Looking Sideways: 10 Things

Here are ten things I thought were worth sharing this week.

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1. Yuval Noah Harari on how AI has ‘hacked the operating system of human civilisation’ is worth a read. Hyperbolic? Sure. But he wrote Sapiens, so I’ll let him off.

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2. I’m over in France at our new place, where we’re at the beginning of a long old renovation project. It’s meant long, summery, manual labour-filled days, soundtracked by possibly my favourite radio show ever - the BBC’s peerless Test Match Special. I also enjoyed this in-depth TMS gander at Shane Warne’s ‘Ball of the century’ 30 years later. Does anybody do this stuff better than the BBC? I think not. Listen above.

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3. In a typically forward-thinking move, my friends at Finisterre have just launched their new Yulex wetsuit rental programme. It’s a brilliant way of making the material more accessible for people thinking of trying this sustainable alternative to chloroprene rubber (aka neoprene). Find out more here.

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4. Brandon Turner’s SMiLE interview is a great show of openness and vulnerability.

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5. Over the last few years I’ve had more than one conversation with well-meaning friends asking me to explain ‘why blackface is wrong’. Thank you then, David Olusoga, for forensically explaining the deep-rooted, historical racism at the heart of this toxic practice. Click here.

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6. Patrick Radden Keefe for The New Yorker on how dealer Larry Gagosian ‘reshaped the art world?’ I could not be more in.

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7. The unfolding story about GB News’ Dan Wootton says a lot about the priorities of the British media. There’s a lot of interesting commentary doing the rounds, including this by Marina Hyde, and this perceptive piece by Alan Rusbridger.

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8. Last call for London Calling, the Steve Douglas-helmed celebration of all things British skateboarding. Find out more here.

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9. The new Surfers Against Sewage campaign, which saw the charity fill Plymouth’s Jubilee Pool with 8000 plastic bottles to highlight their latest Brand Audit, was brilliantly executed.

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10. I’m really surprised at the lack of coverage of Zharnel Hughes breaking the 30 plus-year old British 100 and 200m records in the last month. These are incredible, once-in-a-generation achievements, after all. Watch the 100m race above.

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Got a story or link you think might work for my weekly Ten Things, which goes out to thousands of readers each week? Let me know!