Here’s the second instalment of my best Twitter posts.
Interestingly I was reading a blog post by reknowned Geek Robert Scoble where he highlighted a number of issues with Twitter, including the exact reason I’m doing this:
I can’t get to my old Tweets. Seriously. They are, I’m sure, on a server somewhere in San Francisco, but I can’t get to them. Twitter search only shows the last few weeks and I’ve asked developers if they can get them but they can only get to the last few thousand Tweets. I’ve been through this before. The first two years of my blog are gone. Someone turned off a server and I was stupid enough not to back up those items first. Oh well.
He also points out problems with URL shortening services going under. This happened the other day with tr.im.
Scoble’s conclusion?
Well, add all that stuff to this: whenever you put your data in other people’s, or other company’s, hands you are taking a pretty significant risk.
So, in the spirit of not relying on anybody else to keep my own stuff online, here’s my best Twitter posts (as randomly decided by me) from the first half of 2008:
January 2008
Hoping they didn’t use that horrible old picture in the printed version of my Herald-Sun Oped today http://tinyurl.com/2wz9xx 8:09 AM Jan 2nd, 2008 from web
Ho boy. 39.2 degrees outside; 30 inside. Nasty. 7:24 PM Jan 10th, 2008 from web
Off to the wilderness (well, Seymour) until Sunday. 7:05 AM Jan 12th, 2008 from web
Blargh, Monday morning. And woken by a cockroach this morning, eugh. 8:03 AM Jan 14th, 2008 from web
@cameronreilly ‘s mug in the Fairfax press again http://tinyurl.com/2xbuae 4:37 PM Jan 14th, 2008 from web in reply to cameronreilly
Day off – yay! Internet limit reached; speed slowdown for next 6 days – Boo! 9:07 AM Jan 15th, 2008 from web
Pondering the pow wow I went to this arvo. 6:32 PM Jan 22nd, 2008 from web — (It was a transport summit with the Premier’s office. Seeing the RACV in action prompted me to dump them.)
WTF?! ABC: Australian actor Heath Ledger has been found dead in his home in New York. 9:21 AM Jan 23rd, 2008 from txt
Can’t believe my eldest started high school today. 10:45 AM Jan 30th, 2008 from web
Heading home from Billy Bragg concert. Utterly brilliant. 1:02 AM Jan 31st, 2008 from txt
February 2008
Exhausting weekend moving my dad. 9:34 PM Feb 3rd, 2008 from web (Blog post)
It had to happen, right? Myki Smartcard system cost blowout. Not $494m… but $1.13 billion. http://tinyurl.com/27udz5 9:45 AM Feb 4th, 2008 from web
“Petrol cuts the road to ruin” – opinion piece on ABC online. http://www.abc.net.au/news/… 11:59 AM Feb 7th, 2008 from web
The train is late and all three ticket validators on the platform are out of order. This does not bode well for the day. 9:11 AM Feb 8th, 2008 from txt
Grumble. I’m not keen on Monday mornings, in general. 7:35 AM Feb 11th, 2008 from web
Sorry. 10:59 PM Feb 12th, 2008 from web
The govt has backed down. The peak hour train bike ban has been withdrawn. http://tinyurl.com/2s7tur 3:00 PM Feb 15th, 2008 from web
Quite definitely should be in bed.12:40 AM Feb 19th, 2008 from web
Spent half my lunch time inserting a ticket into a validator at Jolimont station for a camera crew. 1:02 PM Feb 20th, 2008 from web
heh. “I know it’s the year of the Rat, but I keep writing Monkey on all my cheques.” 2:40 PM Feb 21st, 2008 from web
Pondering upgrading my bomb of a car for something not quite so decrepit. 10:38 PM Feb 26th, 2008 from web
#&$^ hot water service looking like it might have died… Blargh. 8:24 AM Feb 27th, 2008 from web
Fire drill! Run for your lives! 9:49 AM Feb 28th, 2008 from web
March 2008
Why did nobody tell me about The King Of Kong before? http://tinyurl.com/27n9cz 3:43 PM Mar 2nd, 2008 from web
PT patronage up 7% in 12 months, both peak and off-peak. http://tinyurl.com/2dxvh8 7:26 AM Mar 4th, 2008 from web
Went to Sth Yarra to talk to Today Tonight about train problems. Now can’t get home because of cancelled and packed trains. 5:51 PM Mar 4th, 2008 from txt — (The story that eventuated)
Listening to the new Billy Bragg album. Pretty good so far. Deluxe edition only $5 more than the Pleb edition. 12:09 PM Mar 5th, 2008 from web
Oh Lynne, you’ve really missed the point. http://www.abc.net.au/news/… 12:21 PM Mar 11th, 2008 from web
Tip of the day: Don’t put dishWASHING liquid into a dishWASHER. Suds galore. 10:11 PM Mar 11th, 2008 from web
I couldn’t face a hot meal, so had muesli for dinner. 9:36 PM Mar 16th, 2008 from web
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” — Arthur C Clarke, 1917-2008 9:47 AM Mar 19th, 2008 from web
Had an interesting chat with a bloke involved in wind power. Said Howard years were dark days for renewable energy. 12:39 PM Mar 28th, 2008 from web
Another cousin showed up on Facebook (hi Sarah!) 11:55 AM Mar 30th, 2008 from web
April 2008
Plan to use Yarra ferries for cars to relieve traffic congestion http://tinyurl.com/2wdrg5 11:29 AM Apr 1st, 2008 from web
It’s E Day.8:11 AM Apr 2nd, 2008 from web
Eddington study: “None of it really makes sense” http://www.abc.net.au/news/… 2:09 PM Apr 2nd, 2008 from web
ABC opinion piece: The recommendations of the latest report on Melb’s transport deserve a hearty one-hand clap. http://tinyurl.com/2ffaj2 5:09 PM Apr 3rd, 2008 from web
Was it just me that heard the Twilight Theme music accidentally play over the ABC 774 news this morning? 9:41 PM Apr 7th, 2008 from web
Shakeup for train timetables. Announcement imminent. 10:37 AM Apr 9th, 2008 from web
Werribee trains out of loop in peak. Clifton Hill loop permanently clockwise. Allows more trains onto existing infrastructure. Good stuff. 11:17 AM Apr 9th, 2008 from web
@Froosh Train changes help reliability; Flinders St ppl get quicker ride; means more services can be added easily when new trains arrive. 1:46 PM Apr 11th, 2008 from web in reply to Froosh
My blog got hacked. BASTARDS! Upgraded to WordPress 2.5… and should probably do all others I run. 10:01 PM Apr 13th, 2008 from web
Blogging… when did they rename Swan St to Olympic Blvd?! 10:10 PM Apr 14th, 2008 from web
I admit it, I’m only really visiting Facebook for the Scrabble. 10:38 PM Apr 17th, 2008 from web
You shouldn’t have to have a car to have personal mobility. http://tinyurl.com/5naury 8:10 AM Apr 18th, 2008 from web
How did I end up with 3 bananas at work? Better eat them all today. (Cue The Kinks “Apeman”) 1:57 PM Apr 18th, 2008 from web
If I never have to live through Hoddle St traffic on an MCG game day again, it’ll be too soon. 5:50 PM Apr 20th, 2008 from web
Wow, this is like an episode of Summer Heights High: Year 11 School club “Ugly girls need not apply” http://tinyurl.com/5g5dqv 10:36 PM Apr 22nd, 2008 from web
Went to visit my dad. Noted petrol at $1.40 on the way. Less than an hour later on the way back it was $1.55. Glad I use so little. 3:01 PM Apr 23rd, 2008 from web
Tony Blair: Fare evader. http://tinyurl.com/5a3gsz 11:18 AM Apr 24th, 2008 from web
Finally, J+M got a new TV. No more TV newsreaders with warped voices, radioactive ties and piercing green alien eyes. 5:06 PM Apr 26th, 2008 from web
Tipped 8 out of 8. Yeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaw! 10:58 PM Apr 27th, 2008 from web
“Australia must halt construction of freeways if drastic cuts in emissions from vehicles are to be achieved” http://tinyurl.com/3tfsfm 1:22 PM Apr 28th, 2008 from web
My chat with ABC NewsRadio this morning: http://tinyurl.com/5ok2r2 12:14 PM Apr 29th, 2008 from web
May 2008
WTF! Cost blowout on Monash widening $400m – that’d pay to build a railway line. http://www.abc.net.au/news/… 2:16 PM May 1st, 2008 from web
Feeling old. Going to 20 year high school reunion tonight. 1:28 PM May 2nd, 2008 from web
No doubt it would be a lazy Saturday morning if there wasn’t so much laundry. 10:41 AM May 3rd, 2008 from web
BEHOLD! I AM CREATOR OF WORLDS! (for kid’s school project) 2:44 PM May 4th, 2008 from web
Looking forward to seeing tomorrow’s paper. 8:22 PM May 4th, 2008 from web
New road cash five times funding of rail http://www.theage.com.au/ar… 8:33 AM May 5th, 2008 from web
Uh oh. Long Twitter entries screw up my blog page in IE6. 1:55 PM May 5th, 2008 from web
(Long words/URLs that is). Not that I use IE6 much, but corporate types are often stuck on it. 1:56 PM May 5th, 2008 from web
So I’m just posting 3 new Twitter items to make sure the offending one falls off. 1:56 PM May 5th, 2008 from web
State budget day today. Details should be released around 3pm. 12:43 PM May 6th, 2008 from web
Just finished budget media scrum. Incremental PT upgrades only, nothing like the major boost needed. 3:49 PM May 6th, 2008 from txt
Marvelling at how different my sister’s house looks in the For Sale pics. And how did the sky get that blue? 7:31 PM May 7th, 2008 from web
And this, my friends, is why we don’t want to be oil-dependent: Oil price ‘may hit $200 a barrel’ http://tinyurl.com/6h9574 10:51 PM May 7th, 2008 from web
Looks like not bad turn out at solar energy protest, parliament house. Govt feedin proposal disappointing. 9:21 AM May 8th, 2008 from txt
Media pack at Parliament Stn to talk about train seats. Ted’s line: Kosky’s cattle class. Mine: cautious approval. 12:18 PM May 9th, 2008 from txt
Marvelling that the new grass in my backyard pile of dirt is actually growing. Behold, the power of greywater and drizzle! 12:42 PM May 11th, 2008 from web
No Mr Brumby, motorways are NOT environmentally friendly. http://tinyurl.com/5h4ml3 6:20 PM May 11th, 2008 from web
At home today with sick kid. He’s watching old family videos. I can hear my own voice from 10 years ago coming out of the TV. 8:08 AM May 13th, 2008 from web
I look so cute in these old photos I’m scanning! 11:13 PM May 13th, 2008 from web
At home again. Both kids now coughing their guts up. Hope I don’t get it. 11:55 AM May 15th, 2008 from web
The bottom end of Elizabeth Street stinks this morning. They must be unclogging the drains or something. 10:06 AM May 16th, 2008 from web
Protesting pensioners are blocking the intersection at Flinders and Swanston. 11:30 AM May 16th, 2008 from txt
@rmeredit One did, yes. Trams queued up. Not clear if they’re staying the night. It’s pensioners plus Family First, judging from banners. 11:45 AM May 16th, 2008 from web in reply to rmeredit
Dog walk in the rain on a Saturday morning. Necessary, but not that fun. Hot shower afterwards made it all better though. 10:06 AM May 17th, 2008 from web
Emergency services in attendance at Flinders St platform 4. Can’t see what’s happening. Looks serious. 9:36 AM May 18th, 2008 from txt
Someone was on the train roof. Touched the wires. Now deceased. Don’t do it, kids. Northern loop trains running direct. 9:45 AM May 18th, 2008 from txt
So, twitter has lost the update I twatted 9 hours ago (but FB picked it up)? 9:30 PM May 20th, 2008 from web
@MelbTransport Is there an issue causing repeat msgs? The 6:54 to Epping got cancelled about 10 times tonight.. 9:52 PM May 21st, 2008 from web in reply to MelbTransport
The angels have the phone box. And Steven Moffat has Lead Writer/Exec Producer role on Doctor Who from next year. Excellent. 10:01 PM May 21st, 2008 from web
It’s not just me that gets endless spam email for Viagra, is it? I hope not. 11:04 PM May 21st, 2008 from web
Went to Game On at ACMI today. Just as good the second time round. Unlike last time, they gave us free copies of Sim City to take home. 9:48 PM May 25th, 2008 from web
At home today, and dealing with radio and TV, thanks to the latest chapter in the Myki saga. http://tinyurl.com/6aqwdy 9:05 AM May 26th, 2008 from web
I haven’t blown out to 1.3 billion dollars. 9:47 PM May 26th, 2008 from web
Ha! Mark Knight on Myki: http://tinyurl.com/6obwpm 1:28 PM May 27th, 2008 from web
I’m the only one looking for high petrol prices, for a photo. The price monitoring web sites are no help! Highest found so far: 163.9.6:16 PM May 28th, 2008 from web
June 2008
Brendan Nelson as Donkey Kong, and Kevin Rudd as Mario. http://tinyurl.com/3ef44s 8:30 AM Jun 2nd, 2008 from web
Whoa! Guy on train working spreadsheet entitled “nanoparticle biodistribution rates”. 9:21 AM Jun 5th, 2008 from txt
The local paper liked the letter from me (about trains) so much that they’ve run it for the second week in a row. 8:17 AM Jun 6th, 2008 from web
Just managed to look a complete unco by tripping over an escalator step at Parliament Station, in the middle of a huge rush hour crowd. 9:31 AM Jun 11th, 2008 from web
Working on a presentation for Sunday. Will try not to go overboard in Powerpoint. 10:17 PM Jun 12th, 2008 from web
Dammit Powerpoint, I do NOT want US English spelling. I thought I made that clear. 2:15 PM Jun 14th, 2008 from web
OK, have just about memorised presentation for this afternoon. http://tinyurl.com/5tnedx 11:47 AM Jun 15th, 2008 from web
Reminded RACV at Press Club lunch that they said in 2004 petrol prices would peak at $1.08cpl, and asked for their current prediction. 2:43 PM Jun 19th, 2008 from web — (Later blog post on it.)
I hope KRudd was watching that interview with Richard Heinberg on the 7:30 Report just now. http://tinyurl.com/6dqmjm 8:07 PM Jun 19th, 2008 from web
Stephen Fry, in the way only Stephen Fry can write it, on watching the first ever episode of Doctor Who http://tinyurl.com/3kkpua 11:06 AM Jun 21st, 2008 from web
I left my mobile phone at home accidentally. I feel naked without it. 9:30 AM Jun 23rd, 2008 from web
Uh oh. Connex SMS “Due to an equipment failure, outbound services on all lines may be delayed and/or altered to bypass the city loop.” 5:52 PM Jun 26th, 2008 from web
Been cooking. I now have enough bolognaise sauce to last into next financial year. Maybe beyond :-) 10:46 PM Jun 29th, 2008 from web
Hello from the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. 12:06 PM Jun 30th, 2008 from txt
Who are these strangers that want to be my friend on Facebook? Sorry, but if I don’t know you…11:38 PM Jun 30th, 2008 from web
