Category: General

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

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 were overly helpful and found me a room straight away. Sure, the hotel room at the Best Western probably won’t be as nice as the one I’m checking into, but sometimes it’s the little things.

I’ve been trying to get an upgrade on the flight back: looks like a Qantas scam. For acquiring Frequent Flyer points and paying I’m considered full economy, but I’m not for a business class upgrade, and hence it’s 72,000 pts vs 48,000 or something like (I’ve got 60,000). Grrrr, not sure I can go that long with limited sleep again…hopefully this time the loud Americans sitting next to me don’t need to piss 7 times in a 14-15 hour flight…particularly when I’m trying to sleep.

TechCrunch 40 starts tomorrow. I’m live blogging it at TechCrunch along with Nick Gonzales. Crazy stuff with a cast of thousands, amazing speakers and having seen the list now some bloody good startups as well.

Last thing: Jason Calacanis mentions San Francisco’s homeless problem. I thought I saw it bad the last time I was here, I was obviously in the good side of town. There is a homeless person in front of nearly every second building…as an Australian I find it very, very disconcerting. At least they aren’t like Canadian beggars (well Toronto beggars), they don’t aggressively jump in front of you asking for a dime…most of the time they are passive, but it’s still weird. The oxymoron of being at the centre of the richest empire in the history of the world, only to find yourself surrounded by the poor strikes again.

Ben Barren was telling me this week that he finds himself posting a whole lot less and instead Twittering: he’s right for me as well, I spend far too much time Twittering and less time blogging, I’m not sure whether this is a bad thing or good thing, and I am still blogging heavily, just not here.

Any how, two new podcasts up at On The Pod, both involve Ben Barren. On the Pod 5 is a direct interview, #6 is the blogging session for Influence. Topics vary and include blogging, marketing and PR, Web 2.0, Australian VC and much much more. Ben’s a great guy to interview: I could have gone on for hours in the podcast.

As for travel, I’m in the air again these coming weeks after being in the Hunter Sat-Tuesday this week. I leave early Saturday morning for TechCrunch 40, I’ll be in the Valley until Friday, home Sunday then off again Thursday fortnight for the Australian Blogging Conference in Brisbane. I shouldn’t complain, it’s a privilege to do this sort of traveling, yet on the other hand it would have been nicer space over a couple of months instead of 3 trips in as many weeks, and she who must be obeyed is not a happy camper. Ironically she’s spending a week in Cairns for work “training” in October, I can get my own back then 🙂

More pics, maybe some more blogging and podcasting from the US next week.

I was upgraded to Silver Status (One World Ruby) last month and the trip East for Influence is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to use it. Checking in at the business class queue in Perth this morning was great, particularly after the at least 2km walk from long term parking at 6:30am (they’ve done away with the buses…bloody Perth Airport Corporation). I’m writing this from Brisbane; unfortunately I’m stuck flying JetStar to Newscastle and the plane is 55 minutes late…the perfect excuse to use the complimentary Qantas Club pass I received with my Status upgrade. The food a good, the beer is cold, and best of all it’s free. The Wifi on the other hand is a little slow, but at least I’m not paying for it. A couple more decent trips in the next 12 months and I’ll get to Gold, which means Q Club is included. Cheers 🙂

Interesting online discussion 12 hours after Strippergate hit the headlines. All the commentary I’ve seen so far has been from men who think Rudd has done nothing wrong. Of course they all would have done the same thing in the past (to an extent) although at least in my own credit I’ve never touched a stripper, after all who would want to be on the wrong side of a Kings Cross bouncer (for record the last time I was in a strip club was probably 19 or 20).

What the commentators are forgetting is the female vote. Women dont like strip clubs. Period, unless of course they are a stripper themselves, and even there you wouldn’t get a 100% favorable vote. Rudd will probably get a rise in the polls from men, but a big decline from women. Whether he has the viagra in his pocket to sway women voters again (as opposed to happy hands) will be seen in time.

Also some context as some have immediately compared Rudds lecherous hands to the shitfaced Glen Milne attacking Stephen Mayne last year: Milne wasn’t representing his country. Rudd was Opposition Spokesman for Foreign Affairs at the time (Shadow Foreign Minister) and was in New York representing Australian at the United Nations. If Rudd has done this at 18 instead of signing bible hymns and telling everyone how he’d be Prime Minister one day, we’d all accept it as a right of passage ritual (although again: I’ve never touched a stripper before, but maybe I was deprived). He did this as a grown man on the taxpayers pocket. We may laugh it of but it certainly brings into question his overall sense of judgement. I wonder if he’ll be inviting some world leaders down to the Cross during APEC? Maybe God told him to lay his healing hands on the strippers? 🙂 (another Christian hypocrite).

An ode to Kevin Rudd (apologies for the nudity, it’s probably less than he looked at, or felt 🙂 )

Introducing On The Pod: my weekly podcast on what ever takes my fancy at the time. It will be mostly tech but not strictly so, it will depend on the guest. The aim is to talk to folks who might not otherwise have a voice, people who are interesting. I’ll also be aiming to interview most of Australia’s Web 2.0 crowd, so be warned. 🙂

My first show is with David Krug. We cover blogs, blog networks, user generated content and unionised blogging. It’s a little longer than I’d planned it to be (I’m aiming for 30mins per show) but it was worth it. A great conversation and for those with the time to listen I hope you enjoy it, audio issues aside (I’m a little quiet). Great fodder for your next car commute or plane trip 🙂

A short note that I’ll be offline for a week, heading to Melbourne and then the snow for a break (also the golden child’s 5th birthday). Limited or no internet access at this time.

Back on the 15th. I’d appreciate it if no one burgled the house in my absence 🙂

Warning: anyone religious will find this offensive.

(via Larvatusprofeo)

One of the last things I did in San Francisco before leaving Wednesday local time was go shopping. It’s not New York but they have a Macys so the golden child has some great polo tops for summer (how is it that I can buy 3 Polo Ralph Loren tops in the US for less than 1 in Australia…go figure).

I visited the Apple store twice.

First time I thought this is mad, I’ll come back later. Second time it was just as mad.

Was it bad though?

Well for starters they don’t stock a firewire webcam…I know they’ve discontinued the iSight but surely they could stock a third party firewire cam. No such luck, and yet half (maybe more) of USB cams don’t work with a Mac (ie: mine…well at least properly anyway).

Here’s my thing, strictly from a customer perspective. Fighting to see computers and iPhones and others things isn’t a pleasant shopping experience. Not being able to get help isn’t a pleasant shopping experience. Having to put my name on a list and wait to be called for further advice isn’t a pleasant shopping experience.

OK, so it wasn’t as retarded as the AT&T store I visited the day I got there. That was awful; rude staff and being yelled at that to get served you had to put your name on the waiting list. It made you’re average Telstra Shop feel like a Gucci Store.

Overall: after having visited an Apple store you come to understand why buying online has that much more appeal. They need to either make bigger stores + hire more staff, or get out of shop front retail. Cool products don’t stay cool forever if the retail purchasing experience is 3rd rate.