Rhubarb Radio has kindly consented to allow your very own BiNS-ers Jon & Jules to have a show — on the internet radio and everything. It’ll be what you’d expect from us — intelligent, amusing, cool, and featuring ELO (maybe). We’d love you to listen to us live (at Rhubarb R...

Steven Tuck drew my attention to this remarkable piece of openness on the part of Kirklees Council. Like other local authorities they pop their press releases online, but unlike other local authorities they give the public space to say what they think.  Have a look at this example here, it is so si...

Beth Kanter has written a really thorough piece about Twestival as an online and social fundraising model. I would heartily recommend you read her post based around a conversation with the woman behind Twestival: Amanda Rose. Beth has this summary of lessons from Amanda: 1) Don’t Spearhead A W...

This afternoon I spoke at the National Housing and Disrepair Forum annual conference. 100 or so council officers, solicitors, barristers, housing association types and others worrying about just how much money is spent on compensating council tenants for repairs that haven’t been done. This is...

This piece by Stephen Fry in defense of the BBC is well worth a read: What is the alternative, a ghettoised, balkanised electronic bookshop of the home, no stations, no network, just a narrowcast provider spitting out content on channels that fulfil some ghastly and wholly insulting demographic prof...

Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that I have a periodic rant about integrity. That’s always a risky game, cos we’re all flawed when it comes to truth telling. If we were not then we’d struggle to get by in our complex social world. However here’s my latest, whic...

Since the last time we got together at the end of March a number of folk have arranged smaller meetings. This is intended to be the monthly main session. Al at Rooty Frooty in the Custard Factory is happy to stay open again for us, this time 6pm to about 9pm on Tuesday April 29th. Not much on the ag...

For at least 3 years now Dave Harte from Digital Central has been supporting the digital media industry in Brum. Now it’s time to return the favour. Dave is running the London Marathon next week. He’s been long on training but short on fundraising. Last year he raised £495 for St Mary&#...

It is becoming downright tricky for the government to get our attention. Not for the old reasons of being mostly boring. Rather because our attention is increasingly elsewhere – immersed more and more in networks or relationships. What I pay heed to is much more self indulgent now than it was ...

I grew up in Mosley and Balsall Heath. Underage I saw the Beat Support UB40 at the Fighting Cocks. I stopped listening (no buying ) after Red Red Wine. But I still care: Birmingham Post. Don’t do the McCartney thing please. Write songs about justice (again) please, double please....