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Many of us over 60 are counted out when part-time jobs come up despite our collective wisdom and abilities.

To counter some of this prejudice I have dispensed with sending my CV and have instead created The Complete Picture, an animated ninety second overview of my life to date @ https://vimeo.com/223960456.

 

 

 

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28
MAY
Last night, I went to see Mark Knopfler at the Albert Hall. He is doing six sell out concerts which I reckoned on ticket sales alone meant a turnover of somewhere between £1m-1.5m: not a bad week's work even if the RAH takes 25%. The concert was a jungle. First up was Ruth Moddy who has just released These Wilder Things. Though born in Oz she grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba and trained as a classical singer before moving into folk music. She features on Mark K's latest cd:...
26
MAY
Last night, Intelligence Squared hosted Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google at the RGS. Bryan Appleyard was the chairman for the event and he did a pretty poor job of it. Tickets were £25 because though this was an "In Conversation" evening it was also to plug his book The New Digital Age which I had read earlier in the month. Schmidt had hurried back from the Hay- on-Wye festival where he had had to answer more questions on Google's tax position.  By and large Schmidt had
26
MAY
We heard a lot about LEGACY before, during and after the London Olympics but in essence we bottled it. These extraordinary games may have left an indelible mark on the IOC and possibly RIOCOG 2016 but they have soon been forgotten.  The RFU will be hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and it is keen to see an embedded LEGACY agreed and delivered which lasts through until 2019. Of course, it will be easier for rugby to do this because it owns its hinterland. The Olympic Movement just owns
26
MAY
Micky Flanagan's 2013 tour has been a sell out across the country. Having booked tickets late last year, I was relieved to go and see the concert on Friday at the dreadfully appointed Hammersmith Apollo which is a disgrace.  Not that it mattered. Flanagan was outrageously funny touching chords few other comedians would risk! He is just the best in town at the moment. 
26
MAY
I worked with DesignIt during 2011-12 on a couple of App projects when they were close to The Shard. They have moved and there have been some personnel changes which Eva updated me on at No.11 on Tuesday evening. 
26
MAY
We had our second meeting of the new Board on Tuesday and then had a smaller meeting on Thursday afternoon. We have a lot of work to accomplish this year.
26
MAY
I was at St. Catherine's College, Oxford as a mature student (32) where I read for an M.Sc in Mismanagement Education ......but that was then........ The College is affectionately known as Catz and we had our annual Alumni Party at ARUP on Thursday evening. I arrived late by which time it was humming.... i borrowed £10k in 1981 from my bank to do my course and paid it back over a further ten years by which time my salary had quadrupled so for me my time at Oxford was truly...
26
MAY
I played for the Penguins in 1977 (USSR) and 1980 (Argentina) and then coached the tour to Brazil in 1984. Since 1995, I have been on its executive committee and have been out to watch them in Prague but not yet to HK! I must remedy this soon.  On Thursday, Alan Wright, a co-founder of the Penguins back in 1959, launched the history of this great club at the Rugby Room in the East India Club. 
23
MAY
Will UKIP announce bringing back the death penalty for the killing of children, the police and our armed services? 
22
MAY
Do the Boards of these companies care about their corporate social responsibilities to the millions of consumers who help create their wealth? We haven't heard a jot about them nor has the media really examined which board member has CSR as his or her role. There's not been a peep from anyone.  Apple is rotten to the core - it has no Trust it just stashes its money away like a bloated squirrel in offshore accounts striking up special deals with dodgy governance.  Google is...
20
MAY
Wynton Marsalis is at Ronnie Scott's in July so having booked my tickets I have been listening to two CDs one with Willie Nelson and the other with Eric Clapton......dreamy....
20
MAY
I have just finished reading Andrew Adonis's account on the tortuous five days after the General Election. It demonstrated just how far out of touch the inner circle was with the electorate. Had we left Cameron in it the day after the Election there would have been another one this week! 
19
MAY
Social Networking 21 13-19 May 2013 Monday Returned from Istanbul Tuesday Jeremy Charles @ High Timber Dr Alexander Brand @ Westminster South Medical Centre Charles Corea Exhibition @ RIBA Richard Blaksley @ Boisdale Wednesday Eduardo @ Tom Tom Cafe Blood @ Westminster South Medical Centre Mark Davies @ Thomas Cubitt Tessa, Neil, Trish  & Emily - Ambassadors, Trinity Hospice @ The Sun, Clapham Thursday Anna Anketell @ Cork & Bottle Great...
18
MAY
Has Channel 4 News lost the plot and certainly its independence? When the world news stations ran with David Beckham's retirement they ran with Frankie Dettori's return to horse racing (which has been delayed). They did this because Channel 4 has the rights to UK Horse Racing. So they ran an exclusive at the top of the programme on Dettori NOT Beckham. Dear me it is a news programme not a plug for their coverage. 
18
MAY
Istanbul 21 Nearly three years ago, a few months before my daughter's 21st birthday, I asked her what she would like for a present. I suggested we went away together so we would always remember it. I lobbed up the odd suggestion like the Blue Train from Joburg to Cape Town and then a trip to Robben Island finishing with a safari.  But each time, she would respond "That's what you want to do Dad" to which there was a modicum of truth! Finally, finally last year she settled on Istanbul...
18
MAY
"Google is an evil company" was the comment of Margaret Hodge MP earlier this week when Google executives tried to pretend they did not do sales through their London offices. Google should pay its taxes in the UK and not try to find loopholes. This is not an ethically run company. They contribute nothing to the Creative Industries but happily take our advertising. So how about taxing the adverts which appear on UK web sites? If David Cameron wants to make sure the likes of Apple, Amazon,...
17
MAY
Great Gatsby @ Chelsea Curzon I went to see the Great Gatsby shot in 3D last night (there is also a 2D version). The audience was split between us oldies and youngsters in their 20s/early 30s who missed the last version of this film back in 1974. All told there have been five versions: 1926 - by Herbert Brenon, a silent movie now lost 1949 - by Elliott Nugent, starring Alan Ladd 1974 - by Jack Clayton, starring Robert Redford 2000 - by  Robert Markowitz, a...
17
MAY
Petition Response from David Ruse, Tri-borough Director of Libraries and Archives Date sent: 17th May 2013 Dear Cllr Dimoldenberg Your petition asking the Council to 'reject proposals to cut the entire £350,000 a year budget for Arts and Culture over the next two years' has now closed for the collection of signatures.  The petition received 901 signatures.  As the relevant Chief Officer, I have carefully considered the petition and set out the Council’s...
17
MAY
I stood down last month after six years as a board member of Editorial Intelligence:  www.editorialintelligence.com.  I own 115 shares - if anyone is interested in purchasing them let me know. Editorial Intelligence's chairman and CEO is Julia Hobsbawm.  
16
MAY
I met Jeremy at the Boat Race earlier in the year and we agreed to spend some time thinking about sport at Oxford and in doing so we had an very agreeable lunch opposite Tate Modern on the Thames on Tuesday.
16
MAY
Richard and I met watching our respective sons playing rugby at school and we have maintained our friendship since. On Tuesday we had a quiet dinner at Boisdale's.
16
MAY
RIBA has a grand exhibition of Charles Correa's work - he is India's greatest architect and winner of RIBA's Gold Medal. His work is not so well known here. His was influenced by Le Corbusier whose work in India included much of the new city of Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana. It's a great pity there isn't much published about Correa's life and work. Perhaps RIBA could work with Phaidon to create a mini series of the Gold Medal Winners.   I went to the launch...
16
MAY
Mark Davies was at BetFair when it started and now runs his own consultancy. His Dad, Barry worked at the BBC for thirty or more years covering sport. Anyway we meet every six months just to catch up. It is always a lively discussion!
13
MAY
Sorry I haven't put anything up for a week but I have been in Istanbul for five days - what a great city - more soon.
13
MAY
I live by myself and have done so for six years and many of my friends have been unbelievably kind during this time inviting me for lunch, supper and weekends. So last Tuesday over eighty of them came to a thank you party bash at the LooseBox in Horseferry Road.
13
MAY
Jilly and I went up The Shard last Monday to celebrate our first anniversary since we first met at the Tate Modern. Luckily, it was a clear and sunny evening - it was deserted - and so we had the place more or less to ourselves. It is such a sensational building and the view from the very top is simply spectacular.
13
MAY
Social Networking 20 6-12 May, 2013 Monday London Skyline @ The Shard Tuesday Vic Luck @ Twickenham Sue Boreham @ Trinity Hospice Heena Patel @ Pimlico Clinic Party @ LooseBox Bump Jonathan Shaw Ian Pearson Ken Pyne David & Caroline Hooper Peter & Ros Grose John Denham MP Caroline Flint MP Gareth Thomas MP Ginny Tate Ambre Hammond Joy Camm Guy Bell Lynne Ager Tessa Moore David Clarson Roger Truelove Wednesday Finance Committee@ Trinity...
13
MAY
On Tuesday of last week I attended an interview at Twickenham for one half of the SE England regional group with responsibility for the Rugby World Cup 2015 legacy. If appointed I would be representing Oxford University RFC as a constituent body. The interview was at 0900.....and I was appointed by 0945!! More soon once we have had our "Away Day" later in the month. I ma really looking forward to working with the group.  
6
MAY
Social Networking 19 29/04-05/05 2013 Monday Mr Miles @ National Orthopedic Hospital CEO Candidates Day @ Trinity Hospice Bump Iain McGourty David Clarson Lynne Ager Peter Gluckman Tuesday Dr Othman Ali Alzamil @ KFA Memorial for HE Prime Minister Meles Zenawi @ Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, SW1 Bump HE Berthanu Kebede Ethiopian Ambassador to UK Gordon Brown Myles Wickstead, former UK Ambassador to Ethiopia Paul Boateng Clare Short Mark Malloch-Brown Dr...
6
MAY
Yesterday, I joined Hugh McCormick at Ronnie Scott's for a late Sunday lunch to hear Digby Fairweather and his talented ensemble - and jolly good it was too.
5
MAY
On Friday evening, I was just settling down to an evening with Eric Schmidt's book on the New Digital Age when Jane Evans and old mucker from my Parliamentary days called to ask me at 6.15pm whether I'd like a join her at The National to see The House. She had asked a friend but she was stuck on the M25 and was definitely not going to make it. So it was that I found myself as part of the audience to the back of the stage for a play I had tried to book myself but it has been such a monster...
5
MAY
I saw Jack, my son, yesterday in Bath and we lunched at Graze by the station. It is a relatively new restaurant (five months or so) and not to our liking. The starters were poor and slight and expensive. The bread was stale. The service was slow. We certainly won't be returning. 
5
MAY
For 18 months or so a small group including Ken Loach, David Taylor, David Gay, Joe Downey, David Dolman and myself have been meeting to discuss the Charity Commission's wretched solution for the future of The Rec. in Bath. It's been a stitch up between the Lib Dem council who act as Trustees (surely not) steered by Don Foster, their MP, and the relatively new owners of Bath FC. The CC seemed prepared to lease the ground to the owners for 75 years! How absurd is that? They will be able to...
5
MAY
Hester Finch works at Trinity Hospice but doubles as an artist. Now, no laughing but look at: http://www.oaksmithstudio.co.uk/2013/05/three-into-one/
4
MAY
On Wednesday I had lunch with Nick Butler who worked at No.10 and now is a professor at King's College and a blogger for the FT. Naturally, I took him to the Cork & Bottle......
4
MAY
Unusually, we had a London meeting of the Major Stanley's Trustees. I have been a trustee since the early 1990s but largely absent from 1997-2010 as our meetings clashed with PMQs. Several of us have been wondering whether or not we have a role left. It was a good meeting and we agreed to meet again in June.
4
MAY
On Wednesday evening, I was the guest speaker at the London branch of the Old Ipswichian Club at Dartmouth House, home of the English Speaking Union. I had prepared a speech lasting just on fifteen minutes but during the supper, I was advised that some members had to catch the fast train back to Ipswich and so I speeded my deliver up and took eight pages out!! I had some complimentary emails about the quality of my jokes.......
4
MAY
On Thursday, I went down to Sittingbourne to support Roger Truelove and Ghlin Whelan who were standing in Swale Central. Roger was the KCC councillor but lost in 2009. Ghlin has tried several times to win the other seat. I did a quick interview on Sittingbourne FM and then went out to Milton and then Iwade largely delivering what we call "Get Out the Vote" cards to specific addresses. It's a thankless task but has to be done. All in all I was out walking for four hours with old...
1
MAY
Jilly and I went to see The Audience last night. It was simply brilliant. The play had been updated to include the Thatcher funeral. Interestingly, missing from an "audience" were Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Callaghan (almost), Heath and Blair. The surprise package was Wilson. The best lines were when HM "interviewed" Major or Brown which had us crying in the aisles with laughter. Go see.
1
MAY
After The Audience I tripped along to Ronnie's to hear Madeleine Peyroux. I'd last heard her at The Barbican in 2006. Her backing group last night comprised two violinists (one from NY was superb), a viola player, a cellist and a bass plus piano, drums and electric guitar. She also played guitar. He style has changed - she's still not really comfortable performing but having a security blanket of a band has helped. She was largely solo last time I saw her. Her new album is largely copies
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