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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.
Hidden Inflation? The Bread Test
The latest inflation reports for Australia are showing the seasonally adjusted underlying figure of 4% with headline inflation around 3%, but I’m starting to not believe it. We’ve always been impartial to Bakers Delight White Flour Loaf bread (recommended for those in Australia…just great bread). Around this time last year it was around $2.20 or […]
Moving
Big news, she who must be obeyed has accepted a job offer and we’ll be moving to Melbourne in the new year, roughly mid January. I moved to Western Australia in November 1998 after 2 years in Queensland (I’m originally from Sydney) so it was coming up on 10 years, and possibly time for a […]
Ruddslide
The results are in and it’s wall to wall Labor for Australia. On one hand I’m deeply disturbed; the thought of returning to the days of Hawke and Keating with high interest rates and high unemployment scare me, and yet the Howard Government bought this on themselves. Work choices was bad politics, the legislation went […]
And Now We Wait
Voted. Senate paper went to U with 54 boxes to fill out. Polls close at 6pm AEST so first results from around 6:30pm AEST (or 4:30pm my time). One observation: old people suck at setting up signs and bunting. The Liberal setup at the Riverlinks Community Centre Australind was beyond embarrassing for them. The Independent […]
ALP’s Internet Policy: A Great Firewall of Australia
A couple of days out from the election and neither party has announced a comprehensive ICT policy…because neither party has one. Kevin Rudd today talked about taking Australia up a gear and the need to fulfil our great potential, but apparently IT isn’t part of that future. The real banger: the reiteration of a policy […]
Remember
Remembrance Day 2007. “MCMXIV” from Philip Larkin. It’s modern poetry, but it’s done well. Those long uneven lines Standing as patiently As if they were stretched outside The Oval or Villa Park, The crowns of hats, the sun On moustached archaic faces Grinning as if it were all An August Bank Holiday lark; […]
Crunchies Are A Good Idea
TechCrunch, VentureBeat, GigaOm and another site are getting together for the Crunchies, a Web 2.0 best of annual awards. Nice idea. Full details here. (disclosure: I write for TechCrunch)
New Simpsons Game is Fun Fun
This is pretty close to being one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen 🙂 (via CG)
Australian Election Update: It smells
Side note: I’m loving these point by point posts: it’s liberating. Verbal feedback has been all positive. If you think they suck…well, it’s this or not post at all ,which I’ve done a lot of this year as my external activities (TechCrunch, Gooruze etc) have increased 🙂 1. I’m sick of the election, and so in […]
Sponsor Nick Hodge: Because I demand that you do!
Microsoft Australia’s Nick Hodge is partaking in Movember, a lets grow some facial hair in November charity event with sponsorships going to the ever excellent Beyond Blue. I’m not a huge contributor to charity; as I’ve written on this blog in the past I use to donate to the Salvation Army until I discovered that […]
Podcamp Perth 07
Just back from Podcamp Perth 07. My thoughts 1. Good turnout, as always for anything held in Perth. 2. Crowd was a different mix to perhaps what I expected, a lot of people in education, teachers, uni folk etc. Always interesting to get different view points. 3. If Podcamp was suppose to be an unconference […]
Governments Don’t Win Elections, Oppositions Lose Them
A week is a long time in politics and its been even longer for the Labor Party this week. The Labor Party’s momentum of the phony election campaign has given way to a Liberal Party that is running a blitzkreig on all fronts. I’m for the Liberal tax cuts: Australia still remains one of the […]
MyMac Australia: The Saga Continues
I tried reaching out to MyMac Australia, but the rather heated person who called me earlier today just sent me this. I find it rather odd but he thinks I’m bullying and threatening him when the first thing he said to me on the call today was get the video down or we’ll sue you. […]
I’ve Been Threatened With Legal Action by MyMac
Interesting call from MyMac Melbourne who weren’t happy with my previous post about them selling me an incomplete iSight kit. The conversation started well (not): they immediately demanded that I remove the post and YouTube video I put up or I’d be hearing from their lawyers.My response was simply that I want the missing parts […]
Maybe Next Time
Just for the record I’ve decided not to run for the DLP at this election. I think when it comes down to it that I’ve enjoyed my time out of politics too much, and certainly becoming political again risks damaging the great relationships I’ve built up in the last 2 years, and @simone comes to […]
Should I run for the LDP in Forrest?
A totally left of centre offer today: I was aksed to consider running for the Liberty and Democracy Party as their candidate in Forrest. The initial rush of blood to the head was like blood to a vampire for me: it’s hard to ever get away from politics once you’ve been involved at some stage, […]
Recommended Viewing: NEWStopia
SBS launched a new show last night, a Shaun McCaulife news-style satire by the name of NEWStopia. It’s playing 10pm Wednesdays for an initial 10 week run. I didn’t see it last night, but read about it in Crikey today, you can watch the show (for the next week) here. It’s actually pretty good, and […]
I’ve Caught the Second Life Bug Again
I blame Cameron Reilly! I’ve been spending more and more time in Second Life lately, mostly for researching TechCrunch posts (see coverage here) and then I noticed Cam had set up a HQ for The Podcast Network. I met up with Cam Friday night (still in Brisbane for the Australian Blogging Conference, the Chifley had […]
Cool Battery Hack
I’ve got no idea if the same applies to Australian batteries, but it’s still amazing none the less: 32 AA batteries from 1 6v 6 Volt Battery Hack! You’ll Be Amazed! – video powered by Metacafe
Busy Week
Im sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Adagio San Francisco waiting for check-in. Funny how the staff at an expensive hotel are ruder than the cheap Best Western I stayed in last night: “Check-in isn’t until 3” I was told, where as when I rocked up at the Best Western yesterday at 12 they […]