As the news in the financial world is somewhat downbeat this evening and the radio and T.V. will be full of gloom and doom what else is there to do but a midweek blog.
What could be more uplifting especially when there is colour.
This week did start off with the news that Monday 21st January was the most depressing day of the year and various reports were telling us that we are all stressed out and Sunday night was the worse night of the week for trying to get to sleep. Well with all that encouragement the week certainly got off to a great start did it not !!!!
This all sounds as if the Grim Reaper has returned or is it him that is responsible for all of this turmoil? I think we should be told. But worry not G.R. is safely locked away so please do not let thoughts of his immediate return spoil your week.
It is all go at CIOBS of course with all sorts of things going on. Assignments are in the final stages for both UK Financial Services and Investment.
Messrs Brown and Morrison, yes that nice Mr.Morrison, were in Glasgow today at a high powered meeting. No I wasn't there, it was a high powered meeting of course. I am sure that they both had a great time.
Two of our well known subject tutors, examiners, verifiers, Academy Lecturers, Steven Leonard and Angus Mair were also out and about today visiting a well known financial services provider in Edinburgh. I am sure that this was a wonderful success and the students have benefited greatly from their experience. This was a follow on from the visit of the equally well known CIOBS Academy lecturer, Scott Prentice to the same venue on Monday. I am sure that many of you are thinking I would have loved to have attended a session with these great lecturers. Well you can. Please contact us here at Drumsheugh and we can have a chat about your requirements.
I hope that the return of colour has helped a little to lift the doom and gloom.
As someone once said " Ah there's always someone worse off than you"
Michael ( Trying very hard not to be full of doom and gloom )
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Friday, 18 January 2008
Friday again
Well that's another week drawing to a close here at CIOBS. It maybe that some of you are attending our Burns Supper in London tonight. The largest Burns supper in the world I am told. What an organisation we are. Oldest Banking Institute in the world and the world’s largest Burns supper. If you are going along, I am sure that you will have a wonderful evening. I hope you like haggis! Unfortunately I will not be in attendance, however our Chief Executive, Simon Thompson, will be there along with some other CIOBS luminaries.
What a week it has been once again with our Academy taking place at Heriot-Watt University here in Edinburgh. A big thank you to all the students, lecturers and the staff at Heriot-Watt.
Wednesday of this week brought another group of students to Drumsheugh for a Chartered Banker Introductory Day. This was a most enjoyable session and there were a few "nuggets" in there. Those attending know what I mean. The wonderful Raymond Brown appeared at one stage and the students loved him. Pity about the rest of the day when they had me in attendance.
Raymond has been working very hard this week with amongst other things the assignments for both UK Financial Services and Investment. These are new subjects within the Chartered Banker Qualification. The workbooks are now available for these subjects.
Today sees many students passing through Drumsheugh for the on-line examinations. As always good luck to you all.
Podcasting continues on a weekly basis, so if you wish to hear myself or Raymond wax lyrical about serious stuff then this is the place to go. http://www.ciobs.org.uk/about/what_podcasts.cfm.
There is one podcast where we are both involved. Two for the price of one!
I was just thinking with this being the first blog in over a week that I have not written much recently, but then again neither has Rabbie Burns.
Well I must get on now and get something to eat maybe a credit crunchie or something. ( Well it is topical)
Have a lovely weekend
Michael (The bard of CIOBS or should that be barred from CIOBS)
What a week it has been once again with our Academy taking place at Heriot-Watt University here in Edinburgh. A big thank you to all the students, lecturers and the staff at Heriot-Watt.
Wednesday of this week brought another group of students to Drumsheugh for a Chartered Banker Introductory Day. This was a most enjoyable session and there were a few "nuggets" in there. Those attending know what I mean. The wonderful Raymond Brown appeared at one stage and the students loved him. Pity about the rest of the day when they had me in attendance.
Raymond has been working very hard this week with amongst other things the assignments for both UK Financial Services and Investment. These are new subjects within the Chartered Banker Qualification. The workbooks are now available for these subjects.
Today sees many students passing through Drumsheugh for the on-line examinations. As always good luck to you all.
Podcasting continues on a weekly basis, so if you wish to hear myself or Raymond wax lyrical about serious stuff then this is the place to go. http://www.ciobs.org.uk/about/what_podcasts.cfm.
There is one podcast where we are both involved. Two for the price of one!
I was just thinking with this being the first blog in over a week that I have not written much recently, but then again neither has Rabbie Burns.
Well I must get on now and get something to eat maybe a credit crunchie or something. ( Well it is topical)
Have a lovely weekend
Michael (The bard of CIOBS or should that be barred from CIOBS)
Thursday, 10 January 2008
It's not all doom and gloom
Well the festive season has gone. The weather is wild and it seems to be dark most of the time. Isn't life fun during a Scottish Winter! I am sure that some of you had fun getting home yesterday, what with bridges closed, lorries overturning on motorways, garden fences being blown away and a new one trampolines, yes trampolines. During this recent spell of inclement weather it has been reported that trampolines blown from back gardens have been flying around parts of Scotland!!!!
To cheer myself up I looked at the press and listened to the radio. What do I get? Yes, more gloom and doom! Financial markets took a pounding yesterday, sterling hit fresh record lows against the Euro. Today sees day two of the Bank of England MPC meeting. Will there be a cut in interest rates? Maybe a 0.25% cut? Let's wait and see.
Also the World Economic Forum has voiced fears of a recession in the US over the next 12 months and also expressed doubts that consumption-led growth in Asia could take over as the driver of the global economy.
Here at CIOBS of course the sun always shines and so do the people. We have some students doing online exams today. I am sure that they will be happy at the end of it all.
Just a reminder for Chartered Banker students the enrolment window for the Spring examinations opens on 15th January 2008 and closes on 1st March 2008.
Revision courses are planned prior to the exams and details of these will be posted on our website in due course.
Our weekly podcast will be posted on the website today and it is not all doom and gloom
I was talking to a friend of mine earlier who had just read an article on the dangers of heavy drinking and excessive smoking. It scared the life out of him. So that’s it after today, no more reading!
Michael (Keep your sunny side up)
To cheer myself up I looked at the press and listened to the radio. What do I get? Yes, more gloom and doom! Financial markets took a pounding yesterday, sterling hit fresh record lows against the Euro. Today sees day two of the Bank of England MPC meeting. Will there be a cut in interest rates? Maybe a 0.25% cut? Let's wait and see.
Also the World Economic Forum has voiced fears of a recession in the US over the next 12 months and also expressed doubts that consumption-led growth in Asia could take over as the driver of the global economy.
Here at CIOBS of course the sun always shines and so do the people. We have some students doing online exams today. I am sure that they will be happy at the end of it all.
Just a reminder for Chartered Banker students the enrolment window for the Spring examinations opens on 15th January 2008 and closes on 1st March 2008.
Revision courses are planned prior to the exams and details of these will be posted on our website in due course.
Our weekly podcast will be posted on the website today and it is not all doom and gloom
I was talking to a friend of mine earlier who had just read an article on the dangers of heavy drinking and excessive smoking. It scared the life out of him. So that’s it after today, no more reading!
Michael (Keep your sunny side up)
Friday, 4 January 2008
Welcome to 2008
Good morning to you all and a slightly late welcome to this new year.Typical, as I returned to work today it was snowing. Well it is January and it is Scotland. What did I expect?
I hope that the festive season proved to be enjoyable for eveyone.Today is a bit of a strange one I know that others are still enjoying a festive break and normality will return on Monday as everything gets back to normal.
2007 was a very interesting year here at CIOBS and I sure that 2008 will prove to be no less so.
Our Academy starts again on Monday 14th January and part of the excitement here is that we are moving premises. We are going back to Heriot-Watt University at Riccarton campus in Edinburgh.
We have an introductory day for Chartered Banker students scheduled for Wednesday 16th January here at Drumsheugh.
The following week sees a revision session for Apex 5 students. This event will take place on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd January 2008. As always there will be the opportunity to sit the Apex 5/H2 examination on the afternoon of 22nd January.
There are a few places left on this course so please contact Gillian Muir on 0131 473 7796 or contact her by email Gillian@ciobs.org.uk if you are interested in attending this event.
Well I had better get on and get started with this New Year.
I wish you all the best and here's to a great 2008.
Michael (Still as old as ever)
I hope that the festive season proved to be enjoyable for eveyone.Today is a bit of a strange one I know that others are still enjoying a festive break and normality will return on Monday as everything gets back to normal.
2007 was a very interesting year here at CIOBS and I sure that 2008 will prove to be no less so.
Our Academy starts again on Monday 14th January and part of the excitement here is that we are moving premises. We are going back to Heriot-Watt University at Riccarton campus in Edinburgh.
We have an introductory day for Chartered Banker students scheduled for Wednesday 16th January here at Drumsheugh.
The following week sees a revision session for Apex 5 students. This event will take place on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd January 2008. As always there will be the opportunity to sit the Apex 5/H2 examination on the afternoon of 22nd January.
There are a few places left on this course so please contact Gillian Muir on 0131 473 7796 or contact her by email Gillian@ciobs.org.uk if you are interested in attending this event.
Well I had better get on and get started with this New Year.
I wish you all the best and here's to a great 2008.
Michael (Still as old as ever)
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