Archive for October, 2010
That was the week that was
October 15th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
The thing about being a portfolio workers is that activity is very variable and fluctuating – but this week has been furiously busy for me: five meetings, one conference call, two speeches, one interview, and an evening class. Next week will be lighter …
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Blog Action Day 2010
October 15th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
This year’s theme for Blog Action Day is water: Unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Unclean drinking water can incubate some pretty scary diseases, like E. coli, salmonella, cholera and hepatitis A. Given that bouquet of bacteria, it’s no surprise that water, […]
Posted in Environment | Comments (0)
The cull of the quangos (4)
October 14th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Today the Coalition Government announced the abolition of 192 public bodies – so-called quangos – and the merger of a further 118. You can check out the full list here. Both the statutory bodies on which I sit – Consumer Focus and the Communications Consumer Panel – are to be abolished. This will not happen […]
Posted in Consumer matters | Comments (2)
A short religious quiz
October 12th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
You might have seen my earlier posting about the results of a survey in the United States examining how much people knew – in most cases, very little – about various religious faiths including their own. There was a link from the posting to some of the questions posed. Now, thanks to a recommendation from […]
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments (0)
If the Chilean miners are freed …
October 12th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
– as we all hope and trust – through whose intervention will this ‘miracle’ have been achieved? The prayers of the Catholic Church? The prayers of a Seventh Day Adventist preacher? The prayers of a local evangelical preacher? God acting on His own initiative? The efforts of the rescue team and the skill of the […]
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (3)
The cull of the quangos (3)
October 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Ed Mayo was the last Chief Executive of the National Consumer Council and the first Chief Executive of Consumer Focus as well as a lifelong advocate of the consumer interest. So he is understandably shocked – as I am – if bodies like Consumer Focus are to be closed down by the Coalition Government. You […]
Posted in Consumer matters | Comments (0)
Labour’s new team
October 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
New Labour Party leader Ed Miliband has now chosen his team of Shadow Ministers and you can see the full list here. The biggest surprise was the appointment of Alan Johnson as Shadow Chancellor, but my former boss at the Communication Workers Union will be a very effective communicator of Labour’s attack on the speed […]
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
The cull of the quangos (2)
October 10th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I’ve spent three years on the Board of Consumer Focus, helping to create a new and powerful voice for consumers which has now been in operation for just two years. But, according to this story in today’s “Observer, all this is to end.
Posted in Consumer matters | Comments (0)
Today’s very special date
October 10th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Today is the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the new millennium. The attraction of 10.10.10 has led many couples to choose this day for their wedding. A date like 10.10.10 only happens 12 times every 1,000 years. There will be a similar day in 2011 and in 2012 but […]
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments (7)
The cull of the quangos (1)
October 9th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
On the grounds of so-called cost-savings and efficiencies, the Coalition Government is planning to abolish hundreds of public bodies or quangos and merge many others. The lists will be announced by the Cabinet Office on Thursday but already speculation is rife. It’s not looking good for Consumer Focus, the consumer body on whose Board I […]
Posted in Consumer matters | Comments (0)