Pavement Panic – My Second Entry into the 2026 BASIC10 Competition
My second entry into the 2026 BASIC10 Liner Competition is Pavement Panic, a fast-paced ghost-dodging survival game for the Amstrad CPC written in just 10 lines of BASIC. Inspired by simple road-crossing games, it starts gently, then quickly turns chaotic as the ghosts speed up and survival time becomes your score.
Voltmaze – My Third Entry into the 2026 BASIC10 Competition
Voltmaze is my third entry into the 2026 BASIC10 Liner Competition… a procedurally generated maze game for the Amstrad CPC written in just 10 lines of BASIC. Inspired by classic 8-bit design and powered by a stack-driven depth-first search algorithm, it’s a small game with surprisingly sharp teeth… electrified walls, flickering hazards, roaming hunters, and a new maze every level.
That Bargain SD Card Might Be Lying to You… Here’s How to Check
Cheap storage can come at a hidden cost. In this post, I explore the risks of fake and refurbished SD cards, how fraudsters manipulate capacity, and how you can test your storage on Windows, macOS, and Linux before trusting it with your data.
The Tipping Escalation Ladder (Part 1 of 3)
Tipping used to be a simple thank-you for exceptional service. Today, it increasingly feels like something else… suggested by payment terminals, engineered into apps, and socially enforced in ways that quietly shift labour costs from employers to customers. In this piece, I explore what I call the Tipping Escalation Ladder and ask whether optional gratitude is becoming engineered expectation.
Calendar Compiler
Create gorgeous, personalised printable calendars with CalendarCompiler! This open-source Python tool lets you mix your own artwork, public holidays, and special events (like “International Day Of…” and birthdays) in a fully customisable layout. Free to use and easy to configure, just update a settings file and hit run. Grab the latest version or contribute at: https://github.com/muckypaws/CalendarCompiler
Knee Deep: My 2025 NHS Surgery Story
In 2025, I returned for my second NHS knee replacement, expecting progress and lessons learned from the past. What I found was déjà vu in all the worst ways — disjointed care, withheld pain relief, forgotten paperwork, and the sinking feeling that the system is more fragmented than ever. This is not just a personal story. It’s a warning.
🏥 When Trust Gets Hacked, What the M&S Breach Tells Us About Modern Retail Risk
In the wake of the M&S data breach, it’s clear retailers are still collecting excessive personal data while offering little accountability when things go wrong. This post explores the real risk to consumers, regulatory shortcomings, and why it's time for a digital FSCS-style safety net.
Cynthia Spencer Project
What happens when you make a few phone calls to Friends to help create something to benefit a Charity providing Palliative and End-of-Life Care to people? We created this amazing Jewellery where all profits benefit Cynthia Spencer Hospice, that's what! Have a read to find out more.
Legacy Software Now Restored….
For as long as I remember, and owned a computer, I’ve always written tools, utilities and games for whatever machine. Starting out on a Commodore Pet and VIC-20, learning Basic […]
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