The Monday Mix (24/10/2022)
Hi friends,
Apologies for not sending this out yesterday, I went to a pub quiz last night and didn’t get back till late. It’s the first time I’ve been to a pub quiz in a few years. When I was at university we regularly went to them, so it was interesting to see how much has changed in that time. Gone are the pens and paper, replaced with an app that does a good job of removing cheating from the equation.
What struck me the most was how much technology has invaded our lives for good or better. I know not all pub quizzes will use an app, but for a concept that’s so simple to have given over to apps and smartphones, just shows how much we depend on technology that didn’t exist 15 to 20 years ago.
We didn’t win, unfortunately, even though we were doing well until the last round. But it was a fun night and an example of something as simple as a pub quiz can be a lot of fun!
Here’s what I want to share this week:
How a Mathematician Revealed a Casino Loophole
A cool story about the world of casinos and how they turned to one man to help them come up with machines that foiled card counters. It’s a short read but the topic is really interesting and highlights how much money and time is spent by casinos to thwart would-be card counters. Think of it like an arms race, with the counters coming up with ever more elaborate ways to gain an edge and the casinos responding in turn to deny them that edge.
Why Climate Despair Is a Luxury
Thought-provoking article by the brilliant Rebecca Solnit. I’ve read a lot of articles that are full of despair when it comes to the climate situation and a lot of challenges we face too, such as the erosion of democracy. I understand where these people are coming from, but as Solnit makes clear in this article, this is the easy option. It’s much easier to be cynical than it is to be hopeful. Imagine if those alive during WWII had given into despair during the darkest days. What would the world look like now?
As grim as things look, you always need hope. It’s hope that propels and fuels us, and with climate change, we need to utilise and fight for a better future rather than wallowing in despair at the size of the task before us.
A Dinosaur Is a Story
I love dinosaurs! Jurassic Park is my favourite film, one I’ve watched countless times and will never get tired of. So, I enjoyed this quirky and interesting article about how the naming of dinosaurs and indeed, many of the central tenets of palaeontology are subject to flux. Thinking back to Jurassic Park, all of the dinosaurs had skin resembling that of a reptile. Yet, recent research suggests some dinosaurs, if not most of them had feathers. When you’re dealing with a subject that’s last reference point is 65 million years ago there are bound to be multiple revisions as this article highlights brilliantly.
Book I’m reading - The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow
Nearly finished this book now. It’s taken me a bit longer than I would have liked to read but it’s been a fascinating read and I can’t recommend it enough!
Quote I’m pondering: – “This is the precept by which I have lived: Prepare for the worst; expect the best; and take what comes.” – Hannah Arendt
That’s all for this week.
Until next time,
Tom