If anyone who had lived through the 1918 Spanish flu were alive today, they might recognize a lot of similarities with the current pandemic. Both deadly diseases moved from major metropolitan centers and spread to rural areas.
Category: <span>Weekly Columns</span>
Post
Regular Updating is the Key
As I sit down to write this column, I have just finished reading a 30-page report entitled “Of Black Swans, Platypii And Bunyips. The outlier and normal incident in risk management.” This whitepaper, published in 2010 by the SANS Institute, examines trends in computer malware infecting Mac and PC systems. Researching and reading are much of what I have to do in my profession.
Post
Ask Dr. Alan: Anger
Dear Dr. Alan: You have written a few times about different aspects of depression and anxiety, and also a little about anger and meanness. Can you say more about anger? I’m seeing more anger in people than depression lately, and I assume that this is connected to the virus.
Post
Weekly Horoscopes Sep. 27
All Signs: It’s been tough with Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn at odds with Mars. This week retrograde Mars once again squares Saturn! Oy! Furthermore, this happens just before the Full Moon in Aries. Everyone will go ballistic!
Post
Galileo Galilei—Renaissance Polymath
Galileo was one of the first modern thinkers to clearly state that the laws of nature are mathematical. His work accelerated the eventual separation of science from philosophy and religion—a major step toward inductive reasoning.
A product of Italian and American influences, this hearty soup is the perfect antidote for blustery weather!
Post
SPA Dogs to D.C.—Another Successful Mission!
In 2018, dog adoptions at the SPA had decreased dramatically. Cages were full and reserved isolation cages were used to help with the overflow. This began to change in 2019...
Post
Living in an Upended World: Let in the fresh air!
Temperature monitoring, disinfectant gels, masks, sanitation crews wiping surfaces in public spaces, city portals with disinfectant sprays, and footwear cleaning mats are all part of the hygiene-theater meant to combat the spread of the pandemic. But one measure is hardly spoken of - ventilation.
Post
Fear and Trembling During the Pandemic
This is embarrassing, but I find myself scared and anxious about Covid. I’m afraid to leave the house, and I’ve had several anxiety attacks, worrying sick about catching the virus. Some of my friends laugh it off and think I’m overreacting. Am I overreacting? Am I just being paranoid?
Post
Is Your Hard Drive the Biggest and Fastest?
I imagine a scene that could have taken place in some corporate boardroom of a company that manufactures hard disks. Present at the meeting were the CEO of the company, head of the marketing department, and an engineer. The exchange could have gone something like this:
Post
Weekly Horoscopes: September 20
All Signs: I believe that in the next few months, we will discover information and data that has been withheld. There will be surprise about this new information that comes to light. Meanwhile, this is also a time when many of us might doubt something, especially our abilities.