Monthly Archives: March 2012

Mind Tech unConference – 30 March 2012

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

Summary Some thoughts from today’s gathering It was quite timely on a personal level to have found out about this gathering via Beatrice Bray’s comment in response to On anxiety overload. Over the past week or so I took a … Continue reading →

Posted in Business economics and finance, Data, science and statistics, Mental health, Public administration & policy | 5 Comments

Civil Service Accountability: Who Guards the Guardians? – A response

Posted on March 28, 2012 by

Summary A response to Professor Colin Talbot’s blogpost on civil service accountability  Some of you will be familiar with my previous posts on this issue – Accountability from November 2011, The Civil Service vs The Public Accounts Committee from February 2012 … Continue reading →

Posted in Public administration & policy | Leave a comment

UK digital telly

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

Summary Looking at one model of market reform within the digital TV broadcasting market. Some of you may have seen the Panorama report that contained allegations about hacking of the now defunct “ONDigital” platform. It makes this column in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business economics and finance, Sport | Leave a comment

Lobbygate returns

Posted on March 25, 2012 by

Summary Who’s going to shine a light on what lobbyists do? Twitter had a field day when the Cash for Cameron storm broke last night. It would almost be funny if it were not so serious. SturdyAlex’s blogpost “The C-word” … Continue reading →

Posted in Party politics | Leave a comment

Minimum alcohol pricing

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

Summary  Is minimum alcohol pricing a magic arrow to binge drinking or is there more to it? A blogpost with more questions than answers. “I like drinks, not drunks” is my general attitude towards alcohol. As with many teenagers I … Continue reading →

Posted in Public administration & policy | 2 Comments

The unintended consequences of adult education policy

Posted on March 23, 2012 by

Summary Why adult education should be invested in, not cut. Some of you may be aware that I’m doing an introductory engineering course with the Open University. After the exam this June my relationship with the institution will probably end. … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, training and exams, Employment and job hunting | 1 Comment

A digital bill of rights?

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

I picked this one up from @KerryAtDell (who I met in 2011 at a social media conference) who tweeted a link to a blogpost at “Our Digital Rights” on a possible digital bill of rights from across the pond. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Social media | Leave a comment

For whom the road tolls

Posted on March 20, 2012 by

Summary On Cameron’s proposals for privatising roads The first time I came across road tolls was on a visit to France with my late aunt & uncle. My uncle explained that the advantage of tolls was that all users paid … Continue reading →

Posted in Business economics and finance, Party politics, Public administration & policy | 1 Comment

Short post: On healthcare professionals’ threat to stand in next election

Posted on March 18, 2012 by

Some of you will have seen the letter in The Independent on Sunday alongside the associated headline article where Dr Clive Peedell and colleagues have said they’ll target Coalition MPs in the next general election. This is a short blogpost covering some … Continue reading →

Posted in Party politics | 2 Comments

On anxiety overload

Posted on March 18, 2012 by

Summary Me vs anxiety overload, with some thoughts at the end on wider public health delivery considerations for treating mental health. It’s been about a week since I last took my last dose of medication for this cursed anxiety disorder, … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health | 4 Comments