Sunday, December 27, 2015

Learn to code with Minecraft and Star Wars

There's a great set of 'Hour of Code' exercises at studio.code.org
They're great for kids, or anyone looking to get started.
Like Scratch, they work by dragging blocks together. The experience is delivered very well, with videos and lots of explanation.

The Minecraft exercise is good for any kid who's interested in Minecraft. It teaches loops and 'if' statements.
The Star Wars exercise is great too. You control BB8 (the round droid from the new movie) and learn about events.
I recommend doing both exercises, with Minecraft first.

Friday, April 03, 2015

DMV Fast Lane



The DMV is ridiculous. 

  • Several DMVs in LA have closed
  • If you schedule an appointment online you have to wait months
  • If you turn up you can be waiting for 8 hours to be seen (not an exaggeration).

The DMV should have a paid ‘fast lane’. 
Using the Fast Lane might cost you $20, but you’re in and out in 20 minutes.

The money generated could be used to open more DMVs and generally improve services for all DMV customers.

Like the freeway fast lane, the cost of using the fast lane could vary based on demand.
Bonus idea:  DMV staff should be paid an monthly bonus based on customer satisfaction and customers served.