Yvan

https://toot.ale.gd/@yvan

Allotmenter, cooker, fermenter, tinkerer ("maker"?), hacker of things and code. Posts will ebb and flow between all these and more.

Generalist sorta Computer Scientist / "Software Engineer" to pay the rent (spanning from C/C++ systems/networking to Python/PHP web malarkey.) Linux user since ~1998.

Grew up in South West Australia, on Wadandi Noongar land, but currently lives in England's West Norfolk Fenlands… due to the oddness of life 🤷🏻‍♂️ … now somewhat anchored by an #allotment 🌱🍅🍆🌽🥔🥕🧄🫑

This is /var/log/yvan — I am here mainly for myself, for my own record.

CW: Yvan can be bit sweary (he speaks En.Au), he is haphazard with CWs, and does his best with ALTs as time & energy permit. He has a strong tendancy towards pessimistic nihilism.

Ally 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🇵🇸🇺🇦

#noindex #nobot

Geolocation: Norfolk Fens, England — vaguely like USDA 8b
Website: https://yvan.seth.id.au
Allotment: https://www.youtube.com/@AllotmentPostcards
Pronouns: he/him they/them whatever, don't mind

Public Key

npub13t8xasqr2n9ke0py3dj6gcxxmt9gcd0p85392z38lhahgd2nh5kqw72ksn

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsg4nnwcqp4fjmvhsjgkedyvrrd4j5vxhsn6gj4pgnlm7m5x4fm6tqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dshnawdx

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub13t8xasqr2n9ke0py3dj6gcxxmt9gcd0p85392z38lhahgd2nh5kqw72ksn

Show more details

Published at

2026-07-26T15:47:59Z

Kind type

0 Metadata

Event JSON

{ "id": "497431508ed049666db9a0f44146e7079460eef3a6717796c27c3c50c66f593f", "pubkey": "8ace6ec00354cb6cbc248b65a460c6daca8c35e13d22550a27fdfb743553bd2c", "created_at": 1785080879, "kind": 0, "tags": [ [ "t", "allotment" ], [ "t", "noindex" ], [ "t", "nobot" ], [ "proxy", "https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan", "activitypub" ], [ "L", "pink.momostr" ], [ "l", "pink.momostr.activitypub:https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan", "pink.momostr" ], [ "-" ] ], "content": "{\"name\":\"Yvan\",\"about\":\"Allotmenter, cooker, fermenter, tinkerer (\\\"maker\\\"?), hacker of things and code. Posts will ebb and flow between all these and more.\\n\\nGeneralist sorta Computer Scientist / \\\"Software Engineer\\\" to pay the rent (spanning from C/C++ systems/networking to Python/PHP web malarkey.) Linux user since ~1998.\\n\\nGrew up in South West Australia, on Wadandi Noongar land, but currently lives in England's West Norfolk Fenlands… due to the oddness of life 🤷🏻‍♂️ … now somewhat anchored by an #allotment 🌱🍅🍆🌽🥔🥕🧄🫑\\n\\nThis is /var/log/yvan — I am here mainly for myself, for my own record.\\n\\nCW: Yvan can be bit sweary (he speaks En.Au), he is haphazard with CWs, and does his best with ALTs as time \u0026 energy permit. He has a strong tendancy towards pessimistic nihilism.\\n\\nAlly 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🇵🇸🇺🇦 \\n\\n#noindex #nobot\\n\\nGeolocation: Norfolk Fens, England — vaguely like USDA 8b\\nWebsite: https://yvan.seth.id.au\\nAllotment: https://www.youtube.com/@AllotmentPostcards\\nPronouns: he/him they/them whatever, don't mind\\n\",\"website\":\"https://toot.ale.gd/@yvan\",\"picture\":\"https://toot.ale.gd/system/accounts/avatars/109/796/852/286/747/908/original/8f8385080d13ba01.jpg\",\"banner\":\"https://toot.ale.gd/system/accounts/headers/109/796/852/286/747/908/original/4a4643b7e21c76a5.jpg\",\"nip05\":\"[email protected]\"}", "sig": "5f50070d0fd00de9c630eba716d9da20b66fa95870c07213a1bc1c1473a7a5b7649fff5e99af74b0cc89925d19382b1a373a267c681a7691141071fb2811ec56" }

Last Notes

2026-07-26 15:25:46 UTC

- reply

Looks like the Next v2 is the obvious starting point for things I'd like to do, unless there is some advantage to keeping the RFID and NFC separate - i.e. Next V2 versus xSIID+xEM.

2026-07-26 10:48:44 UTC

- reply

thanks! I read your bio and links, all very informative, and definitely got me thinking about the payment implants, will be researching those some more... very cool (but maybe a little spendy as a starting point). RFID/NFC (& of course gotta have a LED) seems a good place to start & I would like to have rfid for the EMF bar tills before 2028 (plenty of time, maybe... time flies.)
There are so many options on Dangerous Things that its a tad overwhelming. (I do know a bit, but not a lot, about RFID/NFC and have used both in my own projects before.)
I like the idea of the glow in the dark stuff too. (I am presently still enjoying my glow in dark fingernails I did for EMF, even at my age I am still weirdly amused by glowing things 😅)

2026-07-25 11:01:19 UTC

I met someone at #EMFCamp who had RFID embedded in her hand, including one that lit up. Super awesome IMO. (This is not news to me, just the first time I have seen it in person per se, in-a-person?)
I kinda want this.
What's the best way to go about that in the UK?
I gather there is also some way to embed payment NFC too.

2026-07-23 11:12:48 UTC

If you were teaching someone new(ish) to coding a bit of Python as part of a larger codebase they would need to reference/navigate... what editor* would you start them out on? Something that does all the nice auto-completion, the navigation to definition and use points, possibly even built-in documentation**.
* I am a vi*** user, and whilst I did once have a bit of editor-religion, I don't really care any more... and realistically I feel like I don't want to push a non-coder into the viverse... it feels... sadistic?
** Yes, I do have all these featues and more in my nvim setup, but that doesn't change my view on it being sadistic 😆
*** I mean, I can survive in oldskool 'vi', but realistically a vim user for 2+ decades, albeit more recently have switched to nvim (seems to have been a fairly painless transition, but I do miss some of my old config, and not really got my head around neovim config yet.)
#Python #Coding #SoftwareDev #SoftwareEngineering #Editor

2026-07-22 08:07:40 UTC

LOL, just did my first "Wednesday morning weigh-in" after skipping a week... EMFCamp was a "week off" my very strict food/exercise schedule, I expected eating and drinking at EMF to at best plateau me, or maybe yield slight weight gain.
Well, turns out I lost 2.2kg across the 2 week timeframe.
The reality at EMF was I skipped many meals, probably barely drunk about 6 pints across the whole thing, walked a LOT, and did a lot of other activity, it was all pretty active for a lot of the time, across very long days with little sleep. So turns out it was more work-camp than hedonistic-glamping.
(So I was operating at circa 1000 kcal deficit per day... which explains some level of exhaustion/downtime... and may have also explained some level of terseness & bluntness on my part at times, apologies if you copped any of that lol... I have a lot of practice at being human, but it can disintegrate in such conditions.)
Goal for 2028: more of the hedonistic glamping, less of the work-camping. 😆

2026-07-19 17:21:43 UTC

Not much of a daytime happy hardcore crowd at EMF I guess... 😅
Beanbags instead of jumping, coz the knees are gone.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/947/783/112/286/191/original/e8640517ec99aeb7.jpg

2026-07-17 21:07:22 UTC

Fire is happening next to the nullsector lake.
#EMFCamp
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/937/355/318/266/915/original/e2fa5113955d1cb3.jpg

2026-07-12 12:30:56 UTC

- reply

#EMFCamp car loading status: just spent 30 minutes hunting for my soldering iron.
Dear reader, said soldering iron was already in the car, in the correct toolbox. (But just not with its wallet of other bits which were not in the toolbox.)

2026-07-12 08:56:26 UTC

- reply

Is 25kg of lumpwood charcoal enough charcoal?
Maybe I should squeeze in a bag of briquettes as well, just in case...
#EMFCamp

2026-07-12 08:10:23 UTC

Do I really need my bench top power supply?
Well, there's this space in my electrical tools box... and it fits.
Never know... 😂
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/905/939/902/184/874/original/f060f9aebc648a2b.jpg

2026-07-11 09:16:17 UTC

- reply

a local farmer friend offered me a trailer and he's already moved it to a spot near my stuff on his property (I store stuff there). But it is just a metal frame with no sides or base & rotten tyres. I'd need to weld some new sections into a couple of places in the frame. The wheels need replacing, I think the wheel mounts/suspension are suspect, and I doubt I can get the hitch working so would want to bolt/weld on a new one. So basically after all that... I think I am better off buying one that works and suggesting to the farmer that maybe this one belongs on the scrap metal pile. 😆
I looked up UK trailer regs and... they're incredibly basic/simple/lenient lol. I've never towed in the UK (my license does allow it), but I used to back home, including a 2-3 tonne "firefighter" unit ... albeit, this was a very long time ago. But I suspect it's a bit like riding a bike... lol.

2026-07-11 09:03:02 UTC

- reply

yeah, that was the attraction of having the tow hitch... get a nice little trailer for carting the odd extra bit around, especially the free council compost! Just not got around to it yet.

2026-07-11 08:54:20 UTC

- reply

I was browsing local listings for folks selling trailers yesterday 😅

2026-07-11 08:53:42 UTC

- reply

for capacity & shape I'd have preferred an earlier V70, albeit maybe not the the fuel economy - which is bad enough in this as it is! They went a little bit "bubble car" aesthetic in the 2000s, too many curves.
Thankfully got it through its recent MOT, it needs some more work in places but I'm not starting that until I find the time to get the VW Fox back on the road.

2026-07-11 08:36:18 UTC

Right. The old V70 is ready for #EMFCamp loading...
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/900/423/523/839/081/original/9fd274cbed9227eb.jpg

2026-07-05 18:55:26 UTC

- reply

The negative is that the three way watering timer I bought to control this whilst we are away is too restrictive to flow. Despite the IBC delivering a pretty strong flow of water out of this tap, through the timer it is but a dribble. It seems to limit pressure as well as flow as the closer soaker hose connected via this didn't bead any moisture at all.
So... not sure how to tackle this. Buy a different brand and hope it works better?
Part of me is thinking: take this one apart, and wire full bore solenoids in to replace whatever shitty tiny solenoids it has inside it. May need to go via a relay for higher voltage. This is the better solution simply becuase I plan to buy those parts to control the system via a microcontroller anyway.
But ... time? I was hoping to have this working before EMF week. This time next week we will be on-site already, so... not really sure how to tackle this.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/868/883/189/616/365/original/225e9f607c61bca2.jpg

2026-07-05 18:38:38 UTC

- reply

Allotment trip did happen and went about as well as you might expect.
Meaning I spent too long there, didn't get home until past 7pm, and am now rushing to make yesterday's delayed dinner, with probably no hope of the planned 21.30 bed time. 🙄

2026-07-05 14:01:41 UTC

- reply

The cake is out of the oven, it'll deflate quite a bit as it cools.
Great recipe template for a low carb "cake" FWIW: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/orange-ricotta-cheesecake/
Though I'll mostly avoid eating this by taking it to work tomorrow to share with folks there (it's kinda work's milk after all, even if I basically just saved it from being drainpour.)
For an encore (my procrastination is procrastinating now), I finally turned my 2025 chilli mash into hotsauce. A job so simple I have no idea why I've risked leaving it this long (dumb brain shit). Thankfully it is OK... 7+ month lacto fermented chilli mash (various hot red chillies including superhot naga varieties), 50% its weight in apple cider vinegar, blend, strain, blend with added salt and golden syrup "to taste" and then throw in a bit of xanthum gum for stability (1/4 tsp in 1.3kg sauce in this case, hopefully does the job). Bottle. Not fussed by super sterile situations with this, its lacto soured plus 50% vinegar, pH will keep it safe.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/707/884/955/067/original/d9758b72abf39b98.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/727/571/636/250/original/5547c01bcb710eae.jpg

2026-07-05 13:01:18 UTC

- reply

I'd say I have all my cocks in a row now, but actually its several rows... which is an apt metaphor for my life really. Many threads... opposing... akimbo... all over the place.
It is also bleedingly obvious to me that all this has happened as a procrastination exercise versus higher priority things I actually need to do. Hummmm... hey ho.
Cake will be done in 30-45 mins, guess I will tidy some more, get changed for the allotment, and go lay some soaker hose, but try to be back in time to cook dinner, do weekly prep, and get to bed before 10pm.

2026-07-05 12:54:15 UTC

- reply

And, well, since the oven was on... and I had 800g of ricotta sat in front of me... well, why not a baked ricotta cake, infused with orange/citrus? Duh...
That is now in the oven.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/466/126/825/397/original/77055d7ab42a7f65.jpg

2026-07-05 12:51:25 UTC

- reply

This all started with turning 4 litres of leftover milk from work into ricotta, yielding about 800g ricotta.
Oven on for this to hold it at ~80°C for ~20 mins before straining out the curds.
Since the oven was on... figured I should use up leftover gingerbread dough in the fridge that has been getting in the way for something like 2 months. Thus the dicks!
(I'll try and catch up on ALTs later, maybe, but wjat we have here is a photo of milk on a stove with a clear liquid about to be tipped into it, a photo of the milk curdled in the same pan, then the pan in the oven, then a strainer of strained curds in muslin.)
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/446/102/728/305/original/aae8ffff62158115.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/446/157/879/569/original/1a9aee2096d84d0e.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/446/212/586/227/original/2624b3e7f37db6f6.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/446/269/076/926/original/7f89d308e4ba600b.jpg

2026-07-05 12:46:38 UTC

Phew! What happend to Sunday morning?
I got started on one thing (making ricotta) and... since the oven was on... have ended up with a pile of gingerbread dicks, and a cake in the oven. Now it is mearly 2pm, and somehow the kitchen is slightly tidier than it was before I started (mainly because the kitchen was fucking atrocious to start with.)
Time for a sit-down.
Might eat a dick.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/867/433/530/525/116/original/c642db8977c72521.jpg

2026-07-02 09:00:29 UTC

- reply

"life coaching" — a totally unregulated area which is mainly a scam feeding off of vulnerably stressed out and anxious people... IDK, maybe some folks get something out of it. Mostly it's just confidence scam trickery IMO.
Stupid headline, stupid "news", generally ridiculous all round.
Paying for Tesco value meals is why other millenials don't own homes. Obviously. (And avodados, lattes, etc of course.)

2026-06-30 10:06:54 UTC

- reply

I think the problem with the longitudinally split pole is even with gorilla tape the force to slide apart rather than bend is likely to be strong enough to cause slippage, further split propagation, and possible eventual complete failure, plus higher bend radius at the fix. In our case too much tape would also cause us a problem as the bit of pole has to fit through a sleeve of material.
However I reckon it would surely hold for a while at least. We've used this split one at least a couple of times without any mending, it just kinda changes the shape of the tent a bit. (And gradually gets worse.)
Also going to depend on the pole thickness and the radius it needs to bend through, what amount of force is involved. For our poles on a fairly big tent the force is relatively high.

2026-06-29 19:10:03 UTC

- reply

I am considering this at the moment: https://www.tentspares.co.uk/products/universal-11mm-tough-durable-fiberglass-pole-section-with-ferrule
I measure this pole at 10.7-10.8mm outer dia, which is maybe "close enough"... actually just measured and there is more variance than that inc >11mm so worth a try I think.

2026-06-29 18:36:25 UTC

A bit last minute ahead of #EMFCamp — any thoughts on how best to repair a tent pole split like this? Will a glue hold? What glue?
This is for our Coleman Rocky Mountain 5 XL... it kinda sorta works with the split pole in a very misshapen way, as the pole bends more severely at the split section.
#repair #tent maybe adjacent to #makershour types!
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/834/836/699/496/847/original/d25ef303fcfc1a36.jpg

2026-06-28 21:22:55 UTC

- reply

oddly my body is pretty good at doing hard work on an empty stomach*, even over a sustained period... however as I have discovered recently on my current calorie deficit I quickly shift into catabolism. As a result I am trying out upping my HMB intake. (Judging catabolic stste by how much my sweat stinks of ammonia, ideally not at all.)
I did push it a bit too hard today, a lot of work and hours done on just my morning whey shake + 2 boiled eggs. Was running on fumes post-allotment, crammed in 40g of nuts amd did 2 more hours work, but then I was basically wiped out.
* I do my heavy lifting first thing in the morning, someone at work actually asked how I can manage that... to which I have no answer... just can. 🤷🏻‍♂️

2026-06-28 20:38:26 UTC

- reply

Then had to get home and do the mowing and stuff anyway, as dilly dallying around the allotment when I shouldn't be because there are Things That Must Be Done... and not sat down until after 8pm. Cold leftovers from the fridge for very late lunch. Bushed.

2026-06-28 20:33:25 UTC

- reply

Remembered to stop and look at the flowers.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/633/198/321/230/original/0a769dc1b89e5861.jpg

2026-06-28 20:31:20 UTC

- reply

Harvested some raspberries.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/629/843/122/905/original/f08bbddb197a521a.jpg

2026-06-28 20:30:43 UTC

- reply

... all in all things are looking OK, could be better, could be worse.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/624/010/375/041/original/990343758e08875a.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/624/052/590/636/original/caa0c2af3fedcff1.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/624/098/174/244/original/73aaafe08145c248.jpg

2026-06-28 20:28:08 UTC

- reply

Also planted out outside long overdue pumpkins, gherkins, okras, more tomatillos, some excess tomatoes, plus loofas. All should have been planted weeks ago, like the melons and stuff: if it does a thing then yay, if not, well, we tried.
The ground is so hard and dry already in places.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/599/701/617/295/original/a2a0030bbd8c292a.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/599/760/919/577/original/c5305cf45f3c39c7.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/599/815/044/717/original/f2c05ff286a55894.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/599/866/227/175/original/e30955d5fc8bdb19.jpg

2026-06-28 20:19:07 UTC

Phew... well, today didn't go as planned so much 😅
Got down the allotment before 1pm, ostensibly to drop Kat off so she can just do some plant feeding/watering. But I didn't want to leave. So didn't leave until 6pm. Oops.
But Stuff Got Done™️
In the polytunnel replaced two dead tomatoes with fresh(ish) seedlings, also finally planted out long overdue melons and watermelons... maybe they'll do something, maybe they won't.
(Sorry, not got any decent alt text in me right now.)
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/537/828/054/111/original/ffe84d595b0c2143.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/537/899/125/910/original/58ebcd6930a9b281.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/829/537/952/135/354/original/81b4ab29781ff285.jpg

2026-06-28 09:54:18 UTC

To think... 🤔 ...back in the days of Captain Planet we knew things were fucked up already, I mean, that's kinda the whole vibe of that cartoon. And not just Captain Planet, but I recall a 90s redolent with environmental messaging... back growing up in Western Australia at any rate, I cannot speak for the rest of the world. Songs like Rip Rip Woodchip are burnt into my subconscious.
Yet... my generation grew up and... just continued to fuck things up. 🤷🏻‍♂️
The harvest we reap from sowing the planet with poison is not going to be a pretty one.
@npub16mu…nkly https://mastodon.world/@ombialik/116826202120969246

2026-06-27 17:42:00 UTC

- reply

The Elegoo default sample print seems to be this little Buddha, a bit odd, but then again so is a weird little boat I guess.
The bench this printer is on wobbles alarmingly whilst it prints. I may need to build something more stable. The prints seem to be OK regardless, though there is a little interlayer glitchiness that could be caused by the wobble perhaps.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/823/299/242/690/554/original/d7ad7e80b5a2e794.jpg

2026-06-27 16:34:13 UTC

- reply

And lo!
The space it is fillled.
What I didn't realise is I'd have to pull the whole table out from the wall about 250mm as it "slings" the bed right back! Obvious in retrospect. I may need to adjust my desk setup a bit though to compensate (I sit right next to this bench, my desktop is to the right of the photo.)
Elegoo's default example print seems to be a tiny Buddha, so that is what it is printing out now with the tiny bundle of sample filament.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/823/034/070/271/577/original/ea4b70e774a0e610.jpg

2026-06-27 13:52:35 UTC

The anticipation of a freshly cleared bit of horizontal space.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/822/367/737/567/390/original/613fc45bc861cb4f.jpg

2026-06-20 14:19:44 UTC

Rodent activity is making such a mess of some of our beds I am not sure what to do, but even been researching poisoning.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/782/865/034/271/071/original/1223925f47adb819.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/782/865/683/715/286/original/9099c0677aab8101.jpg

2026-06-18 19:12:07 UTC

- reply

the EcoFlow sorta kit is generally only useful for small-scale tinkering IMO... which suits my home-office-solar sort of setup. If I was in a place to be more serious about it I'd probably buy a bunch of Victron kit or similar.

2026-06-18 19:07:56 UTC

- reply

> Q1: Introduce yourself tell us what you have made this week, and if you haven’t made anything what have you been thinking about making? > [> #> MakersHour](https://toot.ale.gd/tags/MakersHour )>
I've "made" the beginnings of a solar setup at home, so I guess that counts for something. Even it all it was was a bit of wiring to connect some 20 year old ex-rooftop solar panels to a EcoFlow box. This is hand-in-hand with my more "IT" makerish pasttimes, as it is peripheral to reconfiguring the home network. All the computers and some other kit like the 3D printer will be on the EcoFlow system - which is basically a UPS on steroids with added solar. This means the small APC UPS has been moved to support the Virgin router and the front WiFI. And things are in place for setting up my new FreeBSD gateway once the box arrives from China and I've paid an arm and a leg for an 8GB SODIMM.
I am thinking about making: 3d printed pattress box extenders, still hoping to do that welded bean frame, and... the list goes on.
@npub1q3r…v6fy

2026-06-14 14:01:07 UTC

- reply

that about sums up how I feel ever weekday 5AM when the alarm goes off. "Oh no, not again."

2026-06-14 10:59:44 UTC

- reply

it is not fantastic!
I'm not great at the old sleep, so getting even less right now. There is little traffic between about 1AM and 5AM at least (and my weekday alarm is 5AM anyway so maybe it won't be so bad, but there may be more earlier traffic on weekdays I guess.)
It'll still be louder for a while after they sweep it, but I am hoping not so loud ... or might have to start closing the window (there is also a window on the other side, but we tend not to open that one as the AirBnB out that side often has smokers in it.)

2026-06-14 10:37:05 UTC

They've "resurfaced" the road outside our place. So it is covered in loose bluemetal. Now the traffic noise is about an order of magnitude louder. 😑
It has been a couple of nights like this, hopefully they'll be sending a sweeper in tomorrow.
(Our bedroom window faces the road, road noise is normally no issue here though.)

2026-06-13 14:53:37 UTC

- reply

yeah, I read it all over twice, and even tried the QR code... the word "peat" doesn't occur anywhere. So yeah, I assumed peat, and didn't buy it. I think this is pure dishonesty by omission.

2026-06-13 12:42:49 UTC

Cannot see anything on this as to whether or not it is "peat free"
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/742/852/002/280/950/original/19bcbd22609d95fd.jpg

2026-06-11 18:24:18 UTC

- reply

I've not really needed to think about it for over 2 years... all my machines are pretty maxxed on RAM, so far I've found 64GB is plenty...
But here I am looking for simple tiny 8GB SODIMM for a NUC and, well, yeah... fuckballs.
Pondering a "used: like new" Samsung SODIMM listing on Amazon for £80 right now, because anything new from a decent tier-1 is £120+

2026-06-11 17:59:13 UTC

'OW MUCH?!?!
Does a mere 8GB DDR5 SODIMM cost these days... FFS...

2026-06-11 15:45:50 UTC

- reply

I partook of the "retail therapy". 🙄
Current status: looking forward to rewiring the home-office on the weekend in a sensible and organised fashion (which will probably last a week lol.)
I have ordered cables, connectors, and crimpers for wiring the EcoFlow up to solar and will that will be centralised in the office running all office power.
We have four separate small gigabit switches in the office... so I have ordered a used HP Aruba managed switch with 48 ports inc PoE (I run a few PoE things.) [Prob won't arrive before weekend mind, but I can prep for it, gonna get my spool of Cat6 and crimpers out and do everything with custom perfect-length cables.]
That frees up the office UPS to be moved to the "lounge" as backup power for the Virgin fibre "modem" and the WiFi AP for that side of the house. (Which I have just ordered new batteries for, coz dey knackered.)
On the way from china I have a 6-eth N100 box to be a new FreeBSD gateway. Gunnz DMZ all the shite.
Time? Spare? LOL

2026-06-11 15:03:51 UTC

The weather is pants (thankful for rain, but... c'mon, this could be better organised), I have a head-cold and now I have anxiety about skipping gym (it has become essential routine, if I get a routine working then I am psychologically adrift when it breaks, this is why I hate long weekends so much lol) because I don't want to share the lurgy with colleagues (nor do I wan to drive for 2 hours with a head full of wool), why is it so cold, so dark... argh.

2026-06-10 18:14:07 UTC

- reply

had to web search "West Coast Pils" ... sounds a bit like what I'd have called an "India Pale Lager", Siren here in the UK seem to basically say it's a less bitter lower ABV IPL: https://www.sirencraftbrew.com/blogs/news/lets-talk-about-west-coast-pilsner
Anyway - what I love is a Motueka lager/IPL/whatever, so Motueka would be my vote if you can get the stuff.

2026-06-09 17:37:22 UTC

- reply

nothing "special"... it has just always been the case, any normal code/text editor wouldn't create a file missing this? In my >25 years experience that's just been as expected.
I hadn't seen code files missing this until the grad submitted one generated by ChatGPT. Linting chokes on that.
I guess it's quite possible that in "this day and age" there are non-sane code editors that don't do this.

2026-06-09 15:52:09 UTC

- reply

why is it something you need to remember?
A text/code editor simply should never create such a file.

2026-06-09 15:03:19 UTC

Are loads of code files without a final newline a GenAI telltale?
Or is there some broken code editor out there that people use?

2026-06-05 18:31:05 UTC

Ah... a weekend? Even after some time I'm still not really used to them, and it is weird being at a beer event and not working. (Only my third beer fest visit in two years.)
I have a Kernel "London Porter". It is in fine condition. Hitchin beer festival has a legacy of great cellaring, and I like to think I played a role in that evolution.
I don't actually drink beer all that much any more, but I still enjoy the stuff. (I don't drink much in general any more, seems sensible after 10 years in the industry, despite my supposed tip top "liver function" 😅)
Also amused to stand here and watch people form a queue at the bar. Why do people do this? 🤔 The smart ones walk straight to the bar and get served quicker.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/698/889/288/558/292/original/c3c22c9a0153fa8d.jpg

2026-06-04 13:16:36 UTC

- reply

AFAIK the bus isn't considered super-reliable and it's a ~20 min walk from a stop in Comberton to the office.
We do have three folks who cycle in from town (2 of them on e-bikes), I think bike ride to the station is under 40 mins.
I am not too familliar with the Cambridge<>Office commute as I, unfortunately, drive down from near Wisbech as a commute. :( [But also don't particularly want to move for the timebeing, so that's on me.]

2026-06-03 18:32:15 UTC

- reply

had similar a while back, also got to the "so, you want me to share this code with you that says in the message nobody will ever ask me to share it with you?"
Led the guy on for a bit but he got shirty at me, started to call me names, and hung up. 😂

2026-06-03 13:26:56 UTC

A rare #work post from me, in the theme of #GetFediHired — with the caveat it is #Cambridge (UK) based, just outta town, in a beautiful spot in Comberton (4 days in office, Wednesday WfH and an annual allocation of ad-hoc WfH days.)
Our core work is #Python (#django) with #Typescript (#solidjs) at the front end, there's some #Rust floating about too (but it's not a big part of things).
#Job roles in software, physiotherapy, regulator, and more : [Flok Health Jobs](https://www.flok.health/careers#open-positions )
News: [$12.5m Series A funding round](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/finn-stevenson_startup-ai-healthcare-share-7467893200339288064-zw9V/ )
And for the Fedi audience: It says *AI* a lot, which has its uses... our core tech is not *GenAI* and isn't burning the planet down any more than tech in general. Our stuff just runs on a normal server, no GPUs!
As devs here we are under no pressure to use GenAI tools... though the option is there, with very careful safeguarding. (At core we have a regulated medical device, we do not play dumb "vibe coding" games with this stuff.)
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/686/363/392/275/021/original/1a1c24f8f88a370d.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/686/363/541/976/412/original/c08903e5156351d5.jpg

2026-06-01 12:45:27 UTC

First work BBQ lunch of carb-free(ish) June. (Well, my weekday lunches/daytimes have been generally carb free for over a month already.)
(Not some keto bullshit really, not extremely anyway, lots of veg.... carby dinners remain for "leg days" twice a week. Whey and cassein mank to keep the protein up. Here beings a cycle of "cutting"/"maintaining" calendar months. Next phase of The Plan. I.e. a seemingly-complicated (but actually necessarily highly regimented) approach to losing weight, the only approach that has ever worked for me.)
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/674/840/473/059/892/original/b1d273d6541fc55e.jpg

2026-06-01 08:16:20 UTC

- reply

I like my electrons! With any luck I can have a 12V power supply on the allotment at a cost of very little... (the panel effectively cost me under a fiver, the batteries are from my cars, and the little battery charger/manager is something I had lying around for some years anyway). Next step: automated polytunnel watering (with the soaker hose kit I ordered from First Tunnels last week, plus I'll need to buy some sort of controller, or solenoids... I'm away for a week mid-July so that's my deadline lol.)

2026-06-01 07:36:27 UTC

- reply

2.4 litre petrol, 234 g/km...

2026-06-01 06:38:55 UTC

£445 to tax the old V70 for a year!! FFS... I could buy one for that. 😅
Fix a fucking pothole maybe! (I inow that isnt how it works!)
(Annual pointless rant.)

2026-05-31 17:47:18 UTC

Anyone in the UK able to recommend a futon-style mattress that is kinda semi-portable*, something I can get in the UK obviously! Something you could sleep on for a week. (This is obviously somewhat subjective... I am quite fond of quite firm mattresses, and do actually quite enjoy a futon in general.)
Amazon, for example, is just so full of dubiousness... and I'd rather buy direct from a UK company without the Amazon tax if I can.
(* I.e. rollable, luggable into a car... I am done with inflatable mattresses, and don't want to live on one for a week... yes, I feel dumb for having thrown out a futon mattress a few weeks ago lol, though TBF that one was pretty buggered, old, lumpy, etc.)

2026-05-31 11:03:10 UTC

- reply

what glow filament are you using, you'd recommend it? I've not got a glow filament in my collection... yet, but your cheese is inspiring me... 😅

2026-05-30 21:23:05 UTC

- reply

A result of my general uselessness is that we now seem to be cultivating our own parsnip and celeriac seeds. I think I'll actually just leave these to do their thing on that front, it's kinda fun. Though probably we should do something better with the bed space really.
#allotment #gyo
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/665/622/259/111/254/original/1812353a71df0769.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/665/614/370/089/624/original/302ad0c45548e69a.jpg

2026-05-30 21:15:38 UTC

- reply

On more plant related #allotment matters we also got some somewhat overdue sweetcorn, tomatillos, and zucchinis planted. So that's a bit more progress at least. I started this year thinking I was going to be on top of things, ahead of things even... reality laughed in my face on that it seems. What happened. Where did the time go? *I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle.*
Grow little plants... grow... we'll plant some of your stressed out little buddies tomorrow.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/665/594/600/982/607/original/c2269139d0fb55e4.jpg

2026-05-30 21:06:58 UTC

Well, looks like I have not one but TWO long-planned #solar projects progressed today.
As well as fiddling with panels for the home-office solar & ordering an EcoFlow unit to connect them so, I've also deployed a solar panel inside the #allotment polytunnel to connect to a couple of car batteries. The cheap solar charger unit I had lying around for this might be a bit knackered though, it was behaving a bit weirdly, but maybe that's because I didn't have a battery connected. (I have ordered battery clamps to get those connected too.)
This panel is kinda facing mostly the wrong way at the moment, and is inside the polytunnel... I'll probably prop it up to face a better angle, but it only has to maintain the batteries which are only going to have some basic microcontroller electronics on them, a few solenoids, and maybe a 12V pump (though I only intend to run the pump daytime when there is sufficient solar supply.)
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/665/544/845/665/386/original/3cab62f2f2d4addb.jpg

2026-05-30 16:19:09 UTC

UK #gardening #allotment #gyo folks - I am looking for a decent sized waterbutt with a wide and easy to remove lid, good for dipping watering cans into.
Where should I buy this from?
I want one a bit like the one shown here (which is so badly cracked I am just not going to bother trying to repair it). The brand on this is "Blackwall", which I haven't been able to find online so far.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/664/428/821/522/024/original/c08eb46484d3beac.jpg

2026-05-30 13:26:58 UTC

- reply

the angle of the sun at this time of year means that the small shrub doesn't actually cast much shadow on the panel. (And the thyme in the pot can of course be moved.)
But hell, if this lot delivers 400W total in good conditions I'll be happy enough, and I expect it'll do better than that... and I have more panels I could lean up elsewhere if I need more.

2026-05-30 12:52:37 UTC

- reply

I present: The Bogalow Solar Array ... made up of 4x ~210W rated Sanyo panels manufactured in 2008.
Managed to find a way to make 4 panels fit.
Finger hovering over buying an EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus right now. (Mainly because it has the option to add more battery, the non-Plus doesn't... though also the Max Plus can take up to 1000W panels and there is scope in this space for me to add a few more which might be a good thing in winter.)
Anyone about to buy anything from EcoFlow, have a referral ink with 10% off lol... I want a referral link for 10% off though! Referral link: https://www.ecoflow.com/uk/referral-rewards?inviteCode=ASRTIUPI35
#solar #ecoflow
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/663/569/578/451/408/original/d1db753493fa75ae.jpg

2026-05-30 12:37:09 UTC

- reply

OK!
A small Saturday side-quest occurred! https://toot.ale.gd/@yvan/116663396033830183
Then I got to cosplay as a Space Marine for a short moment.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/663/548/918/934/464/original/0a2713929708e20f.jpg

2026-05-30 10:30:42 UTC

- reply

TBF that 2kWh "Delta 3 Max Plus" unit for £1.4k is tempting me.
I think for me for now 2kWh is enough, and I really don't need to deliver more than 3kW ... the use case here is "power the home office", not "power the house" (though if I can route it to handle the fridge that would be cool... lol, unintentionally intentional).
I think I could just about cobble together 4kW worth of vaguel approximately equivalent functionality for a similar price via a reputable UK seller like Midsummer Energy, maybe? But ... when? How much faff? Etc.
The 2kW can be expanded upon if needed, currently £800 for another 2kW.
With this option I could have some solar next week, probabyas opposed to some solar $FUCKKNOWSWHEN ... 🤷🏻‍♂️
I should grab some of those panels and test them first. (Good day for it at least.)

2026-05-30 09:48:22 UTC

- reply

There are cheaper options in the "turnkey" department too of course: https://uk.ecoflow.com/products/delta-3-max-series-portable-power-station?variant=52472460542291

2026-05-30 09:38:01 UTC

- reply

I am somewhat attracted to the "just drop [£2799](https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECOFLOW-DELTA-Pro-Accessories-Emergencies/dp/B0DDKP47PY) on something that *just works* off-the-shelf" idea.
OTOH that is more money than I have even spent on buying a car before, and if I am going to just spend £3k it would probably be more sensible to spend it on a less janky car.

2026-05-30 09:29:26 UTC

I must get around to looking at doing something with those 24 old rooftop solar panels I got got for £102 (total) last year. Got a bit wedged researching batteries, chargers, inverters, etc...

2026-05-28 20:24:15 UTC

The repeated mantra with everyone you meet down the #allotment right now is: "it's so dry!"
And we aren't even past May.
I am glad our site has a mains supply.
Anyway, got home 7pm, straight to the plots, planted tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums, and some basil. Watered as much as we could.
So much to do. So little time. :(
Meh. Now, eat leftovers & go to bed.
Barely slept last night. Up shit creek. 😵‍💫
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/654/065/540/993/561/original/a71073796639c56e.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/654/065/684/648/409/original/2e167ddc1c54b229.jpg
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/654/065/789/352/083/original/7aaa3f79df447d37.jpg

2026-05-27 19:01:04 UTC

- reply

Filth...
It may look like it is just a big tray if brown, but I guarantee it is absolute filth.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/648/080/902/956/241/original/233bdfb306203abe.jpg

2026-05-27 17:14:42 UTC

I have BBQ beef ribs in the oven* and the smell is driving me insane.
All I've eaten today is 4 boiled eggs and a couple of slices of toast. 😂
* Because I haven't had time to do the low-n-slow beef rib smoke I was intending to do. Basically just grabbed this quick and easy recipe from a trusted source: https://www.recipetineats.com/bbq-beef-ribs-slow-cooked/

2026-05-26 09:27:20 UTC

Darling, I don't forget to pick up the fresh Lamb's Fry the market for lunch today! Is there enough cold mutton and cheese in the larder for dinner? That Calf's Head for breakfast was spot-on by the way!
Your menu for May 26th, late 1800s styple:<li>Breakfast:<ul><li>Calf's Hea Mould.</li><li>Ham Toast.</li><li>Dry Toast.</li><li>Brown and White Bread and Butter.</li><li>Mustard and Cress.</li><li>Bread and Milk.</li></ul></li><li>Luncheon:<ul><li>Lamb's Fry.</li><li>Tapioca and Apples</li></ul></li><li>Dinner:<ul><li>Lentil Soup</li><li>Curried Mutton (made of cold Boiled Mutton)</li><li>Boiled Rice.</li><li>Treacle Pudding.</li><li>Cheese.</li></ul></li>
FROM "A Year's Cookery" by Phillis Browne: https://archive.org/details/b21533349/page/198/mode/2up
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/640/160/217/878/640/original/da6c1985936e6dfb.png

2026-05-25 14:29:31 UTC

- reply

no shame!!
For my part I know I go overboard really.
We still haven't finished last year's passata and will certainly still have some by time time we have ripe tomatoes I suspect. So really we don't need any more. The usual 22 I can fit in the polytunnel is more than enough and it would probabybe sensible to grow a few fewer and fit something different into the space!

2026-05-25 10:45:54 UTC

- reply

14 varieties here, um, not sure how many are new without digging out my spreadsheet, but maybe half of them. After seeing your NR Tomato Seeds post (I think it was you!) I couldn't help but add 4 more varieties to the 10 Ibhad planned! 😅
This is the first year we will have all of both greenhouses in play plus also the polytunnel. (Last year we didn't have the time/organisation to use the small home greenhouse.)
May well even have the porch in the mix too!

2026-05-25 09:56:29 UTC

- reply

"remove elder, tidy bed"
There is an elder tree in the front bed where I intend to plant a rose and a trachelospermum jasminoides, it needs digging out, which is a big job I should do before the sun reaches that side of the building. The bed in general needs a tidy, and I have two other roses to plant in it.
I.e. I am not evicting an elderly person and making a bed.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/634/606/979/081/141/original/f5e84a57255f1580.jpg

2026-05-25 09:39:45 UTC

Yeah, maybe not gonna get thru the whole TODO list...
plant toms/etc in polytunnel
plant roses at allotment
plant roses at home (remove elder, tidy bed)
smoke beef ribs?! hmm... kinda too late... shift to weds?
plant beans in pots for allotment & prob some other seeds
plant beans direct in back home bed with sunflowers & tomatillos
plant chillies/etc in home greenhouse?
pot up some chillies?
glyphosate old mill grounds (job I need to do for the landlord)
work on Fox? :( gotta get this done FFS, does it really matter if one suspension strut is seated 4mm deeper than the other? There is enough play in the pinch bolt opening to just accomodate both positions...
Bone out and rub chicken thighs for work lunches
Make profiteroles/eclairs? Yeah, this is a bit of a silly one. Another day perhaps.
Get to bed at 21:30 — imperative
Wake up at 5AM tomorrow.
So don't kill self trying to complete all the above.
Latish start, but TBF dinner was 23:00 last night and bed was 1AM.

2026-05-24 16:22:49 UTC

- reply

Whittled my tomato list down to the usual 22 plants, several things knocked down to singles with an overflow of three cherry varieties to go in the little greenhouse at home instead. And I may pot a couple of extras for the porch at home too, we grew some good tomatoes in there one year.
Lots of chillies are going to be in pots this year. I have 10x "key" varieties going in the greenhouse where I had 12x last year, which was too crowded. Plus the corners behind the chillies will be for a pair of "kimchi pepper" chillies. Lots of chillies going in pots instead this year, to do in various locations including the benches in both the home and allotment greenhouses.
The sides of the polytunnel are now where the most conflict is as we have capsicums and eggplants to go on there, but also accounting for 5x melon plants, and then also there are some "overflow" things that are maybe best put in there including cape gooseberries and rocoto chillies (which need a lot of space.)

2026-05-24 16:11:48 UTC

- reply

Hm, yeah, actually... sweating buckets. I thought we'd be on the allotment by now today, but to be sensible it feels like short bouts of work out there kinda weather still. I think I just dripped half a litre onto the tomatoes.

2026-05-24 15:28:56 UTC

My "shortlist" of the 32 tomato plants I want to grow in polytunnel space where I grow 22 tomatoes normally 🤪
Tempted to squeeze them in a little closer. Then I reckon I can maybe do 26.
My stamdard is that I grow two of each plant, plus extra for the "core sauce" toms. I can slim things down somewhat I reckon. Just one for a couple of more experiential/new varieties. It's a slight pity as I like to give new varieties the better chance of judging them i
on two plants.
https://toot.ale.gd/system/media_attachments/files/116/630/247/622/845/363/original/c738698aa430518f.jpg

2026-05-24 11:20:20 UTC

Kat just mentioned the humble chocolate eclair, a bog-standard bakery item back in Australia.
Are they a thing in the UK?
I refer to them as: a long skinny poof pumped full of custard. Back home profiteroles were always "poofs", I don't *think* this was in any sort of gay reference... but 80s/90s and all, it may well have been and just went over my head. It definitely isn't terminology I'd use directly in public these days, far too iffy.
We often had profiteroles on the menu and my mum is famous, locally back home, for her quokenbouch, must made made many many thousands of profiteroles... I used to enjoy eating the gooey bit sometimes gutted out of them... that is the sort of reason I am more profiterole shaped than an eclaire. 😂

2026-05-24 10:22:47 UTC

- reply

oh yeah, things are definitely right outta whack. Average May high here if 17°C. Our technical last frost date is around 1st week May. And here we are with a forecast 34°C on the 25th May!
It *was* kinda cold 2 weeks ago, we were in France but folks here tell us it hailed *twice*... and now this. I was worried to plant things out before then due to potential cold, and seems I was right to worry and defer planting out to the long weekend. But now I am worried it is too hot!
I think this has to be hitting some sorta record temperature for a late May bank hol!

2026-05-23 16:32:56 UTC

- reply

I'll also add that whenever I can be bothered to mulch around strawberry plants, which isn't often, I tend to prefer bark, failing that: woodchip. I know the straw is traditional, but I always found it to be a bit of a faff.

2026-05-23 16:29:23 UTC

- reply

I don't know the terminology/etc in your neck of the woods but there are typically two types of "hay" bales, the "hay" which can basically just be field grass with seeds and all in it - probably least pesticide/etc, but also the most weed seeds... the other is "straw" which is the stems from harvested wheat/barley/etc which is best for mulch/etc as it contains few seeds, but OTOH is more likely to contain "chemicals" per se.
What you *really* want to try and find is "straw" from "organic" growing... at least here in the UK "organic" is effectively a protected category under which the producers need to meet certain standards, not using tonnes of nasty -icides... but again, not sure how much that is also the case in the US.

2026-05-23 12:59:07 UTC

- reply

Met Office app has bumped today's max to 26C and Monday's to 32C. I am not convinced by that 26 right now lol.
I might dig the portable air-con out of the summer-house (current storage location)... I may still be relatively robust to the heat, but I have always preferred a cool bedroom. (I grew up without air-con, virtually nobody had air-con back home when I was a kid, I think it's a bit different now days though...)

2026-05-23 12:55:15 UTC

- reply

Anyway... it's time to do the mowing regardless. And I shall enjoy it. There's even a light breeze.
It's fine today really.
Going to be interesting to see how Monday feels given it has a max forecast 6C higher than today's! (Last I looked, Monday 31C and today 25C.)

2026-05-23 12:48:29 UTC

RE: https://vis.social/@infobeautiful/116623756727676190
It's amusing how "The Fens" - where live - is basically the lowest rainfall area in the UK.
#note18ql…gzdp

2026-05-23 12:44:14 UTC

As an Australian ex-pat in the UK it pains me to say this: it's kinda too hot 😂
The home-office right now is 28.7C - which is actually OK, I'm good with this. But the kitchen must be in the 30s, and I'm not sure what outside ambient is but in the sun it feels toasty.
I've lived in the UK for 20 years now so, TBH, I have probably somewhat acclimatised... not so easily just shrugging-off 30C as I did when I first moved here.

2026-05-21 08:00:17 UTC

A tech work / employability question for the UK context...
If you're a highly adaptable developer in the UK with a CS degree, 15+ years experience mainly in web/app stuff with PHP, Python, Perl, JS/TS type background... Linux native (but not exclusive), some relevant system management skills, etc... not up to date on the latests whizz-bang infrastructure complications (K8S, etc), and not particularly interested in "dev ops" anyway... mainly want to code and build things...
Is there any particular training or education *worth* doing to improve employability? Anything that actually gets results when throwing job applications into the giant (AI-)black-hole that is the current UK dev job market?
Is there any hope out there?
Anything...
Or is it better to look to give up, exit tech... but then: what next? What else can "pay the rent" 🤷🏻‍♂️
(This is not about me, I'm employed, thankfully... but this seems to be a whole big problem right now and it all seems a bit hopeless.)

2026-05-19 14:22:07 UTC

- reply

congratulations on your thing!

2026-05-19 13:49:52 UTC

- reply

imagined implies imagination, made up kinda implies the same sort of agency as "lied". And neither is sufficiently scathing.
I pondered "bullshitted", but that just has the same problem as "lied" and "made up".
What really happend here is: the software is flawed, it generates garbage sometimes (and you can never really be sure when it'll generate garbage). It didn't have some cutesey little "hallucination" because it cannot "hallucinate".
Maybe: garbaged?
Claude garbaged, again... damn garbage generator.

2026-05-19 13:22:30 UTC

- reply

I don't like the word "hallucinated" for this really, it feels too lighhearted... but "lied" might be worse as it kinda implies more agency... IDK.

2026-05-19 13:08:21 UTC

Yeah, thanks for that claude...
> You're right to flag that — I was hallucinating a specific URL there. Sorry about that.
Kinda like Google Search was in the 2000s, except it simply lies sometimes.

2026-05-17 15:30:33 UTC

- reply

Next up was the usual security checks, except they are super picky here and our three bags ended up being about 8 trays. They even put my drone in a separate tray to my laptop 🤷🏻‍♂️ it left us in a bit of a state of chaos (but that wasn't certainly not just us!)
Then there is outgoing French/EU border control. Which also seemed to cause some confusion and the calling over of a supervisor. I didn't really follow the French but they seemed to be surprised about something to do with *Ostraliens*, IDK, I got waved through without having to do fingerprints for some reason, they made Kat do fingerprints but that seemed to fail three times and we got waved through. (I mean, what were they gonna do... not let us *out* of the country?)
I am sad there is no longer stamps in passports. 😢

2026-05-17 15:23:58 UTC

- reply

Well that was an amusing faff!
At the desk the folks were very confused that we didn't have an ETA (we are residents, not visitors), but someone recognised the share code thing... so then they got a tablet to check the share codes manually against the Home Office website. Except the first tablet was giving them an error. They got a second tablet and this kinda worked, though it took several goes because the Home Office site itself kept giving a "Service Unavailable" error mid workflow (its like a 4 step workflow). They asked me to verify it was for residency, just verbally like.
They then updated something on their system which clearly included a manual description in French of the process and the resuult... and said the app would refresh and give us a boarding pass... except that also took a few minutes.
This all took about 15 minutes I reckon. Which is not terrible as an individual, but is terrible as a process.