![Cartoon. An old woman is at a train ticket counter. The ticket machine is out of order. The ticket office is now called "Info Hub". The ticket seller says "OK, one more time: Go home and log on to our website from your computer, create an account and purchase your ticket with your credit or debit card, download the ticket to a smartphone, then come back at the allocated time... Just what part of 'easier and more convenient' don't you get?"](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/train-cartoon.jpg)
I bloody hate this cartoon that's doing the rounds (I think it's by the incredibly talented Len in Private Eye). Here's what I want the caption to say: OK, one more time: Get here at least 30 minutes early because the queue barely moves and you'll inevitably be stuck behind someone trying to pay for […]
Continue reading →![Dropdown box asking for my race or ethnicity. The options are Malay, Chinese, Indian, or other.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Ethnicity2.png)
I've been reading lots of books about race, justice, and history. One of the things which confused me when I started this journey was the notion that race is a construct. But then I started reading about how Blumenbach literally invented the concept of distinct human races. And about how the discredited "Science" of race […]
Continue reading →![A pet cat typing on a computer keyboard.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/A-pet-cat-typing-on-a-computer-keyboard.jpg)
As part of my MSc, I'm reading a lot of "Leadership" books. They're all pretty bad - but they have one common thesis; it is essential to improve your company culture. I'm not sure if I agree. I feel completely divorced from most forms of company culture. I find the way that these books talk […]
Continue reading →![Book cover.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/British.jpg)
You’re British. Your parents are British. Your partner, your children and most of your friends are British. So why do people keep asking where you’re from? We are a nation in denial about our imperial past and the racism that plagues our present. Brit(ish) is Afua Hirsch’s personal and provocative exploration of how this came […]
Continue reading →![Cover art for The Beatles' Sgt Pepper Album.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sgt-pepper.jpg)
In the early days of the web, I used to go hunting for Beatles Bootlegs. I scoured forums, emailed dodgy geezers, and swapped poorly encoded RealAudio™ files on USENET. The Beatles had recently released their Anthology series, and us nerds were desperate to hear more unreleased goodies. Sure, there were rarities and out-takes, but we […]
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This post starts off talking about Star Wars, but it isn't really about that. I enjoyed Rogue One - the newish Star Wars film. It's not a perfect film, but it was heaps of fun. My only real problem was with Donnie Yen's character - Chirrut Îmwe. As soon as I saw a Blind Asian […]
Continue reading →![A grid of images, some of them have photos of American taxis, some have photos of trees.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/taxi-min.png)
When I was a small child, I took an IQ test. One of the first questions I stumbled on was "A piece of candy costs 25¢. Jonny has a dime. How many nickels does he need to buy the candy?" My 7-year old brain popped. WTAF is a nickel? Or a dime for that matter? […]
Continue reading →![An AI generate image based on the text "Woman, celebrity, red dress, smiling, evil eyes, holding a knife, red carpet, arm tattoo."](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Woman-celebrity-red-dress-smiling-evil-eyes-holding-a-knife-red-carpet-arm-tattoo.jpg)
I get to visit a fair few start-ups. Some are hopelessly idealistic (my favourites!) some are hopelessly cynical. Recently, I got to spend a few hours with a new "Quantified Self" start-up. For the sake of protecting the guilty - let's call them "Fronk." Fronk have decided that women are under-served in the wearables market. […]
Continue reading →![A circular zodiac chart.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/zodiac-5921179_640.png)
The UK has some excellent laws preventing discrimination. According the Equality Act (2010) it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of... age being or becoming a transsexual person being married or in a civil partnership being pregnant or having a child disability race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin religion, belief or lack […]
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