Satya Nadella Is A Cricket Fan

Satya Nadella is the new Microsoft CEO.

Growing up, playing cricket was his “passion,” and he played it competitively as a member of his school’s team. “I think playing cricket taught me more about working in teams and leadership that has stayed with me throughout my career.”

He also enjoys watching Test cricket, “which is the longest form of any sport in the world,” with games that can go for days and days. “I love it,” he says. “There’s so many subplots in it, it’s like reading a Russian novel.”

His appreciation of the game clearly indicates that he possesses some of the essential characteristics he will need: intelligence, discernment, patience, an appreciation of subtlety, bravery, an acceptance that a result is not always possible, the importance of playing with a straight bat (in the traditional sense), team spirit and leadership.

Good luck, dear boy, I think you’re going to need it.

Cricket1

Dilbert Last Lines

I’ve been doing some disk housekeeping and came across a bunch of Dilbert strips that I’d saved. Here’s a few last lines. I decided not to identify the “speaker”; I think it’s more fun without.

I don’t buy; I shovel.

For once, it wasn’t all bad.

Here’s a jar to put your conscience in. I’ll put it in the cupboard with mine.

Someone left the supply cabinet unlocked.

You’re thinking of gazpacho.

I make my own underpants from sandwich bags.

I’ll have to run some chaos and complexity simulations, but it looks as if you need more money.

And if you talk about fish to a starving man, you’re a consultant.

That’s the problem with randomness. You can never be sure.

Oh, wait… I just recognised a pattern.

Because sometimes less is more.

I’d rather not take sides until I hear the monkey’s version.

No, you look like a chewer.

His hair parts in the middle. That’s just wrong.

Add a chart.

That’s not what the Mayo Clinic said.

English Musical Nostalgia

Returning—as one does—to nostalgia: these videos take me back to my early teens and before.

Anthony Newley

Newley was hugely popular when I was a wee lad. One of my childhood memories is the sound of his voice—my mother was a big fan. I remember the soundtrack of Stop The World I Want To Get Off being frequently played. The first video (audio with a picture) is Newley singing Feelin’ Good,  which is one of the great songs (written by Newley with Leslie Bricusse). Do You Mind was a UK Number 1 in 1960.

Flanders & Swann

Michael Flanders and Donald Swann performed some wonderfully funny and clever comic songs and monologues/duologues in their shows At The Drop Of A Hat and At The Drop Of Another Hat. I might have supposed that F&S were completely passé, but clearly I would have been wrong as their Best of album is in the Amazon Top Ten for cabaret and comedy.

How I lost my $50,000 Twitter username

How I lost my $50,000 Twitter username | Ars Technica.

This is a pretty scary story.

The Baloney Detection Kit

The Baloney Detection Kit.

Another great post from farnham street. Coincidentally, I’m currently reading Carl Sagan’s The Demon-haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark, but I haven’t got to the chapter that inspired the linked video.

IOS Automation: A Beginner’s Story

I have had the Drafts app on my iPad for some time, but haven’t used it a great deal. Recently, I decide to see how I could make more use of its capabilities.

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Apps, Apps, Apps

I admit I’m a bit of an app magpie. I must have hundreds loaded in iTunes—though, by no means, are they all installed on my iPhone or iPads. Many are free and have hardly been used—lots of games fall into this category. They’re free, what the hell? Usually, they engage my interest only fleetingly, if at all. But I can’t bring myself to delete any apps because… you never know…

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Real Programmers

Real Programmers use Fortran. Quiche Eaters use Pascal.

I never earned a living as a programmer, though I did once convert a Fortran program to whatever flavour of Pascal used to run on an Apple IIe. The program simulated the weight of lambs based on the breed of the parents—earth-shattering stuff.

Maybe it shows my age—who’s worked with punched cards?—but I laughed and laughed as I read this. And don’t forget to read the link in the letter, The Story of Mel.

Credit: I came across this link on Attila’s Den when I was “researching” my post Apps, Apps, Apps.

30 Years of the Mac

At the risk of coming off like a fanboi, I’m recommending you take a look at the Apple pages celebrating 30 Years of the Mac. They have put together a beautiful presentation. Each year features a story about someone who worked with some flavour of Mac: like John Knoll who developed Adobe Photoshop with his brother Thomas (1989); electronica musician Moby (1999); and architect Jürgen Mayer H who designed the Metropol Parasol in Seville (2005).

Even if you have no particular interest in things Apple, the photos are great and the stories fascinating snippets from the history of personal computing.

If you have owned a Mac, you can add your data about how you used Your First Mac.

The secret to creativity, intelligence and scientific thinking: Being able to make connections

The secret to creativity, intelligence and scientific thinking: Being able to make connections – The Buffer Blog.

Start making connections and getting creative

1. Add to your knowledge – the power of brand new experiences

2. Keep track of everything – especially in the shower

3. Review your notes daily – the Benjamin Franklin method