There is the potential for a long post here, but for the moment, I’ll stick to “Innovation grants”. A small client worked for weeks, hiring consultants, to obtain an innovation grant for part of one R&D effort. They won a grant, and then spent the duration of the project accounting […]
Read MorePolitics
Modern liberal conservatism
Sir Ian, your time is up
Brian Paddick: good man or opportunist? Accountability? You can petition for Sir Ian Blair’s removal here.
Read MoreThe Lisbon Treaty
Open Europe have provided a comparison of the Lisbon Treaty and the EU Constitution here. It circumvents the fact that the original Treaty is in French and only shows the modifications to the two founding Treaties. There is also a guide. In short, David Cameron’s response to the Treaty holds […]
Read MoreUnder attack? Open M&S early
This article by The New Statesman reminds us that, when Labour came to power, the maximum period of detention without charge was 48 hours, with the Home Secretary able to grant exceptional extensions to 5 days. They also remind us that Mrs Thatcher’s response to the Brighton bombing was not […]
Read MoreU-turns
London drivers: why not look and signal before U-turning out of queues? Imagine the advantages.
Read MoreBikes, Bikes, Bikes
Friday: KTM went for a water pump and they loaned me a 690. Saturday: K1200S in for a service, so Mark Goodhand and I borrowed an F800S and R1200S respectively. Superb ride for two hours in the Cotswolds, stopping in Burford. Autmn has its merits, even if those don’t include […]
Read MorePerformance indicators
This morning, I found myself reflecting once more on the use of military language in corporations. All day, I hear about strategy, tactics and operations. We “attack” things, usually costs or inefficiencies. And now software is to be a “weapon”. The duty manager has a “second in command”. I wonder […]
Read MorePost-accident genius
I found a set of traffic lights in High Wycombe twisted through about 60 degrees. Thankfully, I realised in time that I was pulling into eager crossing traffic.
Read MoreLondon in the Summer holidays
So, there’s less traffic, which is nice, but the traffic that is left is taking the opportunity to put the boot in. This is making London more exciting than is strictly necessary.
Read MoreWhy people loathe new housing developments
This week’s Economist includes an article discussing the tension between people wanting to live in large houses with gardens, agreeing that more should be built, and people’s desire that these should be built far away. The housing at what was Royal Air Force Wroughton illustrates this tension and the unpleasant […]
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