Long sunny day working on my UK IT Policy paper before a frost tonight as the Bhopal disaster plays out its tragic consequences and the TUC will only support the miners within the restrictions of the new draconian laws
Awake with my morning tea and to listen to the Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme about current affairs. The last of my melon for breakfast and Deborah ventures to try a little after a few weeks of rejecting it. More toast and natural honeycombe with apple juice to wash it down and back to bed with the remainder of The Financial Times until 8.30am. Then to wash whilst hearing of scenes from ‘Yesterday in Parliament’ on the radio. Thatcher comes under increasing pressure and her MP’s are far from happy with her commitment to existing economic policies. Dressed and out then to the birds. I wash down the pigeon feeding tray (covering myself with a fine spray in the process) and change their food. Their mating activities are now dispersing them in pairs along adjacent roof tops, but they always come back to the dovecote to feed and roost. Still no eggs from the ducks, but it cannot be long now. To the office and a range of computer journals to read. No mention, or coverage of BMMG initiatives, but no criticism either in the face of Microsoft opposition and so I am satisfied.
The whole morning reading these journals until home at 12.30pm for lunch and back sharply to continue. After I finish the journals, I eventually manage to concentrate on my paper and end up by 4.00pm with the bulk of a long and difficult paper on UK Information Technology Policy written up. The problem is to appeal to all IT interests outside micro-computing and also to present issues in a way that can attract support from all party MP’s. In the end, I had still not finished and had to return later to complete the typing and print out the results. In between; afternoon tea, fairwells to Di’s parents who had come to babysit whilst Di was at slymnastics, feeding stations for the birds and to light a fine log fire. Meals today of tinned mackerel and other processed food, which is a pity, but Di has been very busy receiving five visitors to check over her Mini Metro. It seems that it can be sold for at least £1500, but Diana is holding out for more and I think she will succeed. After the early evening at the office finishing my report, I chat to David Fear on the economic issues of the moment and touch base by telephone with Nigel Smith. He expects the LAN report by Datapost today/tomorrow and is proceeding with agreed policies, undeterred by Bleasdales resignation. Late evening in front of my log fire watching the television. The weather today has been sunny and the barometer is very high. There could be a frost tonight. News today of the mounting casualties at Bhopal in India, with 2600+ dead and many more suffering from a frightful condition that causes lungs and eyes to pour water. Many more will be blind or still could die and compensation claims will be heavy. In the US talks of expenditure cut backs are unsettling the markets, the Chemical Industries are beginning to worry about safety effects on profits and in the UK the stock exchange is drifting on post-BT and pre-Christmas disinterest. The TUC and Labour Party will only support the miners short of breaking the law and the NUM Receiver, Herbert Brewer, a comic-cut character, is bowing out of the job, bloodied by criticism of his Tory Party connections and short of funds to do the job.