Hah. After reading about Plains Indian Sign Language I fell into this wonderful rabbit hole about sign languages, such as Harem Sign Language: A Tool of Power in the Ottoman Empire:
Today we’re diving into the fascinating story of Harem Sign Language, also called Seraglio Sign Language, from inside the Ottoman Empire. This wasn’t just a way for Deaf servants (dilsiz) to communicate — it was the everyday language of the harem and the palace, used by sultans, women, and guards for hundreds of years.
This is a different "In The New Forest" series from others I've read. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the setting and will read more. The plot developed some interesting complexities and some pleasing surprises. Death in the New Forest (New Forest Murder Mysteries Book 1) by Linda Mather. 📚
Detective Elinor Saxby leaves the city for a crooked little cottage near sleepy Lyndhurst village. It’s not exactly her dream home, cut off from everything and everyone she’s ever known. But Elinor will do anything to leave her troubled past behind.
A light and easy read, though our lead character is distracted by a couple of good looking young men. The Channel Islands Harbour Murder (The Gull Bay Mysteries Book 3) by Ashley Cain. 📚
Dripping diamonds and disdain, ‘Scandalous Sam’ orders vintage champagne, insults her company . . . and rushes out without paying her share of the bill.
By nightfall Samantha has vanished. And just twenty-four hours later her body is hauled from the harbour
Nailed it. Guy Body cartoon in the Northern Advocate, 01 June 2026. See This is so wrong.
I've been moaning a bit about the government, but every year I'm impressed by the Inland Revenue Department. They know about my income, assets, interest and dividends. I upload proof of charitable donations. Then they work it all out and send me a really well written letter.
Alex Hsu has an excellent YouTube channel. Today's episode points out that pushups aren't necessarily about looking good, but are more about being able to open heavy doors, or get up off the floor. The Real Reason Adults Need Pushups:
Your goal isn’t to punish yourself. Your goal is to build a body that stays capable, confident, and useful for real life.
I suspected this might be too dark for me, but apart from a couple of paragraphs it wasn't. I enjoyed the read and loved all the Scots dialect. I'll be reading more for sure. Murder in Galloway (Detective Marjory Fleming Mysteries Book 1) by Aline Templeton. 📚
Meet Detective Marjory Fleming, a Galloway lass born and bred. She’s tough, sharp, and not easily intimidated. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly, but underneath the hard exterior, she has a heart of gold.
Yesterday I had scrambled eggs on toast at Serenity Cafe in the Town Basin. The food was OK though the eggs had a slightly unusual taste.
Disconcerting though was the gull just above my outside table waiting for me to leave my food unattended. 🐦
As a balance to my previous whingeing — Faith community rallies behind West Auckland conservation project:
The Indian Muslim community has pledged to plant 4000 native trees each year as part of a three-year partnership with Matuku Link, a 37-hectare bush and wetland restoration project in West Auckland.
This is what human beings do: aid, protect, nourish.
This is so wrong — implementing AI with all its flaws and problems to make decisions about the lives of our most vulnerable. Humans aren't just nice neat packages; we're untidy bundles of complexity and nuance. Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill | NZ Legislation:
The … Bill … aims to enable the administration of a more efficient, modern welfare system through the use of automated decision making (ADM).
An automated decision is a decision within an automated process where there is no substantial human involvement in making the decision.
Deb and I have been meaning to update our wills for the longest time — more than a decade at least. Finally we visited our lawyer and provided information for a draft.
We're also discussing Enduring Power of Attorney and Advance Directives.
Looking forward to getting it all sorted and signed.
Photos reminded me today of a day in August 2018 when Oshi dug a big hole in the sand of our yard and settled down into it — seemingly legless. 😆 🐶
This is a truly remarkable book — not your average cosy mystery, not your average space scifi — it's a one of a kind and well worth reading. Hellspark by Janet Kagan. 📚
After being attacked, rescuing a young woman, and going before a judge, Tocohl has learned all she ever wanted to know about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now she is seeking answers to mysteries that could save a world.
I learned about this book via Lingthusiasm.
Wobblily in the wild:
Opting not to use a cutting tool, the RSCPA rescuers eased the pony’s head and shoulders out of the tire, allowing it to stand up and wobblily return to its comrades in the field.
Via: English Pony Found Unharmed Having Been Trapped Entirely Inside a Tractor Tire.
Finally it's not windy and though not specially warm it's not cold either so I biked the 10 Km round trip to the west side of the estuary (at Princes Street). 🐦
It was mid-tide but there weren't very many birds around. I did get snaps of Mt Manaia, a white-faced heron and a pied stilt.
There was a pleasing pink glow in the sky this morning.
As so often, The Spinoff gets it right — Is the NZ government sleepwalking into its own automation scandal?:
Efficiency is not the only value of government. The public do not want government making incorrect decisions about them efficiently. The government also owes different obligations from the private sector, as individuals cannot opt out from interacting with them. Values of open government, transparency, fairness and accountability can be impeded by the delivery of government services using opaque and fast-moving AI models hosted in other parts of the world.
This article was interesting Was Auckland the cradle of the Kiwi accent? An old theory gets a new hearing:
Why, for example, does our [NZ] accent have relatively little regional variation (other than Southlanders and their rolled Rs), despite many early centres such as Christchurch and Dunedin having distinct cultural identities?
But even more interesting was the embedded 18 minute radio interview with retired Linguistics Professor Elizabeth Gordon. Do listen.
I was looking (without success) for something today when I came across this ancient dark and almost unreadable copy of the notification that in January 1941 my father became a war prisoner of the Japanese.
Cpl Jordan L. D. Of the Royal Norfolk Regiment is now at No. 1 Prisoner of War Camp, Thailand, in Japanese hands.