Posted By RichC on September 24, 2021
Saved an interesting graphic posted on social media this past week. It is interesting to look at and contemplate how we use our smartphones and tablets … it also works as a Tech Friday filler.
Posted By RichC on September 23, 2021
This map was posted on Brilliant Maps back in 2015, but graphically seeing the 4037 cities around the world with over 100,000 people in them was interesting for those of us who enjoy studying maps.
LINK to larger black and white and LINK to color overlay map
It may not be the most up-to-date map, but it was impressive enough to visually ponder (Link to the interactive version).
The top 5 countries with the most 100K+ cities are:
- India – 328
- Brazil – 300
- USA – 295
- Japan – 263
- China – 209
In total these cities house around 2.1 billion people or around 28% of the world’s population.
Posted By RichC on September 23, 2021
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Posted By RichC on September 22, 2021
As we shift from summer to autumn, those of us living north of the Mason-Dixon line have to prepare and wonder just what is in store when it comes to winter weather?
Although I’m not a big follower of the Farmer’s Almanac, I recognized that they have an 80% record over 230 years in predicting weather forecasts (so they say).
So welcome to the first day of fall (Fall Equinox) …and get ready for a long, cold winter.
“This coming winter could well be one of the longest and coldest that we’ve seen in years..”
– Janice Stillman, editor of The Old Farmer’s Almanac (link)
Posted By RichC on September 21, 2021
When I was a kid, I remember studying the illuminated glass globe in my bedroom and my grandparents pre-WW II atlas and then stumbling across the science theory showing the Alfred Wegener proposed supercontinent called Pangaea.
The other day I saved the image overlay of today’s international borders on top of the globe image (click image for larger) and thought it was interesting enough to include on my blog … but then again, I love maps and geography (check out this interactive version).
Posted By RichC on September 20, 2021
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Posted By RichC on September 19, 2021
One of the more inspiring movies in the last decade or so was that based on the career of Katherine Johnson called “Hidden Figures” in 2016. It was compelling enough and about NASA and the Apollo space program that when I spotted the book “My Remarkable Journey: A Memoir” by Katherine Johnson, Joylette Hylick and Katherine Moore … that I wanted to read it.
“Oh, baby … I would have loved to have gone
into space myself,” – Katherine Johnson
So, instead of reading it, I’ve opted for the audio read by Robin Miles. Unfortunately I could have done without the fawning over President Obama … but to each their own when it comes to political ideology and focus on race. 🙁
In 2015, at the age of 97, Katherine Johnson became a global celebrity. President Barack Obama awarded her the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—for her pioneering work as a mathematician on NASA’s first flights into space. Her contributions to America’s space program were celebrated in a blockbuster and Academy-award nominated movie.
In this memoir, Katherine shares her personal journey from child prodigy in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia to NASA human computer. In her life after retirement, she served as a beacon of light for her family and community alike. Her story is centered around the basic tenets of her life—no one is better than you, education is paramount, and asking questions can break barriers. The memoir captures the many facets of this unique woman: the curious “daddy’s girl,” pioneering professional, and sage elder.
This multidimensional portrait is also the record of a century of racial history that reveals the influential role educators at segregated schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities played in nurturing the dreams of trailblazers like Katherine. The author pays homage to her mentor—the African American professor who inspired her to become a research mathematician despite having his own dream crushed by racism.
Infused with the uplifting wisdom of a woman who handled great fame with genuine humility and great tragedy with enduring hope, My Remarkable Journey ultimately brings into focus a determined woman who navigated tough racial terrain with soft-spoken grace—and the unrelenting grit required to make history and inspire future generations.
Posted By RichC on September 18, 2021
A lot of people, including me, stumble repeatedly on seemingly the simplest things. Often this comes when trying to remember something or with the spelling of words we write and read all the time … yet we still seem to forget them again and again.
I’m not sure if “Lightening, Lightning and Lighting” are issues for me (as others are — or “laziness” when it comes to proofreading blog posts), but these words for others? Visuals Imagery like the one below can often help, as do Mnemonic aids.
Imagery
Visual imagery is a great way to help memorize items for some people. For instance, it’s often used to memorize pairs of words (green grass, yellow sun, blue water, etc.). The Method of Loci, mentioned above, is a form of using imagery for memorization. By recalling specific imagery, it can help us recall information we associated with that imagery.
Imagery usually works best with smaller pieces of information. For instance, when trying to remember someone’s name you’ve just been introduced to. You can imagine a pirate with a wooden leg for “Peggy,” or a big grizzly bear for “Harry.”
Posted By RichC on September 17, 2021
Saw a bit of impressive wind sculpture art; it makes for an excellent Friday Filler post.
Posted By RichC on September 16, 2021
Here are a few leftover project photos from the weekend for Throwback Thursday #TBT to add to 
the personal archive. Normally we make banana bread in the full-size Bosch oven when our bananas go soft and brown, but I keep trying to get the convection baking setting correct on our toaster oven – not bad this time!
The slow home office update project is inching along now that summer is winding down. The closet was finally cleared and crack patching started as I used a two part method to repair stress cracks. First chip out the cracked drywall in a “V” shape then fill with either automotive body filler (Bondo) or Durham’s Rock Hard Water Putty that I’ve used for decades – one can of powder lasts a lifetime. Then use a normal drywall compound and sand as usual. I also painted the ceiling, but after trying to stretch a gallon of paint, realized it will need a second coat.
For those who have used the Internet and connected online in a variety of ways over the years, here are a few from my office and why there were so many boxes (oh, and check out this snarled rate’s nest from the cable days). The patching of the wall behind my corner desk pretty much tells the story (photo above).
Here’s a list of difference wired connections: