Friday Hodgepodge

Four Things

1. I am impressed with the fact that "Evil HR Lady" Suzanne Lucas found a way to help someone, when a reader's letter left her saying, "This poor person really hit the bad manager jackpot."

The end product was a list of nine signs you may be a bad manager at Inc.

2. You might be tempted to call this question -- from a school teacher -- at Ask a Manager a sign of the times: "Can I wear a dog collar on video calls?"

If indeed it is, you may find some reassurance that the world isn't completely nuts. This comes in the form of a chuckle and the fact that the answer is still No! (and with sound reasoning).

My favorite part was where commenters compared what the children would speculate about the collar, based on their ages.

3. Since I haven't read this or listened to the related debate, I can't vouch for it, but I am intrigued to learn why a scientist contends that "We could open up again and forget the whole thing."

That said, the Spiked! piece does contain the following very good quote:

Scientists are in a very strange situation. They now depend on government funding, which is a trend that has developed over the past 40 years. Before that, when you were a professor at a university, you had your salary and you had your freedom. Now, the university gives you a desk and access to the library... [bold added]

Throughout my scientific training during part of that time, I have heard from all corners to be wary of the potential for a conflict of interest when taking money from industry, but nothing about the obvious one of being beholden to the government for funding.

Whatever else the author might say, he has hit the nail on the head with this issue.

4.

Image by Adrià Crehuet Cano, via Unsplash, license.

Here's one for better times: HBLer Travis Norsen has written a book for parents who -- like me before the lockdowns hit the fan -- find themselves helping coach their kids' soccer teams.

I played, but coaching is a whole different animal: I could use something like this. The title is Play With Your Brain: A Guide to Smarter Soccer for Players, Coaches, and Parents.

-- CAV