Quick Catch Up?

A different approach to my usual ‘single topic, many paragraphs’ and substituting with ‘many topics, single paragraph’. OK - not ‘single’ paragraphs - but you get the drift.

I don’t link back to old stuff that much, and when I do, it is generally in the context of something new that I am writing about. That said, my last issue explored whether Maths was invented or discovered …

… including some suggestions that people like Einstein and Lobachevsky were ‘Pattern Breakers’ before their time. So no real reason to re share - except to say;

It does seem to have hit some kind of nerve - at least judging by the considered responses in email and the world of social. Talking of responses, I have mentioned before how I get emails rather than comments on my posts, so when I read this .. I knew I had to share ..

There must be something more annoying than trying to reply to this post of Substack, but it doesn't come to mind at present. At any rate, their communication prevention process is in a class of its own. That said, here’s what I want to say …

Attribution removed to protect the innocent - suffice to say very well known, definitely technically minded, not his first rodeo … and one of many people that have written to me over the years with the same problem - but none of them quite captured the frustration so well.

Hamish McKenzie

and

Chris Best

- any thoughts?

Bonus: in case you were wondering where the headline of this section came from - I can’t be the only person that remembers the cringing 80s. CanI?

You know Substack isn’t the only place I write. Witness this article that BizCatalyst360 published earlier this month. It is the third part of a trilogy that was never meant to be anything that structured. The three articles appeared over a 4 year period (links to the first two are built into the third).

Key quote:

I don’t spend any time thinking about the fact that I have cancer. Instead, I focus on being content and hopeful. Moments of existential crisis, like the one I face, can be great learning opportunities.

Sukhendu Pal

The quote appeared on the LinkedIN account of Stephen Kelly (he on the right in the picture below) .. and if you were part of Oracle in the late 80s, early 90s - you will recognize every one of these fine gentlemen.

Stephen Kelly et al.

And. Did you work in the Chertsey office - before we all headed off to Bracknell? You might (not?) recognize our old offices …

Oracle UK’s old Chertsey offices in 2015.

To be fair, since the photos were taken I believe the building has been refurbished,

And Another Thing, no not that other Substack I launched with another chap in 2020 - but in real life.¹

I am on occasions asked if my writing supports me financially. Easy answer - no. I of course am blessed with subscribers who do have paid subscriptions - but so you know - any and all income from Substack eventually finds its way into supporting my full time job, The Future Found.

Side Note - if you feel inspired and want to join my paying supporters, well, there is a button for that.

Anyway, back to The Future Found.

I love that image (and not just because the little girl’s sign is channeling a super track from two of my very favorite musicians :

but arguably producing something for the ages.

I started with two more sections that I just decided were irrelevant. So, as Mel Blanc had it for decades …

Love to hear from you. What would you like to read about in 2025?

1. Actually seeing that date explains why it never got off the ground. It ties into section 2 above. We planned, we launched and it never happened because Cancer.