Me and trains. I do like them, I confess. I outed as a train spotter a long time ago. In truth it is the engines, the locomotives that I like, especially diesel. Perhaps that is too much information. My fascination spills over into my television viewing habits. I enjoyed ‘A slow train across Africa’ with … Continue reading Delivering the goods
A nod to the clouds
I suppose it's been quite a day. There was no fanfare nor a round of applause but sometimes the big things happen without any razzmatazz. They just happen. I'll start by saying that this was the best ever strategic ICT Group I have been a part of. Not that the bar for that is very high. … Continue reading A nod to the clouds
Hacking for our people
I like working with Waterstons. I would have said I love working with them but my father in law used to say you can only love people not things. May he rest in peace. He is still remembered. I could say I love working with the people of Waterstons. Vic would be happy with that. … Continue reading Hacking for our people
Socitm revisited
When Roy first asked me to get involved in Socitm I was a little less than enthusiastic. My attitude has changed however. After a slow start we have got something good going. The meetings go from strength to strength. There was a time when there was only the single representative from the twelve local authorities … Continue reading Socitm revisited
Describing the amorphous
Our processes support the definite. They struggle with the more amorphous. It is difficult to use our processes to conceptualise. This always catches me out. I am a person who likes to do his thinking in public. I like to come to meetings with half-baked ideas. I want to use the discussions to help shape … Continue reading Describing the amorphous
What do we do?
Not many people know what we do as the local authority. I had known this already through conversations I have but it became very obvious during my guest lecture at Newcastle University. The students found it very difficult to describe the services that they used in the city. I find this quite surprising as in … Continue reading What do we do?
Far from Home Counties
I can’t remember the last time I ever was in Gerrards Cross. To be honest I am not sure I have ever been there but I used to live in Oxford which is not more than a stone’s throw away and so I would be surprised if I hadn’t. Anyway, it didn’t ring a bell … Continue reading Far from Home Counties
People’s differences and evolution
Can everything be explained by evolution? It is a subject that has fascinated me ever since my formative years as a young and fresh faced zoology undergraduate. Not that my degree has ever really been put into practice but it is something I think about a lot. Evolution is something that is widely appreciated yet, … Continue reading People’s differences and evolution
Fixed term
I have now been Chair of the North East ICT Managers group, or Partnership as it is really called, for over four years. How time flies’ when you are enjoying yourself. A part of me feels like it is longer. It was our annual general meeting this week and I was, once again, elected for … Continue reading Fixed term
Gold event
How difficult are simulations? Very! They never seem to really reflect reality but then I don’t think that is the point. I know this now having been involved in a cyber-simulation predicated on a sustained and organised attack on the ICT systems of a number of the Local Resilience Forum partners. It was held at the … Continue reading Gold event
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 