I finally posted one of the three podcasts I’d recorded recently. My week of Monday 22 to Sunday 28 July 2024 saw a return to at least a moderate amount of productivity. It was also rather cold, with more cold weather to come.
Podcasts
- The 9pm Collapse of an Evil Empire with David F Porteous, recorded on 19 July and finally posted this Thursday evening. This and the next two episodes have all been delayed from the original plan by a week or so thanks to various people being ill.
The 9pm Edict is supported by the generosity of its listeners. You can throw a few coins into the tip jar or subscribe for special benefits. Please consider.
Articles
- The Weekly Cybers #28. Some thoughts on the CrowdStrike outage, another busy week for the eSafety Commissioner, a few AI stories (of course), and more.
You can read my previous writing at Authory, where you can also subscribe to an email compilation of any new stories each Sunday morning.
Media Appearances
- One of my photos of a Sydney tram has been used again by Time Out, this time to illustrate the story Commuter alert: Sydney’s Light Rail workers are going on strike this week.
- As a result it ended up on a page of people on WeChat complaining about the strike.
Photos, Videos, Corporate Largesse
None of these. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified when new videos appear and when livestreams are scheduled.
Recommendations
This week, even for a segment about one of the world’s biggest arseholes, Elon Musk was an even bigger arsehole than usual.
- Elon Musk’s X under fire over harvesting users’ data to train AI chatbot, reports Politico. “The platform’s lead EU regulator is looking into the matter, which may infringe upon the bloc’s privacy rules.” If you still use X and want to turn off the Grok-feeding that was just turned on without telling you, go here.
- Reversing last week’s news, Elon Musk denies report he will donate $45m a month to Trump Super Pac. This detail came right as Joe Biden handed over to Kamala Harris, but I’m sure that’s a complete coincidence.
- Tesla boss Elon Musk says the electric car maker will start producing and using humanoid robots from next year, with the usual warning about the phrase “Elon Musk says”.
- Elon Musk’s 20-year-old estranged daughter responded to his rant about her, including his really off comment about her being trans and being “Killed by the woke mind virus”. That’s the Guardian story. Here’s the Rolling Stone version.
- Grimes’ Mother Blasts Musk — Accuses Him Of Keeping Children From Their Mother.
- From The Conversation, Elon Musk says he’s a ‘cultural Christian’ — why some leading thinkers are embracing Christianity. Not sure I’d call him a “leading thinker” though.
In other news:
- Should anyone need item here’s the full list of Australia’s new ministerial arrangements announced today. Changes at the top, full list down below.
- New Zealand comedian Guy Montgomery has scored an Australian series of his very silly game show Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, starting on 14 August. And here’s a teaser. This began as a Zoom-on-YouTube series during the Quarantimes, then a stage show, and then a proper TV show in New Zealand. Next week I’ll post a full playlist of them.
- Alex Frayne’s South Australian landscape photography, a magnificent gallery of images.
- And 30 years ago, Dr Neil Sunderland started collecting maps. Some highlights are online at the The Sunderland Collection, and National Geographic has an excelling run-through.
The Week Ahead
The first half of the week will include a focus on client work, because I’m somewhat behind on a few things. Monday will also be the week’s shopping day in Katoomba.
At some point in the second half of the week I’ll edit and post the podcast with Dr Miranda Bruce, who worked on the World Cybercrime Index. It’s quite fun.
On Friday afternoon I’ll try to pay attention to the catchily titled 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy: Cyber Security Legislative Reforms Roundtable Consultation, although my priority will be pumping out The Weekly Cybers.
On Sunday some friends and I are marking the Opening of Sydney Metro Chatswood-Central-Sydenham with a Metro-based pub crawl on its very first day of operation.
[Update 30 July 2024: The Metro opening has been cancelled because it hasn’t received a safety compliance sign-off from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR). A new opening date has not yet been set. I’ll still be heading down to Sydney, though, because I booked non-refundable accommodation and someone has plans for me.]
Later that evening I’ll be watching the video-on-demand stream TwoSet Violin’s World Tour. Or, if the immediately preceding item gets out of hand, I’ll leave it to another day. Either way, I’ll be staying in Sydney overnight.
Further Ahead
- TechLeaders 2024, Hunter Valley, 10–12 August 2024.
- The Sydney Dialogue, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Sydney and online, 2–3 September 2024 (TBC).
- Queensland expedition, flying to Cairns on 13 October 2024, taking the Spirit of Queensland train down to Brisbane on 16 October and overnight, then visiting the Gold Coast on 20 October before flying back to Sydney on 21 October. I’m still fleshing out the details but there’s bound to be opportunities to catch up for drinks and such.
- Australian Internet Governance Forum (auIGF) 2024, formerly known as NetThing, Melbourne and online, 28–29 October 2024 (TBC).
[Photo: Puddles on a dirt track near Bunjaree Cottages, photographed on 27 July 2024.]