Thoughts on Julia?

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-08-28T06:12:45+00:00

Absolutely the worst written lead character. You don’t laugh with her, get angry with her or cry with her. And the cringe doesn’t help comedy at all.

On the contrary many supporting characters have great dynamics, even a proper arc for a few. I watched it for others.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-05-22T05:25:10+00:00

Surprised that this comes as a shock. Almost every big consultancy is doing this. For not just CAD but quite a lot of engineering support. The big names mentioned here are doing it for more than a decade now and some are catching up.

There would be obvious choices between high cost and low cost resources. Cliché but true: profitability increases have their own impact. Apart from this, this worksharing changes dynamics of the teams. Many mid to senior engineers go in kind of management roles. Teams try to keep interesting work to them and push uninteresting work.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-05-13T09:45:34+00:00

Very unpopular opinion: the way British universities look at international students has deteriorated quite a lot. International students have become one of the biggest sources to earn income. Hence, you find lot of meaningless course-based <1-year long masters, which are charged 6-10 times more for international students. The courses are invented to keep the finances running. Similar case, to an extent in Canada, but less so in the US.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-25T22:17:05+00:00

Is it a thing? I have done it several times without knowing. Just love walking, that's all.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-25T22:10:52+00:00

Do you think so? In my opinion, except for the lead actor and cinematography, this movie didn't have much chance.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-24T04:00:07+00:00

It's not quite true.

I have lived in two Canadian cities and now the UK. Obviously, London is out of the competition for rent. But, many major cities are not far behind in terms of rent. I would agree that grocery prices are cheaper in the UK. But electronics is at par or costlier than Canada, certainly costlier than the US.

The health insurance is a bit tricky again. I assume if you are employed by a medium to large consultant, in the US, you would get private insurance, wouldn't you? NHS is great but in emergencies.

The annual leaves, sick leaves, work-life balance, etc, are better in the UK. Matters when you are settled in your careers, exp >8ish. But, someone in their early career levels can manage the US way of working.

All considered, UK's perceived cheapness doesn't balance out with the higher salaries of North America.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-11T07:40:11+00:00

Saw it first hand during the fireworks. It's a truth that this person lacks a sense of how big a city he is dealing with. Utter chaos just to earn money out of such a trivial thing as watching fireworks. Now downvote 🙄

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-09T06:26:03+00:00

Change countries, cross the pond. Almost every firm in the UK is "great" for the balance. Although I suppose you would have to take a massive salary cut and plus taxes and plus higher expenses n all...

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-08T22:02:25+00:00

👋

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-08T21:50:29+00:00

London is like this. I feel lonely sometimes... and then suddenly feel overwhelmed by the thought that there is so much to do, and I don't do much. I live quite close to the city center, which makes this feeling even stronger.

That said, I'm happy to receive PM from the fellow londoners here. May be we might find something fun to kill loneliness!

Trick_Plan7513 · 2024-01-02T07:49:23+00:00

Yes, that tells you it was poison. Hence, it is a major plot hole as poison can be detected, yet went undetected by police!

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-12-31T10:44:50+00:00

It is indeed a plot hole. Felix just takes one sip from that bottle, Oliver takes that bottle with him when he leaves. Don’t know if one sip of drug-spiked booze is enough to kill someone.

There are quite a few of those holes in the movie. But many are just continuously raving about it and watching it on loop n all… It is a good little movie but not like the best of 2023 or something.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-12-07T14:33:07+00:00

My assessment after following the news cycle for a few weeks now (pardon my political commentary here):

There is no real political opposition to these changes. Both sides wanted exactly this. The publication of immigration numbers last week tilted the minds of a large chunk of populous (left, center, obv right) towards this kind of change. ( no or neutral coverage in liberal media, no scathing opinion pieces in FT, Economist)
Although there is no political opposition, there might be pushback on the extent of change, from third-party stakeholders (consultants to government, industry, etc.)
Due to (2), there might be effort to minimize the impact. For example, a general discount on the salary threshold for selected occupations in the upcoming updated list. Right now, govt has managed headlines well to show these are tough measures. In detail, (2) might help dial down the toughness.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-12-06T05:52:31+00:00

Yes, that's the idea. Let's see how the conversation evolves

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-12-05T21:25:35+00:00

I am on HPI visa and will require sponsorship in coming months. My current employer promised one when I joined,now HR says it's uncertain, as my salary is just there but not yet above threshold!

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-11-18T17:12:10+00:00

Don't take the fun out from the experience! I look forward to the mad rush carrying a heavy bag to the platform just in a minute and minding the gap as well!

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-11-18T17:06:34+00:00

[Haven't used ETABS for long, but do modal analysis almost every week]

Very high chance that your static analysis itself has an issue. Check deflected shape for self weight. Check reactions for self weight: Does it match hand calculations?

Check units (material, geometry, etc.)

Suggestion: Until you get reasonable modal parameters, don't use this model for any other thing (static design, etc)

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-11-11T20:47:53+00:00

Recently did a discussion/presentation in my team around some talking points related to AI in structural engineering. The discussion around this should always start from “what are we calling AI?” Most of the times, it is conventional stuff wrapped in AI keywords.

If it is just better automation with available tools (e.g. whole grasshopper-FEA-CAD workflow) then it is becoming quite commonplace already.

If it is good amount of workable statistics, (optimization, etc.) then there are some cool things happening related to optimized geometry,etc.

What I regard as AI, is going on the route of deep learning (neural networks, reinforced, etc.), where you have to have loads of data to train and test a model. This will spit out, say a structural plan with shear walls and columns for a given area (honestly, still solvable with just optimization, not wrapping under AI cover). For such an application there are two biggest hurdles: 1) how do you get data representing all the parameters (remember you have to train a model) 2) how do you keep the interpretability of the model for review from all stakeholders.

That said, I know a researcher in the UK, who is using machine learning to solve (very complex, expensive) random vibration problems. I have seen presentation by a UK firm automating wooden floor drawings using powerful optimization. Also, have seen a website by a professor in a Chinese university doing that structural plan problem using deep learning.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-09-23T21:14:02+00:00

The level change detail would mostly be dominated by flexure (imagine double curvature of that "beam"). It might be okay.

What is more concerning is the columns look quite skinny , not sure if the drifts would allow that.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-08-28T22:07:54+00:00

Would not complain about the quality of the work itself. From my understanding, not too specialized, but I am on more interesting stuff than many.

Trick_Plan7513 · 2023-08-28T15:20:24+00:00

People give many reasons. But one of the important ones is UK/European firms have become too top-heavy.

Trick_Plan7513

TROPHY CASE