Aah, new instance, new #Introduction post I guess.

I was on another instance that's closing down, so I've done the migration thing and decided to end up here.
As this server has the word 'hear' in the domain, and I'm a #Musician, it somehow seems fitting I do so.

I'm a #London-based musician that plays piano/keys, and finger-drumming also on keys.
I make #youtube videos on various things that interest me, make the #StroongeCast podcast with my wife, have two ridiculously amazing children and read voraciously. Being stereotypically British, I do like me a good cup of tea as well.

What genre I play is up for debate. Genres though, yes quite a few.
Jazz, Funk, Soul, R&B, Reggae, Pop occasionally, Drum and Bass recently.

This is too long already, so I'll just end by saying links to projects in bio for the interested.

Thanks for your time, and feel free to say hi.

How bus use has changed in London & in big cities outside of London since deregulation. (from which London was exempt).

From @thomasforth (posted at the other place)

Its quite an extraordinary 'natural experiment' - from which we can draw the conclusion (without too much difficulty) that #privatisation is not the way forward if #busses are to be part of the #greentransition

(and don't get me started on #London exceptionalism....)

The Maker's Bill of Rights - discovered in the Design Museum, #london

#AboutToday #Maker #Design

Just finished reading a recent (2023) article on organizing #GigWork #GigWorkers by Rafael Grohmann, Mateus Mendonça, and Jamie Woodcock. It investigated how digital communication platforms play a more central role in organizing delivery platform drivers/riders, (1) due to the preconditions of having a smartphone to engage in the work at all, and (2) due to the affordances/circumstances of both the gig work platforms themselves and the various social media platforms that the workers flock to.

It investigated (1) the lack of direct communication with bosses and its replacement with algorithmic management, (2) the migration of gig workers to social media in search of solidarity (typically into cohorts along territorial and personal lines), and (3) how both (1) and (2) ultimately led to meaningful in-person labour struggle in the form of successful pickets of local vendors and public shaming protests of their working conditions.

Social media organizing took the place of the traditional shop floor and break room chats; group admins took the place of traditional union stewards; public shaming campaigns took the place of traditional strikes.

Ultimately, the "public shaming" approach, organized over social media and branching out into social media and traditional media relations, while ultimately not bringing immediate, material *wins* to the *workers*, *did* nevertheless take *off* 2 billion dollars of the #Deliveroo IPO in #london

Their conclusion notes that social media conglomerates were not built with worker activism in mind, and that any successes built upon their backs are thus contingent. I strongly agree there, and also agree with their suggestion of building alternatives. I think community-owned and co-operated delivery platforms could be such a viable alternative, especially if mandated, preferred, or at least permitted by local statutes.

The methodology of embedding within the struggles, personal interviews, and systemic monitoring of social media I think lends credence to their analysis.

Journal URL: ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/articl…

PDF URL: ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/articl…

#socialism #communism #marxism #capitalism #TradeUnionism #TradeUnions #LaborUnions #LabourUnions #union #unions

Cycling is now the single largest mode of travel during peak times in the City of London, according to a new report.

Cyclists represent 40% of traffic during peak hours and 27% of traffic throughout the day.

Since 1999, the number of motorists has dropped 64% and the number of cyclists has increased 386%.

#Urbanism #UrbanDesign #ClimateChange #Cycling #BikeTooter #UK #London #Mobility #Transportation

forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2…

Cyclists Now Outnumber Motorists In City Of London

At peak times, people cycling represent 40% of road traffic in the City and 27% throughout the day.

^{Carlton Reid (Forbes)}

State of Open Con starts tomorrow in #London.

If you don’t have your ticket it’s not too late to register at stateofopencon.com

Free tickets for students, community, those between roles, etc contact admin@openuk.uk

#OpenSource #StateOfOpenCon #SOOCon23