Plutonic Rainbows

Just The Beginning

March 22, 2016

The Apple versus FBI encryption issue just became more confusing.

Dave Lee writing for the BBC:

If the method proposed by the "outside party" works, here's the question: will the FBI engage in responsible disclosure with Apple after it has accessed the iPhone used by Farook?

If it does, Apple will surely seek to fix the flaw immediately, putting us back to square one when the inevitable next case comes around.

But if the FBI doesn't share the method, what will that do to the reputation of Apple's products if it's known the US government is openly in possession of a security flaw of this magnitude?

More Postage

March 22, 2016

I sent most of the compact discs today. They went via EMS, which offers speedy transit times and tracking. Another box will go tomorrow but that will be by sea. So much cheaper.

The hotel problem has been solved and I finished at the last school today. Now I just begin preparations for going home.

Hotel

March 21, 2016

Now it looks like I'm going to have trouble booking a hotel. All the rooms in this town are booked for a sports festival.

Sadly, I've closed down the Yahoo Auction feeds as I don't think I could order anymore things to arrive in time before I leave.

Barry Hines, creator of Kes, dies at 76

March 20, 2016

The BBC are reporting that the author of this well-known book has died. A Kestrel for a Knave - about a young working-class boy named Billy who finds and trains a kestrel, was published in 1968 and filmed the following year.

This book had a big impact on me as a teenager. What I admired the most was how the gritty life of 1960s Britain was portrayed. I also remember the really bleak ending. The author resisted the urge to give the story some kind of emotional compensation. As in life, sometimes there are no silver-linings.

Sunday Finds

March 20, 2016

Found a few more first pressings today. These will be the last ones that I can get before I leave due to postal times.

  • Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Best Of (32XD-397)
  • George Benson - Give Me The Night (38XP-2)
  • Phillip Bailey - Chinese Wall (25DP-5219)
  • Eighth Wonder - Fearless (25.8P-5021)
  • ZZ Top - Eliminator (32XD-133)
  • Wham - Make It Big (25.8P-5182)
  • Chicago - Chicago 16 (38XP-36)
  • Chicago - Chicago 17 (38XP-81)

I also bought the new Underworld album with the strange title of Barbara Barbara, We face a shining future. There are a few reviews floating around and it seems to have been pretty well received.

In addition, I ordered Discovery & The Killing Fields from Amazon Japan.

I've been thinking of moving all my general photos to Photos on OSX rather than worrying about Lightroom, Adobe's photo manager seems too cumbersome for my (rather modest) needs.