Pesky's home

Welcome! This website serves as the home base to all the content I publish, which includes posts I write, videos I upload and more. The content generally surrounds trips my wife and I go on, trains and technology.

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Recent blog posts

Writing front matter using Python I use `python-frontmatter` to read and parse the front matter in Markdown files used on the main site. The front matter is used to set page or post titles, along with categories and tags. The `python-frontmatter` library provides ways to load a file and parse the front matter making it available as a `dict`. However, there isn't a documented way to write1 the front matter content to files if you'r Read more.
Dynamic partitioning with Amazon Data Firehose using CloudFormation Dynamically partitioning events on Amazon Data Firehouse is possible using the `jq 1.6` engine or using a Lambda function for custom parsing. Using JQ expressions through the console to partition events when configuring a Firehouse stream is straight forward provided you know the JQ expression and the source event schema. I found it difficult translating this configuration into a CloudFormation te Read more.
Using sqlite-diffable as a Python module `sqlite-diffable` is a tool, built by Simon Willison, to load and dump SQLite databases to JSON files. It's intended to be used through the CLI, however since May I've been using this tool as a callable Python module to build my main site after making changes to the code1. This has allowed me to combine the build commands into one Python file. The changes aren't available in the upstream code2 so Read more.
Set environment variables I usually forget the syntax of defining enviornment variables on different platforms, so here's a note for future me to look up.1 ## Bash/Zsh export VARIABLE_NAME=ABC123 Using `export` will set the environment variable within the current session, you can override the value by using `export` again on the same variable name. To apply this environment variable to all sessions se Read more.

Recent toots

The Ryan Air flying experience is the embodiment of what it's like to browse an ad-infected webpage. Read more.
So cats do try their best to communicate vocally. Research shows that, "listeners were able to identify domestic cat meows from two different contexts significantly better than chance, and that experienced listeners were better judges than inexperienced ones." Taking samples from two of three sibling cats showed that rising intonations were related to food and falling intonations with the vet. h Read more.
It seems since the last week or so, the Albert Heijn app takes ages to load the bonuskaart. Time to screenshot, print, laminate and attach the barcode to my key-chain. Back to old-school tech. Read more.
@justincox Doesn't seem to be a lot to do currently, robots.txt can be used[1] along with blocking user-agents. As discovered with Perplexity AI[2] it might not be affective. On the other hand any sort of "Proof of Personhood" will always end up blocking some users and allowing some bots through, it's imperfect. As far as I know there's no legal ground on what the LLM scrapers can and can't do, b Read more.
@justincox Seems the route 404media have taken and work for them I guess. Subscribers also get a unique RSS URL they can use with their readers. https://www.404media.co/why-404-media-needs-your-email-address/ Read more.
My T450 really needs a ThinkLight. Read more.
e-Ink displays for bus details, don't mind if I do. Read more.

Recent beer check-ins

Pesky P. is drinking an Ichnusa Non Filtrata by Ichnusa View check-in.
Pesky P. is drinking a Salted Maple Stout by Totem View check-in.
Pesky P. is drinking a Peach Ice Tea Table Sour by Vault City Brewing View check-in.
Pesky P. is drinking a Non De Jus! by 100 Watt Brewery View check-in.

Recent Anilist activity

Pesky completed Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia View activity.
Pesky watched episode 10 - 12 of Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia. View activity.
Pesky watched episode 9 of Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia. View activity.
Pesky watched episode 8 of Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia. View activity.