There is not much uplifting entertainment in politics, a lot of interest, cut and thrust and intrigue perhaps, but not much entertainment. It has taken a special kind of perseverance to have sat through the comings and goings of the last few months. Every so often however, there is a bright spot in the otherwise … Continue reading Harmonic politics
Adjusting the volume
A trip to the garden centre is not normally a technical experience, there are more carbon based lifeforms to be found there than silicon ones. I guess you go there to get away from the hurly-burly and enjoy the peace and quiet that nature brings yet they are still places where technology can be applied. … Continue reading Adjusting the volume
The new hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphs are one of the most ancient forms of writing known. It wasn’t until 1822 that it was possible, thanks to French Egyptologist Jean Francois Champollion, to read them. He managed to start the process of translating them into our more modern form of writing. Of course the word hieroglyph is not an ancient egyptian … Continue reading The new hieroglyphics
Full house
A friend of mine decided not to go to Thinking Digital this year. Working in the public sector he did not want to go to his boss and ask for the money for an event which had Mr Bingo on the bill. Not that he had anything against Mr Bingo, I don’t think he had … Continue reading Full house
Getting on in life
A reunion meeting of old school friends was an opportunity for us to vent our spleens over some of the things that get us wound up these days. It seems that the older us men get the more we rant and rave over the most silly of things. I find myself shouting at the television … Continue reading Getting on in life
Marshmallow challenge
One of the ways we got the delegates to engage with each other at the Rural Cultural Business Innovation Programme, was through the Marshmallow Challenge. I love it. It makes me laugh every time I see it run. It is quite simple. Each group, it is essential that there several people in the group, has … Continue reading Marshmallow challenge
#130story
I know James, I got involved with his Tech Diary and bump into him from time to time at Campus North and the various events that go on around the region. I also picked up on his great idea, #130story, created back in the day when Twitter only had 140 characters. The idea is to … Continue reading #130story
A visit to Port of Blyth
Just before the end of the year I visited a couple of places that I had passed many times but had never been to. The first was the Nissan Factory, an iconic place for the region. Is it in Washington or Sunderland? It could well be in both as it is a sprawling mass of … Continue reading A visit to Port of Blyth
Three types of fun
There are three types of fun. I heard this on Countryfile (don’t judge me) but I did not catch the presenter’s name. Type 1 fun is something that is fun all the time, from start to finish, fun now and fun later. Type 2 fun however is something that doesn’t seem like fun at all … Continue reading Three types of fun
What can machines do better?
You would think it is an easy question. What can machines do better than people can? Most people could answer it though they had to draw breath first and repeat the question while they thought about it. I was at the excellent Northumbrian Water Group Innovation Festival at Gosforth Park Racecourse. I was only able … Continue reading What can machines do better?
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 