Weblog throwback

raneko

Twenty years ago, before blogging became mainstream, posts typically had a different style to today’s various kinds of articles. Personal blogs with a diary style, documented their author’s online activity, linking to interesting news and newly-discovered content. As homage to early bloggers, and a throwback to an earlier age, this blog post collects a selection of links that I’ve recently shared with people.

Tech

Stargate Physics 101 fictionalises the software testing mindset in science fiction fanfic. I wish people would write more of this - both specifically this, and fanfic as a vehicle for other kinds of nerdery.

How to Remote with BRYTER features my employer’s pre-pandemic guide to remote working, and illustrates the things that make it the best place I’ve ever worked.

What every web developer must know about URL encoding remains the definitive guide to a class of bugs that every web application developer encounters sooner or later. I typically have to re-share this several times per year, each time I report one of these bugs.

Cinema

I’ve recently taken advantage of how Netflix makes oriental cinema more accessible, and enjoyed the following films (among many others).

• The wandering earth (sci-fi)
• Time to Hunt (sci-fi)
• Train to Busan (zombie)
• Jailbreak (action)
• Ip Man (… and sequels - kung fu)
• Gantz: O (sci-fi)
• Ugly (thriller)
• Code 8
• Dot 2 Dot

Rotterdam tourism

My top suggestions, given that I don’t go to museums: De Markthal (covered market), and the container port boat trip.

If you do want some culture, try the photo museum, modern art museum, classic weird architecture, and Delfshaven - a historic old harbour, which also has an old microbrewery.

Rotterdam offers many cafes and bars, and most bars have a decent beer selection. A couple have a huge beer selection. Start with Locus Publicus, Oostzeedijk 364 - old school with all of the beers, and Proeflokaal Reijngoud, Schiedamse Vest 148 - modern and with a better terrace, in the city centre, near lots of other cafes, bars and restaurants.

Renaissance polyphony

Te lucis ante terminum, published in 1575 by English composer Thomas Tallis, performed here by The Gesualdo Six at Ely Cathedral. In the sixteenth century, the plainchant verses were the traditional style from previous centuries, which Tallis alternated with his own polyphony, for five voices.

Ne irascaris Domine (1589), composed by Tallis’ successor William Byrd, performed by Stile Antico. This piece, also for five voices, has an especially rich intro in the lower voices, imitated by the upper voices. I’ve sung this in choral workshops, but sadly not yet in a concert.

Officium Defunctorum (1605), by Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria, performed by The Tallis Scholars. Despite the composition’s relative simplicity, which the sopranos I sang it with called boring, this is the choral recording I listen to most often, and would most like to perform again.

Tenebrae factae sunt (1585), also composed by Tomás Luis de Victoria, performed by me and the other members of Het Retorisch Kwartet (The Rhetorical Quartet), the Rotterdam ensemble I used to sing with.