Zero hours contracts have had a hard time of late and quite rightly so. They are the scourge of the gig economy with the employer having the upper hand in the relationship with their workers. Turn up and there might be work for you but if not you will just have to go home again … Continue reading Zero hours
Unproportional representation
Proportional representation is a an electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them, rather than our first past the post system where the individual with the most votes, irrespective of the number in relation to the size of the electorate gets into power. It has always … Continue reading Unproportional representation
A Nokia person
Someone once described themselves as a Nokia person. I think it was Chaditsa at the CyberFest event in Teesside University. Everyone laughed as they understood what she meant. She was not at the bleeding edge of technical innovation and was more comfortable with the simpler user interfaces that we used to enjoy. I realised that … Continue reading A Nokia person
North East Fraud Forum
I went to my first North East Fraud Forum event last week. There is such an overlap between fraud, cyber crime and business ethics that it was a natural fit with many of the other things that I am involved in. It was also the first time that I had been inside the Virgin Money … Continue reading North East Fraud Forum
Oh no! NHS targets again.
I think it was as far back as 2013 that I last wrote about targets in the NHS. Not that they have ever been very far away but once again they are all over the news. Apparently, nearly one in five NHS hospital services has failed to hit any key national waiting-time targets in the … Continue reading Oh no! NHS targets again.
Bitcoin free fall
Bitcoin is in free fall. Within a few minutes its price dropped by over 15%. Over the last month or so its value had been fairly stable at between £4,700 and £5,000. Not now, the last time I looked it was heading towards the £4,200 mark. It’s price may go up, it may go down … Continue reading Bitcoin free fall
University Technical College
When I was asked if I would give a careers talk at the recently opened North East Futures UTC, I said yes. I’m always happy to help in whatever way I can to bring young people into the North East’s technology sector and also like to get involved in new things that challenge me. The … Continue reading University Technical College
In pursuit of perfection
Every time I turn on the television or pick up a magazine I am bombarded with images of perfect people. They live in perfect houses, with their perfect families and perfect teeth. It is clear what they are saying. You are not good enough. Only perfection is acceptable. Whole industries have developed on the back … Continue reading In pursuit of perfection
Smartphones? For how long?
It is the future. How we laugh at the thought of people typing things into computers. They used to sit there at wooden desks, in adjustable chairs, interfacing with their device at the speed of tapping. Those who were good typists could get a good speed going while the rest of them had to keep … Continue reading Smartphones? For how long?
Of the clock
The clocks have gone back. My stomach says it’s lunchtime yet the timer on the oven tells me there is still an hour to go. I've lost an hour or gained an hour. I can't work it out but know it's lighter in the morning and darker earlier in the afternoon. The whole daylight saving … Continue reading Of the clock
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 