YORKSHIRE poet Ian McMillan composed a special ode for last week's 10th anniversary celebrations of Science City York.

The Bard of Barnsley appeared at Wednesday's special dinner and read out his work at the end of the evening.

We thought you'd enjoy some of the highlights:

"A decade is a long time, though in science it's a blink;

That world is moving faster than the zooming speed of light

And Science City York is here to help creatives think

Creative thoughts that keep them working far into the night

And give support and help and, when it's needed, expertise:

'Cos even the world's best mousetrap needs advice on choosing cheese!

Let's face it York has always been just there or thereabouts

The city walls can soon be breached by barrier-smashing thinking

And a decade of Science City has left us with no doubts

That the Science and the City's forged a synergy, a linking!

There are other Science Cities now, but this one was the first

It explored the path and five more cities followed in its wake;

So let the trumpets sound out loud and let the fireworks burst

And light the innovative candles on the innovative cake

Via a candle/firework interface that scientists have devised

And tested and retested using multiples of Pi!"

Hot under the collar

WE suspected it for some time, but now it's been proved. Men get hot under the collar in the workplace while women keep their cool.

According to power company E.ON, which runs the Killingholme Power Station, in Immingham, disputes over the temperature at work can lead to some heated exchanges.

The majority of women feel cold at work whereas men are twice as likely to ask for the heating to be turned down.

According to E.ON, workplace disputes over office temperature are common with both female and younger workers more likely to feel the cold.

Some 42 per cent of 18-to-24-year-olds ask for the heating to be turned up in their offices whereas older workers are less likely to turn up the thermostat – of the 45-to-64-year-olds questioned, only 18 per cent would like the office to be warmer.

E.ON is advising companies to persuade staff to stop wearing seasonally inappropriate clothing, but whether many Yorkshire bosses are going to advise their young female staff to cover up more is debatable.

Victor wins again

THE great and the good turned out in droves to the recent dinner held by Victor Watson to mark the launch of his book, The Waddington Story, which was held at Leeds Civic Hall.

Under the guidance of Victor and his family, Waddingtons became famous as the producer of best-selling board games such as Monopoly and Cluedo.

Apart from giving Victor the chance to reminisce about his feuds with Robert Maxwell, the dinner also raised cash for the Prince's Trust, an organisation that helps fledgling entrepreneurs.

Victor wrote to thank guests for attending and revealed that the event raised a colossal £15,000, proving that the credit crunch hasn't forced Yorkshire's corporate community to develop short arms and deep pockets.

"And we generated a little publicity for the book which is selling well and, so far as far I know, has not yet found its way under any short piano-stool legs."

Ready and waiting

WHILE most businesses wish they'd seen the credit crunch coming long before they did, not so stockbrokers Charles Stanley. The firm, which recently reported revenue down seven per cent, at £49m, appears to claim to have been ready for the past two centuries.

"Charles Stanley is well placed, as we have been for the last 200 years, to ride out the current financial turmoil," said chairman Sir David Howard.

Toilet role

YORKSHIRE Water is flushing away the economic gloom by selling a 6ft toilet on online auction site ebay.

"Perfect for someone with very long legs," runs the advert.

The toilet has so far attracted bids of up to £72. Its aim is to raise money for international charity WaterAid, which is highlighting the importance of sanitation.

Aimee Laycock, communications adviser at Yorkshire Water, said: "The giant toilet helped us to promote water conservation successfully during the summer but now we want to use it to help raise funds for another good cause."

People can bid for the toilet by visiting ebay.co.uk and searching
for "giant toilet".

If you have a story for the Business Diary, email bernard.ginns@ypn.co.uk