British Public Sector Innovation

In a coincidence that's too large to handle, today I am inspired to write about the ability of the British public sector to think outside the box and create new opportunities for economic development and technical innovation.

At a fringe event at TUC Congress, Louise Ellman MP's presence led to the telling of the story of Lancashire Enterprises, which was an astounding success at providing economic investment and job creation in Lancashire, despite opposition from the Conservative Government.

Then home today I read about this:

In the Seventies, British Rail actually patented a design for a flying saucer!

That's right - the same british spirit that created concorde, nuclear energy, the advanced passenger train also attempted interstellar travel. Love it!

SH

the UK's deadliest biscuit misses out Pretzels

You may laugh but research like this has real value.

After all the leader of the free world almost died due to a snack.

SH

Insights into Poverty

I've just been watching Hans Rosling presentation to TED about how data can give us insights into poverty. A refreshing view of how countries develop, and the priorities we must place within development.

Overheard/read this morning

Read in NewScientist this morning...

"In order to understand nose-picking......."

OK

"...it is important to differentiate between dried nasal mucus......"

yeah....

"and the stranded rhabditiform larvae of intestinal worms."

WHAT??!?!?!!!?!?!

Tories don't have enough support in the north

One of the papers yesterday had a story about the tory's concern that they still hadn't built up a level of support in the north without which they can't win. 

No shit. 

I think we can honestly say the conservatives have not exactly pursued many northern-friendly policies. The high-speed rail link (happening anyway) strikes me as about the only one.

In contrast the Tories have gleefully played to their power base about the closing down of the regional agenda and quangos if they win the next election.

I've oft repeated that the conservatives want to abolish RDAs for the wrong reasons. They say it's to save money but in truth RDAs only spend locally money that used to come from the centre. In other words, the closure of RDAs actually means goodbye to regeneration projects from town centres to local community projects, the country over. 

People aren't stupid. Public investment in our cities and towns has revolutionised the places we live and brought in private investment that never went their previously. The Tories want to return to a laissez-faire system that has kept poor northern areas starved of investment for decades.  

People aren't stupid. When the Tories say RDAs will go, northerners know they will be left to fend for themselves again. Like it wasn't hard enough last time. 

SH 

 

Protesters in Westminster

Walking along victoria, this group from the climate camp decided to climb up on the roof of what I assume is Eon's building to protest against new coal power stations. Personally I wish they'd climb on the roof of those who complain and stop wind farms going up but that's just my view.

The Best Standard Committee Report. EVER!

http://www.markpack.org.uk/the-best-standards-commitee-ruling-ever/

 

SH

My brain experiment

Today I visited John Moores University, where I had agreed to volunteer to o under a psychophysiology examination as part of a research study. I'd like to imply it was my particular brain they were interested in, but that's not true - I was wired up and had to carry out some tasks. Being a psychology test though they weren't just interested in how my brain works (but why it works???), but also how I would react to various stimuli....

Emma did psychology at the University of Manchester, and had told me about what they got up to there, so I half expected to be suddenly invaded by zombies (or students dressed up as them) or a priest come in and give me an ethical dilemma, or something to test me. I even began to wonder if the fact one of the electrodes wouldn't stay on me right ear lobe was part of the test...

In truth there was a bit of grooming in the tasks I did, but not too much. It was worth doing just because I had never done anything like that before.

(and yes, I am flashing a bit of my right moob in this picture.....;-)

SH

Mao's March - a lesson in American education

At great risk of copyright infringement, I had to quote this letter from the Economist:

 

"Texas's high school exam still flunks an appalling number of students despite efforts over the years to lower standards and make passing easier.  I took the test three years ago.  One page showed a map of the Long March in China, with a massive arrow indicating where Mao and his men moved through the countryside.  The accompanying question did not test students' knowledge of Chinese history, but asked, "which end of the arrow symbol marks the destination and which end of the arrow marks the beginning?"

 

Brian Reinhart, Houston.

I reject your offer!

Dear Hewitt and May,

 

You recently sent me an email, saying you had not heard from me after sending me a promotional email in the past, offering me shirts for £19.50

 

I have no objection to you carrying out a marketing exercise.  However, there is a basic element of the whole supply and demand equation missing.

 

You don't make shirts in my size.  That's why I will never buy anything from you.  In fact I am amazed how small the range of sizes actually is.  Is your company snobbish when it comes to larger people?

 

The irony is, that as much as I spend on nice shirts and clothes, I will continue to spend it in the likes of Debenhams rather than the more stylish range you supply.  Given your reliance on presenting your company as tailored fashion - I have to rely on a high-street chain.

 

Let's have a look at your offer - for £19.50 I would get £10 off next time and £40 of wine vouchers.  oh, and a shirt.  You apparently are competing with Jesus with what has to be, I admit, a much more impressive trick of turning cloth into wine.  Now that's a marketing exercise!

 

Yours hoping you would invest that money in making ranges that I might actually be able to buy,

 

Tris Brown