My week of Monday 26 January to Sunday 1 February 2026 represents a hinge of fate, or at least it’s very likely to do so. I’ll find out in the coming days, and then I’ll explain what I mean. Either way, it’s nothing to do with Winston Churchill.
Podcasts
- The 9pm 57 Varieties of Thai with Erin Cook, recorded on Wednesday and posted on Thursday. The main focus is Thailand’s general election coming up next Sunday 8 February, but there’s a lot more.
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Articles
- The Weekly Cybers #102. In a relatively quiet week there’s some poking at the teen social media ban, a slap for Service Australia, and more.
Photos, Videos, Media Appearances, Corporate Largesse
None of these. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified when new videos appear and when livestreams are scheduled.
Some Interesting Links
- Kazuhiko Hachiya built a jet-powered glider modelled on the one seen in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the OpenSky M-02J. The videos of the final flights, one and two, are delightful.
- I think I can almost forgive the Chinese-American woman in this short documentary calling her farm Choy Division because she’s providing a valuable service.
- J Draper looks at the history and economics of bodysnatchers.
- September 2025 saw the 60th birthday of Thunderbirds. ITV has posted a three-part documentary, Thunderbirds are 60, although for some reason one episode isn’t available here in Australia.
- NASA’s Best Photos of 2025, allegedly.
- From The Conversation, “Beach swimming was once banned in Australia. How did it become a treasured pastime?“
- This week’s suggested follow: Eleanor & Alasdair Read That, a podcast where two red-headed comedians ‚ Eleanor Morton and Alasdair Beckett-King, revisit classic kids’ books. “Will our childhood treasures stand the test of time? Or will we be forced to make fun of them on a podcast?” The conversation is great fun, and it works even if you haven’t read the book in question.
The Week Ahead
Early in the week I’ll be sorting out the new distribution process for Another Untitled Music Podcast by reposting the first pilot episode that was originally posted in May 2025.
After that I’ll be chasing some new work, as well starting to set up a new crowdfunder to cover my planned move back to Sydney — after 15 years it’ll quite possibly be happening in March! — and more podcasts for an autumn series. And of course I’ll be locking in further guests for this season.
Friday sees The Weekly Cybers newsletter as usual. Saturdays have recently been about apartment-hunting in Sydney, but we may not bother this coming weekend.
Further Ahead
- NEW: Vaccine medical trial appointment, Sydney, 10 February 2026. Yes, I’ve been approved to be part of this trial of a new trivalent vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPV-3), and this is the day I get injected. There’s a 37.5% chance it’ll be the placebo, and a 37.5% chance it’ll be the full new thing. The remaining options are a range of single or bivalent vaccines.
- NEW: Takashi Wakasugi’s Wabi-Sabi Comedy, Sydney, 16 May 2026 (TBC). I saw Takashi’s work-in-progress show back in December, so it’ll be interesting to see how it all came together.
[Photo: The Momos of Fate, being ten buffalo dumplings about to be eaten at Chulho Nepalese Restaurant in Harris Park, Sydney, photographed on 30 January 2026. They were wonderful.]