Camping and singing in the rain - July 2023
The country’s drought finally ends as I go camping three weekends out of four. I play my solo loop-pedal set out a couple of times too!
Me
Some stuff from my diary on the fediverse
July the 5th happened, so I looked forward to the end of the world and then was sad when it didn’t happen again.
Outside!
Work Canal Cruise
Took some photos on a work-trip down the canal to a pub.
Noisily
Went to Electronic Dance Festival “Noisily” it was very wet indeed and I spent much time in a tent listening to audiobooks. Managed to get my first speeding ticket on the way too, for doing 27 in a 20 zone.
Sparklefest
Next week I played out my loopy set at Indigo’s birthday festival. lots of rain again but at least a tent big enough for everyone. The gig went okay, considering it was the first time. Photos there too.
Friends In A Field
Saturday camping with friends was probably the best day of the year did my set again even better this time and stayed up silent-discoing till dawn.
More rain on the Sunday though.
Windows Replacement
The block-managers replaced the windows in my flat. Not software actual physical windows replaced. Quite some disruption.
politics
The way the Conservative Party has successfully blamed Labour for their ULez policy to the extent it makes people vote tory is quite a strategic victory for them.
Computers
Threads
This month has seen the launch of Facebook’s new “threads” app, where brands can talk to brands and influencers can pedal their influencing.
Not for me. I’ll be here talking to people.
Google Attestation Attack
There’s a patch for Chromium to implement Google’s “EnvironmentIntegrity” which is a power-grab to allow DRM in web-sites. It’s bad.
Though they have blocked me anyway really.
Firefish
Fediverse software Calckey has transitioned to firefish the first time a server has sucessfully migrated domain-name we think.
Releases
Video from the gig
No tarot shows, no cartoons, all I really released this month was a video from the second gig when I played “I’ve had it with blondes” to a marquee full of friends with my synth and loop-pedal.
Only the second time I’ve done that out, both times this month.
Reading
Qualityland - Marc-Uwe Kling
Qualityland was originally a German bestseller by a stand-up but I read the English translation.
It’s very internet-culture, with The Shop being the only retailer, deciding what you need before you realize it, all the problems of enshitified monopoly internet turned up to 11.
There ain’t much of the terrifying privacy invading stuff in the book that isn’t already happening somewhere.Mostly it’s about Peter who The Shop decides needs a pink dolphin vibrator, and his determined efforts to return it and get his profile fixed, plus his collection of rescued junked robots and other characters. And also about the first election campaign to have an android candidate.
It was damned hilarious, and the best novel I’ve read this year by a mile, but then I am also very Internet Culture so maybe it wouldn’t hit so well for people who aren’t.
Listening
Call Johnathan Pie
Enjoyed Johnathan Pie’s BBC Sounds show “Call Johnathan Pie”.
He’s roped into hosting a call-in-show which is a pretty good way to expose the character to the opinions of the great unwashed masses. Very funny in places.
Andreessen on Sam Harris’s Waking Up
When I imagined listening to Sam Harris interviewing Marc Andreessen about AI I feared that Sam would just swallow all Andreessen’s bullshit.
But in fact he argued robustly and Andreessen sounds like he’s a complete dumbass.
I wrote more detail about how exactly he is wrong.
Watching
Staged series 3
Watched Staged season three in which David Tennant and Michael Sheen play themselves. Started as a mostly-on-zoom show in lock-down but expanded a little now.
Hilarious and self-aware. Great show with great actors.
And they are also starring in
Good Omens Season Two
Good Omens Season Two stars Tennant as a demon and Sheen as as angel both trying to stay out of the way of the great cosmic battles.
Original season based on the book by Pratchett and Gaiman, but Pratchett is dead now and there was no book for season two.
It’s still well observed and funny and great though.
Links
Cory Doctorow
He’ so prolific. Must-read from him this month include:
And there’s a Kickstarter for his new book which is about ceizing the means of computation. I’ve ordered a copy.
Science
Blender
Blender, the 3d-modelling and rendering software is just so good and free and open-source.
It’s light-simulation is so realistic you can build a virtual camera and take virtual photos with it which is just amazing, and lots of work.
Here’s a new plugin
- terrain generator called Infinigen which looks cool if you need terrain modelled.
more
That’s just the highlights this month, there’s more in my full public bookmarks from my link-bot on the fediverse or an RSS feed
Around the Fediverse
We’re taking over the means of communication, ending the ownership of the wires.
The BBC
The BBC started their own instance on their own top-level domain this month. Social.BBC
A six month experiment they reckon. I reckoned it’s a big deal.
Moderation
Anyone can defederate for any reason, this is what makes Fediverse different. It is the strength.
Great blog post. Maybe it’s time to choose your side.
Not boosted much this month. Been outside instead.