Review: The City & The City by China Miéville


A medieval city is superimposed on a modern city.

When the body of a murdered woman is found in the extraordinary, decaying city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks like a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. But as he probes, the evidence begins to point to conspiracies far stranger, and more deadly, than anything he could have imagined.

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Building an ersatz scanning table


A tripod hooked on a tub.

I found a bunch of my old school-books that I wanted to digitally capture. I do have a flatbed scanner, but most of my 1980s workbooks were far too large for it. So I decided to build a cheap scanning table. Ingredients Old Phone Tripod - £8. White table Selfie-stick button! - £2 The Bluetooth […]

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Review: The Good Immigrant - Nikesh Shukla


Book cover featuring all the names of the contributing authors.

Inspired by discussion around why society appears to deem people of colour as bad immigrants - job stealers, benefit scroungers, undeserving refugees - until, by winning Olympic races or baking good cakes, or being conscientious doctors, they cross over and become good immigrants, editor Nikesh Shukla has compiled a collection of essays that are poignant, challenging, angry, humorous, heartbreaking, polemic, weary and - most importantly - real.

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Review - The End of The Day by Claire North


A forboding figure stands under an umbrella.

Sooner or later, death visits everyone. Before that, they meet Charlie. Charlie meets everyone - but only once. Sometimes he is sent as a courtesy, sometimes as a warning. Either way, this is going to be the most important meeting of your life.

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Is a smart electricity tariff worth it?


A graph of energy consumption.

(Long and data-filled post ahead!) I've switched to energy provider Bulb (£50 off if you join using that link). They offer a "peak time" electricity charge which looks like this: 23:00 to 07:00 = £0.0815/kWh 07:00 to 16:00 = £0.1235/kWh 16:00 to 19:00 = £0.3263/kWh 19:00 to 23:00 = £0.1235/kWh By contrast, the standard tariff […]

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Review: Utopia for Realists - Rutger Bregman


A bright orange book cover.

Every milestone of civilisation – from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy – was once considered a utopian fantasy. New utopian ideas such as universal basic income and a fifteen-hour work week can become reality in our lifetime.

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Episode 25 - The Pay Gap with Rainey David


A quick chat with Rainey David all about the gender pay gap. Including top tips on how to value your worth to your employer. Find out more at ThePayGap.com

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Review: 小鳳腿 (Vegan "Chicken" Drumsticks)


Breaded drumsticks - with a bone sticking out of them.

I'm a sucker for weird veggie-friendly foods! I especially love discovering what other countries and cultures do to replicate their meaty dishes in veggie friendly formats. So I was delighted to find a local store to me selling all manner of Chinese meat-substitutes - including these amazing looking "Chicken" Drumsticks! I ordered a bunch and […]

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Book Review: How Long 'til Black Future Month? - N. K. Jemisin


A young black woman stares off into the distance. Her amazingly styled hair is filled with geometric shapes.

In the first collection of her evocative short fiction, Jemisin equally challenges and delights readers with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption. In these stories, Jemisin sharply examines modern society, infusing magic into the mundane, and drawing deft parallels in the fantasy realms of her imagination.

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The Secret Rules For Getting Hired


Web Developer with a job (has a great big beard). Web Developer without a job (is clean shaven).

I'm going to let you in to three TOP SECRET rules for getting hired. These are the hidden techniques used by TOP interviewers… Never Tell The Candidates The Rules Of Success I read an infuriating blog post recently: "If someone doesn't send a thank you email, don't hire them". This is a great way to […]

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