Alistair Dabbs
@alidabbs.bsky.social
Freelance journalist | tech & media trainer | CTT+ | Managing Editor, reportingfromparis.fr | Chair, NUJ Paris Branch | Montpellier | https://autosaveisforwimps.com | https://authory.com/AlistairDabbs
Which Hawaiian shirt should I opt for? The pink-and-orange one that fools your friends into thinking you spiked their cocktails with LCD? Or the one that looks like your faux-drug-addled friends projectile-vomited over you? autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/nothing-sc...
Nothing screams ‘sophistication’ like a Hawaiian shirt that looks like you vomited over it
Curious Museum of Korean Spam S03 EP03
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
October 5, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Which Hawaiian shirt should I opt for? The pink-and-orange one that fools your friends into thinking you spiked their cocktails with LCD? Or the one that looks like your faux-drug-addled friends projectile-vomited over you? autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/nothing-sc...
I have long suspected that emails were not arriving. So I downgraded the spam filter from ‘Full Assassin’ rating to ‘Flick The Back Of Your Ears’ mode. Now all my emails arrive with the Subject lines amended to include the text ‘***SPAM***’. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/all-my-ema...
All my emails are being marked as SPAM and being sent to my SPAM folder – except for those that ARE actually SPAM
Did you get my email? Well, I didn’t get yours, either
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
October 5, 2026 at 3:56 PM
I have long suspected that emails were not arriving. So I downgraded the spam filter from ‘Full Assassin’ rating to ‘Flick The Back Of Your Ears’ mode. Now all my emails arrive with the Subject lines amended to include the text ‘***SPAM***’. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/all-my-ema...
“Hmm, you’re looking a bit blotchy,” says my on-screen doctor.
I explained I was suffering from a bad case of posterization due to lossy over-compression in the codec arising from poor bandwidth. I suggested he should stand closer to his window. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/you-forced...
I explained I was suffering from a bad case of posterization due to lossy over-compression in the codec arising from poor bandwidth. I suggested he should stand closer to his window. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/you-forced...
You forced me to use this presidential healthcare app and now you're asking for a printout?
Just shake the meds, Mr Sloper, and enjoy your holiday
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 25, 2026 at 5:37 PM
“Hmm, you’re looking a bit blotchy,” says my on-screen doctor.
I explained I was suffering from a bad case of posterization due to lossy over-compression in the codec arising from poor bandwidth. I suggested he should stand closer to his window. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/you-forced...
I explained I was suffering from a bad case of posterization due to lossy over-compression in the codec arising from poor bandwidth. I suggested he should stand closer to his window. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/you-forced...
Welcome to ‘Super Intelligence’, the new expression for saying “I have shit for brains.” [Con in 60 Seconds] autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/super-dupe...
Super-duper-wuper Intelligence: a rebranding guide for fools, conceived by morons, written by dead-heads
Adjectives Matter. Hang on, I mean ALL Adjectives Matter
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 25, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Welcome to ‘Super Intelligence’, the new expression for saying “I have shit for brains.” [Con in 60 Seconds] autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/super-dupe...
Little did I know that this pinnacle of electronic design, built on the shoulders of Franklin, Volta, Faraday, Ayrton and Tesla, would go on to become a mainstay of sub-£15 office Secret Santa gifts across the First World. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/korean-spa...
Korean Spam returns for Season 3! Dawn of the Planet of the Secret Santa USB tech tat
Curious Museum of Korean Spam S03 EP01
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 25, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Little did I know that this pinnacle of electronic design, built on the shoulders of Franklin, Volta, Faraday, Ayrton and Tesla, would go on to become a mainstay of sub-£15 office Secret Santa gifts across the First World. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/korean-spa...
It is frustrating being asked to upload proofs of identity to a platform designed to ignore whatever proofs of identity you upload. [Autosave is for Wimps] autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/coinbase-t...
Coinbase: “To confirm that you are not a dodgy customer, send us your bank and credit card details”
How stupid do you think I am? REVOLUT stupid?
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 25, 2026 at 5:21 PM
It is frustrating being asked to upload proofs of identity to a platform designed to ignore whatever proofs of identity you upload. [Autosave is for Wimps] autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/coinbase-t...
Am I the only person who every time they see a headline today referring to 'Trump - Xi' assume that Donald has formed a cricket team?
September 24, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Am I the only person who every time they see a headline today referring to 'Trump - Xi' assume that Donald has formed a cricket team?
Ici à ESJ Montpellier pour une visite. Profession Pigiste à l'honneur. :-) @pigiste.org
September 22, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Ici à ESJ Montpellier pour une visite. Profession Pigiste à l'honneur. :-) @pigiste.org
Journalists on The Lancet are on strike over a poor pay offer. They are being supported by scientists across the world, and of course by their trade union, the NUJ. www.nuj.org.uk/resource/liv...
Live coverage from The Lancet strike
NUJ members working at the Lancet are out on strike today (22 September) over pay - the first time workers have been forced to walk out in the company’s 200-year history.
www.nuj.org.uk
September 22, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Journalists on The Lancet are on strike over a poor pay offer. They are being supported by scientists across the world, and of course by their trade union, the NUJ. www.nuj.org.uk/resource/liv...
Ig Nobel 2026 winner: “My team spent 20 years documenting that rising wealth and increasing money seem to make people more self-interested, entitled and greedy. Wealth seems to free people from the burdensome shackles of caring about other humans.” autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/the-ig-nob...
The Ig Nobels 2026 air their dirty laundry in Zürich... as MC Marc Abrahams admits he’s quite keen on a ‘fun guy’
Improbable Research team pulls out all the stops in Switzerland
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 5, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Ig Nobel 2026 winner: “My team spent 20 years documenting that rising wealth and increasing money seem to make people more self-interested, entitled and greedy. Wealth seems to free people from the burdensome shackles of caring about other humans.” autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/the-ig-nob...
The European Commission announced that ChatGPT would be designated as a VLOSE. That stands for ‘Very Large Online Search Engine’ and you can’t knock the Europeans for not having a sense of humour. A VLOSE, you see, is used by VLOSERS. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/how-dare-t...
How DARE the European Union treat AI as a measly search engine? “Chat GPT, show me the Digital Services Act right NOW”
And mind out for that flock of burning penguins
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 3, 2026 at 7:57 PM
The European Commission announced that ChatGPT would be designated as a VLOSE. That stands for ‘Very Large Online Search Engine’ and you can’t knock the Europeans for not having a sense of humour. A VLOSE, you see, is used by VLOSERS. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/how-dare-t...
20 years ago, I repeatedly received spam email from South Korea, in Korean language, trying to sell me England national team football shirts. The ad even featured a youthful-looking Michael Owen and David Beckham's exploding groin. Read the story here. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/a-load-of-...
A load of old balls? Not at all. But they wanted me to buy the shirt and shorts [FREE POST]
The year when Korean spam went football crazy for the wrong team
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
September 1, 2026 at 2:02 PM
20 years ago, I repeatedly received spam email from South Korea, in Korean language, trying to sell me England national team football shirts. The ad even featured a youthful-looking Michael Owen and David Beckham's exploding groin. Read the story here. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/a-load-of-...
When this spam email turned up one morning in 2005, I had no idea who these people were supposed to represent but I knew straight away that I didn’t like them. The main guy has a rictus grin of entitlement and a faux-floppy American Psycho haircut. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/bogey-flic...
Bogey-flicking Korean psycho wants you to learn from his CD-ROM
OK! OK OK!
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 31, 2026 at 2:34 PM
When this spam email turned up one morning in 2005, I had no idea who these people were supposed to represent but I knew straight away that I didn’t like them. The main guy has a rictus grin of entitlement and a faux-floppy American Psycho haircut. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/bogey-flic...
10am Sunday, beach club at opening time. They tell me it's raining in Paris.
August 30, 2026 at 8:46 AM
10am Sunday, beach club at opening time. They tell me it's raining in Paris.
Soulcié in mediapart.fr this week re: data hack of the outdated tech at France's Education Ministry. "I don't understand it! No-one used the floppy disk drive!"
August 29, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Soulcié in mediapart.fr this week re: data hack of the outdated tech at France's Education Ministry. "I don't understand it! No-one used the floppy disk drive!"
"The driver hands over my package, complaining that my house isn’t in the right place. I receive the package gratefully, apologising for my house’s wandering nature and promise to do everything I can to persuade it not to hide from him in future." autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/how-come-p...
How come picking the stupidest option from a range of sensible alternatives make you a success?
Return to sender? Oh we got their address wrong too
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 28, 2026 at 1:36 PM
"The driver hands over my package, complaining that my house isn’t in the right place. I receive the package gratefully, apologising for my house’s wandering nature and promise to do everything I can to persuade it not to hide from him in future." autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/how-come-p...
I want to borrow a DVD at my local library. Nobody knows where that specific DVD has gone. But nor will they remove its entry from their public searchable database… just in case the DVD turns up again one day. 'Con in 60 Seconds' autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/your-libra...
Your library says this item is available but it isn’t. Could you remove it from your listing? No, thought not
It might be lost, it might not. That’s half the fun of librarianing
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 27, 2026 at 6:55 PM
I want to borrow a DVD at my local library. Nobody knows where that specific DVD has gone. But nor will they remove its entry from their public searchable database… just in case the DVD turns up again one day. 'Con in 60 Seconds' autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/your-libra...
Three more exhibits from my Curious Museum of early-century Korean Spam were unlocked on Monday. Read series 1 epsodes 13, 14 & 15 for FREE now before they vanish back behind the paywall. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/perfect-fa...
Perfect families, a business backrub, and a lady on a rug: Korean Spam series 1 ep 13, 14 & 15
More silly reading on Mondays during the summer break
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 24, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Three more exhibits from my Curious Museum of early-century Korean Spam were unlocked on Monday. Read series 1 epsodes 13, 14 & 15 for FREE now before they vanish back behind the paywall. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/perfect-fa...
Data centers in space – a freezing cold vacuum. That solves the cooling problem, right? Er... except that neither conduction nor convection work in a vacuum. How do you persuade the heat to move into the cold of space? Autosave is for Wimps autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/why-arent-...
Why aren’t we putting data centers in SPAAAAACE? Because it’s BOOOLLOOOCKS!
In other news, I spilt coffee under my vowel keys
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 24, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Data centers in space – a freezing cold vacuum. That solves the cooling problem, right? Er... except that neither conduction nor convection work in a vacuum. How do you persuade the heat to move into the cold of space? Autosave is for Wimps autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/why-arent-...
“The camera doesn’t lie.” That’s according to the supermarket security guard who says I’ve been identified as a seven-foot tall, long-haired miscreant in a long coat and motorbike boots. I wish. 'Con in 60 Seconds' audio fun at Autosave is for Wimps autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/automatic-...
Automatic face recognition has turned me into a marked man on the run
Hey, I left my bag-for-life at the checkout!
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 24, 2026 at 1:30 PM
“The camera doesn’t lie.” That’s according to the supermarket security guard who says I’ve been identified as a seven-foot tall, long-haired miscreant in a long coat and motorbike boots. I wish. 'Con in 60 Seconds' audio fun at Autosave is for Wimps autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/automatic-...
Carole Cadwalladr's 7-point checklist for fighting back against digital lynchings when columnists in the mainstream right-wing press join the pile-on. [NB: Do not confuse journalists with columnists on these titles.] @nujofficial.bsky.social
broligarchy.substack.com/p/a-digital-...
broligarchy.substack.com/p/a-digital-...
A Digital Lynching
A practical guide for individuals and organisations when the mobs gather
broligarchy.substack.com
August 18, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Carole Cadwalladr's 7-point checklist for fighting back against digital lynchings when columnists in the mainstream right-wing press join the pile-on. [NB: Do not confuse journalists with columnists on these titles.] @nujofficial.bsky.social
broligarchy.substack.com/p/a-digital-...
broligarchy.substack.com/p/a-digital-...
These FREE exhibits from my Museum of Korean Spam will duck their heads back behind the paywall after six months so take advantage of them NOW. (Paid subscribers, of course, have unrestricted access to everything) autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/kitchen-my...
Kitchen mystery, gargantuan sport kids and finger-breaking sunglasses: Korean Spam catch-up on Series 1 Episodes 10, 11 & 12
More silly reading on Mondays during the summer break
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 17, 2026 at 12:42 PM
These FREE exhibits from my Museum of Korean Spam will duck their heads back behind the paywall after six months so take advantage of them NOW. (Paid subscribers, of course, have unrestricted access to everything) autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/kitchen-my...
"I look quizzically back at the man across the aisle. He is still pointing. I look downwards. We are now both looking at my crotch, as indeed are other commuters who find themselves lucky enough to be within earshot and crotch-observation distance." autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/judging-by...
Judging by the way your face lit up, my inbox just got more attractive
A message for you, (on your) rudie
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 14, 2026 at 12:31 PM
"I look quizzically back at the man across the aisle. He is still pointing. I look downwards. We are now both looking at my crotch, as indeed are other commuters who find themselves lucky enough to be within earshot and crotch-observation distance." autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/judging-by...
Smart glasses: another vacuous solution that nobody asked for, desperately seeking a demand. Sure, some people buy these but what are they really using them for? Find out how NOT to use them at 'Con in 60 Seconds'. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/nobody-lik...
Nobody likes a stranger wearing smart glasses, especially other strangers wearing smart glasses
You lookin' at me?
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 14, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Smart glasses: another vacuous solution that nobody asked for, desperately seeking a demand. Sure, some people buy these but what are they really using them for? Find out how NOT to use them at 'Con in 60 Seconds'. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/nobody-lik...
Korean Spam episodes 1 through to 9 are now free to read without a paid subscription at ‘Autosave is for Wimps’. If you haven’t yet signed up, do it now and I will let you know when the next free batch is released on Monday. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/free-money...
Free money, head-only deckchairs, and bogey-flicking English teachers: Korean Spam catch-up on Series 1 Episodes 7, 8 & 9
More silly reading on Mondays during the summer break
autosaveisforwimps.substack.com
August 14, 2026 at 12:07 PM
Korean Spam episodes 1 through to 9 are now free to read without a paid subscription at ‘Autosave is for Wimps’. If you haven’t yet signed up, do it now and I will let you know when the next free batch is released on Monday. autosaveisforwimps.substack.com/p/free-money...