Friend Daniel has a fascination with musical genres that stretches far enough for him to have researched and written about the topic.

He has published the results of his research online, Musical Genres 1955-2005.

I particularly like how he has published the essay as a blog, with each "chapter" allowing readers to comment.

We've often chatted about the relevancy of genres. I personally don't like to label a band with a genre. I don't like bands that keep to a single genre. I also don't like the habit of having to create sub-genres for unusual bands.

I don't mind however labelling single songs as a genre. Genre, or "a word to describe a type of music", has it's place.

I also find particular genres get diluted to the point where they no longer have real solid meaning. Such as "metal" or "alternative". Not long ago Bon Jovi was metal. Then hard rock, then rock. He's no longer hard enough to be hard rock. Was he ever really metal? We now have bands like Soulfly and Sepultura who make calling Bon Jovi and even Guns'n'Roses "metal" seem rather silly. Then there are some bands that make Sepultura seem about as heavy as rock.

Words.

Amusing story of a police bust of a shop selling Mozilla software. Mozilla software is free. It's also legal to make copies of it and sell those copies.

"If Mozilla permit the sale of copied versions of its software, it makes it virtually impossible for us, from a practical point of view, to enforce UK anti-piracy legislation, as it is difficult for us to give general advice to businesses over what is/is not permitted."

I felt somewhat unnerved at being held responsible for the disintegration of the UK anti-piracy system. Who would have thought giving away software could cause such difficulties?

and

[...] demonstrates how the free software model disrupts the old proprietary way of doing things, where copying was theft and you were guilty until proven innocent.

In a world where both types of software exist, greater discernment is required on the part of the enforcers. I hope this is the beginning of the end of any automatic assumption that sharing software with your neighbour must be a crime.

There have been frequent requests lately from the public transport companies in Melbourne to be patient during the Commonwealth Games as the public transport network will be "at capacity". They have suggested that people avoid travelling on the network during peak hour.

It is lucky I work in a reasonably flexible company that will be happy for me to arrive early or late and leave early or late, as long as I do my hours and am available for customer consultation for a reasonable part of the day.

I'm not sure what I plan to do yet. I'm thinking I may leave early AND leave late, then have days off with the extra hours. I suspect my sleep patterns may have other ideas.

We've heard similar promises before from the current State government. Maybe these public transport upgrades will actually happen (via dev.null.org):

LIKELY PRIORITIES

• Dandenong line triplication
• Upgrade of Epping and Hurstbridge line
• North Melbourne and Richmond station upgrades
• South Morang extension
• Minimum bus services on all routes
• Expansion of ThinkTram program including traffic-light priority
• Reduced pressure on the West Gate Bridge: options include tunnel or revamp of existing roads either side of City Link tunnel
• Widespread improvements of outer-suburban roads

I caught the bus the other day during peak hour (around 6 in my 'burb) and because of the traffic the following bus had almost caught up to the bus in front. They were about 2 to 3 minutes apart.

If only it were like that all the time.

There was a complaint in the local free rag a couple of days ago from a train passenger who was running to their train, but was blocked by a happy couple holiding hands and taking up most of the walkway. They missed their train.

There were various replies. Personally I believe anyone(s) that blocks an entire walkway in a high traffic area without a reasonable excuse deserves [something nasty].

But, my reply would have been "if trains to suburbs were no more than five minutes apart, there would never be a reason to run for the train.".

Full stop.