The Swipe Volume 3 Chapter 22
A tweak to my working hours for the foreseeable future means a 5am alarm call, 6am report for duty. Which sounds horrific. But I finish at 2pm, giving a nice fat chunk of the day in daylight, free as a bird to do whatever I choose–or more realistically, chores. Honestly, this is a trade-off I’m very happy with. The commute is easier, I’m able to get in and out of shops more quickly and efficiently. Most importantly, it’s valuable time I can spend with C, in the garden, with a drink.
Postman’s hours ain’t so bad when you look into it.
Wherever you are, whenever you are, however you are, welcome to The Swipe.
Rob is reading…
This extremely long piece on AI, what it is (and more importantly wot it is not) and how it is likely to change—or change us. I still worry that we’re anthropomorphising a process which cannot think, reason or empathise. Nevertheless, there’s some eerie paradoilia going on. I was strangely spooked by the end.
Rob is watching…
Mandy, Diane Morgan’s greatest comic creation (Philomena Cunk, although magnificent, is not really hers to claim or ours to bestow). Short, sharp, snot-inducingly funny. Take fifteen minutes, watch the first episode of Season 1, and tell me I’m wrong.
Rob is listening…
Come on, sing along, the subtitles are right there.
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Rob is eating…
Vittle’s overview of 75 kid-friendly restaurants in London doesn’t quite say the quiet part out loud, but it’s fairly obvious. The picks in this big list are not your Hungry Horses or TGIs. They’re genuinely nice places to eat which have the service game locked up tight and understand how to look after family groups. Honestly, it’s not that hard.
Rob’s Low-Key Obsession Of The Week…
I’m never going to be a muscle-car kind of guy. My driving style is much more of a cruise than a race. But I would cheerfully floor the throttle if I ever got the chance to drive a Batmobile, this bad boy in particular.
Michael Chabon makes an unpleasant but very important point about the creative process. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and some things you’re just going to have to swallow.
A fun look at the medieval tradition of getting cashback after an unfortunate family incident. It might take you a few goes to get past the slavery option, and you’ll probably find you’re worth less than you think.
Jeff Maurer at I Might Be Wrong writes meaningfully on the societal signifiers that come with the sort of character who chooses to sit on a chair backwards. The one who springs to mind for me is Cmdr. William Riker of the Federation Starship Enterprise. His technique for getting out of his seat, involving an insouciant leg-lift, really has to be seen to be believed.
An epic quest from Adam Aaronson to try every cocktail on the International Bartender’s Association list. I admire the commitment. His article is also a handy guide to some very good places to partake of said libations. I really must try Satan’s Whiskers…
First published in 2015, and more relevant by the day. Yest, I know we’re anthropomorphising again but, I mean, come on.
Some gentle sounds to ease you into the weekend. Streaming playlists are all well and fine, but sometimes it’s nice to let someone with a bit of experience take the reins and and let you doze in the back seat.
A tale of companionship, community and growing old gracefully. These girls have got it right.
The Golden Girls Reboot Looks Great
A despatch from a possible American future, which seems a bit close to the bone. Science fiction is always best when it’s talking about the here and now. Laughs aside, The Land Of The Free’s slide into authoritarianism is something we should all be worried about.
One last hint.
I haven’t really mentioned Ozzy Osbourne’s move to a higher plane, breath-takingly graceful and brilliantly timed as it was. My admiration for the man, his legend and his legacy are mine alone. But this mash-up felt too good to go unshared, and I’ll let it serve as my tiny tribute. Rest In Power, sweet Prince Of Darkness.
See you in seven, fellow travellers.
