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Emily Frances Algar

Music Journalist and Communications Expert

Medium •

How to create a successful cyber security awareness environment?

It’s easy to blame an individual rather than asking whether your organisation and its senior leadership team have:a) looked at the security posture of the organisation and what they SHOULD be doing to empower their employeesb) acknowledged that scams are becoming more and more sophisticated and it isn’t just the “gullible” who become victims. In other words, it’s not if but when.The aim should be to move from a shame-based culture to a no-blame culture. Instead of berating someone for clicking o...
Atwood Magazine •

Interview: Nerina Pallot Discusses Her Eighth Album, ‘A Psalm for Emily Salvi’ - Atwood Magazine

I interviewed Pallot seven years ago when her album Stay Lucky was released in 2018. Pallot is a British singer-songwriter-producer-multi-instrumentalist who has been making music since the early 2000s. Her second full-length album Fires, which was self-funded and released independently sent shockwaves through the British music industry with both critical and commercial acclaim. Pallot has since released six full-length records and dozens of EPs. She has also written for Kylie Minogue, Diana Vic...
Medium •

Should there be secrets in cyber security?

Cyber attacks such as data breaches, IT outtages, ransomware are commonplace. No industry is immune to these attacks and they transcend the private and public sectors.Key takeways from each of these cyber attacks has been third party supply chains that are not secure, outdated software that can’t be or has not been patched, and lack of basic security such as two-factor authentication (2FA).My question is, how open should organisations be when they experience a cyber attack? And finally, do they...
Atwood Magazine •

Review: Kelsea Ballerini Breaks With Old Habits on Her Fifth Album, ‘PATTERNS’ - Atwood Magazine

“Sorry, Mom, you know that I had sex before I bought the white dress. I know you’re not impressed with my lack of sticking to the Bible,” sings country superstar Kelsea Ballerini in the second verse off her single, “Sorry Mom.”

You don’t get much more honest and vulnerable than talking about sex, religion and your relationship with your mom less than two minutes into your new song. “Sorry Mom” feels as much Ballerini telling her mom that these traditional values aren’t healthy, as it is her apo...
Atwood Magazine •

Introducing Sydney Quiseng: Echosmith’s Frontwoman on Her New Solo Career - Atwood Magazine

There is a beauty in the lyrics not being too specific, which is something that is perhaps Quiseng’s signature in her songwriting from writing for her band Echosmith.

Quiseng was born and raised in Southern California where she formed the band Echosmith with her brothers and c0wrote the triple-platinum-hit “Cool Kids”, which launched the band into touring the world and writing three albums, the third of which was released last year. Quiseng is now embarking on her own solo career.

Writing and...
Medium •

Why telling stories is important in cyber security: part two

Jen Easterly, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), recently did a keynote speech at the mWISE Conference from Mandiant. The keynote’s address main message was to talk about the Secure By Design initiative, which the US and the UK governments are aiming to embed across those companies making software. Secure By Design means that software products and capabilities have been designed to be foundationally secure.However, what struck me about this keynote, and...
Medium •

Why telling stories is important in cyber security: part one

I love stories, be they books, records, poetry or film.I passionately believe that storytelling, even in a corporate, non-artistic setting, is powerful. Telling stories, particularly real ones, can move people to change their behaviours, their views and even, dare I say it, their aspirations.I said previously you need to give people a reason WHY they should do things differently or make change, storytelling is the most impactful WHY.Good stories and storytelling put the reader in the writers pla...
Atwood Magazine •

Nerina Pallot Reminds Us What It Is to Be Human on “Regrets” - Atwood Magazine

“I got regrets, and so do you,” sings Nerina Pallot as the closing lyric to her brand new single “Regrets” off her upcoming album, A Psalm for Emily Salvi, due out on November 1st. The line brings you back to earth with a crash, because it is true for every human who has ever existed on this sphere we call Earth. We are told that regrets are not a good thing to have and are things to be avoided at all costs, but what if, regrets are an inevitable part of the fabric of being human, just like hear...
Medium •

Cyber Security Tabletop Exercises: How to make your communications successful during a cyber-attack

In my previous role, I sat in on Cyber Security Tabletop Exercises. If you haven’t heard of a Tabletop Exercise, they can take various formats, from very informal to a simulation of a cyber-attack.Tabletop Exercises are usually run by the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and their team and will include senior leaders. Each leader should represent a part of your organisation. This is important as each part will use different systems and have a certain function. You want each part of your...
Medium •

Is the fan era over?

It has now become clear that you can no longer be a fan of an artist and their music. You now have to fully invested in everything in the artist says and does, and when you’re called upon, become a rabid defender of that artist even if it involves you issuing death threats, doxing and bullying someone off a platform. Fans having given rise to the Stans.According an NPR article, the term ‘stan’ “was first coined in 2000 when Eminem dropped a twisted allegory in a song called ‘Stan’, about a man w...
Medium •

What makes cyber security communications successful?

The profile of cyber security is increasing in the media, but it is still largely seen as a realm for IT professionals and people who are technically minded. This is partly because we, the public, have relied on big organisations and government to protect us, and two, because we in the industry have created a language that excludes rather includes people.With this increase in visibility, comes the responsibility of telling convincing and accessible cyber security stories and communications.Using...
Atwood Magazine •

Review: Cut! Maren Morris Slows It Down With New EP ‘Intermission,’ Exploring Identity Through Song - Atwood Magazine

From her debut album Hero to her wildly successful Girl and her last record Humble Quest, you know a Maren Morris song immediately. Her music is made for vast venues and long car rides with the windows rolled down and the volume up high.

Having seen her live, I can attest to her larger-than-life stage presence and her powerful vocals that are one third country, one third pop and one third R’n’B. She’s all in or nothing, and the same can be said for her politics. She took on Ted Cruz, Donald Tru...
Atwood Magazine •

Caitlyn Smith Lays Bare Her Fears in “Mother of Three” - Atwood Magazine

Deeply vulnerable, unapologetically honest, tragically bittersweet, are all words that could describe country singer/songwriter Caitlyn Smith’s new single, “Mother of Three.” Smith dives deep into the relentlessness struggle that is to be working artist and a human.

“I drink so much coffee that my hands are shaking; my mind’s doing cartwheels and just keeps replaying; the script that I’ve written, damn good piece of fiction; but it’s killing my dreams and it’s clouding my vision,” Smith sings o...
Atwood Magazine •

Interview: Karley Scott Collins Discusses Her New Heavy Metal Influenced EP, ‘Write One’ - Atwood Magazine

Write One (via Sony Music), the second EP from singer/songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Karley Scott Collins, is that exquisite effortless blend of country and rock music, all told through the lens of a twenty-something woman navigating love, life, and loss in the South and in the music industry.

The cover of Write One sees Collins standing with her back to you in cowboy boots, her profile visible with her eyes downcast, her snake black electric guitar facing towards the camera an...
Atwood Magazine •

“Same Girl, But Stronger”: Carly Pearce Opens Up About Her Fourth Album, ‘Hummingbird’

Singer/songwriter Carly Pearce talks to Atwood Magazine about staying true to country music, what she knows now that she didn’t know at 29, and why the song “my place” is her favourite off her brand new album, ‘hummingbird.’

don’t know what’s in the distance, but looking back is a waste of time,” Carly Pearce sings on her powerful new track, “Oklahoma.”

This line seems to sum up Pearce’s journey from her debut album through to the award winning and ruthlessly honest, 29, which changed everythi

Keeping Oxford Secure

The Information Security and the Information Compliance teams are proud to announce the brand-new Information Security and Data Protection staff training course.
This new course replaces the previous Information Security and Data Privacy Staff training in CoSy, which was created in 2019. Cyber security threats and data protection expectations continue to evolve rapidly, particularly since the pandemic, and we need training that is up to that challenge. 
We want the training to promote a sense of...
Atwood Magazine •

Album Review: Laci Kaye Booth Wows on Triumphant Debut ‘The Loneliest Girl in the World’

Singer/songwriter Laci Kaye Booth has risen from the ash to create an insightful, soulful, and lyrically smart record with her triumphant debut album, ‘The Loneliest Girl in the World.’

In the bridge of her debut album’s opening track, “Cigarettes,” Laci Kaye Booth sings/shouts, “I learned sometimes your first don’t last, I learned to scream, I learned to laugh, I learned to live with my regrets, I learned I hate, I hate cigarettes.” Quickly, you realise this woman with the Rapunzel-like golden
Atwood Magazine •

Girl Boss Caitlyn Smith Goes It Alone With “Static”

Singer/songwriter and producer Caitlyn Smith goes independent with the release of “Static,” a soothing balm for those of us who feel a little lost.

Singer/songwriter, musician, producer, Nashville innovator, Caitlyn Smith who released her self-produced record High & Low in 2023 decided to part ways with her record label, Monument Records after three critically acclaimed and successful albums, and go it alone to release her first single “Static.”

“I’m so excited for this one, because it’s right
Atwood Magazine •

Roundtable: A Review of Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department'

Atwood Magazine’s writers discuss Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated eleventh studio album ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ a poignant collection of heartbreaks that never were and fleeting moments that burn quick and bright.

Featured here are Atwood writers Blake McMillan, Emily Frances Algar, Josh Weiner, Lauren Turner, Nasya Blackshear, Rachel Leong, and Sam Franzini!

To start, what is your relationship with Taylor Swift’s music?

Emily: I remember having to buy Swift’s first two albums from
Atwood Magazine •

Laci Kaye Booth Strolls Down Memory Lane in “Sometimes”

Country artist Laci Kaye Booth shines on her smooth, dreamy summer song “Sometimes,” an accidental wander down memory lane and a love who drove away.

aci Kaye Booth has been making country music for the last decade, both as an independent artist and a major label artist.

If her name sounds familiar, it’s because Booth finished in the Top 5 of American Idol’s 17th season. Booth’s home is now with Geffen Music, where she’s been releasing a steady stream of singles including “Cigarettes,” “True L

The Cyber Security Competency Centre continues to grow in 2024

After another successful training course in Oxford (at Brasenose College) in March, our third cohort of collegiate University staff received their Certificate in Information Security Management Principles (CISMP). 
Staff came from a mix of colleges and departments including Corpus Christi and Oriel colleges; the Bodleian Libraries; Engineering Science; and the Saïd Business School. Staff attending the training found the instructor to be knowledgeable and engaging, with the style and pace of the...
Atwood Magazine •

Carly Pearce’s “my place” Is a Stirring Portrait of Heartache & Yearning Off 'hummingbird'

Singer/songwriter Carly Pearce questions her place in a love that has ended in her heavy-hearted new song, “my place.”

Country singer/songwriter, Grammy Award winner, and producer, Carly Pearce has released “my place,” the newest song from her upcoming album hummingbird (out 15 June via Big Machine Records). Hummingbird is produced by Pearce, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne, marking Pearce’s debut as a producer.

Physical space to emotional space is the subject matter of “my place.” Pearce say
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