Weeknote 6 - John's Vademecum

Try to learn something about everything, and everything about somethingThomas Huxley “Darwin's bulldog” (1824-1895)
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====== Weeknote 6 ======

It's been a quiet week....

Feeling rather sore and generally meh with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Sunday was my 2-weekly injection day, but it doesn't seem to have brought any relief. Am I having a short-term flare up or is it sign that the current medication isn't really working....?

Played a lot of recorder and mandolin music - getting into French dance music - An Dro and mazurka etc. - as a change from the Irish jigs and reels I'm more used to. Watching and listening to way too much Hurdy Gurdy content.

##### NewPipe for You Tube on Linux 


I found a way to use NewPipe on Linux to watch You Tube. I've used the Android app for years and don't have a Google account. Watching You Tube via a browser is possible, and uBlock Origin copes with removing the adverts, but there's still something not-nice about using You Tube's web interface. 

NewPipe will run via Flatpack - using an Android Translation Layer.... I found the information here:

[https://ostechnix.com/newpipe-for-linux-desktops/](https://ostechnix.com/newpipe-for-linux-desktops/)

and to install Flatpack first

[https://ostechnix.com/how-to-install-and-use-flatpak-in-linux/](https://ostechnix.com/how-to-install-and-use-flatpak-in-linux/)

It all works - a bit clunky, but it allows all the features of NewPipe - *subscriptions*, reading comments etc. 

Now I can keep up to date with my favourite channels without needing a Google account etc.

##### Books

I heard an interesting [Podcast about C.S Lewis](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0n7mkpz) and it made me think about re-reading the Narnia books again, as an adult this time. I read them about 50 years ago as a kid, but what would I make of them now?

I took **The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe** out of the library and started reading it yesterday. I'm not sure what I think, yet - it's certainly a children's book, but is there more to it, a deeper reading... I'm sure there is.

Then I discovered the full box-set of Narnia books on a bookshelf at home, on the dusty shelves where they've been for 20 years or more.... so I can read the whole series now without needing to buy/borrow the books.

##### Media

We have a Sky TV subscription and this has recently given access to Disney+ (with Ads) as part of the package. I set it up and found the full 12 Seasons back catalogue of **The Big Bang Theory**. I've seen one or two episodes in the past, usually while at work, and I thought I'd enjoy starting at the beginning. So I started watching on Disney+ but yesterday (Thursday 26th) it disappeared from Disney+ 

No explanation. It just wasn't there any more. 

This is more proof of how rubbish using online streaming is. Content can be removed at any time. 

You don't own anything. 

Then I discovered Sky have also just added HBO Max to their package. And **Big Bang Theory** is now on **HBO Max**. So I did what was necessary to enable HBO Max on my Sky account and now I can watch **BBT** again. 

It's all so annoying, though.... now we've got Sky TV (including Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, Paramount+), Netflix (via Sky), iPlayer, Disney+ (via Sky), HBO Max (via Sky) - my wife has an Amazon Prime subscription, so she watches Prime Video (but I don't use this willingly - sometimes she'll have something on the TV that I'll start watching too, and it turns out to be on Prime.... I won't leave the room as a protest, and will still watch it....  but I'll never use Prime directly myself and would prefer it if the cancelled Prime altogether. As far as I'm concerened Amazon is evil and should be boycotted). 

There are so many different streaming services. You never know where to go to watch any specific program/series/film. And I refuse to add more paid subscriptions - Apple+, TNTSports, Discovery+ etc. etc. etc... 

I'd be happy to ditch all the paid subscriptions and watch only free-to-air content - via aerial/dish or streaming. But that's never going to happen. Sadly.


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Page created  : 18/04/26 13:06 BST

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