This is neat. Looks like the already great 1GB fibre connection running to my house is getting upgraded. Be interesting to see if they can provide an actual 10GB connection and what it will cost.

@privateeyenews.bsky.social this is just perfect.

Another iOS update, another nothing burger. Apple keeps pushing out AI updates in the EU, this time in iOS 18.3, with the AI features disabled and without saying what works and what doesn't. Willfully obscure.

Finally, sushi. This is what most people think Japanese food is, but really it’s only one small part of a rich and diverse cuisine. What I’ve posted here is just a fraction of what’s on offer. If you’ve never been and fancy the idea, go for it. A fantastic place to visit.

This is omurice, a hybrid Japanese/western dish of an omelette, stuffed with savoury fried Japanese rice and served with ketchup. Sounds weird, it’s delicious. A classic.

This is another local dish - omurice. A hybrid of Japanese and western cooking - an omelette stuffed with savoury fried rice, served with tomato sauce. Comfort food.

Ramen. Never had anything like an authentic Japanese tonkotsu ramen in Ireland. The depth of flavour in a good one is astonishing.

Ramen. Never had anything like an authentic Japanese tonkotsu ramen in Ireland. The depth of flavour is astonishing.

Next up are some izakaya classics. This is essentially pub food, eaten with frosty pints of chilled Japanese beer, in casual tapas-style Japanese bars. Home made tofu with benito flakes, kara-age fried chicken, gyoza dumplings and simmered veg.

This is shabu-shabu, a kind of communal hotpot or ‘nabemono’ dish. It’s thinly sliced wagyu beef, served raw and cooked in bubbling stock on a hot plate. The meat gets ‘swished’ through the hot stock to cook it and the raw veg are added to stew. The meat is dipped in either ponzu or sesame sauce.

Another classic you don’t often see abroad. This is tonkatsu, deep fried pork coated in panko breadcrumbs, served with miso soup, wild Japanese rice, pickles, shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce which is remarkably like YR Brown Sauce. This one also has kaki - deep fried oysters. Gorgeous.

A Japanese classic that I don’t think I’ve ever seen outside Japan. This is ‘unadon’, lacquered freshwater eel (unagi) served over rice with clear soup and pickles. It’s more of a summer thing, I think, but it’s gorgeous. Oily and sweet, tastes a bit like mackerel. Worth trying if you get a chance.

Wet Sunday afternoon spent watching Planet of the Apes. Fantastic movie.

Absolutely loving the new series of #wolfhall just fantastic TV.

#proofofcat

Put my office heater on this morning for the first time. Pip is a fan.

Result! New cure vinyl. Now all I need is something to play it on.