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Early bout of reading in bed catching up on industry news nursing my uncomfortable cold and then a family day hearing of Daniel’s French test triumph under my tuition but Mum goes into hospital for tests as conflicts of all sorts dominate the news
Up to a worsening of my cold, which is becoming more uncomfortable. Toast and honey breakfast and then back to bed to read The Financial Times. Just as I am finishing that, The Economist arrives and another hour in bed! Eventually up at 11.00am and, after a quick wash, shave and dress, out to feed the pigeons and release the ducks. My Dad phones to tell of Mum entering hospital for a few days’ tests on Monday. She is losing weight and ground with it, spending much of the time in bed. Then into St Neots with Diana, picking up my office mail on the way. Di takes Debbie to the ballet and goes shopping and I shop for some herrings and prawns before settling down in the car to read today’s office mail. Journals, Computer News and Datalink and papers from the BOTB on its proposed strategy to help British Exports on a reduced budget; and from the Federation of Microsystems Centres seeking at least two further years of government DTI support. At 12.30pm I hop out of the car and meet the whole family in Readwells.
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Fighting against Microsoft for favourable BMMG LAN press coverage in the morning, shopping for a Christmas tree in the afternoon and hearing of the deepening tragedy unfolding in India as Bishop Tutu, as Nobel Prize winner for peace, builds opinion in the US for anti-South African trade sanctions
I awake this morning to the first symptoms of a cold coming on. Tea and the paper, which I manage to read completely before a breakfast of toast and natural honeycombe. Then after to write up yesterday’s journal, wash and shave to tones of yesterday’s parliament and then the bird routine before office at 10.00am. I intended to spend an hour there before going shopping and to lunch with Di, but first Peter Large called a couple of times about Network Licensing and then Computer Weekly arrived and with it coverage of Microsoft’s criticisms of the BMMG LAN project. I take time to write a responding letter and get it typed up before finding out that CW needed it telexed if there was to be any chance of inclusion this week. I then managed this by Prestel Datalex, retyped the PITCOM plan with covering letter to the PITCOM Chairman, Ian Lloyd, and then prepared envelopes for known contacts who could influence considerations if they received a copy. Lunch of rolls, ham and tea; and then off with Diana to St Neots to get 20 copies made of the report, collate, stamp and stuff envelopes in a frenzy of activity.
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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.
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Writing my BMMG LAN proposal for PICOM and taking relevant interviews as well as making a funds transfer electronically from my new Homelink Prestel account, a novelty now soon to become commonplace, as the NUM receiver ends up empty handed in Dublin and the Bhopal death toll reaches 2,000 with 50,000 being treated for blindness. 30 years later, we can hear something of the true extent of the tragedy
A few adventures with Diana in the night made me somewhat tired this morning and, when tea was brought, I drank it and buried myself back under the covers again. I listened to the radio news in anticipation of the ministerial statement in the House this afternoon by Sir Keith Joseph. Eventually, to The Financial Times, from which I learn that in India, the death toll of the gas leak has reached 2000 dead and as many as 50,000 people treated after the disaster could go blind. Both the Union Carbide Plant and the one in the US have been closed down. but then to a breakfast of melon, toast, honey and apple juice and then back to bed to finish the paper. A hair wash plus the normal ablutions and then out to feed the doves and ducks as normal. A morning coffee with Diana and then over to the office for two hours work. Di joined me and we used our new Homelink Prestel account to pay the phone bill by electronic funds transfer. This is a novelty and will soon become the normal way. Then I try to get down to the authorship of a new paper on an Industry Policy for Information Technology, which I aim to publicise at next week’s PITCOM meeting.