Tech for good in public services
It has been about 5 months since I last blogged on AI and so much has happened, there is a lot to ponder and learn. In my specific context, which is relatively low volume but high complexity work (think thousands of transactions or processes not tens to thousands or millions) there are some specific things [ ]
The Complete Wallander series Henning Mankell I have loved Mankell s books for a long time. This year I felt the time was right to re-read the full Wallander series, so I set myself the challenge of completing the series from second-hand book purchases alone. It is done. And the books are as good as [ ]
I had to pause my reading to binge watch Schitt s Creek before it came off Netflix UK. I d been slow to get into it and then really warmed to it, a lovely heartwarming show which had me laughing and crying at the same scenes. A great Canadian production. And after the binge, it appeared on [ ]
Vernon Subutex 1 Virginie Despentes Cynical, dark, knowing and yet amazing. A former record shop owner, Vernon Subutex, falls on hard times and slowly becomes homeless while his final asset, recordings of a recently deceased pop star, send producers in a frenzy. Despentes has an extraordinary talent for characters we are introduced to [ ]
“Anyone who tries to tell us they know the future is simply trying to own it.” — Margaret Heffernan in her introduction to Uncharted Take a deep breath. Nobody knows what is going to happen with AI. You aren’t missing out, and lots is yet to be worked out, if it ever will be. Now [ ]
DS Cross Series Tim Sullivan Having enjoyed book 4 in the series, I went back to read the previous three: The Dentist, The Cyclist and The Patient. Then I went forward and read The Monk, The Teacher and The Bookseller. Each title refers to a murder victim who DS Cross will seek to understand [ ]
Since 2020 I ve been sending a note every Friday to my colleagues in Digital, Data Technology Reading Neil William s recent week note reminded me that I never share these notes more widely. So I had a quick look back and realised that they are very work specific (and civil service means sharing them publicly [ ]
Convenience Store Woman Sayaka Murata Keiko is 36 years old and has worked in the same Japanese convenience store for 18 years. She really lives and breathes that store. When she s not working there, she thinks of it and does everything she can to be ready to work again. Murata s writing compels you to [ ]
I haven t shared any fiction writing for a long while now. But the creative streams are flowing again for me. I ve just finished off an idea which began when I saw a little door numbered 4½ in Quebec City back in 2005. That, along with some other ideas and news articles has slowly gestated into [ ]
Shy creatures Clare Chambers Several people recommended this to me in short succession. And how right they were! A beautifully written novel with richly drawn characters. The book flits with ease between war-time 1940s Croydon and in the early 60s. The main character is Helen, an art therapist whose conscience is torn by the [ ]