Stilgherrian · Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap 330: More spring, more cybers, less pain

25 September 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | No comments

My week of Monday 19 to Sunday 25 September 2016 was the first in more than three weeks where I spent a day without any painkillers. Four days, in fact.

Whether it was that, some of the other medical activities, the continuing springing of Spring, certain other factors, or some combination thereof, it was also more productive that recent weeks — despite the stress continuing much as usual.

The week also way the beginnings of Certain Plans being made, but those details are for another time.

Articles

Australia has plenty of cyber potential, but will it do anything about it?, ZDNet Australia, 20 September 2016. This is another yarn from my coverage of the SINET61 cyber innovation conference.

Podcasts

None.

Media Appearances

On Thursday, I spoke about a number of things on ABC 774 Melbourne, including working on the drama series The Code, and smart cars.
On Friday, I spoke about the Yahoo data breach on ABC Radio National Drive.

Corporate Largesse

On Thursday, I covered the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit, so obviously there was food and drink.

The Week Ahead

I’m back in Sydney’s inner west again, where I’ll probably be based for a few weeks.

On Monday, I’m writing for ZDNet, bringing my geek-for-hire projects up to date, and negotiating my next moves with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). That stuff continues into Tuesday.

On ~~Tuesday~~ Wednesday, I’m recording and streaming an episode of The 9pm Edict podcast. That’s scheduled for 2100 AEST, but before that I’ll be launching a new crowdfunding campaign. I also have a number of meetings in the city.

Thursday is about bookkeeping and medical appointments. Friday is about writing and the like. And then it’s the Labour Day long weekend.

Further Ahead

I’m going to the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October, the iappANZ Trust In Privacy Annual Summit in Sydney on 14 November.

I plan to record the next Public House Forum episode of the Edict on Saturday 15 October somewhere in or near Sydney.

Update 27 September 2016: Edited to reflect schedule changes.

[Photo: Ascent, being a photograph of the railway overpass on Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls, taken on 20 September 2016. It’s a bit muddy, so maybe I should try to improve that image.]

Weekly Wrap 329: Plenty of cybers as spring unfolds

18 September 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | No comments

My week of Monday 12 to Sunday 18 September 2016 started to see a return to productivity after the pain of previous weeks.

There were also some shifts on the personal front, but I’ll keep them to myself for the time being. On with the show…

Articles

Australia’s cybersecurity skills make it a destination for ‘cyber tourism’, ZDNet Australia, 14 September 2016.
Don’t get distracted by the shiny cyber machines, ZDNet Australia, 15 September 2016.

Both of these pieces came out of the SINET61 cyber innovation conference. More will follow.

Podcasts

None.

Media Appearances

On Friday, ZDNet posted another short video in their Security TV series, Will cyber insurance change the security industry?. It’s part of a feature on Cyberwar and the Future of Cybersecurity.
I continue to be fascinated by where my photos turn up. Here’s a picture of a fire burning at Bunjaree Cottages on a page titled “Heap coals of fire on his head” nghĩa là gì?

Corporate Largesse

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I was fed and watered at the SINET61 cyber innovation conference at Australian Technology Park.

The Week Ahead

On Monday, I’m writing for ZDNet, doing some data-wrangling for a client, then re-planning the coming weeks because my mid-October trip to Melbourne has been cancelled.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be a combination of geek work, research, writing, and preparing my next crowdfunding campaign, ordered as the mood takes me.

Thursday, though, is a long one. I’m looking at early train down to Sydney, then the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit through to lunchtime. I’ve got medical appointments from 1415, and then a radio spot on ABC 774 Melbourne at 2000 AEST. I’ll stay in Sydney overnight.

On Friday, I’ll probably have some meetings or write for ZDNet, before catching the train back up to the Mountains. I’m still juggling that one.

On Saturday, I’ll bump out of Bunjaree Cottages and head down to Sydney, and once more I’ll be based there for a while. Sunday is a day of rest, allegedly.

Further Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded on the evening of Tuesday 27 September. I plan to record the next Public House Forum on Saturday 15 October somewhere in or near Sydney, but the one planned for Melbourne on 19 November is cancelled for the time being.

I’m going to the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, and the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October.

Update 20 September 2016: Edited to reflect some schedule clarifications.

[Photo: Almond blossom and eucalypts in the gentle Sunday rain, yet another photo taken at Bunjaree Cottages near Wentworth Falls, 100km west of Sydney. This one is from the rainy afternoon of 18 September 2016. I’ve previously posted images of the almond blossom emerging.]

Weekly Wrap 328: Spring goes on, pain goes on, life goes on

11 September 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | No comments

My week of Monday 5 to Sunday 11 September 2016 was consumed by a second week of pain — slightly less pain than last week, and the rapidly-blooming spring helped make it bearable.

Podcasts

“The 9pm Spring Bruise”, being The 9pm Edict episode 63. It’s also available on SoundCloud and Spreaker.

Articles

None.

Media Appearances

On Tuesday, ZDNet posted another short video in their Security TV series, Ignore the email threat at your peril. It’s part of a feature on Cyberwar and the Future of Cybersecurity.

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

Monday should be a relatively quiet day, a mix of production planning and administrivia. If the pain subsides a bit more, though, I might do some writing.

On Tuesday, I’ll be taking an early train down to Sydney, where I’ll stay for a couple of nights. On Tuesday and Wednesday I’m covering the SINET61 cyber innovation conference at Australian Technology Park. On Thursday it’s meetings and medical appointments, before a late-ish train back to the Mountains.

Friday is likely to include some writing, and then the weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded on 27 September, despite what I said in this week’s episode. I plan to record the next Public House Forum on Saturday 15 October somewhere in or near Sydney, and then another in Melbourne on 19 November.

I’m going to the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit in Sydney on 22 September, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October, and an event in Melbourne I can’t tell you about yet on 17 November.

[Photo: Almond Blossom at Bunjaree Cottages, Day Nine, one in a series of daily photos of an almond tree at Bunjaree Cottages near Wentworth Falls, 100km west of Sydney — although the images are of different parts of the tree. This one was taken on 7 September 2016.]

Weekly Wrap 327: Spring is far more painful than planned

04 September 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | No comments

My week of Monday 29 August to Sunday 4 September 2016 was full of pain. I didn’t realise how seriously I’d been injured last weekend. Somehow, however, there’s plenty of things to report.

The injury I mentioned last week turned out to be a severe contusion — that’s bruising — of the ribs. It was just short of a fracture, but oddly enough the bruising is usually more painful, and that pain will be with me for several weeks. It’s strong painkillers, anti-inflammatories, and rest for me.

I strongly recommend never getting severe rib contusions.

All last week’s planned events were cancelled. It’s a good thing, therefore, that things emerged from the pipeline.

Articles

Four Corners points to critical gap in our cybersecurity, Crikey, 30 August 2016.
Why Dropbox’s data breach response is still wrong, ZDNet Australia, 31 August 2016.

Media Appearances

The highlight of my week was the start of series two of ABC TV’s award-winning drama series The Code, because I was the technology consultant for this series. That meant I was part of the scripting process, something I’ll write about another time. The six-part series is currently screening on ABC1 on Thursday nights at 2030, and is on ABC iView.
Also on Thursday, ZDNet posted two short videos in their Security TV series, The impending cybersecurity disaster of industrial control systems and The Internet of Insecure Things, and why we’re still in denial. They’re part of a feature on Cyberwar and the Future of Cybersecurity.

Podcasts

None, but next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded and streamed live on Tuesday 6 September at 2100 AEST.

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

Monday is a relatively quiet day. I’m being interviewed about The Code at 1430, but apart from that it’s production planning and administrivia, I think.

On Tuesday, it’s an episode of The 9pm Edict podcast.

Past that, well, it depends on the pain levels and the mood. This much pain doesn’t exactly cheer one up. But I’d like to get down to Sydney for at least one day. Stay tuned.

Further Ahead

I’m going to the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit in Sydney on 22 September, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October, and an event in Melbourne I can’t tell you about yet on 17 November.

[Photo: Almond Blossom at Bunjaree Cottages, Day Four, one in a series of daily photos taken of an almond tree at Bunjaree Cottages near Wentworth Falls, 100km west of Sydney — although the images are of different parts of the tree. This one was taken on 2 September 2016.]

Weekly Wrap 326: To the Mountains for Spring, and pain

29 August 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 22 to Sunday 28 August 2016 began well, but ended in pain.

Monday and Tuesday went to plan, but after that the fatigue set in right through until Saturday. The cat’s humans returned on Saturday evening, rather than Sunday as I’d expected, and that night became a bit… rowdy.

I awoke Sunday morning in pain, thanks to falling onto the edge of a coffee table, and copping the hard corner in the ribs. Do not trust coffee tables. That made the return to Wentworth Falls… interesting. But hey, here I am.

Articles and Podcasts

None, but I’ve gathered plenty of material for writing over the next few weeks.

Media Appearances

On Tuesday, I recorded another five videos with Chris Duckett for the ZDNet Security TV series. They will appear over the coming weeks.

Corporate Largesse

On Monday and Tuesday, I was at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney, where there was good food and drink thanks to the Hilton Hotel Sydney. On the Monday night, it’s traditional for exhibiting vendors to try to out-do each other with their alcohol-based hospitality. Those that I remember include CA Technologies’ Bloody Mary shots, Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s spin-the-wheel cocktail bar courtesy of CocktailClub.co, LogRhythm’s cocktail bar made of ice; and Pirean’s wine and cheese tasting courtesy of the Sydney Wine Centre. And the swag? Intel Security: branded earphones. RSA: Suction-cup smartphone holders. Thales: More of those excellent pens with the hidden screwdrivers. There was lots more of course, but I only grabbed what I needed.

The Week Ahead

It’s my first week back in the Blue Mountains for three months, and it’s the start of Spring. I’m looking forward to it.

On Monday I’m keeping quiet to rest my back, then staying in to watch an episode of ABC TV’s Four Corners on Cyber War. On Tuesday I’m doing an early-morning interview, reviewing Four Corners for Crikey, and in the afternoon running errands in Katoomba.

On Wednesday, it’s the long commute down to Sydney for a briefing by Nokia’s Fixed Networks division that morning, then writing for ZDNet. I may or may not stay in Sydney overnight. Then on Thursday I’ll be at the Trend Micro CLOUDSEC conference.

There’s a chance all that might be reshuffled or even cancelled if the pain lingers too long.

It most certainly was reshuffled. It turns out that while I haven’t broken any ribs or damaged my kidneys, it’ll take two to four weeks for the injury to settle down. Resting is a more sensible idea than long train commutes. I’ll do some writing and suchlike from where I am.

I reckon Friday will see some more writing for ZDNet, and then the weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded and streamed on Tuesday 6 September.

I’m going to the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit in Sydney on 22 September, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October, and an event in Melbourne I can’t tell you about yet on 17 November.

Update 30 August 2016: Edited to reflect pain-related schedule changes.

[Photo: Sydney Central Station on a spring morning, photographed not this year but on 15 August 2012.]

Weekly Wrap 325: Crossing a canal as winter ends

21 August 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 15 to Sunday 21 August 2016 was an interesting one. While the severe back pain continued, it’s slowly declining, and so is the stress. We’ll see how that all turns out.

Anyway, on with the details…

Articles

Cyber Civil Corps proposed to protect Australia’s economy, ZDNet Australia, 17 August 2016.
My Health Record ‘dumb and useless’: Australian Privacy Foundation, ZDNet Australia, 19 August 2016.

Podcasts

None. I’m planning to produce the next episode of The 9pm Edict in the first week of September.

Media Appearances

On Wednesday I spoke about Facebook’s Project Aquila solar-powered internet drones and related matters on ABC Radio National Afternoon.

Corporate Largesse

On Wednesday I popped in to visit PR company Espresso Communications for a coffee. They paid.
On Thursday evening I went to Text100’s infamous Xmas in August event, where there was plenty of food and drink. SanDisk gave me a 16GB SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick and a 16GB SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive for iPhone and iPad. And goCatch gave us all a $20 voucher.

The Week Ahead

Yet another week in Sydney will make it 13 weeks in a row. I wonder when I should start considering Sydney as my home again? Sydney doesn’t feel like home again yet, but then nowhere does. That’s probably a topic for another time, however.

On Monday and Tuesday I’m covering the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney, an event that always seems to be good value for me. On Tuesday night I’m recording some more short videos about security for ZDNet.

The rest of the week is the usual jumble of geek project work, writing for ZDNet, and a few other things, which I’ll juggle as I go along.

On ~~Saturday~~ Sunday I’m bumping out of the Ashfield apartment, leaving a well-fed cat in my wake, and migrating up to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, where I’ll be for a few weeks. ~~Sunday is unplanned.~~

Further Ahead

I’m going to CLOUDSEC Australia 2016 in Sydney on 1 September, the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit in Sydney on 22 September, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, and the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October.

Update 24 August: Edited to reflect changes to the weekend plans.

[Photo: Glebe Park Canal. Crossing the canal at the western side of Centennial Park, Glebe, in Sydney at the end of a late winter day, 17 August 2016.]

Weekly Wrap 324: Back to the pain, causing chaos

14 August 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 8 to Sunday 14 August 2016 did not go to plan at all. I had to cancel everything from Wednesday onwards thanks to severe back pain.

Podcasts

“The 9pm Fracking Your Data Real Good”, being The 9pm Edict episode 62. This episode was recorded as it was being streamed live on Tuesday night, and is also available on SoundCloud and Spreaker.

Articles

None.

Media Appearances

None, though the Census disaster would have generated a few media appearances had I not been in pain. Messages started coming in from 0600 the morning after, and eventually totalled requests for nine or more radio spots and three TV spots — not that I could have done them all.

Corporate Largesse

CrowdStrike sent me a couple of their handy little webcam covers.

The Week Ahead

It’s yet another week in Sydney, which will make it 12 weeks in a row. I’m kinda glad I’ve avoided being in the Blue Mountains during the coldest part of winter.

It’s also another jumbled week of updating all the geek projects, writing for ZDNet, and trying to sort out my never-ending cashflow disaster. Details via Twitter each day.

On Thursday evening, I’ll be going to Text100’s infamous Xmas in August event, where they preview their clients’ products for Christmas and no-one ever drinks any alcohol whatsoever. On Friday, I’ll migrate to Ashfield in Sydney’s inner west, where once more I’ll be cat-sitting.

The weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

I’ll be going to the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney on 22-23 August, the Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Summit in Sydney on 22 September, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, and the Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October.

[Photo: Stripes in KL. A snapshot of contrasting stripes taken when I was wandering the streets of Kuala Lumpur on 12 September 2011.]

Weekly Wrap 323: It rains as Australia’s Census looms

07 August 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 1 to Sunday 7 August 2016 saw a visible return to productivity, a week that was dominated by the forthcoming national census in Australia.

I wrote two columns and did two radio spots related to the census, and there’s more to come, although logistical problems meant that I had to turn down a TV spot.

That said, my “very severe” stress level continued, along with their health effects. Once more, I’ve been trying to take it easy.

If you’ve got a few stresses in your life, or you’re feeling down, or anxious, you might want to spend the next three minutes doing a DASS-21 assessment. It measures the three related states of depression, anxiety and stress. While it doesn’t provide a diagnosis on its own, it’s a good starting point for a conversation with your GP.

Articles

Census privacy risks are not what they seem, ZDNet Australia, 1 August 2016.
ABS quietly drops Census data security claim, ZDNet Australia, 5 August 2016.

Podcasts

None, as it turns out, because The 9pm Edict was delayed. But see below…

Media Appearances

On Tuesday morning, I spoke about Australia’s 2016 Census, privacy and security on ABC Gold Coast.
On Tuesday evening, I spoke about Australia’s 2016 Census, privacy and security on ABC 666 Canberra.

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

It’s another week in Sydney.

On Monday, I’ll be writing for ZDNet, updating all the geek projects, and trying to sort out my current cashflow disaster.

Tuesday is dedicated to producing an episode of The 9pm Edict podcast. Yes, I know I said that last week, but this time it’s actually happening. I’ll livestream the podcast at 2100 AEST, although some segments or even the entire podcast may be pre-recorded. Since that’s Census Night in Australia, this episode will have some sort of Census theme. Sort of.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I’ll be covering the ADMA Global Forum, ADMA being the Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising. I daresay I’ll be writing something about it on Friday.

The weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

I’ll be going to the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney on 22-23 August, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, and Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October.

[Photo: Norton Street in the Rain. A rainy afternoon on Norton Street, Leichhardt, photographed from the Leichhardt Hotel on 3 August 2016.]

Weekly Wrap 322: Fewer Pokémon, more stress reduction

31 July 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 25 to Sunday 31 July 2016 was much the same as last week, so I won’t repeat all that. Let’s look to the future.

That said, I did get a bunch of stuff done on those much-delayed geek projects. I’ll tell you more about them as they emerge into the light over the coming weeks.

Podcasts, Articles, Media Appearances, and Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

I believe I’ll be in Sydney for the next four weeks, perhaps even longer. It was always part of The Plan to slowly wind down the arrangement which had me based in the Blue Mountains, but things are still flexible.

On Monday, I’m writing a column for ZDNet about the emerging privacy controversy over Australia’s national Census, as well as fleshing out the structure of a client website. The latter work continues on Tuesday. And Wednesday.

~~Tuesday~~ ~~Wednesdayis~~ Some later day will be dedicated to producing an episode of The 9pm Edict podcast. At this stage I plan to livestream the recording session at 2100 AEST. But if I do pre-record some segments, or even the entire podcast, I’ll still livestream it when it’s ready to create that live audience vibe on the Twitter.

The rest of the week will continue to be a mix of geek work and writing for ZDNet, depending on my mood. The weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

I’ll be going to the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney on 22-23 August, the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October, and Ruxcon Security Conference in Melbourne on 22-23 October.

Update 2 August 2016: Edited to reflect schedule changes. Update 3 August 2016: Edited again to reflect schedule changes.

[Photo: Theme and variations in Kuhne Major. Sydney’s Darling Park towers, designed by American-born British architect architect Eric Kuhne, photographed from Pyrmont Bridge on a gorgeous winter day, 29 July 2016.]

Weekly Wrap 321: Pokémon, a bad trip, and stress reduction

31 July 2016 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

Circular Quay My week of Monday 18 to Sunday 24 July 2016 was the second of three quite annoying weeks, full of stress and fatigue but little productivity.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that there’s been a few, well, difficult times in my life in recent years. This week falls in a period when my stress levels have been particularly high. “Very severe”, according to one measure. So I’ve been trying to take it easy.

If you’ve got a few stresses in your life, or you’re feeling down, or anxious, you might want to spend the next three minutes doing a DASS-21 assessment. It measures the three related states of depression, anxiety and stress. While it doesn’t provide a diagnosis on its own, it’s a good starting point for a conversation with your GP.

To add injury to insult, as it were, on Saturday evening I tripped and fell into the street, causing some “excellent” grazed elbow, as well as hands and knees.

Podcasts and Articles

None.

Media Appearances

On Wednesday, I spoke about Pokémon Go and e-voting on ABC 774 Melbourne.

Corporate Largesse

On Thursday, I went to a briefing on ransomware put on by Trend Micro at the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel in Sydney. A lovely light breakfast and morning tea were provided, along with the usual branded USB key holding the PR guff.

[Photo: Sydney’s Circular Quay, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House of course, photographed in the late morning of 21 July 2016.]