Life is hard and then you die, so the saying goes. It is a common retort from the cynics amongst us to those that whinge about the way their lives are going, especially when in reality they are living in the lap of luxury. In other words, get over yourself and get on with it. … Continue reading Life is hard
Defining a problem
Understanding the tech industry in the region is a new challenge for me. For various reasons, including out of personal interest, I have been grappling with this as a problem over the last few months. You would think that information about businesses, markets and turnover would be readily available. Perhaps it is but so far … Continue reading Defining a problem
Starting from the middle
One of the beauties of being semi-retired is that on some days I get to do what I want. This can mean going out for a coffee, reading a book, visiting somewhere interesting or even picking up a hobby. Some things are good when the weather is fine, I have even been known to do … Continue reading Starting from the middle
Why passwords are important
Passwords, ain’t you sick of them! They are so inconvenient. You have so many to remember and you are forced to change them at the most inopportune moment. They are getting longer and more sophisticated, with different characters and capital letters in the wrong place. Password1 is no longer enough. We all know that we … Continue reading Why passwords are important
Guerrilla Working and avoiding fraud
I have been getting a fair bit of traction with Guerrilla Working over the last few weeks, even though it is several years since I wrote the book. Perhaps it was a bit ahead of its time or the things I cover in its pages are becoming more relevant. Who knows? My thoughts turned to … Continue reading Guerrilla Working and avoiding fraud
Stem the flow of plastic
Another blood donor session, another pint and another tale to tell. This is my fortieth, pint that is rather than story. I usually get excited about the changes that the NHS Blood and Transplant Service introduce. There seems to be something different every time I go, yet this time this was not the case. After … Continue reading Stem the flow of plastic
Prosumer
These new jargon words pop up from time to time. They interest me in two ways, firstly they are a demonstration of the development of the English language. Purists may complain yet our language is changing all the time, new words popup and new meanings are attached to words that have been around forever. Secondly … Continue reading Prosumer
Carbon capture
Apparently 97% of scientists agree that human activity is having an effect upon global climate. I am minded to agree with them yet my understanding of the issues is little more than superficial. In this blog I wanted to talk about how we could manage the problem in future. Before that though I will go … Continue reading Carbon capture
Half a million lives
You know I am not the greatest fan of using targets to improve the performance of the NHS. In my opinion they have never worked as they are too arbitrary and indeed have distorted service delivery and politicised the service. Both of these have distracted it from providing the services it is designed for and … Continue reading Half a million lives
Disloyalty card
I’ve been going to Dave’s in Morpeth to get my hair cut ever since I moved to the town. That was nearly thirty years ago. Dave reminded me that I was one of his first customers when he had his first shop on the main road North. He’s seen me go from black to grey … Continue reading Disloyalty card
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 