Pavel is trying to fully enjoy the newly-knitted blanket that Katy made for him.
Month: November 2018
This should to be fun
I have to make PowerPoint presentations that explain what we want to do so that our collaborators can use them when they hire our competitors to do the things we want to do, at higher cost, instead of being able to do the things we want to do in the first place.
Bad mental health day
Today is a bad mental health day, where everything seems bleak, with no obvious solution to problems that seem insurmontable. You wonder what’s the point, you ask yourself if it all matters. You want to stop caring, but you still worry about everything.
Then your cat comes to sit next to you, and you feel better for a bit.
And you hope tomorrow will be better.
Ben’s birthday bowling bash
We had a bowling/movie/pizza party for Ben this year. It was also mainly drama-free, shocking! Ben’s happy because he got a Nintendo switch, some games and was able to buy himself a bluetooth speaker with the money he got from his friends.
All pictures here: https://www.flubu.com/blog/pictures/ben_birthday_2018/
Web Summit 2018 conclusions
Web Summit is a technology conference held annually since 2009. The topic of the conference is centered on internet technology and attendees range from Fortune 500 companies to smaller tech companies. This contains a mix of CEOs and founders of tech start-ups together with a range of people from across the global technology industry, as well as related industries. The conference took place in the Altice Arena in Lisbon from November 5 – 8. Attendance was around 60,000 people from over 160 countries together.
Parallel tracks covered topics in AI/Machine Learning, medical & health tech, cutting-edge tech trends, software-as-a-service, sustainability, automotive technology & robotics, creative content, cryptocurrency and finance, music, gaming, sports, travel, fashion, software development, politics & policy-making.
In the sessions our group attended, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data-driven insights and services, health management, and trends were very hot topics.
Key messages:
- Reduced costs in computing and storage, combined with the increased volumes of data generated by Internet-of-thing-connected sensors and new technologies, mean that ML and AI have the potential to be disruptive across all sectors, including but not limited to business, manufacturing, transport, food and health.
- It is very important to know the limitations of ML/AI and to understand that they are not magic wands that can do everything. Several talks dealt with the ethical implications of the potential impact that ML/AI will have on the economy and the individual.
- The focus should aim to be on developing technology that will benefit the individual. Safeguarding individual rights and privacy are seen as key concerns, as are the increasing wealth divide and shifts in job sectors.
- Data is becoming the major growth and innovation driver within big corporations. The oil economy is being replaced by the data economy. Own your own data; don’t get it from 3rd party sources.
- Corporate innovation – the ones that will survive will be those who build platforms for common work with startups. In this age of rapid changes, the companies that can adapt the fastest and have the most contact with start-ups will be the most responsive and will thrive. The pace of innovation and change is also increasing. Companies that are mired in rigid processes will find it difficult to adapt.
- The impact of technology on health is seen as both positive and negative. On the positive side, cheaper and faster computing, cheaper sequencing (omics) and AI are seen as a heady mix that can solve health problems that will arise with an aging population and lead to truly personalized health care. On the negative side, technology and new work patterns are also responsible for continuous disruption, lack of focus, an under-diagnosed sleep crisis as well as stress and several lifestyle-related diseases. There are also issues with data privacy and data access, as well as inequalities of access to new technology due to geopolitics.
Those crazy russians
[recipe] Bacalhau à bras
400 g salt cod
500 g potatoes
1 large onion
6 eggs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley and black olives, to setve
To prepare Portoguese Bacalhau à bras, start by soaking the salt cod for at least 24h, changing the water at least 3 times, then remove the skin and bones, and break it apart with your hands.
Cut the potatoes into matchsticks and the onion into fine rings.
Fry the potatoes in a pan and set them to one side, drying them on kitchen paper.
In a deep pan, sweat the onions until golden, then add the pieces of salt cod, and cook for a few minutes, until it soaks up the oil.
At this stage, add the potatoes and stir whilst adding the lightly beaten eggs with salt and pepper.
Stir for a few minutes, turning off the heat before the eggs solidify and become an omelette.
The Bacalhau à bras has to be served hot, with parsley and black olives.
There is alway the view of the lake
As blue as I can get, I can still appreciate the beauty of the mountain skyline around the lake.
Lest we forget
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord, with Thy saints forever, for Thou art kind.
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
[recipe] Torta de laranja (Portuguese orange cake)
I had this cake when I was in Lisbon for Web Summit. I just had to make it.
500g sugar
50g corn flour
15g baking powder
2 large oranges (zest and juice)
12 eggs
Preparation:
Add the solid ingredients – sugar, flour and baking powder – and mix well.
Add the zest and juice of the oranges and stir.
Finally, add the eggs and beat well.
Grease a rectangular baking pan and line with greaseproof paper. Pour mix in.
Cook in a bain-marie in a preheated oven at 220C/200C fan oven for 20-25 minutes until well set.
Sprinkle sugar on a clean tea towel. Flip cake onto the tea towel, remove the paper lining and roll while still warm.