I’ve been back in the Blue Mountains all this week, Monday 5 to Sunday 11 January 2026, but a combination of fatigue and then overly-warm weather means there’s little new to report. I did bring The Weekly Cybers newsletter back earlier than planned, however.
I had trouble finding a photo to feature this week. I haven’t been taking many lately, and those that I have been taking have usually been the local birds, or food, or trains. Way too repetitive. I had to roll back to November!
Articles
- The Weekly Cybers #99. We’re back early! Happy 2026. Elon Musk’s AI image editor is removing women’s and children’s clothing, Australian teens are working around the social media ban, and a hacker kills white supremacist websites live on stage.
Videos
- I posted a rough video of a patient Australian magpie mother (Gymnorhina tibicen) feeding a very insistent juvenile.
- I also posted a rough video of a pigeon in mortal combat with a pastry.
You can subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified when new videos appear and when livestreams are scheduled.
Podcasts, Photos, Media Appearances, Corporate Largesse
None of these.
Some Interesting Links
- A measured piece from John Birmingham this week: This is what fascism looks like.
- It’s a bit silly in places, mainly the headline, but Pad Thai is Fascist. In fact, Pad Kaprao is Thailand’s Real National Dish.
- From ABC News, How much do you know about the meat pie? Test yourself (or treat yourself).
- For those who haven’t seen it yet, here’s the full 3-minute version of this year’s Australia Day Lamb promo, featuring meatfluencer Sam Kekovich.
- This week’s suggested follow: Seoul Community Radio (SCR), created in 2016 and “dedicated to amplifying Seoul’s diverse electronic music community”. If you’re ever in Korea, “Our radio + bar studio in Itaewon opens to the public from Thursday to Sunday.”
The Week Ahead
Monday is a day of planning and administrivia. It’s the Monday when it’s starting to be worth talking to clients for the new year.
On Tuesday I’m heading down to Sydney to be screened for a medical trial. Assuming I don’t get bounced for some reason, I’ll be taking part in the trial of a new trivalent vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPV-3). I’m really hoping I get the new vaccine rather than the placebo. Other errands will also be dealt with.
NEW: On Wednesday I’m recording an episode of The 9pm Edict with philosopher Patrick Stokes. He was on the pod back in 2021 and it was a lot of fun. If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC for this episode’s, please let me know by 9am AEDT this Wednesday 14 January. I’ll post the finished ep before the end of the week.
The 9pm Edict and Another Untitled Music Podcast are supported by the generosity of you, their listeners. Please consider supporting them. You can to throw a few coins into the tip jar directly or subscribe for special benefits. There’s also some specific benefits for supporting AUMP.
On Friday, well, The Weekly Cybers is back. On Saturday I’ll probably be in Sydney looking at apartments, although there were none this week. Too early in the year. And Sunday should therefore be a day of rest, as God intended.
Further Ahead
Would you believe there’s nothing 100% locked in yet? Yeah, I guess you would.
[Photo: Caravan Cat, Wentworth Falls, 6 November 2025.]