Today I Learned...

Usenet-wannabe1 reddit has a section called "today I learned" in which people post links to various factoids that the presumably just discovered or otherwise  want to bring attention to.  It's a reasonable enough idea and the content is usually ok (aided by the potential for redditors to upvote & downvote posts that are worthy or misguided, respectively), if somewhat trended towards a black-and-white view of the world.

It's not my go-to place for learning interesting things, though, especially when there are shades of grey - or possibly ideas that aren't necessarily popular with either conservatives or (social) liberals. For me, that has to be the RSA, where some of the most interesting thinkers in the world come to put forward (admittedly usually along with a book) ideas that I'd either previously not considered or had wildly different views.

Another excellent source of thoughtful material are some of the science-y podcasts from Australia's ABC. In particular Future Tense and the Science Show go into depth and background for subjects that are all to often glossed over in the pursuit of a catchy headline or political opinion.

And that's the point: the interesting thing here is that in most cases, these are presentations by experts, not pundits. In an era where pretty much anyone can get their "point of view" on some kind of media2, it's refreshing to have a place to go to actually hear informed material - including informed and intelligent debate and (gasp) refutation - rather than the simplified version of most of the information we get elsewhere.

So - do yourself a favour, and get some of these podcasts (or watch the videos or read the transcripts) and be better informed as well as entertained.  I virtually never listen to the radio live these days.


[1] Ok - maybe not wannabe, but it's basically filling the role Usenet news held before all this new-fangled web business. #bah-humbug #whippersnappers

[2] Yes, I admit the irony in decrying the very thing I am doing...

Deja vu All Over Again

I'm in a brauhaus in Singapore, somewhat morosely quaffing my second wiessbier alone, and eavesdropping on the  conversation at the next table.

It's a familiar situation: a group of people from an IT vendor (no idea which), with one obviously out of town caucasian guy - a visiting expert - being educated about the asian market, customers & partners.

Funny because I've been there - first as the visitor & later as the guy helping with the education of other visitors.

Also funny to wonder just how many times the same kind of conversation is repeated around the industry & around the region...