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Awww no Linda, you're retiring

You've been with us from the beginning! So any big plans, round the world cruise? Moving to Necker Island?

I hope you stay keep in touch, in between pyms and relaxing, you can rub our noses in it, as well as keeping the advice going as a seasoned business woman. Plenty of people starting out, and they all seem to ask the same questions 

Wish you all the very best, and hope someone comes forward to try and fill your shoes 

It's quite an odd political landscape at the moment, with the noise from the SNP, and labour in complete disarray. 

Its a tough one.

Like probably most, I don't get much these days for birthdays, other than from the good lady, and more facebook happy birthday posts than actual cards, so maybe that could be construed as being green and saving the planet?

Still makes me feel selfish though

Also had/have same problem with Amazon. For some bizarre reason I bought an online shop off someone which was already set up with Amazon. Played with it for a few months, realised I had no idea what I was doing or little interest in it, so wrote off as a bad idea.

Every month since I get emailed by Amazon telling me my 3p hasn't met the sellers threshold, but can't close the account because it's in credit. Gave up in the end and direct all Amazon emails to spam 

Rant away, I started it   We have a different approach, consistent routine from day one, and the only choice my little people have each night is shower or bath. When they next leave for hogwarts, I shall monitor their performance. 

Only just recently found out that Grandpa from Peppa pig is the original Parker from Thunderbirds!

Anyway, better bring the thread back to Sunday Trading 

Been looking at some of the media conversations about it, pros and cons with the Chancellors decision to relax Sunday Trading rules, leaving the decision to local councils.

Pro argument seems to be the internet is 24/7, so why shackle traditional bricks and mortar businesses with a two tier retail system. Let businesses and consumers decide for themselves.

Against argument from the workers unions is quite clever, that the same customer spend is spread over a longer period, watering down profit, and increasing resource costs.

Both sound quite convincing 

In my youth, I'll confess to partaking in some all you can eat until you eat  When I lived in Cyprus, we went to non tourist restaurants and ate with the local's. A full Greek Meze was a banquet that would last for 6 hours of solid eating and drinking. It was amazing!

But the megacheap all you can eat buffet rubbish, like Chinese you get in this country, or all you can eat pub grub, I can't think of anything worse  I'm even sliding towards more veggie as I get older so somethings definitely wrong. Must be the thought of offal, gums and eyeballs in cheap sausages and burgers...

That said, you can't beat a Premier Inn breakfast, which is obviously the finest meat, all you can eat, and I normally have to tear myself away after 2 breakfasts 

Never done an all inclusive holiday, never really been a resort fan, or beach sun worshipper. I'm with you, local culture, sightseeing and local grub.

But now with young whipper snappers, things are a changing and I see resorts looming on the horizon, as the sight seeing and culture is being overruled with waterparks and kiddie entertainment  Or maybe send them with Grandma 

I do like Seth Godin, he gets a bit hippyish at times and has some weird ideas interspersed with moments of genius.

How about this one, his birthday post below. Will you follow suit or are you selfish like me?

Happy birthday

When I was fifteen, I wanted a bike for my birthday. I dropped a few hints, and about a week before the day, I asked my mom for a hint as to what I could expect. "Well," she said, "it has feathers."

I was getting a parrot.

What could be cooler than a parrot? Alas, I got a down blanket. Can't win them all.

Today's my 55th, and it would be great if you wouldn't send me a gift, a card or even an email. Not because I have birthday issues, but because I think we might be able to plant the seed for a very significant culture change, something bigger than a bike.

Is it possible for your birthday to change the world?

Instead of dropping me a note, I'm hoping you'll join 5,000 other blog readers and give your birthday to charity:water. (Note: I'm not asking you to make a donation, at least not at first. Something more difficult but important: I want you to start a change in our culture with just a few clicks. Read on...)

This might sound a bit familiar. Five years ago, I gave away my birthday and asked you, my astonishingly generous readers, to make a donation. We ended up raising nearly $40,000 (and it's gone up since then) and ten villages, families with children, now have water as a result (try to imagine going just two days without clean water...)

The donations made a difference, but let's go further and establish a pattern, a standard where lots and lots of people give away their birthdays. What if it becomes normal for everyone over 22 years old to ask for donations instead of presents or cards?

So far, 65,000 people have given their birthdays. But with just three generations of friends telling friends can take that up by a factor of ten. 5,000 people telling ten people telling ten people, and we'd change the world.

5,000 people pledging to give their birthdays to charity:water would mean that when your birthday rolls around, you'd ask the people in your life to give their birthdays to charity:water as well. And then a few months later, they'd ask the people in their lives... In just a few cycles, perhaps we could change the expectation of birthdays from, "I'd like a bike," to, "Can we save someone's life?"

The mechanics are simple: go to this page and sign up to donate your birthday. While you're there, I hope you'll consider donating $10 (I'll match the $10 donation from each reader who pitches in). Done.

Change the culture, change the world. 

Thanks. And happy birthday. Even better than a parrot.

Seth Godin - His blog

He certainly knows how to make you feel humble  Trouble is, as much as I love the idea, I still quite like the idea of having a birthday, even if I lie about my age 

Anyone feeling inspired enough to give up their birthday?

Fantastic news Rebecca 

Be as self indulgent as you like, nice to hear some positivity  

So the drama rolls on..

Greek MPs are set to vote on new proposals for a bail out package, with the latest deadline being set for Sunday.

Robert Preston from the Beeb raises an interesting point about the latest proposals:

"If a way isn't found to allow the banks to reopen within days...the Greek economy will implode so that any bailout deal agreed this weekend will become irrelevant in weeks."

Greece debt crisis - MPs to vote on new bailout plan - BBC

It looks like the crisis will be shortly reaching a natural painful conclusion.

New Musical Express, the once iconic music mag is re-branding after paid subscription figures fell to 15000.

NME launched online as far back as 1996, making them digitally vintage!

So the new plan is to rebrand the offline mag,move from just music to embrace fashion, film, TV, politics and pretty much everything. Then make it free, distributing 300,000 copies around various locations such as universities, tube stations etc.

No doubt the new model is reliant on advertising, and with a long established digital presence they allegedly have a reach of nearly 4 million people a week which is pretty impressive.

Is there still a need for an offline version of NME I wonder? Do youngsters still read magazines, or is it all tablets and kindles?

Be interesting to see how it goes.

Source: NME.com - NME announces major brand transformation