ArticleLessons Learned
Geeks like to tinker. And we really like our new toys. So when my girlfriend asked me to put together simple tool for her grandfathers business, I thought this was a great opportunity to learn something new: Polymer. The internet seemed full of glee for it; what could go wrong. {<1>} Well... Since my last post was well over three month six months ago, it is clear that this strategy went over about as well as a two front war for Germany. Quoting the project at about 8...
ArticleLanguage Fluency
I have heard it said that learning a second language is pretty hard, but learning subsequent languages gets progressively easier. Already an ESL (English as a Second Language) student in high school, I was forced to attempt a 3rd language, Spanish courses that were mandated for graduation. I merely muddled through it. "That galaxy is signaling in binary. I should signal back, but I only know enough binary to ask where the bathroom is." Bender ( Futurama - S4E8 ...
Every now and again, my boss asks my team and me to sharpen our minds by writing fiction. These brainstorming assignments are designed for team building and to unleash creative thought. The topic of this daydream is: What do you think is going to be the role of medical technology in 2030? It started as "Folding At Home," a crowd-sourced project to map protein folding. For just a few watt hours a month, a home computer would think about the problem of protein foldin...
If you have never watched/read anything by/about Richard Feynman you need to stop reading this post right now! There is a marathon to be done. He was a brilliant man with an amazing ability to de-construct complicated concepts into laymen-friendly terms. In this video, he talks about the difference between knowing something and knowing the name of something. But he also points out the importance of having a common language. 5:14 - what he forgot to tell me was that the kn...
ArticleIt Begins
Why do I code? I get paid for it. I like the creativity it unleashes. I seek to communicate (with computers). I played with legos as a kid, and programing is damn close. Originally I started coding because I wanted to be like my dad. This is shortly after I wanted to be a fireman and cosmonaut. One day, Dad showed up with a computer from work, and that night we "pair programmed" a times table program. A life long love was born. My hope is that, as a reader, you...