https://davidgiard.com/images/zenicon.jpgDavid Giardhttps://davidgiard.com/Thinker, technologist, and reader. My thoughts are my own.https://davidgiard.com/images/zenicon.jpgDavid Giardhttps://davidgiard.com/David GiardMon, 18 Mar 2024 17:10:00 GMTdavidjgiard@yahoo.comdavidjgiard@yahoo.comhttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/d427953e-d178-4fec-be5b-c1bfaae7d453https://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/d427953e-d178-4fec-be5b-c1bfaae7d453David GiardKashif Qureshi and Nick Simons on Fluid Frameworkhttps://davidgiard.com/post/d427953e-d178-4fec-be5b-c1bfaae7d453https://davidgiard.com/kashif-qureshi-and-nick-simons-on-fluid-frameworkMon, 18 Mar 2024 17:10:00 GMT<div><p><img src="http://davidgiard.com/content/binary/TechnologyAndFriends.gif" border="0"> </p> <p><strong>Episode 792</strong></p> <iframe width="560" height="316" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oUscLb2uK_w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/oUscLb2uK_w" target="_blank"> Kashif Qureshi and Nick Simons on Fluid Framework </a></p> <p> Fluid Framework is a client library that facilitates collaboration across people and applications by sharing data in near real time. Kashif Qureshi and Nick Simons describe what it does, how to use it, and what is new in version 2.0. <p>Links:<br> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_Framework">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_Framework</a><br> <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/microsoft365dev/announcing-fluid-framework-2-0-beta/">https://devblogs.microsoft.com/microsoft365dev/announcing-fluid-framework-2-0-beta/</a><br> <a href="https://aka.ms/fluid">https://aka.ms/fluid</a><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/FluidFramework">https://twitter.com/FluidFramework</a><br> <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/fluid-relay/">https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/fluid-relay/</a><br> <a href="https://github.com/microsoft/FluidFramework">https://github.com/microsoft/FluidFramework</a></p></div>InterviewsTechnology and FriendsVideohttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/1ecddcc7-8485-4596-8191-2c75e5f47065https://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/1ecddcc7-8485-4596-8191-2c75e5f47065David GiardMy Fair Lady Takes a Charming Trip Back in Timehttps://davidgiard.com/post/1ecddcc7-8485-4596-8191-2c75e5f47065https://davidgiard.com/my-fair-lady-takes-a-charming-trip-back-in-timeSun, 17 Mar 2024 05:41:25 GMT<div><p><a href="../../content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/My-Fair-Lady-Takes-a-Charming-Trip-Back-_AFFF/MyFairLadyCastChicago2024_2.jpg"><img width="244" height="144" title="My Fair Lady Cast, Chicago 2024" align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="My Fair Lady Cast, Chicago 2024" src="../../content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/My-Fair-Lady-Takes-a-Charming-Trip-Back-_AFFF/MyFairLadyCastChicago2024_thumb.jpg" border="0"></a>I grew up with "My Fair Lady" - Alan Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion." The movie and its music are a part of my life. I recall with fondness the charm and beauty of Audrey Hepburn and the sarcastic wit of Rex Harrison. Hepburn and Harrison are gone, but the show remains, and it came to Chicago's Nederlander Theater for a brief run this month.</p> <p>Phonetics experts Henry Higgins and Colonel Pickering meet flower girl Eliza Dolittle on the streets of London and decide they can transform her from a lowly guttersnipe into a lady by teaching her to speak and behave appropriately. They are successful, but their success comes at a cost.</p> <p>Jonathan Grunert was excellent as Professor Henry Higgins, the brilliant but arrogant mentor. He seemed to channel Jim Parsons's portrayal of Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory." Cuban American actress played Eliza, and although she lacked the beauty and grace of Audrey Hepburn (who doesn't), she charmed audiences by expertly showing the growth of her character throughout the show. John Adkins chose to give his Colonel Pickering character more youth, energy, and a touch of femininity to his character. This choice suited the show, as I have always wondered if Higgins and Pickering shared any latent attraction for one another.</p> <p>Of course, the music is outstanding, and this cast did the classic songs justice. Lerner and Lowe packed the show with classics like "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "Get Me to the Church on Time," and "I Could Have Danced All Night." The dancing, costumes, and set designs only improved the production.</p> <p>SPOILER ALERT: This version made a subtle but significant change to the ending. In the original version, Eliza returns to Higgins's home. He sees her and responds jokingly: "Where the devil are my slippers," to which Eliza smiles knowingly. In this updated version, Eliza walks away from him when he asks for his slippers - an indication that she is reinforcing her boundaries and unwilling to accept life with Higgins unless he changes his ways.</p> <p>Today is the final performance of this show’s one-week Chicago run. If you have time, I recommend a visit back to early 20th-century London or the films of my youth.</p></div>Theatrehttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/fff562b8-6773-4630-b1b9-71a44749e780https://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/fff562b8-6773-4630-b1b9-71a44749e780Rickie Lee Jones Still Loves to Performhttps://davidgiard.com/post/fff562b8-6773-4630-b1b9-71a44749e780https://davidgiard.com/rickie-lee-jones-still-loves-to-performSat, 16 Mar 2024 08:07:00 GMT<div><p><a href="../../content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Rickie-Lee-Jones-Still-Loves-to-Perform_8DA3/RickieLeeJones2024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline; background-image: none;" title="Rickie Lee Jones 2024" src="../../content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Rickie-Lee-Jones-Still-Loves-to-Perform_8DA3/RickieLeeJones2024_thumb.jpg" alt="Rickie Lee Jones 2024" width="244" height="184" align="left" border="0" /></a>Rickie Lee Jones has seen much of the world during over four decades of recording and touring. In the final performance of her North American tour, the troubadour brought her travels with her Sunday night to the Old Town School of Folk Music - a place she has visited many times. "I have performed here so many times that this feels like home," she told the sold-out audience.</p> <p>Rickie accompanied herself on guitar for the first hour, then on piano for 45 minutes before stepping to the microphone without an instrument to close the show with a moving rendition of "Cry Me a River." To my knowledge, she never released this song on a studio album, but this was a nod to her most recent album - "Pieces of Treasure - which featured songs from the great American songbook.</p> <p>Rickie introduced her percussionist as Mike. I could not catch his last name, which is a shame because he was excellent. His drumming was great, and he enhanced many songs with a triangle or a shaker, but his vibe playing impressed me the most.</p> <p>Jones will turn seventy this year. She made it clear that she embraces her age and maturity. And she never held back from showing off her impressive vocal range. Her love of music and performing captivated the audience. As did her singing.</p></div>Musichttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/8ef23610-d382-47ff-956d-7dd679de42c0https://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/8ef23610-d382-47ff-956d-7dd679de42c0David GiardJordan Thayer on the AI Landscapehttps://davidgiard.com/post/8ef23610-d382-47ff-956d-7dd679de42c0https://davidgiard.com/jordan-thayer-on-the-ai-landscapeMon, 11 Mar 2024 17:09:00 GMT<div><p><img src="http://davidgiard.com/content/binary/TechnologyAndFriends.gif" border="0"> </p> <p><strong>Episode 791</strong></p> <iframe width="560" height="316" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WW5Pr71Z1fc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/WW5Pr71Z1fc" target="_blank"> Jordan Thayer on the AI Landscape </a></p> <p> Jordan Thayer describes the many types of Artificial Intelligence and their uses. Although Generative AI has received much hype recently, many other aspects of Artificial Intelligence remain relevant. </p></div>AIInterviewsTechnology and FriendsVideohttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/29daca3c-fa4b-4900-80a9-2c81c589fa7ehttps://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/29daca3c-fa4b-4900-80a9-2c81c589fa7eDavid Giard"Mrs. Doubtfire" Revived with Fun and Musichttps://davidgiard.com/post/29daca3c-fa4b-4900-80a9-2c81c589fa7ehttps://davidgiard.com/mrs-doubtfire-revived-with-fun-and-musicSun, 10 Mar 2024 09:02:00 GMT<div><p><a href="https://davidgiard.com/content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Mrs.-Doubtfire-Revived-with-Fun-and-Musi_B707/MrsDoubtfireInChicago2024.jpg"><img width="244" height="176" title="Mrs. Doubtfire in Chicago 2024" align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="Mrs. Doubtfire in Chicago 2024" src="https://davidgiard.com/content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Mrs.-Doubtfire-Revived-with-Fun-and-Musi_B707/MrsDoubtfireInChicago2024_thumb.jpg" border="0"></a>Robin Williams was a national treasure. His performance - including many improvised scenes - elevated the movie considerably.</p> <p>In 2019, Alan Menken, David Zippel, and Harvey Fierstein adapted the story into a musical, which premiered in Seattle before moving to Broadway a few months later. Sadly, the coronavirus epidemic derailed the Broadway run. Fortunately, the current North American tour brings the show to new audiences.</p> <p>I enjoyed seeing this show at Chicago's Nederlander Theatre on Wednesday evening. </p> <p>This version simplified the story to accommodate the many songs written for the production. </p> <p>Daniel is a recently divorced father of three who is frustrated that he is only allowed to visit his children for a few hours a week due to his unstable living and employment situation. He concocts a plan to dress as an elderly woman and work as a nanny for his ex-wife, enabling him to see the kids every day. It is silly and often illogical, but it works. The movie succeeded because of Williams's charm, while the catchy songs made the play successful. </p> <p>Rob McClure is charming as Daniel and his alter-ego, Mrs. Doubtfire, while young Giselle Gutierrez excels in the role of Daniel's daughter, Lydia.</p> <p>I refreshed my memory by watching the movie the day before seeing the show. It holds up well after all these years, but the live production's music and fun make the current tour even more enjoyable.</p></div>Theatrehttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/860bcd3e-3bfa-40c1-ab73-f881ead86e7ehttps://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/860bcd3e-3bfa-40c1-ab73-f881ead86e7eDavid Giard"Message in a Bottle" Tells Refugees’ Exodus Through Dance and the Music of Stinghttps://davidgiard.com/post/860bcd3e-3bfa-40c1-ab73-f881ead86e7ehttps://davidgiard.com/message-in-a-bottle-tells-refugees-exodus-through-dance-and-the-music-of-stingSat, 09 Mar 2024 18:58:21 GMT<div><p><a href="https://davidgiard.com/content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Message-in-a-Bottle-Tells-Refugees-Exodu_B4F2/MessageInABottleInChicago2024-a_1.jpg"><img width="244" height="146" title="Message In A Bottle In Chicago 2024" align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="Message In A Bottle In Chicago 2024" src="https://davidgiard.com/content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Message-in-a-Bottle-Tells-Refugees-Exodu_B4F2/MessageInABottleInChicago2024-a_thumb_1.jpg" border="0"></a>Unlike many musical theatrical productions, the story of "Message in a Bottle" is told entirely through dance. It begins with a celebration in an unknown country that could be in eastern Europe or the Middle East or South Asia. The celebration leads to a courtship and a wedding, but a war interrupts the festivities, driving the people from their homeland. After several tragic deaths, a trio of sibling survivors flee their homeland, suffering exposure to the elements, life in an internment camp with abusive guards, and separation from one another - all while dealing with the PTSD of their loss.</p> <p>Music and dance drive forward the story of the refugees' quest for freedom.</p> <p>The music of Sting - who followed his stint as lead singer of The Police with a successful solo career - helps to drive the story. His songs provide the mood, even if the lyrics do not always exactly match the scene. In "King of Pain," he sings "There's a little black spot on the sun today!" as the dancers stare at the sky which flashes lights that clearly represent bombs dropping from attacking aircraft. "Every Breath You Take" told the story of an obsessed lover but serves in this play to underscore the unceasing oversight of the camp guards.</p> <p><a href="https://davidgiard.com/content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Message-in-a-Bottle-Tells-Refugees-Exodu_B4F2/MessageInABottleInChicago2024-b.jpg"><img width="244" height="184" title="Message In A Bottle In Chicago 2024" align="left" style="margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="Message In A Bottle In Chicago 2024" src="https://davidgiard.com/content/binary/Open-Live-Writer/Message-in-a-Bottle-Tells-Refugees-Exodu_B4F2/MessageInABottleInChicago2024-b_thumb.jpg" border="0"></a>It is the dancers who advance the story, and it is surprising how much they can communicate silently with only their bodies and a few props. Their movements convey joy, despair, and anger without speaking a word.</p> <p>I grew up with Sting's music. His songs are familiar, like a visit from an old friend. But new recordings with updated arrangements make them sound fresher. </p> <p>During its brief Chicago run, the show pleased those who came to the Cadillac Palace Theatre. The Sunday evening performance I saw was far from sold out. It is a shame more people did not get to experience this emotional, beautiful tale.</p></div>Theatrehttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/8eb00fca-9152-4eb8-bab6-b676e2e49cedhttps://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/8eb00fca-9152-4eb8-bab6-b676e2e49cedDavid GiardGCast 170: Getting Started with GitHub Copilothttps://davidgiard.com/post/8eb00fca-9152-4eb8-bab6-b676e2e49cedhttps://davidgiard.com/gcast-170-getting-started-with-github-copilotThu, 07 Mar 2024 09:16:00 GMT<div><p><img width="100%" src="/content/binary/GCastBanner.png" border="0"> </p> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ibjo3yoMhw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe> <p><strong>GCast 170: </strong></p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/-ibjo3yoMhw" target="_blank"> Getting Started with GitHub Copilot </a></p> <p> GitHub Copilot is a virtual assistant that helps you write, improve, and test your code. In this video, I will demonstrate how to use GitHub Copilot to assist writing PowerShell code in Visual Studio Code. </p></div>AICopilotGCastScreencastVideohttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/02054100-728f-4c9a-9d27-946666aff36ahttps://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/02054100-728f-4c9a-9d27-946666aff36aDavid GiardOren Eini on the Corax Search Engine Part 2https://davidgiard.com/post/02054100-728f-4c9a-9d27-946666aff36ahttps://davidgiard.com/oren-eini-on-the-corax-search-engine-part-2Mon, 04 Mar 2024 09:08:00 GMT<div><p><img src="http://davidgiard.com/content/binary/TechnologyAndFriends.gif" border="0"> </p> <p><strong>Episode 790</strong></p> <iframe width="560" height="316" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8ryX-LX2zGo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/8ryX-LX2zGo" target="_blank"> Oren Eini on the Corax Search Engine Part 2 </a> </p> <p> When Oren Eini originally developed RavenDB, he used the Lucene library to implement indexing. Eventually, his team encountered limitations with this strategy, so they created the Corax search engine, which improve query execution time significantly. Oren discusses the challenges involved in creating this engine and the approaches they took to overcome these challenges. </p> <p> This video is Part 2 of 2! You can find Part 1 at https://youtu.be/NSNOYt6Od1U?si=ivZW29VT_05Wx5mq </p> <p> Links: <p><a href="https://github.com/efficient/HOPE/tree/master">https://github.com/efficient/HOPE/tree/master</a><br> <a href="https://ravendb.net">https://ravendb.net</a><br> <a href="https://www.infoq.com/vendorcontent/show.action?vcr=ae86cea5-4bff-4c58-a6cb-a86cb31b0ced">https://www.infoq.com/vendorcontent/show.action?vcr=ae86cea5-4bff-4c58-a6cb-a86cb31b0ced</a></p></div>InterviewsTechnology and FriendsVideohttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/eafd0a16-5335-4ade-a13f-2da3a6040869https://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/eafd0a16-5335-4ade-a13f-2da3a6040869David GiardFebruary 2023 Gratitudeshttps://davidgiard.com/post/eafd0a16-5335-4ade-a13f-2da3a6040869https://davidgiard.com/february-2023-gratitudesSun, 03 Mar 2024 15:48:09 GMT<div><p>3/3<br> Today I am grateful for dinner last night with John and Kim</p> <p>3/2<br> Today I am grateful for:<br> - a week in Seattle<br> - many thoughtful messages yesterday</p> <p>3/1<br> Today I am grateful for:<br> - lunch with Ted yesterday<br> - my first home Seattle Kraken game last night</p> <p>2/29<br> Today I am grateful for my first offsite since joining this team almost 2 years ago.</p> <p>2/28<br> Today I am grateful for:<br> - lunch with Dustin yesterday<br> - a party at Lucky Strike in Bellevue last night</p> <p>2/27<br> Today I am grateful to meet many of my co-workers in-person for the first time yesterday.</p> <p>2/26<br> Today I am grateful for my first visit to the Museum of Contemporary Photography yesterday.</p> <p>2/25<br> Today I am grateful to see Al Franken perform last night</p> <p>2/24<br> Today I am grateful to participate in a Black History Month celebration last night with BDPA</p> <p>2/23<br> Today I am grateful to talk with Glenn today.</p> <p>2/22<br> Today I am grateful to speak in front of a hundred people last night at a combined meeting of the Chicago Java User Group, Chicago Kotlin User Group, GOTO Conference, and Pittsburgh Java User Group.</p> <p>2/21<br> Today I am grateful for a fresh haircut.</p> <p>2/20<br> Today I am grateful to play my first 2 full games of pickleball yesterday.</p> <p>2/19<br> Today I am grateful to talk with my brother and sister in Australia yesterday.</p> <p>2/18<br> Today I am grateful:<br> - to Tim for a ride to the body shop and rental car place yesterday<br> - for dinner with Nick and Adriana in Kalamazoo last night<br> - for another season of Kalamazoo College basketball</p> <p>2/17<br> Today I am grateful for a new rear bumper on my car.</p> <p>2/16<br> Today I am grateful:<br> - to deliver a presentation with a partner yesterday afternoon<br> - to run into Raj in the office last night</p> <p>2/15<br> Today I am grateful for good doctors.</p> <p>2/14<br> Today I am grateful to attend a Chicago Black Hawks game last night for the first time in years.</p> <p>2/12<br> Today I am grateful for an exciting finish to this year's Super Bowl</p> <p>2/11<br> Today I am grateful for:<br> - a short getaway to New York City last week<br> - dinner last night with Nick and Adriana in Kalamazoo</p> <p>2/10<br> Today I am grateful to attend my first SoFar Sounds concert event last night with my son and his fiancé.</p> <p>2/9<br> Today I am grateful:<br> - to see "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" on Broadway last night<br> - for a guided tour of the Rockefeller Center and the view from the Top of the Rock yesterday afternoon<br> - to spend a day in New York City with Linda and Carol</p> <p>2/8<br> Today I am grateful:<br> - to see my first Rangers home game at Madison at Madison Square Garden last night<br> - for a bike ride around the neighborhoods of Manhattan yesterday</p> <p>2/7<br> Today I am grateful to see an exciting Devils-Avalanche NHL game last night with Austin, Peter, and Matt.</p> <p>2/6<br> Today I am grateful to Sylvia for an early-morning ride to the airport</p> <p>2/5<br> Today I am grateful for a rental car this week while my car is being repaired.</p></div>GratitudesPersonalhttps://davidgiard.com/feed/trackback/9883ed30-9abd-4e66-932d-d7fd7944f378https://davidgiard.com/feed/pingbackhttps://davidgiard.com/post/9883ed30-9abd-4e66-932d-d7fd7944f378David Giard"We've Got to Try" by Beto O'Rourkehttps://davidgiard.com/post/9883ed30-9abd-4e66-932d-d7fd7944f378https://davidgiard.com/weve-got-to-try-by-beto-orourkeSat, 02 Mar 2024 18:23:57 GMT<div><p>In 1924, Dr. Lawrence Nixon attempted to vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary, knowing that Texas state law forbade a black man like himself from voting in the election. When election officials turned him away, Nixon responded: "I've got to try.' </p> <p>Beto&nbsp; O'Rourke grew up in the south Texas border town of El Paso, TX, where he witnessed firsthand attempts to prevent African Americans, Mexican Americans, and other minorities from participating in the democratic process. In his 2022 book "We've Got to Try," O'Rourke documents the history of Texas voter suppression, beginning in the days following the Civil War.</p> <p>Racist politicians, the Ku Klux Klan, and other proponents of white supremacy instituted poll taxes, closed polling places, limited voting hours in selected neighborhoods, and redrew districts to make it harder for some citizens to vote. The aggressors enhanced their efforts through intimidation, assault, and murder. These tactics were effective in limiting voter turnout among some segments of the population.</p> <p>Laws were often ineffective in fighting institutional racism. When the Fifteenth Amendment banned slavery, it contained a loophole allowing forced labor of prisoners. Texans increased the arrest rate of young black men, which continued to provide free labor to former slaveholders. President Lyndon Johnson (a Texas native) signed the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965, which should have ended these policies, but those in power frequently ignored or skirted this law.</p> <p>Although O'Rourke focused this book on Texas, the lessons are applicable across the United States. Worse, people continue to use these methods today. He includes two chapters on proposed integration reform, pointing out how xenophobia and stoking the fear of "others" is a powerful way to convince voters to maintain the status quo.</p> <p>Despite publishing this during his campaign for Governor, this is far from a "Campaign Biography." Instead, O'Rourke focuses on educating the reader about an essential part of Texan and American history.</p> <p>"We've Got to Try" remains relevant today. A failed presidential candidate recently inspired his supporters to attempt a violent coup on the US Capitol following his election loss, and some states are passing laws to punish teachers who point out racist activities in our country's history. Our first step in combatting discrimination is to recognize when and where it has occurred in the past.</p></div>Books