The Telegraphic

Today I was delighted to find out that one of my favorite photos from my 2005 Japan trip has been used to promote green building practices on Green By Design. I released it free for use on sxc.hu along with a few other photos I thought might be useful for stock photography. While some of the photos I uploaded have been used for more unusual designs, I’ve generally been amazed by the pieces people have managed to create. And amazed at who uses the site: my photos have been used by KLM airlines, Harper-Collins and the World Health Organisation. It’s great to see them being used – which they wouldn’t have been, if they weren’t free. Viva la freedom of information, I say. But don’t get me started on privacy.

I’m sitting in “the coffee bean and tea leaf” café, which overlooks the transit lounge of Brunei airport. I feel like I’ve been transported back 20 years, into a middle eastern RSL club-cum-airport. A coffee and chicken pie costs almost exactly $10 AU, so I’m waiting for what will no doubt be lovely high class airport food. Scratch that, I have my high quality food and it’s quite edible. I love Brunei! As long as I don’t do something wrong and be punished by DEATH. With CAPS in the brochure.

I’m 3/4 the way through “The Cosmic Blueprint”, by Paul Davies, which is a good read although I haven’t been digesting it properly. I’ve already finished the web design mag I bought. I have a New Scientist left to read, which I hope yields a better reading-to-price ratio.

I got an emergency exit seat for the short trip, but have a killer 18hr leg left. Turns out the emergency exit isn’t thermally shielded so is a good place to cool down your water bottle. Think the flight attendant noticed me laughing to myself about how cookie cutter the buildings were. Hope I didn’t offend.

Saw a guy sleeping with his mouth closed but lips open. Thought that was strange. The Oreos on the plane seemed more salty than usual. Will investigate further if 491mg of Sodium is a lot. Main meal was dissapointing, canneloni was a bad choice.

Still have 2 hours to kill. Coffee bean guy keeps calling peoples names in a high pitch voice “Sir Steve? Sir Steve?” Planning on knocking myself out at exactly the right time to have a good first day in England.

Love you all
Dan

For my own spiritual benefit, I’m reuploading the backup of my adventures in Japan. It seems like such a waste for it to disappear into the aether. So into mySQL it goes. You can find it under the “Japan-Four” category.

The Savage stood looking on. “O brave new world, O brave new world …” In his mind the singing words seemed to change their tone. They had mocked him through his misery and remorse, mocked him with how hideous a note of cynical derision! Fiendishly laughing, they had insisted on the low squalor, the nauseous ugliness of the nightmare. Now, suddenly, they trumpeted a call to arms. “O brave new world!” Miranda was proclaiming the possibility of loveliness, the possibility of transforming even the nightmare into something fine and noble. “O brave new world!” It was a challenge, a command.