Weekly Wrap 413: Work-life balance and an abandoned shop

A Shop for ’Pong, Croydon RoadCompared to the previous fortnight, Monday 23 to Sunday 29 April 2018 appears much less productive. No articles were published. No podcasts were recorded. No corporate largesse was taken advantage of.

And yet it was productive. I did a bunch of work on that Crikey project, the one they crowdfunded via a Pozible project called Crikey Digs. Wednesday was Anzac Day, so work was not required, though I did have a long beer-filled meeting with my colleague on that project, Ben Grubb. And I was lazy on Friday and Saturday because I was fighting off a cold. I think.

Anyway, here we go…

Media Appearances

As I mentioned last time, I’ve fallen out of the habit of posting the audio from my radio spots. Would you like me to return to that habit? No one seems to care, I think.

Articles, Podcasts, Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

The next few weeks continue to see me based in Ashfield, Sydney, working through the Crikey project, and writing for ZDNet much as usual. I’m hoping to get some walking in, however, and I might post some stuff about the places I visit, including photos. But not today.

Further Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict, will be recorded and streamed live on Tuesday 8 Thursday 10 May at 2100 AEST.

Other things I’ve pencilled in:

Update 1 May 2018: Added link to audio of Love Sport Radio spot. Update 3 May 2018: Updated with new podcast schedule.

[Photo: A Shop for ’Pong, Croydon Road. I know that ’Pong loves images of urban decay, so here’s one from the inner west suburbs of Sydney, photographed on 29 April 2018.]

Weekly Wrap 412: Cyber in Canberra, then SEKRIT things

Parliament House, CanberraI was a busy possum during the two weeks from Monday 9 to Sunday 22 April 2018. The first week was spent in Canberra covering some cyber events, and the second was spent writing, and working on the SEKRIT editorial project which I’ll tell you a tiny amount about… now!

I’m the series editor on a project for Crikey, one that they’ve crowdfunded via a Pozible project called Crikey Digs. Some of you may have seen me tweet that part of it is about businesses that misuse Australians’ personal data, or trade it in a dodgy way. More will be revealed in the coming week.

Meanwhile, all these things…

Articles

Media Appearances

I’ve fallen out of the habit of posting the audio from my radio spots. Would you like me to return to that habit?

Podcasts

None. However see below for a bit of a plan.

Corporate Largesse

  • There was plenty of food and drink at the ACSC Conference in Canberra, though I skipped most of the functions.

The Week Ahead

The next few weeks see me based in Ashfield, Sydney, working through the SEKRIT editorial project, and writing for ZDNet much as usual. I’m hoping to get some walking in, however, and I might post some stuff about the places I visit, including photos.

On Tuesday night I’m doing a radio spot for ABC Melbourne, some time between 1900 and 2200 AEST. We haven’t locked in the time yet.

Wednesday is Anzac Day. It’s a public holiday, so I may take it easy. But I also might get up early for the Dawn Service. Undecided.

Further Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict, will be recorded and streamed live on Tuesday 8 May at 2100 AEST.

Other things I’ve pencilled in:

[Photo: Parliament House, Canberra, photographed on 13 April 2018.]

Weekly Wrap 410: Unexpected crickets before Canberra

Cricket!This is about Monday 2 to Sunday 8 April 2018, but let’s get on with the details.

Podcasts

  • “The 9pm Probe: Dr Alice Gorman, space archaeologist”, being The 9pm Edict episode 76. You can also listen to it on SoundCloud and Spreaker. This is the pilot episode of what I hope will become a regular addition to The 9pm Edict cycle, a series of long-form interviews with interesting people. Please let me know what you think.

Articles

Media Appearances

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

It’s going to be a big one. On Monday morning I’m heading down to Sydney, where I’ll do some important preparations, like getting a haircut. I’ll also be continuing with the research on that SEKRIT editorial project. I’ll be able to tell you about that eventually, but not just yet.

On Tuesday I’m taking the 1201 train to Canberra, doing a bunch of stuff en route. That evening, I’m covering a panel discussion at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), Stopping a Cyber Threat on Our Election: US and Australian Experiences. Should be interesting.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I’m covering the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Conference, so on Friday I reckon I’ll still be writing about that. There’s usually a bunch of stories.

I’ll stay in Canberra until late Saturday afternoon, and have a lazy day in Sydney on Sunday.

[Photo: Cricket! A large and, I think, female cricket found at Bunjaree Cottages near Wentworth Falls on 2 April 2018.]

Weekly Wrap 409: Four cities, surveillance, and podcasts

Dawn over QueenslandThis is yet another Fortnightly Wrap, covering Monday 19 March to Sunday 1 April 2018, and it was dominated by domestic travel, nostalgia, and soju.

Podcasts

  • “The 9pm Public House Forum 6 / Hometown Forum”, being The 9pm Edict episode 75, was recorded and streamed live from Adelaide on Saturday 24 March. It’s also on SoundCloud and Speaker.
  • I also recorded a bonus extra podcast with Dr Alice Gorman, a space archaeologist at Flinders University. That episode will be posted by the end of the coming week.

Articles

Media Appearances

  • On Monday 26 March, I spoke about the continuing Facebook / Cambridge Analytica debacle on ABC Adelaide.

Corporate Largesse

  • This doesn’t really count as largesse, because it was work, but my recent road trip — more accurate a flying trip — to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Sydney was for tech distributor Alloys, who were introducing their customers to products from Chinese video surveillance hardware manufacturer Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co Ltd. I didn’t do anything sales-related. I gave a 20-minute presentation on the future of video surveillance in the age of artificial intelligence. That said, at the end of the project, Uniview shouted me a soju-sodden meal at Myeongdong Korean Restaurant in North Strathfield. I seem to recall that it was very good.

The Week Ahead

It’s Easter Monday, but I’m still doing work, such as writing this for you.

Tuesday through Friday will be dominated by two things. One, I’m series editor on a new investigative journalism project for Crikey, which I’ll tell you about in due course. And two, I’ve got a queue of stuff to write for ZDNet. Those two threads of work will be woven around the need to be in Sydney on Wednesday for medical and other appointments, and finishing that production on that extra podcast.

The weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

The only definite commitments are a couple of cybersecurity conferences.

[Photo: Dawn over Queensland. The view from Virgin Australia flight VA1384 from BNE to ADL, somewhere over Queensland, on 22 March 2018.]

Weekly Wrap 407: New projects abound, plus a rabbit

Waiting for the train at Kings CrossThis is really another Fortnightly Wrap, covering Monday 5 to Sunday 18 March 2018. I’ve been busy, and I’ll be busy for the next couple of weeks.

Articles

I’ve also written a piece for ZDNet which will appear on Monday.

Podcasts

None, but see below.

Media Appearances

  • On Tuesday 6 March, I spoke about medical device security on ABC Adelaide. I probably won’t be posting a recording of that one.

Corporate Largesse

The Week Ahead

I’m travelling to a few cities to present at a corporate event, in Melbourne on Tue 20 Mar, Brisbane on Wed 21, Adelaide on Thu 22 (and staying there through the weekend). In between all that, I’m finishing the third batch of content for DirectorTech, and starting a new editorial project which I’ll tell you about soon.

On Saturday I’m recording The 9pm Hometown Forum at an Adelaide pub still to be chosen.

I’ll kinda stressed about whether I’ll be able to achieve all of this.

On Sunday I’ll have a lazy day in my hometown.

Further Ahead

The following Monday 26 March, I’m recording another interview in Adelaide, then doing a radio spot on ABC Adelaide that afternoon. On Tuesday, I fly back to Sydney for the final corporate gig, then back to the Blue Mountains. I’ll worry about the rest of the week after that.

Looking way further ahead:

  • Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Conference, Canberra, 10–12 April.
  • Australian Cyber Conference, formerly the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) National Conference, Melbourne, 9–11 October.

[Photo: Waiting for the train at Kings Cross. A passenger waits on the platform at Sydney’s King Cross station as a train arrives on 16 March 2018.]

Weekly Wrap 405: Too much hospitality in Tasmania

Crossing the DerwentMy week of Monday 26 February to Sunday 4 March 2018 began in Launceston, passed through Hobart and Sydney, and returned to Wentworth Falls.

Many thanks to my Pozible supporters, as well as my generous hosts and guides in Tasmania. I think I’ve put on about 35kg thanks to you.

Podcasts

Articles

Media Appearances

  • On Tuesday afternoon, or Tuesday morning their time, I spoke about the futility of trying to “recall” an email on ABC South-West WA. I won’t be posting the recording.
  • Also on Tuesday afternoon, I spoke about goats and read goat poetry on ABC Hobart. I won’t post that recording either.
  • On Wednesday, I spoke about goats and crowdfunding on Tasmania Talks across northern Tasmania. You can listen at Psychic goat predicts hung parliament in state election.

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

This week is primarily a writing and editing week, apart from a scheduled day trip to Sydney on Wednesday. I won’t schedule it any more tightly than that. The weekend is unplanned.

Further Ahead

I’m travelling to a few cities to present at a commercial event. Details TBA, but I’ll be in Melbourne on Tue 20 Mar, Brisbane on Wed 21, Adelaide on Thu 22 (and staying there through the weekend, I hope), and Sydney on Tue 27.

I’ve launched another Pozible campaign, The 9pm Hometown Forum, which aims to fund a Public House Forum episode of the Edict on Saturday 24 March.

Looking way further ahead:

  • Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Conference, Canberra, 10–12 April.
  • Australian Cyber Conference, formerly the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) National Conference, Melbourne, 9–11 October.

[Photo: Crossing the Derwent. Two seabirds skim the wetlands as I cross the Derwent River at Bridgewater, Tasmania, on 26 February 2018.]