Stilgherrian – Stilgherrian

23 August 2026

Weekly Wrap 847: The Moon is evil and must be destroyed

A bright blue cloudless sky. A long tube — is it metal? is it concrete? — extends from the lower left and thrusts upwards to the right, where it points directly at the half-full Moon. Yes, it does look like a giant Anti-Moon Cannon, but it’s really a ventilation device of some sort.

My week of Monday 17 to Sunday 23 August 2026 was both productive and entertaining. I posted a podcast, I got a bunch of client work done, I saw the wonderful Takashi Wakasugi in an intimate comedy venue, and I ended the week at a delightful retreat in Bowral for the TechLeaders 2026 conference.

17 August 202617 August 2026

The 9pm Clacton and On and On with David F Porteous

A square-faced Scottish man in a shirt, tie, and dark suit looks to the right and ponders the fate of the world as he stands in a black void. — David F Porteous turns to look towards Clacton. (Photo: Supplied).

Odd things have been happening in the UK, so it’s time once more to chat with Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous.

17 August 202622 August 2026

Weekly Wrap 846: Transformations, but few details

A two-storey Victorian commercial building glows in the late afternoon light. It’s painted a faded creamy yellow. The upper level, with an ornate facade, reads “Books and Videos” in somewhat faded text, and in even older text “1889 James Castle & Sons Art Metal Workers”. There’s more text, but it’s obscured by graffiti. The awning has faded signage for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, The Sun-Herald, and, finally, “Gould’s Books & Video, Records & Cassettes Bought & Sold”. At street level the Gould’s signage is repeated. Bicycles are locked to some parking signs. And on the right of the building there’s a door into which winds a queue of young people waiting to get in.

My week of Monday 10 to Sunday 16 August 2026 was a good week. Productive. Filled with decent food, some of which I cooked myself. And there was wine. Let’s leave it there.

09 August 202613 August 2026

Weekly Wrap 845: Productivity despite the bin chickens

An Australian ibis stands on top of a century-old shop building as high-rise apartment buildings in shades of blue and white tower behind him. On the right is a London plane tree.

My week of Monday 3 to Sunday 9 August 2026 was another productive one, but once again I can’t show you much of it yet. However I’ve noticed how I’m now becoming more interested in the humble bin chicken since I’ve been living near a colony of the. Yes, the Australian white ibis is much more common in Sydney these days, and they intrigue me.

03 August 2026

Weekly Wrap 844: Secret productivity, so have another pub

A red brick Australian suburban pub in the bright winter sunlight. On the left, the pub’s front, it’s a semi-circular arrangement with a balcony topped by a series of sculpted pegasuses, and right at the top a lighthouse-like structure — which once was an actual lighthouse! It’s on the other side of the highway from us. On its left is a tall mast for traffic lights. On the right, a pair of wooden utility poles for electricity, telephone, and internet.

Monday 27 July to Sunday 2 August 2026 was a busy week, and I’m very happy with that — although there isn’t much that I can show you right now. So much administrivia! And yet so handy for reducing stress.

26 July 202626 July 2026

Weekly Wrap 843: Happy productivity, unhappy graffiti

On a cream-coloured wall is scrawled in black the graffiti "Instagram the ghost AI empire", and the same again in red. On the left, a young man with a red backpack is disappearing out of frame.

Monday 20 to Sunday 26 July 2026 was another productive week, which pleases me. I don’t have that much else to day, apart from that I’m happy. So here’s a photo of some graffiti over in Burwood.