March 2022

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Big News 
Ukraine in need. I usually focus on science and technology news but this month the story that has dominated the headlines has been the atrocities happening in the war between Russia and Ukraine. It’s an ever changing situation and each day there are new stories of death and destruction that break my heart. If you have the ability all I can recommend is trying to help those who are in need, whether it’s donating to Crisis Relief through the UN or supporting the refugees fleeing the war any help you can offer might make the world a little less terrible. 

Heatwaves at the Earths poles. In scientific, and almost as worrying, news both Antarctica and the Arctic have been hit by monumental heatwaves. It is likely just a coincidence that both poles were struck by heatwaves 30⁰C higher than normal, but it is a bad omen for the future of climate change. Sadly, it is predicted that large-scale climate shifts like this are only going to occur more frequently and be more variable. I would like to think that this type of event would be enough to scare governments into taking climate change more seriously, however the realist in me doubts it.  

 
Little News
UK online safety bill. This month UK Parliament have been scrutinising the Online Safety Bill which aims to make the internet a safer environment. If it becomes law the bill would force platforms, search engines and social media companies to assess the risks their services can create and take measures to minimise those risks. The government hopes this will help combat online abuse, reduce the spread of cybercrime and combat the growing exploitation of users data. There has been some doubt around the bill; while it has good intentions the internet is a rapidly changing environment and it is difficult for government legislation to keep up with the latest developments.  

What I’ve been enjoying this month 
Betrayal at house on the Hill. Now that COVID restrictions have eased I’m back to seeing friends semi-regularly (I’m stilling being cautious and testing regularly because I’m not a complete moron). The best thing about seeing friends for me is board games, and my current favourite is Betrayal at House on the Hill. During the first half of the game you work together as explorers in a haunted house, finding rooms, picking up items and experiencing supernatural events. But during the second half you a betrayed by a fellow explorer and have to fight for survival to escape a traitor and super natural entity. It can be a little complex but it’s an incredibly enjoyable game, and always leads to some hilarious moments. Plus it has dozens of different scenarios so it has brilliant re-play value.  

In case you missed it I wrote post recently where wrote letter to myself, it is my attempt to highlight everything I wish I’d known 4 years ago, before I started doing a PhD. Go check it out and let me know what you think.  

Until next month and with kindness,  

Steve  

P.S: If you want to read more content from me then check out my blog. 

January 2022

Big News
Tonga Volcano Eruption. On 14 January, Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai, an uninhabited island in the South pacific Tongan archipelago, began experiencing a volcanic eruption. On the following day a cataclysmic eruption occurred; sending tsunami waves cascading over Tongatapu, the Kingdom of Tonga’s main island. Ash continued to blanket the Tongan islands, bringing a halt to local agriculture, disrupting infrastructure and contaminating water. Research is underway to understand the sheer scale of the eruption and what other devastating effects could come next.  The following Tsuanami has caused immense damage and if you’d like to show your support by donating click here to find out more.

Microsoft acquisition of Activision. In gaming news Microsoft is buying Acitvision, well, assuming the deal is allowed to go ahead and doesn’t get put on hold by regulators. Microsoft is hoping that the £50.6 billion deal, Microsoft’s biggest to date, will allow them to venture into the Metaverse. The Metaverse is represents the clash of physical and digital worlds; similar to augmented and virtual reality but it isn’t just about gaming. The idea is still in its infancy so the tech industry is struggling to define what the Metaverse actually is, but Microsoft acquisition of the Activision shows their willingness to try and become pioneers in the field.

Little News:
Netflix stock takes a hit. This isn’t exactly little news, but it’s that you might have missed. Like everyone I spent a lot of time watching Netflix during the pandemic, a fact that led to a huge rise in subscribes and revenue for the streaming giant. But as this month Netflix predicted that they were expecting a growth of 2.5 million subscribers for the current quarter. That might seem like a lot, but it was significantly lower than the 5.9 million that was being forecast; this difference led to 20-24% decrease in their stock value. While their growth might slow down, they have me as a customer as long as they keep producing The Witcher. But who knows how this news will impact the projects they choose the fund over the next few years.

What I’ve been enjoying this month
Jack Box party pack 8: I’m a big board game fan, but I also love a good party game. Jack Box games provide games for large groups that are easy to play and in my experience always crowd pleasers. This month I purchased the most recent pack which included Animated Drawful (imagine pictionary but animated), Job Job a word play game in the style of a job interview, and Poll Mine a quiz show with a caving twist.  If you want to a host friends or need some entertainment at a family gathering I suggesting picking up any of the Jack Box games.

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