Letters from the internet #6
My casually curated collection of neat things from around the internet. Fridays at π o’clock.
“It’s been a minute” is a lovely phrase I’ve learned since I moved to the USA. For me it carries the sense of “however long it’s been, it doesn’t matter. We’re here together.”
It’s been a minute since the last “Letters from The Internet”. Let’s call it an extended New Year’s break.
For a bit of fun. The largest sofa you can move around a corner.
A compelling visual story. Why did DoorDash win? Area charts are great for helping people understand two things simultaneously: growth over time, and growth in comparison to others. In this chart we see:
GrubHub once owned the market.
UberEats growth has come at the expense of GrubHub.
although DoorDash grew more slowly, it is now dominant.
Image copyright www.danhack.com
Work in Progress. I’m working on a free “Data Office Hours” program, launching this quarter. Advice given questions answered, and ideas explored.
Someone wrote something interesting. Getting stuck in, with, and because of reality.
A podcast I enjoyed. The Story of Sesame Street. Heartwarming. Fascinating. And in listening to this story I was reminded of how much my little sister loved it. We also loved the Wombles.
What I’m reading. I’m re-reading Atomic Habits. The why-behind-the-why-behind-the-what I do deserves periodic examination. I’ve gushed about this before: habits as a way to reinforce identify.
ICYMI When 10 Quadrillion is not enough. What if we don’t have enough words for GenAI?
This week I’m grateful for being able to swim. I live in San Francisco, and after I finish this article, I”m off for a swim in Aquatic Cove. It’s a brisk 53°F/12 °C. Utterly exhilarating. I’m grateful that I grew up swimming in New Zealand and found my way back to the ocean some 28 years after I moved to this beautiful part of the world.
Job Hunt Guide
Job hunting is hard. Each week I’ll provide a couple of references that I’ve found helpful. It’s a new year and 2025 is shaping up to be somewhat better than 2024 was. Or, at least, less worse. It’s tough out there.
To seize upon the anthem of Liverpool FC, no-one should job-search alone. I know it can feel that way.
Two recommendations:
Friend of a Friend, by David Burkus.
Job Search Councils, by Phyl Terry.
More on each of these topics this week!
Alistair Cooke was a beautifully polished writer whose column, Letter from America, was a cornerstone of my weekends. He was a master of his craft and wrote for over 60 years until he was 95.
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