Cute Cat Friday 2014-12-26: Dexter

Happy Boxing Day! Dexter is showing the way to have a peaceful and relaxing time.

Inequality and misleading statistics

This striking infographic on inequality in the UK has been widely circulated; but it takes an almost nonsensical approach to its subject data. The result is an interesting lesson in how to mislead with statistics.

A graphic which raises more questions than it answers.

Cute Cat Friday 2014-12-19: Belle

Plotting to capture the Christmas robin.

Waste of space: An open letter to Nigel Farage

Busy traffic on the M4.
Source: Bristol Post

Dear Mr Farage,

As an immigrant to the UK, I am very angry at your remarks that "immigrants" caused you to be late for an event in Wales on 5 December.

Cute Cat Friday 2014-12-12: Dexter

Enjoying the sun on a winter morning.

Pinups and teaching to code

I did an online programming course recently; in one assignment, the students could choose their own graphics, and someone thought it was a good idea to use "pinup" images of scantily clad women. This has obvious parallels to the incident known as Shirtgate.

It is another indication that Shirtgate wasn't an isolated incident, but part of a general background of sexism in science and computing. The course included peer assessment; one of the other students flagged the photos as offensive, notified the course organisers, and started a discussion in the student forums.

I'm intentionally being vague about the course and its website, so the participants can stay anonymous. I'd been meaning to blog about this for some time, but Shirtgate makes it more topical. (Example pinup graphic is below the fold.)

Cute Cat Friday 2014-12-05: Belle

This cat is not out of the bag.