Salespodder

Latest — Nov 23, 2024

Now and Next Renown

I was enjoying a chat with a shift manager of a large cafe that when in that city centre I frequent. She had just begun to split her time to help steady the fortunes of another location. As with many such endeavour, I sensed a combination of daunt and zest.

More issues

Tempted To Delve Into AI Prop Writing?

Over the Summer marking season, I noted a Uni philosophy lecturer had found a pattern in too many of the papers he was judging. Exeter's Dr Edward Skidelsky had found one give-away word; delve. In general such output, "is typical of the purple but empty prose that ChatGPT produces", he

Behind Unexplained Curtain

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think. Howard Hughes I’ll be forever grateful for your friendship. pic.twitter.com/sw92lV4KqA — Hayley Hayes 🎙 (@HayleyHayesUK) November 16, 2024 Much-loved English radio broadcaster, Howard Hughes, left quite the body of work. In his later life, a significant light in the murky

Operation Mincemeat-ing Opposition Minds

An avid reader in my early school years, I lapped up The Man Who Never Was. Also made into a terrific film, it tells the story WW2's daring Operation Mincemeat. How the Brits sought to distract the enemy through the sleight of doc of 'top secret' yet false landing plans

How Many Reasons?

Northern hemisphere mock exam season for youngsters looms over the festive period. I fondly remember writing the History essays of my schooldays. Its exam strangely always last in the rota. I always loved the subject, despite being a maths addict back then. One key realisation came from examiner rubric. You'd

Top Animator, Murder Club Bestseller Author & Biggest Daytime DJ on Storytelling

Recently I've heard a trio of luminaries touch on storytelling tips. Kicking off with the starkest. A resurfaced clip from Trey Stone. Of South Park and Team America World Police fame. When recounting a tale, never hear yourself saying, "and then...". In context; "We can take these beats which are

US Election Zoomscape Samples

Now it's over. Can the world breath again? Regardless of policy, passion or preference, at least we might all take something from these random six video call backdrops seen adopted as the '24 American campaign reached its climax. One candidate on the unsuccessful ticket gave glimpse to their workspace. Perhaps

Deadlock Mapping

A coin-toss clean sweep. Knife-edge landslide. Who saw that coming? The just-completed US Presidential campaign seems to have delivered plenty of gasps all-round. One arena pertinent to us though, is in the visuals. Beyond the sloganising vibes/joy/brat or ᴍᴀɢᴀ 2.0 slants. Into graphical representation of projections, status

Incumbency Penalty

I hear there's been an election. The most consequential in a lifetime, apparently. For which you may or may not have had a vote. In any case, you probably have a view. Whether you've spent the immediate aftermath lapping up meltdown liberal tears, fearing the rise of the fascists or

Dual-Hatters

A phrase that seems to have grown out of public sector contract awards that have the, ahem, sniff of the elicit gain about them. Dual-hatting is where someone quietly works both sides of the fence. Secretly leveraging a vested interest, or at least taking advantage of privileged relationships and information,