Everything that happens in local government, as in any organisation, is determined by the people that work in it and all human activity is underpinned by our biology. This is in turn dependent upon the thousands and millions of chemical reactions that take place in our bodies which in turn adhere to the fundamental laws … Continue reading The role of physics in local government 2
An email drops
An email drops into my inbox, a simple, single email. It’s one of many but it isn’t expected and it isn’t wanted. It’s not even addressed to me. It was forwarded to me by a colleague, copied into me as it mentions my name in its text. My name is spelt out and not in … Continue reading An email drops
The tedium of Motorways
How dull are motorways? Mile after mile of carriageways, two, three, four or even more lanes wide with sweeping curves and gentle inclines, built for speed and devoid of interest. Tarmac and concrete with overhead signs and distance markers repeated again and again in a groundhog sort of way and blue signs that hint at … Continue reading The tedium of Motorways
Lower quality = lower cost
Can you save money by providing a lower quality service? The answer is yes, well err no, or perhaps. It all depends upon what you mean. It seems like a good idea and it is a popular notion, especially in these straightened times, to consider limiting the quality of service that you provide on the … Continue reading Lower quality = lower cost
Dark matter
Can you feel the gravity? Can you feel its pull, holding you back, dragging you down and sapping your energy? It is dark matter. You can feel it but you can’t see it. It surrounds you, it is everywhere. It’s the bulk of the organisation that you find yourself in. It’s hidden in the open … Continue reading Dark matter
PSN: The next Beeching?
Way back in the 60s, Doctor Beeching got out his now infamous axe and started hacking at the nation’s railways. He built, or rather destroyed, upon his two reports, The Reshaping of British Railways (1963) and The Development of the Major Railway Trunk Routes (1965) both of which were published by the British Railways Board. … Continue reading PSN: The next Beeching?
Human transformation
The human species is undergoing a transformation, our bodies are morphing through genetic mutation driven by social and environmental change. These changes are subtle, hardly noticeable at first but cumulative over time. In a few hundred years our bodies will look significantly different through a process of sexual selection and the survival of the adaptable. … Continue reading Human transformation
Brave new world
Just north of the Pilgrim Street roundabout in Newcastle, where what used to be known as Australia House stands there is now a vacant lot, a piece of barren ground that is hidden behind a large advertising hording. There used to be a building there, an impressive glass and concrete structure that was occupied by … Continue reading Brave new world
On such a momentous night I just had to reblog one of the first things that I ever wrote.
Digitally embarrassed
Which part of the digital divide do you fall on? A rhetorical question I know as you are reading this blog but are you digitally excluded or are you included? Are you a digital native, born with a keyboard or a touch screen at your fingertips, or are you an immigrant who has had to … Continue reading Digitally embarrassed
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 