L— was away for the week at a couple of conferences in Nottingham, so I was home alone. By the end of the week I even figured how to hang up a Signal video call on Android on my own! The buttons disappear off the screen after a few seconds, and it’s not an environment that lends itself to experimentation to work out the user interface, but I eventually did: tap on the video, and the buttons (briefly) reappear.

It’s disappointing to see the kinds of confusing user interface patterns that Steve Krug was warning about in the previous millennium coming back in mobile interfaces, together with new ones like swiping that can’t be discovered until you try them.

Someone (it’s not clear who, why, or on what authority) blocked off a section of the cycle and pedestrian path that runs between Millwall stadium and the Overground line at the end of last week, but on Tuesday morning I found that the barrier had been opened.

When I reached the other end, it became clear that it was an unofficial reopening, as the barrier on the south end was still in place. However, this being South London, an enterprising and civic-minded individual had cut a large rectangular aperture in the barrier that I could simply step through.

A few days later, on Thursday, I passed that way again. This time, the barrier had been upgraded to full Antifaschistischer Schutzwall standard, with spike-topped metal fencing and a steel gate on stanchions concreted into the ground.

I still don’t know who did it, or why, or how permanent the closure is. I emailed Southwark Council, but they haven’t replied. It’s only a short section that’s closed, but the diversion is significant.

Unfortunately for me, Thursday was also the day that I cycled to Peckham without my pannier, which I had left in the garden. I arrived, put my bike in the stand, realised, turned around and cycled home again, via the now slightly longer route.

I did a couple of meetings at home and went back again for the rest of the day. It wasn’t really the weather for all that exertion.

The richest man to ever live built a Nazi chatbot powered by burning farts. Is it possible to retain one’s sanity in such a world?

I did Dunwich Dynamo XXXIII. I survived, and after a morning swim in the sea I caught the coach back and made it home shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon. I’ll write a separate post on the ride.

I had a shower, took a nap, and then it was time to go out again.

We took a picnic to the Chelsea Physic Garden for the Twilight Classical concert on the lawn. It was perfect weather for it. I was excited to see Sarah Small performing an extra final date on her 4,000 km, 10 week tour of Great Britain, by bicycle, with a viola da gamba strapped to her bike rack along with a tent and all the other usual bikepacking gear.

I got the chance to talk briefly afterwards; she said that her longest day was 140 km from Liverpool to Bangor in Wales, straight after which she performed a concert! It’s a superhuman achievement, and puts my 188 km into perspective.

This week’s links: