Szpylbert's Notes – A Blog With Cartoons
Can't draw properly and German sense of humour – what could possibly go wrong?
Szpylbert has now tasked his most trusted associate with dispensing expert technology advice on 3D Printing, or as the community calls it, Additive Manufacturing. This time, it’s valuable insight into the reality of low cost 3D Printing. For the analyst’s full report, which unfortunately won’t be free of charge, please contact ferdinand@szpylbertassociates.com.
Your artist was interested to discover that there’s a surprising degree of controversy about whether it’s okay for a man to tuck undershirts and shirts into his underpants. Some self-proclaimed “style experts” advise against it – even going so far to call it the quintessence of dorkiness. Szpylbert’s position on this couldn’t be clearer: Robert Downey Jr. and John Major can’t be wrong. Tucked-in shirts confidently demonstrate an ability to keep matters under control in today’s world of chaos. What could be more stylish?
Today with Szpylbert: motivational training. Sometimes, even a small comment can greatly boosts people’s ambitions. Szpylbert suspects that this can be the case especially if they understand their circumstances well. An example: upon reviewing an (admittedly mediocre) paper written by Szpylbert, the reviewer stated that the article was “workmanlike but will not set the world on fire”. Because Szpylbert had a good understanding of what was missing, it was also clear that much more ambitious work could be delivered in the future – world still to be set on fire, though.
If anyone ever tells you to work-hard-play-hard again, Ferdinand the lab rat encourages you to retort with Arnold J. Toynbee: “To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilisation.”
If you’re into 3D Printing, like your cartoonist, then you might be surprised to hear that this technology has been around for a long time. In fact, the first type of 3D Printing, Stereolithography, was brought to the market in 1986. A long time for a revolution…
Here’s a bizarre story for you: when Szpylbert was spending formative years in 1990s Bavaria (think lederhosen and tractors), gangster rap from Los Angeles was all the rage with the bullies at Szpylbert’s local school. They took the imitation rather seriously, including the slang (imagine the accent!), baggy trousers and, believe it or not, smoking crack cocaine. Needless to say that this was traumatising. Whenever Szpylbert hears rap music he still shudders a little bit.
… but not in science. Peter Gabriel once said a wonderful thing: “Creativity comes from the freedom to fail. And the freedom to fail comes from experimentation. And that’s what gives something its individuality.” You go Ferdinand!
