Author: Alec Fearon

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Post-referendum politics

My member of parliament emailed me today with words to the effect that, now the people have spoken, he will set aside his personal judgement and work to achieve Brexit. I think he is profoundly wrong, for the reasons set out below, and have emailed him to say so.

The United Kingdom is a representative democracy, not a direct democracy; it is for Parliament to decide our future direction. In deciding that direction members of parliament must take the result of the referendum into account; but the result is advisory not binding and their role as our elected representatives requires members of parliament also to take other considerations into account. These include:

Continue reading “Post-referendum politics”

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Professor Michael Dougan analyses the EU referendum debate

This is a sobering presentation, delivered before the referendum. One of the UK’s leading EU law experts criticises the referendum debate’s “dishonesty on an industrial scale”, as he considers the claims and counter claims from each side. He also gave evidence-based opinion about the parameters that would apply after an exit vote.

https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofLiverpool/videos/vb.130437690316977/1293361974024537/?type=2&theater

 

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Conversational interfaces to the web

“Today, hardly anyone questions whether to build a mobile-optimized website. A decade from now, we might be saying the same thing about optimizing digital experiences for voice or chat commands. The convenience of a customer experience will be a critical key differentiator. As a result, no one will think twice about optimizing their websites for multiple interaction patterns, including conversational interfaces like voice and chat.”

Dries Buytaert expands on this proposition here.

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Community projects funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy

Developers in Plymouth pay a Community Infrastructure Levy which is held in the City Change Fund. The criteria for that fund require the money to be used for “the provision, improvement, replacement, operation, or maintenance of infrastructure or anything else that is concerned with addressing the demands that development places on an area (Regulation 59C of the CIL regulations 2013).”

The City Council committed £60,000 of the City Change Fund to the Crowdfund Plymouth campaign. That money can be pledged on projects that “help improve the city and make it a better place to live, work and play“. Suitable projects are eligible for matched funding from Plymouth Council of up to 50 per cent of the project cost, up to a maximum of £5,000.

See the guidance on how to apply for this funding.

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Formation Zone – Plymouth

Website: http://www.formationzone.co.uk/
0800 052 5600 | Facebook | Twitter
Location: 2nd floor of Marine Building in Plymouth University. Half of this floor is used by startups, the other half by members of the university’s Innovation Services team.
Some photos
Resources for Parents

Pre-startup package: duration 2 months; £60 fixed fee for use of one desk; appropriate support services.
Startup package: duration up to 2 years; £160 fee per desk; full range of support services.

There are monthly drop-in sessions from November to April.

Formation Zone Business Challenge. An annual competition to develop an innovative business idea. There are six categories:social enterprise, creative, digital and technology, marine, health and environment. Open to students currently at the university or its associated colleges and to recent alumni.

Some alumni

Munch Movement. A mobile catering business. Provides wood-fired pizzas at private parties, wedding receptions, corporate hospitality and events.

Mutant Labs. Computer games.

So Good Studios. eLearning computer games.

Total Monkery. Computer games.