Reading

Created
Sat, 15/12/2018 - 17:24

I woke up early this morning, and those of you live above 45° parallel north or so are used to the “I'm wide awake but it's still dark as night” feeling in the winter. I usually don't turn on the lights, wander into my office, and just bring my computer out of hibernate; that takes a bit as my 100% Free-Software-only computer is old and slow, so I usually go to make coffee while that happens.

As I came back in my office this morning I was a bit struck by both displays with the huge Debian screen lock image, and it got me thinking of how Debian has been my companion for so many years. I spoke about this at DebConf 15 a bit, and wrote about a similar concept years before. I realize that it's been almost nine years that I've been thinking rather deeply about my personal relationship with Debian and why it matters.

Created
Fri, 14/12/2018 - 02:58
Fitzy and Cara are thrilled to announce the imminent release of their much-anticipated 5th studio album ‘Hand It Over’, featuring lead track ‘Hold On’, and they’re headed out on an extensive Australian tour this Summer to get everyone’s blood flowing. January 2019: 26 Jan Rye Australia Day, Rye, Victoria 6pm (Free) 31 Jan Heritage Hotel, [...]
Created
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 21:41

Bombay (as the locals I have met insist on calling it) keeps reminding me of my time in Alexandria in the early 90s. I walked a lot and obsessed over the bicycle culture back then too.

A slum laundry?
behind the hotels I found where they wash the sheets and towels
Mumbai Housing
Mumbai Housing …
Created
Sun, 25/11/2018 - 06:37

Our first trip to Japan. After driving up the coast and waiting at the airport, the nine hour flight was not so bad. We spent two hours figuring out and getting the trains to our airbnb. We dumped our bags after 20 odd hours travelling and found a bar which …

Created
Thu, 22/11/2018 - 19:09

I have until now avoided making a public statement about my views on the various interrelated issues regarding the GNU Kind Communication Guidelines that came up over the last month. However, given increasing interest in our community on these issues, and the repeated inquiries that I received privately from major contributors in our community, I now must state my views publicly. I don't have much desire to debate these topics in public, nor do I think such is particularly useful, but I've been asked frequently about these GNU policy statements.

Created
Thu, 15/11/2018 - 08:46
The much-anticipated Inland Sea of Sound festival is back bigger than ever with Bathurst’s iconic Wahluu-Mount Panorama set to play host to the two-day music and arts festival from 30th November – 1st December 2018. Hat Fitz and Cara will be playing on 1st December. Grab your tickets here. Now in its eighth year, Inland [...]
Created
Wed, 14/11/2018 - 04:53
Bruce Chatwin in India
Bruce Chatwin in India

As a nineteen year old, Bruce Chatwin introduced me to the latin phrase, solvitur ambulando (The Songlines). Translated as ‘it is solved by walking’ I liked the phrase immediately. It has become a talisman to be kept in my thoughts. I have not only sought solutions …

Created
Mon, 29/10/2018 - 16:15

I recently bought some TaoTronics noise cancelling headphones. I thought they’d make the long-haul flight home to the UK less painful.

As an itirant miserable bastard I have found they also work to make long-haul life less painful. Sometimes I just want to switch the world off and step …

Created
Fri, 19/10/2018 - 12:19

At times I have a plan. I have been known to make a five year plan and more or less stick to it. More happenstance, less plan to be honest. I had planned to quit my previous relationship and go live in the Falklands or the Australian outback. My kids …

Created
Mon, 15/10/2018 - 09:54

Last night I started reading Night Walking by Prof. Beaumont. It felt immediately familiar to me. I mention it now only to make note of the phrase Post Circadian Capitalism and the word Noctivagator. Fab.

I did not sleep much after 3am this morning. I’m not getting enough exercise …

Created
Wed, 10/10/2018 - 23:41

[ A similar version was crossposted on Conservancy's blog. ]

Folks lauded today that Microsoft has joined the Open Invention Network (OIN)'s limited patent non-aggression pact, suggesting that perhaps it will bring peace in our time regarding Microsoft's historical patent aggression. While today's announcement is a step forward, we call on Microsoft to make this just the beginning of their efforts to stop their patent aggression efforts against the software freedom community.

Created
Sun, 07/10/2018 - 16:11

Every 6 months or so I find myself at the bicycle shop buying another set of blinking LED bicycle lights. The last pair having inevitably fallen apart; fallen off or ceased to work. It always costs 10 bucks more than I expect. They always have new and irritatingly imperfect ways …

Created
Thu, 04/10/2018 - 16:14

Sleep has been avoiding me lately. It waits until I have given up on it and then gets me. It normally does so just before I have to get up. I lay awake last night watching my brain churning through increasingly bizarre thoughts. At some stage I was thinking about …

Created
Wed, 03/10/2018 - 18:39
The pharmacist-turned-novelist John O’Grady adopted the pseudonym of Giovanni ‘Nino’ Culotta to write the story of an immigrant Italian journalist who comes to Sydney and writes about the people – and their version of English – he finds there. Nino’s true identity was only revealed two months after publication. It became a hit film in […]
Created
Tue, 02/10/2018 - 07:52

Running my hand along the kitchen bench my fingers gripped momentarily on congealed sticky oil. I wiped my fingers on a towel and poured a glass of Roku Gin. Earlier today I booked a cheap hotel room in Colaba, Mumbai. Gregory Robert’s book came to mind and I thought …