Tag: Fire Engineering

Inflammatory Language

Scientific language is a fickle beast. If you’ve been around for a few decades (and have been exposed to changing language) your experience can be a liability. Take, for instance, the word flammable. It pretends to be an uncomplicated word. In fact, the OED… Continue Reading “Inflammatory Language”

Fire Hydrants of Virginia

Here is another episode in my occasional series about pretty fire hydrants (or prettily situated fire hydrants). This time, we will admire fire hydrants in the State of Virginia. First, we visit the City of Alexandria on the banks of the ridiculously wide Potomac… Continue Reading “Fire Hydrants of Virginia”

The hardest part of starting a business is…

I’ve been absent from The Numerate Ninny for a while. But there was a reason. After nineteen years with my former employer, I decided to ‘go it alone’ and form my own consultancy. Fussy bureaucracy is expected when establishing a new organization, and my… Continue Reading “The hardest part of starting a business is…”

Stem Humor/Humour

Is it wrong that I spent an entire five minutes laughing when I saw this.

Fireboat! Ahoy!

Serendipity! I spent a dinner hour staring out at a fireboat. This naturally led to speculation about the unfamiliar piece of equipment. Where are the water intakes? How is the water pressurized? What’s its range? How often is it deployed? How fast can it… Continue Reading “Fireboat! Ahoy!”

Inessential

It’s humbling to be in self-quarantine for a number of weeks.  You quickly realize how dispensable you are.  Your family does not starve.  Your home does not crumble.  The desert does not swallow your garden. In fact, the sun – perplexing star that it… Continue Reading “Inessential”

Choose Your Hobbies Well

Choose your pleasures for yourself, and do not let them be imposed upon you.  Follow nature and not fashion: weigh the present enjoyment of your pleasures against the necessary consequences of them, and then let your own common sense determine your choice. – Philip… Continue Reading “Choose Your Hobbies Well”

Northern Nevada Math Club

A fundraiser for the Northern Nevada Math Club, with the hubby. Will Americans ever learn that it’s maths not math? But at least no-one here is afraid of Covid 19.

Skip to the Loo

Finally! I watched the movie Hidden Figures (and enjoyed it).  However, seeing Katherine Johnson’s routine twenty-minute dash from her desk to the ‘Colored Ladies Room’, triggered a conversation about my own ‘Ladies’ experiences at the beginning of my career. My first assignment was at… Continue Reading “Skip to the Loo”

It’s a Date!

Ladies, if your sweetheart doesn’t bring you to a Science Museum for Valentine’s weekend, then you need to find a man that really understands how women think!