Looks like the city’s digital quango, Connecting Bristol, have called in the professionals to show us how this blogging lark should be done.
“Announcing the Connecting Bristol Bloggers,” trumpets the website.
“A series of Special Guest Bloggers will be contributing their views, thoughts and experiences of technology, innovation, digital inclusion and life, here on the Connecting Bristol Blog,” we’re breathlessly informed.
So over the next couple of months we’re going to be treated to no less than seven Connecting Bristol Bloggers. Although – and this sums up the powers-that-be’s attitude to this city and its people rather nicely – only one of them, as far as we can tell, actually lives or works in Bristol.
But then you can’t go around willy-nilly spending your budget helping and supporting actual real Bristolians can you? They could come out with anything.
Instead we’re being treated to various random Nathan Barley characters – all CONsultants, natch – from London and an academic from Leeds who can, er … Come out with anything they feel like!
But first out of the blocks is regional quangocrat Julie Harris, who describes herself as “Regional ICT Champion for the third sector here in the South West”.
Has she won some competition then? Not sure – as “the mission to explain” doesn’t seem to figure high on Ms Harris’s agenda and instead we’re left to guess what her curious jargon actually means.
We do learn however – not really surprising this, for someone on the public payroll – that Ms Harris has just organised and attended the Rural ICT Conference.
Alas we’re not told what that’s all about either, but Julie assures us “it really was a great event,” which is good news.
And today Julie’s doing some research ahead of another – no doubt great – event, “which is bringing together people from public, private and third sector organisations to look at the development of local ICT ‘hubs.” Because, apparently, sticking computers in village halls in Devon is going to save the planet.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Julie assures us. Certainly is if the government pays you sit around coming out with this half-arsed nonsense.
Sounds like you are feeling just a wee bit left out? Ask them nicely and I am sure they will let you join in x
Does this mean that you now have a multiple personality?
What pisses me off is the way that they keep putting Council tax up and cutting services. I mean, it would be almost endearing if it wasn’t for the large poll tax they expect householders and businesses to come up with to pay for all this crap.
Does blogging actually cost anything? Who pays your wages Bristol Blogger?
As a “guy-who-works-the-market” you ought to know that time is money, and it obviously takes quality time to produce a blog of this standard. So how can you ask if blogging costs anything?
Sounds like someone’s a tad piqued by your blog:
http://www.connectingbristol.org/2008/03/12/technology-and-planning/
I can feel the New Labour jargon in the room …
I see lots of Bristol based Voluntary-Charity-Third-Sectory type organisations in list of groups Julie works with on her blog. Rather the Government was spending money on projects to help urban and rural communities use technology than the Olym£ic$!!
Could I suggest less posts per page? It’s taking a scary amount of time to load your blog. Keep us smiling and growling. Thanks.