Random Learnings #10
I'm not British and therefore haven't really understood the details about Windrush immigrants, though it's been front-and-center in the news for both its 75th anniversary and the attempts by the…
Me, A Conference Speaker? Yes, you!
I have been in your shoes: it is very intimidating to get in front of strangers and speak about your passion: technical topics where others are stronger; opinions that are…
Meandering Thoughts #10
Earlier this year I watched Trauma Zone which takes BBC stock footage and interviews to document the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the reemergence of (essentially) Imperial Russia, from…
The Return of Futurama…Yet Again
My daughter gave me this Futurama Planet Express sweatshirt for Father's Day 2022. Besides being fashionable - in a geeky way - it's also extremely soft and comfortable. I wore…
My Six Degrees of Separation
The premise behind Six Degrees of Separation is that a connection between any two people exists through six or fewer social connections. Though originally from a 1929 short story, it…
England Premier League Demographics
Question: aside from truly niche sports, what sports have mass appeal in a single country and nowhere else? Baseball and world football (soccer to us Americans) expanded far and wide…
Random Learnings #9
Yesterday (July 28, 2023), a threatening storm went through Central Iowa. The storm had everything: winds, lightening, ominous clouds, rain potential, and storm warnings. Coralville was hosting fifty thousand RAGBRAI…
Performance Reviews Are A Waste of Time
https://flic.kr/p/bFBKLV At least weekly I am asked for feedback or thoughts on a recent commercial interaction. Most obvious for one-time transactions with a company rendering services, e.g. lawn service, gutter…
The Russians Remains The Same
From very earlier in the Ukrainian-Russian war, there have been many reports of Russian soldiers looting Ukraine, including tractors that were remotely disabled. This is the same as seen in…
Outside-The-Box School Mascots
A large majority of secondary and post-secondary schools in the United States offer interscholastic athletics for their students, though even those who don't may still find (subversive) ways to participate.…