |
| 30K 4:15:38 (Started to take its toll on me!) | ||
| 40K 6:06:42 | ||
| Finish Time 6:27:55 |
I am so grateful for being given the opportunity to take part in such an amazing event. For Adrian Flux and their much given support. I am forever thankful to those who took the time and effort to be there on the day for me, and everyone who believed in me! You all really helped me, without you guys it would have been very difficult to continue. This is such a huge achievement and the memories will last forever! I highly recommend this to all!
