Posts

Why were sheep released in Central London this summer?

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It's not everyday that one is cycling down Embankment and is distracted the various iterations of 'baaas' from a small flock of sheep (yes, you read that right!). That was the position I indeed found myself in on August 19th of this year. Cycling has taken off over the last decade as a convenient and healthy way to get around, so I did expect a bit of the old 'green country vibes'. Yet I certainly did not expect to find a meeting of sheep just south of Whitehall (between Big Ben and Trafalgar Square). Although, in retrospect, this is just down the road from Horse Guards Parade, so maybe austerity had forced the Household Cavalry to swap the horses for a smaller and cheaper alternative. This didn't seem likely, although I would suggest it would definitely boost tourism and British lamb exports post-Brexit. Indeed, Brexit was the reason why the sheep had gathered here. In fact, they had been brought to the location by a handful of People's Vote PR Gurus and a

Kissoon Carr Promotional Video: Behind the Scenes

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Over August and September I had the pleasure of working with Kissoon Carr, a London-based legal recruiter. They specialise in placing mid/upper tier clients for top UK, US, Middle East and Asia law firms. Their location in the heart of the City gives them access to top firms and talent in the area. Their tagline, 'More Than A Legal Recruitment Firm', is something that I found rang very true when I worked for them. Whilst many firms might just go through CVs and place candidates as quickly as possible, Kissoon Carr provides a variety of extra services to ensure it goes beyond what is normally expected. For instance, the dedicated team write articles on the sector, giving clients and general interest readers important insights into a fast-changing sector. They also do podcasts to get their opinion out there, and sponsor events to support important causes in the sector. I also got the impression of integrity, with the firm's heritage and strong family values something that cam

UK Technology Sector: A Brief Analysis

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Not as brash at the City, but still a crucial element of the vital UK services sector (Credit: OB Films) Background Programming has boomed in recent years with the rise of ‘Web 3.0’. From 2010, the significant growth in user generated content, combined with intelligent algorithms that prioritise or promote such content, has led to a software boom (Spivak, 2019). Conceptually, this theory is based on the boom in search and social media platforms, at the expense of basic HTML pages. The processing of data by software can also been deemed the ‘semantic web’ (W3C, 2019). Its growth has been facilitated by technology, with C+, HTML5 and Java allowing seamless user experience. The creation of Apple’s app store in 2008, and the Android rival, has given search, social, SaaS and gaming platforms an ‘ultra’ mass market viability. This has been further strengthened through communication innovation, significantly through 3G and 4G spectrum placements. The app boom, whilst coming at the expens

New Logo

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Made a new logo for my freelance media work:

Visiting the Philippines

The idyllic archipelago is rarely at the top of the typical Western traveller's bucket list, but having  paid an exciting visit to 3 of the islands, I can safely state that it is well worth a look at. The country, which has a staggeringly high population of approximately 100 million people, offers picture-perfect beaches for prices that often compare favourably to the more developed destinations of Thailand or Malaysia. Not only is the country kind to the wallet, but it also suffers less from the modern plague of over-tourism. There is of course one notable exception to this - the island of Borocay, which was famously closed in 2018 to visitors due to the massive overcrowding . When I visited, in Christmas 2018, I managed to see the island just after its reopening. As I shall explain later, the opening was undoubtedly premature. Overall, my journey across the country began in the bustling metropolis of Manilla . I was then fortunate enough to visit a luxury hotel of Pangulusian Isl

Peep Show: Reflections on a TV Masterpiece

The mountains outside shone brightly, reflecting the warm Alpine sunlight. It was April 2017, and the uni ski trip was in full swing. Skiing and two pints of beer had tired me out, but in this blur of holiday euphoria a common theme popped up again and again: Peep Show. Integrated into conversation after conversation on the slopes, I realised this was more than a show; I had discovered a student cult… A positive cult, it must be said. This trip made me realise that I must investigate. And so for (only) the third time in my life, I embarked on a Netflix binge. Series 1-4. Few breaks. Work? Forget it! Mark and Jeremy became a part of my life this summer. Briefly interrupted by a quick wander up Kilimanjaro, I finished the series fairly quickly. Thanks to my 1 st year at Bristol, the drug references made sense, and I could suddenly relate to the student-esque lifestyles of Mark and Jeremy. The kitchen politics made sense, and I still can’t decide between Frosties (Jeremy) or Crunchy

Climbing Kilimanjaro: A Student's Story

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The summit - surrounded by black volcanic rock, high above the clouds... In September 2017 I was lucky enough to have the chance to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain on Earth. Unfortunately, I wasn’t inspired by the hit song ‘Africa’ by Toto and its meme ecosystem, but by a poster at university. Nevertheless, it was a truly life changing experience and I have no regrets. As well as the chance to witness incredible views and do some serious cardio, it also represented an opportunity to meet some new people and enjoy a week of independent travel in Tanzania afterwards. The appeal was obvious, and I wasted no time in signing up. Raising £3000 wasn’t easy, but was worth it. Although I would recommend not getting into a heated argument with an angry farmer about local fundraising bylaws! Nevertheless, after the odd cupcake sale, pub quizzes and a few begging letters, the Bristol team was ready. There were five of us in total, joined by teams from Durham, Brig