My week of Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November 2024 wasn’t as productive as I’d hoped — nothing to worry about, just too much stress and too much fatigue — but productive enough for the purposes. No new podcasts, but some solid work behind the scenes. It’s good to have some calm before the storm.
Articles
- The Weekly Cybers #42. Victorian court recognises a right to privacy, NACC suffers a blow to its credibility, and more. It was a relatively short edition before parliament returns next week.
You can read my previous writing at Authory, where you can also subscribe to an email compilation of any new stories each Sunday morning.
Podcasts, Photos, Videos, Media Appearances, Corporate Largess
None of these, but there’s a whole bunch of podcasts coming up.
You can subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified when new videos appear and when livestreams are scheduled. I know there haven’t been any for a while, sorry.
Recommendations
It’s all coming to a somewhat depressing climax — and I so hate seeing that word in the same sentence as Elon Musk. I see a theme developing here.
- “Shortly after Musk endorsed Trump’s presidential campaign, there was a statistically anomalous boost in engagement with his X account. Suddenly, his posts were getting much higher views, retweets and likes in comparison to other prominent political accounts,” but I’m sure that’s a complete coincidence.
- “Workers say they were tricked and threatened as part of Elon Musk’s get-out-the-vote effort.”
- Elon Musk misses Philly court date, stalling ‘illegal lottery’ case against him.
- With Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Republicans’ ‘strict father’ has become the creepy uncle.
- Meanwhile, One year on, we know this: Sweden’s trade unions are more than a match for Elon Musk.
In other news:
- With the US election just hours away you may well be sick of it all, but Casey Briggs of ABC News has made an interesting little series on the US electoral system, America, Are You OK?.
The episodes have been loaded in the wrong order, so watch for that.[Update 9 November 2024: They’ve fixed it.] - My attention has been drawn to an amazing Indonesian all-female metal trio, Voice of Baceprot. We’ve just missed their brief Australian tour but the rabbit-hole begins here. Enjoy. Or maybe dive straight into this Metallica cover from 2021 or even listen to the whole set.
- My attention has also been drawn from a piece in The Atlantic from March this year, The Rise of Techno- Authoritarianism. Archived here.
- In Dublin, thousands turn out for a nonexistent halloween parade promoted by an AI listing.
- Welshman has completed the largest GPS drawing of a penis.
The Week Ahead
This will be week two of my three-week time in Sydney.
[Update 5 November 2024: Nah, there’s no time for a solo podcast this week. I’m feeling very flat and I have other things to get done. This section has been rewritten to reflect that. Wish me luck.]
On Monday or Tuesday I’ll push out the brief solo podcast I eluded to last week. I’ll also get some client work under way through to Thursday.
On Thursday evening I’ll be going to Engineering the Future: Unlocking the Digital Frontier, presented by UNSW Engineering. Yes, time for some networking for next year.
Some time toward the end of the week Later on Thursday evening I’ll record an episode of The 9pm Edict podcast with Scottish author and social researcher David F Porteous. If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC for this episode, please let me know by 3pm AEDT this Thursday 7 November. We’ll definitely talk about what’s happening in The America, but we’ll also try to think about other things.
The 9pm Edict is supported by the generosity of its listeners. You can always throw a few coins into the tip jar or subscribe for special benefits. Please consider.
On Saturday I’ll edit and post that podcast, and Sunday will be a day of rest. Ideally, anyway.
Further Ahead
- The 9pm Edict recording with satirist Mark Humphries, 11 November 2024. If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC for this episode, please let me know by midday AEDT that day.
- The 9pm Edict recording with Snarky Platypus, 16 November 2024. If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC for this episode, please let me know by midday AEDT that day.
- Victoria expedition, 6–9 December 2024. Includes a friend’s birthday event on the Mornington Peninsula Friday 6 to Sunday 8, heading to Melbourne for social things on Sunday night before flying back to Sydney on Monday evening. This trip will almost burn off the last of my frequent flyer points from the Beforetimes, when I used to do a lot more travelling.
- Sydney days, 26 December 2024 to 3 January 2025 (TBC). I’m taking every opportunity to spend time in Sydney for reasons which by now you may well understand.
[Photo: A view of Sydney Metro’s Victoria Cross station in North Sydney , specifically the northern entrance, taken at dusk on 2 November 2024.]