2014: The Year That Was
Britons don’t do introspection very well, and this feels like a lot like navel gazing, but fellow freelancer, community organiser and online friend Kyle Chayka has encouraged people to submit their year in review.
Lost
(Northern Correspondent) — Originally commissioned by The Sunday Times Magazine, circumstances meant that Northern Correspondent, a new longform-focused magazine set up by friends, became the home for this story about a young filmmaker who took to the streets to highlight homelessness—but became the story himself.
What is the appeal of Candy Crush Saga?
(BBC) — It’s a valid question. I tried to explain why people measure out their lives in bon-bons for the BBC’s Magazine section over the Christmas holidays of 2013, after most people would have completed their year in reviews, thus its inclusion here.
Beep Beep
(Featurestori.es) — A 67-cent pack of Juicy Fruit panicked the nation and changed the way the world shopped. And two weeks before the 40th anniversary of the UPC barcode, I decided to talk to George Laurer, the man behind it, unpicking the story of technological revolution.
The App Men of Odessa
(The Verge) — I was sent to Ukraine by The Verge’s Laura June to cover an unknown startup that had consistently led the App Store rankings. I touched down, then flew off, in the week-and-a-bit between the first jolts of a popular revolution, and a Russian invasion.
A watch for blind people
(BBC) — The Bradley Timepiece was shortlisted for a prestigious design award, but it’s its functionality that makes it special. It allows blind people to tell the time non-instrusively. I spoke to its maker, and its inspiration, for the BBC.
The Internet Is Being Protected By Two Guys Named Steve
(BuzzFeed) — The Heartbleed bug became a thing on April 8th, 2014. BuzzFeed’s feature editor, Steve Kandell, asked if I could take a look. By April 25th, with the help of Associate Features Editor Sandra Allen, BuzzFeed had the exclusive story behind OpenSSL’s development and public downfall from a group of individuals who had shut themselves off to the media — and three exclusives to cap off the story.
