Katy Preen
Bio
Research scientist, author & artist based in Manchester, UK. Strident feminist, SJW, proudly working-class.
Stories (58/0)
Men in Suits
"… I was sacked (without explanation) by a man in a suit. Men in suits missold me pensions and endowments, costing me thousands of pounds. A man in a suit led us on a disastrous and illegal war. Men in suits led the banks and crashed the world economy. Other men in suits then increased the misery to millions through austerity…."
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
Carillion’s Collapse – What Does It Mean?
So, it has happened – a lot quicker than I thought it would. Although I should really have been keeping abreast of the news, I didn't actually hear last year's profit warnings or know that Carillion had been awarded a contract by Chris Grayling for HS2 in what turned out to be their dying days. Because of this, I didn't know that they were in trouble, and so their collapse did come as a surprise to me – apparently many other people saw it coming. In the end, the UK government decided not to bail them out, resulting in Carillion's liquidation. I hope that this was for sound economic reasons, rather than purely ideological ones, although we may never know as what matters now is the consequences. No point poring over what might have been; there's quite enough to put right whatever decision they might have reached. It is worth exploring the type of work that Carillion was employed for: this will allow us to see just how many pieces there are to pick up.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
Cosmetic Damage — Was the Grenfell Fire a Consequence of Gentrification?
Brutalist architecture is one of the most divisive styles currently in existence. I have no doubt that in future, we will come up with something even more controversial, or ugly, depending on your viewpoint. Grenfell Tower was originally designed in this style. I say originally, because the infamous cladding brought its external appearance more up-to-date, closer to the style of 21st-century builds.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
Relationship Red Flag—Too Much, Too Soon
I’ve been thinking a lot about my experiences using dating websites and dating men in general, and I’ve reflected on my own behaviour and that which I encountered from my potential partners. Soul-searching is great for helping you to grow in general, and specifically for helping you to avoid the same mistakes again. I don’t recall exactly what it was that triggered this thought, probably something I read on Twitter—I spend an unhealthy portion of my waking hours on Twitter, but hey, at least it’s not crack, amirite?
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
The Truth About Late-Term Abortions
I decided to write about abortion, not because I have any information that’s not already out there, or because I have a particularly unique angle on it. But there is a problem with how politicians and the media characterise late-term abortions and use it to demonise women and doctors, when it hardly makes a difference to the overall numbers, and is the worst possible demographic to go after. The facts are out there, but we so rarely hear about them – almost certainly because we prefer emotion over evidence – and the facts tell a heartbreaking truth in this case.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
Just Good Friends?
There has been much written on the Friendzone, and its counterpart the Fuckzone, by people of all genders and opinions on this dismal dichotomy. Experiencing the horrors of this trap is shitty for all concerned. In the interaction between two humans, one suffers rejection and refuses to deal with it, and another has to work around a set of feelings and expectations they never asked for. And there are the bystanders, the friends and allies of either party, sometimes helping, sometimes enabling.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
What's The Story, Working Class Tory?
There have been a number of commentators recently that have ridiculed people who vote for things that are bad for them, e.g. working-class Tory or Republican voters. The focus is sometimes on politicians and the media misinforming the uneducated masses. Of course, this is part of the problem, not just in terms of informing voting decisions, but in all areas of politics that affect the everyday citizen.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
Reflections on The Jeremy Kyle Show
What is it with Jeremys these days? They’re either heroes or villains; mostly villains at the moment, as evidenced by: Jeremy Hunt, the current Health Secretary and a new addition to the rhyming slang dictionary. Definitely a villain. Jeremy Clarkson, obnoxious relic of the past and belligerent anti-PC hero. A divisive choice, but probably mostly villain. Jeremy Paxman, host of University Challenge and asker of cutting, yet not always intelligent, questions on Newsnight. A hero at heart, but his aggressive style makes him seem a bit mean. Jeremy Beadle, sadly no longer with us, but a cheeky villain known for his annoying pranks and tiny right hand.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Geeks
Taken By Storm
As winter develops, we are getting our fair share of shitty weather here in the UK. A couple of months ago, we had warnings for Ireland & Scotland as Hurricane Ophelia advanced. It was the first storm of its magnitude to hit the UK in three decades — in fact, it was 30 years to the day since the last one. I remember that very well. It turned out that Ophelia wasn’t as hell-bent on destruction as the 1987 storm; it by-passed most of Great Britain without so much as a wheelie bin knocked over (Ireland was not quite as lucky — three people sadly died as a result of the high winds).
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
People Like Us: The Proximity of Empathy
The trial of Ratko Mladic was in the news a few weeks ago, as we saw his lengthy trial draw to a close a full 22 years after he committed his terrible crimes. Justice has been served on many of the major players in the Bosnian War, although there are still some trials ongoing (and some peculiar outcomes). I was a child during the time of the war, and living in the UK, so what I remember of it was gleaned from half-remembered news reports in the early 1990's (I'm glad my parents didn't switch the news off when I was in the room—it's important for children to learn things through the media, rather than face the issues ill-equipped as adults). I didn't appreciate the magnitude and nature of the events at the time—either some things were not reported, or I didn't give the reports my fullest attention—but now I watch and read evidence of the atrocities and I am horrified. A mere 50 years after the Holocaust, there was another genocide within Europe, this one within my lifetime. Have we learned nothing from (very recent) history? The killings were systematic and large-scale. The scenes could easily have been from 1940's Germany or Poland. It feels too soon for history to repeat itself. I hope it never happens again.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
The Trouble with Kids These Days
Last night, I watched an episode of 999: What’s Your Emergency? while working on one of my many literary projects. I’m not usually that interested in mainstream TV, but tonight’s episode covered underage criminals, and this was something of a hot topic where I grew up. Basically, the area was rough as fuck, and gangs of out-of-control children roamed the streets, vandalising and stealing stuff and starting fights with strangers. And these were children. Not even teenagers, but kids. As a result of my experiences growing up, I still have a fear of groups of young people. I’ve been primed to expect danger. Even living nowadays in an inner-city area, that sort of trouble is unthinkable to most people that I know—and yet on the council estates that we choose to forget, this is everyday life.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Criminal
Disabled Workers: Damned If We Do, Damned If We Don't
Another day, another class-baiting insult from the Conservative government. There's not 24 hours goes by without the Tories stirring up hatred towards some disadvantaged group, but don't worry: this will all be over by Wednesday when the government implodes, according to Jean-Claude Juncker. But it's too early to celebrate — there's no guarantee on what the replacement will be like, and the potential candidates are like choosing between a hyena, a shark, and a colony of vultures. But let's focus on the present, while we still have a semi-functioning government.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp