tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75024822216665784712024-03-14T10:03:45.745+00:00I couldn't possibly commentPersonal stuff by William Perrin that doesn't fit with his other sitesWilliam Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-12046560453293630762022-12-09T10:27:00.007+00:002022-12-09T18:15:43.935+00:00 Options for internet connectivity during a widespread power cut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Z4tXCanupxYFoak_rZ-3uNh7BFA7HKJpix7oF9g9_m4SnU8TPKEYFYcs1wwRMyWOlr0ND7Y-R17fhEQ8MHSMYQb59vxAlK86EnXuaIr_GTt9IeopGy1xsevzW0Bs-ul9nSvoj0p0seJG5pTml0TnMIrjGylav8y5ggcnSRDoih4JkPBsG8JWvjM9og/s320/IMG_0715.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Z4tXCanupxYFoak_rZ-3uNh7BFA7HKJpix7oF9g9_m4SnU8TPKEYFYcs1wwRMyWOlr0ND7Y-R17fhEQ8MHSMYQb59vxAlK86EnXuaIr_GTt9IeopGy1xsevzW0Bs-ul9nSvoj0p0seJG5pTml0TnMIrjGylav8y5ggcnSRDoih4JkPBsG8JWvjM9og/s1600/IMG_0715.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">I notice some people have to stay online during a power cut. You may be a communications professional, have some other business or family need or just be an addict. When there is an area based, demand-management power cut (see my <a href="http://wperrin.blogspot.com/2022/11/planning-for-winter-power-cuts.html">previous article on this</a>) mobile internet seems to be the only option as landline or fibre-broadband-types all need mains power. But some mobile masts won't work </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">as not all masts are required to have back up power. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">To maximise your chances of staying online during a blackout you need a device that can pick up a mobile signal from a mast further away and a way to power it. Your mobile phone might well work, but running a mobile as say a family hotspot drains the battery fast.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Three options occur to me from my long experience of rural broadband and living somewhere with a flakey power supply. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The first is a portable MiFi-type device - a pocket sized mobile router usually sold by a mobile company but there are loads on Amazon for which you provide your own Sim. These devices create a small mobile WiFi hotspot. The downside is a relatively small antenna (though perhaps bigger than a phone) which isn't amazingly sensitive to weak signals but the upside is that they are designed to be charged from a regular USB outlet so you can keep them running from a small portable power bank.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">If you are wondering what Sim to buy - my hunch (and it is only that) is that in the UK the ee network should stay up the best as they provide comms to the emergency service using their 4G system so you would hope they have back up power supplies to their masts.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"> </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A second, more powerful (and expensive) option is to use a regular type of router that has a 4G modem built in and plug that into a larger power bank (picture or your car's cigarette lighter). They only need maybe 18W so you should get many hours of power. My preferred 4G Router is in the excellent TP-Link Archer range, which has <a href="https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/3g-4g-router/tl-mr6400/">several models</a> that take a 4G sim. It looks like a regular router but you just stick a SIM in it, the router then logs on to 4G/3G and creates a wireless hotspot. The bunny ear 4G antennas are much larger than those in your phone and should pick up signals from masts further away if the one near you isn't running (this has been my experience in use). You can plug the router into a larger power banks’ 3-pin socket. In the pic above I am getting wifi with 25Mb/s up and down with a 40ms ping - perfectly usable in an emergency. You can make an Archer Router even better at picking up distant 4G signals with a simple external <a href="https://www.3grouterstore.co.uk/product/poynting-xpol-1-5g-omni-2x2-mimo-4g-5g-antenna/#SID=1352">antenna like this</a>. You just unscrew the bunny ears and screw the antenna leads on, then stick the antenna out of an upstairs window, you don't really need to attache the antenna to anything for infrequent use. This antenna would often add a couple of bars to the signal and even work well indoors.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There is another power supply option for some 4G routers - the models I use in the Archer range require a 12V power supply, the same voltage output by the cigarette lighter in your car. Larger power banks tend to have this sort of 12v socket. With the right adapter lead you could plug straight into that, freeing the 3-pin socket for something else - this is what I am doing with the power bank in the pic above as the power bank has a 12V socket for camping and in car gadgets. It is also more power-efficient to plug it into 12v as you skip the need for a second transformer. You need a lead though, which the manufacturer often doesn't supply. To find a 12V car plug lead for a 12V 4G router <a href="https://www.acadaptorsrus.co.uk/car-chargers/12v/">go here</a> and find one with the same plug tip dimensions as your router requires and that can manage the current. To find the plug tip size for your device first try searching for a replacement regular power supply for the router model number - the after market power supplies usually include the size of the plug tip in their specifications.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A third internet option for some is to check if your car has wifi built in - modern models often do, though it can be a pain to set up and you might need to buy a SIM to fit in the car. Then you can drive around hunting out a signal while trying to avoid comparisons to the (profane, controversial) South Park Over Logging episode. </p>William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-71279932185079547882022-11-04T18:15:00.007+00:002022-12-09T10:29:19.376+00:00 Planning for winter power cuts – absolutely not candles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_-Jlz3Nv-i2Cu_SOe8qLm1ms145HmPHCs-uhRxFVP_RdmTQZxCopWPWDsnkl1NkpPchCku7EimCO5EjKOn2bnwn4eAgs2ZLj_wgG0pha1AWhNgnhg7zNeGK1HYhrp-H7phEgGCnJmdw-4TidrTTYpFKz5Rtjwxkv40-_AqX4ILWhLIPrpP0tuOw8bw/s1152/Power_Lines.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1152" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_-Jlz3Nv-i2Cu_SOe8qLm1ms145HmPHCs-uhRxFVP_RdmTQZxCopWPWDsnkl1NkpPchCku7EimCO5EjKOn2bnwn4eAgs2ZLj_wgG0pha1AWhNgnhg7zNeGK1HYhrp-H7phEgGCnJmdw-4TidrTTYpFKz5Rtjwxkv40-_AqX4ILWhLIPrpP0tuOw8bw/s320/Power_Lines.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘The National Grid is planning for power cuts of 3-4 hours on winter days when there is a shortage of gas’ (</span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63155827" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BBC</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.nationalgrideso.com/news/eso-takes-cautious-action-ahead-winter-ensure-security-electricity-supply" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> National Grid Scenarios</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) . I grew up on a farm with frequent power cuts and now live somewhere with a ropey power supply (8 cuts in a week was our record). The National Grid are keen to stress that domestic power cuts are </span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63458441" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very much last resort stuff</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but many friends have asked what they can do to prepare. I am struck that many have never experienced prolonged or repeated power cuts. Here’s some basic tips, trying to keep the cost down - you are responsible of course for deciding how you might act safely on the following:</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-13078e27-7fff-dbe8-33e5-13057e248400"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lighting</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy electric battery powered camping lanterns that can light a room. Amazon has many – I have tested a few. As you are not camping with them you don’t need the most robust nor in fact the highest quality of LED light. Lighting a room with a lantern works better than handheld torches, especially with a family. </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09QKNZQMS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This one is good</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at about £8 even comes with batteries, light is a bit hard edged but lots of it. At </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08ZCWJX7H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">£15 this was good</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - thumps out lots of light. This more expensive </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HW4H59N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">solar charging lantern</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (£28) is good with a nice soft light and it collapses for easy storage (but it has a lithium battery in it which is not v environmentally friendly). Think about how you will use the lantern - if your kids will only sleep with a night light, then you need a soft light lantern (</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08PKN6NXG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this one is cute</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> £19) - not something too bright. If money is no object, track down a Sofirn LT1 lantern (£80 plus). An alternative is a head torch the </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Petzl-Unisexs-Tikkina-Headlamp-Blue/dp/B07T1FDP7Y/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1BD1L2YBFI740&keywords=petzl%2Bhead%2Btorch&qid=1667576512&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjkzIiwicXNhIjoiNC44MyIsInFzcCI6IjQuNTkifQ%3D%3D&s=sports&sprefix=petzl%2Bhead%2Btorch%2Csports%2C51&sr=1-6&th=1&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">basic Petzls</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are good - these seem better if there are just one or two of you. Small LED </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1933622709/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reading lights</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are v useful. Don't forget to have plenty of batteries – rechargeable are best for the environment and cheaper in the long run </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-eneloop-min-1900-mAh-2100-Charging-Discharge/dp/B06Y6DGM86/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=panasonic+eneloop&qid=1667576717&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjgzIiwicXNhIjoiNC4yNCIsInFzcCI6IjQuMDIifQ%3D%3D&sr=8-3" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eneloop</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/EBL-Rechargeable-Batteries-2800mAh-1100mAh-white/dp/B06ZZHT4K2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1XEARYSU4TRKT&keywords=ebl&qid=1667576761&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1LjU5IiwicXNhIjoiNC44MSIsInFzcCI6IjQuNDkifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=ebl%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-3" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">EBL</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are the go-to brands (not Duracell – they are rubbish). Removable rechargeable batteries are much more flexible than having a rechargeable appliance - you can just swap dead batteries out for freshly charged ones rather than waiting for the whole appliance to recharge.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t buy candles or oil lamps (you will have a friend who bangs on about them). I grew up with flammable light sources and they don’t give out much light, are a pain to use and a fire hazard.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heating</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the electricity goes off, your gas boiler will stop working. So invest in basic fleece blankets or down-like coats and some leggings. You will be stationary indoors so hiking goretex etc is of less use as you won’t be generating much body heat nor in the wind. Sleeping bags are great on the sofa. If you want to have a fire and have never done so before do get your chimney checked out in advance as older chimneys in older houses can have gas leaks which could kill people on upper floors. Only burn seasoned wood, check your local byelaws fires are illegal in many cities.. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In some apartment buildings you might lose water pressure as the electric pump in the ground floor will be off. Have some bottled water around. Mains water should be ok in regular houses though many these days have shower pumps etc. Very modern buildings can have a lot of water pumping equipment which needs power. If you have a gas combi boiler with no storage tank you won’t have hot water while the power is off. If you have pumped sewerage (say a pumped toilet in a basement or a basement tank that pumps up to the sewer or a home sewage plant) that might have problems. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[I have edited this following <a href="https://twitter.com/Katrinkapen/status/1588821101966413826?s=20&t=Q73ZXC6PgnwBGZF1qA8qww">feedback on Twitter</a>] When the electricity goes off some modern gas cookers will stop working (they need power for the safety circuits to allow the gas through). However, some gas cookers will work if lit manually using a match or lighter. If you feel competent to do it safely you could test yours by unplugging the cooker from the electricity or (if the plug is inaccessible round the back of cooker) turning off the kitchen circuit at the fusebox. Then see if gas will flow to the hob without electric power and light it using a match. If that works keep some matches or a manual lighter in the kitchen. If blackouts are planned pre-cook and keep food warm in a food thermos (loads on Amazon £20-30).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are of course plenty of no-heating-required meal options. But if you need to cook hot food (say for kids) then get a basic camper </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Camping-Compliant-Automatic-Ignition/dp/B09FFLVYLJ/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=camper+gas+stove&qid=1667573026&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjM0IiwicXNhIjoiMi45OCIsInFzcCI6IjEuNDYifQ%3D%3D&sr=8-7" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">van gas stove</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and a couple of refills. This sort of cooker is stable and works well with domestic sized pans. The tiny camping stove made of titanium your nerdy mountaineering friend lusts over is less stable with a large domestic pan. Any indoor gas cooker will need ventilation for safety so open a window while using (though if it is freezing you will lose heat).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look for food that only needs a little heat to cook – cous cous, soy-mix type things are your best friend as your only need boiling water to start and residual heat to cook it. You don’t have to boil it for ten minutes. Look for any ‘just add water’ camping food – buying it pre-prepared </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/TentMeals-Camping-Expedition-Food-Moroccan/dp/B07H9B4MTJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=7AUPTP0MGR6H&keywords=couscous+camping&qid=1667573140&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=cous+cous+camping%2Caps%2C54&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is a little pricey</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but it can easily be imitated with bulk ingredients. Insulate the pan with a lid while boiling water and heating (makes a huge difference) and insulate the pan with a towel when it is safely off the heat for cous cous etc. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course if you are planning food for kids If they didn’t like cous cous before, they’re not going to start now. Handy staples which don’t need heating include: </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tinned tuna, salmon etc</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sweetcorn </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mayonnaise (before opening - will need refrigerating afterwards)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Favourite spread (nutella, peanut butter etc)</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You could try a BBQ but outdoors – the fumes are deadly indoors. Worth checking if a covid-era gazebo in the shed can be dragged out and used safely over the BBQ if it’s raining. If you plan to BBQ clean it now and buy fuel now (there is a shortage of the cylinders propane gas comes in - it’s hard to buy a new cylinder).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your freezer should be ok for 4 hours, just don’t open it. A fridge might have more trouble. If it is cold weather get a plastic storage box with a clip on lid (to keep rats, foxes out) and store some perishables like milk you might need in that outdoors out of the sun.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Communications</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It isn’t clear how well the mobile networks will work under a general power cut. They are not obliged to have battery backup. Plan for them to fail, but they might work – </span><a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/problems/landlines-and-power-cuts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OFCOM advice here</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I have written a <a href="http://wperrin.blogspot.com/2022/12/options-for-internet-connectivity.html">separate blog post on internet options</a> during a large power cut. My unsubstantiated hunch is that phones on the ee network in the UK might work best as they have to provide a service to the emergency services and their masts might have more back up power. Land lines (if you still have one) are backed up for a few hours with batteries at the exchange. If you do have one check it still works was you might not have spotted a fault as you don't use it. Make sure you tell friends and family your land line number for these occasions. Of course a wireless-walk around land line phone won’t work as the base station needs power. So go full retro with a plug in handset. If you rely on IP or WiFi Calling for your mobile at home because the reception is bad this won’t work either (below).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-PowerCore-Technology-High-Capacity-Compatible-Black/dp/B07S829LBX?ref_=ast_sto_dp" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">phone battery bank</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is good for your mobile-tablet just in case the 3G 4G etc keeps working. The Anker brand is very good for this sort of thing. As you will be at home a chunky one which stores more power is a better option than a small one you drop in your bag to top up on the move.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home internet via a fibre or phone line will likely die because your router needs power in the house. I don’t think phone line-based internet is obliged to have back ups power during power cuts even if you have a UPS to plug the router into. But you never know. Your TV etc will also stop working of course.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The BBC is </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">planning to use FM radio</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> during power cuts – look out a simple set from the attic or buy a cheap one that runs on batteries.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make sure your laptop is charged in advance or use a suitable power bank. Your kids might need laptops for homework etc. Crucially, download any favourite tv shows or games onto tablets. During our power cuts the kids coped with everything except the absence of TV.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your handheld gaming console might not work if it can’t get online to verify things or play, though they vary. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously you won't be able to charge an electric car. Take care that if the power goes off when it is plugged in you are able still to remove the power lead from the car's charging port. Otherwise you could be marooned with a car attached to a dead post. One or two car models have a camping or external power mode where they can supply 12v power for picnic or caravan electric gadgets - check your manual</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Security</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your burglar alarm may go haywire when the power drops. Or later if its battery runs out. Having the sirens going off on batteries just adds to the stress. Make sure you have the instructions for how to deal with it and the pin code if needed. And the number of any monitoring firm. If you have bought gas or petrol fuel (see below) make sure this is stored and handled safely. If you have a fancy Ring doorbell or intercom it won’t work so think about door security. Communal remote unlocked doors (in a block say) will depend on how they are set up - sometimes they have a battery back up for safety.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have medical devices and refrigeration for meds needs then let your power distributer know (not your supplier who you pay bills to, it’s a different company use </span><a href="https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this link</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to find out which company and write it down) and they can put you on a Priority Services list and offer some help and advice. Do this well in advance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Power options</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some will go for a temporary generator – </span><a href="https://www.generators-direct.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwp6GzdyU-wIVWoFQBh2dpQNZEAAYAiAAEgJWjvD_BwE" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">small petrol driven ones</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> range from a few £hundred. This must be outside – so you will need an extension lead to get to your fridge or whatever you need to keep powered. Buy also a </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dri-Box-FL-1859-330-Weatherproof-Black-Large/dp/B003O2X6T8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2SGHS1TMBXOS0&keywords=dry+box&qid=1667572341&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0Ljg1IiwicXNhIjoiMy45MyIsInFzcCI6IjMuMTQifQ%3D%3D&s=diy&sprefix=dry+box%2Cdiy%2C71&sr=1-3" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dry box</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for safety when plugging extension leads in outdoors. Make sure you have enough fuel and the fuel is stored safely and get a funnel for pouring without spills. Go for a brand you have heard of Honda, Hyundai, Generac, Pramac, Briggs and Stratton etc be slightly wary of ultra cheap generic ones as safety is important. Your neighbour might get annoyed by the noise. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home </span><a href="https://www.generators-direct.co.uk/product-category/standby-generators/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘standby’ generators</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are common in some parts of the world come in all shapes and sizes, even running off mains gas. But are beyond my scope here – they need professional design and install and are expensive.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is always a </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Adjustable-Compatible-Powerhouse-Separately/dp/B09V7HX61T?ref_=ast_sto_dp" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">solar panel</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or two to charge things, but power cuts are forecast in the darkest parts of the year so at our latitudes I’d be surprised if it could add anything during a power cut (as opposed to charging things slowly after a cut).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Portable-Station-Generator-Outdoor/dp/B09Q5DJV71?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">battery banks</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (often called power banks or portable power stations) come with 3-pin UK plugs. These are pricey and you need to think carefully about what you are plugging in as to how fast it will run down and its ability to output power safely – eg they won’t provide enough current to run a fan heater. Find an electrically minded friend to help you with the maths of power storage, discharge rates v usage. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For your IT use a laptop. All laptops are resilient to power changes. For desktops an u</span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004SO5FWM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">n-interruptible Power Supply</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can give you a little leeway and time to shut your machine down safely if there are power fluctuations or unexpected outages. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the power comes back</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The national grid talks about 3 hour cuts and an ‘hour to reconnect’. On reconnection the voltage might vary a bit for a while - this can sometimes cause sensitive or high power things to trip.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reconnection can be a bit imprecise especially in rural areas but also in areas where switching everything off has caused something in the network to fail. After storm Eunice it took five days to get my rural location reconnected, we think because SSE forgot about us or we were a long way down a triage system. If the street next door has come on and you haven’t within 30 minutes this is when it is important to have the distribution company (not the one you pay your bills to - the people who maintain the physical lines) phone number so you can tell them (use </span><a href="https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this link</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to find out which company and write it down). Different companies have ways of tracking power outage, but they are very flakey even when the internet is working. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If your landline number is held by the electricity company then it can often use CLI to identify you without you having to talk to someone and then you have logged the issue. Report repeatedly as the company will be overwhelmed and their systems don’t work well under pressure (as independent investigations have found) The online reporting systems probably won’t be working as you can’t get online. The distribution company then sends a person out to fix it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Longer power cuts</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More of the above really – but if you, children or elderly relatives are getting dangerously cold then seek out local public heat facilities. Pay attention as we head into the power cut zone and plan ahead so you know where these are (as you won’t be able to use the internet with the power off). Check in with vulnerable neighbours. Your fridge contents will spoil after a while. Modern freezers will often have a series of beeps or flashing lights to tell you when the power comes back how much the temperature rose inside (check the manual) and you then make a judgement. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do let me know if you have something useful to add in the comments (which I pre-moderate).Do bear in mind that people have very different needs depending on location, number of people living together etc. Please don’t bother telling me that candles were good enough for you in the 1970s. Also for those who have commendably installed their own power systems using solar good for you, but this isn’t the place to gloat. If you have non- Amazon links to the products above do let me know and I shall substitute when I have a minute.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /></span>William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-4303801713997492802020-03-04T18:31:00.001+00:002020-03-12T10:28:34.569+00:00Making video conferencing work better from a home office<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi538NwgaHGioNQfiOFngr2Fzgl8Zxslt6qdoobJpAoIRaJkhc-U4cznbAdz9-c-MkKO6zhbTXDwzBTySgWwCTo-KtVXPy8xD3k1gwZghMTypzEVIXVQ1pACCfu2V2CsrCp3t2T1ZVXlADr/s1600/IMG_8154.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi538NwgaHGioNQfiOFngr2Fzgl8Zxslt6qdoobJpAoIRaJkhc-U4cznbAdz9-c-MkKO6zhbTXDwzBTySgWwCTo-KtVXPy8xD3k1gwZghMTypzEVIXVQ1pACCfu2V2CsrCp3t2T1ZVXlADr/s320/IMG_8154.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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By choice I do a lot of video conferencing. I moved to
a remote area and am on two international boards. I felt it was only polite to
people on the other end that I should be as visible and audible as possible. I have spent a lot of time tweaking my home office video conferencing setup using simple, good quality kit that can be bought easily.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">There's a lot of interest in getting video to work well as the COVID crisis consumes us so I thought I would share my experience. I have made some small updates since first publishing this post.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Set against the time and money cost of
travel in the UK the following upgrades were good value - not the cheapest, but reliable good quality work tools.
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<b>Improve the lighting</b> - this transforms the way your
camera works, avoiding any need to upgrade that. With decent light your face is visible and
you look human, rather than having a yellow cast from domestic lighting. A basic photographer's light
shining from behind or alongside the screen you are looking at will illuminate your face. The modern LED lights in the daylight frequency around 6500K are
cheap, last long and don’t give off lots of heat. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MT1A0F7">This light</a> costs £44.99 a <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003W3I4D2/">tripod costs</a> £19.99. For smaller desks and more portability try <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Photography-13-7-19-4-Background-Recording/dp/B07T9QT3TM/ref=pd_sbs_421_4/262-1230485-0187047?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07T9QT3TM&pd_rd_r=1fb7164d-e072-4520-b5a9-56f04f1e65d8&pd_rd_w=MIQPy&pd_rd_wg=scxEb&pf_rd_p=96cae456-8d7a-4bc1-91c7-9b20b4dfd7c9&pf_rd_r=F1CRBANZVB69SX3VXS6J&psc=1&refRID=F1CRBANZVB69SX3VXS6J">this tabletop </a>light at £25.99 Also don’t
sit with your back to a window, cameras can't cope with that and your face becomes invisible.</div>
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<b>Use a cable to connect your computer to your router instead of wifi</b>. In my experience domestic wifi isn't robust enough for video calling. Wiring to the router transforms the
stability of the call and makes your speech etc more responsive – i.e. it is
easier to get into gaps in the conversation and much more natural. Video usually
gets much clearer. You can just unplug the cable after the call and go back on wifi. Ethernet cables work up to 100m long which should cover UK
houses for home workers. This <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KVPBZAI/">50m cable</a> costs £9.99. Modern laptops usually need a USB-LAN adapter <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Portable-Ethernet-Supporting-Notebook-Black-USB-3-0/dp/B00NPJP33M/">like this one</a> and you just plug the other end of the cable into the router and turn wifi off on your laptop, which should then default to the cable. If you have a locked down corporate laptop ask work IT support and accept my sympathies. The vast majority of home routers require no tweaking to do this and their wifi for the rest of your house should continue just fine.</div>
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<b>Use a good headset that connects by USB</b>. This transforms
your speech clarity, volume and removes much background noise - by the simple fact that the mic is very close to your mouth and designed to pick up close speech. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> If you are standing (say to simulate a lecture or presentation) then, again headsets work best because the mic moves with you and stays close to your mouth. Position the mic just below your mouth to avoid heavy breathing sounds. </span>The best I have tried is the Jabra Evolve 40 – this also
has a long lead so you can move around a bit during a long call and a physical mute button. It’s a
lightweight set that you forget you are wearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ODRSHZ6">Jabra Evolve 40</a> costs £64.</div>
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<b>Persuade the meeting room end to get a modern speakerphone</b>
(and to hardwire their machine in). Then you can hear people from all around
the room as the speakerphone has special microphones designed for that and a good speaker to allow you to be heard. Laptop speakers and mics are not designed for 360 or even 180 degree coverage - just for someone sitting close up in front so are rubbish in meeting rooms. This <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00K2RQ94C/">Sennheiser 20 SP ML</a> is very good at
£116 and easily portable. The <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002IAO0GA">Clearone Chat 160</a> is brilliant,
but more expensive at around £300. Both of these just plug into a lap top USB port and appear as a speaker and mic in
conferencing apps, they require no fancy IT skills or support. I do a lot of
work with charities and often buy them a speakerphone.</div>
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<b>Improve your internet connection if you can.</b> Video calls work best
when there is very little lag – can you easily interject in natural small gaps in
the conversation or not? A meaure of your internet connections laggy-ness is your ‘ping speed’ (or RTT - round trip time) which usually shows up in a <a href="https://www.speedtest.net/">speed test</a>. Broadly speaking this is a measure of the time it takes to send something from your machine to 'the internet' and back. A ping below 20ms helps a lot with video. Hard wiring to your router should eliminate a lot of lag due to your wifi. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your ping is high – say >40ms when wired to the router, contact
your internet service provider. Other changes to your package are too complicated to go into
here (higher download speeds do not necessarily mean lower ping times) but move to fibre
if you can, which tends to be more stable. If you have a friend or relative into online gaming they will likely know all about ping speeds which make a big difference to games too.<br />
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<b>Get someone to help you with big group calls</b>. If you are talking to 15 or more people, essentially giving a lecture or presentation then get someone in the call with you to act as your helper so you can concentrate on your presenting. The helper/DJ/producer person should handle anything arising that isn't your presentation/talk and responses to questions. They should know how to turn off the mics of people who have the TV on in the background or are eating crisps, help people who haven't got the tech working (maybe by telephoning them in parallel) and juggle questions from participants in the text chat feature of your a conference service so you only get the ones you need. Allow five minutes at the start advertised as say a 'Technology Overture' to get everyone set up. Then you can start talking with fewer kit-based interruptions from the audience. </div>
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<b>Use a better video conference service</b>. I use <a href="https://zoom.us/">Zoom</a> daily, it is
excellent, you just turn it on and it works. It remains to be seen how well it works as the company grows and its network becomes loaded. Zoom is good because it doesn't require the other party to have an account, if you have one. I also like <a href="https://www.webex.com/">CiscoWebex</a> a more corporate product that I use with an Australian board and it is excellent –
eerily so given the distances. Skype does ok but the interface drives me mad. Google hangouts is great when it works, but always seems quite buggy.</div>
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Which of the above you might select depends on the problem you have really. If video conferencing works really badly for you in a home office - lagging, poor quality etc then first of all try using a cable back to the router, check the ping speed of your internet connection and switch to Zoom. But also check that the problem isn't with your video partner.</div>
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If it all works ok but the picture and sound make it all feel a bit of a trial and you wish the call would just end then improve the lighting, headphones and mic. The better the picture and sound, the longer I can endure a call.</div>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style>William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-37644684032865032562017-03-23T12:48:00.001+00:002017-03-23T12:53:11.557+00:00Chrissie Osborne RIP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our wonderful mother Chrissie finally lost her 23 year fight with cancer at the weekend peacefully and free of pain in her beloved Northampton General Hospital (18 March 2017). She was a strong, intense, funny, hilarious, kind, caring, passionate, fierce, outraged and outrageous person. Often all within the same breath.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everyone knew her as a different person, we her sons and sister knew all of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The stories are legion – volunteering at a hospice for ten years, at the hospital for 21, the first female judge in the Royal National Rose Society, the only farmer in Northamptonshire who routinely harvested in a bikini, being sent off from a school rugby match for abusing the referee (in the 1980s before it was fashionable), surfing down the stairs at 10 Downing Street, being crowned, for heavens sake Miss Sexy Voice of Northamptonshire by the local radio station, her brilliant Scottish Country dancing, exceptional rose growing, opening a supermarket, knitting clothing to keep the chickens warm, dogged support of Northampton Saints particularly Steven Myler, abseiling in her sixties for charity, her dedicated fly fishing, buying a herd of Belted Galloways on a whim and any number of outrageous exploits in shoots, pubs and clubs the length and breadth of the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mother would bring immense compassion and humour to any encounter, lighting up the room with a wonderful sense of the absurd and an instinctive empathy. So many people talk of the joy she brought to them. But she could also fight – she fought anything: her school, from which she was removed just before she was expelled (as she told it), the council for CPO-ing her first shop, the male hegemony that insisted she couldn’t and wouldn’t farm after our father’s tragic early death, on Women’s Hour the agrochemical industry that probably gave her cancer, the government who threatened her rural way of life, motorists on the A43, sometimes us and herself. As I go through her papers and the press cuttings tumble out, I can see remarkably that she won many of these battles in some way or other. I learned from her to be afraid of no one and will pass to my daughters evidence of their grandmother’s campaigns.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.24px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When she was given the terminal diagnosis by her consultant –the cancer had moved to her liver by then – she said that she had better have a gin and tonic. The doc was happy with alcohol, so she did and as she had stopped eating by that point she spent the last few days subsisting in hospital on lager, that she drank through a straw.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The three pictures here cover many bases – immensely beautiful at the marriage to my father, immensely kind receiving a 10 year volunteering award and immense fun, launching the ‘Mini Metro’ having driven it through a wall at the dealers then drinking champagne in the boot (mother, centre).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The world is a much poorer, quieter place without her. Oli and I lost our father tragically early, but we had double the mother.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">Chrissie Osborne formerly known as Chrissie Perrin and Christine Marriott's funeral will take place on Monday 3 April 2017 at St Botoloph's, Church Brampton with a reception afterwards. We would welcome all whose lives she touched to join us.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">William Perrin</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">Oliver Perrin</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">Vicki Marriott</span></span></div>
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William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-9774914596989144802016-07-05T10:53:00.002+01:002016-07-05T11:10:52.459+01:00Cycling in London's air<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was towards the end of the consultation for my long running chest problems that my GP pointed at my cycling helmet and asked 'Do you cycle much here in London?', 'Yes' I said, 'For about 20 years now.' 'Well' he replied 'Do you think there might be any connection between that and the asthma diagnosis we have just reached?'<br />
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I was pretty aghast - cycling has been part of my life for so long now, since a Bob Crow tube strike on the district line one summer started me riding in from Richmond - that it was almost out of set for me as a possible cause of illness. I suddenly felt a bit like a smoker sitting in the surgery complaining about their cough while taking a drag. My GP went on say that he couldn't establish a direct causal link but it was worth factoring in. I had acute asthma as a child, but grew out of it at puberty as one tends to do and it didn't manifest like this - a cough and subtly lower energy levels. I wore a mask when I started in the 1990 s (an early Respro I think) but like most people gave it up after a while.<br />
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So now I am on a Clenil brown inhaler and the difference is colossal. My benchmark daily ride on a 30kg Nihola with an increasingly heavy 3yo uphill for three miles is now maybe 30% easier than before, in a higher gear and not out of breath. This and other radically improved benchmark rides I can practically do in my sleep suggest the asthma has been around for many years. There is also a sudden return in energy, the lack of which I had put down to parental lack of sleep and age. Of course it could be the mild steroids in the inhaler but I am some way short of Lance Armstrong levels.<br />
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The joys of London air.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-62435533725233179012014-02-16T12:05:00.002+00:002014-02-16T12:05:57.846+00:00Can #floodhack help people work together to prevent future floods? (repost)<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Here’s an idea for today’s <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/flood-hack-appeal-tickets-8102754557" style="border: 0px; color: #0066ee; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#floodhack</a> that would help people organise to prevent future floods by lobbying the people whose actions have led to the flooding: create a web service that allows people in low lying, flood risk areas find and lobby the people on higher ground who need to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/12/flood-crisis-dredging-climate-change" style="border: 0px; color: #0066ee; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">change their land use patterns to stop water rushing into rivers and creating floods</a>. This is something that government data and modern web tools can easily achieve.</div>
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At the heart of flooding is a simple, powerful micro-economic problem: the people who are farming or building on upland areas in a rapidly-draining way causing a flood problem downstream don’t bear the economic costs of their actions. Indeed in many cases have no idea that they are part of the problem. Therefore there is no hope whatsoever of a ‘market’ solution unless this is somehow corrected – both information about what they are doing and internalising the costs to their production decision.</div>
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Here’s how it might work, ultra-simplistically. You enter your post code and are presented with a map of the drainage basin that might affect your flooding risk. The areas of the basin that have the wrong type of vegetation or ground use are coloured red. Areas that are controlled, built or in most cases farmed by one operator are singled out. You can then click to organise a group of people to meet up in that area or protest to the person/company or petition them or similar to change their land use practices. To help that person change you are given a play list of appropriate land use practices – eg plant trees instead of wheat, for instance and government support schemes to incentivise this. The service also records who is campaigning who to prevent overlap. And also networks together everyone who is campaigning in that drainage basin.</div>
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The aim is very much to allow people who are doing the wrong thing, even inadvertently, to meet with people this is affecting and start to feel the human impact of their actions. And then start to push them through behaviour change. Of course there are lots of holes in this, but the basic capability to answer the question ‘whose behaviour do we have to change to prevent flooding long term’ is invaluable however it is applied. Why not let a hack day loose on it instead of some turgid Rural Payment Agency/Environment Agency process)</div>
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What data sets would you need?</div>
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drainage basins (EA, Geological Survey and many hydrology academics)</div>
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rivers (not open as far as I know)</div>
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land ownership and leasing (land registry)</div>
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who farms which bit of land (Rural Payments Agency has this – different to who owns it)</div>
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agricultural incentive schemes (RPA again and related to people who farm which bit above)</div>
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house building and drainage rule sets/incentives (CLG – de-regulating planning and building regulations won’t help)</div>
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and you could plug in some simple organising tools like meetup or the pledgebank engine or any of the petitioning tools</div>
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Why would i suggest a tool like this? In order to tackle long term flooding problems major changes to land use will have to come about in the catchment areas that run-off too quickly due to house building or the ‘wrong’ sort of farming. The governance of Britain for hundreds of years has been dominated by land owners, particularly in the House of Lords. Governments historically have been poor at influencing landowners unless they pay them huge amounts of money in cumbersome and much mocked agricultural support schemes. In austerity times, there aren’t huge amounts of money and the current government is inimicable towards the CAP, with little negotiating credit in Europe. So i am pessimistic about this or any future government’s ability to drive affordable change up on the slippery slopes of drainage basins.</div>
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The government might crack this in the end, but the vested interest lobbies are horrible and the government’s tool set and indeed I dare say their own knowledge of who to act against, is weak.</div>
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So why not short circuit the government a bit and allow people who are at risk of flooding to organise themselves and campaign direct at the people whose practices are exacerbating the flooding?<br />
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(reposted from talkaboutlocal.org.uk which was having problems with it's mobile theme today)</div>
William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-41011057001885871582013-07-16T21:37:00.000+01:002013-07-16T21:37:17.721+01:00Keogh report and accountability - cut through the crap give citizens rights to enforce against the government in court<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
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Today’s <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/bruce-keogh-review/Documents/outcomes/keogh-review-final-report.pdf">Keogh report</a> into avoidable deaths and mis
management on a huge scale in the health system was awful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The partisan debate in the House was particularly
unedifying even by the low standards of Westminster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there’s something weirdly British about
the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The public seem almost
helpless in the face of institutional and political failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way the British system works citizens (more
correctly ‘subjects’) lack support from the third leg of the stool in an
advanced democracy – the courts, independent of the party system.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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We don’t seem to have rights in law to enforce against government
that let us down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this particular
case bureaucratic failure led to deaths – the most extreme form of institutional
failure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is notionally the
<a href="http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/a_to_c/corporate_manslaughter/">corporate manslaughter and corporate homicide act</a> 2007 that cuts through the
old concept of crown immunity, allowing NHS bodies to be prosecuted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for arcane legal reasons the act itself
doesn’t work – lawyers still struggle with identifying who was responsible
within a large organisation – they have only made <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/feb/22/corporate-homicide-neil-rose-cotswold">one case stick so far</a> against
a small business<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An effective CMCHA could be a powerful weapon cutting across
a lot of the crap talked about accountability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The CMCHA is usually seen alongside the much lampooned Health and Safety
legislation – and that too could be beefed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he reams of management legislation around public services
could also give a limited number of rights in law to the citizen/subject/customer to
enforce in the courts against the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most recently, the weakening of judicial review, itself never quite the fierce
beast it was talked up to be goes in the opposite direction.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
A group of us in London's Kings Cross have sought action against TfL for <a href="http://kingscrossenvironment.com/2012/01/16/tflcorporatemanslaughter/">failing to act in a timely or effective fashion</a> when in receipt of warnings about a dangerous junction, at which a person later died. We have gone down the corporate manslaughter route, but people keep telling us that we are wasting our time.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s a challenge here for all parties as they think about
their 2015 manifestos – are they serious about standing up for citizens? Then
give people the rights one should expect in an advanced democracy and
allow them to seek redress through the courts when public bodies or
corporations kill people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-64878551924273005042013-05-20T14:46:00.000+01:002013-05-20T15:58:33.031+01:00The Fulton Report 1968 Cmnd. 3638 'The Civil Service' full copy of main reportThe Fulton Report is often referred to as the seminal report into the civil service, even over 40 years on. Yet it is hard to find a copy online. While a civil servant myself I asked a favour of a colleague at the National Archives and they scanned a copy in for me.You can find that copy of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1uJ52A5kUjwNnJ4RnRrR2QwOEU/edit?usp=sharing">Fulton Report 1968 into the Civil Service here as a PDF graphic.</a> <br />
<br />
The report is <a href="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/">Crown Copyright</a> under the Open Government Licence which is essentially a permissive licence you can do anything you want with. It's an optical scan of reasonable if not the highest quality - if someone could try and OCR it to provide a free text search that would be great - let me know if you do it and I can link from here. <br />
<br />
UPDATE - rather wonderfully <a href="http://da.vebrig.gs/">@davebriggs</a> has OCRed the report so we can now offer a searchable version of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ANxPtL_7QUg4-adwzU28uAVOVReR_VCpM7ea8ukt9ug/edit?usp=sharing">Fulton Report into the Civil Service 1968.</a> Subject to the usual E&OE of OCR.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-6824475998167797262012-05-23T07:48:00.001+01:002012-05-23T07:48:15.558+01:00TV remote controls - a salutary lesson in the need to adopt open standardsToday we learn of the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18164200">death of Eugen Polley</a> inventor of the TV remote control. Remotes are integral to modern TV watching and the production of hundreds of millions, probably billions of them is an indicator of success. But these huge numbers conceal an equally huge missed opportunity to deliver better products for people through co-operation and open standards.<br />
<br />
The reality is that most TV remotes are awful things, lacking in ergonomics and designed at the fag end of the production process. To manage all the audio visual devices around the TV most people have to have several remotes all of which use different symbols and have dozens of unused buttons. It's hugely wasteful and detracts from the experience of using the wonderful technologies that the remotes control. Eugen Polley's wonderful idea has mutated like an alien swarm and taken over our couches and living rooms across the world because the manufacturers didn't co-operate and agree basic open standards and principles on how remotes work. This compatibility problem often exists within a manufacturers own product ranges.<br />
<br />
The aftermarket (what you can buy once you have bought your TV set) for TV and audio visual remotes is dominated by poor universal remotes that heroically attempt to back-fill the gulf created by the lack of compatibility. I've had many of these universal remotes over the years, they require hours of persistence to get working across all your devices. This isn't usually the fault of the universal remote manufacturers, more that they have to work with a baffling array of commands and quirks across devices. Patenting, fierce IP protection, competition and an inate unwillingness to co-operate have led to to this awful mess in which the consumer loses out.<br />
<br />
I love TV technology and enthusiastically adopt the latest kit. Imagine an aftermarket of remotes where you can buy functional, beautiful even remotes that just work out of the box. You only need one to manage all the stuff in your living room and when you buy something new it works with that too. Where remote manufacturers can invest in the aesthetics and customisation of the device itself, rather than in maintaining a huge database of commands that has to be updated from the Internet. This could once have been made possible by the agreement and adoption of open standards for how TV remotes work. Now it's probably so late that this can't be done.<br />
<br />
Elsewhere in the internet world the open standards community often has trouble getting across to regular folk and policy makers why open standards are important. Remote controls are a salutary lesson on the mess that can emerge if you put competing standards ahead of co-operation.<br />
<br />
Polite, on topic comments welcome.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com4Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A, UK51.5155805 -0.11612951.51311 -0.12106449999999999 51.518051 -0.1111935tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-66264532863188933922011-11-23T14:24:00.001+00:002011-11-23T14:33:32.360+00:00Early railway humour - Charles Dickens on railway buffetsI find myself on trains a fair bit, often travelling through Rugby. It never ceases to amaze me what a poor job the people who run stations do with franchising their refreshemnts. A captive audience, often plenty of space on the inter city platforms and cavernous Victorian buildings yet the ubqiuitous Pumpkin chain never fails to depress, the one at Stoke-on-Trent stands out as an especially sad welcome to that glorious city. It's not just Pumpkin though they are almost all bad. There are some lovely exceptions where independents get in (at Bath Spa for instance), but they are a vanishing minority.<br />
<br />
Charles Dickens wrote some savage short stories about his experiences at Rugby Junction station, thinly disguised as 'Mugby'. Rugby in his day was a byword for chaos in changing trains. Dickens apparently had a bad experience in the refreshment room at the station 'it never yet refreshed a mortal being' and took pitiless revenge in the the razor sharp story 'The Boy At Mugby' an in character piece by the boy servant in the rooms.<br />
<br />
This piece is as relevant today as it was over one hundred years ago. It seems to be the origin of all British railway sandwich humour. Next time you are stuck with the Pumpkin as your only source of sustenance on a cold night, read this, extracted from <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1419/1419-h/1419-h.htm">Project Gutenberg</a> and weep at he state of progress:<br />
<br />
<br />
CHAPTER III—THE BOY AT MUGBY<br /><br />I am the boy at Mugby. That’s about what I am.<br /><br />You don’t know what I mean? What a pity! But I think you do. I think you must. Look here. I am the boy at what is called The Refreshment Room at Mugby Junction, and what’s proudest boast is, that it never yet refreshed a mortal being.<br /><br />Up in a corner of the Down Refreshment Room at Mugby Junction, in the height of twenty-seven cross draughts (I’ve often counted ’em while they brush the First-Class hair twenty-seven ways), behind the bottles, among the glasses, bounded on the nor’west by the beer, stood pretty far to the right of a metallic object that’s at times the tea-urn and at times the soup-tureen, according to the nature of the last twang imparted to its contents which are the same groundwork, fended off from the traveller by a barrier of stale sponge-cakes erected atop of the counter, and lastly exposed sideways to the glare of Our Missis’s eye—you ask a Boy so sitiwated, next time you stop in a hurry at Mugby, for anything to drink; you take particular notice that he’ll try to seem not to hear you, that he’ll appear in a absent manner to survey the Line through a transparent medium composed of your head and body, and that he won’t serve you as long as you can possibly bear it. That’s me.<br /><br />What a lark it is! We are the Model Establishment, we are, at Mugby. Other Refreshment Rooms send their imperfect young ladies up to be finished off by our Missis. For some of the young ladies, when they’re new to the business, come into it mild! Ah! Our Missis, she soon takes that out of ’em. Why, I originally come into the business meek myself. But Our Missis, she soon took that out of me.<br /><br />What a delightful lark it is! I look upon us Refreshmenters as ockipying the only proudly independent footing on the Line. There’s Papers, for instance,—my honourable friend, if he will allow me to call him so,—him as belongs to Smith’s bookstall. Why, he no more dares to be up to our Refreshmenting games than he dares to jump a top of a locomotive with her steam at full pressure, and cut away upon her alone, driving himself, at limited-mail speed. Papers, he’d get his head punched at every compartment, first, second, and third, the whole length of a train, if he was to ventur to imitate my demeanour. It’s the same with the porters, the same with the guards, the same with the ticket clerks, the same the whole way up to the secretary, traffic-manager, or very chairman. There ain’t a one among ’em on the nobly independent footing we are. Did you ever catch one of them, when you wanted anything of him, making a system of surveying the Line through a transparent medium composed of your head and body? I should hope not.<br /><br />You should see our Bandolining Room at Mugby Junction. It’s led to by the door behind the counter, which you’ll notice usually stands ajar, and it’s the room where Our Missis and our young ladies Bandolines their hair. You should see ’em at it, betwixt trains, Bandolining away, as if they was anointing themselves for the combat. When you’re telegraphed, you should see their noses all a-going up with scorn, as if it was a part of the working of the same Cooke and Wheatstone electrical machinery. You should hear Our Missis give the word, “Here comes the Beast to be Fed!” and then you should see ’em indignantly skipping across the Line, from the Up to the Down, or Wicer Warsaw, and begin to pitch the stale pastry into the plates, and chuck the sawdust sangwiches under the glass covers, and get out the—ha, ha, ha!—the sherry,—O my eye, my eye!—for your Refreshment.<br /><br />It’s only in the Isle of the Brave and Land of the Free (by which, of course, I mean to say Britannia) that Refreshmenting is so effective, so ’olesome, so constitutional a check upon the public. There was a Foreigner, which having politely, with his hat off, beseeched our young ladies and Our Missis for “a leetel gloss host prarndee,” and having had the Line surveyed through him by all and no other acknowledgment, was a-proceeding at last to help himself, as seems to be the custom in his own country, when Our Missis, with her hair almost a-coming un-Bandolined with rage, and her eyes omitting sparks, flew at him, cotched the decanter out of his hand, and said, “Put it down! I won’t allow that!” The foreigner turned pale, stepped back with his arms stretched out in front of him, his hands clasped, and his shoulders riz, and exclaimed: “Ah! Is it possible, this! That these disdaineous females and this ferocious old woman are placed here by the administration, not only to empoison the voyagers, but to affront them! Great Heaven! How arrives it? The English people. Or is he then a slave? Or idiot?” Another time, a merry, wideawake American gent had tried the sawdust and spit it out, and had tried the Sherry and spit that out, and had tried in vain to sustain exhausted natur upon Butter-Scotch, and had been rather extra Bandolined and Line-surveyed through, when, as the bell was ringing and he paid Our Missis, he says, very loud and good-tempered: “I tell Yew what ’tis, ma’arm. I la’af. Theer! I la’af. I Dew. I oughter ha’ seen most things, for I hail from the Onlimited side of the Atlantic Ocean, and I haive travelled right slick over the Limited, head on through Jeerusalemm and the East, and likeways France and Italy, Europe Old World, and am now upon the track to the Chief Europian Village; but such an Institution as Yew, and Yewer young ladies, and Yewer fixin’s solid and liquid, afore the glorious Tarnal I never did see yet! And if I hain’t found the eighth wonder of monarchical Creation, in finding Yew and Yewer young ladies, and Yewer fixin’s solid and liquid, all as aforesaid, established in a country where the people air not absolute Loo-naticks, I am Extra Double Darned with a Nip and Frizzle to the innermostest grit! Wheerfur—Theer!—I la’af! I Dew, ma’arm. I la’af!” And so he went, stamping and shaking his sides, along the platform all the way to his own compartment.<br /><br />I think it was her standing up agin the Foreigner as giv’ Our Missis the idea of going over to France, and droring a comparison betwixt Refreshmenting as followed among the frog-eaters, and Refreshmenting as triumphant in the Isle of the Brave and Land of the Free (by which, of course, I mean to say agin, Britannia). Our young ladies, Miss Whiff, Miss Piff, and Mrs. Sniff, was unanimous opposed to her going; for, as they says to Our Missis one and all, it is well beknown to the hends of the herth as no other nation except Britain has a idea of anythink, but above all of business. Why then should you tire yourself to prove what is already proved? Our Missis, however (being a teazer at all pints) stood out grim obstinate, and got a return pass by Southeastern Tidal, to go right through, if such should be her dispositions, to Marseilles.<br /><br />Sniff is husband to Mrs. Sniff, and is a regular insignificant cove. He looks arter the sawdust department in a back room, and is sometimes, when we are very hard put to it, let behind the counter with a corkscrew; but never when it can be helped, his demeanour towards the public being disgusting servile. How Mrs. Sniff ever come so far to lower herself as to marry him, I don’t know; but I suppose he does, and I should think he wished he didn’t, for he leads a awful life. Mrs. Sniff couldn’t be much harder with him if he was public. Similarly, Miss Whiff and Miss Piff, taking the tone of Mrs. Sniff, they shoulder Sniff about when he is let in with a corkscrew, and they whisk things out of his hands when in his servility he is a-going to let the public have ’em, and they snap him up when in the crawling baseness of his spirit he is a-going to answer a public question, and they drore more tears into his eyes than ever the mustard does which he all day long lays on to the sawdust. (But it ain’t strong.) Once, when Sniff had the repulsiveness to reach across to get the milk-pot to hand over for a baby, I see Our Missis in her rage catch him by both his shoulders, and spin him out into the Bandolining Room.<br /><br />But Mrs. Sniff,—how different! She’s the one! She’s the one as you’ll notice to be always looking another way from you, when you look at her. She’s the one with the small waist buckled in tight in front, and with the lace cuffs at her wrists, which she puts on the edge of the counter before her, and stands a smoothing while the public foams. This smoothing the cuffs and looking another way while the public foams is the last accomplishment taught to the young ladies as come to Mugby to be finished by Our Missis; and it’s always taught by Mrs. Sniff.<br /><br />When Our Missis went away upon her journey, Mrs. Sniff was left in charge. She did hold the public in check most beautiful! In all my time, I never see half so many cups of tea given without milk to people as wanted it with, nor half so many cups of tea with milk given to people as wanted it without. When foaming ensued, Mrs. Sniff would say: “Then you’d better settle it among yourselves, and change with one another.” It was a most highly delicious lark. I enjoyed the Refreshmenting business more than ever, and was so glad I had took to it when young.<br /><br />Our Missis returned. It got circulated among the young ladies, and it as it might be penetrated to me through the crevices of the Bandolining Room, that she had Orrors to reveal, if revelations so contemptible could be dignified with the name. Agitation become awakened. Excitement was up in the stirrups. Expectation stood a-tiptoe. At length it was put forth that on our slacked evening in the week, and at our slackest time of that evening betwixt trains, Our Missis would give her views of foreign Refreshmenting, in the Bandolining Room.<br /><br />It was arranged tasteful for the purpose. The Bandolining table and glass was hid in a corner, a arm-chair was elevated on a packing-case for Our Missis’s ockypation, a table and a tumbler of water (no sherry in it, thankee) was placed beside it. Two of the pupils, the season being autumn, and hollyhocks and dahlias being in, ornamented the wall with three devices in those flowers. On one might be read, “MAY ALBION NEVER LEARN;” on another “KEEP THE PUBLIC DOWN;” on another, “OUR REFRESHMENTING CHARTER.” The whole had a beautiful appearance, with which the beauty of the sentiments corresponded.<br /><br />On Our Missis’s brow was wrote Severity, as she ascended the fatal platform. (Not that that was anythink new.) Miss Whiff and Miss Piff sat at her feet. Three chairs from the Waiting Room might have been perceived by a average eye, in front of her, on which the pupils was accommodated. Behind them a very close observer might have discerned a Boy. Myself.<br /><br />“Where,” said Our Missis, glancing gloomily around, “is Sniff?”<br /><br />“I thought it better,” answered Mrs. Sniff, “that he should not be let to come in. He is such an Ass.”<br /><br />“No doubt,” assented Our Missis. “But for that reason is it not desirable to improve his mind?”<br /><br />“Oh, nothing will ever improve him,” said Mrs. Sniff.<br /><br />“However,” pursued Our Missis, “call him in, Ezekiel.”<br /><br />I called him in. The appearance of the low-minded cove was hailed with disapprobation from all sides, on account of his having brought his corkscrew with him. He pleaded “the force of habit.”<br /><br />“The force!” said Mrs. Sniff. “Don’t let us have you talking about force, for Gracious’ sake. There! Do stand still where you are, with your back against the wall.”<br /><br />He is a smiling piece of vacancy, and he smiled in the mean way in which he will even smile at the public if he gets a chance (language can say no meaner of him), and he stood upright near the door with the back of his head agin the wall, as if he was a waiting for somebody to come and measure his heighth for the Army.<br /><br />“I should not enter, ladies,” says Our Missis, “on the revolting disclosures I am about to make, if it was not in the hope that they will cause you to be yet more implacable in the exercise of the power you wield in a constitutional country, and yet more devoted to the constitutional motto which I see before me,”—it was behind her, but the words sounded better so,—“‘May Albion never learn!’”<br /><br />Here the pupils as had made the motto admired it, and cried, “Hear! Hear! Hear!” Sniff, showing an inclination to join in chorus, got himself frowned down by every brow.<br /><br />“The baseness of the French,” pursued Our Missis, “as displayed in the fawning nature of their Refreshmenting, equals, if not surpasses, anythink as was ever heard of the baseness of the celebrated Bonaparte.”<br /><br />Miss Whiff, Miss Piff, and me, we drored a heavy breath, equal to saying, “We thought as much!” Miss Whiff and Miss Piff seeming to object to my droring mine along with theirs, I drored another to aggravate ’em.<br /><br />“Shall I be believed,” says Our Missis, with flashing eyes, “when I tell you that no sooner had I set my foot upon that treacherous shore—”<br /><br />Here Sniff, either bursting out mad, or thinking aloud, says, in a low voice: “Feet. Plural, you know.”<br /><br />The cowering that come upon him when he was spurned by all eyes, added to his being beneath contempt, was sufficient punishment for a cove so grovelling. In the midst of a silence rendered more impressive by the turned-up female noses with which it was pervaded, Our Missis went on:<br /><br />“Shall I be believed when I tell you, that no sooner had I landed,” this word with a killing look at Sniff, “on that treacherous shore, than I was ushered into a Refreshment Room where there were—I do not exaggerate—actually eatable things to eat?”<br /><br />A groan burst from the ladies. I not only did myself the honour of jining, but also of lengthening it out.<br /><br />“Where there were,” Our Missis added, “not only eatable things to eat, but also drinkable things to drink?”<br /><br />A murmur, swelling almost into a scream, ariz. Miss Piff, trembling with indignation, called out, “Name?”<br /><br />“I will name,” said Our Missis. “There was roast fowls, hot and cold; there was smoking roast veal surrounded with browned potatoes; there was hot soup with (again I ask shall I be credited?) nothing bitter in it, and no flour to choke off the consumer; there was a variety of cold dishes set off with jelly; there was salad; there was—mark me! fresh pastry, and that of a light construction; there was a luscious show of fruit; there was bottles and decanters of sound small wine, of every size, and adapted to every pocket; the same odious statement will apply to brandy; and these were set out upon the counter so that all could help themselves.”<br /><br />Our Missis’s lips so quivered, that Mrs. Sniff, though scarcely less convulsed than she were, got up and held the tumbler to them.<br /><br />“This,” proceeds Our Missis, “was my first unconstitutional experience. Well would it have been if it had been my last and worst. But no. As I proceeded farther into that enslaved and ignorant land, its aspect became more hideous. I need not explain to this assembly the ingredients and formation of the British Refreshment sangwich?”<br /><br />Universal laughter,—except from Sniff, who, as sangwich-cutter, shook his head in a state of the utmost dejection as he stood with it agin the wall.<br /><br />“Well!” said Our Missis, with dilated nostrils. “Take a fresh, crisp, long, crusty penny loaf made of the whitest and best flour. Cut it longwise through the middle. Insert a fair and nicely fitting slice of ham. Tie a smart piece of ribbon round the middle of the whole to bind it together. Add at one end a neat wrapper of clean white paper by which to hold it. And the universal French Refreshment sangwich busts on your disgusted vision.”<br /><br />A cry of “Shame!” from all—except Sniff, which rubbed his stomach with a soothing hand.<br /><br />“I need not,” said Our Missis, “explain to this assembly the usual formation and fitting of the British Refreshment Room?”<br /><br />No, no, and laughter. Sniff agin shaking his head in low spirits agin the wall.<br /><br />“Well,” said Our Missis, “what would you say to a general decoration of everythink, to hangings (sometimes elegant), to easy velvet furniture, to abundance of little tables, to abundance of little seats, to brisk bright waiters, to great convenience, to a pervading cleanliness and tastefulness positively addressing the public, and making the Beast thinking itself worth the pains?”<br /><br />Contemptuous fury on the part of all the ladies. Mrs. Sniff looking as if she wanted somebody to hold her, and everbody else looking as if they’d rayther not.<br /><br />“Three times,” said Our Missis, working herself into a truly terrimenjious state,—“three times did I see these shameful things, only between the coast and Paris, and not counting either: at Hazebroucke, at Arras, at Amiens. But worse remains. Tell me, what would you call a person who should propose in England that there should be kept, say at our own model Mugby Junction, pretty baskets, each holding an assorted cold lunch and dessert for one, each at a certain fixed price, and each within a passenger’s power to take away, to empty in the carriage at perfect leisure, and to return at another station fifty or a hundred miles farther on?”<br /><br />There was disagreement what such a person should be called. Whether revolutionise, atheist, Bright (I said him), or Un-English. Miss Piff screeched her shrill opinion last, in the words: “A malignant maniac!”<br /><br />“I adopt,” says Our Missis, “the brand set upon such a person by the righteous indignation of my friend Miss Piff. A malignant maniac. Know, then, that that malignant maniac has sprung from the congenial soil of France, and that his malignant madness was in unchecked action on this same part of my journey.”<br /><br />I noticed that Sniff was a-rubbing his hands, and that Mrs. Sniff had got her eye upon him. But I did not take more particular notice, owing to the excited state in which the young ladies was, and to feeling myself called upon to keep it up with a howl.<br /><br />“On my experience south of Paris,” said Our Missis, in a deep tone, “I will not expatiate. Too loathsome were the task! But fancy this. Fancy a guard coming round, with the train at full speed, to inquire how many for dinner. Fancy his telegraphing forward the number of dinners. Fancy every one expected, and the table elegantly laid for the complete party. Fancy a charming dinner, in a charming room, and the head-cook, concerned for the honour of every dish, superintending in his clean white jacket and cap. Fancy the Beast travelling six hundred miles on end, very fast, and with great punctuality, yet being taught to expect all this to be done for it!”<br /><br />A spirited chorus of “The Beast!”<br /><br />I noticed that Sniff was agin a-rubbing his stomach with a soothing hand, and that he had drored up one leg. But agin I didn’t take particular notice, looking on myself as called upon to stimulate public feeling. It being a lark besides.<br /><br />“Putting everything together,” said Our Missis, “French Refreshmenting comes to this, and oh, it comes to a nice total! First: eatable things to eat, and drinkable things to drink.”<br /><br />A groan from the young ladies, kep’ up by me.<br /><br />“Second: convenience, and even elegance.”<br /><br />Another groan from the young ladies, kep’ up by me.<br /><br />“Third: moderate charges.”<br /><br />This time a groan from me, kep’ up by the young ladies.<br /><br />“Fourth:—and here,” says Our Missis, “I claim your angriest sympathy,—attention, common civility, nay, even politeness!”<br /><br />Me and the young ladies regularly raging mad all together.<br /><br />“And I cannot in conclusion,” says Our Missis, with her spitefullest sneer, “give you a completer pictur of that despicable nation (after what I have related), than assuring you that they wouldn’t bear our constitutional ways and noble independence at Mugby Junction, for a single month, and that they would turn us to the right-about and put another system in our places, as soon as look at us; perhaps sooner, for I do not believe they have the good taste to care to look at us twice.”<br /><br />The swelling tumult was arrested in its rise. Sniff, bore away by his servile disposition, had drored up his leg with a higher and a higher relish, and was now discovered to be waving his corkscrew over his head. It was at this moment that Mrs. Sniff, who had kep’ her eye upon him like the fabled obelisk, descended on her victim. Our Missis followed them both out, and cries was heard in the sawdust department.<br /><br />You come into the Down Refreshment Room, at the Junction, making believe you don’t know me, and I’ll pint you out with my right thumb over my shoulder which is Our Missis, and which is Miss Whiff, and which is Miss Piff, and which is Mrs. Sniff. But you won’t get a chance to see Sniff, because he disappeared that night. Whether he perished, tore to pieces, I cannot say; but his corkscrew alone remains, to bear witness to the servility of his disposition.<br />
<br />William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-24234526018729548752011-04-21T08:57:00.003+01:002011-04-21T09:03:35.459+01:00Calm Club - self organised, accessible mindfulness meditation groups at work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlemissjoey/5517812520/sizes/s/in/photostream/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotQxGf8W1X86xh-uMsjRnTyZGDRzVNBXl1LOqlrpuEeO9Eil_H9qnZj2hniR040mTEt5lSV6tKahZ265ZTGVh1lHovqttTNxhu3JZk_1k-TVmAFYOD8zrFb0-1lw0ZEdKf0V8wn6YTPw8/s1600/calm+club.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>A colleague, noticing a line of people outside an office recently told me 'it [was] great that smokers got to stand outside and stare into the distance for a while'. This brought home to me that almost the only way you can get some calm time in the office is to take up a habit likely to kill you. For a while I've been toying with the idea of a self organised 'Calm Club' that anyone could run in their workplace, supported by a central website with basic materials.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px;">Calm Club is simply a way of getting people together to take a short focused break in the middle of the day in their place of work or study. It is a self organised guided meditation/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_%28psychology%29">mindfulness</a> session. A Calm Club website would provide basic branded materials to help people organise a short group meditation in a meeting room at work. The online resources would explain the concept simply, provides some customisable pdf flyers, an eventbrite style meeting organiser, basic tips and simple script for organising a group session and some short guiding podcasts to download and play to the group. The podcasts would be tailored versions of mindfulness <a href="http://www.mind-balancing.co.uk/">guided meditation CDs such these</a> by Reinhard Kowalski a consultant clinical psychologist in the NHS.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">So if you want to organise a Calm Club at your workplace, you would:</div><ul><li>Book a quiet meeting room and use either the calm club website or your office meeting system to invite people. Maybe stick some Calm Club flyers from the website on the notice board in the coffee area. Send text from the website to interested people. </li><li>Download the podcast to your player, print off the one-sider script and a Calm Club Do Not Disturb sign from the website. Find some speakers for your ipod/mp3player.</li><li>Set up the room by partially drawing any blinds or turning down the lights</li><li>Invite people to sit comfortably</li><li>Stick the sign on the door</li><li>Ask for silence for 30 seconds. Run through the script. Play the podcast for say 15 minutes</li><li>Go back to your desk refreshed.</li></ul><div style="margin: 0px;">In the tradition of the yoga movement Calm Club would be run on a not for profit basis with a strong self organised bottom up ethos. Calm Club should be free of religious, mystic or commercial influences in and around the Calm Club session. There are quite a few people out there offering workplace meditations but, the language around them can often be off putting to people who aren't familiar with meditation or eastern traditions. Calm Club or a similar brand could be more attractive to a sceptical Anglo Saxon office worker in the spirit of '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On">Keep Calm and Carry On</a>'.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"></div><div style="margin: 0px;">I came up with the idea of a Calm Club during a course with <a href="http://www.mentalhealth-resources.co.uk/Reinhard_Kowalski.html">Reinhard Kowalski</a> in 2009 and have been kicking it around in a sporadic email exchange with Reinhard and <a href="http://sociability.org.uk/about/andy/">Andy Gibson</a> for ages. But we’ve all been too busy to get Calm Club off the ground. I've finally got around to writing about it, prompted in part by the happiness agenda in the UK. But also aware that several things come together to make this happen. </div><ul><li>Employers are starting to understand that they may be liable for long term mental health issues if they don’t help their staff manage stress - eg law firms, management consultancies, call centres</li><li>The understanding that stress can be or managed tackled through non pharmceutical interventions</li><li>Mindfulness is <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/02/mindfulness-meditation-meg-ryan-goldie-hawn">accepted in the NHS</a> on the last course of Reinhards I attended only two of us were non-NHS professionals</li><li>The web is good now at organising meetings and spreading the word</li><li>Work-based groups such as book groups are increasingly popular </li><li>It’s easy now to download a podcast and play it</li><li>Meditation is considered slightly less weird than it was</li><li>There’s a lot of <a href="http://www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living/at-work">interest in happiness</a> now which embraces mindfulness</li><li>Some sporting role models such as <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/feeling-good-with-yoga-the-secret-of-giggs-success-2185031.html">Ryan Giggs</a> and Jonny Wilkinson and sports coaches are open about the benefits of meditation, yoga and a mindful approach</li><li>The whole thing could be done very cheaply if people give materials to a movement.</li></ul>So all this is a bit rough - it may be that someone has already come up with this (i usually find that Geoff Mulgan has) or that there is a similar movement in California or that I am missing some huge things here or that I am just a stupid hippy. Can you help me make this idea better and bring Calm Club into existence?<br /><br /><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons Licence" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/2.0/uk/88x31.png" style="border-width: 0pt;" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/" rel="license">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales License</a>.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-69453505671497663092010-12-12T21:42:00.000+00:002010-12-12T21:42:40.267+00:00The Indigo Trust - trusteeI was delighted recently to join my wife Fran as a trustee of <a href="http://indigotrust.wordpress.com/">The Indigo Trust</a>. Indigo is a grant making <a href="http://www.sfct.org.uk/indigo.html">charitable trust</a> established around ten years ago. <br />
The trustees are <a href="http://indigotrust.wordpress.com/about/">refocusing Indigo</a> on issues of information inequality and literacy in the developing world, particularly Africa. Fran and I are motivated by our work on transparency in the UK, which began with the Power of Information report in 2007. Several good things came out of this report, not least of which was our marriage.<br />
An early priority will be on the use of information technology to improve political and donor transparency in Africa and to help people communicate. We believe that transparency leads to better government and that modern, simple information tools can play a powerful role in that. We want to support people in Africa who share this belief.<br />
The rapid increase in bandwidth available in many African countries as new transoceanic fibres go live enables access to previously unavailable web services, albeit to a small proportion of the population.<br />
Dr Loren Treisman joined Indigo as a executive a few months ago and we have recently <a href="http://indigotrust.wordpress.com/grants-awarded/">made our first grants</a>.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-21649341482599620932010-08-29T18:45:00.008+01:002010-11-18T11:23:46.649+00:00Westminster commercial noise map - experiment with Google Fusion TablesI want to produce maps from a set of government data for my <a href="http://www.kingscrossenvironment.com/">local website</a>. But I don't write code and don't think I should have to. So I am experimenting with simple ways of producing a map from a real data set. First off <a href="http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2009/06/google-fusion-tables.html">Google Fusion Tables</a>.<br />
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Noise is a big problem in an urban area and Westminster City Council has published via FOI a list of commercial noise complaints with approximate locations (they take the street numbers off for some reason). It's <a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/summary_of_complaints_about_comm#incoming-33012">at Whatdotheyknow.com</a> I downloaded the spreadsheet of data and tidied it up a tiny bit, putting the word 'London' where it was missing from each address field.<br />
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Then i uploaded it to Google Docs and imported it into Google Fusion Tables a Google Labs product that has been around for a year. I hit Edit, Modify Columns to tell the sheet what was in each column and then I hit the Visualize menu and selected - Map. The following emerged, just like that:<br />
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<iframe height="300px" scrolling="no" src="http://tables.googlelabs.com/embedviz?viz=MAP&q=select+col0%2Ccol1%2Ccol2%2Ccol3%2Ccol4+from+238253+&h=false&lat=51.51184074882071&lng=-0.142822265625&z=13&t=1&l=col2" width="500px"></iframe><br />
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There's a small snag for me - I couldn't figure out how to configure the <a href="http://tables.googlelabs.com/DataSource?snapid=76931">simple weblink</a> to show a particular level of zoom in a map. If you get an embeddable link then this will give you zoom control - but you can't use iframes in wordpress.com the popular publishing platform. There is a KML option but practically no corporate desktops nor government departments run google earth - this diminishes the use of the data to achive social impact.<br />
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Pretty good all in all - quick and simple with no techno stuff, the <a href="http://www.google.com/support/fusiontables/?hl=en">help page</a> was useful. It isn't perfect, but it's easy. If you can use a spreadsheet you can take some real public data and make a map to make a point. Any suggestions for other visualisation services i could try with no coding required are welcome.<br />
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UPDATE<br />
This small post was just done for my own benefit and i wasn't expecting it to get the traffic it has. If you have suddenly landed here from the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/sep/06/technology-links-newsbucket">Guardian</a> or elsewhere then you should know that I run a small business, <a href="http://talkaboutlocal.org/">talk about local</a> with 4IP and Screen West Midlands funding to help people get a voice online. I am also on the <a href="http://data.gov.uk/blogs/local-data-panel">Local Public Data panel</a> for CLG to advise them on freeing up data from local government. If you are reading this from Google and also hadn't heard of Fusion Tables then feel free to send me some corporate bumf for the free publicity - some cupcakes maybe or a fetching jacket (XL).William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com3Islington, London N1 0AP, UK51.5399214 -0.121948351.536584899999994 -0.1292438 51.5432579 -0.1146528tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-6044664628188604122010-07-01T06:39:00.006+01:002010-07-01T07:43:53.977+01:00Towards an open, transparent BBC - publishing in detail its mainstream expenditure #opendataToday the BBC Trust announced that it wants the coporation to <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10468055.stm">publish the pay</a> of its top stars. This follows on from publication of the pay and expenses of senior executives. Publishing executive pay does not seem to have damaged the BBC's ability to function as a business. Publishing stars' pay is also unlikely to damage the BBC. I wonder if it is time to go further and make the BBC much more open - apply some of the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/jun/04/coins-combined-online-information-system-taxandspending">open data work</a> being done in central and local government to this £3billion per annum, tax payer funded organisation while protecting its journalistic independence.<br /><br />The BBC is a fabulous national institution. It is funded by what is known as a regressive tax - a fixed charge on every person or business that owns a television set. For ante diluvian reasons the tax is a called a 'licence fee'. The poorer you are the greater the proportion of your income goes on the tax. To my mind, this places a strong moral obligation on the BBC to be prudent and transparent in expenditure, especially in such tough economic times.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/speeches/vlv.shtml">Michael Lyons the Chair of the BBC Trust tackles this in his speech</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"there are distinct areas where further change – and acceleration of change - is needed. First: to demonstrate that every pound the BBC takes from licence fee payers is used well....To the public the BBC can appear spendthrift when it is unclear how the BBC is using the money the public gives it. This underlines the need for much greater financial control and transparency by the BBC.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">...The answer lies in much more openness by the BBC. Openness about how it's spending the public's money</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Due to the way it is funded the BBC has a direct responsibility to licence fee payers who are effectively its shareholders. This goes beyond the obligations that commercial companies have towards investors and is different from the relationship that other parts of the public sector have with tax payers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The third area where we are asking the BBC to go the extra mile is in increased transparency over how the BBC spends the public's money.</span>"<br /></blockquote><br />Michael Lyons says that the BBC can appear spendthrift when it is unclear how it spends its money. The answer for Michael Lyons is to follow the open data movement that is starting to bring transparency to government. This would involve systematic publishing of detailed items of expenditure on the internet for others to analyse. We would then know precisely how our money is being spent. And it might even help the market for goods and services in TV to work better and drive out further value. It also gives a voice to the listener and viewer - if I want the BBC to spend more on local radio in my area it is very hard to campaign for that if i don't know what it actually spends.<br /><br />Publishing data can be done safely and responsibly. As a member of the <a href="http://data.gov.uk/blog/2897">Local Public Data Panel</a> I helped <a href="http://data.gov.uk/blog/publishing-itemised-local-authority-expenditure-advice-comment">draft guidance</a> for Local Government on how they could publish detailed expenditure on goods and services over £500. These offer a handy, adaptable framework. The BBC I suspect is not short of accountants, expenditure managment systems and technologists who can help prepare and publish the data.<br /><br />To safeguard genuine journalistic independence, simple circles could be drawn around the new, current affairs etc, bring out into the open all expenditure on goods and services. There would be much wailing and gnashing of teeth about where the boundaries lie between news/current affairs and the rest. But that doesn't stop anyone publishing the budget and expenditure of Bargain Hunt, Dog Borstal or Doctor Who or the accounts department next week. <br /><br />There will be confidentiality clauses in contracts - lawyers love those even when you are only contracting for a whelk stall. But, as the Chairman set out, there is a strong public interest case. Indeed elsewhere in the publicly funded sector, the Information Commissioner has been quite clear about the relative importance of the public interest viz a viz commerical confidentiality.<br /><br />The new government has said that it would bring the National Audit Office in to audit the BBC and Michael Lyons tackles this in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/speeches/vlv.shtml">his speech</a>. The NAO faces a huge task - publishing detailed expenditure data and bringing many eyes to bear on the problem might help that.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Declaration: I speak occasionally on <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/bill_per/public-service-news-starting-with-the-internet-william-perrin-salford">media issues</a> and was on the panel appointed by the last government to advise on the Independently Financed News Consortia. When in the civil service, in the diatant past I used to work on media regulation. I now run a company called <a href="http://talkaboutlocal.org.uk/">talk about local</a> that helps people in deprived communities find a voice online. This article is my own personal view and does not represent the views of employers or clients past or present.</span>William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-1503000991282463522010-02-19T18:49:00.005+00:002010-02-19T19:10:08.327+00:00Preserving our computer game history<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7h29bJ8gClyeuhjbxpPq1WLQ45blFt-QxBQGa0KK8S9h87qRX1O_-h8ioClarsvxX3dkWxSKyifsEgbW6vKXfdErDqMSXDnYDqFpRkmwV48CuzrtcZB-ZgqRqnvwNhYHWhCql71TKO5R/s1600-h/cobramk3.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 64px; height: 57px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7h29bJ8gClyeuhjbxpPq1WLQ45blFt-QxBQGa0KK8S9h87qRX1O_-h8ioClarsvxX3dkWxSKyifsEgbW6vKXfdErDqMSXDnYDqFpRkmwV48CuzrtcZB-ZgqRqnvwNhYHWhCql71TKO5R/s320/cobramk3.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440033107050437938" border="0" /></a><br />I recently stumbled across the <a href="http://www.nationalvideogamearchive.org/index.php/faq/">national videogame archive</a> at Nottingham Trent (when i was researching a post on why we shoudl have one....). In the 1980s for many young men like me Elite, Zalaga, Frak, Uridium, Head Over Heels and Zynaps were more important than music. They consumed hundreds, possibly thousands of hours of my leisure time. For today’s young gamers immersive console based games and online MMORPG environments are even more significant. In the 1980s the UK had a glorious indigenous computer games industry. Tiny businesses produced wonderful games that were a joy to play and remain a remarkable display of craft on low power eight bit platforms. Today, the British games industry is different but going from strength to strength.<br /><br />Computer gaming only entered popular culture in the 1980s and yet within a generation the UK was spending more on games than on going to the cinema. This is a cultural impact as profound as rock and roll. Substantial resources are devoted to film preservation at academic and cultural institutions. The British Library, in its wonderful but little known Ritblat Gallery has an exhibit of the original hand written lyrics for great Beatles songs on menus and in school exercise books. Such ephemera could easily have been lost and we would have been poorer for that.For me at least the early history of the games movement is as important as popular music history.<br /><br />As a society we should seek to preserve early British game artefacts now, before they are lost – and in some cases while you can still buy them at car boot sales. Yes i can play spectrum games on an emulator but that doesn’t preserve the intriguing part of the cultural context – the delivery media and the media used in production.<br /><br />I was delighted to find that Nottingham Trent has in the last year or so started up a collection with the National Media Museum to gather artefacts. Sadly there isn't a permanent exhibition yet - it's the kind of thing that would go really well at the Science Museum. Am keeping an eye out for their next travelling show. Although i find that almost no one has ever heard of it. Am gutted to have missed their <a href="http://www.nationalvideogamearchive.org/index.php/2009/11/above-the-fold/">25 years of Elite celebration</a> i can still remember unboxing my copy for the Electron. Let's hope this doesn't get caught up in any future cuts.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-77163551125295629912009-11-18T08:00:00.004+00:002009-11-18T08:14:20.084+00:00NHS World ServiceMaking the UK government's ambitions for free data real requires simple demonstrations of what can be done to help citizens. Attending the launch event yesterday at Downing Street I was reminded of a proof of concept I did a year or so ago to free up the government's excellent, unbiased health advice online.<br /><br />The web is awash with health care information but it can be hard to work out what to trust - did this piece of advice come from a drug company, was it influenced by a crazy politician or by an insurance company or religious group? The UK is very lucky to have the huge and expensive resource of NHS Direct online that does a good job of providing unbiased free health advice to all comers on the internet. But if you aren't from the UK you won't have heard of it. Even though there is a fair bit of non-English language content.<br /><br />I mashed NHS Direct up with elements of the BBC World Service model to ask if developing countries would find the NHS Direct data set useful to repurpose in their own cultural context, rather then write their own, or worse still buy it from a big consultancy or drugs company with a world Bank grant. The idea got a good wind inside Whitehall but couldn't find a neat home to implement.<br /><br />Gary Ashby of NHS Choices was at the Downing Street event too - he tells me that they are already working with Kenya to do something like this - so with his permission and to get a debate going, I publish the internal slides here. The slides are not a statement of policy, they are/were a discussion paper and are Crown Copyright, allowing you to reuse them freely.<br /><br /><br /><div style="width: 425px; text-align: left;" id="__ss_2523732"><a style="margin: 12px 0pt 3px; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; display: block; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/bill_per/nhs-world-service" title="NHS World Service">NHS World Service</a><object style="margin: 0px;" height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=nhsworldservicev0-12-091117173834-phpapp01&stripped_title=nhs-world-service"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=nhsworldservicev0-12-091117173834-phpapp01&stripped_title=nhs-world-service" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 11px; font-family: tahoma,arial; height: 26px; padding-top: 2px;">View more <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/bill_per">william perrin</a>.</div></div>William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-3642950180662887752009-07-16T11:44:00.005+01:002009-07-16T12:29:48.237+01:00Citizens empowered by informationThe new Cabinet Office survey of public service best practice has a strong power of information theme.<br /><br />In late 2006 I was in the Cabinet Office trying to work out how the new wave of web2.0 activity applied to government. Since 2004 I had been working with what became the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mysociety</span> collective. Although never a paid up member of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mysociety</span>, I would often find myself as the link between <a href="http://www.downingstreetsays.com/">external disruptive innovation</a> and <a href="http://www.directionlessgov.com/">internal discomfort</a> as i reassured civil servants who were suddenly victim of unplanned innovation. I followed closely all the other stuff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mysociety</span> got up to.<br /><br />By 2006 it was clear that the new web <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">technologies</span> were becoming pervasive - not just a spot effect, but a more profound wave of change. Opportunities lay not only in reusing public information, but also in working with information people themselves were creating. We could see very large groups emerging online debating public policy issues such as childcare for instance. Hilary Armstrong MP the then Cabinet Office Minister and a former social worker could see how groups like <a href="http://www.netmums.com/home/home/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">netmums</span></a> were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">enormously</span> helpful to parents and <a href="http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/dc/dcboard.php"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">rightsnet</span></a> to social workers and benefits <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">advisors</span>. <br /><br />So with David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Halpern</span> in the Strategy Unit, backed by Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Stott</span> now Director <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Digtial</span> Engagement and John Suffolk the UK Government <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">CIO</span> we commissioned the Power of Information Review for Hilary Armstrong to work out what this was about. <a href="http://powerofinformation.wordpress.com/">Lots of work</a> has flowed from Tom <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Steinberg</span> and Ed Mayo's <a href="http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/power_of_information.aspx">original report</a>. <br /><br />Cabinet Office Strategy Unit have today published a global survey of best practice in using information along the POI lines. The chapter on empowering citizens in the information age is an <a href="http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/strategy/publications/world-class-public-services/html/chapter2.aspx">interesting round up</a> of what is going on. The conclusion is good:<br /><br /><blockquote>New technologies are providing opportunities to open up information as never before. Governments around the world are responding to this technological revolution by re-evaluating the approach they take to information transparency. The shift required, however, is more than just a technical one. The starting point for government in countries such as the USA, which are at the leading edge of information transparency, is that government information should be in the public domain and easily available for use and re-use by citizens. This approach is underpinned by freedom of information legislation and practices which actively promote openness in government. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Across other countries, government cultures will similarly need to change, possibly prompted by changes in legislation</span>.<br /></blockquote>The final sentence is the important thing- the real benefits of the power of information require culture change, not actually legislation, nor even much money. To get this culture change <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8096273.stm">political leadership</a> is vital, but so is administrative leadership by the civil service cadres. Financial incentives always help of course. The technology community can support this if they keep showing directly what the potential is with clear <a href="http://www.schoolmap.org.uk/">vivid examples </a>that <a href="http://maps.met.police.uk/">relate to</a> <a href="http://www.patientopinion.org.uk/opinions.aspx?nacs=RRV03">public service goals</a>.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-82001310487810756642009-07-09T23:23:00.007+01:002009-07-10T12:07:26.774+01:00An open, digital Iraq inquiry<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Lord</span> <a href="http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/">Hutton's 2003/4 inquiry</a> in the death of David Kelly was a model of open-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ness</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">transparency</span>, unusual in Britain at that time. Freedom of Information is still in its early days in Britain and daily transcripts live video, documents made avialble online were a novelty in 2003. The 2004 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butler_Review">Butler Review</a> into the intelligence failures around Iraqi WMD was a secretive affair, in part because it dealt with intelligence. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Chilcot">Sir John Chilcot</a>, head of the new Iraq inquiry served on the Butler review.<br /><br />The Iraq inquiry has already got into <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8102203.stm">a dispute</a> over secrecy and open-ness. It seems to his credit that <a href="http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=9859">Sir John is pro-openness</a> where possible. How could his new <a href="http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=9859">Iraq inquiry</a> use modern online methods to better Lord Hutton and become a model for digital transparency?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coi.gov.uk%2F&ei=-vNWSqKwL82hjAefv5niAg&usg=AFQjCNHkCGN8H2XS6_xEeYFdj2vO3Rj-Rg&sig2=PF8EOHqAfxr8_RwZEdkYFA"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">COI</span></a> and the Government's <a href="http://blogs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/digitalengagement/">Director of Digital Engagement</a> are already no doubt advising the new Inquiry Secretary, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2009/jul/07/iraq-inquiry-official-named-chilcot">Margaret Aldred</a> on an approach. <a href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/"> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">HMSO</span></a> who handled the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">MPs</span> expenses publication and redaction will also be in the loop I guess. But I thought it would be interesting to try a <a href="http://wperrin.blogspot.com/2009/07/blackhall-collaborative-working-in.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Blackhall</span></a> approach and bring many external minds to bear. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Blackhall</span> is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">metonym</span> for a Whitehall that embraces modern <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">collaborative</span> working tools and greater <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">transparency</span> see this <a href="http://wperrin.blogspot.com/2009/07/blackhall-collaborative-working-in.html">post</a>, <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/bill_per/civil-service-live-09-knowledge-working-in-whitehall-and-blackhall">slides</a> and a <a href="http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddd2x7xk_4cz9jv6f8">paper</a> on Blackhall.<br /><br />This post is inspired by Sir Tim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Berners</span> Lee's <a href="http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/GovData.html">recent note</a> on publishing government data and my late night experience of marking up my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">MPs</span> expenses on the Guardian's superb <a href="http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/06/four-crowdsourcing-lessons-from-the-guardians-spectacular-expenses-scandal-experiment/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">crowdsourced</span> expenses</a> website.<br /><br />Some of the following might sound a bit 'techy' or complicated to the uninitiated. It is just good practice and low cost to implement. In many cases small up front investments bring large downstream benefits and cost savings.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Documents</span><br /><br />The Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office are good at paper trails in making decisions. There will no doubt be very large quantities of documents for the inquiry. The Scott inquiry into arms to Iraq received <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Report">130,000 documents</a>. There will, quite rightly, be some redaction of names and posts to protect people. Redaction is usually done manually with a marker pen and the document rescanned and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">pdf'd</span> or in som cases <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">TIFFed</span>. So you can't tell by looking at the electronic file what is in it without reading it. A search engine can't penetrate the innards of the scanned pdf. The same applies to any document that has been scanned to a pdf. For people going through huge numbers of pdfs this electronic opacity slows things down enormously and adds to expense, cost and frustration for all concerned.<br /><br />A tiny investment as the documents are sent by departments to the inquiry would work wonders. It is possible to put electronic labels or 'tags' on the documents so that computers and search engines can tell what is in them without having a human to read. This information about what is in a document is known as '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">metadata</span>'. Books have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">metadata</span> - the index, ISBN number, title etc that make them easier to use - electronic documents have something similar that you can't see but the computer can when say you are searching for it.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Metadata</span>, like making <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">dictionaries</span> is dull work. But the inquiry can insist on the format of information sent to it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">electronically</span>. If it were to ask for basic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">metadata</span> in each document it would greatly speed their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">prioritisation</span> and later re examination. What <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">metadata</span> should be in each file?<br /><ul><li>Date of origination</li><li>for a communication, name from</li><li>name to</li><li>title of document as written</li><li>place of origination</li><li>keywords that describe content, including names of units, people mentioned etc</li><li>if map or image description of what it is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">representation</span> of</li><li>any unique reference number in the original document</li><li>reference number for department sending to inquiry</li><li>inquiry reference number</li></ul>In the Hutton inquiry the secretariat used the time honoured civil service technique of giving each <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">pdf</span> document a <a href="http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/content/evidence-lists/evidence-com.htm">file name composed</a> of the inquiry's reference number. This method is primitve and only helps the inquiry, not others.<br /><br />Metadata tagging by the originator transfers cost and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">man hours</span> from the inquiry team and the general public back onto the Departmental originators. Which is only right. It is an investment in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">transparency</span>, democracy and openness.<br /><br />The inquiry's log of documents and reference numbers should be live online<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Website principles</span><br /><br />The inquiry will have a website. What are some basic tenets it could follow to be fully open and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">electronically</span> transparent?<br /><br />The inquiry should procure the servcies of a competent technical advisor with proven track record in reusing information online or publishing it for reuse (not me - i am not technical enough). And perhaps assemble an informal bunch of online publishing advisors.<br /><br />The inquiry should assume that interesting things will be done with the information they publish off their website by independents. And design the site accordingly following the principles of the Power of Information Taskforce <a href="http://poit.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/poit/">report</a>. See for instance <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/">They Work for You</a> or the <a href="http://mps-expenses.guardian.co.uk/">Guardian crowd sourcing</a> of MPs expenses.<br /><br />All documents, maps, images, transcripts, audio and video should be on the inquiry website as soon as they are received or created. This would be different from the Hutton inquiry where <a href="http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/content/evidence.htm">only documents used by Counsel</a> were published. There would be some exemptions for legal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">correspondence</span>.<br /><br />Documents should be put online with a unique static URI/URL (or the site should in general follow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_State_Transfer"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">RESTful</span> </a>principles). This means people can easily link to and reuse information.<br /><br />Documents should record how many times that have been viewed and in particular be marked as not viewed if no one has looked at them.<br /><br />The site should be archived to the highest standards by National Archives so that it does not disappear and its collection is held together in perpetuity. The <a href="http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/index.htm">Hutton inquiry site</a> is archived in full.<br /><br />It should not be acceptable for departments to publish evidence documents on their websites alone where there is a greater risk of links <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">disappearing</span>, especially with an election due in the near future which always causes disruption to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">departmental</span> sites.<br /><br />Google <a href="http://www.google.com/sitesearch/">site search</a> should run on the site (pay Google $2000 to remove adverts) not a bespoke search engine nor google enterprise box.<br /><br />Documents being discussed by the inquiry on a particular day in open session should be brought to the front of the website and associated with the witnesses that day.<br /><br />The site should either be designed for low bandwidth connections or have a 'low graphics' option so that it can easily be seen by people in Iraq who may have slow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">internet</span> connections or older computers and browsers.<br /><br />The inquiry should consider funding an Iraqi <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">internet</span> service provider to cache or mirror all its material locally in Iraq.<br /><br />Some sort of simple <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">API</span></a> should be provided to let third parties reuse the information on the site<br /><br />All material published should be free of copyright or under a permissive creative commons licence.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Video/Audio</span><br /><br />The video stream from the inquiry should be declared to be free of copyright and for anyone to reuse. The video stream should be stored online for people to search through. Each change of speaker should be tagged in the video stream.<br /><br />The time clock on the video stream should be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">synchronised</span> carefully with the time stamp in the written record so the two can be matched up. (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Hansard</span> time stamps for instance are out of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">synch</span> with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">parliamentary</span> video causing problems for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">reusers</span>).<br /><br />Audio should be treated in the same way as video. This is especially for countries such as Iraq where the bandwidth may not be available to view video easily.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span><br /><br />This post has probably only scratched the surface and i may well have got some things wrong. Let me know in the comments how you could improve this.<br /><br />Comments are moderated to be on topic, polite, free of conspiracy theories, sane, in english and playing the ball, not the man etc.<br /><br />Declaration - I used to work for the UK government, but not on Iraq issues. This post is in an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">entirely</span> personal capacity and does not represent the view of my former employers. My career details can be found on <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/wperrin">Linked In</a>. I am currently on sabbatical running a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">hyperlocal</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">startup</span> <a href="http://www.talkaboutlocal.org/">Talk About Local</a>.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-3451810597472269762009-07-02T20:24:00.012+01:002012-10-19T21:49:47.605+01:00'Blackhall' - collaborative working in Whitehall<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoNFU80MGo7QR9cPlCcmwj7H2174__yBsDzsD_dEBWNwy0VN3QidoYAs3Oc-JqK0lr4DTf___gaCbneOfH-LscFQDeSWrdI-i2y97ksT3JquQoxkleeiVwoYF9XRTI8yKwulbqR4CEdiG/s1600-h/hat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354227799769575154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoNFU80MGo7QR9cPlCcmwj7H2174__yBsDzsD_dEBWNwy0VN3QidoYAs3Oc-JqK0lr4DTf___gaCbneOfH-LscFQDeSWrdI-i2y97ksT3JquQoxkleeiVwoYF9XRTI8yKwulbqR4CEdiG/s200/hat.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>At last year’s Civil Service Live I gave talks to about 150 people on modern ways of working in the civil service. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Allan">Alex Allan</a>, a long term champion of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">modernisation</span> sponsored and chaired the sessions. It was great fun to do some free thinking on how we could work differently in what is arguably Britain’s biggest knowledge factory. In the spirit of the event I <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/wperrin/social-media-and-modern-ways-of-working-to-civil-service-live">published the slides</a> which have been viewed nearly 1,000 times. There was a strongly positive reaction from our audience, mostly front line workers who complained of ‘<span style="font-style: italic;">death by email</span>’ and were passionate that ‘<span style="font-style: italic;">there must be a better way</span>’.<br />
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The feedback from Civil Service Live, inspired me to set out a knowledge working vision for Whitehall – ‘<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Blackhall</span>’ a ‘<span style="font-style: italic;">universe like ours but different in many ways</span>’. With Alex's explicit permission I am publishing the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1wOm5QVHgJdC4wS1AV8agmbqY9qcVDkBULd0upI1Xlew">Blackhall internal paper here</a> in advance of <a href="http://www.civilservicelive.com/">Civil Service Live 2009</a> where we are taking part in a session on 'Digital Engagement' at 1115 on Wednesday 8 July at Olympia. (The paper has typos etc in it - please let me know of errors or omissions i will republish a commentable version when I have time.)<br />
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The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Blackhall</span> paper asks whether there is a cheaper, quicker, greener, better version of policy making and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">administration</span> if modern ways of working are adopted in the civil service. Things like the ability to 'Google' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">filesystems</span> across <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Departmental</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">boundaries</span>, fully flexible place independent working, transparent online diaries, the ability to find people with the right experience using internal directories similar to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Facebook</span> etc etc.<br />
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The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Blackhall</span> I describe is powered by a pervasive electronic working environment of the sort that you can create yourself in a low security way using free web tools. Or that is found, more securely and expensively in some knowledge businesses. It is common to see people arriving from say a management consultancy in the civil service who are baffled as to why they can't work as flexibly as they are used to. The day one experience of the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012104249.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Obama's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Whitehouse</span> team </a>was instructive- '<span style="font-style: italic;">It is kind of like going from an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Xbox</span> to an Atari</span>'. Whitehall though is better than the Bush Whitehouse.<br />
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Since I wrote the paper, some excellent work has been done to create a secure internal civil service wiki '<a href="http://wiki.gsi.gov.uk/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Civilwiki</span></a>' - '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Blackhall</span>' was the first substantive article and is in the top ten. And the philosophy behind the <a href="http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/cio/flex.aspx">Public Sector Flex</a> desktop is the right direction of travel.<br />
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A big obstacle to pervasive knowledge <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">environments</span> in Whitehall has been, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">historically</span> security. Central government faces some eye watering IT and other security challenges that the private sector does not. But for the security community to manage these risks, which with great skill they often can do, a coherent vision is needed. Given Alex Allan's role in the security apparatus I am always heartened that he backs this vision. To get Blackhall across I have been asked to speak at <a href="http://www.iauk.org.uk/en/Events/IA-09/">IA09</a> the big government security conference.<br />
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Political leaders seem to be heading in this direction.<br />
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Tom Watson MP, when cabinet office minister said in a speech at IPPR that:<br />
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‘the policy process is a bit like building a Morgan in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Malvern</span>: a handful of people taking years to create a beautiful, hand-crafted model…but surely the future is to be more like a Toyota made in Derby, modern tools, modern processes, high-speed development and delivery.'</blockquote>
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Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Afriyie</span> MP who speak for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Conservatives</span> on new <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">technologies</span> <a href="http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=9975">said recently that</a> new technologies:<br />
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"will make the man in Whitehall redundant". He said a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Conservative</span> government was committed to using technology to give people more power over their lives and to scrutinise and choose public services.....Do we embrace the new culture of openness, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">transparency</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">interactivity</span>? Do we respond as if we, too, were 'born digital'? Or do we stick with the same clumsy, controlling tactics of a tired political system?"</blockquote>
George Osborne MP said in a newspaper diary that:<br />
‘<span style="font-style: italic;">David Cameron and I meet…..the founders of Google and two of the most creative people I've come across. We talk about the contrast between their world and the world of government, stuck as too much of it is in a bygone bureaucratic age</span>’. Observer 25th May 2008<br />
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I'd be interested to know what people think of 'Blackhall' - is it something worth pursuing, or are the old ways best? Can the security risks be managed? What are the obstacles? Who should lead this change? Is it something the <a href="http://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/content/73/transitions-preparing-for-new-governments">Institute for Government</a> should look at in their work on transition or the <a href="http://www.nationalschool.gov.uk/sunningdaleinstitute/index.asp">National School of Government</a>? Are your knowledge tools better at work or at home? Have you got some great examples of modern knowledge working or some bygone practices you could change?<br />
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If you are a civil servant and want guidance on commenting in public then <a href="http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/work/codes/participation-online.aspx">there is simple guidance here</a>.<br />
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Disclaimer: the above is expressed in a personal capacity and does not reflect the view of the government nor the cabinet office. William Perrin is on sabbatical/special leave from the Cabinet Office running a community empowerment project <a href="http://www.talkaboutlocal.org/">Talk About Local</a>.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com7Westminster, London SW1A 2AA, UK51.5035397 -0.127695251.5002007 -0.13499070000000002 51.506878699999994 -0.12039970000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-28229276580940552712009-06-10T13:15:00.005+01:002009-06-10T13:28:56.676+01:00Audience and cost curves - some dull micro economics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiregpCMXM3lBnRWxwk-rao5R0WisEbhAFzcF1tvjOMDlpypr4D0m0o03IS0fsxvYQr3o-DSE5qwQ_rJQxTTQ4gZNcvgUXtlI6atcCEv8wN9BClYvTtreDWI7geSlYHpzdb-K3bRw1gyd6K/s1600-h/audcost.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiregpCMXM3lBnRWxwk-rao5R0WisEbhAFzcF1tvjOMDlpypr4D0m0o03IS0fsxvYQr3o-DSE5qwQ_rJQxTTQ4gZNcvgUXtlI6atcCEv8wN9BClYvTtreDWI7geSlYHpzdb-K3bRw1gyd6K/s320/audcost.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345673799880653202" border="0" /></a><br />Pete Ashton has an interesting post about the changes in the distribution of <a href="http://ash10.com/2009/06/towards-a-theory-of-yurtification/">media audiences</a>. He essentially presents a flattened power curve for the relationship between audience reach and size of media outlet. The curve shape he says has changed from a teepee to a yurt. This can be expressed another way as above - illustrating that, as well as Pete's point, for the first time high reach options are available at low to zero cash cost. Old media retains the very high fixed costs (print, distribution, broadcast, transmission, legacy penions etc) making them vulnerable to market entrants with low to nil fixed costs and thus more flexibility. <br /><br />I shall write more on this and the implications for the changing costs of engagement in due course.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-56758517309387561772009-06-03T15:32:00.006+01:002009-06-03T15:49:04.488+01:00Tom Watson MP - making leviathan twitterIn the UK, the dialogue between a government minister and their civil servants takes place behind a screen, like any good professional relationship. Exchanges are relatively stylised and formal as one might expect and some might hope. Social media in government makes that dialogue occasionally break out into public when you are least expecting it.<br /><br />The recent coverage of Tom Watson reminded me of this unexpected public exchange when I was working on the Power Of Information work in the Cabinet Office. It is hard to explain to those outside the system how odd it is to see 'your Minister' suddenly popping up replying to your tweet about the work you are doing for him. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhunVaFYYCFJhIUVESoK0qGuqgMRlElojiQ-AsND19DBZbbzs-Rw5wNOk6-s9hkumzihhBOWob5Zc713J9D-33XpLCv03rTHBYIIVAX2A7RcplQs1P2lUUR5KkEbzRospTLGPnnJSMqpH9/s1600-h/twitter+watson+perrin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 388px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhunVaFYYCFJhIUVESoK0qGuqgMRlElojiQ-AsND19DBZbbzs-Rw5wNOk6-s9hkumzihhBOWob5Zc713J9D-33XpLCv03rTHBYIIVAX2A7RcplQs1P2lUUR5KkEbzRospTLGPnnJSMqpH9/s400/twitter+watson+perrin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343111558307310242" border="0" /></a><br />As one of the people behind the power of information work I am all for this sort of thing, but it isn't everyone's cup of tea.William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-40067077226840473162009-04-03T19:40:00.011+01:002009-04-13T23:12:33.828+01:00Goat Carter - can Lord Carter bring free, simple wifi to the great British greasy spoon?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNLto3j1V2mmV0YoC0EDRoVJavePm-1Gkq1T9QXOG9H5uSYWHjIcz0emAym8wQRVWi7hGkZlAjg7rfpUK8PMhyphenhyphenOGxFMFjvUSMtDegBI-Vcq6j7jKTyoM_92vWjWz8E6YNF0pmj6jGLM6K/s1600-h/goat+carter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNLto3j1V2mmV0YoC0EDRoVJavePm-1Gkq1T9QXOG9H5uSYWHjIcz0emAym8wQRVWi7hGkZlAjg7rfpUK8PMhyphenhyphenOGxFMFjvUSMtDegBI-Vcq6j7jKTyoM_92vWjWz8E6YNF0pmj6jGLM6K/s320/goat+carter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324250416232221346" border="0" /></a>These happy goats in Argentina are on an isolated farm about 50 miles from Salta. The Santa Anita goat farm has a little cafe and is in the middle of nowhere on the route to the fabulous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calchaqu%C3%AD_Valleys">Calchaqui Valleys</a>. The goats look happy in part because they have free wifi, so does anyone who stops off there for a cup of tea or some cheese. Like dozens of simple cafes and restaurants I visted in Argentina the cafe probably plugged in a simple wirelss router to its Telfonica Argentina broadband and provides the wifi key to his visitors.<br /><br />In Britain it is a rarity for an independent cafe to do this. If you want casual, simple access to wifi to check an email, using your bargain netbook or phone then the outlook in Britain's cities is poor. Even London's West End is a free broadband desert. To my mind in a successful knowledge society, bandwidth should be plentiful enough to give some away around the edges. When you speak to foreign visitors or travel a lot outside Europe it is clear that Britain has an uncompetitive position in casual, easy, free broadband access in cafes, hotels or popular public spaces. The contrast with the USA is stark, but also with far less devleoped nations like Argentina. This seems bad for a knowledge society. <br /><br />But <span style="font-style: italic;">why</span> do so few independent cafes and hardly any of the the great British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greasy_spoon">greasy spoon</a>s have free wifi for their customers? It should be there like salt, sugar, ketchup and brown sauce on the table.<br /><br />The economics should be straightforward - the greasy spoon's bandwidth isn't constantly being used, the cafe owner will often pay a flat tariff so why shouldn't s/he give away bandwidth at marginal cost (ie zero) to his customers? If you want quick and simple access over a coffee or in a public space it should be free. But if you want to start filesharing video say, then you should pay for it. And public authorities should not be leading in this provision - the private service sector should be there providing this trivial service to its customers on the premesis.<br /><br />In major cities there are paid for wifi services provided by say <a href="http://www.thecloud.co.uk/for-you/">The Cloud</a> and or <a href="http://www.btopenzone.com/?s_cid=con_ppc_zedmedia_google_openzone_Brand_Brand_Broad_bt_wifi">BT Openzone</a>. But they are expensive and erratic in coverage, despite their PR. This reflects a simple cost equation - it is expensive to roll a city wide network and not many people use it, compared to say a mobile phone network. Pret and Mcdonalds are belatedly starting to roll free wifi for customers but they are big corporates and indeed you have to ask why they didn't do this years ago. You can get a 3G dongle, but again it isn't cheap and requires some forethought.<br /><br />The roots of this must go back to the bad old days of broadband in the UK. When broadband was in short supply in 2001ish, a rather paranoid BT was worried it would lose customers to folk sharing their broadband connection with neighbouring homes and businesses. The small print in the standard BT broadband contracts (that were resold by third parties like Tiscali etc) prohibited you from reselling or sharing your connection. A lot of campaigners were unhappy about this, but the contracts persisted for years. From a regulatory perspective, the micro economics of this seem suspect to me given what was then BT wholesale's position in the market. Only in the last few weeks has BT come out with an notionally <a href="http://www.ukprwire.com/Detailed/Computers_Internet/Free_BT_public_Wi-Fi_hotspot_for_every_Business_Broadband_customer_32262.shtml">free hotspot product</a> for businesses to provide to their customers although still attached to the Openzone kit. <br /><br />Now that almost every business that wants it can have broadband why can't the big telcos let go a little around the edges and create permissive sharing standard terms for SME and domestic broadband contracts? Indeed 'share it' is the best answer to the puzzling question of what to do with your very own 50MB connection. <br /><br />So for Lord Carter is there an opportunity to bring broadband to the greasy spoon? Can the Carter work bring about a culture change amongst the telcos to encourage free wifi in cafes? If goats in Argentina have free cafe wifi, in a developing country with a rolling economic crisis, then why doesn't my greasy spoon? There must be over 100,000 small cafes in Britain - imagine bringing simple free wifi to that many high street outlets - it would palpably change the feel of our knowledge society.<br /><br />I'd love to know the real answer to all this. Is this something OFCOM has looked at? Is Carter working on it ? Let me know in the comments (moderated - no abuse, rudeness, swearing pls).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Disclaimer - this piece is written in a purely personal capacity (after the theft of my 3G mobile force me to explore the high street wifi scene) and does not reflect the views of any organsiation I may have worked for.</span>William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-88219249870459868262009-03-31T22:08:00.002+01:002009-03-31T22:22:06.010+01:00Rootkit destroyed my eveningSo i spent this evening extracting a rootkit from my samsung nc10 - first i knew about it was when clicking on google search results, weird ad pages sprang up. Installed AVG wouldn't touch it. So i tried to install superantispyware, but it wouldn't install. then malwarebytes, which also wouldn't install. Both were blocked by the malware. AVG was also behaving strangely.<br /><br />It was only <a href="http://rootrepeal.googlepages.com/">RootRepeal</a> that saved me, finding the hidden rootkit<br /><br />>>Name: UACyxxtjwqc.sys<br />Image Path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\UACyxxtjwqc.sys<br />Address: 0xF70D3000 Size: 77824 File Visible: -<br />Status: Hidden from Windows API!<br /><br />Wiping this then allowed malwarebytes to tackle the other 15 problems and get the machine back under control.<br /><br />About three hours on this on top of an hour on the phone with Vodafone customer service as they managed to get my address wrong and i bounced around between various hapless contact centre people trying to claim for my phone lost in Brazil......William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502482221666578471.post-63007214037161410472009-03-21T14:45:00.001+00:002009-03-21T14:48:12.601+00:00Why this blogThere are some things I want to publish for discussion that don't fit into my other websites – the Kings Cross family and Talk About Local.<br /><br />I also want to check out the Blogger service and to understand why so many web peoepl i know mutter darkly about it - can't be that bad?William Perrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750327547933495509noreply@blogger.com0