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Welcome to my new website

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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29
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We went to see Chimerica last night at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The first half was over long and after a volley of very funny one liners it became caught by its set which started to dictate and then impact on the actors. The second half was much shorter - we debated going home at the interval but stayed - and thankfully it picked up a tad. But overall I thought it was unsatisfactory as a play despite its hype since transferring from The Almeida.
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I was a guest of James Hibbert, a Quins sponsor, yesterday afternoon at Twickenham Stoop for their game against top of the table Saracens. It was a a good game but Saracens always had the edge and Quins struggled to find  away through their well organised defence.   Harlequins 12-22 Saracens
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Social Networking 36 23-29 September 2013 Monday Geoff Bennett @ Pimlico Tuesday Labour Party Conference @ Brighton Bump Peter Hain MP Cllr Roger Truelove Cllr Ghlin Whelan Harriet Harman MP Bill Thomas Carole Stone Todd Freeman PPC Lucian Hudson Clare Ward Lawrie Quinn Supper @ Pimlico Bump Laura Sandys MP Wednesday Breakfast @ Pimlico Bump Lord Michael Howard Tessa Moore @ Loosebox Thursday James Hibbert @ D2K Hatty Cadman @ Blue Boar, St...
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Social Networking 35 16-22 September 2013 Monday David Clarson & Dr Chris Gerry Tuesday Ayan Mitra, Karen Duncan, Sunil Aggarwal, Christopher Humphry, Ian Pearson, Barry Parr & Rob Taylor @ Crowdbnk Board Elizabeth Lourd's Book Launch @ Daunt, Marylebone Street, SW1 for The Lure of the Honey Bird Wednesday Area 2 RWC Legacy Board Meeting @ RFU Vic Luck, Nick Cole, Louise Latter, Ben Calveley, Gavin Williams, Chris Fowke, Erin Kirby, Simon Cooper, Andrew Harris,
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Labour  Party Conference Diary 24th September 2013 I took Southern Railways to Brighton from Victoria this morning. I tried to book online for my ticket via TrainOnline but because I had switched my credit and debit cards I was consistently denied access and nothing on their site gave me even a hint as to what I should do. Good bye TrainOnline. My journey was uneventful but worryingly there was no wireless on board. Hundreds of thousand of commuters come into town on this...
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Yesterday evening, we went to see Jasmine Blue at the Stratford Picture House. Though it was a warm evening the cinema chose to increase the indoor temperature to 25C which was decidely uncomfortable. The film itself was terribly disappointing and you do wonder why the critics loved it so much. Was it the love-in for Woody? Was it the relief that he had made a film in which you could understand some of the texture? What was it? Anyway, save your money and go to something else.
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The Syrian War has brought into sharp relief the miserable Russians whose Government struggles to maintain an independent judiciary, is economical with the truth, believes President Ass-Ad and thinks it is still important on the world stage. Why on earth it was allowed into the G8 is a mystery. But, Cameron's blunder and Obama error of judgement, means that the West has exchanged the Cold War for the Faux War. The Chinese must be laughing in their bird's nest soup.
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On Saturday, a poor Charlton XI struggled to find a shot on goal as they lost 1-0 at home to Millwall. At Richmond, the side lost 31-32 at home to Coventry. We have yet to register a win in our first three games.
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Damian McBride's poisonous book Power Trip, serialised in - of all places -The Daily Mail demonstrates beyond a shadow of doubt the sickness that was at the heart of the No.10 Comms. team under Gordon Brown.  
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Thursday was catch up day: Barry McGovern an old mucker from Sky TV Lunch at Gran Paradiso, Pimlico Also at the restaurant were Hugh Grant, Evan Harris and Lord Ashcroft Andy Kenny, Managing Director @ Sport-Rapport Drinks at Cork & Bottle We met at the House of Lords to celebrate Wheel Power in July Roya Nasser, my former secretary, now living in Paris Supper at Cork & Bottle A first meeting since 1984
21
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Last night, I went to Brasserie Zedel for the first time. We had drinks at Bar Amercaine - which was packed - so we queued for ten minutes! And then stayed for supper which was a delight though the service was disappointing.
19
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Two Years to Go until the first game of RWC 2015 evening I was at Twickenham yesterday, the home of the "RFU" but as that is seen as the harsh end of the game ("The Blazers") it is being morphed slowly into "English Rugby". I'd have liked "Twickenham" to have had a higher profile but we are where we are. At least the new logos - English Rugby" will sit side by side with "RFU" for a while yet. Contrast this with the new logo from the IRB called "Impact" probably the worst I had ever...
19
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I received a surprise present in the post yesterday. It was Nigel Slater's book entitled "Appetite". A dear friend had sent it as she knew I was on a new diet and felt the message and the menus would help me. I have started to read it and am enjoying it immensely.
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I am reading "The Blunders of Governments" by the esteemed duo King and Crewe which sounds more like a railway company but I will let that pass. I was in on the CSA blunder(s) in 1998 and if only the two authors had really known how bad these reforms were and why they had to be delayed for two years.....but they feature in my own book which  I hope to complete in the middle of next year.
18
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Is there a better book shop in the UK than Daunt's in Marylebone High Street? I doubt it though given its size The Aldeburgh Book shop runs it close...... Anyway, last night I was back for another launch party this time for Elizabeth Laird's The Lure of the Honey Bird - The Story Tellers of Ethiopia which looks a lot of fun. I took time out to buy some Tim Parks books on Italy - well four exactly!
17
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Last Wednesday, we went to see the late show at Ronnie's featuring the legendary Jose Feliciano. He was simply wonderful and brought the house down.
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I went with Julia Robertson, the group CEO of Impellum and a Trinity Hospice trustee to see Ginny Tate (ex trustee/volunteer at Trinity). Ginny has a house about an hour from Faro on the coast. Last year, she lost her wonderful husband and best friend, Saxon (as in Tate & Lyle). The weather was a fine 25-28C though it rained on Saturday!! It was great to see Ginny again. She was incredibly supportive of Trinity.   
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We had a very good board meeting this morning. We have such a good team and our board is beginning to knit together. See www.crowdbnk.com
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Vince Cable has more or less declared UDI from the Coalition; he'd be happier in the Labour Party.
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It's hard to know where America stands in the world. This most powerful of nations has lost its way. Ed Miliband's opposition to a war strike against Syria bounced Obama into doing the same when he was Commander-in-Chief and did nor have to go to Congress. This seriously weakened his presidency. In fact, if anything the only person who has been strengthened in all this toing and froing is the wretched Assad. Strange times. 
17
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As a Patron, I was invited to the RIBA presentation fo the six architects short-listed for the Stirling Prize which will be announced next Thursday (26/09). My favourite was Niall McLaughlin's wonderful  new church at Rippon Theological College at Cuddesdon, near Oxford. www.architecture.com
17
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Through my contacts at QBE, I was able to find a sponsor so that a cycle race/ride from Melbourne to Sydney could take place between the second and third Lions tests Down Under in late June-early July. All told we raised just over £110k which was over 10% of Walk the Wounded's annual turnover. So on Thursday with QBE personnel, we had a quite reflective "thank you" lunch at the RAC.
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Social Networking 34 09-15 September 2013 Monday Carole Stone & Richard Lindley @ Cork & Bottle Daisy @ Brixton Tuesday Philip Lay @ Ebury Wine Bar Emma Jacobs @ Groucho Stirling Prize shortlist @ RIBA Gill Webber Wednesday Jose Feliciano @ Ronnie Scott's Thursday Richard Gorman, Peter Winterbottom, James Hibbert & Mike Gore @ RAC Friday Dallas Pounds & David Clarson @ Trinity Hospice Ginny Tate & Julia Robertson @ Carvoeiro,...
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Social Networking 33 2-8 September 2013 Monday Virginia Bottomley Jim Murphy MP & Laura Sandys MP Bob Blizzard, Laurie Quinn, Gilly Merron and Martin Linton @ Three Stags Tuesday Swim 30 minutes @RAC Stanley's lunch: Ronnie Lamb, Peter Caroll, John Purcell and John Webster on The Terrace @ RAC Supper: Mihir Bose, Caroline Cecil, Stefan Stern, David Hooper, Michael Green, Clive Jones, Kate Hoey and David Elstein @ Reform Club Wednesday Gym - one hour Nigel
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It was the opening of the rugby season for National Division One and so though Jack was at the double header at Twickenham, I was at Richmond to watch them play Esher. Richmond has made a decision not to have a fully paid up professional side because we feel it would detract from the club's overall role and sense about what the game stands for. Esher has moved in the opposite direction. Had we kicked out our penalties (6 points) and our three conversion (6 points) we would have...
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Is there a more dysfunctional organisation anywhere else in the public sector than the BBC - leaving aside the NHS? I doubt it. How could there be such a spat from the Chairman of the Trust and the previous CEO, neither of whom have covered themselves in glory. Of course, the Sunday Times ran a front page story about the Trust being closed down with Ofcom taking over its role but Ofcom isn't that hot either. But Murdoch has always loathed the BBC and naturally there was a...
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Just after Christmas, I began a fitness routine with the aim of losing weight and if possible ridding my system of rheumatoid arthritis. This involved becoming more or less a vegetarian (fish allowed), drinking soya milk and 2-3 litres of water a day, having hardly any carbs and no alcohol. There was also some stretching exercises to be done each day and taking some food supplements. By March, I had lost 14lbs/6.3k and my arthritis was in remission......... By June, I had maintained my...
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My letter about Parliamentary terms was published this morning in The Guardian though nothing will change.
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As chairman, I convened a meeting yesterday  of Stanley's to discuss our fixture v OURFC in November at the RAC. We had a convivial lunch on the terrace.
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David Elstein gave a tour de force speech last night about the state of hacking and the power of the BBC' News and Current Affairs department and called for the latter to be broken up.
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Mohamed Sbihi was part of the eight which won a gold (a first for a UK 8) at the World Championships yesterday in South Korea. They rowed their hearts out last year at the Olympics and were caught in the last 200m and had to settle for bronze. Someone clearly is doing their homework in the coaching system! Mohamed's dad owns the barber's shop where I have my hair cut or what little there is of it.   Trebles all round except the Mohamed's don't drink.   Last year,
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1. David Frost came to Paul Hamlyn and suggested he did books for M&S. Paul duly presented to M&S and duly won - over the years - a series of lucrative contracts.   Frostie chose to take 1p in the £ for every book sold and his royalty cheques were a joy to behold (well for him anyway). 2. He came into Sky in 1997 after a light lunch on a couple or three bottles of red and suggested that we run a gambling and lottery channel. We turned him down. He always was ahead...
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Dear Sir The real problem about Parliamentary sittings (Helen Lewis: Op Ed) is the timing of the Autumn Pantomimes also known as the party conference season. Now that General Elections will always be in May it make more sense to move the "Season" to Easter. That way Parliament could go through from early September until Christmas.   A longer Parliamentary sitting would bring an end to votes after 6pm and enable MPs to have a half decent family life.   Yours...
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"The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588, when...
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