Rough Notes: Social Lending, Codebreakers & KateModern
Rough notes and early story ideas. Feel free to comment on any of the below, or suggest your own. We're keen to hear your recommendations and who best to read and speak to. Comment below or email ipm [at] bbc.co.uk
In the mix so far:
Marc: I'm wondering if we're seeing the demise of the short story? And how you, Google and your local Town Hall can combine to make your neighbourhood cleaner, safer and greener..
Chris: The world’s first programmable digital computer, developed at Bletchley Park to crack encoded German messages during World War II, returns to action on 15 November. It's the first time Colossus has been used since Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered the destruction of the top-secret machine in 1945 following the Allied victory that it helped achieve. Who were the early computer pioneers? Why were most Many of them were women can you help us track down one of these female pioneers? UPDATE: Chris adds, thanks to Mike Hally for correcting this entry and for helping us track down a pioneer
I also like this this from Japan. Tunes on your tarmac, could it happen here?
Rupert: Who's writing the best blogs? The blogging industry has been awarding gongs to the cream of the crop including this top blog from Adrian Sudbury. Elsewhere, regarding population matters, I'm still looking for your help to find out the answer to this question. 
George: Following a suggestion on the blog, I'll be taking a look at social lending and Zopa, the UK-based 'peer to peer bank'. Should traditional banks be worried about being cut out of the loop, now people can lend and borrow between themselves? For a couple of weeks now, Zopa has allowed users to browse one another's profiles in order to decide whether to trust someone with their money. Let's see how they're getting on.
And global warming is on the agenda this week, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is set to release its Fourth Report. This will synthesise the findings of their previous three reports and make some concrete policy suggestions. By Saturday the report itself will no doubt have been covered and unpicked by numerous outlets, but what's happenning in the UK at a local level to meet the challenge of climate change? We could look here. Other suggestions welcome.
Jenny: It's taken a while but this week we should speak to the people behind Six Billion Others. And why are advertisers keen to muscle in on this online drama?. In the words of Brian Potter - it's the future.
If you've thoughts about these or other stories you'd like us to cover, email ipm or leave a comment.
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