Bill Bennett

The term “content” is a barbarism that bit by bit devalues what journalists do.

- Jay Rosen, Chair of Journalism at New York University

See my New Zealand telecommunications and tech news website at https://billbennett.co.nz

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npub1gpcxn339ap3r9tju2uy6d5k8rmud7f8kr579w7zv54qyevgz9xsqdtr4us

NIP-05 Address

billbennett_at_mastodon.nz@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsyqurfccj7sc3j4ew9wzdx6tr3a7xlynmp60zh0px22szvkypzngqx9v6v3

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npub1gpcxn339ap3r9tju2uy6d5k8rmud7f8kr579w7zv54qyevgz9xsqdtr4us

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Last Notes

2024-11-05 06:59:58

It's not 8pm or dark and we are already on the third neighbour's halfhearted fireworks display.

2024-09-27 07:02:10

I may have stumbled over the answer for the Cook Strait ferry.
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/208/230/776/350/546/original/9671e11ad3eaf8f4.png

2024-09-19 20:06:57

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@npub1ffl…l52x Yes, it’s the latter. One post accounts for over 80% of the traffic.

2024-09-08 21:53:44

I need large print books, but most of the LP books in Auckland Library are, well let’s just say “not my taste”. How can I find a more compelling steady supply of LP classics and modern literary fiction or non-fiction?

2024-09-08 20:53:05

This has to stop:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/527419/inland-revenue-giving-thousands-of-taxpayers-details-to-social-media-platforms-for-ad-campaigns

2024-09-07 04:31:59

There are not enough New Zealand posts about trains and railways on Mastodon. Please do something about this.

2024-09-06 21:39:03

I wonder how much correlation there is between the number of Act MPs in Parliament and the rate at which young people leave New Zealand?

2024-09-05 01:51:40

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@npub18p3…t9gh So… you want to be rich enough to buy one?

2024-09-04 08:27:25

Johanna is remarkably tolerant of my musical tastes, but draws the line at Motorhead.

2024-09-01 00:12:38

Found the National Party's campaign song for the next election:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJmKStqugMc

2024-08-29 21:44:59

One of the worst mistakes western governments ever made was deciding that universities should be operated like businesses. Some things should be above petty financial optimisation and profit centres.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/university-of-auckland-academics-in-unprecedented-revolt-over-controversial-course-shake-up/ODXSAEWSHFHFLLPR73HWSOEMTE/ University of Auckland academics in ‘unprecedented’ revolt over controversial course shake-up

2024-08-28 06:56:52

I can enjoy TV drama, sport and documentaries, but I simply cannot watch any kind of ‘reality TV’.
I’m probably in a minority of one here, but I can live with that.

2024-08-27 01:55:45

Forget AI, VR and Blockchain, the technology that gives me the largest productivity boost is the humble RSS feed.
That and the Bialetti espresso moka pot.
What unsung tech heroes drive your productivity?

2024-08-26 01:13:24

Cognitive dissonance:
On one hand my inner music snob is appalled by the idea of tribute bands.
On the other hand, if you listen closely, a lot of excellent, well known acts are stealth tribute bands. For instance there’s a lot of Beatles tunes and ideas hidden in Oasis' best albums.

2024-08-20 05:39:49

This would be the moment to introduce a wealth tax:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/525687/billionaire-peter-thiel-eyes-possible-permanent-move-to-new-zealand

2024-08-18 06:18:11

I posted something to PieFed to see how well it works....
https://piefed.social/post/202931

2024-08-18 01:14:46

Here’s a question for the sad folk who defend Morris Dancing.
Ask yourself why the English Rugby Team doesn’t do a Morris Dance before a Test Match.

2024-08-16 06:57:22

Google is slowly removing my pages from search. I understand it had the right to do this, but some of the pages it is removing are among the most popular on my site. I'd expect it to cull the weaker ones first, but oh no...
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/112/970/395/880/912/293/original/6703ea4e9e45e26e.png

2024-08-12 04:29:24

Where are Hot Cross Buns when you really fancy one?

2024-08-09 06:36:51

I don't in any way want to dismiss or downplay the accusation of murdering his wife, but, as someone who has both eyes injected every month, am dismayed the media has overlooked that Polkinghorne, a top surgeon, treated hundreds of patients' delicate organs with P coursing through his veins

2024-08-07 20:53:50

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@npub1259…5wtn I don’t think I’ve ever been to Lynfield. May have to fix that.

2024-08-07 05:27:22

I can find great Chinese style egg custard tarts all over Auckland, and many bakeries do the English style ones with crumbly pastry, but the Portuguese ones seem to have gone out of fashion. Any recent sightings?

2024-08-07 05:22:56

A pet hate of mine is when a business will email and text reminders. Even worse is when 2degrees uses text to tell me it has emailed the account. It’s redundant and unnecessary text notifications are a productivity killer.

2024-07-31 06:16:45

**Anyone else tried using ChatGPT for spiritual guidance?**

2024-07-30 23:48:00

Had a call this morning to tell me that I won the “guess how many jellybeans are in the jar” competition on the CItizen’s Advice Bureau’s stall at the weekend.

2024-07-29 02:42:52

This is an unpopular view and may upset you, but hear me out:
When a well known musician dies, I really don’t want to hear their music at that point. To me, the rush to play their music is mawkish and disrespectful. I prefer to leave a short period of mourning first, then go for it.

2024-07-29 02:26:40

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@npub1p55…8lyq When I first heard there was a surfing competition I wondered: "How are they going to do that on the River Seine?"

2024-07-28 05:34:17

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@npub1pq0…5585 Likely to have an each-way bet.

2024-07-28 05:06:57

How long before there are action movies about plucky racially diverse British and European misfits disrupting American Nazi U-Boats?

2024-07-26 02:13:38

Lost the gizmo that allows us to mount phones on the car dashboard using the air vent.
Local supplier has one in stock. Price is $70 plus ~$10 postage. Delivery in 7 days.
AliExpress price is $7.30 including delivery. Scheduled to arrive in 7 days.

2024-07-25 21:27:37

In a ideal world I’d be able to shut off all communications links to the United States until the presidential election is over. There’s only so much unhinged racism or misogyny I can take.

2024-07-24 01:15:38

Why on Earth is there a Yellow Pages in 2024? Can there really be a viable business model for printing a paper book of phone numbers for people who are incapable of using a modern phone’s browser to look up phone numbers.

2024-07-19 10:44:49

This is Poppy. She left us today 16 years after turning up one afternoon at our back door. She was much loved in our house and will be missed:
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/112/812/740/039/997/250/original/c5cd35f568ac50b7.jpeg

2024-07-17 02:21:37

I’m always up for this kind of news story:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/522334/how-to-make-the-best-custard-squares-in-new-zealand

2024-07-15 08:00:59

Found some ancient documents on an old drive that go back to the 1990s… a few are from the early 1980s. Lss than half of them are in obsolete formats that nothing can open… even a text editor struggles with a few. But Collabora Office manages to open the remainder where apps like Word can’t.

2024-07-14 11:00:58

Looking forward to the Euro football final which will been on during Monday’s breakfast time here in New Zealand. My heart says England, but my head says Spain. Either way, let’s hope it’s a cracking game.

2024-07-12 20:36:26

Q. What happens to an economy when government lays off large numbers of works and creates a wider workplace climate of fear?
A. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/bleak-picture-for-retailers-as-consumer-spending-remains-weak/PV4JJOFRIFDLJMG63WNI5VI7SA/

2024-07-12 01:36:41

Today's Download Weekly newsletter looks at New Zealand's unquenchable thirst for data downloads:
Chorus reports data use now higher than during pandemic lockdowns. One New Zealand picks Google AI security. Samsung hikes phone prices.
https://billbennett.co.nz/data-peaks-as-fibre-network-reaches-1-5-million-addresses/

2024-07-11 19:08:40

Data peaks as fibre network reaches 1.5 million addresses: https://billbennett.co.nz/data-peaks-as-fibre-network-reaches-1-5-million-addresses/

2024-07-09 01:52:32

Have just found an archived copy of the book I co-wrote in 1982:
Usborne guide to understanding the micro
https://annas-archive.gs/md5/646ec15a9ef75dd9ab7c5b1f77cc4645

2024-07-07 10:25:01

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@npub1p55…8lyq The people who have lived in Australia almost their lives but get deported “home” for anything from being a mass murderer to not paying parking fines because they happened to be born here.

2024-07-07 10:22:22

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@npub1p55…8lyq Are you a 501?

2024-07-03 01:43:39

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@npub1vt2…ejuh The two may not be mutually exclusive. But that's a whole other debate.

2024-07-03 01:09:52

It's 13 years since I posted this story recommending that people look again at plain text editors and not fancy word processors. Things have moved on since then, but the underlying point remains valid: a word processor is often overkill.
https://billbennett.co.nz/text-processing/

2024-07-03 00:51:08

"May"?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/02/business/elon-musk-politics-tesla-sales.html

2024-07-03 00:11:30

I doubt the whole idea of Inbox Zero is mentally healthy.

2024-06-29 01:50:46

What on earth is the "half and half" that sometimes turns up in American recipes?

2024-06-28 22:40:57

I’m old enough to remember solving maths problems where π was 22/7.

2024-06-28 05:10:29

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@npub16n6…9zmv I’m not sure about technical changes, but the company decided to become a lot greedier, so the user experience is now even more awful than before.

2024-06-28 02:14:41

It’s a public holiday. I don’t intend to squander it watching two American geriatrics argue about how to make the world worse. If I wanted to depress myself I could just go and look at food prices in the supermarket.

2024-06-27 10:29:48

Some ragbag dumped a pile of household rubbish on the berm in front of our property.

2024-06-27 06:19:03

Unforgivable:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/520693/cadbury-stops-making-chocolate-fish-supplies-almost-gone

2024-06-26 08:16:17

I love how the word "mono" is highlighted as if that is a good thing.
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/112/681/925/349/816/665/original/05734ed2ce0f0819.png

2024-06-22 21:37:51

Reminder to US “Christians”: The Ten Commandments have their place, but they are pre-Christian. Your political leaders tend to reject many of the things Jesus actually taught because they are woke.

2024-06-21 23:49:45

It looks like Nicola Willis made a Titanic mistake cancelling the ferry contracts.

2024-06-21 06:33:06

I knew the prime minister reminded me of someone:
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/112/653/210/880/804/460/original/15e872c8e1476d04.jpeg

2024-06-20 21:51:08

It’s almost comical for the streaming TV service to offer ‘highlights’ of the dreary England - Denmark game.

2024-06-20 07:38:03

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@npub1pq0…5585 There have been a lot. There have also been a lot of goals full stop. I think almost every team has scored at least one.

2024-06-20 01:23:26

Call me a miserable git if you like, but I never find anything amusing in the xkcd posts. A lot of them look like nerdy in jokes and while some ideas may clever, it’s like all the charm and fun has been sucked out of them.
And yet they keep showing up in my timeline.

2024-06-19 04:18:46

Back home from having my wisdom teeth. Removed and catching up on missed Euro 24 games while waiting for the anesthetic to wear off.
This morning’s Turkey - Georgia game was an absolute cracker.

2024-06-18 23:06:26

Clearly New Zealand should buy a new plane for ministerial work… but obviously not a Boeing or anything Russian or Chinese. Does Airbus have anything suitable?

2024-06-18 20:54:43

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@npub1ffl…l52x About 20x that today. I had the first two out in a London teaching hospital in 1985 for free.

2024-06-18 20:29:28

Watching the Euro 2024 game between Portugal and the Czech Republic on The TVNZ iPad app. The app went dark with a fatal error. When I got it running again, the Czech Republic had scored in the ~ 90 seconds of down time.

2024-06-18 20:22:34

Having two wisdom teeth out today. It’s 40 years since I had the first two removed and I forgot I still had a couple until they flared up when I recently had Covid. Last time around I recovered in 36 hours. Here’s hoping I can do that again.
(If you subscribe to my newsletter, it may be delayed or even skipped this Friday).

2024-06-18 08:30:38

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@npub1pq0…5585 I'd say it is likely. It's not hard to guess who the likely candidates are.

2024-06-18 06:50:31

This is why New Zealand always needed more than The Southern Cross cable network. And could still do with one more international link.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/three-vietnams-five-undersea-internet-cables-are-down-2024-06-17/

2024-06-17 05:53:15

It’s time the NZ government invested in a Zeppelin.

2024-06-17 02:54:51

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@npub1pq0…5585 I was hoping that was a one off because I stuffed up the URL… but if it happens often I’m concerned, I don’t want to be a pain in the arse.

2024-06-17 02:01:34

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@npub1pq0…5585 That's curious... I resent it once because the original version had the wrong URL. I wonder if it was also auto sent after I updated?

2024-06-17 01:20:41

Reflections on "NZ pays too much for broadband": https://billbennett.co.nz/reflections-on-nz-pays-too-much-for-broadband/

2024-06-16 11:24:52

Are there any community repair workshops or similar in Auckland. I seem to be good at fixing small household appliances like toasters and sandwich grills and think I might enjoy working with others who are doing this.

2024-06-16 08:18:48

I asked Static Diffusion for an image to illustrate a story on writing technology case studies. The result is a fine picture that is 100 per cent irrelevant.
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/112/625/314/645/827/410/original/45e75dafebabd6e8.png

2024-06-16 05:46:18

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@npub16uk…pv7k An important metaphor too.

2024-06-16 05:44:54

It's from a decade ago on my site, but just as relevant today as ever:
https://billbennett.co.nz/bosses-chance-reverse-vile-ways/

2024-06-16 00:33:05

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@npub1pq0…5585 But kind of "the best of English"... if you see what I mean?

2024-06-16 00:09:37

Rediscovered this gem while Apple Music was playing random tracks off the MacBook hard drive.
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/112/623/389/992/859/985/original/32a820a2a343fd8a.png

2024-06-15 05:04:19

Disappointed at the number of toadies in the world.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jun/13/tesla-shareholders-approve-elon-musk-pay

2024-06-15 01:47:40

I love the convenience of those pre-chopped bags of vegetable slaw you can buy in supermarkets, but shudder at the so-called "dressings" that come in the bags. These seem to be more like effluent from chemical plants than healthy food (ironic really given how wholesome the slaw is).

2024-06-14 22:54:30

In the past 5 years two local businesses I loved closed their doors after the landlord increased rent by much more than the rate of inflation. One shop stayed empty, and clearly not earning rent, for four years. The other shop has been empty two years. The first is now leased, but the tenant told me they pay less rent than the tenant who moved out four years ago earlier.

2024-06-14 06:12:52

As a nod towards the early, glory, days of the internet, I’ve decided to reinstate the Blog Roll. It’s still a work in progress. Check back in a week.
https://billbennett.micro.blog/blog-roll/

2024-06-14 06:08:46

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@npub1pq0…5585 WOuldn't that person be happier living in Russia or Trumpistan?

2024-06-14 06:01:20

Do you think anyone in New Zealand would buy a Cybertruck if they could?
(I asked the same question years ago about the Hummer a couple of days before spotting on on the Harbour Bridge).

2024-06-12 20:50:02

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@npub1cra…kd5r I like audio books if I’m on a long distance flight or if I’m on a long solo drive, but find they don’t work for me at home. I think I need to work harder at finding the right kind of large print books.

2024-06-12 03:22:13

Today I’m binge watching a book.

2024-06-08 02:32:27

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@npub13hu…n5rp I pay to a contractor to do this once a fortnight. It costs... but my word it is money well spent.

2024-06-06 22:18:41

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@npub18p3…t9gh In my opinion Windows has been awful for over a decade. I'm constantly surprised that the majority is happy to put up with it.

2024-06-06 21:51:35

"A PR disaster: Microsoft has lost trust with its users, and Windows Recall is the straw that broke the camel's back"
You ain't kidding.
https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/microsoft-has-lost-trust-with-its-users-windows-recall-is-the-last-straw

2024-05-31 04:32:37

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@npub1pq0…5585 I was hoping that was implied ;)

2024-05-31 04:16:16

It's going to be interesting if a high profile convicted felon wants to visit his golf clubs or hotels in countries where felons are routinely denied visas.

2024-05-31 00:24:20

When right-wing politicians talk about “the good old days” or some similar concept, most of the warm-glow memories they are invoking are from eras when everyone’s lives had been improved by left-wing governments.

2024-05-30 04:25:51

I call it the “Let them eat cake” budget.

2024-05-25 10:51:30

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@npub1pq0…5585 I just had a slice with blue cheese… It was like a gourmet supper.

2024-05-25 06:55:47

For reasons that I don’t need to bore anyone with, Saturday got off to an extremely slow start. By the time I made it to the local, fancy artisan baker, most of the usual choices were sold out. So I went off piste and got a fruit loaf. Which turns out to be fabulous

2024-05-22 07:37:50

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@npub18p3…t9gh I'd like to think the second is not inevitable, but I've been around far too long for optimism about anything internet.

2024-05-22 07:22:28

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@npub1pq0…5585 I think the community here is warmer and more welcoming, but it's also more of a niche.

2024-05-22 07:13:46

It's been more than 18 months since I ditched Twitter and I still can't decide if Mastodon or BlueSky is the best replacement. Each has pluses and minuses. Each has a different vibe and a (largely) different set of users. I guess I'll be using both in parallel for some time yet.
Anyone else in the same position?

2024-05-19 19:58:21

I’ve been using the M3 MacBook Air for the last month. It’s the best all round laptop you can buy at the moment, but it’s not cheap. Here are the other things I learnt: https://billbennett.co.nz/apple-macbook-air-m3/

2024-05-08 02:11:38

The political right use the term ‘woke’ in the way that communists would use the word ‘bourgeois’ to signify “things and people we don’t like and who had better watch out”.
It has the advantage of being easier to spell. That’s important give the education cuts.

2024-05-06 04:17:51

One thing I would love all marketing people to understand: My phone does not need any more apps... especially when what you app does could be handled by a web site.

2024-05-03 01:05:35

The phrase that comes to mind right now is:
"Dead government walking".