One (or maybe two) good things to listen to ...

I'm just rushing off to give a talk on the Big Society / public services / the world so just have time for a quick mini-post (I realise, by the way, this implies a deluded belief that thousands of you are waiting at your computers for my latest missive to appear!).

I'm just rushing off to give a talk on the Big Society / public services / the world so just have time for a quick mini-post (I realise, by the way, this implies a deluded belief that thousands of you are waiting at your computers for my latest missive to appear!).

Here are two Radio 4 items that I thought people might enjoy.  The first - and most important - is a recent item from the Today programme and is a fantastic example of what the 2020 Public Services Commission refers to as ' social productivity': the idea that the ultimate measure of public services should be the degree to which people gain greater control over their own lives and become more engaged , resourceful and pro-social.  But forget the theory, just listen - the idea is crystal clear (thanks to Nigel Kippax for pointing me to it).

The second is my own little essay about the 1960s, which went out last night.  I've listened to it again and there are a lot of tweaks I would have made if I could do it again, but it would be good to get some more feedback than I've had so far.  Both my mum and Barbara have been very nice about it - but then they would be, wouldn't they ...