Passwords a real hassle?

If you’re like the rest of us, you’ll have passwords galore!  And most of them different.  Websites, banks, software etc, etc.

KeePass is a nifty little piece of software (it’s free) that keeps all those passwords encrypted in one program.  It can be set to start up with your computer and remain in the system tray (down by the clock) so it’s handy to get at.  You can even lodge your passwords on a USB so they go with you (and don’t sit on any computer).

It is also possible to set up a key file (a file located on a USB drive for instance)  AND a password for access.  Pretty secure but don’t lose the key file!!

Yes, it can seem like a chore to collect up all those passwords, but it so convenient once it’s done.  Put them in and they can be got at with one master password.

You can also use it to generate passwords using random numbers and letters, and you can set an expiry date on passwords too.

Very useful.

The Cheap Petrol Project

This site may be worth a try. They are trying to get enough people together to negotiate a deal with oil companies.

At $2.20 a litre and little relief in sight, everything helps.

Either that or walk…

When to open other people’s mail…

In any business or club it can be a hassle when one person is tasked with opening the mail – and occasionally they open something that they shouldn’t have…

People can get quite hot about having their mail opened when they feel it shouldn’t be.

The trick is to make it clear.  Here’s a simple policy that can be implemented that does that.  (Which is not to say it carries legal weight – just that works, is fair, and is clear for both the staff and the person opening the mail.)

Books you should read…

Blue Ocean Strategy – by Kim & Mauborgne

Create an uncontested market space (which means less hassles and more money obviously!) for your business.

The idea is simple – move out of competitive markets (red oceans) into non-competitive ones (blue oceans).  In red oceans players try to build competitive advantage over the competition – that is do what they do, but try to do it better, cheaper, faster etc. In blue oceans players move away, redefine how the market works, and focus on innovation – doing things the competition doesn’t do.

In blue oceans demand is created, not fought over.

The book introduces a nifty ‘Strategy Canvas’ approach to looking at your industry/business and it might just help you provoke a change in your business…

They have their own website too.

Saturday Humour

A sound ‘old’ people can’t hear.

Crank your computer volume up and click here.

If you can’t hear it, sorry, you’re old!!! 

And if you don’t believe us – get a youngster (under 20′ish) to listen.

Reductio ad absurdum…

Reductio ad absurdum (Latin for “reduction to the absurd”) – a type of logical argument where one assumes a claim for the sake of argument and derives an absurd or ridiculous outcome, and then concludes that the original claim must have been wrong as it led to an absurd result.

Governments need their ‘luxury’ tax on fuel to build roads – so raise the price of fuel to $1,000,000 a litre – tomorrow – and build lots of them!

Go the truckies!

Tips for searching Google…

Here’s a good article on how to find what you need on Google.

There’s lots more good stuff on this site too.

Accounting software – downloads

Want to try before you buy?

When you are looking for software, it really helps if you can download a trial version to see for yourself what it looks like. Not all accounting software sites have downloads. Those that do (in NZ) are:

‘Clever’ Ads (Part 2)

It’s all about getting people to read your ad, then take action.  If people have to decipher what you’ve written they’ll simply pass over your ad and forget about you altogether. Writing ads is not about making people laugh, or having them think you’re a genius. It’s about communicating with them in the fastest clearest possible way.

The average person is not skilled in reading comprehension. For the majority of people, if it’s not spelled out for them, they won’t understand. You need to understand that writing ads is not about you the writer, it’s about making people understand.

…focus instead on getting your message across in a fast and efficient manner.

Time for another example.  Take a look at this billboard.  Allow no more than about a second (which is about what you can spare from a moving vehicle…)  Just glance at it.

We should be careful where we put these!!

Ok, so not everything we see on the Internet is true.

Make your own mind up about this short video clip.

If it’s true, it has to leave you seriously wondering about putting those things near your brain (not to mention your kid’s brains!!).

Might just be worth testing it out… 

UPDATE.   Looks like they’re fake    A great viral marketing stunt by these guys.