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<title type="text">Terence Eden’s Blog</title>
<subtitle type="text">Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃</subtitle>
<updated>2026-08-25T12:37:17Z</updated>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gadget Review: Thermal Master P3 Macro Lens ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74230</id>
<updated>2026-08-25T12:37:17Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-26T11:34:52Z</published>
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<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The good folks at Thermal Master have sent me their latest camera to review - and it is a bit different to all the others I've tried. Whereas previous cameras are good for bird watching, or wildlife spotting, or finding leaks at home - the P3 has a manual macro lens and is specifically designed for getting close-up and personal with your electronics. Yup! See just how hot your CPU is getting…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/"><![CDATA[<p>The good folks at Thermal Master have sent me their latest camera to review - and it is a bit different to all the others I've tried.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3-thermal-camera-close-up.webp" alt="A small black camera with gold accents. It is held in the fingertips." width="3212" height="2409" class="aligncenter">
<p>Whereas previous cameras are good for <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/07/gadget-review-thermal-master-dv2-infrared-birdwatching-scope/">bird watching</a>, or <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-t2-max-plug-in-thermal-camera/">wildlife spotting</a>, or <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-hikmicro-d02-thermal-camera/">finding leaks at home</a> - the P3 has a manual macro lens and is specifically designed for getting close-up and personal with your electronics.</p>
<p>Yup! See just how hot your CPU is getting 🥵</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pi.webp" alt="A thermal image of a raspberry pi. The CPU is in red while the rest of the board is green." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>Let's take it for a spin!</p>
<h2 id="unboxing"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#unboxing">Unboxing</a></h2>
<p>As well as the camera (which looks <em>gorgeous</em> with its gold trim) you get a carry-case, USB-C extension cable, and a Lightning converter for older iPhones.</p>
<p>The metal casing of the camera feels delightful and gives it a bit of heft. The focus wheel is reasonably stiff which makes it easier to position just right.</p>
<h2 id="sample-photos"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#sample-photos">Sample Photos</a></h2>
<p>These are the raw images taken directly from the app. I haven't resized or altered them in any way. What you see is what you get. Here's a hot-spot on a circuit board:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/hotspot.webp" alt="A circuit rendered in grey with a bright red line on it." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>The natural size of the images is 1344x1008. That's obviously upscaled from the sensor, but there's a surprisingly amount of detail in there.</p>
<p>Here's a small circuit board which has just booted up:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Circuit-long-shot.webp" alt="A small circuit. Two of the chips are noticeably hotter than the rest of the board." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>Where the P3 shines is when you twist the manual lens all the way down to macro. You can get about 2cm away from a surface and stay in focus.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Chip-close-up.webp" alt="Close up of a small chip. It is hot, the traces are visible in the background." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>Obviously don't get that close to something red hot!</p>
<p>Annoyingly, the images are uncompressed JPEG and weigh in around 6MB each. I've losslessly compressed these to WebP, which is about 10% of the size.</p>
<h3 id="colours"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#colours">Colours</a></h3>
<p>There are a variety of different colour palettes to play with. Some are more useful than others. Here's a mug of hot and delicious matcha rendered in the various colours:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Hot-Tea-Montage.webp" alt="Four photos of a mug. The colours show how hot the tea is." width="2688" height="2016" class="alignleft">
<p>Scrolling through the colours is a little difficult in the app (more on that later) but once you've found one you like, it stays that way for the photography session.</p>
<h3 id="exif"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#exif">EXIF</a></h3>
<p>Geolocation is taken from the phone - there's no GPS chip in the camera. You can refuse location permission to the app and it will work just fine.</p>
<p>That's just about all you get other than the time and the model name of <code>USB_IR_RS300_P2L</code> - the infrared details aren't recorded separately.</p>
<h2 id="video"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#video">Video</a></h2>
<p>The video doesn't upsample the image, it has a resolution of 504x672 playing at 25fps. Audio is recorded from the phone's microphone and is 64kbps mono. A minute of video is around 22MB. I've recompressed this one for the web.</p>
<p></p><div style="width: 620px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-74230-2" width="620" height="465" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4?_=2"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4">https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4</a></video></div><p></p>
<h2 id="the-app"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#the-app">The App</a></h2>
<p>It is, sadly, an inevitability that good hardware is always accompanied by a substandard app. The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thermalmaster.p2telephoto">Thermal Master Android App</a> is the only way to access the camera. It has a relatively easy to use interface with plenty of options.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Camera-interface.webp" alt="Camera interface with janky UI." width="504" class="aligncenter">
<p>As you can see from the word "brightness" the UI is a little janky in places.</p>
<p>There's a decent amount of settings to fiddle with.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/more-settings.webp" alt="Settings screens with various temperature settings." width="504" class="aligncenter">
<p>You can also change which elements get displayed on the final image.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/settings.webp" alt="Settings to control the camera." width="504" class="aligncenter">
<p>Unfortunately, it is also a bit crash-happy. Most times I used it, the app would randomly close. It takes a little while to re-open thanks to a mandatory animation. So it gets a bit annoying. Flicking through some of the options can be slow and tedious. It also doesn't respect the phone's orientation, so images may be 90⁰ off what you expect.</p>
<p>The app updated the firmware on the camera, but didn't say what had changed.</p>
<p>It takes photos and videos, allows you to share them, and has a bunch of options to play with - but it does have a habit of crashing just when you're about to take the perfect shot. There is also zoom available, but it is digital only - so you're just making the pixels bigger rather than getting optically closer to the object you're scanning.</p>
<h2 id="linux-info"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#linux-info">Linux Info</a></h2>
<p>I tried plugging it in to a Linux laptop. It shows up as <code>3474:45a2 Thermal Master Technology Co., Ltd. P3</code> - but that's about it. There's no way I can find to access the thermal images.</p>
<p>To be fair, this is explicitly sold as an Android and iOS device. I'm hopeful someone will be able to reverse engineer it.</p>
<h2 id="cost-and-final-thoughts"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#cost-and-final-thoughts">Cost and Final Thoughts</a></h2>
<p>Thermal cameras are expensive. This will run you about <a href="https://link.amazon/B0aFBVuY9">£280 on Amazon</a> or about <a href="https://thermalmaster.com/en-gb/products/p3-thermal-camera-for-iphone-and-android">£260 direct</a>. Readers of this blog can get 10% off using code <code>THERMALBF10</code></p>
<p>If you run a hackspace, this is a no-brainer. The ability to see hot-spots on your circuits is immediately useful. The detail is impressive, allowing you to see exactly what's causing problems.</p>
<p>If you're a hobbyist, this is definitely in the "ask Santa if you've been good" category. You'll find it handy on any small projects you have, or to diagnose faults with electrical equipment.</p>
<p>For non-macro uses, it's also pretty good. You might be better off with a dedicated device if you want to go <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/07/gadget-review-thermal-master-dv2-infrared-birdwatching-scope/">hunting wildlife</a> or doing <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-hikmicro-d02-thermal-camera/">home surveys</a>.</p>
<p>The only fly in the ointment is the app. While somewhat customisable, it does repeatedly crash and it isn't the easiest to use or set up. I found that pretty frustrating and have fed back the problem to the developers. I appreciate it saving high quality images - but a PNG or lossless WebP would be easier to work with than massive JPGs.</p>
<p>Ultimately, this is an excellent thermal camera. It looks lush, it is customisable, the images are high quality, and the macro-lens is surprisingly useful.</p>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Cats at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/theatre-review-cats-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74380</id>
<updated>2026-08-25T11:17:40Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-25T11:34:22Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="musical"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Cats is so silly! In the olden days, after a wild animal was slaughtered, the tribe's shaman would wear the skin and re-enact the hunt. As he became one with the beast, the people slowly understood the ways of nature. Cats is a similarly spiritual experience wherein we watch androgynous sylphs gyrate across the stage and believe (if only for a moment) that the human has become feline, all in…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/theatre-review-cats-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/"><![CDATA[<p>Cats is so <em>silly!</em></p>
<p>In the olden days, after a wild animal was slaughtered, the tribe's shaman would wear the skin and re-enact the hunt. As he became one with the beast, the people slowly understood the ways of nature.</p>
<p>Cats is a similarly spiritual experience wherein we watch androgynous sylphs gyrate across the stage and believe (if only for a moment) that the human has become feline, all in service of better understanding the mysteries of our moggies.</p>
<p>Does there need to be so many sequins? So much dry ice? Such a quantity of pyrotechnics?</p>
<p>No, probably not. But it all adds up to a spectacular which will keep you grinning.</p>
<p>The deficiencies in Cats are somewhat inherent. The scrapbook story doesn't make a lick of sense. It is more like a variety show than musical theatre. The lyrics are, at times, utterly asinine. The music soars, until someone starts playing what sounds like a genuine 1980s Casio keyboard - and all you can hear is squelch.</p>
<p>But then Gary Wilmot (!!!) comes on as Gus and all is forgiven on a haze of metatextual glory.</p>
<p>The choreography and dancing are exemplary. The singing occasionally gets muddled but is mostly delightful. The stage is perfect - the wind blowing through the trees and the moon gently rising only helps to accentuate the atmosphere.</p>
<p>The pre-show is good. As well as a variety of food stalls, patrons are encouraged to bring their own food and drink for a picnic. There are plenty of tables and a couple of selfie points.</p>
<p>The programme isn’t horrendous at £6 but still feels like it contains more advertising than content. The queues for the loos were outrageously long and the stalls weren't particularly clean.</p>
<p>There's nothing to do post-show except trudge back through the park. The selfie point is still illuminated if you want to queue for that. Even the t-shirt sales stopped after the interval.</p>
<p>I first saw Cats in the West End some time in the 1980s as a child and loved it. Afterwards my parents asked if I wanted to see a ballet or an opera next. "Eurgh! No! <em>Boring!</em>" I said. They politely informed me that I'd just seen both in one show and my juvenile mind was blown.</p>
<p>A few decades later I saw Cats on Broadway - shortly before it closed, I think. The C90 cassette they used to play the music was warbling like a demented bird and the sets looked equally tired. Despite the half empty auditorium, the cast attacked the songs with vigour. I still loved it.</p>
<p>And, today, I still had goosebumps. Maybe it was the unseasonable chill in the air, maybe it was the moonlight, or maybe it was the magic of Cats!</p>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Why do audience members choose specific shows at the Edinburgh Fringe?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74330</id>
<updated>2026-08-24T10:43:16Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-24T11:34:45Z</published>
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<summary type="html"><![CDATA[On our recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe, I was bemused by just how little effort performers put in to finding out why people had selected their show. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is ridiculously expensive with some performers paying tens of thousands of pounds. The way performers recoup the costs of performing is by getting people to pay to see a show. Acts are spending huge amounts…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/"><![CDATA[<p>On our <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/">recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe</a>, I was bemused by just how little effort performers put in to finding out <em>why</em> people had selected their show. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is ridiculously expensive with <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/business/edinburgh-festival-fringe-2025-the-true-cost-of-performing-at-the-worlds-largest-arts-event-laid-bare-5247134">some performers paying tens of thousands of pounds</a>. The way performers recoup the costs of performing is by getting people to pay to see a show.</p>
<p>Acts are spending huge amounts on flyers, posters, and other promotional activities. But is any of it worthwhile?</p>
<p>The performer Danielle Solof has a fascinating blog post "<a href="https://daniellesolof.substack.com/p/my-real-fringe-budgets-line-by-line">My Real Fringe Budgets, Line-by-Line</a>" which details the actual costs of her taking two solo shows to the Fringe. She meticulously details the price of everything from transport and food, to advertising and graphic design. She says:</p>
<blockquote><p>I paid for outdoor ads because absolutely no one in Edinburgh knew who I was. They <em>did</em> help, but you still have to grind to get an audience in.</p></blockquote>
<p>My question to her - and all performers - is how do you know what drives an audience member to see your show?</p>
<p>It can't have escaped your attention that everything we do online is tracked. If you buy so much as a toothpick, the retailer knows which YouTube reviews you watched, which words you searched for, the other products you considered, and the specific adverts you clicked on.</p>
<p>In Edinburgh, no one knows nothing.</p>
<p>At the end of nearly every show the performer begged us to leave a review on the Fringe website and to tell our friends. In absolutely <em>none</em> of the shows did the performer ask why we were there, how we found out about the show, which poster or leaflet attracted us, or whether we followed them on social media.</p>
<p>All that money spent on posters and no one knows if they work. As the old saying goes "<a href="https://quoteinvestigator.com/2022/04/11/advertising/">Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the trouble is I don’t know which half.</a>".</p>
<p>So, in an attempt to bring a <em>little</em> data to proceedings, here are how we chose the 26 shows we saw. I don't claim this is representative of everyone, but I think it might be illustrative. In rough order of importance were:</p>
<h2 id="proximity"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#proximity">Proximity</a></h2>
<p>The EdFringe app has a "nearby now" feature. Click on it and you get a list of shows starting soon which are only staggering distance away.</p>
<p>I cannot stress enough how much of a motivator that was. When you've spent all day traipsing, the last thing you want to do is <em>another</em> 20 minute walk uphill to see a provocative new piece of challenging theatre told through finger puppets.</p>
<p>About 20% of the shows we saw were via that feature.</p>
<p>Roughly another 40% were because the show was close to something else we really wanted to see. We knew that we wanted to see show X, so we looked for shows which weren't too far away from that venue. Yes, Edinburgh is a compact city with decent public transport, but it is much easier to walk round the corner or stay to have a drink in the venue's bar.</p>
<p>You can <em>really</em> want to see a show, but if it is a 20 minute walk between venues and it starts 15 minutes after your last show ends, you'll skip it. I'd say that location was the key driver in most of our choices.</p>
<p>I guess my top tip to any performer would be to be as near as physically possible to a bigger act!</p>
<h2 id="friends"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#friends">Friends</a></h2>
<p>A quarter of the shows we went to were because either a friend-of-a-friend was performing, or a friend booked tickets and asked if we wanted to tag along.</p>
<p>You are morally obliged to go to your friends' shows. Similarly, if a mate says "Oh, my friend has a show on this year", you have to make the effort to go.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is a bit blasé to say that word-of-mouth works, but it's a cliché becausé it is trué.</p>
<h2 id="flyers-and-leaflets"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#flyers-and-leaflets">Flyers and Leaflets</a></h2>
<p>We collected approximately 5,374 different promotional leaflets during our week there. Most of the time we were handed a leaflet by someone paid to hand out leaflets. They were either wordlessly stuffed into our hands, or delivered with a monotone "wanna see improv comdy?" Bleh.</p>
<p>A few actually spoke to us about the show when we asked questions, which was a deciding factor in seeing a couple of performances.</p>
<p>The best flyerers were, undoubtedly, the performers themselves. Kat Ronson in her <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-kat-ronson-millennial-girl/">Millennial Girl</a> guise drawled at us "You look thin and pretty. You're allowed to come to my show." Instant sale!</p>
<p>Similarly, one rather famous comedian walked up to us and said "You look like theatre people!" and proceeded to pitch their show - which was a delightful encounter and would have sold us a ticket if we weren't leaving that day.</p>
<p>Some flyers had a QR code or URl on them so we could watch a trailer of the show. We didn't watch any of them. Perhaps we should have?</p>
<h2 id="posters"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#posters">Posters</a></h2>
<p>Surprisingly effective at drawing the eye! The ones which were just a photo of the comedian looking a bit "whacky" were dull. The ones of performers in their most seductive poses were a little naff. The ones which were just a close up of someone's face only really work if that person is incredibly famous, otherwise you're just left thinking "who?"</p>
<p>But a few posters made us stop and immediately search for the show. Graphic design is a professional skill and one worth investing in.</p>
<p>Some posters were everywhere. I took an instant (and uncharitable) dislike to one poster featuring a smug-looking twat and I swear he followed me around town. Some posters only appeared near the performance venue.</p>
<p>Incidentally, there were a couple of posters which had clearly just been fed into an AI generator. Lazy and off-putting.</p>
<h2 id="reviews"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#reviews">Reviews</a></h2>
<p>The Fringe doesn't allow weighted star reviews - so you can't immediately see if the consensus is that the show is a hit or a miss. Several of the shows we didn't enjoy got excellent reviews (from morons) and some of the shows we loved were panned (presumably by the same morons).</p>
<p>In truth, I don't think the reviews influenced our decision to see anything.</p>
<h2 id="what-stopped-us-going-to-shows"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#what-stopped-us-going-to-shows">What <em>Stopped</em> Us Going To Shows</a></h2>
<p>For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I think it is important for performers to know what stopped someone clicking the "buy" button for their show.</p>
<h3 id="ticket-cost-value-for-money"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#ticket-cost-value-for-money">Ticket Cost / Value For Money</a></h3>
<p>Mondays and Tuesdays saw lots of shows doing a 2-for-1 promotion. I didn't mind spending £30 for two of us to take a risk on something. Come Wednesday, I wasn't prepared to pay £60 for a 45 minute show.</p>
<p>I know "surge pricing" gets a bad rap, but <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/why-does-no-one-discuss-negative-dynamic-pricing/">dynamic pricing of underselling shows</a> might help. If you've only sold four seats for today, perhaps drop the price? I don't know if the Fringe software supports that - but it seems obvious to me that having 10 people paying a fiver is better than four people paying a tenner.</p>
<h3 id="crap-signal-long-queues"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#crap-signal-long-queues">Crap Signal / Long Queues</a></h3>
<p>We tried to get in to a circus show. My phone didn't have enough signal for the app to work and the nearest box office had a massive queue. So we bailed.</p>
<p>If the venue had WiFi (not a given, weirdly) it would have gotten them an extra sale. If the ticket staff could take contactless (lots of performers did) we'd have happily paid.</p>
<p>You have to make it easy for people to give you money.</p>
<h3 id="not-enough-time"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#not-enough-time">Not Enough Time</a></h3>
<p>This is completely out of the performers' control. We had 6 days and saw about 4 shows per day. We could have seen more, but we needed to eat, explore, and sleep.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, there were several midnight performances which looked excellent - but I also needed to get up the next day to see more shows. Sleep won!</p>
<h3 id="too-famous"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#too-famous">Too Famous</a></h3>
<p>I'd love to see that guy who's on the telly. But I can watch him on the telly. That show looks like a massive success, so I'm sure it'll tour round London soon.</p>
<h3 id="sell-outs"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#sell-outs">Sell Outs</a></h3>
<p>A few shows sold out before we could get tickets. Good for them! If that was your show, you probably don't need this blog post.</p>
<h2 id="better-art-through-commerce"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#better-art-through-commerce">Better Art Through Commerce</a></h2>
<p>Art should be driven by passion.</p>
<p>But every performer I know listens back to their shows to see what works and what didn't. If a joke falls flat, it's cut. If a riff gets a big laugh, it's incorporated. That's the essence of data driven decision making.</p>
<p>I wish every performer at the Fringe had a sell out audience and were able to recoup their costs. But that is never going to happen unless they spend time understanding what gets bums on seats.</p>
<p>So here are a few scattered thoughts on how they could do that.</p>
<ul>
<li>QR code at the end of the show leading to a survey. Literally ask people "what made you choose this performance?"</li>
<li>In the queue before the show, or as people are taking their seats, hand out a paper questionnaire.</li>
<li>Talk to the audience after the show. See if you can gain any insights about what made them attend.</li>
<li>As people are coming in, have a poster asking people to tick a box based on how they heard about the show.</li>
<li>Give each leaflet a unique code (or a code per person handing them out). Ask people to bring the leaflet with them so you can see which area/person/leaflet was most effective.</li>
<li>Each poster can have a unique QR code on it. Track whether the one by the station led to more ticket sales than the one in the underpass. Did the one in the gents toilets get <em>any</em> scans at all?</li>
</ul>
<p>Of course, all of the above rely on talking to people who made the choice to see you. This is classic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias">Survivorship Bias</a>. Sure, it'll help you work out what was <em>successful</em>, but you won't know why people looked at your show and chose something else. That said, it is <em>hard</em>. How do you find people who <i lang="la">ipso facto</i> aren't at your show?</p>
<ul>
<li>That could be as simple as asking people what they dislike about the leaflet when you hand it out.</li>
<li>Each poster or leaflet can have a unique QR code on it. Which ones cause people to scan, but then abandon the idea of buying a ticket?</li>
<li>Speak to people who came to the venue for a show other than yours. They obviously like the location, so non-confrontationally ask them why they didn't pick you?</li>
</ul>
<p>Some of these are easier than others. By themselves, they might give you a slightly misleading view of the data. But surely anything is better than looking at a half empty venue and wondering if those huge advertising costs did any good at all.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74330&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Death to px, long live ch!]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/death-to-px-long-live-ch/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=63847</id>
<updated>2026-08-23T12:45:06Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-23T11:34:52Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="css"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="design"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="HTML"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Pixels are a lie. Even if you think you're drawing something with "pixel perfect" accuracy, your monitor is lying to you. There is no grid of platonically perfect squares. In CSS, pixels are a double lie: Note that 1px doesn't necessarily equal one physical device pixel. On HD displays, it may span multiple physical pixels. Similarly, 1cm in CSS often doesn't correspond to one hundredth of SI…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/death-to-px-long-live-ch/"><![CDATA[<p>Pixels are a lie. Even if you think you're drawing something with "<a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2018/11/the-myth-of-the-pixel-perfect-grid/">pixel perfect</a>" accuracy, your monitor is lying to you. There is no grid of platonically perfect squares.</p>
<p>In CSS, <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn_web_development/Core/Styling_basics/Values_and_units#lengths">pixels are a double lie</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Note that <code>1px</code> doesn't necessarily equal one physical device pixel. On HD displays, it may span multiple physical pixels. Similarly, <code>1cm</code> in CSS often doesn't correspond to one hundredth of SI meter. On a large TV screen, it typically is longer than that. The lengths are perceptual: <code>16px</code> looks roughly the same on a phone, laptop, or TV screen at typical viewing distance.</p></blockquote>
<p>This blog is primarily text based. I want the <a href="https://journals.uc.edu/index.php/vl/article/view/5765/4629">width of the text to be readable</a> for the average human. So, rather than setting the main width to be a percentage of the screen, I set it based on character width using the <code>ch</code> unit - which <a href="https://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2018/06/28/what-is-the-css-ch-unit/">isn't exactly a character</a> but good enough for my purposes:</p>
<pre><code class="language-css">--width-content: min(75ch, 100%);
main {
max-width: var(--width-content);
}
</code></pre>
<p>When it comes to padding and margins, the same is true. If I want a gap around an element, I want that gap to be in proportion to the text inside it.</p>
<p>For widths, it makes sense to re-use the <code>ch</code> unit. I want the gap to be in proportion to the text.</p>
<p>But for <em>height</em>, perhaps it doesn't make sense to express vertical distance on character width? In which case <a href="https://www.w3.org/Style/Examples/007/units.en.html">the <code>ex</code> unit can be used</a>. It is the size of a typical lower-case letter.</p>
<p>Just like my idea to <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/09/class-warfare-can-i-eliminate-css-classes-from-my-html/">eliminate CSS classes from my HTML</a>, it's possible to go too far with this. I haven't changed <em>every</em> reference from px to ch, I'm just experimenting to see if it works.</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong, immoral, or evil about using px - or any other measure unit. Using ch and ex fit with my particular proclivities.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=63847&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: An Immense World - How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-an-immense-world-how-animal-senses-reveal-the-hidden-realms-around-us-by-ed-yong/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72903</id>
<updated>2026-07-29T09:03:25Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-21T11:34:36Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="science"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a detailed examination of the various senses possessed by animals. Some will be intimately familiar to you - like sight and sound - whereas some will seem strange and uncanny - like magnetic detection and electro-sensing. Some straddle an almost understandable space like echolocation or tetra-chromatic vision. This isn't a game of Top Trumps where all the animals are ranked by power.…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-an-immense-world-how-animal-senses-reveal-the-hidden-realms-around-us-by-ed-yong/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/9781473572737-jacket-large.webp" alt="Book cover featuring various animals." width="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-72904">
<p>This is a detailed examination of the various senses possessed by animals. Some will be intimately familiar to you - like sight and sound - whereas some will seem strange and uncanny - like magnetic detection and electro-sensing. Some straddle an almost understandable space like echolocation or tetra-chromatic vision.</p>
<p>This isn't a game of Top Trumps where all the animals are ranked by power. Instead there's a gentle and passionate exploration of what these senses <em>might</em> mean to their owners. It is refreshingly candid about what we don't know, while always trying to convey a sense of wonder about the inherent <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umwelt"><i lang="de">Umwelt</i></a> experienced by the animal.</p>
<p>But goodness me is it long. It seems that every time the editor told the author to cut out a paragraph, he stuck it in a footnote instead. The text is well referenced, but so are the footnotes, which means occasionally encountering sentences formatted like this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Despite several frustrating false leads, nobody’s ever found them.<sup>fn11,36,37,38,39</sup></p></blockquote>
<p>Speaking of which, the general formatting of the eBook is poor. The CSS contains all sorts of weird stuff which I needed to turn off, and is full of comments which probably should have been stripped before the book was distributed.</p>
<p>Science publishers still haven't grasped that eBooks don't need to relegate glossy images to the back of the book - they can go inline with the text!</p>
<p>This is a funny, heartfelt, and (perhaps overly) thorough book. It will gleefully send you down rabbit holes - even if you're ill-equipped to see in the dark and sense the bugs around you.</p>
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<thr:total>1</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Asymmetric Agents]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/asymmetric-agents/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73594</id>
<updated>2026-08-20T06:17:00Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-19T11:34:52Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="agentic"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="future"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[One of the promises of the AI-filled future is that we'll all have highly capable autonomous servants "agents" to work for us. Even back in the 1990s, it was a common trope in future-gazing to insist that a person's personal slave agent would negotiate on their behalf. Ask your meek digital pal agent to find you a restuarant in town, tonight, for a hot date, catering to your dietary preferences, …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/asymmetric-agents/"><![CDATA[<p>One of the promises of the AI-filled future is that we'll all have highly capable autonomous <del>servants</del> "agents" to work for us.</p>
<p>Even <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/how-close-are-we-to-a-vision-for-2010/">back in the 1990s</a>, it was a common trope in future-gazing to insist that a person's personal <del>slave</del> agent would negotiate on their behalf. Ask your <del>meek digital pal</del> agent to find you a restuarant in town, tonight, for a hot date, catering to your dietary preferences, and within your budget. The little <del>butler</del> agent scurries off and, without your intervention, finds the <em>perfect</em> place, negotiates with the restaurant's <del>house boy</del> agent and books you a slap up meal.</p>
<p>Marvellous! You can tell your <del>manservant</del> agent to buy you clothes, reserve a flight, do the grocery shopping, or buy your wife flowers without having to lift a finger.</p>
<p>But, of course, there's a fly in the ointment. Not all <del>valets</del> agents are created equally. You're sending your Raspberry Pi powered <del>peon</del> agent against the full might of Amazon's bazillion datacentres.</p>
<p>Can a low-complexity <del>serf</del> agent be bullied, outwitted, and manipulated by a more capable <del>henchman</del> agent? It seems obvious to me that the answer is yes. Humans have a set of cognitive biases which render us susceptible to advertising tricks. AI may have <a href="https://cacm.acm.org/research/rolling-in-the-deep-of-cognitive-and-ai-biases/"><em>different</em> biases</a> but will still be vulnerable to <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2017/03/how-to-hypnotise-an-artificial-intelligence/">hypnosis</a> and hacking.</p>
<p>Perhaps having my <del>secretary</del> agent negotiate with your <del>PA</del> agent to find a suitable meeting time for our Q2 KPI Deep Dive doesn't carry this sort of risk. But I'm sure that <del>scumbags</del> advertisers everywhere will be salivating at the thought of waylaying my innocent <del>footman</del> agent on its way to market.</p>
<p>A future where we delegate responsibility to <del>stochastic imbeciles</del> agents is one where we accept that we have no control over their susceptibility to more powerful and malevolent <del>thugs</del> agents.</p>
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<thr:total>4</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[And then the men with guns tell you to do it anyway]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/and-then-the-men-with-guns-tell-you-to-do-it-anyway/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74161</id>
<updated>2026-08-17T11:31:25Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-17T11:34:24Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="politics"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="technology"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[In early February 2011 Egypt was in the middle of a political revolution. One morning, everyone's phones suddenly pinged with an alert. The Armed Forces asks Egypt's honest and loyal men to confront the traitors and criminals and protect our people and honour and our precious Egypt. A series of messages arrived all ostensibly from the network provider Vodafone. All pro-regime and all with the…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/and-then-the-men-with-guns-tell-you-to-do-it-anyway/"><![CDATA[<p>In early February 2011 <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/25/what-happened-during-egypts-january-25-revolution">Egypt was in the middle of a political revolution</a>. One morning, everyone's phones suddenly pinged with an alert.</p>
<blockquote><p>The Armed Forces asks Egypt's honest and loyal men to confront the traitors and criminals and protect our people and honour and our precious Egypt.</p></blockquote>
<p>A <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59098813@N06/5411904816/in/photostream/">series of messages arrived</a> all ostensibly from the network provider Vodafone. All pro-regime and all with the undercurrent of violence.</p>
<p>Why did Vodafone send these messages? Earlier in the week, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/01/28/egypt-nationwide-internet-blackout-endangers-rights">all Internet access was cut off</a> now phones were blasting propaganda to the masses.</p>
<p>After the network went down, Vodafone issued a statement saying:</p>
<blockquote><p>It has been clear to us that there were no legal or practical options open to Vodafone, or any of the mobile operators in Egypt, but to comply with the demands of the authorities.</p></blockquote>
<p>Do you have to follow orders? Do you have to obey the law even when it is unjust? Should multinational corporations instruct local executives to be loyal to their parent company or the rulers of the country they live in?</p>
<p>After the messages came in - including promises that "<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2011/feb/03/egypt-protests-live-updates#block-19">The Armed Forces cares for your safety and well being and will not resort to using force against this great nation</a>" - Vodafone Global, safely ensconced in the UK, put out another statement:</p>
<blockquote><p>Under the emergency powers provisions of the Telecoms Act, the Egyptian authorities can instruct the mobile networks of Mobinil, Etisalat and Vodafone to send messages to the people of Egypt. They have used this since the start of the protests. These messages are not scripted by any of the mobile network operators and we do not have the ability to respond to the authorities on their content.</p>
<p>Vodafone Group has protested to the authorities that the current situation regarding these messages is unacceptable. We have made clear that all messages should be transparent and clearly attributable to the originator.</p>
<p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110307151856/http://www.vodafone.com/content/index/press/press_statements/statement_on_egypt.html">Statements - Vodafone Egypt</a></p></blockquote>
<p>A few years later I was at a networking event chatting to a guy. We'd both previously worked for Vodafone. Me in the UK, he in Egypt. I asked him about the incident - he talked about how they built the SMS infrastructure, what they did to secure it, how they prevented spam, and how one day armed men arrived.</p>
<p>I suspect most of us have seen a movie where some flunky in an office refuses the baddies demands to open the safe, and then gets shot in the head. Perhaps you think that's a noble death? He lived with honour and refused to yield! But, in every movie I've seen, the guy's subordinate opens the safe anyway and gets to live.</p>
<p>But we're technologists, right? We can build fail safes and cryptographic proofs and <a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-would-simply">simply build infrastructure that can't be abused</a>.</p>
<p>And then the men with guns come and tell you what to do.</p>
<p>I've written before about <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/11/civic-hygiene/">Civic Hygiene</a> - it's the idea that we should be mindful of the ways that our technologies could be misused. The term was coined back in 2010 by the technologist Bruice Schneier</p>
<blockquote><p><a href="https://www.schneier.com/essays/archives/2010/01/us_enables_chinese_h.html">It's bad civic hygiene to build technologies that could someday be used to facilitate a police state.</a></p></blockquote>
<p>But what do we mean by that?</p>
<p>We don't want backdoors in security products - lest hackers break in or evil governments get elected. But we want a way to access our beloved ones' data after they die. It's important that we know that photos haven't been manipulated by propagandists and saboteurs. But we want to send funny memes about that politician we don't like. We don't want police stalking ex girlfriends' cars - but we want dangerous drivers prosecuted.</p>
<p>We want to be alerted about imminent threats, but don't want Governments to use that power for ill.</p>
<p>Way back in the early 2020s, I had a minor role in the UK Government's adoption of <a href="https://github.com/co-cddo/open-standards/issues/73">Common Alerting Protocol</a> the technology which powers cell-broadcast emergency alerts.</p>
<p>Even back then, one of the discussions was around whether the utility of being able to send an unavoidable push notification was worth the risk that someone would send an inappropriate message. Fresh in everyone's minds was the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42680070">false alarm saying missiles were heading to Hawaii</a>.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2018_Hawaii_missile_alert_cropped.jpeg" alt="Emergency alert. BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL." width="768" height="343" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74163">
<p>Too many safeguards means that a genuine alert doesn't get sent in time. Too few safeguards and you can blame "<a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-the-field-guide-to-understanding-human-error-by-sidney-dekker/">Human Error</a>" for any mistakes.</p>
<p>I don't know which safeguards are in place for the UK's system - <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/foi/2024/march/emergency-broadcasting?v=331069">and most details are exempt from Freedom of Information requests</a>. But it is both easy and fun to speculate on how such a system might be designed.</p>
<p>The Government generates an alert. It specifies where and when the alert should be sent. It sends that message to the network operators via a secure and private channel. Perhaps they also do some out-of-band verification like having the network operator call a pre-determined phone number to check the message's validity.</p>
<p>At which point, the operator can choose to send the message or not.</p>
<p>Or can they?</p>
<p>In August 2026, the UK government instructed network operators to send this message:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/alerts/14-aug-2026-2"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fire-alert.webp" alt="Alert about fire risk in the UK." title="Screenshot courtesy of Skylar MacDonald" width="1024" height="851" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74164"></a></p>
<p>Did the networks <em>have</em> to send that message? If they thought it wasn't serious enough, could they have refused? As far as I can tell, the law only talks about the fact that operators can disregard "spam" laws in order to send a mass message:</p>
<blockquote><p>A relevant public communications provider (P) may, for the purpose of providing an emergency alert service, disregard the restrictions on the processing of data relating to users or subscribers set out in paragraph (2) if the conditions set out in paragraph (3) are met.</p>
<p>[…]</p>
<p>(3) The conditions are—</p>
<p>(a)P is notified by a relevant public authority that—</p>
<p>(i)an emergency within the meaning of section 1(1) of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/355/pdfs/uksi_20150355_en.pdf">Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 355</a></p></blockquote>
<p>I'm no expert, but I can't see anything in <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/manage-your-licence/mobile-wireless-and-broadband/cellular/licences/cellular-licence-vodafone-0249664.pdf?v=368347">the spectrum licence</a> nor in the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/contents">Wireless Telegraphy Act</a> which <em>compels</em> operators to process these messages.</p>
<p>The usual British way is to ask people to play nicely and threaten them with regulation if they don't.</p>
<p>Could the networks have refused to send the message about wildfires - or indeed any other message? If your least favourite politician gets their hands on the emergency alert system and tries to abuse it, would you want the networks to stand up to them?</p>
<p>What if the network refuses to send the message because they're worried alerting people about a hurricane will lower the company's profits?</p>
<p>What if armed thugs are sent in and the choice is send the message or die?</p>
<p>I don't know what the answer is here. I think most people agree that it is broadly sensible to have a way to alert the population of emergencies. There's no mass media any more, we're not all listening to a single radio channel, or reading newspapers, or even on the same social media platforms. Sometimes there are emergencies and the Government has a duty to alert people to them.</p>
<p>How would you design a system that simultaneously achieved all these goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Rapid sending of messages</li>
<li>Careful checking of the content of messages</li>
<li>Ability to quickly target a specific geographic area</li>
<li>Inability to mistakenly send a test message</li>
<li>Requiring strong proof that the message is authentic before sending</li>
<li>Resilient enough to work after significant damage to infrastructure</li>
<li>That networks have the ability to vet and ignore</li>
<li>That networks are compelled to send</li>
<li>Which can only be used for good</li>
<li>And cannot be used for evil.</li>
</ul>
<p>In truth, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/edent.tel/post/3mt2s2puhuk2x">having experienced fire-starters</a>, I'm not bothered about the contents of this latest message from the UK Government. Given the overstretched fire service and the imminent threat across most of the country, my personal opinion is that it is proportionate.</p>
<p>But it is easy to see why some people feel this might open the gateway to messages which, at best, are irrelevant and, at worst, are similar to the insidious propaganda which appeared on the phones of Egyptians:</p>
<blockquote><p>To every mother-father-sister-brother, to every honest citizen. Preserve this country as the nation is forever.</p></blockquote>
<p>Perhaps you can think of a way to design an alerting system which cannot be abused - but I can't.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74161&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>13</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Thoughts on visiting the Edinburgh Fringe as a newbie]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74021</id>
<updated>2026-08-16T09:29:11Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-16T11:34:21Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This was my first ever time at The Fringe™. Here are some scattered thoughts looking at the good, the bad, and the annoying aspects of this madly extravagant exhibition of talent. We saw 23 shows together, and one separate show each. There were more hits than misses, but the frustration of wasting your time on a bad show is rather heavy when there are literally hundreds of other shows on offer. P…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/"><![CDATA[<p>This was my first ever time at The Fringe™. Here are some scattered thoughts looking at the good, the bad, and the annoying aspects of this madly extravagant exhibition of talent. We saw 23 shows together, and one separate show each. There were more hits than misses, but the frustration of wasting your time on a bad show is rather heavy when there are literally hundreds of other shows on offer.</p>
<h2 id="price"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#price">Price</a></h2>
<p>Everything is too expensive. We found student accommodation which was a "mere" £220 per night. I guess that wasn't <em>too</em> exorbitant considering the gouging going on elsewhere - and it did come with a decent breakfast. It was about a 20 minute walk from the Royal Mile, with several performance venues on the way.</p>
<p>The 46 tickets we bought cost us £550 in total - which included a few donations at Free Fringe shows. So an average ticket of £12, which isn't too bad, I guess. You can certainly do things cheaper by only going to free shows and running away when they ask you to pay - but that's a dick move.</p>
<p>£20 for a single hour of stand-up feels like kind of a rip off at times - especially with the mandatory £1.50 booking fee for every ticket. Some shows are a bit cheaper, and Monday/Tuesday has 2-for-1 offers. But it's easy for a couple to spend well over a hundred quid per day seeing 3 or 4 shows.</p>
<p>Festival food and drink prices are inflated - but there's no shortage of supermarkets if you want a meal deal. Restaurants were usual city centre prices. The bars at festival venues were fully taking advantage of their captive audience, but the pubs aren't much cheaper.</p>
<h2 id="the-app"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#the-app">The App</a></h2>
<p>In theory, the app / website is good. In reality they're both a bit frustrating to use. Every time I ticked the box saying "remember my credit card details" and every time it forgot them. Both app and website frequently timed out, failed to add tickets to baskets, and were a bit shonky. The <em>one</em> thing this needs to do is reliably take my money and give it to performers - but it felt like a battle every time.</p>
<p>We missed one show because we couldn't buy a ticket in the app despite being in the queue. The door staff didn't have the ability to sell us a ticket (although some venues can) and directed us to a box office which was dealing with a bunch of people who were bemused that they couldn't pay in dollars.</p>
<p>Inexplicably, the app doesn't have the ability to see show reviews, even though they're present on the website.</p>
<p>There's a good "Nearby Now" feature which is handy when you're exhausted and don't want to trek far. By contrast, there's no easy way to see what's on near the next venue you're going to.</p>
<p>Searching for shows often returns events which are cancelled or sold out.</p>
<p>I wish it were possible to see which shows had undersold and were starting soon. I loved taking a punt on an unknown act who only had half-a-dozen people in the room. Sadly there's no way to grab last-minute deals.</p>
<p>This isn't helped by the total collapse of mobile signal in Edinburgh centre. I tried with a variety of SIMs but frequently only got a trickle of data.</p>
<h2 id="what-to-see"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#what-to-see">What To See</a></h2>
<p>The <abbr title="Fear Of Missing Out">FOMO</abbr> is real! Every show's poster makes it look amazing. The earnest performers desperately handing out leaflets for their own shows are <em>so</em> enthusiastic. Everyone you speak to in a queue has a "must see" which is probably sold out.</p>
<p>We mostly avoided seeing big names. They'll be on telly soon enough or tour down in London. I don't think that act who was big in the 1990s needs my coin as much as some up-and-comer.</p>
<p>You could easily fill a week seeing nothing but Shakespeare in a variety of styles. Or just watch middle-aged white guys have mental breakdowns on stage because they're on their 3rd divorce. Or, as it turns out, fill your boots with Heated Rivalry shows.</p>
<p>We did the tasting menu and had a little bit of everything. It was mostly pretty good with only a few duds.</p>
<h2 id="reviews"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#reviews">Reviews</a></h2>
<p>Even the worst show we saw had a couple of people who declared it the funniest thing ever five stars lol. You can't account for someone else's taste.</p>
<p>I enjoyed <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/EdFringe">writing my reviews</a> - and I hope they were useful to others - but you're mostly on your own when it comes to what's good. I suppose if you wait until later in the festival there will be more of a consensus about what to see.</p>
<p>My philosophy is to take a punt on basically anything that doesn't look too abhorrent. Even if it is shit, there's be something else along in a minute which will be better.</p>
<h2 id="distance"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#distance">Distance</a></h2>
<p>You'll get your 10k steps in before lunchtime - Edinburgh is a delightfully walkable city. With a bit of planning you can walk a straight line from show-to-show. We didn't plan and traipsed back and forth like the little lost tourists we were.</p>
<p>Venues are mostly well sign-posted. Again, the app is a bit crap at pointing them out, but it'll open your mapping app to navigate you there.</p>
<p>Many of the venues are in historic buildings, so don't expect lifts or escalators. Stairs all the way, baby!</p>
<h2 id="harry-potter"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#harry-potter">Harry Potter</a></h2>
<p>Edinburgh seems like an inclusive and trans-friendly city. Half the acts on the Fringe proudly stated their LGBT+ credentials and most venues we went to had gender neutral loos.</p>
<p>And then every other shop proudly boasts it is 100% definitely where JKR got the inspiration for Harry Potter. Tourists are schelpped between "Diagon Alley" and probably-the-cafe-where-she-wrote while slurping down dayglo butterbeers.</p>
<p>Truly the duality of life!</p>
<h2 id="comfort"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#comfort">Comfort</a></h2>
<p>There's an ancient Edinburgh byelaw which prohibits cushions on seats. No chair may be wide enough to accommodate anything other than the skinniest arse. It also places a moratorium on legroom.</p>
<p>Ok, some of the venues were more comfortable than others, but prepare for a bit of backache.</p>
<p>Toilets are plentiful in most venues, and theres no shortage of pubs to pop in to if you need refreshment or relief.</p>
<p>Scotland isn't known for its heat, but some of the venues desperately need air-conditioning in their foyers and auditoriums. A few were handing out free water to the swealtering punters - but probably best to bring your own</p>
<h2 id="would-i-come-here-again"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#would-i-come-here-again">Would I Come Here Again?</a></h2>
<p>Yeah! I reckon so! Probably not next year, and probably with more of a plan about which "must sees" I wanted to see.</p>
<p>Staying closer to the centre is more expensive, but might have made it easier to see some if the shows later in the night.</p>
<p>There is <em>so</em> much talent, <em>so</em> much variety, and <em>so</em> much joy in the city that it becomes rather infectious.</p>
<p>If you can afford the train fare, hotel costs, tickets, booking fees, pints, chips and all the other people desperate to stick their hands into your wallet - then it is a great adventure.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74021&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>3</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-slags-by-emma-jane-unsworth/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72687</id>
<updated>2026-06-29T19:43:11Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-15T11:34:42Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Club"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It was recommended by my book club as something between tragedy and comedy. The characters are excruciatingly well written - if you (or your friends) shoplifted Impulse body-spray back in the 1990s, you'll be hit by a terrifying wave of nostalgia. It reminds me of this excellent essay by Marie Le Conte about consent. What can a teenage girl…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-slags-by-emma-jane-unsworth/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/slags.webp" alt="Book cover featuring a teenage girl smoking." width="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-72688">
<p>I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It was recommended by my book club as something between tragedy and comedy. The characters are excruciatingly well written - if you (or your friends) shoplifted Impulse body-spray back in the 1990s, you'll be hit by a terrifying wave of nostalgia.</p>
<p>It reminds me of this excellent <a href="https://youngvulgarian.substack.com/i/152315586/a-column">essay by Marie Le Conte about consent</a>. What can a teenage girl consent to? What will fuck her up for years to come? What if she doesn't mind being a <em>little</em> fucked up?</p>
<p>The prose is amazing, the plotting perfectly paced, and the denouement satisfying - with lots of retrospectives "Oh! I get it now"s.</p>
<p>Despite the hectic and hilarious story, I still felt a little sordid reading it. There's a streak of sadness running through it, intertwined with some unbearably heartbreaking poetry.</p>
<blockquote><p>It’s always raining and there’s nothing to do except dream and they don’t even give you much time to do that with all the coursework.</p></blockquote>
<p>It is entertaining and fun - but you need a strong stomach and a casual disregard for the overall happiness of your protagonists.</p>
<p>One note - there are a few odd / broken styles in the ePub. Nothing too disruptive, but some passages have a slightly smaller font size for no discernable reason.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=72687&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Target Audience ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-target-audience/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74018</id>
<updated>2026-08-14T18:10:20Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-14T18:45:41Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comedy"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Easily the best show I've seen at the Fringe. For plot-related reasons, a television company asks a literary genius to create a "pro-weapons sitcom". It is a fast paced mix of the sitcoms 2012 and Episodes. The jokes come at a steady pace - some attack with the furiousity of bullets, others the the subtlety of a knife in the night. All four of the cast are spectacular. Turning the…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-target-audience/"><![CDATA[<p>Easily the best show I've seen at the Fringe.</p>
<p>For plot-related reasons, a television company asks a literary genius to create a "pro-weapons sitcom".</p>
<p>It is a fast paced mix of the sitcoms 2012 and Episodes. The jokes come at a steady pace - some attack with the furiousity of bullets, others the the subtlety of a knife in the night.</p>
<p>All four of the cast are spectacular. Turning the sometimes-stock characters into powerful avatars. The amoral Zuckerbergian horror of data driven decision making is the perfect manure in which to grow comedy roses.</p>
<p>It stands well against any classic farce and I hope it tours until the end of the world.</p>
<p>A special shout out to the Pleasance Above for being the most comfortable venue in Edinburgh! Raked auditorium, cushioned seats, and air conditioning all make for a delightful theatrical experience.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74018&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Stand-up Philosophy ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-stand-up-philosophy/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74015</id>
<updated>2026-08-14T14:53:00Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-14T15:16:26Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comedy"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[For a pay-what-you-want show this was decent. Three comedians doing sets on the theme of philosophy - followed by a Q&A where the audience poses philosophical conundrums to them. It more-or-less works as a gimmick. Although an early afternoon crowd may have been more likely to ask questions anonymously. I've never seen a Sikh doing an unnervingly accurate impression of Trump before. Daman…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-stand-up-philosophy/"><![CDATA[<p>For a pay-what-you-want show this was decent. Three comedians doing sets on the theme of philosophy - followed by a Q&A where the audience poses philosophical conundrums to them.</p>
<p>It more-or-less works as a gimmick. Although an early afternoon crowd may have been more likely to ask questions anonymously.</p>
<p>I've never seen a Sikh doing an unnervingly accurate impression of Trump before. <a href="https://www.damanbamrah.com/">Daman Bamrah</a> did a perfect routine which blended his philosophy with the perils of the bum-gun. An unexpected but hilarious combination.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sidsingh.org/">Sid Singh</a>'s set trod a fairly standard path through reactions to racism, but his discussion at the end about the inherent problems involved in writing controversial material was excellent.</p>
<p>Tying it all together was <a href="https://www.alexfarrowcomedy.com/">Alex Farrow</a> who perfectly brought together the various philosophical strands and proved why Albert Camus was a fan of Stewart Lee.</p>
<p>A great set of acts at a decent price.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74015&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Waiting for Wonka ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-waiting-for-wonka/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74091</id>
<updated>2026-08-14T12:21:21Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-14T12:31:07Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This play is fucked up! Such a brilliant concept - what happened to the kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after they were rejected by Wonka? Stuck together in a Big-Brotheresque household, they trauma-dump on each other. New Zealand's Half Trick have shrunk their full-length play into a Fringe-standard 60 minutes. That does make it a little brusque and, simultaneously, a bit…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-waiting-for-wonka/"><![CDATA[<p>This play is <em>fucked up!</em> Such a brilliant concept - what happened to the kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory <em>after</em> they were rejected by Wonka? Stuck together in a Big-Brotheresque household, they trauma-dump on each other.</p>
<p><a href="https://halftrick.com/#wonka"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/naughty.webp" alt="Waiting for Wonka poster saying naughty children get nothing." width="800" height="1125" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74093"></a></p>
<p>New Zealand's Half Trick have shrunk their full-length play into a Fringe-standard 60 minutes. That does make it a little brusque and, simultaneously, a bit repetitive. The characters don't get quite enough room to breathe. Mike Teavee has, of course, become an incel online troll - perfect! - but the rest haven't changed much.</p>
<p>The horrors of industrial accidents mixed with corporate malfeasance makes for an excellent comedy. The cast inhabit their characters perfectly, each totally believable as a childhood favourite who has become a deeply troubled adult.</p>
<p>I'd be delighted to read a full length novelisation of the script. It is a witty and terrifying update to a book I devoured as a child. Only now do I realise that it was also devouring me. Truly when you gaze into the lake of chocolate…</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74091&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-doris-dolly-and-the-dressing-room-divas/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74012</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T21:32:42Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T22:23:25Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Quite simply marvellous! Three Scottish divas giving us their interpretations of the greats while backed by an excellent pianist. So many shows at the Fringe skimp on sets and props - not this! A luscious array of costumes, hats, wigs, and ruby slippers bring the characters to life. The framing is thin but serviceable - the backstage helpers are reminiscing about their favourite stars and bring …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-doris-dolly-and-the-dressing-room-divas/"><![CDATA[<p>Quite simply marvellous! Three Scottish divas giving us their interpretations of the greats while backed by an excellent pianist.</p>
<p>So many shows at the Fringe skimp on sets and props - not this! A luscious array of costumes, hats, wigs, and ruby slippers bring the characters to life.</p>
<p>The framing is thin but serviceable - the backstage helpers are reminiscing about their favourite stars and bring them back to stage. It is a fun and campy evening, without ever straying into parody or obsequiousness.</p>
<p>Sadly a few technical gremlins crept in, but the cast are absolute troopers and dispensed with them.</p>
<p>Oh, and there's an incredible Sweary Poppins who steals the show.</p>
<p>In amongst the Fringe's high concept art, fiendish new writing, and blokey-standup, it was a real treat to see a good old fashioned revue.</p>
<p>Highly recommend.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74012&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: The Musical Mystery Caller ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-the-musical-mystery-caller/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74064</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T19:01:23Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T20:21:53Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Walking down the street, I noticed a ringing phone box so, naturally, I answered it. What happened next was a few minutes of pure fringe magic! I had a little chat with the caller, he welcomed me to the smallest venue in the fringe, and then he improvised a banger of a song based on my peculiar proclivities. What a treat to have a front row experience at a one man (and one audience member)…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-the-musical-mystery-caller/"><![CDATA[<p>Walking down the street, I noticed a ringing phone box so, naturally, I answered it.</p>
<p>What happened next was a few minutes of pure fringe magic!</p>
<p>I had a little chat with the caller, he welcomed me to the smallest venue in the fringe, and then he improvised a banger of a song based on my peculiar proclivities.</p>
<p>What a treat to have a front row experience at a one man (and one audience member) show. The song was heartfelt and beautiful, played and sung with panache - albeit down a twisted copper pair of limited bandwidth.</p>
<p>He didn't reverse the charges, so it didn't cost me a penny! Which, given the high prices of most shows, was an absolute bargain 😃</p>
<p>If you hear a phone ringing, you should always answer it and say hello.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Imagepipe_59.webp" alt="Me in a phone box listening intently." width="1542" height="2048" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74067">
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<thr:total>1</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Miscast Sondheim ★★☆☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-miscast-sondheim/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74045</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T18:05:07Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T18:45:15Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm not sure what they're teaching at LAMDA, but it certainly isn't vocal projection. We were forewarned about the technical difficulties - but if a trained stage singer can't reach the 6th row of a tiny theatre, that can't be blamed on the backstage team. The show advertises itself as: What happens when you take Sondheim’s most beloved music and turn it on its head? Ingénues become villains, vi…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-miscast-sondheim/"><![CDATA[<p>I'm not sure what they're teaching at LAMDA, but it certainly isn't vocal projection. We were forewarned about the technical difficulties - but if a trained stage singer can't reach the 6th row of a tiny theatre, that can't be blamed on the backstage team.</p>
<p>The show advertises itself as:</p>
<blockquote><p>What happens when you take Sondheim’s most beloved music and turn it on its head? Ingénues become villains, villains deliver delicate ballads, and comic sidekicks step into tragedy.</p></blockquote>
<p>But, bluntly, that's not what was delivered. The gender swapping and colour-blind casting was fine, but there was no sense that this was a twist on the songs. They were all delivered in a straightforward fashion.</p>
<p>In fairness, there were a couple of truly excellent singers - Adam Boggs McDonald was spectacular and Paulina Hill was an absolute showstopper. The twist on Agony by Angelia Castillo and Adelia Castillo worked well.</p>
<p>Sadly the rest was over promised and under delivered.</p>
<p>Another show seen purely in the basis that we had an hour free and the venue was close. That's generally a pretty sound strategy for seeing shows - but you have to accept the risk that you might not like what you get.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74045&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Hot Flush – A Bold, We’re Old(ish) Burlesque Show ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-hot-flush-a-bold-were-oldish-burlesque-show/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74009</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T16:25:57Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T16:45:02Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Are menopausal women hot? It is often said that pornographic actresses move straight from "barely legal" to "MILF" without so much as moment in between. Unlike the fringe's other burlesque shows - which seem to exclusively feature nymphettes and twinks with nary a grey hair between them - Hot Flush focuses on the over 40s. Look, you probably don't want to read a review of how tempting I found…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-hot-flush-a-bold-were-oldish-burlesque-show/"><![CDATA[<p>Are menopausal women hot? It is often said that pornographic actresses move straight from "barely legal" to "MILF" without so much as moment in between. Unlike the fringe's other burlesque shows - which seem to exclusively feature nymphettes and twinks with nary a grey hair between them - Hot Flush focuses on the over 40s.</p>
<p>Look, you probably don't want to read a review of how tempting I found each temptress, nor a multivariant testing of their erotic powers - so let's just say this…</p>
<p>The lecture in the middle about the menopause and how to cope with it was very educational.</p>
<p>The performers were all talented and the costumes (before removal) were sufficiently sufficient for their purpose.</p>
<p>The main problem is that it is staged at the <em>least</em> sexy venue on the fringe. A basement meeting room which looks more suitable for a regional sales conference than a burlesque. Perhaps if they were going for a Belinda Blinked cabaret it might have worked better.</p>
<p>The performers coped well with the technical difficulties (no doubt caused by a moralising theatre ghost) and recovered their momentum well.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74009&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe - Eleanor Morton: The Mermaid ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-eleanor-morton-the-mermaid/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74006</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T13:44:52Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T14:55:59Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comedy"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The undisputed queen of short-form viral video comedy snacks takes to the stage. Well, swims to the stage. The Mermaid is a delightful and gentle amble through the confusing world of a girl who just wants to become a mermaid. Less standup and more storytelling, nevertheless it packs in the laughs with some rather clever jokes, a bit of bawdy humour, and - a rarity on The Fringe - a decently…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-eleanor-morton-the-mermaid/"><![CDATA[<p>The undisputed queen of short-form viral video comedy snacks takes to the stage. Well, swims to the stage.</p>
<p>The Mermaid is a delightful and gentle amble through the confusing world of a girl who just wants to become a mermaid. Less standup and more storytelling, nevertheless it packs in the laughs with some rather clever jokes, a bit of bawdy humour, and - a rarity on The Fringe - a decently designed set!</p>
<p>It stands out by being well-rehearsed (surprisingly not a given here) and with no technical glitches during the performance (and, again, I cannot stress enough how unique that is). Eleanor Morton is an absolute professional who knows how to put on a quality show.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74006&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: Coding Literacy by Annette Vee ★★⯪☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-coding-literacy-by-annette-vee/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72659</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T11:41:26Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T11:34:09Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="coding"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Computer Science"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a disappointing and frustrating book - not least because it so nearly hits the mark. The subtitle is "How Computer Programming Is Changing Writing" - but it never gets close to discussing that topic, let alone deeply examining it. Instead, it is a book mostly focussed on the history of what we mean by "literacy" and, by contrast, what it meant to be "illiterate". As per the standard…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-coding-literacy-by-annette-vee/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/m_9780262340236-cover.jpeg" alt="Book cover." width="304" height="450" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-72660">
<p>This is a disappointing and frustrating book - not least because it so <em>nearly</em> hits the mark.</p>
<p>The subtitle is "How Computer Programming Is Changing Writing" - but it never gets close to discussing that topic, let alone deeply examining it. Instead, it is a book mostly focussed on the history of what we mean by "literacy" and, by contrast, what it meant to be "illiterate".</p>
<p>As per the standard for academic monographs, it is more interested in endlessly discussing the semantics of a term than engaging with its impacts. The historic stuff is genuinely fascinating. But the endless diversions about what Academic A thinks and how Academic B rebuts is a little tedious. There are clear parallels between a pre-literate society relying on the village scribe and the modern family having that one cousin who "knows computers" - but it is only weakly explored.</p>
<p>There are moments when it seems like the author is really going to delve in to what coding literacy actually means:</p>
<blockquote><p>The relationship between programming as a practice and computer science as a discipline is a central tension in the contemporary programming campaigns that invoke literacy,</p></blockquote>
<p>But it rarely goes beyond surface level. Most people can write - but only few can write a novel. Many can engage is literary criticism - but few take it any further. How does that model fit on to coding? The book doesn't discuss, but there's an easy parallel there. Only a few people can write an app, but many can use it. Anyone can write a review of an app, but not many can do so from a position of literacy.</p>
<p>This was published in 2017, so written a decade or so before LLMs became seemingly ubiquitous. Nevertheless, there are some historic titbits which seem to fit nicely into today's world:</p>
<blockquote><p>As early as 1961, Peter Elias claimed that training in programming languages would soon cease because “undergraduates will face the console with such a natural keyboard and such a natural language that there will be little left, if anything, to the teaching of programming. [At this point, we] should hope that it would have disappeared from the curricula of all but a moderate group of specialists.”</p></blockquote>
<p>But, as the book <em>does</em> briefly discuss, the way the brain is changed by coding literacy forces people to think more in line with a computer. Even if you tell an LLM "build me an app to do xyz", you still need to think about what you're doing, why you're doing it, what edge-cases you need to consider, etc.</p>
<p>But then it is back to the interminable academic squabbling about whether Wittgenstein's definition of an inconsequential term is compatible with Chomsky's.</p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest weakness is that there is almost a complete absence of code! A few examples of <abbr title="Beginners' All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code">BASIC</abbr> would have done <em>so</em> much to demonstrate how a restricted language set changes how people write and therefore think.</p>
<p>There's a brief exploration about how the typewriter and typesetting changed language and literacy - but where's the examination about how the tyranny of <abbr title="American National Standards Institute">ANSI</abbr> layout curtailed the way programmers wrote? There's an amazing exploration to be done about why coders use <code>=></code> rather than <code>→</code> and how various other symbols got co-opted into their languages.</p>
<p>Instead, it is back to the history books again.</p>
<p>Here's another good example about how writing changed literacy:</p>
<blockquote><p>Written texts provide fewer cues than oral delivery about how to “take” them; for example, ironically, sincerely, or jokingly. Readers must interpret texts, supplying the illocutionary force of the text themselves.</p></blockquote>
<p>It seems obvious to me that this is directly comparable with something like a code review. It isn't immediately clear what a programmer means when they write something down - and even comments can be misleading. What sort of "oral traditions" are we building up?</p>
<p>The book then mostly abandons any pretence of talking about code. I think the author really wanted to write a history book but needed the (then) coolness of tying it to the various "get kids to code" campaigns.</p>
<p>Towards the end, it <em>almost</em> returns to the topic at hand.</p>
<blockquote><p>We choose our words in terms of what is potentially reportable on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter</p>
<p>[…]</p>
<p>Although few people know how to program the devices on which code and computation ride into our lives, their manifestations influence us anyhow. In various ways, we have learned to see ourselves as “computed” by the devices and networks on which we depend.</p></blockquote>
<p>As we might say nowadays "Hey chat! Guess the Cheeto didn't unalive himself today!" - but that isn't really about coding. The people using those substitute words are ignorant of how algorithms really work and think that their clever doublespeak can bypass censorship.</p>
<p>We desperately need more people to be literate in what coding means. Sadly this book only every lightly touches on what coding literacy does to our language, our thoughts, and our society.</p>
<p>I'm giving it 2.5 stars because the history was genuinely interesting - but it completely fails to engage with the topic it promised.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=72659&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-unauthorized-musical-parody/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73981</id>
<updated>2026-08-12T21:09:24Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-12T21:22:09Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[There are at least four different Heated Rivalry shows at the Fringe this year. Earlier this week we saw Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!. This is different because it is the unauthorized musical parody. Oh, and it is in the much larger Udderbelly venue. Some people spend the fringe watching every possible interpretation of Timon of Athens - we decided to go for doubles of …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-unauthorized-musical-parody/"><![CDATA[<p>There are at least <em>four</em> different Heated Rivalry shows at the Fringe this year. Earlier this week we saw <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-musical-parody/">Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!</a>. This is different because it is the <em>unauthorized</em> musical parody.</p>
<p>Oh, and it is in the much larger Udderbelly venue.</p>
<p>Some people spend the fringe watching every possible interpretation of Timon of Athens - we decided to go for doubles of gay hockey sticks.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fef3a413-0f72-4faf-a33e-691bbd4af37c.jpg" alt="Two hockey player biting a puck." width="250" height="250" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-73984">
<p>So, how does it compare to its twin?</p>
<p>It is good, but <em>deeply</em> conservative. The whole thing is framed through the eyes of a middle-age suburban mom which, sure, is probably a large part of the target audience but felt a bit retrograde. While the other show had a plentiful amount of <em>acrobatic</em> simulated sex with near-nude performers, this only has a couple of shirtless scenes and the actors are reduced to having a couple of trysts with literal mannequins. Weirdly, the one sex scene they perform together takes place behind a sheet. The leads kiss only twice which, for a parody of a show famed for its explicitness makes it all feel a bit Hays Code.</p>
<p>The songs, however, are sumptuous. A full score accompanies the incredibly talented cast. This is <em>very</em> off-Broadway - with soaring melodies, powerful solos, and solid reprises. At times it feels more like a parody of Broadway shows than of the TV show.</p>
<p>That isn't to say this is bad. It is <em>very</em> good. The script is full of delightful references and silly jokes. The lyrics at times are downright <em>filthy</em>! It is an excellent show and well worth seeing - but my heart remains with the <em>other</em> parody.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=73981&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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<thr:total>0</thr:total>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe - James Rowland: Team Viking ★★⯪☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-james-rowland-team-viking/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73961</id>
<updated>2026-08-12T17:30:11Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-12T19:20:01Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a technically precise and emotionally complex show with energetic delivery from a talented performer. Sadly, it did nothing for me. I found it a little one note in terms of storytelling. The rhythm of the story followed all the predictable beats which I thought was a little repetitive. There's no doubt he's a gifted storyteller. The comedy is suitably dark with some good moments of joy …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-james-rowland-team-viking/"><![CDATA[<p>This is a technically precise and emotionally complex show with energetic delivery from a talented performer.</p>
<p>Sadly, it did nothing for me.</p>
<p>I found it a little one note in terms of storytelling. The rhythm of the story followed all the predictable beats which I thought was a little repetitive.</p>
<p>There's no doubt he's a gifted storyteller. The comedy is suitably dark with some good moments of joy and catharsis. It is probably the perfect show for some people but I wasn't the right audience for it.</p>
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<title type="text">Terence Eden’s Blog</title>
<subtitle type="text">Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃</subtitle>
<updated>2026-08-25T12:37:17Z</updated>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gadget Review: Thermal Master P3 Macro Lens ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74230</id>
<updated>2026-08-25T12:37:17Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-26T11:34:52Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gadget" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="infrared" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="thermal" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="usb-c" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The good folks at Thermal Master have sent me their latest camera to review - and it is a bit different to all the others I've tried. Whereas previous cameras are good for bird watching, or wildlife spotting, or finding leaks at home - the P3 has a manual macro lens and is specifically designed for getting close-up and personal with your electronics. Yup! See just how hot your CPU is getting…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/"><![CDATA[<p>The good folks at Thermal Master have sent me their latest camera to review - and it is a bit different to all the others I've tried.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3-thermal-camera-close-up.webp" alt="A small black camera with gold accents. It is held in the fingertips." width="3212" height="2409" class="aligncenter">
<p>Whereas previous cameras are good for <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/07/gadget-review-thermal-master-dv2-infrared-birdwatching-scope/">bird watching</a>, or <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-t2-max-plug-in-thermal-camera/">wildlife spotting</a>, or <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-hikmicro-d02-thermal-camera/">finding leaks at home</a> - the P3 has a manual macro lens and is specifically designed for getting close-up and personal with your electronics.</p>
<p>Yup! See just how hot your CPU is getting 🥵</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pi.webp" alt="A thermal image of a raspberry pi. The CPU is in red while the rest of the board is green." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>Let's take it for a spin!</p>
<h2 id="unboxing"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#unboxing">Unboxing</a></h2>
<p>As well as the camera (which looks <em>gorgeous</em> with its gold trim) you get a carry-case, USB-C extension cable, and a Lightning converter for older iPhones.</p>
<p>The metal casing of the camera feels delightful and gives it a bit of heft. The focus wheel is reasonably stiff which makes it easier to position just right.</p>
<h2 id="sample-photos"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#sample-photos">Sample Photos</a></h2>
<p>These are the raw images taken directly from the app. I haven't resized or altered them in any way. What you see is what you get. Here's a hot-spot on a circuit board:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/hotspot.webp" alt="A circuit rendered in grey with a bright red line on it." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>The natural size of the images is 1344x1008. That's obviously upscaled from the sensor, but there's a surprisingly amount of detail in there.</p>
<p>Here's a small circuit board which has just booted up:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Circuit-long-shot.webp" alt="A small circuit. Two of the chips are noticeably hotter than the rest of the board." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>Where the P3 shines is when you twist the manual lens all the way down to macro. You can get about 2cm away from a surface and stay in focus.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Chip-close-up.webp" alt="Close up of a small chip. It is hot, the traces are visible in the background." width="1344" height="1008" class="aligncenter">
<p>Obviously don't get that close to something red hot!</p>
<p>Annoyingly, the images are uncompressed JPEG and weigh in around 6MB each. I've losslessly compressed these to WebP, which is about 10% of the size.</p>
<h3 id="colours"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#colours">Colours</a></h3>
<p>There are a variety of different colour palettes to play with. Some are more useful than others. Here's a mug of hot and delicious matcha rendered in the various colours:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Hot-Tea-Montage.webp" alt="Four photos of a mug. The colours show how hot the tea is." width="2688" height="2016" class="alignleft">
<p>Scrolling through the colours is a little difficult in the app (more on that later) but once you've found one you like, it stays that way for the photography session.</p>
<h3 id="exif"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#exif">EXIF</a></h3>
<p>Geolocation is taken from the phone - there's no GPS chip in the camera. You can refuse location permission to the app and it will work just fine.</p>
<p>That's just about all you get other than the time and the model name of <code>USB_IR_RS300_P2L</code> - the infrared details aren't recorded separately.</p>
<h2 id="video"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#video">Video</a></h2>
<p>The video doesn't upsample the image, it has a resolution of 504x672 playing at 25fps. Audio is recorded from the phone's microphone and is 64kbps mono. A minute of video is around 22MB. I've recompressed this one for the web.</p>
<p></p><div style="width: 620px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-74230-2" width="620" height="465" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4?_=2"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4">https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4</a></video></div><p></p>
<h2 id="the-app"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#the-app">The App</a></h2>
<p>It is, sadly, an inevitability that good hardware is always accompanied by a substandard app. The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thermalmaster.p2telephoto">Thermal Master Android App</a> is the only way to access the camera. It has a relatively easy to use interface with plenty of options.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Camera-interface.webp" alt="Camera interface with janky UI." width="504" class="aligncenter">
<p>As you can see from the word "brightness" the UI is a little janky in places.</p>
<p>There's a decent amount of settings to fiddle with.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/more-settings.webp" alt="Settings screens with various temperature settings." width="504" class="aligncenter">
<p>You can also change which elements get displayed on the final image.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/settings.webp" alt="Settings to control the camera." width="504" class="aligncenter">
<p>Unfortunately, it is also a bit crash-happy. Most times I used it, the app would randomly close. It takes a little while to re-open thanks to a mandatory animation. So it gets a bit annoying. Flicking through some of the options can be slow and tedious. It also doesn't respect the phone's orientation, so images may be 90⁰ off what you expect.</p>
<p>The app updated the firmware on the camera, but didn't say what had changed.</p>
<p>It takes photos and videos, allows you to share them, and has a bunch of options to play with - but it does have a habit of crashing just when you're about to take the perfect shot. There is also zoom available, but it is digital only - so you're just making the pixels bigger rather than getting optically closer to the object you're scanning.</p>
<h2 id="linux-info"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#linux-info">Linux Info</a></h2>
<p>I tried plugging it in to a Linux laptop. It shows up as <code>3474:45a2 Thermal Master Technology Co., Ltd. P3</code> - but that's about it. There's no way I can find to access the thermal images.</p>
<p>To be fair, this is explicitly sold as an Android and iOS device. I'm hopeful someone will be able to reverse engineer it.</p>
<h2 id="cost-and-final-thoughts"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#cost-and-final-thoughts">Cost and Final Thoughts</a></h2>
<p>Thermal cameras are expensive. This will run you about <a href="https://link.amazon/B0aFBVuY9">£280 on Amazon</a> or about <a href="https://thermalmaster.com/en-gb/products/p3-thermal-camera-for-iphone-and-android">£260 direct</a>. Readers of this blog can get 10% off using code <code>THERMALBF10</code></p>
<p>If you run a hackspace, this is a no-brainer. The ability to see hot-spots on your circuits is immediately useful. The detail is impressive, allowing you to see exactly what's causing problems.</p>
<p>If you're a hobbyist, this is definitely in the "ask Santa if you've been good" category. You'll find it handy on any small projects you have, or to diagnose faults with electrical equipment.</p>
<p>For non-macro uses, it's also pretty good. You might be better off with a dedicated device if you want to go <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/07/gadget-review-thermal-master-dv2-infrared-birdwatching-scope/">hunting wildlife</a> or doing <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-hikmicro-d02-thermal-camera/">home surveys</a>.</p>
<p>The only fly in the ointment is the app. While somewhat customisable, it does repeatedly crash and it isn't the easiest to use or set up. I found that pretty frustrating and have fed back the problem to the developers. I appreciate it saving high quality images - but a PNG or lossless WebP would be easier to work with than massive JPGs.</p>
<p>Ultimately, this is an excellent thermal camera. It looks lush, it is customisable, the images are high quality, and the macro-lens is surprisingly useful.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74230&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Cats at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/theatre-review-cats-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74380</id>
<updated>2026-08-25T11:17:40Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-25T11:34:22Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="musical" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Cats is so silly! In the olden days, after a wild animal was slaughtered, the tribe's shaman would wear the skin and re-enact the hunt. As he became one with the beast, the people slowly understood the ways of nature. Cats is a similarly spiritual experience wherein we watch androgynous sylphs gyrate across the stage and believe (if only for a moment) that the human has become feline, all in…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/theatre-review-cats-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/"><![CDATA[<p>Cats is so <em>silly!</em></p>
<p>In the olden days, after a wild animal was slaughtered, the tribe's shaman would wear the skin and re-enact the hunt. As he became one with the beast, the people slowly understood the ways of nature.</p>
<p>Cats is a similarly spiritual experience wherein we watch androgynous sylphs gyrate across the stage and believe (if only for a moment) that the human has become feline, all in service of better understanding the mysteries of our moggies.</p>
<p>Does there need to be so many sequins? So much dry ice? Such a quantity of pyrotechnics?</p>
<p>No, probably not. But it all adds up to a spectacular which will keep you grinning.</p>
<p>The deficiencies in Cats are somewhat inherent. The scrapbook story doesn't make a lick of sense. It is more like a variety show than musical theatre. The lyrics are, at times, utterly asinine. The music soars, until someone starts playing what sounds like a genuine 1980s Casio keyboard - and all you can hear is squelch.</p>
<p>But then Gary Wilmot (!!!) comes on as Gus and all is forgiven on a haze of metatextual glory.</p>
<p>The choreography and dancing are exemplary. The singing occasionally gets muddled but is mostly delightful. The stage is perfect - the wind blowing through the trees and the moon gently rising only helps to accentuate the atmosphere.</p>
<p>The pre-show is good. As well as a variety of food stalls, patrons are encouraged to bring their own food and drink for a picnic. There are plenty of tables and a couple of selfie points.</p>
<p>The programme isn’t horrendous at £6 but still feels like it contains more advertising than content. The queues for the loos were outrageously long and the stalls weren't particularly clean.</p>
<p>There's nothing to do post-show except trudge back through the park. The selfie point is still illuminated if you want to queue for that. Even the t-shirt sales stopped after the interval.</p>
<p>I first saw Cats in the West End some time in the 1980s as a child and loved it. Afterwards my parents asked if I wanted to see a ballet or an opera next. "Eurgh! No! <em>Boring!</em>" I said. They politely informed me that I'd just seen both in one show and my juvenile mind was blown.</p>
<p>A few decades later I saw Cats on Broadway - shortly before it closed, I think. The C90 cassette they used to play the music was warbling like a demented bird and the sets looked equally tired. Despite the half empty auditorium, the cast attacked the songs with vigour. I still loved it.</p>
<p>And, today, I still had goosebumps. Maybe it was the unseasonable chill in the air, maybe it was the moonlight, or maybe it was the magic of Cats!</p>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Why do audience members choose specific shows at the Edinburgh Fringe?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74330</id>
<updated>2026-08-24T10:43:16Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-24T11:34:45Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="data" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[On our recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe, I was bemused by just how little effort performers put in to finding out why people had selected their show. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is ridiculously expensive with some performers paying tens of thousands of pounds. The way performers recoup the costs of performing is by getting people to pay to see a show. Acts are spending huge amounts…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/"><![CDATA[<p>On our <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/">recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe</a>, I was bemused by just how little effort performers put in to finding out <em>why</em> people had selected their show. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is ridiculously expensive with <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/business/edinburgh-festival-fringe-2025-the-true-cost-of-performing-at-the-worlds-largest-arts-event-laid-bare-5247134">some performers paying tens of thousands of pounds</a>. The way performers recoup the costs of performing is by getting people to pay to see a show.</p>
<p>Acts are spending huge amounts on flyers, posters, and other promotional activities. But is any of it worthwhile?</p>
<p>The performer Danielle Solof has a fascinating blog post "<a href="https://daniellesolof.substack.com/p/my-real-fringe-budgets-line-by-line">My Real Fringe Budgets, Line-by-Line</a>" which details the actual costs of her taking two solo shows to the Fringe. She meticulously details the price of everything from transport and food, to advertising and graphic design. She says:</p>
<blockquote><p>I paid for outdoor ads because absolutely no one in Edinburgh knew who I was. They <em>did</em> help, but you still have to grind to get an audience in.</p></blockquote>
<p>My question to her - and all performers - is how do you know what drives an audience member to see your show?</p>
<p>It can't have escaped your attention that everything we do online is tracked. If you buy so much as a toothpick, the retailer knows which YouTube reviews you watched, which words you searched for, the other products you considered, and the specific adverts you clicked on.</p>
<p>In Edinburgh, no one knows nothing.</p>
<p>At the end of nearly every show the performer begged us to leave a review on the Fringe website and to tell our friends. In absolutely <em>none</em> of the shows did the performer ask why we were there, how we found out about the show, which poster or leaflet attracted us, or whether we followed them on social media.</p>
<p>All that money spent on posters and no one knows if they work. As the old saying goes "<a href="https://quoteinvestigator.com/2022/04/11/advertising/">Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the trouble is I don’t know which half.</a>".</p>
<p>So, in an attempt to bring a <em>little</em> data to proceedings, here are how we chose the 26 shows we saw. I don't claim this is representative of everyone, but I think it might be illustrative. In rough order of importance were:</p>
<h2 id="proximity"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#proximity">Proximity</a></h2>
<p>The EdFringe app has a "nearby now" feature. Click on it and you get a list of shows starting soon which are only staggering distance away.</p>
<p>I cannot stress enough how much of a motivator that was. When you've spent all day traipsing, the last thing you want to do is <em>another</em> 20 minute walk uphill to see a provocative new piece of challenging theatre told through finger puppets.</p>
<p>About 20% of the shows we saw were via that feature.</p>
<p>Roughly another 40% were because the show was close to something else we really wanted to see. We knew that we wanted to see show X, so we looked for shows which weren't too far away from that venue. Yes, Edinburgh is a compact city with decent public transport, but it is much easier to walk round the corner or stay to have a drink in the venue's bar.</p>
<p>You can <em>really</em> want to see a show, but if it is a 20 minute walk between venues and it starts 15 minutes after your last show ends, you'll skip it. I'd say that location was the key driver in most of our choices.</p>
<p>I guess my top tip to any performer would be to be as near as physically possible to a bigger act!</p>
<h2 id="friends"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#friends">Friends</a></h2>
<p>A quarter of the shows we went to were because either a friend-of-a-friend was performing, or a friend booked tickets and asked if we wanted to tag along.</p>
<p>You are morally obliged to go to your friends' shows. Similarly, if a mate says "Oh, my friend has a show on this year", you have to make the effort to go.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is a bit blasé to say that word-of-mouth works, but it's a cliché becausé it is trué.</p>
<h2 id="flyers-and-leaflets"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#flyers-and-leaflets">Flyers and Leaflets</a></h2>
<p>We collected approximately 5,374 different promotional leaflets during our week there. Most of the time we were handed a leaflet by someone paid to hand out leaflets. They were either wordlessly stuffed into our hands, or delivered with a monotone "wanna see improv comdy?" Bleh.</p>
<p>A few actually spoke to us about the show when we asked questions, which was a deciding factor in seeing a couple of performances.</p>
<p>The best flyerers were, undoubtedly, the performers themselves. Kat Ronson in her <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-kat-ronson-millennial-girl/">Millennial Girl</a> guise drawled at us "You look thin and pretty. You're allowed to come to my show." Instant sale!</p>
<p>Similarly, one rather famous comedian walked up to us and said "You look like theatre people!" and proceeded to pitch their show - which was a delightful encounter and would have sold us a ticket if we weren't leaving that day.</p>
<p>Some flyers had a QR code or URl on them so we could watch a trailer of the show. We didn't watch any of them. Perhaps we should have?</p>
<h2 id="posters"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#posters">Posters</a></h2>
<p>Surprisingly effective at drawing the eye! The ones which were just a photo of the comedian looking a bit "whacky" were dull. The ones of performers in their most seductive poses were a little naff. The ones which were just a close up of someone's face only really work if that person is incredibly famous, otherwise you're just left thinking "who?"</p>
<p>But a few posters made us stop and immediately search for the show. Graphic design is a professional skill and one worth investing in.</p>
<p>Some posters were everywhere. I took an instant (and uncharitable) dislike to one poster featuring a smug-looking twat and I swear he followed me around town. Some posters only appeared near the performance venue.</p>
<p>Incidentally, there were a couple of posters which had clearly just been fed into an AI generator. Lazy and off-putting.</p>
<h2 id="reviews"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#reviews">Reviews</a></h2>
<p>The Fringe doesn't allow weighted star reviews - so you can't immediately see if the consensus is that the show is a hit or a miss. Several of the shows we didn't enjoy got excellent reviews (from morons) and some of the shows we loved were panned (presumably by the same morons).</p>
<p>In truth, I don't think the reviews influenced our decision to see anything.</p>
<h2 id="what-stopped-us-going-to-shows"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#what-stopped-us-going-to-shows">What <em>Stopped</em> Us Going To Shows</a></h2>
<p>For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I think it is important for performers to know what stopped someone clicking the "buy" button for their show.</p>
<h3 id="ticket-cost-value-for-money"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#ticket-cost-value-for-money">Ticket Cost / Value For Money</a></h3>
<p>Mondays and Tuesdays saw lots of shows doing a 2-for-1 promotion. I didn't mind spending £30 for two of us to take a risk on something. Come Wednesday, I wasn't prepared to pay £60 for a 45 minute show.</p>
<p>I know "surge pricing" gets a bad rap, but <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/why-does-no-one-discuss-negative-dynamic-pricing/">dynamic pricing of underselling shows</a> might help. If you've only sold four seats for today, perhaps drop the price? I don't know if the Fringe software supports that - but it seems obvious to me that having 10 people paying a fiver is better than four people paying a tenner.</p>
<h3 id="crap-signal-long-queues"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#crap-signal-long-queues">Crap Signal / Long Queues</a></h3>
<p>We tried to get in to a circus show. My phone didn't have enough signal for the app to work and the nearest box office had a massive queue. So we bailed.</p>
<p>If the venue had WiFi (not a given, weirdly) it would have gotten them an extra sale. If the ticket staff could take contactless (lots of performers did) we'd have happily paid.</p>
<p>You have to make it easy for people to give you money.</p>
<h3 id="not-enough-time"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#not-enough-time">Not Enough Time</a></h3>
<p>This is completely out of the performers' control. We had 6 days and saw about 4 shows per day. We could have seen more, but we needed to eat, explore, and sleep.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, there were several midnight performances which looked excellent - but I also needed to get up the next day to see more shows. Sleep won!</p>
<h3 id="too-famous"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#too-famous">Too Famous</a></h3>
<p>I'd love to see that guy who's on the telly. But I can watch him on the telly. That show looks like a massive success, so I'm sure it'll tour round London soon.</p>
<h3 id="sell-outs"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#sell-outs">Sell Outs</a></h3>
<p>A few shows sold out before we could get tickets. Good for them! If that was your show, you probably don't need this blog post.</p>
<h2 id="better-art-through-commerce"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#better-art-through-commerce">Better Art Through Commerce</a></h2>
<p>Art should be driven by passion.</p>
<p>But every performer I know listens back to their shows to see what works and what didn't. If a joke falls flat, it's cut. If a riff gets a big laugh, it's incorporated. That's the essence of data driven decision making.</p>
<p>I wish every performer at the Fringe had a sell out audience and were able to recoup their costs. But that is never going to happen unless they spend time understanding what gets bums on seats.</p>
<p>So here are a few scattered thoughts on how they could do that.</p>
<ul>
<li>QR code at the end of the show leading to a survey. Literally ask people "what made you choose this performance?"</li>
<li>In the queue before the show, or as people are taking their seats, hand out a paper questionnaire.</li>
<li>Talk to the audience after the show. See if you can gain any insights about what made them attend.</li>
<li>As people are coming in, have a poster asking people to tick a box based on how they heard about the show.</li>
<li>Give each leaflet a unique code (or a code per person handing them out). Ask people to bring the leaflet with them so you can see which area/person/leaflet was most effective.</li>
<li>Each poster can have a unique QR code on it. Track whether the one by the station led to more ticket sales than the one in the underpass. Did the one in the gents toilets get <em>any</em> scans at all?</li>
</ul>
<p>Of course, all of the above rely on talking to people who made the choice to see you. This is classic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias">Survivorship Bias</a>. Sure, it'll help you work out what was <em>successful</em>, but you won't know why people looked at your show and chose something else. That said, it is <em>hard</em>. How do you find people who <i lang="la">ipso facto</i> aren't at your show?</p>
<ul>
<li>That could be as simple as asking people what they dislike about the leaflet when you hand it out.</li>
<li>Each poster or leaflet can have a unique QR code on it. Which ones cause people to scan, but then abandon the idea of buying a ticket?</li>
<li>Speak to people who came to the venue for a show other than yours. They obviously like the location, so non-confrontationally ask them why they didn't pick you?</li>
</ul>
<p>Some of these are easier than others. By themselves, they might give you a slightly misleading view of the data. But surely anything is better than looking at a half empty venue and wondering if those huge advertising costs did any good at all.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Death to px, long live ch!]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/death-to-px-long-live-ch/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=63847</id>
<updated>2026-08-23T12:45:06Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-23T11:34:52Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="css" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="design" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="HTML" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Pixels are a lie. Even if you think you're drawing something with "pixel perfect" accuracy, your monitor is lying to you. There is no grid of platonically perfect squares. In CSS, pixels are a double lie: Note that 1px doesn't necessarily equal one physical device pixel. On HD displays, it may span multiple physical pixels. Similarly, 1cm in CSS often doesn't correspond to one hundredth of SI…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/death-to-px-long-live-ch/"><![CDATA[<p>Pixels are a lie. Even if you think you're drawing something with "<a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2018/11/the-myth-of-the-pixel-perfect-grid/">pixel perfect</a>" accuracy, your monitor is lying to you. There is no grid of platonically perfect squares.</p>
<p>In CSS, <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn_web_development/Core/Styling_basics/Values_and_units#lengths">pixels are a double lie</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Note that <code>1px</code> doesn't necessarily equal one physical device pixel. On HD displays, it may span multiple physical pixels. Similarly, <code>1cm</code> in CSS often doesn't correspond to one hundredth of SI meter. On a large TV screen, it typically is longer than that. The lengths are perceptual: <code>16px</code> looks roughly the same on a phone, laptop, or TV screen at typical viewing distance.</p></blockquote>
<p>This blog is primarily text based. I want the <a href="https://journals.uc.edu/index.php/vl/article/view/5765/4629">width of the text to be readable</a> for the average human. So, rather than setting the main width to be a percentage of the screen, I set it based on character width using the <code>ch</code> unit - which <a href="https://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2018/06/28/what-is-the-css-ch-unit/">isn't exactly a character</a> but good enough for my purposes:</p>
<pre><code class="language-css">--width-content: min(75ch, 100%);
main {
max-width: var(--width-content);
}
</code></pre>
<p>When it comes to padding and margins, the same is true. If I want a gap around an element, I want that gap to be in proportion to the text inside it.</p>
<p>For widths, it makes sense to re-use the <code>ch</code> unit. I want the gap to be in proportion to the text.</p>
<p>But for <em>height</em>, perhaps it doesn't make sense to express vertical distance on character width? In which case <a href="https://www.w3.org/Style/Examples/007/units.en.html">the <code>ex</code> unit can be used</a>. It is the size of a typical lower-case letter.</p>
<p>Just like my idea to <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/09/class-warfare-can-i-eliminate-css-classes-from-my-html/">eliminate CSS classes from my HTML</a>, it's possible to go too far with this. I haven't changed <em>every</em> reference from px to ch, I'm just experimenting to see if it works.</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong, immoral, or evil about using px - or any other measure unit. Using ch and ex fit with my particular proclivities.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: An Immense World - How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-an-immense-world-how-animal-senses-reveal-the-hidden-realms-around-us-by-ed-yong/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72903</id>
<updated>2026-07-29T09:03:25Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-21T11:34:36Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="science" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a detailed examination of the various senses possessed by animals. Some will be intimately familiar to you - like sight and sound - whereas some will seem strange and uncanny - like magnetic detection and electro-sensing. Some straddle an almost understandable space like echolocation or tetra-chromatic vision. This isn't a game of Top Trumps where all the animals are ranked by power.…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-an-immense-world-how-animal-senses-reveal-the-hidden-realms-around-us-by-ed-yong/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/9781473572737-jacket-large.webp" alt="Book cover featuring various animals." width="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-72904">
<p>This is a detailed examination of the various senses possessed by animals. Some will be intimately familiar to you - like sight and sound - whereas some will seem strange and uncanny - like magnetic detection and electro-sensing. Some straddle an almost understandable space like echolocation or tetra-chromatic vision.</p>
<p>This isn't a game of Top Trumps where all the animals are ranked by power. Instead there's a gentle and passionate exploration of what these senses <em>might</em> mean to their owners. It is refreshingly candid about what we don't know, while always trying to convey a sense of wonder about the inherent <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umwelt"><i lang="de">Umwelt</i></a> experienced by the animal.</p>
<p>But goodness me is it long. It seems that every time the editor told the author to cut out a paragraph, he stuck it in a footnote instead. The text is well referenced, but so are the footnotes, which means occasionally encountering sentences formatted like this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Despite several frustrating false leads, nobody’s ever found them.<sup>fn11,36,37,38,39</sup></p></blockquote>
<p>Speaking of which, the general formatting of the eBook is poor. The CSS contains all sorts of weird stuff which I needed to turn off, and is full of comments which probably should have been stripped before the book was distributed.</p>
<p>Science publishers still haven't grasped that eBooks don't need to relegate glossy images to the back of the book - they can go inline with the text!</p>
<p>This is a funny, heartfelt, and (perhaps overly) thorough book. It will gleefully send you down rabbit holes - even if you're ill-equipped to see in the dark and sense the bugs around you.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Asymmetric Agents]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/asymmetric-agents/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73594</id>
<updated>2026-08-20T06:17:00Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-19T11:34:52Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="agentic" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="future" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[One of the promises of the AI-filled future is that we'll all have highly capable autonomous servants "agents" to work for us. Even back in the 1990s, it was a common trope in future-gazing to insist that a person's personal slave agent would negotiate on their behalf. Ask your meek digital pal agent to find you a restuarant in town, tonight, for a hot date, catering to your dietary preferences, …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/asymmetric-agents/"><![CDATA[<p>One of the promises of the AI-filled future is that we'll all have highly capable autonomous <del>servants</del> "agents" to work for us.</p>
<p>Even <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/how-close-are-we-to-a-vision-for-2010/">back in the 1990s</a>, it was a common trope in future-gazing to insist that a person's personal <del>slave</del> agent would negotiate on their behalf. Ask your <del>meek digital pal</del> agent to find you a restuarant in town, tonight, for a hot date, catering to your dietary preferences, and within your budget. The little <del>butler</del> agent scurries off and, without your intervention, finds the <em>perfect</em> place, negotiates with the restaurant's <del>house boy</del> agent and books you a slap up meal.</p>
<p>Marvellous! You can tell your <del>manservant</del> agent to buy you clothes, reserve a flight, do the grocery shopping, or buy your wife flowers without having to lift a finger.</p>
<p>But, of course, there's a fly in the ointment. Not all <del>valets</del> agents are created equally. You're sending your Raspberry Pi powered <del>peon</del> agent against the full might of Amazon's bazillion datacentres.</p>
<p>Can a low-complexity <del>serf</del> agent be bullied, outwitted, and manipulated by a more capable <del>henchman</del> agent? It seems obvious to me that the answer is yes. Humans have a set of cognitive biases which render us susceptible to advertising tricks. AI may have <a href="https://cacm.acm.org/research/rolling-in-the-deep-of-cognitive-and-ai-biases/"><em>different</em> biases</a> but will still be vulnerable to <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2017/03/how-to-hypnotise-an-artificial-intelligence/">hypnosis</a> and hacking.</p>
<p>Perhaps having my <del>secretary</del> agent negotiate with your <del>PA</del> agent to find a suitable meeting time for our Q2 KPI Deep Dive doesn't carry this sort of risk. But I'm sure that <del>scumbags</del> advertisers everywhere will be salivating at the thought of waylaying my innocent <del>footman</del> agent on its way to market.</p>
<p>A future where we delegate responsibility to <del>stochastic imbeciles</del> agents is one where we accept that we have no control over their susceptibility to more powerful and malevolent <del>thugs</del> agents.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[And then the men with guns tell you to do it anyway]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/and-then-the-men-with-guns-tell-you-to-do-it-anyway/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74161</id>
<updated>2026-08-17T11:31:25Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-17T11:34:24Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="politics" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="technology" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[In early February 2011 Egypt was in the middle of a political revolution. One morning, everyone's phones suddenly pinged with an alert. The Armed Forces asks Egypt's honest and loyal men to confront the traitors and criminals and protect our people and honour and our precious Egypt. A series of messages arrived all ostensibly from the network provider Vodafone. All pro-regime and all with the…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/and-then-the-men-with-guns-tell-you-to-do-it-anyway/"><![CDATA[<p>In early February 2011 <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/25/what-happened-during-egypts-january-25-revolution">Egypt was in the middle of a political revolution</a>. One morning, everyone's phones suddenly pinged with an alert.</p>
<blockquote><p>The Armed Forces asks Egypt's honest and loyal men to confront the traitors and criminals and protect our people and honour and our precious Egypt.</p></blockquote>
<p>A <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59098813@N06/5411904816/in/photostream/">series of messages arrived</a> all ostensibly from the network provider Vodafone. All pro-regime and all with the undercurrent of violence.</p>
<p>Why did Vodafone send these messages? Earlier in the week, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/01/28/egypt-nationwide-internet-blackout-endangers-rights">all Internet access was cut off</a> now phones were blasting propaganda to the masses.</p>
<p>After the network went down, Vodafone issued a statement saying:</p>
<blockquote><p>It has been clear to us that there were no legal or practical options open to Vodafone, or any of the mobile operators in Egypt, but to comply with the demands of the authorities.</p></blockquote>
<p>Do you have to follow orders? Do you have to obey the law even when it is unjust? Should multinational corporations instruct local executives to be loyal to their parent company or the rulers of the country they live in?</p>
<p>After the messages came in - including promises that "<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2011/feb/03/egypt-protests-live-updates#block-19">The Armed Forces cares for your safety and well being and will not resort to using force against this great nation</a>" - Vodafone Global, safely ensconced in the UK, put out another statement:</p>
<blockquote><p>Under the emergency powers provisions of the Telecoms Act, the Egyptian authorities can instruct the mobile networks of Mobinil, Etisalat and Vodafone to send messages to the people of Egypt. They have used this since the start of the protests. These messages are not scripted by any of the mobile network operators and we do not have the ability to respond to the authorities on their content.</p>
<p>Vodafone Group has protested to the authorities that the current situation regarding these messages is unacceptable. We have made clear that all messages should be transparent and clearly attributable to the originator.</p>
<p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110307151856/http://www.vodafone.com/content/index/press/press_statements/statement_on_egypt.html">Statements - Vodafone Egypt</a></p></blockquote>
<p>A few years later I was at a networking event chatting to a guy. We'd both previously worked for Vodafone. Me in the UK, he in Egypt. I asked him about the incident - he talked about how they built the SMS infrastructure, what they did to secure it, how they prevented spam, and how one day armed men arrived.</p>
<p>I suspect most of us have seen a movie where some flunky in an office refuses the baddies demands to open the safe, and then gets shot in the head. Perhaps you think that's a noble death? He lived with honour and refused to yield! But, in every movie I've seen, the guy's subordinate opens the safe anyway and gets to live.</p>
<p>But we're technologists, right? We can build fail safes and cryptographic proofs and <a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-would-simply">simply build infrastructure that can't be abused</a>.</p>
<p>And then the men with guns come and tell you what to do.</p>
<p>I've written before about <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/11/civic-hygiene/">Civic Hygiene</a> - it's the idea that we should be mindful of the ways that our technologies could be misused. The term was coined back in 2010 by the technologist Bruice Schneier</p>
<blockquote><p><a href="https://www.schneier.com/essays/archives/2010/01/us_enables_chinese_h.html">It's bad civic hygiene to build technologies that could someday be used to facilitate a police state.</a></p></blockquote>
<p>But what do we mean by that?</p>
<p>We don't want backdoors in security products - lest hackers break in or evil governments get elected. But we want a way to access our beloved ones' data after they die. It's important that we know that photos haven't been manipulated by propagandists and saboteurs. But we want to send funny memes about that politician we don't like. We don't want police stalking ex girlfriends' cars - but we want dangerous drivers prosecuted.</p>
<p>We want to be alerted about imminent threats, but don't want Governments to use that power for ill.</p>
<p>Way back in the early 2020s, I had a minor role in the UK Government's adoption of <a href="https://github.com/co-cddo/open-standards/issues/73">Common Alerting Protocol</a> the technology which powers cell-broadcast emergency alerts.</p>
<p>Even back then, one of the discussions was around whether the utility of being able to send an unavoidable push notification was worth the risk that someone would send an inappropriate message. Fresh in everyone's minds was the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42680070">false alarm saying missiles were heading to Hawaii</a>.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2018_Hawaii_missile_alert_cropped.jpeg" alt="Emergency alert. BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL." width="768" height="343" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74163">
<p>Too many safeguards means that a genuine alert doesn't get sent in time. Too few safeguards and you can blame "<a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-the-field-guide-to-understanding-human-error-by-sidney-dekker/">Human Error</a>" for any mistakes.</p>
<p>I don't know which safeguards are in place for the UK's system - <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/foi/2024/march/emergency-broadcasting?v=331069">and most details are exempt from Freedom of Information requests</a>. But it is both easy and fun to speculate on how such a system might be designed.</p>
<p>The Government generates an alert. It specifies where and when the alert should be sent. It sends that message to the network operators via a secure and private channel. Perhaps they also do some out-of-band verification like having the network operator call a pre-determined phone number to check the message's validity.</p>
<p>At which point, the operator can choose to send the message or not.</p>
<p>Or can they?</p>
<p>In August 2026, the UK government instructed network operators to send this message:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/alerts/14-aug-2026-2"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fire-alert.webp" alt="Alert about fire risk in the UK." title="Screenshot courtesy of Skylar MacDonald" width="1024" height="851" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74164"></a></p>
<p>Did the networks <em>have</em> to send that message? If they thought it wasn't serious enough, could they have refused? As far as I can tell, the law only talks about the fact that operators can disregard "spam" laws in order to send a mass message:</p>
<blockquote><p>A relevant public communications provider (P) may, for the purpose of providing an emergency alert service, disregard the restrictions on the processing of data relating to users or subscribers set out in paragraph (2) if the conditions set out in paragraph (3) are met.</p>
<p>[…]</p>
<p>(3) The conditions are—</p>
<p>(a)P is notified by a relevant public authority that—</p>
<p>(i)an emergency within the meaning of section 1(1) of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/355/pdfs/uksi_20150355_en.pdf">Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 355</a></p></blockquote>
<p>I'm no expert, but I can't see anything in <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/manage-your-licence/mobile-wireless-and-broadband/cellular/licences/cellular-licence-vodafone-0249664.pdf?v=368347">the spectrum licence</a> nor in the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/contents">Wireless Telegraphy Act</a> which <em>compels</em> operators to process these messages.</p>
<p>The usual British way is to ask people to play nicely and threaten them with regulation if they don't.</p>
<p>Could the networks have refused to send the message about wildfires - or indeed any other message? If your least favourite politician gets their hands on the emergency alert system and tries to abuse it, would you want the networks to stand up to them?</p>
<p>What if the network refuses to send the message because they're worried alerting people about a hurricane will lower the company's profits?</p>
<p>What if armed thugs are sent in and the choice is send the message or die?</p>
<p>I don't know what the answer is here. I think most people agree that it is broadly sensible to have a way to alert the population of emergencies. There's no mass media any more, we're not all listening to a single radio channel, or reading newspapers, or even on the same social media platforms. Sometimes there are emergencies and the Government has a duty to alert people to them.</p>
<p>How would you design a system that simultaneously achieved all these goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Rapid sending of messages</li>
<li>Careful checking of the content of messages</li>
<li>Ability to quickly target a specific geographic area</li>
<li>Inability to mistakenly send a test message</li>
<li>Requiring strong proof that the message is authentic before sending</li>
<li>Resilient enough to work after significant damage to infrastructure</li>
<li>That networks have the ability to vet and ignore</li>
<li>That networks are compelled to send</li>
<li>Which can only be used for good</li>
<li>And cannot be used for evil.</li>
</ul>
<p>In truth, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/edent.tel/post/3mt2s2puhuk2x">having experienced fire-starters</a>, I'm not bothered about the contents of this latest message from the UK Government. Given the overstretched fire service and the imminent threat across most of the country, my personal opinion is that it is proportionate.</p>
<p>But it is easy to see why some people feel this might open the gateway to messages which, at best, are irrelevant and, at worst, are similar to the insidious propaganda which appeared on the phones of Egyptians:</p>
<blockquote><p>To every mother-father-sister-brother, to every honest citizen. Preserve this country as the nation is forever.</p></blockquote>
<p>Perhaps you can think of a way to design an alerting system which cannot be abused - but I can't.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Thoughts on visiting the Edinburgh Fringe as a newbie]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74021</id>
<updated>2026-08-16T09:29:11Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-16T11:34:21Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This was my first ever time at The Fringe™. Here are some scattered thoughts looking at the good, the bad, and the annoying aspects of this madly extravagant exhibition of talent. We saw 23 shows together, and one separate show each. There were more hits than misses, but the frustration of wasting your time on a bad show is rather heavy when there are literally hundreds of other shows on offer. P…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/"><![CDATA[<p>This was my first ever time at The Fringe™. Here are some scattered thoughts looking at the good, the bad, and the annoying aspects of this madly extravagant exhibition of talent. We saw 23 shows together, and one separate show each. There were more hits than misses, but the frustration of wasting your time on a bad show is rather heavy when there are literally hundreds of other shows on offer.</p>
<h2 id="price"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#price">Price</a></h2>
<p>Everything is too expensive. We found student accommodation which was a "mere" £220 per night. I guess that wasn't <em>too</em> exorbitant considering the gouging going on elsewhere - and it did come with a decent breakfast. It was about a 20 minute walk from the Royal Mile, with several performance venues on the way.</p>
<p>The 46 tickets we bought cost us £550 in total - which included a few donations at Free Fringe shows. So an average ticket of £12, which isn't too bad, I guess. You can certainly do things cheaper by only going to free shows and running away when they ask you to pay - but that's a dick move.</p>
<p>£20 for a single hour of stand-up feels like kind of a rip off at times - especially with the mandatory £1.50 booking fee for every ticket. Some shows are a bit cheaper, and Monday/Tuesday has 2-for-1 offers. But it's easy for a couple to spend well over a hundred quid per day seeing 3 or 4 shows.</p>
<p>Festival food and drink prices are inflated - but there's no shortage of supermarkets if you want a meal deal. Restaurants were usual city centre prices. The bars at festival venues were fully taking advantage of their captive audience, but the pubs aren't much cheaper.</p>
<h2 id="the-app"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#the-app">The App</a></h2>
<p>In theory, the app / website is good. In reality they're both a bit frustrating to use. Every time I ticked the box saying "remember my credit card details" and every time it forgot them. Both app and website frequently timed out, failed to add tickets to baskets, and were a bit shonky. The <em>one</em> thing this needs to do is reliably take my money and give it to performers - but it felt like a battle every time.</p>
<p>We missed one show because we couldn't buy a ticket in the app despite being in the queue. The door staff didn't have the ability to sell us a ticket (although some venues can) and directed us to a box office which was dealing with a bunch of people who were bemused that they couldn't pay in dollars.</p>
<p>Inexplicably, the app doesn't have the ability to see show reviews, even though they're present on the website.</p>
<p>There's a good "Nearby Now" feature which is handy when you're exhausted and don't want to trek far. By contrast, there's no easy way to see what's on near the next venue you're going to.</p>
<p>Searching for shows often returns events which are cancelled or sold out.</p>
<p>I wish it were possible to see which shows had undersold and were starting soon. I loved taking a punt on an unknown act who only had half-a-dozen people in the room. Sadly there's no way to grab last-minute deals.</p>
<p>This isn't helped by the total collapse of mobile signal in Edinburgh centre. I tried with a variety of SIMs but frequently only got a trickle of data.</p>
<h2 id="what-to-see"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#what-to-see">What To See</a></h2>
<p>The <abbr title="Fear Of Missing Out">FOMO</abbr> is real! Every show's poster makes it look amazing. The earnest performers desperately handing out leaflets for their own shows are <em>so</em> enthusiastic. Everyone you speak to in a queue has a "must see" which is probably sold out.</p>
<p>We mostly avoided seeing big names. They'll be on telly soon enough or tour down in London. I don't think that act who was big in the 1990s needs my coin as much as some up-and-comer.</p>
<p>You could easily fill a week seeing nothing but Shakespeare in a variety of styles. Or just watch middle-aged white guys have mental breakdowns on stage because they're on their 3rd divorce. Or, as it turns out, fill your boots with Heated Rivalry shows.</p>
<p>We did the tasting menu and had a little bit of everything. It was mostly pretty good with only a few duds.</p>
<h2 id="reviews"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#reviews">Reviews</a></h2>
<p>Even the worst show we saw had a couple of people who declared it the funniest thing ever five stars lol. You can't account for someone else's taste.</p>
<p>I enjoyed <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/EdFringe">writing my reviews</a> - and I hope they were useful to others - but you're mostly on your own when it comes to what's good. I suppose if you wait until later in the festival there will be more of a consensus about what to see.</p>
<p>My philosophy is to take a punt on basically anything that doesn't look too abhorrent. Even if it is shit, there's be something else along in a minute which will be better.</p>
<h2 id="distance"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#distance">Distance</a></h2>
<p>You'll get your 10k steps in before lunchtime - Edinburgh is a delightfully walkable city. With a bit of planning you can walk a straight line from show-to-show. We didn't plan and traipsed back and forth like the little lost tourists we were.</p>
<p>Venues are mostly well sign-posted. Again, the app is a bit crap at pointing them out, but it'll open your mapping app to navigate you there.</p>
<p>Many of the venues are in historic buildings, so don't expect lifts or escalators. Stairs all the way, baby!</p>
<h2 id="harry-potter"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#harry-potter">Harry Potter</a></h2>
<p>Edinburgh seems like an inclusive and trans-friendly city. Half the acts on the Fringe proudly stated their LGBT+ credentials and most venues we went to had gender neutral loos.</p>
<p>And then every other shop proudly boasts it is 100% definitely where JKR got the inspiration for Harry Potter. Tourists are schelpped between "Diagon Alley" and probably-the-cafe-where-she-wrote while slurping down dayglo butterbeers.</p>
<p>Truly the duality of life!</p>
<h2 id="comfort"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#comfort">Comfort</a></h2>
<p>There's an ancient Edinburgh byelaw which prohibits cushions on seats. No chair may be wide enough to accommodate anything other than the skinniest arse. It also places a moratorium on legroom.</p>
<p>Ok, some of the venues were more comfortable than others, but prepare for a bit of backache.</p>
<p>Toilets are plentiful in most venues, and theres no shortage of pubs to pop in to if you need refreshment or relief.</p>
<p>Scotland isn't known for its heat, but some of the venues desperately need air-conditioning in their foyers and auditoriums. A few were handing out free water to the swealtering punters - but probably best to bring your own</p>
<h2 id="would-i-come-here-again"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#would-i-come-here-again">Would I Come Here Again?</a></h2>
<p>Yeah! I reckon so! Probably not next year, and probably with more of a plan about which "must sees" I wanted to see.</p>
<p>Staying closer to the centre is more expensive, but might have made it easier to see some if the shows later in the night.</p>
<p>There is <em>so</em> much talent, <em>so</em> much variety, and <em>so</em> much joy in the city that it becomes rather infectious.</p>
<p>If you can afford the train fare, hotel costs, tickets, booking fees, pints, chips and all the other people desperate to stick their hands into your wallet - then it is a great adventure.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-slags-by-emma-jane-unsworth/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72687</id>
<updated>2026-06-29T19:43:11Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-15T11:34:42Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Club" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It was recommended by my book club as something between tragedy and comedy. The characters are excruciatingly well written - if you (or your friends) shoplifted Impulse body-spray back in the 1990s, you'll be hit by a terrifying wave of nostalgia. It reminds me of this excellent essay by Marie Le Conte about consent. What can a teenage girl…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-slags-by-emma-jane-unsworth/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/slags.webp" alt="Book cover featuring a teenage girl smoking." width="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-72688">
<p>I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It was recommended by my book club as something between tragedy and comedy. The characters are excruciatingly well written - if you (or your friends) shoplifted Impulse body-spray back in the 1990s, you'll be hit by a terrifying wave of nostalgia.</p>
<p>It reminds me of this excellent <a href="https://youngvulgarian.substack.com/i/152315586/a-column">essay by Marie Le Conte about consent</a>. What can a teenage girl consent to? What will fuck her up for years to come? What if she doesn't mind being a <em>little</em> fucked up?</p>
<p>The prose is amazing, the plotting perfectly paced, and the denouement satisfying - with lots of retrospectives "Oh! I get it now"s.</p>
<p>Despite the hectic and hilarious story, I still felt a little sordid reading it. There's a streak of sadness running through it, intertwined with some unbearably heartbreaking poetry.</p>
<blockquote><p>It’s always raining and there’s nothing to do except dream and they don’t even give you much time to do that with all the coursework.</p></blockquote>
<p>It is entertaining and fun - but you need a strong stomach and a casual disregard for the overall happiness of your protagonists.</p>
<p>One note - there are a few odd / broken styles in the ePub. Nothing too disruptive, but some passages have a slightly smaller font size for no discernable reason.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Target Audience ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-target-audience/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74018</id>
<updated>2026-08-14T18:10:20Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-14T18:45:41Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comedy" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Easily the best show I've seen at the Fringe. For plot-related reasons, a television company asks a literary genius to create a "pro-weapons sitcom". It is a fast paced mix of the sitcoms 2012 and Episodes. The jokes come at a steady pace - some attack with the furiousity of bullets, others the the subtlety of a knife in the night. All four of the cast are spectacular. Turning the…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-target-audience/"><![CDATA[<p>Easily the best show I've seen at the Fringe.</p>
<p>For plot-related reasons, a television company asks a literary genius to create a "pro-weapons sitcom".</p>
<p>It is a fast paced mix of the sitcoms 2012 and Episodes. The jokes come at a steady pace - some attack with the furiousity of bullets, others the the subtlety of a knife in the night.</p>
<p>All four of the cast are spectacular. Turning the sometimes-stock characters into powerful avatars. The amoral Zuckerbergian horror of data driven decision making is the perfect manure in which to grow comedy roses.</p>
<p>It stands well against any classic farce and I hope it tours until the end of the world.</p>
<p>A special shout out to the Pleasance Above for being the most comfortable venue in Edinburgh! Raked auditorium, cushioned seats, and air conditioning all make for a delightful theatrical experience.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Stand-up Philosophy ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-stand-up-philosophy/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74015</id>
<updated>2026-08-14T14:53:00Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-14T15:16:26Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comedy" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[For a pay-what-you-want show this was decent. Three comedians doing sets on the theme of philosophy - followed by a Q&A where the audience poses philosophical conundrums to them. It more-or-less works as a gimmick. Although an early afternoon crowd may have been more likely to ask questions anonymously. I've never seen a Sikh doing an unnervingly accurate impression of Trump before. Daman…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-stand-up-philosophy/"><![CDATA[<p>For a pay-what-you-want show this was decent. Three comedians doing sets on the theme of philosophy - followed by a Q&A where the audience poses philosophical conundrums to them.</p>
<p>It more-or-less works as a gimmick. Although an early afternoon crowd may have been more likely to ask questions anonymously.</p>
<p>I've never seen a Sikh doing an unnervingly accurate impression of Trump before. <a href="https://www.damanbamrah.com/">Daman Bamrah</a> did a perfect routine which blended his philosophy with the perils of the bum-gun. An unexpected but hilarious combination.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sidsingh.org/">Sid Singh</a>'s set trod a fairly standard path through reactions to racism, but his discussion at the end about the inherent problems involved in writing controversial material was excellent.</p>
<p>Tying it all together was <a href="https://www.alexfarrowcomedy.com/">Alex Farrow</a> who perfectly brought together the various philosophical strands and proved why Albert Camus was a fan of Stewart Lee.</p>
<p>A great set of acts at a decent price.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Waiting for Wonka ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-waiting-for-wonka/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74091</id>
<updated>2026-08-14T12:21:21Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-14T12:31:07Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This play is fucked up! Such a brilliant concept - what happened to the kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after they were rejected by Wonka? Stuck together in a Big-Brotheresque household, they trauma-dump on each other. New Zealand's Half Trick have shrunk their full-length play into a Fringe-standard 60 minutes. That does make it a little brusque and, simultaneously, a bit…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-waiting-for-wonka/"><![CDATA[<p>This play is <em>fucked up!</em> Such a brilliant concept - what happened to the kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory <em>after</em> they were rejected by Wonka? Stuck together in a Big-Brotheresque household, they trauma-dump on each other.</p>
<p><a href="https://halftrick.com/#wonka"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/naughty.webp" alt="Waiting for Wonka poster saying naughty children get nothing." width="800" height="1125" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74093"></a></p>
<p>New Zealand's Half Trick have shrunk their full-length play into a Fringe-standard 60 minutes. That does make it a little brusque and, simultaneously, a bit repetitive. The characters don't get quite enough room to breathe. Mike Teavee has, of course, become an incel online troll - perfect! - but the rest haven't changed much.</p>
<p>The horrors of industrial accidents mixed with corporate malfeasance makes for an excellent comedy. The cast inhabit their characters perfectly, each totally believable as a childhood favourite who has become a deeply troubled adult.</p>
<p>I'd be delighted to read a full length novelisation of the script. It is a witty and terrifying update to a book I devoured as a child. Only now do I realise that it was also devouring me. Truly when you gaze into the lake of chocolate…</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74091&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-doris-dolly-and-the-dressing-room-divas/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74012</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T21:32:42Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T22:23:25Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Quite simply marvellous! Three Scottish divas giving us their interpretations of the greats while backed by an excellent pianist. So many shows at the Fringe skimp on sets and props - not this! A luscious array of costumes, hats, wigs, and ruby slippers bring the characters to life. The framing is thin but serviceable - the backstage helpers are reminiscing about their favourite stars and bring …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-doris-dolly-and-the-dressing-room-divas/"><![CDATA[<p>Quite simply marvellous! Three Scottish divas giving us their interpretations of the greats while backed by an excellent pianist.</p>
<p>So many shows at the Fringe skimp on sets and props - not this! A luscious array of costumes, hats, wigs, and ruby slippers bring the characters to life.</p>
<p>The framing is thin but serviceable - the backstage helpers are reminiscing about their favourite stars and bring them back to stage. It is a fun and campy evening, without ever straying into parody or obsequiousness.</p>
<p>Sadly a few technical gremlins crept in, but the cast are absolute troopers and dispensed with them.</p>
<p>Oh, and there's an incredible Sweary Poppins who steals the show.</p>
<p>In amongst the Fringe's high concept art, fiendish new writing, and blokey-standup, it was a real treat to see a good old fashioned revue.</p>
<p>Highly recommend.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74012&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: The Musical Mystery Caller ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-the-musical-mystery-caller/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74064</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T19:01:23Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T20:21:53Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Walking down the street, I noticed a ringing phone box so, naturally, I answered it. What happened next was a few minutes of pure fringe magic! I had a little chat with the caller, he welcomed me to the smallest venue in the fringe, and then he improvised a banger of a song based on my peculiar proclivities. What a treat to have a front row experience at a one man (and one audience member)…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-the-musical-mystery-caller/"><![CDATA[<p>Walking down the street, I noticed a ringing phone box so, naturally, I answered it.</p>
<p>What happened next was a few minutes of pure fringe magic!</p>
<p>I had a little chat with the caller, he welcomed me to the smallest venue in the fringe, and then he improvised a banger of a song based on my peculiar proclivities.</p>
<p>What a treat to have a front row experience at a one man (and one audience member) show. The song was heartfelt and beautiful, played and sung with panache - albeit down a twisted copper pair of limited bandwidth.</p>
<p>He didn't reverse the charges, so it didn't cost me a penny! Which, given the high prices of most shows, was an absolute bargain 😃</p>
<p>If you hear a phone ringing, you should always answer it and say hello.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Imagepipe_59.webp" alt="Me in a phone box listening intently." width="1542" height="2048" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-74067">
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Miscast Sondheim ★★☆☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-miscast-sondheim/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74045</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T18:05:07Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T18:45:15Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm not sure what they're teaching at LAMDA, but it certainly isn't vocal projection. We were forewarned about the technical difficulties - but if a trained stage singer can't reach the 6th row of a tiny theatre, that can't be blamed on the backstage team. The show advertises itself as: What happens when you take Sondheim’s most beloved music and turn it on its head? Ingénues become villains, vi…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-miscast-sondheim/"><![CDATA[<p>I'm not sure what they're teaching at LAMDA, but it certainly isn't vocal projection. We were forewarned about the technical difficulties - but if a trained stage singer can't reach the 6th row of a tiny theatre, that can't be blamed on the backstage team.</p>
<p>The show advertises itself as:</p>
<blockquote><p>What happens when you take Sondheim’s most beloved music and turn it on its head? Ingénues become villains, villains deliver delicate ballads, and comic sidekicks step into tragedy.</p></blockquote>
<p>But, bluntly, that's not what was delivered. The gender swapping and colour-blind casting was fine, but there was no sense that this was a twist on the songs. They were all delivered in a straightforward fashion.</p>
<p>In fairness, there were a couple of truly excellent singers - Adam Boggs McDonald was spectacular and Paulina Hill was an absolute showstopper. The twist on Agony by Angelia Castillo and Adelia Castillo worked well.</p>
<p>Sadly the rest was over promised and under delivered.</p>
<p>Another show seen purely in the basis that we had an hour free and the venue was close. That's generally a pretty sound strategy for seeing shows - but you have to accept the risk that you might not like what you get.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74045&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe: Hot Flush – A Bold, We’re Old(ish) Burlesque Show ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-hot-flush-a-bold-were-oldish-burlesque-show/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74009</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T16:25:57Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T16:45:02Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Are menopausal women hot? It is often said that pornographic actresses move straight from "barely legal" to "MILF" without so much as moment in between. Unlike the fringe's other burlesque shows - which seem to exclusively feature nymphettes and twinks with nary a grey hair between them - Hot Flush focuses on the over 40s. Look, you probably don't want to read a review of how tempting I found…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-hot-flush-a-bold-were-oldish-burlesque-show/"><![CDATA[<p>Are menopausal women hot? It is often said that pornographic actresses move straight from "barely legal" to "MILF" without so much as moment in between. Unlike the fringe's other burlesque shows - which seem to exclusively feature nymphettes and twinks with nary a grey hair between them - Hot Flush focuses on the over 40s.</p>
<p>Look, you probably don't want to read a review of how tempting I found each temptress, nor a multivariant testing of their erotic powers - so let's just say this…</p>
<p>The lecture in the middle about the menopause and how to cope with it was very educational.</p>
<p>The performers were all talented and the costumes (before removal) were sufficiently sufficient for their purpose.</p>
<p>The main problem is that it is staged at the <em>least</em> sexy venue on the fringe. A basement meeting room which looks more suitable for a regional sales conference than a burlesque. Perhaps if they were going for a Belinda Blinked cabaret it might have worked better.</p>
<p>The performers coped well with the technical difficulties (no doubt caused by a moralising theatre ghost) and recovered their momentum well.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74009&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe - Eleanor Morton: The Mermaid ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-eleanor-morton-the-mermaid/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74006</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T13:44:52Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T14:55:59Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comedy" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The undisputed queen of short-form viral video comedy snacks takes to the stage. Well, swims to the stage. The Mermaid is a delightful and gentle amble through the confusing world of a girl who just wants to become a mermaid. Less standup and more storytelling, nevertheless it packs in the laughs with some rather clever jokes, a bit of bawdy humour, and - a rarity on The Fringe - a decently…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-eleanor-morton-the-mermaid/"><![CDATA[<p>The undisputed queen of short-form viral video comedy snacks takes to the stage. Well, swims to the stage.</p>
<p>The Mermaid is a delightful and gentle amble through the confusing world of a girl who just wants to become a mermaid. Less standup and more storytelling, nevertheless it packs in the laughs with some rather clever jokes, a bit of bawdy humour, and - a rarity on The Fringe - a decently designed set!</p>
<p>It stands out by being well-rehearsed (surprisingly not a given here) and with no technical glitches during the performance (and, again, I cannot stress enough how unique that is). Eleanor Morton is an absolute professional who knows how to put on a quality show.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74006&HTTP_REFERER=Atom" alt width="1" height="1" loading="eager">]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: Coding Literacy by Annette Vee ★★⯪☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-coding-literacy-by-annette-vee/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72659</id>
<updated>2026-08-13T11:41:26Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-13T11:34:09Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="coding" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Computer Science" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a disappointing and frustrating book - not least because it so nearly hits the mark. The subtitle is "How Computer Programming Is Changing Writing" - but it never gets close to discussing that topic, let alone deeply examining it. Instead, it is a book mostly focussed on the history of what we mean by "literacy" and, by contrast, what it meant to be "illiterate". As per the standard…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-coding-literacy-by-annette-vee/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/m_9780262340236-cover.jpeg" alt="Book cover." width="304" height="450" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-72660">
<p>This is a disappointing and frustrating book - not least because it so <em>nearly</em> hits the mark.</p>
<p>The subtitle is "How Computer Programming Is Changing Writing" - but it never gets close to discussing that topic, let alone deeply examining it. Instead, it is a book mostly focussed on the history of what we mean by "literacy" and, by contrast, what it meant to be "illiterate".</p>
<p>As per the standard for academic monographs, it is more interested in endlessly discussing the semantics of a term than engaging with its impacts. The historic stuff is genuinely fascinating. But the endless diversions about what Academic A thinks and how Academic B rebuts is a little tedious. There are clear parallels between a pre-literate society relying on the village scribe and the modern family having that one cousin who "knows computers" - but it is only weakly explored.</p>
<p>There are moments when it seems like the author is really going to delve in to what coding literacy actually means:</p>
<blockquote><p>The relationship between programming as a practice and computer science as a discipline is a central tension in the contemporary programming campaigns that invoke literacy,</p></blockquote>
<p>But it rarely goes beyond surface level. Most people can write - but only few can write a novel. Many can engage is literary criticism - but few take it any further. How does that model fit on to coding? The book doesn't discuss, but there's an easy parallel there. Only a few people can write an app, but many can use it. Anyone can write a review of an app, but not many can do so from a position of literacy.</p>
<p>This was published in 2017, so written a decade or so before LLMs became seemingly ubiquitous. Nevertheless, there are some historic titbits which seem to fit nicely into today's world:</p>
<blockquote><p>As early as 1961, Peter Elias claimed that training in programming languages would soon cease because “undergraduates will face the console with such a natural keyboard and such a natural language that there will be little left, if anything, to the teaching of programming. [At this point, we] should hope that it would have disappeared from the curricula of all but a moderate group of specialists.”</p></blockquote>
<p>But, as the book <em>does</em> briefly discuss, the way the brain is changed by coding literacy forces people to think more in line with a computer. Even if you tell an LLM "build me an app to do xyz", you still need to think about what you're doing, why you're doing it, what edge-cases you need to consider, etc.</p>
<p>But then it is back to the interminable academic squabbling about whether Wittgenstein's definition of an inconsequential term is compatible with Chomsky's.</p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest weakness is that there is almost a complete absence of code! A few examples of <abbr title="Beginners' All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code">BASIC</abbr> would have done <em>so</em> much to demonstrate how a restricted language set changes how people write and therefore think.</p>
<p>There's a brief exploration about how the typewriter and typesetting changed language and literacy - but where's the examination about how the tyranny of <abbr title="American National Standards Institute">ANSI</abbr> layout curtailed the way programmers wrote? There's an amazing exploration to be done about why coders use <code>=></code> rather than <code>→</code> and how various other symbols got co-opted into their languages.</p>
<p>Instead, it is back to the history books again.</p>
<p>Here's another good example about how writing changed literacy:</p>
<blockquote><p>Written texts provide fewer cues than oral delivery about how to “take” them; for example, ironically, sincerely, or jokingly. Readers must interpret texts, supplying the illocutionary force of the text themselves.</p></blockquote>
<p>It seems obvious to me that this is directly comparable with something like a code review. It isn't immediately clear what a programmer means when they write something down - and even comments can be misleading. What sort of "oral traditions" are we building up?</p>
<p>The book then mostly abandons any pretence of talking about code. I think the author really wanted to write a history book but needed the (then) coolness of tying it to the various "get kids to code" campaigns.</p>
<p>Towards the end, it <em>almost</em> returns to the topic at hand.</p>
<blockquote><p>We choose our words in terms of what is potentially reportable on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter</p>
<p>[…]</p>
<p>Although few people know how to program the devices on which code and computation ride into our lives, their manifestations influence us anyhow. In various ways, we have learned to see ourselves as “computed” by the devices and networks on which we depend.</p></blockquote>
<p>As we might say nowadays "Hey chat! Guess the Cheeto didn't unalive himself today!" - but that isn't really about coding. The people using those substitute words are ignorant of how algorithms really work and think that their clever doublespeak can bypass censorship.</p>
<p>We desperately need more people to be literate in what coding means. Sadly this book only every lightly touches on what coding literacy does to our language, our thoughts, and our society.</p>
<p>I'm giving it 2.5 stars because the history was genuinely interesting - but it completely fails to engage with the topic it promised.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
<uri>https://edent.tel/</uri>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-unauthorized-musical-parody/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73981</id>
<updated>2026-08-12T21:09:24Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-12T21:22:09Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[There are at least four different Heated Rivalry shows at the Fringe this year. Earlier this week we saw Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!. This is different because it is the unauthorized musical parody. Oh, and it is in the much larger Udderbelly venue. Some people spend the fringe watching every possible interpretation of Timon of Athens - we decided to go for doubles of …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-unauthorized-musical-parody/"><![CDATA[<p>There are at least <em>four</em> different Heated Rivalry shows at the Fringe this year. Earlier this week we saw <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-musical-parody/">Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!</a>. This is different because it is the <em>unauthorized</em> musical parody.</p>
<p>Oh, and it is in the much larger Udderbelly venue.</p>
<p>Some people spend the fringe watching every possible interpretation of Timon of Athens - we decided to go for doubles of gay hockey sticks.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fef3a413-0f72-4faf-a33e-691bbd4af37c.jpg" alt="Two hockey player biting a puck." width="250" height="250" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-73984">
<p>So, how does it compare to its twin?</p>
<p>It is good, but <em>deeply</em> conservative. The whole thing is framed through the eyes of a middle-age suburban mom which, sure, is probably a large part of the target audience but felt a bit retrograde. While the other show had a plentiful amount of <em>acrobatic</em> simulated sex with near-nude performers, this only has a couple of shirtless scenes and the actors are reduced to having a couple of trysts with literal mannequins. Weirdly, the one sex scene they perform together takes place behind a sheet. The leads kiss only twice which, for a parody of a show famed for its explicitness makes it all feel a bit Hays Code.</p>
<p>The songs, however, are sumptuous. A full score accompanies the incredibly talented cast. This is <em>very</em> off-Broadway - with soaring melodies, powerful solos, and solid reprises. At times it feels more like a parody of Broadway shows than of the TV show.</p>
<p>That isn't to say this is bad. It is <em>very</em> good. The script is full of delightful references and silly jokes. The lyrics at times are downright <em>filthy</em>! It is an excellent show and well worth seeing - but my heart remains with the <em>other</em> parody.</p>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Edinburgh Fringe - James Rowland: Team Viking ★★⯪☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-james-rowland-team-viking/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73961</id>
<updated>2026-08-12T17:30:11Z</updated>
<published>2026-08-12T19:20:01Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="EdFringe" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a technically precise and emotionally complex show with energetic delivery from a talented performer. Sadly, it did nothing for me. I found it a little one note in terms of storytelling. The rhythm of the story followed all the predictable beats which I thought was a little repetitive. There's no doubt he's a gifted storyteller. The comedy is suitably dark with some good moments of joy …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-james-rowland-team-viking/"><![CDATA[<p>This is a technically precise and emotionally complex show with energetic delivery from a talented performer.</p>
<p>Sadly, it did nothing for me.</p>
<p>I found it a little one note in terms of storytelling. The rhythm of the story followed all the predictable beats which I thought was a little repetitive.</p>
<p>There's no doubt he's a gifted storyteller. The comedy is suitably dark with some good moments of joy and catharsis. It is probably the perfect show for some people but I wasn't the right audience for it.</p>
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"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74230",
"title": "Gadget Review: Thermal Master P3 Macro Lens ★★★★⯪",
"description": "The good folks at Thermal Master have sent me their latest camera to review - and it is a bit different to all the others I've tried. Whereas previous cameras are good for bird watching, or wildlife spotting, or finding leaks at home - the P3 has a manual macro lens and is specifically designed for getting close-up and personal with your electronics. Yup! See just how hot your CPU is getting…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/",
"published": "2026-08-26T11:34:52.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-25T12:37:17.000Z",
"content": "<p>The good folks at Thermal Master have sent me their latest camera to review - and it is a bit different to all the others I've tried.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3-thermal-camera-close-up.webp\" alt=\"A small black camera with gold accents. It is held in the fingertips.\" width=\"3212\" height=\"2409\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>Whereas previous cameras are good for <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/07/gadget-review-thermal-master-dv2-infrared-birdwatching-scope/\">bird watching</a>, or <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-t2-max-plug-in-thermal-camera/\">wildlife spotting</a>, or <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-hikmicro-d02-thermal-camera/\">finding leaks at home</a> - the P3 has a manual macro lens and is specifically designed for getting close-up and personal with your electronics.</p>\n\n<p>Yup! See just how hot your CPU is getting 🥵</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pi.webp\" alt=\"A thermal image of a raspberry pi. The CPU is in red while the rest of the board is green.\" width=\"1344\" height=\"1008\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>Let's take it for a spin!</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"unboxing\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#unboxing\">Unboxing</a></h2>\n\n<p>As well as the camera (which looks <em>gorgeous</em> with its gold trim) you get a carry-case, USB-C extension cable, and a Lightning converter for older iPhones.</p>\n\n<p>The metal casing of the camera feels delightful and gives it a bit of heft. The focus wheel is reasonably stiff which makes it easier to position just right.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"sample-photos\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#sample-photos\">Sample Photos</a></h2>\n\n<p>These are the raw images taken directly from the app. I haven't resized or altered them in any way. What you see is what you get. Here's a hot-spot on a circuit board:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/hotspot.webp\" alt=\"A circuit rendered in grey with a bright red line on it.\" width=\"1344\" height=\"1008\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>The natural size of the images is 1344x1008. That's obviously upscaled from the sensor, but there's a surprisingly amount of detail in there.</p>\n\n<p>Here's a small circuit board which has just booted up:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Circuit-long-shot.webp\" alt=\"A small circuit. Two of the chips are noticeably hotter than the rest of the board.\" width=\"1344\" height=\"1008\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>Where the P3 shines is when you twist the manual lens all the way down to macro. You can get about 2cm away from a surface and stay in focus.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Chip-close-up.webp\" alt=\"Close up of a small chip. It is hot, the traces are visible in the background.\" width=\"1344\" height=\"1008\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>Obviously don't get that close to something red hot!</p>\n\n<p>Annoyingly, the images are uncompressed JPEG and weigh in around 6MB each. I've losslessly compressed these to WebP, which is about 10% of the size.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"colours\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#colours\">Colours</a></h3>\n\n<p>There are a variety of different colour palettes to play with. Some are more useful than others. Here's a mug of hot and delicious matcha rendered in the various colours:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Hot-Tea-Montage.webp\" alt=\"Four photos of a mug. The colours show how hot the tea is.\" width=\"2688\" height=\"2016\" class=\"alignleft\">\n\n<p>Scrolling through the colours is a little difficult in the app (more on that later) but once you've found one you like, it stays that way for the photography session.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"exif\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#exif\">EXIF</a></h3>\n\n<p>Geolocation is taken from the phone - there's no GPS chip in the camera. You can refuse location permission to the app and it will work just fine.</p>\n\n<p>That's just about all you get other than the time and the model name of <code>USB_IR_RS300_P2L</code> - the infrared details aren't recorded separately.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"video\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#video\">Video</a></h2>\n\n<p>The video doesn't upsample the image, it has a resolution of 504x672 playing at 25fps. Audio is recorded from the phone's microphone and is 64kbps mono. A minute of video is around 22MB. I've recompressed this one for the web.</p>\n\n<p></p><div style=\"width: 620px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-74230-2\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video/mp4\" src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4?_=2\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4\">https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/p3focusvid.mp4</a></video></div><p></p>\n\n<h2 id=\"the-app\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#the-app\">The App</a></h2>\n\n<p>It is, sadly, an inevitability that good hardware is always accompanied by a substandard app. The <a href=\"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thermalmaster.p2telephoto\">Thermal Master Android App</a> is the only way to access the camera. It has a relatively easy to use interface with plenty of options.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Camera-interface.webp\" alt=\"Camera interface with janky UI.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>As you can see from the word \"brightness\" the UI is a little janky in places.</p>\n\n<p>There's a decent amount of settings to fiddle with.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/more-settings.webp\" alt=\"Settings screens with various temperature settings.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>You can also change which elements get displayed on the final image.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/settings.webp\" alt=\"Settings to control the camera.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter\">\n\n<p>Unfortunately, it is also a bit crash-happy. Most times I used it, the app would randomly close. It takes a little while to re-open thanks to a mandatory animation. So it gets a bit annoying. Flicking through some of the options can be slow and tedious. It also doesn't respect the phone's orientation, so images may be 90⁰ off what you expect.</p>\n\n<p>The app updated the firmware on the camera, but didn't say what had changed.</p>\n\n<p>It takes photos and videos, allows you to share them, and has a bunch of options to play with - but it does have a habit of crashing just when you're about to take the perfect shot. There is also zoom available, but it is digital only - so you're just making the pixels bigger rather than getting optically closer to the object you're scanning.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"linux-info\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#linux-info\">Linux Info</a></h2>\n\n<p>I tried plugging it in to a Linux laptop. It shows up as <code>3474:45a2 Thermal Master Technology Co., Ltd. P3</code> - but that's about it. There's no way I can find to access the thermal images.</p>\n\n<p>To be fair, this is explicitly sold as an Android and iOS device. I'm hopeful someone will be able to reverse engineer it.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"cost-and-final-thoughts\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-thermal-master-p3-macro-lens/#cost-and-final-thoughts\">Cost and Final Thoughts</a></h2>\n\n<p>Thermal cameras are expensive. This will run you about <a href=\"https://link.amazon/B0aFBVuY9\">£280 on Amazon</a> or about <a href=\"https://thermalmaster.com/en-gb/products/p3-thermal-camera-for-iphone-and-android\">£260 direct</a>. Readers of this blog can get 10% off using code <code>THERMALBF10</code></p>\n\n<p>If you run a hackspace, this is a no-brainer. The ability to see hot-spots on your circuits is immediately useful. The detail is impressive, allowing you to see exactly what's causing problems.</p>\n\n<p>If you're a hobbyist, this is definitely in the \"ask Santa if you've been good\" category. You'll find it handy on any small projects you have, or to diagnose faults with electrical equipment.</p>\n\n<p>For non-macro uses, it's also pretty good. You might be better off with a dedicated device if you want to go <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/07/gadget-review-thermal-master-dv2-infrared-birdwatching-scope/\">hunting wildlife</a> or doing <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/gadget-review-hikmicro-d02-thermal-camera/\">home surveys</a>.</p>\n\n<p>The only fly in the ointment is the app. While somewhat customisable, it does repeatedly crash and it isn't the easiest to use or set up. I found that pretty frustrating and have fed back the problem to the developers. I appreciate it saving high quality images - but a PNG or lossless WebP would be easier to work with than massive JPGs.</p>\n\n<p>Ultimately, this is an excellent thermal camera. It looks lush, it is customisable, the images are high quality, and the macro-lens is surprisingly useful.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74230&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74380",
"title": "Theatre Review: Cats at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre ★★★★☆",
"description": "Cats is so silly! In the olden days, after a wild animal was slaughtered, the tribe's shaman would wear the skin and re-enact the hunt. As he became one with the beast, the people slowly understood the ways of nature. Cats is a similarly spiritual experience wherein we watch androgynous sylphs gyrate across the stage and believe (if only for a moment) that the human has become feline, all in…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/theatre-review-cats-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/",
"published": "2026-08-25T11:34:22.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-25T11:17:40.000Z",
"content": "<p>Cats is so <em>silly!</em></p>\n\n<p>In the olden days, after a wild animal was slaughtered, the tribe's shaman would wear the skin and re-enact the hunt. As he became one with the beast, the people slowly understood the ways of nature.</p>\n\n<p>Cats is a similarly spiritual experience wherein we watch androgynous sylphs gyrate across the stage and believe (if only for a moment) that the human has become feline, all in service of better understanding the mysteries of our moggies.</p>\n\n<p>Does there need to be so many sequins? So much dry ice? Such a quantity of pyrotechnics?</p>\n\n<p>No, probably not. But it all adds up to a spectacular which will keep you grinning.</p>\n\n<p>The deficiencies in Cats are somewhat inherent. The scrapbook story doesn't make a lick of sense. It is more like a variety show than musical theatre. The lyrics are, at times, utterly asinine. The music soars, until someone starts playing what sounds like a genuine 1980s Casio keyboard - and all you can hear is squelch.</p>\n\n<p>But then Gary Wilmot (!!!) comes on as Gus and all is forgiven on a haze of metatextual glory.</p>\n\n<p>The choreography and dancing are exemplary. The singing occasionally gets muddled but is mostly delightful. The stage is perfect - the wind blowing through the trees and the moon gently rising only helps to accentuate the atmosphere.</p>\n\n<p>The pre-show is good. As well as a variety of food stalls, patrons are encouraged to bring their own food and drink for a picnic. There are plenty of tables and a couple of selfie points.</p>\n\n<p>The programme isn’t horrendous at £6 but still feels like it contains more advertising than content. The queues for the loos were outrageously long and the stalls weren't particularly clean.</p>\n\n<p>There's nothing to do post-show except trudge back through the park. The selfie point is still illuminated if you want to queue for that. Even the t-shirt sales stopped after the interval.</p>\n\n<p>I first saw Cats in the West End some time in the 1980s as a child and loved it. Afterwards my parents asked if I wanted to see a ballet or an opera next. \"Eurgh! No! <em>Boring!</em>\" I said. They politely informed me that I'd just seen both in one show and my juvenile mind was blown.</p>\n\n<p>A few decades later I saw Cats on Broadway - shortly before it closed, I think. The C90 cassette they used to play the music was warbling like a demented bird and the sets looked equally tired. Despite the half empty auditorium, the cast attacked the songs with vigour. I still loved it.</p>\n\n<p>And, today, I still had goosebumps. Maybe it was the unseasonable chill in the air, maybe it was the moonlight, or maybe it was the magic of Cats!</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74380&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74330",
"title": "Why do audience members choose specific shows at the Edinburgh Fringe?",
"description": "On our recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe, I was bemused by just how little effort performers put in to finding out why people had selected their show. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is ridiculously expensive with some performers paying tens of thousands of pounds. The way performers recoup the costs of performing is by getting people to pay to see a show. Acts are spending huge amounts…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/",
"published": "2026-08-24T11:34:45.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-24T10:43:16.000Z",
"content": "<p>On our <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/\">recent trip to the Edinburgh Fringe</a>, I was bemused by just how little effort performers put in to finding out <em>why</em> people had selected their show. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is ridiculously expensive with <a href=\"https://www.scotsman.com/business/edinburgh-festival-fringe-2025-the-true-cost-of-performing-at-the-worlds-largest-arts-event-laid-bare-5247134\">some performers paying tens of thousands of pounds</a>. The way performers recoup the costs of performing is by getting people to pay to see a show.</p>\n\n<p>Acts are spending huge amounts on flyers, posters, and other promotional activities. But is any of it worthwhile?</p>\n\n<p>The performer Danielle Solof has a fascinating blog post \"<a href=\"https://daniellesolof.substack.com/p/my-real-fringe-budgets-line-by-line\">My Real Fringe Budgets, Line-by-Line</a>\" which details the actual costs of her taking two solo shows to the Fringe. She meticulously details the price of everything from transport and food, to advertising and graphic design. She says:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>I paid for outdoor ads because absolutely no one in Edinburgh knew who I was. They <em>did</em> help, but you still have to grind to get an audience in.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>My question to her - and all performers - is how do you know what drives an audience member to see your show?</p>\n\n<p>It can't have escaped your attention that everything we do online is tracked. If you buy so much as a toothpick, the retailer knows which YouTube reviews you watched, which words you searched for, the other products you considered, and the specific adverts you clicked on.</p>\n\n<p>In Edinburgh, no one knows nothing.</p>\n\n<p>At the end of nearly every show the performer begged us to leave a review on the Fringe website and to tell our friends. In absolutely <em>none</em> of the shows did the performer ask why we were there, how we found out about the show, which poster or leaflet attracted us, or whether we followed them on social media.</p>\n\n<p>All that money spent on posters and no one knows if they work. As the old saying goes \"<a href=\"https://quoteinvestigator.com/2022/04/11/advertising/\">Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the trouble is I don’t know which half.</a>\".</p>\n\n<p>So, in an attempt to bring a <em>little</em> data to proceedings, here are how we chose the 26 shows we saw. I don't claim this is representative of everyone, but I think it might be illustrative. In rough order of importance were:</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"proximity\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#proximity\">Proximity</a></h2>\n\n<p>The EdFringe app has a \"nearby now\" feature. Click on it and you get a list of shows starting soon which are only staggering distance away.</p>\n\n<p>I cannot stress enough how much of a motivator that was. When you've spent all day traipsing, the last thing you want to do is <em>another</em> 20 minute walk uphill to see a provocative new piece of challenging theatre told through finger puppets.</p>\n\n<p>About 20% of the shows we saw were via that feature.</p>\n\n<p>Roughly another 40% were because the show was close to something else we really wanted to see. We knew that we wanted to see show X, so we looked for shows which weren't too far away from that venue. Yes, Edinburgh is a compact city with decent public transport, but it is much easier to walk round the corner or stay to have a drink in the venue's bar.</p>\n\n<p>You can <em>really</em> want to see a show, but if it is a 20 minute walk between venues and it starts 15 minutes after your last show ends, you'll skip it. I'd say that location was the key driver in most of our choices.</p>\n\n<p>I guess my top tip to any performer would be to be as near as physically possible to a bigger act!</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"friends\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#friends\">Friends</a></h2>\n\n<p>A quarter of the shows we went to were because either a friend-of-a-friend was performing, or a friend booked tickets and asked if we wanted to tag along.</p>\n\n<p>You are morally obliged to go to your friends' shows. Similarly, if a mate says \"Oh, my friend has a show on this year\", you have to make the effort to go.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps it is a bit blasé to say that word-of-mouth works, but it's a cliché becausé it is trué.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"flyers-and-leaflets\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#flyers-and-leaflets\">Flyers and Leaflets</a></h2>\n\n<p>We collected approximately 5,374 different promotional leaflets during our week there. Most of the time we were handed a leaflet by someone paid to hand out leaflets. They were either wordlessly stuffed into our hands, or delivered with a monotone \"wanna see improv comdy?\" Bleh.</p>\n\n<p>A few actually spoke to us about the show when we asked questions, which was a deciding factor in seeing a couple of performances.</p>\n\n<p>The best flyerers were, undoubtedly, the performers themselves. Kat Ronson in her <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-kat-ronson-millennial-girl/\">Millennial Girl</a> guise drawled at us \"You look thin and pretty. You're allowed to come to my show.\" Instant sale!</p>\n\n<p>Similarly, one rather famous comedian walked up to us and said \"You look like theatre people!\" and proceeded to pitch their show - which was a delightful encounter and would have sold us a ticket if we weren't leaving that day.</p>\n\n<p>Some flyers had a QR code or URl on them so we could watch a trailer of the show. We didn't watch any of them. Perhaps we should have?</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"posters\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#posters\">Posters</a></h2>\n\n<p>Surprisingly effective at drawing the eye! The ones which were just a photo of the comedian looking a bit \"whacky\" were dull. The ones of performers in their most seductive poses were a little naff. The ones which were just a close up of someone's face only really work if that person is incredibly famous, otherwise you're just left thinking \"who?\"</p>\n\n<p>But a few posters made us stop and immediately search for the show. Graphic design is a professional skill and one worth investing in.</p>\n\n<p>Some posters were everywhere. I took an instant (and uncharitable) dislike to one poster featuring a smug-looking twat and I swear he followed me around town. Some posters only appeared near the performance venue.</p>\n\n<p>Incidentally, there were a couple of posters which had clearly just been fed into an AI generator. Lazy and off-putting.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"reviews\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#reviews\">Reviews</a></h2>\n\n<p>The Fringe doesn't allow weighted star reviews - so you can't immediately see if the consensus is that the show is a hit or a miss. Several of the shows we didn't enjoy got excellent reviews (from morons) and some of the shows we loved were panned (presumably by the same morons).</p>\n\n<p>In truth, I don't think the reviews influenced our decision to see anything.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-stopped-us-going-to-shows\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#what-stopped-us-going-to-shows\">What <em>Stopped</em> Us Going To Shows</a></h2>\n\n<p>For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I think it is important for performers to know what stopped someone clicking the \"buy\" button for their show.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"ticket-cost-value-for-money\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#ticket-cost-value-for-money\">Ticket Cost / Value For Money</a></h3>\n\n<p>Mondays and Tuesdays saw lots of shows doing a 2-for-1 promotion. I didn't mind spending £30 for two of us to take a risk on something. Come Wednesday, I wasn't prepared to pay £60 for a 45 minute show.</p>\n\n<p>I know \"surge pricing\" gets a bad rap, but <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/why-does-no-one-discuss-negative-dynamic-pricing/\">dynamic pricing of underselling shows</a> might help. If you've only sold four seats for today, perhaps drop the price? I don't know if the Fringe software supports that - but it seems obvious to me that having 10 people paying a fiver is better than four people paying a tenner.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"crap-signal-long-queues\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#crap-signal-long-queues\">Crap Signal / Long Queues</a></h3>\n\n<p>We tried to get in to a circus show. My phone didn't have enough signal for the app to work and the nearest box office had a massive queue. So we bailed.</p>\n\n<p>If the venue had WiFi (not a given, weirdly) it would have gotten them an extra sale. If the ticket staff could take contactless (lots of performers did) we'd have happily paid.</p>\n\n<p>You have to make it easy for people to give you money.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"not-enough-time\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#not-enough-time\">Not Enough Time</a></h3>\n\n<p>This is completely out of the performers' control. We had 6 days and saw about 4 shows per day. We could have seen more, but we needed to eat, explore, and sleep.</p>\n\n<p>Speaking of which, there were several midnight performances which looked excellent - but I also needed to get up the next day to see more shows. Sleep won!</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"too-famous\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#too-famous\">Too Famous</a></h3>\n\n<p>I'd love to see that guy who's on the telly. But I can watch him on the telly. That show looks like a massive success, so I'm sure it'll tour round London soon.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"sell-outs\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#sell-outs\">Sell Outs</a></h3>\n\n<p>A few shows sold out before we could get tickets. Good for them! If that was your show, you probably don't need this blog post.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"better-art-through-commerce\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/why-do-audience-members-choose-specific-shows-at-the-edinburgh-fringe/#better-art-through-commerce\">Better Art Through Commerce</a></h2>\n\n<p>Art should be driven by passion.</p>\n\n<p>But every performer I know listens back to their shows to see what works and what didn't. If a joke falls flat, it's cut. If a riff gets a big laugh, it's incorporated. That's the essence of data driven decision making.</p>\n\n<p>I wish every performer at the Fringe had a sell out audience and were able to recoup their costs. But that is never going to happen unless they spend time understanding what gets bums on seats.</p>\n\n<p>So here are a few scattered thoughts on how they could do that.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>QR code at the end of the show leading to a survey. Literally ask people \"what made you choose this performance?\"</li>\n<li>In the queue before the show, or as people are taking their seats, hand out a paper questionnaire.</li>\n<li>Talk to the audience after the show. See if you can gain any insights about what made them attend.</li>\n<li>As people are coming in, have a poster asking people to tick a box based on how they heard about the show.</li>\n<li>Give each leaflet a unique code (or a code per person handing them out). Ask people to bring the leaflet with them so you can see which area/person/leaflet was most effective.</li>\n<li>Each poster can have a unique QR code on it. Track whether the one by the station led to more ticket sales than the one in the underpass. Did the one in the gents toilets get <em>any</em> scans at all?</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Of course, all of the above rely on talking to people who made the choice to see you. This is classic <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias\">Survivorship Bias</a>. Sure, it'll help you work out what was <em>successful</em>, but you won't know why people looked at your show and chose something else. That said, it is <em>hard</em>. How do you find people who <i lang=\"la\">ipso facto</i> aren't at your show?</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>That could be as simple as asking people what they dislike about the leaflet when you hand it out.</li>\n<li>Each poster or leaflet can have a unique QR code on it. Which ones cause people to scan, but then abandon the idea of buying a ticket?</li>\n<li>Speak to people who came to the venue for a show other than yours. They obviously like the location, so non-confrontationally ask them why they didn't pick you?</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Some of these are easier than others. By themselves, they might give you a slightly misleading view of the data. But surely anything is better than looking at a half empty venue and wondering if those huge advertising costs did any good at all.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74330&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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"label": "data",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=63847",
"title": "Death to px, long live ch!",
"description": "Pixels are a lie. Even if you think you're drawing something with \"pixel perfect\" accuracy, your monitor is lying to you. There is no grid of platonically perfect squares. In CSS, pixels are a double lie: Note that 1px doesn't necessarily equal one physical device pixel. On HD displays, it may span multiple physical pixels. Similarly, 1cm in CSS often doesn't correspond to one hundredth of SI…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/death-to-px-long-live-ch/",
"published": "2026-08-23T11:34:52.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-23T12:45:06.000Z",
"content": "<p>Pixels are a lie. Even if you think you're drawing something with \"<a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2018/11/the-myth-of-the-pixel-perfect-grid/\">pixel perfect</a>\" accuracy, your monitor is lying to you. There is no grid of platonically perfect squares.</p>\n\n<p>In CSS, <a href=\"https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn_web_development/Core/Styling_basics/Values_and_units#lengths\">pixels are a double lie</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Note that <code>1px</code> doesn't necessarily equal one physical device pixel. On HD displays, it may span multiple physical pixels. Similarly, <code>1cm</code> in CSS often doesn't correspond to one hundredth of SI meter. On a large TV screen, it typically is longer than that. The lengths are perceptual: <code>16px</code> looks roughly the same on a phone, laptop, or TV screen at typical viewing distance.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>This blog is primarily text based. I want the <a href=\"https://journals.uc.edu/index.php/vl/article/view/5765/4629\">width of the text to be readable</a> for the average human. So, rather than setting the main width to be a percentage of the screen, I set it based on character width using the <code>ch</code> unit - which <a href=\"https://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2018/06/28/what-is-the-css-ch-unit/\">isn't exactly a character</a> but good enough for my purposes:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-css\">--width-content: min(75ch, 100%);\n\nmain {\n max-width: var(--width-content);\n}\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>When it comes to padding and margins, the same is true. If I want a gap around an element, I want that gap to be in proportion to the text inside it.</p>\n\n<p>For widths, it makes sense to re-use the <code>ch</code> unit. I want the gap to be in proportion to the text.</p>\n\n<p>But for <em>height</em>, perhaps it doesn't make sense to express vertical distance on character width? In which case <a href=\"https://www.w3.org/Style/Examples/007/units.en.html\">the <code>ex</code> unit can be used</a>. It is the size of a typical lower-case letter.</p>\n\n<p>Just like my idea to <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/09/class-warfare-can-i-eliminate-css-classes-from-my-html/\">eliminate CSS classes from my HTML</a>, it's possible to go too far with this. I haven't changed <em>every</em> reference from px to ch, I'm just experimenting to see if it works.</p>\n\n<p>There's nothing wrong, immoral, or evil about using px - or any other measure unit. Using ch and ex fit with my particular proclivities.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=63847&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72903",
"title": "Book Review: An Immense World - How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong ★★★☆☆",
"description": "This is a detailed examination of the various senses possessed by animals. Some will be intimately familiar to you - like sight and sound - whereas some will seem strange and uncanny - like magnetic detection and electro-sensing. Some straddle an almost understandable space like echolocation or tetra-chromatic vision. This isn't a game of Top Trumps where all the animals are ranked by power.…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-an-immense-world-how-animal-senses-reveal-the-hidden-realms-around-us-by-ed-yong/",
"published": "2026-08-21T11:34:36.000Z",
"updated": "2026-07-29T09:03:25.000Z",
"content": "<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/9781473572737-jacket-large.webp\" alt=\"Book cover featuring various animals.\" width=\"200\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-72904\">\n\n<p>This is a detailed examination of the various senses possessed by animals. Some will be intimately familiar to you - like sight and sound - whereas some will seem strange and uncanny - like magnetic detection and electro-sensing. Some straddle an almost understandable space like echolocation or tetra-chromatic vision.</p>\n\n<p>This isn't a game of Top Trumps where all the animals are ranked by power. Instead there's a gentle and passionate exploration of what these senses <em>might</em> mean to their owners. It is refreshingly candid about what we don't know, while always trying to convey a sense of wonder about the inherent <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umwelt\"><i lang=\"de\">Umwelt</i></a> experienced by the animal.</p>\n\n<p>But goodness me is it long. It seems that every time the editor told the author to cut out a paragraph, he stuck it in a footnote instead. The text is well referenced, but so are the footnotes, which means occasionally encountering sentences formatted like this:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Despite several frustrating false leads, nobody’s ever found them.<sup>fn11,36,37,38,39</sup></p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Speaking of which, the general formatting of the eBook is poor. The CSS contains all sorts of weird stuff which I needed to turn off, and is full of comments which probably should have been stripped before the book was distributed.</p>\n\n<p>Science publishers still haven't grasped that eBooks don't need to relegate glossy images to the back of the book - they can go inline with the text!</p>\n\n<p>This is a funny, heartfelt, and (perhaps overly) thorough book. It will gleefully send you down rabbit holes - even if you're ill-equipped to see in the dark and sense the bugs around you.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=72903&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
"image": null,
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"email": null,
"url": "https://edent.tel/"
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"label": "/etc/",
"term": "/etc/",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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"label": "Book Review",
"term": "Book Review",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "science",
"term": "science",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73594",
"title": "Asymmetric Agents",
"description": "One of the promises of the AI-filled future is that we'll all have highly capable autonomous servants \"agents\" to work for us. Even back in the 1990s, it was a common trope in future-gazing to insist that a person's personal slave agent would negotiate on their behalf. Ask your meek digital pal agent to find you a restuarant in town, tonight, for a hot date, catering to your dietary preferences, …",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/asymmetric-agents/",
"published": "2026-08-19T11:34:52.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-20T06:17:00.000Z",
"content": "<p>One of the promises of the AI-filled future is that we'll all have highly capable autonomous <del>servants</del> \"agents\" to work for us.</p>\n\n<p>Even <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/how-close-are-we-to-a-vision-for-2010/\">back in the 1990s</a>, it was a common trope in future-gazing to insist that a person's personal <del>slave</del> agent would negotiate on their behalf. Ask your <del>meek digital pal</del> agent to find you a restuarant in town, tonight, for a hot date, catering to your dietary preferences, and within your budget. The little <del>butler</del> agent scurries off and, without your intervention, finds the <em>perfect</em> place, negotiates with the restaurant's <del>house boy</del> agent and books you a slap up meal.</p>\n\n<p>Marvellous! You can tell your <del>manservant</del> agent to buy you clothes, reserve a flight, do the grocery shopping, or buy your wife flowers without having to lift a finger.</p>\n\n<p>But, of course, there's a fly in the ointment. Not all <del>valets</del> agents are created equally. You're sending your Raspberry Pi powered <del>peon</del> agent against the full might of Amazon's bazillion datacentres.</p>\n\n<p>Can a low-complexity <del>serf</del> agent be bullied, outwitted, and manipulated by a more capable <del>henchman</del> agent? It seems obvious to me that the answer is yes. Humans have a set of cognitive biases which render us susceptible to advertising tricks. AI may have <a href=\"https://cacm.acm.org/research/rolling-in-the-deep-of-cognitive-and-ai-biases/\"><em>different</em> biases</a> but will still be vulnerable to <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2017/03/how-to-hypnotise-an-artificial-intelligence/\">hypnosis</a> and hacking.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps having my <del>secretary</del> agent negotiate with your <del>PA</del> agent to find a suitable meeting time for our Q2 KPI Deep Dive doesn't carry this sort of risk. But I'm sure that <del>scumbags</del> advertisers everywhere will be salivating at the thought of waylaying my innocent <del>footman</del> agent on its way to market.</p>\n\n<p>A future where we delegate responsibility to <del>stochastic imbeciles</del> agents is one where we accept that we have no control over their susceptibility to more powerful and malevolent <del>thugs</del> agents.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=73594&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
"image": null,
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"name": "@edent",
"email": null,
"url": "https://edent.tel/"
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"categories": [
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"label": "/etc/",
"term": "/etc/",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "agentic",
"term": "agentic",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "AI",
"term": "AI",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74161",
"title": "And then the men with guns tell you to do it anyway",
"description": "In early February 2011 Egypt was in the middle of a political revolution. One morning, everyone's phones suddenly pinged with an alert. The Armed Forces asks Egypt's honest and loyal men to confront the traitors and criminals and protect our people and honour and our precious Egypt. A series of messages arrived all ostensibly from the network provider Vodafone. All pro-regime and all with the…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/and-then-the-men-with-guns-tell-you-to-do-it-anyway/",
"published": "2026-08-17T11:34:24.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-17T11:31:25.000Z",
"content": "<p>In early February 2011 <a href=\"https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/25/what-happened-during-egypts-january-25-revolution\">Egypt was in the middle of a political revolution</a>. One morning, everyone's phones suddenly pinged with an alert.</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>The Armed Forces asks Egypt's honest and loyal men to confront the traitors and criminals and protect our people and honour and our precious Egypt.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>A <a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/59098813@N06/5411904816/in/photostream/\">series of messages arrived</a> all ostensibly from the network provider Vodafone. All pro-regime and all with the undercurrent of violence.</p>\n\n<p>Why did Vodafone send these messages? Earlier in the week, <a href=\"https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/01/28/egypt-nationwide-internet-blackout-endangers-rights\">all Internet access was cut off</a> now phones were blasting propaganda to the masses.</p>\n\n<p>After the network went down, Vodafone issued a statement saying:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>It has been clear to us that there were no legal or practical options open to Vodafone, or any of the mobile operators in Egypt, but to comply with the demands of the authorities.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Do you have to follow orders? Do you have to obey the law even when it is unjust? Should multinational corporations instruct local executives to be loyal to their parent company or the rulers of the country they live in?</p>\n\n<p>After the messages came in - including promises that \"<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2011/feb/03/egypt-protests-live-updates#block-19\">The Armed Forces cares for your safety and well being and will not resort to using force against this great nation</a>\" - Vodafone Global, safely ensconced in the UK, put out another statement:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Under the emergency powers provisions of the Telecoms Act, the Egyptian authorities can instruct the mobile networks of Mobinil, Etisalat and Vodafone to send messages to the people of Egypt. They have used this since the start of the protests. These messages are not scripted by any of the mobile network operators and we do not have the ability to respond to the authorities on their content.</p>\n\n<p>Vodafone Group has protested to the authorities that the current situation regarding these messages is unacceptable. We have made clear that all messages should be transparent and clearly attributable to the originator.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20110307151856/http://www.vodafone.com/content/index/press/press_statements/statement_on_egypt.html\">Statements - Vodafone Egypt</a></p></blockquote>\n\n<p>A few years later I was at a networking event chatting to a guy. We'd both previously worked for Vodafone. Me in the UK, he in Egypt. I asked him about the incident - he talked about how they built the SMS infrastructure, what they did to secure it, how they prevented spam, and how one day armed men arrived.</p>\n\n<p>I suspect most of us have seen a movie where some flunky in an office refuses the baddies demands to open the safe, and then gets shot in the head. Perhaps you think that's a noble death? He lived with honour and refused to yield! But, in every movie I've seen, the guy's subordinate opens the safe anyway and gets to live.</p>\n\n<p>But we're technologists, right? We can build fail safes and cryptographic proofs and <a href=\"https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-would-simply\">simply build infrastructure that can't be abused</a>.</p>\n\n<p>And then the men with guns come and tell you what to do.</p>\n\n<p>I've written before about <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/11/civic-hygiene/\">Civic Hygiene</a> - it's the idea that we should be mindful of the ways that our technologies could be misused. The term was coined back in 2010 by the technologist Bruice Schneier</p>\n\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https://www.schneier.com/essays/archives/2010/01/us_enables_chinese_h.html\">It's bad civic hygiene to build technologies that could someday be used to facilitate a police state.</a></p></blockquote>\n\n<p>But what do we mean by that?</p>\n\n<p>We don't want backdoors in security products - lest hackers break in or evil governments get elected. But we want a way to access our beloved ones' data after they die. It's important that we know that photos haven't been manipulated by propagandists and saboteurs. But we want to send funny memes about that politician we don't like. We don't want police stalking ex girlfriends' cars - but we want dangerous drivers prosecuted.</p>\n\n<p>We want to be alerted about imminent threats, but don't want Governments to use that power for ill.</p>\n\n<p>Way back in the early 2020s, I had a minor role in the UK Government's adoption of <a href=\"https://github.com/co-cddo/open-standards/issues/73\">Common Alerting Protocol</a> the technology which powers cell-broadcast emergency alerts.</p>\n\n<p>Even back then, one of the discussions was around whether the utility of being able to send an unavoidable push notification was worth the risk that someone would send an inappropriate message. Fresh in everyone's minds was the <a href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42680070\">false alarm saying missiles were heading to Hawaii</a>.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2018_Hawaii_missile_alert_cropped.jpeg\" alt=\"Emergency alert. BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.\" width=\"768\" height=\"343\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-74163\">\n\n<p>Too many safeguards means that a genuine alert doesn't get sent in time. Too few safeguards and you can blame \"<a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-the-field-guide-to-understanding-human-error-by-sidney-dekker/\">Human Error</a>\" for any mistakes.</p>\n\n<p>I don't know which safeguards are in place for the UK's system - <a href=\"https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/foi/2024/march/emergency-broadcasting?v=331069\">and most details are exempt from Freedom of Information requests</a>. But it is both easy and fun to speculate on how such a system might be designed.</p>\n\n<p>The Government generates an alert. It specifies where and when the alert should be sent. It sends that message to the network operators via a secure and private channel. Perhaps they also do some out-of-band verification like having the network operator call a pre-determined phone number to check the message's validity.</p>\n\n<p>At which point, the operator can choose to send the message or not.</p>\n\n<p>Or can they?</p>\n\n<p>In August 2026, the UK government instructed network operators to send this message:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/alerts/14-aug-2026-2\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fire-alert.webp\" alt=\"Alert about fire risk in the UK.\" title=\"Screenshot courtesy of Skylar MacDonald\" width=\"1024\" height=\"851\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-74164\"></a></p>\n\n<p>Did the networks <em>have</em> to send that message? If they thought it wasn't serious enough, could they have refused? As far as I can tell, the law only talks about the fact that operators can disregard \"spam\" laws in order to send a mass message:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>A relevant public communications provider (P) may, for the purpose of providing an emergency alert service, disregard the restrictions on the processing of data relating to users or subscribers set out in paragraph (2) if the conditions set out in paragraph (3) are met.</p>\n\n<p>[…]</p>\n\n<p>(3) The conditions are—</p>\n\n<p>(a)P is notified by a relevant public authority that—</p>\n\n<p>(i)an emergency within the meaning of section 1(1) of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur;</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/355/pdfs/uksi_20150355_en.pdf\">Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 355</a></p></blockquote>\n\n<p>I'm no expert, but I can't see anything in <a href=\"https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/manage-your-licence/mobile-wireless-and-broadband/cellular/licences/cellular-licence-vodafone-0249664.pdf?v=368347\">the spectrum licence</a> nor in the <a href=\"https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/contents\">Wireless Telegraphy Act</a> which <em>compels</em> operators to process these messages.</p>\n\n<p>The usual British way is to ask people to play nicely and threaten them with regulation if they don't.</p>\n\n<p>Could the networks have refused to send the message about wildfires - or indeed any other message? If your least favourite politician gets their hands on the emergency alert system and tries to abuse it, would you want the networks to stand up to them?</p>\n\n<p>What if the network refuses to send the message because they're worried alerting people about a hurricane will lower the company's profits?</p>\n\n<p>What if armed thugs are sent in and the choice is send the message or die?</p>\n\n<p>I don't know what the answer is here. I think most people agree that it is broadly sensible to have a way to alert the population of emergencies. There's no mass media any more, we're not all listening to a single radio channel, or reading newspapers, or even on the same social media platforms. Sometimes there are emergencies and the Government has a duty to alert people to them.</p>\n\n<p>How would you design a system that simultaneously achieved all these goals:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Rapid sending of messages</li>\n<li>Careful checking of the content of messages</li>\n<li>Ability to quickly target a specific geographic area</li>\n<li>Inability to mistakenly send a test message</li>\n<li>Requiring strong proof that the message is authentic before sending</li>\n<li>Resilient enough to work after significant damage to infrastructure</li>\n<li>That networks have the ability to vet and ignore</li>\n<li>That networks are compelled to send</li>\n<li>Which can only be used for good</li>\n<li>And cannot be used for evil.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>In truth, <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/edent.tel/post/3mt2s2puhuk2x\">having experienced fire-starters</a>, I'm not bothered about the contents of this latest message from the UK Government. Given the overstretched fire service and the imminent threat across most of the country, my personal opinion is that it is proportionate.</p>\n\n<p>But it is easy to see why some people feel this might open the gateway to messages which, at best, are irrelevant and, at worst, are similar to the insidious propaganda which appeared on the phones of Egyptians:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>To every mother-father-sister-brother, to every honest citizen. Preserve this country as the nation is forever.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Perhaps you can think of a way to design an alerting system which cannot be abused - but I can't.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74161&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74021",
"title": "Thoughts on visiting the Edinburgh Fringe as a newbie",
"description": "This was my first ever time at The Fringe™. Here are some scattered thoughts looking at the good, the bad, and the annoying aspects of this madly extravagant exhibition of talent. We saw 23 shows together, and one separate show each. There were more hits than misses, but the frustration of wasting your time on a bad show is rather heavy when there are literally hundreds of other shows on offer. P…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/",
"published": "2026-08-16T11:34:21.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-16T09:29:11.000Z",
"content": "<p>This was my first ever time at The Fringe™. Here are some scattered thoughts looking at the good, the bad, and the annoying aspects of this madly extravagant exhibition of talent. We saw 23 shows together, and one separate show each. There were more hits than misses, but the frustration of wasting your time on a bad show is rather heavy when there are literally hundreds of other shows on offer.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"price\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#price\">Price</a></h2>\n\n<p>Everything is too expensive. We found student accommodation which was a \"mere\" £220 per night. I guess that wasn't <em>too</em> exorbitant considering the gouging going on elsewhere - and it did come with a decent breakfast. It was about a 20 minute walk from the Royal Mile, with several performance venues on the way.</p>\n\n<p>The 46 tickets we bought cost us £550 in total - which included a few donations at Free Fringe shows. So an average ticket of £12, which isn't too bad, I guess. You can certainly do things cheaper by only going to free shows and running away when they ask you to pay - but that's a dick move.</p>\n\n<p>£20 for a single hour of stand-up feels like kind of a rip off at times - especially with the mandatory £1.50 booking fee for every ticket. Some shows are a bit cheaper, and Monday/Tuesday has 2-for-1 offers. But it's easy for a couple to spend well over a hundred quid per day seeing 3 or 4 shows.</p>\n\n<p>Festival food and drink prices are inflated - but there's no shortage of supermarkets if you want a meal deal. Restaurants were usual city centre prices. The bars at festival venues were fully taking advantage of their captive audience, but the pubs aren't much cheaper.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"the-app\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#the-app\">The App</a></h2>\n\n<p>In theory, the app / website is good. In reality they're both a bit frustrating to use. Every time I ticked the box saying \"remember my credit card details\" and every time it forgot them. Both app and website frequently timed out, failed to add tickets to baskets, and were a bit shonky. The <em>one</em> thing this needs to do is reliably take my money and give it to performers - but it felt like a battle every time.</p>\n\n<p>We missed one show because we couldn't buy a ticket in the app despite being in the queue. The door staff didn't have the ability to sell us a ticket (although some venues can) and directed us to a box office which was dealing with a bunch of people who were bemused that they couldn't pay in dollars.</p>\n\n<p>Inexplicably, the app doesn't have the ability to see show reviews, even though they're present on the website.</p>\n\n<p>There's a good \"Nearby Now\" feature which is handy when you're exhausted and don't want to trek far. By contrast, there's no easy way to see what's on near the next venue you're going to.</p>\n\n<p>Searching for shows often returns events which are cancelled or sold out.</p>\n\n<p>I wish it were possible to see which shows had undersold and were starting soon. I loved taking a punt on an unknown act who only had half-a-dozen people in the room. Sadly there's no way to grab last-minute deals.</p>\n\n<p>This isn't helped by the total collapse of mobile signal in Edinburgh centre. I tried with a variety of SIMs but frequently only got a trickle of data.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-to-see\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#what-to-see\">What To See</a></h2>\n\n<p>The <abbr title=\"Fear Of Missing Out\">FOMO</abbr> is real! Every show's poster makes it look amazing. The earnest performers desperately handing out leaflets for their own shows are <em>so</em> enthusiastic. Everyone you speak to in a queue has a \"must see\" which is probably sold out.</p>\n\n<p>We mostly avoided seeing big names. They'll be on telly soon enough or tour down in London. I don't think that act who was big in the 1990s needs my coin as much as some up-and-comer.</p>\n\n<p>You could easily fill a week seeing nothing but Shakespeare in a variety of styles. Or just watch middle-aged white guys have mental breakdowns on stage because they're on their 3rd divorce. Or, as it turns out, fill your boots with Heated Rivalry shows.</p>\n\n<p>We did the tasting menu and had a little bit of everything. It was mostly pretty good with only a few duds.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"reviews\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#reviews\">Reviews</a></h2>\n\n<p>Even the worst show we saw had a couple of people who declared it the funniest thing ever five stars lol. You can't account for someone else's taste.</p>\n\n<p>I enjoyed <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/EdFringe\">writing my reviews</a> - and I hope they were useful to others - but you're mostly on your own when it comes to what's good. I suppose if you wait until later in the festival there will be more of a consensus about what to see.</p>\n\n<p>My philosophy is to take a punt on basically anything that doesn't look too abhorrent. Even if it is shit, there's be something else along in a minute which will be better.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"distance\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#distance\">Distance</a></h2>\n\n<p>You'll get your 10k steps in before lunchtime - Edinburgh is a delightfully walkable city. With a bit of planning you can walk a straight line from show-to-show. We didn't plan and traipsed back and forth like the little lost tourists we were.</p>\n\n<p>Venues are mostly well sign-posted. Again, the app is a bit crap at pointing them out, but it'll open your mapping app to navigate you there.</p>\n\n<p>Many of the venues are in historic buildings, so don't expect lifts or escalators. Stairs all the way, baby!</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"harry-potter\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#harry-potter\">Harry Potter</a></h2>\n\n<p>Edinburgh seems like an inclusive and trans-friendly city. Half the acts on the Fringe proudly stated their LGBT+ credentials and most venues we went to had gender neutral loos.</p>\n\n<p>And then every other shop proudly boasts it is 100% definitely where JKR got the inspiration for Harry Potter. Tourists are schelpped between \"Diagon Alley\" and probably-the-cafe-where-she-wrote while slurping down dayglo butterbeers.</p>\n\n<p>Truly the duality of life!</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"comfort\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#comfort\">Comfort</a></h2>\n\n<p>There's an ancient Edinburgh byelaw which prohibits cushions on seats. No chair may be wide enough to accommodate anything other than the skinniest arse. It also places a moratorium on legroom.</p>\n\n<p>Ok, some of the venues were more comfortable than others, but prepare for a bit of backache.</p>\n\n<p>Toilets are plentiful in most venues, and theres no shortage of pubs to pop in to if you need refreshment or relief.</p>\n\n<p>Scotland isn't known for its heat, but some of the venues desperately need air-conditioning in their foyers and auditoriums. A few were handing out free water to the swealtering punters - but probably best to bring your own</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"would-i-come-here-again\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/thoughts-on-the-edinburgh-fringe-as-a-newbie/#would-i-come-here-again\">Would I Come Here Again?</a></h2>\n\n<p>Yeah! I reckon so! Probably not next year, and probably with more of a plan about which \"must sees\" I wanted to see.</p>\n\n<p>Staying closer to the centre is more expensive, but might have made it easier to see some if the shows later in the night.</p>\n\n<p>There is <em>so</em> much talent, <em>so</em> much variety, and <em>so</em> much joy in the city that it becomes rather infectious.</p>\n\n<p>If you can afford the train fare, hotel costs, tickets, booking fees, pints, chips and all the other people desperate to stick their hands into your wallet - then it is a great adventure.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74021&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72687",
"title": "Book Review: Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth ★★★⯪☆",
"description": "I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It was recommended by my book club as something between tragedy and comedy. The characters are excruciatingly well written - if you (or your friends) shoplifted Impulse body-spray back in the 1990s, you'll be hit by a terrifying wave of nostalgia. It reminds me of this excellent essay by Marie Le Conte about consent. What can a teenage girl…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-slags-by-emma-jane-unsworth/",
"published": "2026-08-15T11:34:42.000Z",
"updated": "2026-06-29T19:43:11.000Z",
"content": "<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/slags.webp\" alt=\"Book cover featuring a teenage girl smoking.\" width=\"200\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-72688\">\n\n<p>I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It was recommended by my book club as something between tragedy and comedy. The characters are excruciatingly well written - if you (or your friends) shoplifted Impulse body-spray back in the 1990s, you'll be hit by a terrifying wave of nostalgia.</p>\n\n<p>It reminds me of this excellent <a href=\"https://youngvulgarian.substack.com/i/152315586/a-column\">essay by Marie Le Conte about consent</a>. What can a teenage girl consent to? What will fuck her up for years to come? What if she doesn't mind being a <em>little</em> fucked up?</p>\n\n<p>The prose is amazing, the plotting perfectly paced, and the denouement satisfying - with lots of retrospectives \"Oh! I get it now\"s.</p>\n\n<p>Despite the hectic and hilarious story, I still felt a little sordid reading it. There's a streak of sadness running through it, intertwined with some unbearably heartbreaking poetry.</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>It’s always raining and there’s nothing to do except dream and they don’t even give you much time to do that with all the coursework.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>It is entertaining and fun - but you need a strong stomach and a casual disregard for the overall happiness of your protagonists.</p>\n\n<p>One note - there are a few odd / broken styles in the ePub. Nothing too disruptive, but some passages have a slightly smaller font size for no discernable reason.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=72687&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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"label": "Book Club",
"term": "Book Club",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "Book Review",
"term": "Book Review",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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},
{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74018",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: Target Audience ★★★★★",
"description": "Easily the best show I've seen at the Fringe. For plot-related reasons, a television company asks a literary genius to create a \"pro-weapons sitcom\". It is a fast paced mix of the sitcoms 2012 and Episodes. The jokes come at a steady pace - some attack with the furiousity of bullets, others the the subtlety of a knife in the night. All four of the cast are spectacular. Turning the…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-target-audience/",
"published": "2026-08-14T18:45:41.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-14T18:10:20.000Z",
"content": "<p>Easily the best show I've seen at the Fringe.</p>\n\n<p>For plot-related reasons, a television company asks a literary genius to create a \"pro-weapons sitcom\".</p>\n\n<p>It is a fast paced mix of the sitcoms 2012 and Episodes. The jokes come at a steady pace - some attack with the furiousity of bullets, others the the subtlety of a knife in the night.</p>\n\n<p>All four of the cast are spectacular. Turning the sometimes-stock characters into powerful avatars. The amoral Zuckerbergian horror of data driven decision making is the perfect manure in which to grow comedy roses.</p>\n\n<p>It stands well against any classic farce and I hope it tours until the end of the world.</p>\n\n<p>A special shout out to the Pleasance Above for being the most comfortable venue in Edinburgh! Raked auditorium, cushioned seats, and air conditioning all make for a delightful theatrical experience.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74018&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74015",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: Stand-up Philosophy ★★★⯪☆",
"description": "For a pay-what-you-want show this was decent. Three comedians doing sets on the theme of philosophy - followed by a Q&A where the audience poses philosophical conundrums to them. It more-or-less works as a gimmick. Although an early afternoon crowd may have been more likely to ask questions anonymously. I've never seen a Sikh doing an unnervingly accurate impression of Trump before. Daman…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-stand-up-philosophy/",
"published": "2026-08-14T15:16:26.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-14T14:53:00.000Z",
"content": "<p>For a pay-what-you-want show this was decent. Three comedians doing sets on the theme of philosophy - followed by a Q&A where the audience poses philosophical conundrums to them.</p>\n\n<p>It more-or-less works as a gimmick. Although an early afternoon crowd may have been more likely to ask questions anonymously.</p>\n\n<p>I've never seen a Sikh doing an unnervingly accurate impression of Trump before. <a href=\"https://www.damanbamrah.com/\">Daman Bamrah</a> did a perfect routine which blended his philosophy with the perils of the bum-gun. An unexpected but hilarious combination.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.sidsingh.org/\">Sid Singh</a>'s set trod a fairly standard path through reactions to racism, but his discussion at the end about the inherent problems involved in writing controversial material was excellent.</p>\n\n<p>Tying it all together was <a href=\"https://www.alexfarrowcomedy.com/\">Alex Farrow</a> who perfectly brought together the various philosophical strands and proved why Albert Camus was a fan of Stewart Lee.</p>\n\n<p>A great set of acts at a decent price.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74015&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74091",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: Waiting for Wonka ★★★⯪☆",
"description": "This play is fucked up! Such a brilliant concept - what happened to the kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after they were rejected by Wonka? Stuck together in a Big-Brotheresque household, they trauma-dump on each other. New Zealand's Half Trick have shrunk their full-length play into a Fringe-standard 60 minutes. That does make it a little brusque and, simultaneously, a bit…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-waiting-for-wonka/",
"published": "2026-08-14T12:31:07.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-14T12:21:21.000Z",
"content": "<p>This play is <em>fucked up!</em> Such a brilliant concept - what happened to the kids from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory <em>after</em> they were rejected by Wonka? Stuck together in a Big-Brotheresque household, they trauma-dump on each other.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://halftrick.com/#wonka\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/naughty.webp\" alt=\"Waiting for Wonka poster saying naughty children get nothing.\" width=\"800\" height=\"1125\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-74093\"></a></p>\n\n<p>New Zealand's Half Trick have shrunk their full-length play into a Fringe-standard 60 minutes. That does make it a little brusque and, simultaneously, a bit repetitive. The characters don't get quite enough room to breathe. Mike Teavee has, of course, become an incel online troll - perfect! - but the rest haven't changed much.</p>\n\n<p>The horrors of industrial accidents mixed with corporate malfeasance makes for an excellent comedy. The cast inhabit their characters perfectly, each totally believable as a childhood favourite who has become a deeply troubled adult.</p>\n\n<p>I'd be delighted to read a full length novelisation of the script. It is a witty and terrifying update to a book I devoured as a child. Only now do I realise that it was also devouring me. Truly when you gaze into the lake of chocolate…</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74091&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74012",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas ★★★★⯪",
"description": "Quite simply marvellous! Three Scottish divas giving us their interpretations of the greats while backed by an excellent pianist. So many shows at the Fringe skimp on sets and props - not this! A luscious array of costumes, hats, wigs, and ruby slippers bring the characters to life. The framing is thin but serviceable - the backstage helpers are reminiscing about their favourite stars and bring …",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-doris-dolly-and-the-dressing-room-divas/",
"published": "2026-08-13T22:23:25.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-13T21:32:42.000Z",
"content": "<p>Quite simply marvellous! Three Scottish divas giving us their interpretations of the greats while backed by an excellent pianist.</p>\n\n<p>So many shows at the Fringe skimp on sets and props - not this! A luscious array of costumes, hats, wigs, and ruby slippers bring the characters to life.</p>\n\n<p>The framing is thin but serviceable - the backstage helpers are reminiscing about their favourite stars and bring them back to stage. It is a fun and campy evening, without ever straying into parody or obsequiousness.</p>\n\n<p>Sadly a few technical gremlins crept in, but the cast are absolute troopers and dispensed with them.</p>\n\n<p>Oh, and there's an incredible Sweary Poppins who steals the show.</p>\n\n<p>In amongst the Fringe's high concept art, fiendish new writing, and blokey-standup, it was a real treat to see a good old fashioned revue.</p>\n\n<p>Highly recommend.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74012&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74064",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: The Musical Mystery Caller ★★★★★",
"description": "Walking down the street, I noticed a ringing phone box so, naturally, I answered it. What happened next was a few minutes of pure fringe magic! I had a little chat with the caller, he welcomed me to the smallest venue in the fringe, and then he improvised a banger of a song based on my peculiar proclivities. What a treat to have a front row experience at a one man (and one audience member)…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-the-musical-mystery-caller/",
"published": "2026-08-13T20:21:53.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-13T19:01:23.000Z",
"content": "<p>Walking down the street, I noticed a ringing phone box so, naturally, I answered it.</p>\n\n<p>What happened next was a few minutes of pure fringe magic!</p>\n\n<p>I had a little chat with the caller, he welcomed me to the smallest venue in the fringe, and then he improvised a banger of a song based on my peculiar proclivities.</p>\n\n<p>What a treat to have a front row experience at a one man (and one audience member) show. The song was heartfelt and beautiful, played and sung with panache - albeit down a twisted copper pair of limited bandwidth.</p>\n\n<p>He didn't reverse the charges, so it didn't cost me a penny! Which, given the high prices of most shows, was an absolute bargain 😃</p>\n\n<p>If you hear a phone ringing, you should always answer it and say hello.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Imagepipe_59.webp\" alt=\"Me in a phone box listening intently.\" width=\"1542\" height=\"2048\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-74067\">\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74064&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74045",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: Miscast Sondheim ★★☆☆☆",
"description": "I'm not sure what they're teaching at LAMDA, but it certainly isn't vocal projection. We were forewarned about the technical difficulties - but if a trained stage singer can't reach the 6th row of a tiny theatre, that can't be blamed on the backstage team. The show advertises itself as: What happens when you take Sondheim’s most beloved music and turn it on its head? Ingénues become villains, vi…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-miscast-sondheim/",
"published": "2026-08-13T18:45:15.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-13T18:05:07.000Z",
"content": "<p>I'm not sure what they're teaching at LAMDA, but it certainly isn't vocal projection. We were forewarned about the technical difficulties - but if a trained stage singer can't reach the 6th row of a tiny theatre, that can't be blamed on the backstage team.</p>\n\n<p>The show advertises itself as:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>What happens when you take Sondheim’s most beloved music and turn it on its head? Ingénues become villains, villains deliver delicate ballads, and comic sidekicks step into tragedy.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>But, bluntly, that's not what was delivered. The gender swapping and colour-blind casting was fine, but there was no sense that this was a twist on the songs. They were all delivered in a straightforward fashion.</p>\n\n<p>In fairness, there were a couple of truly excellent singers - Adam Boggs McDonald was spectacular and Paulina Hill was an absolute showstopper. The twist on Agony by Angelia Castillo and Adelia Castillo worked well.</p>\n\n<p>Sadly the rest was over promised and under delivered.</p>\n\n<p>Another show seen purely in the basis that we had an hour free and the venue was close. That's generally a pretty sound strategy for seeing shows - but you have to accept the risk that you might not like what you get.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74045&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74009",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe: Hot Flush – A Bold, We’re Old(ish) Burlesque Show ★★★☆☆",
"description": "Are menopausal women hot? It is often said that pornographic actresses move straight from \"barely legal\" to \"MILF\" without so much as moment in between. Unlike the fringe's other burlesque shows - which seem to exclusively feature nymphettes and twinks with nary a grey hair between them - Hot Flush focuses on the over 40s. Look, you probably don't want to read a review of how tempting I found…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-hot-flush-a-bold-were-oldish-burlesque-show/",
"published": "2026-08-13T16:45:02.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-13T16:25:57.000Z",
"content": "<p>Are menopausal women hot? It is often said that pornographic actresses move straight from \"barely legal\" to \"MILF\" without so much as moment in between. Unlike the fringe's other burlesque shows - which seem to exclusively feature nymphettes and twinks with nary a grey hair between them - Hot Flush focuses on the over 40s.</p>\n\n<p>Look, you probably don't want to read a review of how tempting I found each temptress, nor a multivariant testing of their erotic powers - so let's just say this…</p>\n\n<p>The lecture in the middle about the menopause and how to cope with it was very educational.</p>\n\n<p>The performers were all talented and the costumes (before removal) were sufficiently sufficient for their purpose.</p>\n\n<p>The main problem is that it is staged at the <em>least</em> sexy venue on the fringe. A basement meeting room which looks more suitable for a regional sales conference than a burlesque. Perhaps if they were going for a Belinda Blinked cabaret it might have worked better.</p>\n\n<p>The performers coped well with the technical difficulties (no doubt caused by a moralising theatre ghost) and recovered their momentum well.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74009&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=74006",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe - Eleanor Morton: The Mermaid ★★★⯪☆",
"description": "The undisputed queen of short-form viral video comedy snacks takes to the stage. Well, swims to the stage. The Mermaid is a delightful and gentle amble through the confusing world of a girl who just wants to become a mermaid. Less standup and more storytelling, nevertheless it packs in the laughs with some rather clever jokes, a bit of bawdy humour, and - a rarity on The Fringe - a decently…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-eleanor-morton-the-mermaid/",
"published": "2026-08-13T14:55:59.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-13T13:44:52.000Z",
"content": "<p>The undisputed queen of short-form viral video comedy snacks takes to the stage. Well, swims to the stage.</p>\n\n<p>The Mermaid is a delightful and gentle amble through the confusing world of a girl who just wants to become a mermaid. Less standup and more storytelling, nevertheless it packs in the laughs with some rather clever jokes, a bit of bawdy humour, and - a rarity on The Fringe - a decently designed set!</p>\n\n<p>It stands out by being well-rehearsed (surprisingly not a given here) and with no technical glitches during the performance (and, again, I cannot stress enough how unique that is). Eleanor Morton is an absolute professional who knows how to put on a quality show.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=74006&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=72659",
"title": "Book Review: Coding Literacy by Annette Vee ★★⯪☆☆",
"description": "This is a disappointing and frustrating book - not least because it so nearly hits the mark. The subtitle is \"How Computer Programming Is Changing Writing\" - but it never gets close to discussing that topic, let alone deeply examining it. Instead, it is a book mostly focussed on the history of what we mean by \"literacy\" and, by contrast, what it meant to be \"illiterate\". As per the standard…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/book-review-coding-literacy-by-annette-vee/",
"published": "2026-08-13T11:34:09.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-13T11:41:26.000Z",
"content": "<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/m_9780262340236-cover.jpeg\" alt=\"Book cover.\" width=\"304\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-72660\">\n\n<p>This is a disappointing and frustrating book - not least because it so <em>nearly</em> hits the mark.</p>\n\n<p>The subtitle is \"How Computer Programming Is Changing Writing\" - but it never gets close to discussing that topic, let alone deeply examining it. Instead, it is a book mostly focussed on the history of what we mean by \"literacy\" and, by contrast, what it meant to be \"illiterate\".</p>\n\n<p>As per the standard for academic monographs, it is more interested in endlessly discussing the semantics of a term than engaging with its impacts. The historic stuff is genuinely fascinating. But the endless diversions about what Academic A thinks and how Academic B rebuts is a little tedious. There are clear parallels between a pre-literate society relying on the village scribe and the modern family having that one cousin who \"knows computers\" - but it is only weakly explored.</p>\n\n<p>There are moments when it seems like the author is really going to delve in to what coding literacy actually means:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>The relationship between programming as a practice and computer science as a discipline is a central tension in the contemporary programming campaigns that invoke literacy,</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>But it rarely goes beyond surface level. Most people can write - but only few can write a novel. Many can engage is literary criticism - but few take it any further. How does that model fit on to coding? The book doesn't discuss, but there's an easy parallel there. Only a few people can write an app, but many can use it. Anyone can write a review of an app, but not many can do so from a position of literacy.</p>\n\n<p>This was published in 2017, so written a decade or so before LLMs became seemingly ubiquitous. Nevertheless, there are some historic titbits which seem to fit nicely into today's world:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>As early as 1961, Peter Elias claimed that training in programming languages would soon cease because “undergraduates will face the console with such a natural keyboard and such a natural language that there will be little left, if anything, to the teaching of programming. [At this point, we] should hope that it would have disappeared from the curricula of all but a moderate group of specialists.”</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>But, as the book <em>does</em> briefly discuss, the way the brain is changed by coding literacy forces people to think more in line with a computer. Even if you tell an LLM \"build me an app to do xyz\", you still need to think about what you're doing, why you're doing it, what edge-cases you need to consider, etc.</p>\n\n<p>But then it is back to the interminable academic squabbling about whether Wittgenstein's definition of an inconsequential term is compatible with Chomsky's.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps the biggest weakness is that there is almost a complete absence of code! A few examples of <abbr title=\"Beginners' All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code\">BASIC</abbr> would have done <em>so</em> much to demonstrate how a restricted language set changes how people write and therefore think.</p>\n\n<p>There's a brief exploration about how the typewriter and typesetting changed language and literacy - but where's the examination about how the tyranny of <abbr title=\"American National Standards Institute\">ANSI</abbr> layout curtailed the way programmers wrote? There's an amazing exploration to be done about why coders use <code>=></code> rather than <code>→</code> and how various other symbols got co-opted into their languages.</p>\n\n<p>Instead, it is back to the history books again.</p>\n\n<p>Here's another good example about how writing changed literacy:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Written texts provide fewer cues than oral delivery about how to “take” them; for example, ironically, sincerely, or jokingly. Readers must interpret texts, supplying the illocutionary force of the text themselves.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>It seems obvious to me that this is directly comparable with something like a code review. It isn't immediately clear what a programmer means when they write something down - and even comments can be misleading. What sort of \"oral traditions\" are we building up?</p>\n\n<p>The book then mostly abandons any pretence of talking about code. I think the author really wanted to write a history book but needed the (then) coolness of tying it to the various \"get kids to code\" campaigns.</p>\n\n<p>Towards the end, it <em>almost</em> returns to the topic at hand.</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>We choose our words in terms of what is potentially reportable on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter</p>\n\n<p>[…]</p>\n\n<p>Although few people know how to program the devices on which code and computation ride into our lives, their manifestations influence us anyhow. In various ways, we have learned to see ourselves as “computed” by the devices and networks on which we depend.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>As we might say nowadays \"Hey chat! Guess the Cheeto didn't unalive himself today!\" - but that isn't really about coding. The people using those substitute words are ignorant of how algorithms really work and think that their clever doublespeak can bypass censorship.</p>\n\n<p>We desperately need more people to be literate in what coding means. Sadly this book only every lightly touches on what coding literacy does to our language, our thoughts, and our society.</p>\n\n<p>I'm giving it 2.5 stars because the history was genuinely interesting - but it completely fails to engage with the topic it promised.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=72659&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73981",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody ★★★★☆",
"description": "There are at least four different Heated Rivalry shows at the Fringe this year. Earlier this week we saw Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!. This is different because it is the unauthorized musical parody. Oh, and it is in the much larger Udderbelly venue. Some people spend the fringe watching every possible interpretation of Timon of Athens - we decided to go for doubles of …",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-unauthorized-musical-parody/",
"published": "2026-08-12T21:22:09.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-12T21:09:24.000Z",
"content": "<p>There are at least <em>four</em> different Heated Rivalry shows at the Fringe this year. Earlier this week we saw <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-heated-rivalry-the-musical-parody/\">Edinburgh Fringe - Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!</a>. This is different because it is the <em>unauthorized</em> musical parody.</p>\n\n<p>Oh, and it is in the much larger Udderbelly venue.</p>\n\n<p>Some people spend the fringe watching every possible interpretation of Timon of Athens - we decided to go for doubles of gay hockey sticks.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fef3a413-0f72-4faf-a33e-691bbd4af37c.jpg\" alt=\"Two hockey player biting a puck.\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-73984\">\n\n<p>So, how does it compare to its twin?</p>\n\n<p>It is good, but <em>deeply</em> conservative. The whole thing is framed through the eyes of a middle-age suburban mom which, sure, is probably a large part of the target audience but felt a bit retrograde. While the other show had a plentiful amount of <em>acrobatic</em> simulated sex with near-nude performers, this only has a couple of shirtless scenes and the actors are reduced to having a couple of trysts with literal mannequins. Weirdly, the one sex scene they perform together takes place behind a sheet. The leads kiss only twice which, for a parody of a show famed for its explicitness makes it all feel a bit Hays Code.</p>\n\n<p>The songs, however, are sumptuous. A full score accompanies the incredibly talented cast. This is <em>very</em> off-Broadway - with soaring melodies, powerful solos, and solid reprises. At times it feels more like a parody of Broadway shows than of the TV show.</p>\n\n<p>That isn't to say this is bad. It is <em>very</em> good. The script is full of delightful references and silly jokes. The lyrics at times are downright <em>filthy</em>! It is an excellent show and well worth seeing - but my heart remains with the <em>other</em> parody.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=73981&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
"image": null,
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"authors": [
{
"name": "@edent",
"email": null,
"url": "https://edent.tel/"
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=73961",
"title": "Edinburgh Fringe - James Rowland: Team Viking ★★⯪☆☆",
"description": "This is a technically precise and emotionally complex show with energetic delivery from a talented performer. Sadly, it did nothing for me. I found it a little one note in terms of storytelling. The rhythm of the story followed all the predictable beats which I thought was a little repetitive. There's no doubt he's a gifted storyteller. The comedy is suitably dark with some good moments of joy …",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/08/edinburgh-fringe-james-rowland-team-viking/",
"published": "2026-08-12T19:20:01.000Z",
"updated": "2026-08-12T17:30:11.000Z",
"content": "<p>This is a technically precise and emotionally complex show with energetic delivery from a talented performer.</p>\n\n<p>Sadly, it did nothing for me.</p>\n\n<p>I found it a little one note in terms of storytelling. The rhythm of the story followed all the predictable beats which I thought was a little repetitive.</p>\n\n<p>There's no doubt he's a gifted storyteller. The comedy is suitably dark with some good moments of joy and catharsis. It is probably the perfect show for some people but I wasn't the right audience for it.</p>\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=73961&HTTP_REFERER=Atom\" alt width=\"1\" height=\"1\" loading=\"eager\">",
"image": null,
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{
"name": "@edent",
"email": null,
"url": "https://edent.tel/"
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