My week of Monday 4 to Sunday 10 December 2023 was one of travel, with visits to Bathurst and Orange on New South Wales’ Central Tablelands. I’ll tell you more about that during the coming week. It was excellent. But for now I have all the news of forthcoming podcasts and livestreams.
Articles
- Digital developments from Canberra 65. In the final week of parliament for 2023 all manner of new laws were passed, reports tabled, and consultations launched. Digital ID, freedom of information, Centrelink, online gambling, and the demise of cheques.
You can read my previous writing at Authory, where you can also subscribe to an email compilation of any new stories each Sunday morning. I plan to be doing more writing in 2024. Stay tuned.
Podcasts, Videos, Photos, Media Appearances, Corporate Largesse
None of these. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified when new videos appear and when livestreams are scheduled. And as for podcasts, see below.
Recommendations
The big Elon Musk news this week was of course the release, finally, of the Cybertruck. But there was much more.
- From Reuters, Tesla’s Cybertruck feels like an SUV; price, lower driving range upset some.
- Musk Fanboys Melt Down After Ralph Nader-Founded Car Safety Group Trashes Cybertruck.
- And a fascinating article, A Cultural Critique of the Tesla Cybertruck.
- New Tesla update lets you make your horn lock sound like a screaming goat — because that’s what the world needs now.
- Elon Musk’s AI startup seeks to raise $1bn in equity.
- Elon Musk Says Far-Right Firebrand Alex Jones Will Be Reinstated on X/Twitter.
- But of course he’s still having a sook about advertising. Elon Musk says Disney boss should be ‘fired immediately’ amid X ad boycott, as the Guardian puts it. “Billionaire launches broadside against Bob Iger after Disney became latest firm to pause advertising.”
- And on his personal life should you even care, Grimes and Elon Musk’s custody battle has turned into a California-Texas showdown. Here’s a complete timeline of the case.
- Elon Musk’s Grok AI Turns on Its Creator, Completely Trashes Elon. And it’s also been spinning some woke thoughts, which I’ll say more about in a forthcoming podcast. I reckon it’s very, very funny.
In other new, just a few this weeks:
- Ego, Fear and Money: How the A.I. Fuse Was Lit, being a New York Times feature. “The people who were most afraid of the risks of artificial intelligence decided they should be the ones to build it. Then distrust fueled a spiraling competition.”
- German accused of founding armed group to fight COVID rules.
- Why 2024 Will Be an Epic Year in Spaceflight.
- From History Hit’s YouTune channel, Napoleon’s Sex Life Uncovered.
- And finally, from J Draper and from two years ago, Why Does Les Mis Have English Accents? or, The History of the Cockney Musical. This was absolutely fascinating.
The Week Ahead
On Monday or Tuesday I’m recording a podcast with infectious diseases physician Dr Trent Yarwood, who’s been on the pod before. We’ll include an update on all the infections you can expect to catch over the holiday season.
On Tuesday or Wednesday Thursday night I’m conducing some technical tests for the forthcoming live video streams. There may or may not be something for you to watch.
[Update 13 December 2023: I have edited those two paragraphs again now that the schedule has changed. On Wednesday Thursday I will also be running an errand to Penrith for various porpoises. And on Thursday I’m doing ABC RN Drive‘s Big Tech spot, at 4.50pm AEDT and also in your local timezone around Australia because everything is magic.]
On Friday evening I’m recording an episode of The 9pm Edict podcast with John Birmingham. If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC, please get them to me by midday AEDT this Friday 15 December.
On Saturday I’m recording with Dr Alice Gorman aka Dr Space Junk and Rami Mandow, 16 December 2023. It’s all about space! Get your input into that episode to me by 8pm AEDT this Thursday 14 December.
I’ll then be editing the podcast with John Birmingham, so expect to see that by Sunday morning.
[Update 13 December 2023: The expedition to Penrith has now been rescheduled for Sunday, because on Thursday it’s going to be 40°C in Penrith. on Sunday it will only be 30°C. Also, two of the things I have to deal with have become slightly less urgent.]
The space podcast will appear next week, on Friday 22 December, to coincide with the December Solstice.
Further Ahead
- The 8pm Quiz of the Year 2023 Part 1, Tuesday 19 December 2023, 8pm AEDT.
- NEW DATE: Record The 9pm Edict podcast with Snarky Platypus,
2726 December 2023. If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC specifically for this episode, please get them to me by 11am AEDT that day. The finished podcast will be posted on Friday 29 December and will be a bonus episode that doesn’t count toward the summer series total of six. - The 8pm Quiz of the Year 2023 Part 2, Thursday 28 December 2023, 8pm AEDT.
[Photo: NSW TrainLink XPT power car number 2012 pulling into Katoomba station on 4 December 2023.]