/ blog · 2004
Archive
Posts from 2004 to 2017. This was a personal blog during a fairly chaotic decade in independent publishing — some of it tech commentary, some of it Australia, some of it ephemera. It’s kept here in full for anyone who arrives via an old link.
Current writing lives at SiliconANGLE.
Blog Herald Christmas Blogging Awards closing soon!
A gratuitous plug for the Blog Herald Im entitled to do it occasionally The Blog Herald Christmas Blogging Awards close 23 December, and yes, this year theres cash prizes!!!
Firefox ad appears in NY Times
It’s finally happened and can be viewed here The print is very small but none the less I still managed to appear in the list of names. Happiness is giving to a good cause.
UV protection from your washing machine?
Being Australian and have a patchwork of scars on my back from the moles cut out due to cancer scares I know the stats in this Wired story but I don’t know until today if I upgrade from my regular radiant to the colour version (I think its about $1 extra for memory) I now […]
Phone booths resurrected for cell users
What will they think of next? Phone booths resurrected for cell users: Fort Wayne Journal “Phone companies have eliminated more than a million traditional pay phones in the past eight years, many of them in phone booths, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Now, some restaurants, libraries and other businesses are slowly bringing back phone […]
Gay book ban goal of state lawmaker
I think the famous line went, First it was the jews, then the gays… or the like, but you get the context. This nutter from Alabama is trying to censor books that mention gay people, labelling them as gay propoganda. If the bill became law, public libraries couldn’t offer books with gay or bisexual characters. […]
BBQ Nation
Another weekend gone and some time for some gratuitous Australia plugging with this wonderful line “Australia is the BBQ Nation”. Every Friday night is BBQ night (unless going out), middle of winter or the heat of summer out it comes. Friday night consisted of sausages (thin), lamb cutlets, onions and herbed potatoes, washed down with […]
Just plain wrong
Regular readers would know that my political persuasion in right of centre, particularly on economics, but this story is just plain wrong, even our Prime Minister, who for non-Australian readers is of a conservative persuasion, in the context of the abortion debate, defends proper sex education (in the context of a way to reduce the […]
Yes its back
Just for once iinet met a deadline, the new wireless card in the back of the box is working fine talking to the wireless adsl modem now located at the phone point at the other end of the house, and all is well again in the world.
Dec 1 is “ADSL Return Day”
iiNet (or “ii” as they now call themselves: short for “incompetent idiots”) rang last week after my faxed complaint to apologise then tell me it would still be another week until my net access was returned. In another complete f*ck up the guy who rang (he was from “upstairs” so he said) promised that someone […]
Italian Senate in gay porn worm attack outrage
I think I like this story because of the title more than anything else…. The Register: Proceedings in the Italian Senate were disrupted this week after hackers used a computer worm to display hardcore gay porn on computer monitors. Computers in the Senate chamber, and Senator’s office, were affected by the attack which used variants […]
Augusta town
Too many bizarre tales on the site lately so time for some balance, another pic I took on 3 September 2004 on approach to Augusta showing the Hardy Inlet and Augusta town to the left. For those thinking “what the hell is he on about” I’m talking Augusta Western Australia Click on image to view […]
JFK shooting game provokes anger
The world is a sick place…. BBC: A Scottish firm has been criticised by the family of John F Kennedy for producing a game which recreates the president’s assassination in Dallas. “JFK Reloaded” was released on Monday to coincide with the 41st anniversary of the president’s assassination.
Pupils were left in tears after a teacher told them that an asteroid was about to hit Earth and kill them all
Two words: Sick f*ck. BBC: Pupils were left in tears after a teacher told them that an asteroid was about to hit Earth and kill them all. The spoof announcement was designed to teach 14-year-olds the importance of seizing the day but backfired after they became visibly frightened. Keith Hogan, head teacher at St Matthew’s […]
Internet Porn: Worse than Crack?
Extremely bizarre but true, and I believe it goes to the real issue of the American Paradox: a society which condones, indeed promotes and normalises violence yet flinches at the slightest hint of skin or sex. The Janet Jackson scandal comes to mind….. Wired: Internet pornography is the new crack cocaine, leading to addiction, misogyny, […]
show me the calories!
I’d think this would take about 2 1/2 hours on the cross trainer at 70 and Level 8 to burn off, but doesn’t it sound delish! MSNBC> As many fast-food chains introduce healthier fare amid fears of being sued, Hardee?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s is bucking the trend, serving up a megaburger with 1,420 calories and 107 grams of […]
US Congressman mounting campaign to change the name of Interstate 69
Only in America…. John Hostettler, the Congressman representing the 8th district of Indiana, has been convinced by local religious groups to introduce legislation in the House that would change the name of an Interstate 69 extension to a more moral sounding number. There are plans to extend the interstate from Indianapolis through southwestern Indiana all […]
Blue State Blues as Coastal Parents Battle Invasion of Dollywood Values
Hillarious, long but worth the read “”I’m not sure where we went wrong,” says Ellen McCormack, nervously fondling the recycled paper cup holding her organic Kona soy latte. “It seems like only yesterday Rain was a carefree little boy at the Montessori school, playing non-competitive musical chairs with the other children and his care facilitators.” […]
Dick Cheneys appendage
I’m not so sure what to make of this, the Blogosphere seems to be obsessed at the moment with this picture. Free speech or post election boredom? you be the judge.
When moving ADSL goes bad
Apologies for those expecting the growing volume on the Blog Herald and the Search Engine Herald to continue unabated: when moving Friday the ADSL internet connection did not follow, and my useless ISP, iinet are looking into it! 4 days without internet access is a real pain in the u know what. I hope they […]
How to smash a home computer
The BBC provides some interesting tales from computer recovery firms: One user put his hard drive in a freezer, after reading on the internet that this can fix malfunctioning hardware When tidying up his computer folders, one user inadvertently deleted the ones he meant to keep. He only realised he’d made the mistake after emptying […]