Answering a client’s question, the answer to which was in the first paragraph of three recent emails.
US concerns over Rudd govt internet filter reported in UK Guardian http://bit.ly/aMsGdC Telegraph http://bit.ly/9w3Wb2
@glengyron My understanding is that a shortage of housing keeps prices high. More profits for the same construction costs. IANAE.
OK, I will now become less stabby by… erm… debugging DNS problems. This strategy will work.
Oh I don’t have to wait until the end of the day to get stabby, @NewtonMark. I can do it quite well at 0930, trust me!
@glengyron I’m not arguing for “duplication of bureaucracy”, I’m arguing against reducing oversight of Sussex St shadiness. This is NSW.
@glengyron There is a “not” missing from three tweets back, but ‘m hoping context solved that confusion.
@glengyron My complaint is simple. I do not want the NSW state government to be the SOLE arbiter. Everything else you’re imagining.
@glengyron My stabbiness is increasing because you’re taking quite specific things I say, adding your own assumptions, then arguing that.
@glengyron My objection is that the local level would be removed from the loop completely, not that the state should have a role.
Thu plan: Deal with the backlog of reading / research / story pitches; encourage clients to pay their bills; “The 9pm Edict” later.
@glengyron But if you turn this into “local councils are incompetent” sloganeering, I will start to mock you relentlessly.
@glengyron It’s not about whether local govt is “effective” it’s about whether we want everything centralised at the NSW state level.
“Google to leave Australia over ‘evil’ filter” http://bit.ly/aRjks7
“Netregistry pulls out of China business” http://bit.ly/dlsZaX
Yes @franksting since 2005 a CityRail train arriving 5 minutes late is defined as “on time”. http://bit.ly/bsrWB5
@KKeneally If “Premier’s bid to grab planning powers” is true http://bit.ly/blTeYk NSW ALP gets preferenced even further down.
Afghanistan, Graveyard of Empires? US spends billions so China can safely mine Afghan copper. http://bit.ly/auBOoe
Labor reverts oversight: Audit Office no longer checks government ads. http://bit.ly/ddnQDI
Magnetic pulses can change our “moral compass”. http://bit.ly/cSOq1s
@CampaignMonitor Given you’re an Australian company, and you know I’m Australian, why is today’s newsletter talking about SPRING? Silly.
Emerges.
[exit]
@lexiphanic I didn’t think “fuck” was to be funny, but to express strong emotion. You perceived otherwise?
Stabby.
For anyone who cares about language, a message to pass on. http://bit.ly/bGwMTi
Oh for fuck’s sake, VMware website, stop opening everything in a new browser window! This isn’t fucking well 1998!
You know, @Nickhodge, I miss some of the 1 April hoaxes I did years ago. I should have planned one for tomorrow.
Yes, TV news IS a formula. Here’s the algorithm demonstrated. http://bit.ly/cK1KcG HT @crikey_news
I meant that to be “every freelancer’s dread”, not “dead”, but hey I can’t type when I’m filled with dread. Or with dead.
I missed this, @jeffjarvis. “[Aust domain registrar] NetRegistry pulls out of China business” http://bit.ly/dlsZaX
@firstdogonmoon Parliament next sits Tue 11 May, Budget Night. See the SEKRIT calendar! http://bit.ly/d60s0Z
(And for my next trick, I’ll show you my special Ramadan tweet about Mohammed.)
Christ, it’s going to be Easter. Every freelancer’s dead. Two days of billable hours… gone! Fuck you, Jesus!
I know there’s @replies I haven’t responded to. There always are. It’s Wednesday. The Twitterriver flows on…
You are confusing me, @Nickhodge , I think I might have to pour a glass of wine.
@BaneAu Oh. I have never heard of the person you refer to, but then he’s probably never heard of me either so it all balances out.
@BaneAu I have no idea WTF you’re talking about there, actually.
Strangely, less stabby. I’m not sure how that happened.
Signing a cheque “31 March 2005”. It’s going to be that kind of afternoon…
Home. Stabby.
Purpose of survey doesn’t matter, @NathanaelB, if the sample selects itself then it’s ont representative.
Mobile: Errands to Enmore Rd, maybe elsewhere, depending on what’s in the box.
Disappearing into DNS zone-file-editing land for a while…
It is a complete failure of western society that it’s even necessary to explain these things to adults.
Of course yes @SoniaLastrega some people refuse to be surveyed if asked, so there’s that bias. But that’s a way smaller issue.
Chaps @NathanaelB @SnarkyPlatypus @trib ALL self-selected polls are useless, full stop. Anyone reporting them is a fool or a fraud.
@deptofinternets Google CEO Schmidt talked founders Brin/Page into the China business. Now Brin has decided enough is enough, it seems.
Wed plan: Start migrating a client’s hosting; write a guest blog post; sort another client’s email; evening TBA.
@kcarruthers There’s two art supply stores on Oxford St, one opposite Darlinghurst Rd, one next to COFA.
@jeffjarvis There’s a back story. Sen Conroy said he was talking to Google about filtering YouTube. Google very publicly said no way.
@jeffjarvis No argument here about scary Rudd government proposals and importance of free speech. I’d love to have it written into law. :)
@jeffjarvis News story at http://bit.ly/cb11Ek and Google’s submission on Australia’s “filter” at http://bit.ly/8YORK9
But an aside, @jeffjarvis, check the last 60 secs of this for an astounding attack on Google by Senator Conroy. http://bit.ly/df2sUS
@jeffjarvis “Google’s principles are now the default”? I’m not sure that government by for-profit corporation is a path I’d like to follow.
I agree that Google pulling out of China shows some principle, @jeffjarvis, but aren’t you assuming a privileged Western view of “internet”?
Oh @jeffjarvis you sensitive possum, I’m just wondering if “internet users” is a coherent “us” that is indeed represented by Google.
@deptofinternets Oh @jeffjarvis’ endless praise of Google is tiresome, but I’m more interested in the “we’re all internet citizens” angle.
If you missed my latest blog post, “50 to 50 #5: Dangerous play” http://bit.ly/albr2j
@SnarkyPlatypus Est-ce que votre douleur affectent nos plans aujourd’hui? Nous pourrions faire autre chose. http://bit.ly/Su2wE
“Google is our ambassador”, says @jeffjarvis http://bit.ly/9d3JNb But is “us” / the internet really a unified constituency?
@SnarkyPlatypus Bonjour. Je crois que vous être en mai plus de douleur que moi ce matin, mais je mai approcher.
I know @duncanriley it’s quite late for me and I’m… appalled, quite frankly. Just appalled.
Nearly emerges.
[exit]
Home.
Vomiting on the railway station platform is always such a good look for a Tuesday night.
It is so good to be vastly not the fattest person in the room, both in margin and ranking.
Recording done, food being consumed. At Byteside.
On stage, doing audio checks, at Byteside.
@Reemski For maps / stats of broadband penetration, try ACMA and DBCDE reports.
Wandering slowly to Byteside. http://bit.ly/uOLWs Attention decreasing.
It would be really lame to say “Google Maps” has been fun, or an MP3 ID 3 tag editor. Am I really that boring? Don’t answer that.
Hmmm… On Byteside @seamus will ask me what tech thing has been turning me on lately. There has been a gap in my life. Any suggestions?
New blog post: “50 to 50 #5: Dangerous play” http://bit.ly/albr2j
Why yes, young man, I can see why you’re phoning in sick to work: you’re way too stoned and going skateboarding with your mate.
I tell you what, things would be very different around here if I were a Japanese schoolgirl.
Mobile: Enmore Rd; King St errands; Newtown station; Town Hall station; SEKRIT Sydney CBD eyrie.
ABC News Roulette http://bit.ly/chhAPT HT @PeterBlackQUT
@mr_crash Erm, that’s not what you asked. :) But then with the other question I’d still have mocked you for not just going to the website.
Here @mr_crash this may help! http://tinyurl.com/yhehn…
Listening to interviews with Senator Conroy, finding certain grabs for “Patch Monday”. My life is truly wonderful.
I take that back, HP. That’s Apple reporting the total size of all downloads.
Dear HP, how the fuck can a “printer driver update” be 443MB compressed?
Goodness @expectproblems, shall there be the consumption of alcoholic beverages at Byteside tonight? I am… perturbed!
RT @BernardKeane: My goodness, I have a whole drawerfull of brown paper bags for you here if you need them. [Please RT]
Podcast from last night’s ABC RN filterfest with Sen Conroy, @NewtonMark, @coljac, others http://bit.ly/df2sUS
Apologies to Sen Conroy. Last night he did say “Eric Schmidt”, not “Smith”. He mumbled, I misheard. Still, the point about Google was odd.
Important Wisdom for Tuesday: http://bit.ly/aga6AJ
Reminder / Warning: I’m on the panel for Byteside Tech tonight. http://bit.ly/uOLWs I forget who else is, ask @seamus
Dear Politics Junkies, what @rbbrown said just then is 100% correct. http://bit.ly/9kiDwE
The nutters always emerge in the comments, @SnarkyPlatypus, we should start collecting them. In a little room with no windows. Or light.
Your point re Hamilton/Webber is already noted, @bernietb http://bit.ly/bos1mq but you can still claim first audio-comment rights.
@SnarkyPlatypus C’est la pleine lune aujourd’hui. Il ne peut pas dormir. Je ne peux pas dormir. Il ya… des monstres.
The US has lost the War on Drugs, so the winner chooses the next moves. http://bit.ly/a6T7yJ
@SnarkyPlatypus Non, ce n’est pas la pluie. Il a plus de cheveux que ça, et il est plus fort.
Phil Collins had many problems, @andrewdotnich
@SnarkyPlatypus Bonjour. Il ya quelque chose d’étrange dans l’air ce matin. J’ai une certaine sensation tactile. Et vous?
“Your handy guide to how to be a journalist” Looks pretty easy. http://bit.ly/azeSEj HT @cward1e
Emerges.
[exit]
New blog post: “The 9pm Edict #9” http://bit.ly/ap9ULf
Rendering…
Listening back to “The 9pm Edict” before posting it.
Starting to record the Edict…
If anyone wants to leave an audio comment for “The 9pm Edict” tonight, there’s still time. http://bit.ly/bsQQIX
@andrewdotnich You mentioned the virtues of awk earlier today. I think I love you.
Where does the internet filter support come from, @jasonlangenauer? http://bit.ly/62JE1e
Retreating from the Twitterburble to write “The 9pm Edict” (which shall be somewhat late, again).
And consider, @bernietb [and others], this may not have been Senator Conroy’s idea. He has a job to do, remember… ;)
Think more broadly, @bernietb, about the political pressures on Conroy. Where did the plan come from? “Cui bono?”
Actually @bernietb @markreeves thinking of Conroy as stupid is wrong. He’s not. “He’s an idiot” will cloud your analysis.
@PeterBlackQUT Google gets coverage of its filter criticism. Conroy’s strategy is now reduced to play-the-man, apparently.
Hilarious! Sen Conroy doesn’t know Eric Schmidt (not “Smith”!) is the hired-help CEO of Google, not a founder.
Nah @trib it’s not “trying to sound reasonable”, I can hear a real tension in Conroy’s voice, or some other kind of discomfort.
@aramadge Terms like “100% accurate” have a second half, “accurate at what”. Conroy is defining his accuracy against a tiny, defined list.
While I wont tweet every word of this radio piece, Conroy’s performance on Radio National right now is fucking woeful. Defensive, dull.
@oliverw The DVD problem is that the drive isn’t even recognising the black media, it doesn’t even get to the burn. But ta.
@JonoH All of YouTube, Viddler and Vimeo have private videos. Presumably some others too.
Meanwhile, I’m wondering what I shall talk about in “The 9pm Edict” tonight. Wine may help. Cheap wine, even more so.
Reminder: Conroy to debate filter with EFA, Newton, Lumby on ABC Radio National 6pm AEDT http://bit.ly/ddXYnH
New “Patch Monday” podcast via @zdnetaustralia: “Refused Classification means what, exactly?” http://bit.ly/d1Oh4j
Oh whacko. My MacBook Pro now has the same “I refuse to recognise blank DVD-Rs” problem as @ApostrophePong’s. CONSPIRACY!
Warm rain-spotted road / cat strolls, mynahs swoop, screech / He is disgruntled.
“Patch Monday” podcast filed! Ping @engochick and celebrate which little coloured whistle things!
In “studio mode”, putting together the “Patch Monday” podcast.
Yep, @thewinchesterau, and SenConroy’s piece on The 7pm Project is also on the program website. http://bit.ly/aaXqrc Already dubbed.
@michaelmeloni On The 7pm project he just mentioned child abuse / bestiality / incest / rape. I’m after wording he uses for crime-related.
Filter: Conroy to debate EFA, Newton, Lumby tonight http://bit.ly/ddXYnH
Indeed @Cacotopos The 7pm Project interview is a classic listing. He didn’t even mention “detained instruction in crime” for that.
Quite possibly, @michaelmeloni, but I need a recent example of how the Good Senator describes what’s in Refused Classification.
How cute. “The 7pm Project” has a little whoosh noise after every intro item and each news story. That gives me an idea for the Edict…
“Area 51 vets break silence: Sorry, but no space aliens or UFOs” http://bit.ly/9bj08l
Teaching ducks to dance.
But @bernietb ANYONE is susceptible to emotional / psychological persuasions, and that over-rides logic in most cases.
As always @bernietb consider who the audience is. This was ABC Radio National at 6pm.
Sen Conroy mentioned Google’s Buzz problem, @bernietb, to discredit Google / their filter submission. http://bit.ly/8YORK9
Yes @jamezpolley Sen Conroy missed / smudged the entire point. Eric Schmidt’s views are not Brin’s and Page’s. Accident? Deliberate?
@toucansays I think I might leave further expansion as an exercise for the reader. For now. Wait until after dusk.
@toucansays You know, “There are other people in here *moans*” is a handy sentence in other contexts too…
Tue plan: A desk-based email / planning day, at home in the morning, in the Sydney CBD this afternoon; 1800 Byteside http://bit.ly/uOLWs
Actually @katmatcreations @adavid did you see my retraction of the HP tweet?
“A mollycoddling internet policy is just feeding the trolls” says @coljac http://bit.ly/cbK3XL
[nods] @Davidramli One of my gripes with some news reporting is adding drama when none’s there. Big changes at Telstra, certainly.
Ooh a “shake-up”, @Davidramli? My question would be whether or not it over-states the amount of sudden disruption.
Dear Journalists writing about Telstra today: You don’t “unveil” a “reshuffle”. Mixed metaphors and lame clichés FTL.
Mon plan: Complete “Patch Monday” and “The 9pm Edict” podcasts; start consolidating a new client’s hosting; many loose ends.
@firstdogonmoon Here, Sir, have some grammar! [hands brown paper bag]
Emerges.
[exit]
Erm @dobes the photo is captioned “Juniors racing feral goats, Woolbrook, NSW” http://bit.ly/bCWCvq Not location enough?
Indeed, my SEKRIT goat correspondent has just told me about this goat racing photo. http://bit.ly/bCWCvq
No @franksting they should release herds of goats onto the Formula 1 track at random intervals. #f1
New A Series of Tubes podcast by @R_Chirgwin http://bit.ly/9osV5y Peter Kazacos of Kaz; me on censorship, comment spam
[plink]
I have finished reading everything I had to read today and my brain is soggy. And not the good kind.
Semi-stabby.
Half way… half way… half way… [stretch]
Where’s that whiskey, eh?
@jasonlangenauer Ah yes, foreign TV. Much more important than people attending the actual event. Why bother with different cities?
@jasonlangenauer Formula 1 races always start at 2pm local time. Call yourself a fan? ;)
Sun plan: Complete all this reading and SEKRIT commentary; write a blog post or two; finish the washing (yay, clean socks!); rest my legs.
@SnarkyPlatypus En ce moment, je voudrais avoir un crayon bleu et un très grand nombre de bouteille de whisky.
@SnarkyPlatypus “Trop nombreux clichés!”, qui aurait dû être.
@SnarkyPlatypus Bonjour. Je suis en appréciant la possibilité de se faire porter de jugement sur un dimanche. Pour de nombreux clichés!
If you’d prefer me in swimwear rather than Tony Abbott, there’s my blog post from yesterday. http://bit.ly/bo9uWr #insiders Tragic, eh?
Emerged. Actually I emerged ages ago and have been doing some of the reading I have to do today. But that’s not especially interesting.
Mobile: A long walk on a pleasant day. No further details at this stage.
New blog post: “50 to 50 #4: Poor, with cheap holidays” http://bit.ly/bo9uWr Includes candid swimwear photo.
Lost in odd memories as I write my next “50 to 50” blog post.
David Mamet’s guide to screenwriting (in all caps) http://bit.ly/ba2xAA Ping @ApostrophePong
Christ @mrsnickhodge we are so goddam going to have a fight over this, aren’t we!
“Burroughs has gone insane.” http://bit.ly/9e65pC
Sure @mrsnickhodge, so given the need to house so many more people in the Sydney basin NOW, where would you put them?
“Kevin Rudd, thanks for your time.” “Let me answer that in nine parts, Brian…” Love you John Clarke! http://bit.ly/bcplMI
People camp out overnight to buy land at… Oran Park? WTF? http://bit.ly/cXDaSx
@toucansays Sir, Gill Sans has been my personal typeface for… years. Which orifice shall I lick, O Master?
ABC: “Slow Aussie internet delays NASA mission” http://bit.ly/9Y4JcJ
Against all medical advice, I have ordered a steak. And pinot noir.
Sweating.
Thanks for those start-up lawyer suggestions, @grantshow @imtimhanlon, on @BaneAu’s behalf. Forgetting @andrewperry was a brainfade moment.
It is a little bit warmer out here than I’d expected. I think I need to drink something cool and refreshing.
Mobile: Enmore Rd; King St errand (before the bank shuts); semi-quiet reading/writing spot.
Sorry @BaneAu no I don’t know any start-up lawyers. Maybe someone else will ping you details.
Actually @Nickhodge you met me early 1985 (March?) when you sold me my first Mac 512k. Yes @MichaelMcNeill a very small world indeed.
Discovering that in 1983 I took a photo of @mrsnickhodge’s mother. Emailing her a nice high-res scan now!
Also, Pacnet’s “Account Toolkit” isn’t displaying all user data. They say they’ve had some sort of breach by spammers, or something.
Dear Pacnet, formerly Pacific Internet, your “Account Toolkit” is a confusing, ill-arranged mess. I see why my client is migrating away.
Sneezes.
Something bad happened in my life once, and there really needs to be justice. Anyone got Women’s Weekly’s phone number handy?
What sort of idiot gives ID scans and fingerprints to nightclub bouncers? http://bit.ly/cTJnYU
@SnarkyPlatypus Peut-être que nous pouvons créer un médicament entièrement nouveau appelé “la boule de fourrure”.
@SnarkyPlatypus Il ya eu un trop-plein de chats et de l’insuffisance de médicaments.
@SnarkyPlatypus Bonjour. Je suis rempli d’une certaine quantité d’agacement. Et vous?
Jorno’s name unfortunate, given the story (if you’re English) http://bit.ly/aeio1Z
Emerges.
Oui, @posty @artsdigitalera, insomnia is a harsh mistress. Oh well…
Not sleeping, alas.
Fading. [exit]
Home.