The Blog of Ross C Brown

I did it guys!  I finally made it up in time to hang out with all the social media people who head on down to Edinburgh Coffee Morning at Centotre.  Well, I was actually late - but that is generally the story of my life.  (more…)

Kick off is at 7.45pm today, here on the blog with selected extracts on Twitter. (more…)

A long, long time ago in a blog post not so far from here, I once posted an entry discussing the merits of stockpiling anti-viral drugs on an individual basis.  Back then, the would was shook by the H5N1 Avian Influenza.  This time, it’s H1N1, or swine flu to you and me, seemingly originating from Mexico.  People are afraid, rightly so looking a some headlines particularly in the tabloids, and are turning to the internet (and worrying, to my blog) for advice on what to do now.

With the news that the World Health Organisation has increased the pandemic alert level to level four.  To put that into language which the man on the Clapham omnibus might be comfortable, a level four severity indicates “sustained human to human infection” -  a level down from levels five and six concerned with “widespread human to human infection”.

With the world sitting on the border between epidemic and pandemic the volume of visitors to my posts the subject have increased dramatically and as a result the volume of email I’ve been receiving has increased too.  Let’s tackle few of the most frequent questions I’m receiving here (more…)

No, I’ve not met Ariane Sherine (blog).  But I do dream about meeting her.  And with your help, I’m gonna!  Rather simple really, she owes me a cake/tea/hot beverage and in these tough economic times the calling in of any notes of credit is necessitated.

On a serious note however, Ariane is just a lovely and admirable person.  She’s written for The Guardian’s Comment is Free portal, The Independent and countless popular television shows including My Family, Two Pints and, erm, The Story of Tracy Beaker.  She’s seems bubbly but I really want to know if there is another side to her.  I secretly think that all those pushing (dealing, if you will) comedy are cranky and/or very depressed - just look at Charlie Brooker. (more…)

Signing the Official Secrets Act is a joke.  No, really!  I was thinking over the documents I signed when I started work with my current employer and one stands out as being nothing more than complete bureaucratic nonsense: the declaration of confidentiality - often referred to in popular culture as ‘signing the Official Secrets Act’. (more…)