I really enjoyed this deep-dive video essay by Lola Germs on the science of airborne disease spread. It’s educational and fun with some Bill Nye vibes. There’s extensive notes as well!
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"published": "2026-08-13 12:27-0700",
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"text": "I really enjoyed this deep-dive video essay by Lola Germs on the science of airborne disease spread. It\u2019s educational and fun with some Bill Nye vibes. There\u2019s extensive notes as well!\n\n\n\nwhat if everything we thought we knew about disease spread is wrong? by Lola Germs",
"html": "<p>I really enjoyed this deep-dive video essay by <a class=\"h-card\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@LolaGerms\">Lola Germs</a> on the science of airborne disease spread. It\u2019s educational and fun with some Bill Nye vibes. There\u2019s <a href=\"https://tinyurl.com/clearing-air-biblio\">extensive notes</a> as well!</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuXVu595DBI\">what if everything we thought we knew about disease spread is wrong?</a> by Lola Germs</p>"
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Dr. Michael Miller, a retired researcher at RAND, has been teaching upper level undergraduate/graduate level math courses for fun at UCLA Extension for over 50 years. This fall he'll be introducing the areas of groups, fields, and Galois theory from abstract algebra to those interested in abstract math: Groups, Fields, and Galois: Part 1. His intention is to do a follow-on class on Galois theory in the Winter which will use this class as a foundation. If you're in the Los Angeles area his class starts on September 22, 2026 at UCLA on Tuesday nights from 7-10PM. Register here: https://www.uclaextension.edu/sciences-math/math-statistics/course/groups-fields-and-galois-part-1-math-9001
His courses are thorough and rigorous, but geared toward lifelong learners and beginners in abstract mathematics to allow people better entry points into higher level mathematics. His classes are interesting and relatively informal, and most students who take one usually stay on for future courses. The vast majority of students in the class (from 16-90+ years old) take his classes for fun and regular exposure to mathematical thought, though there is an option to take it for a grade if you like. There are generally no prerequisites for his classes, and he makes an effort to meet the students at their current level of sophistication. For this particular class, if you've got some experience in high school algebra and know some preliminaries about mathematical proofs you'll be ready to dive in.
There are regular commuters joining from as far out as Irvine, Ventura County and even Riverside. Most in the class are dedicated hobbyist and professional mathematicians, engineers, physicists, and others from all walks of life (I've seen actors, directors, doctors, artists, poets, retirees, and even house-husbands in his classes.)
If you're unsure of what you're getting into, I recommend visiting on the first class to consider joining us for the Fall quarter. Sadly, this is an in-person course. There isn't an option to take this remotely or via streaming, and he doesn't typically record his lectures. I hope to see all the Southern California math fans next month!
Course Description
Group theory is recognized as one of the great unifying mathematical disciplines, with far-reaching applications in virtually all scientific (and many non-scientific) fields. This course, the first of a two-quarter sequence that concludes in Winter 2027 with a course on fields and Galois Theory, is geared toward developing the tools of group theory needed to establish the Abel-Ruffini theorem on the insolvability by radicals of the general polynomial of degree five or greater. Results established along this journey will also be applied toward addressing the three classical ruler and compass construction problems of antiquity: trisecting the angle, duplication of the cube, and squaring the circle, as well as Gauss' surprising characterization of constructible regular polygons.
September 22 - December 1
Tuesday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT
REG# 410697
Fee: $450.00
Recommended textbook: TBD
Dr. Miller provides enough background and thorough notes that if you're taking notes on his lectures, you typically won't need a textbook.
If you've never joined the class before (Dr. Miller has been teaching these for 53 years and some of us have been with him for nearly that long; I'm starting into my 20th year personally), I've written up some tips and hints.
#Events#Mathematics#abstract algebra#algebraic field extensions#field theory#Galois theory#group theory#Michael Miller#ring theory#UCLA Extension
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"published": "2026-08-13T12:14:13-07:00",
"summary": "Dr. Michael Miller, a retired researcher at RAND, has been teaching upper level undergraduate/graduate level math courses for fun at UCLA Extension for over 50 years. This fall he’ll be introducing the areas of groups, fields, and Galois theory from abstract algebra to those interested in abstract math: Groups, Fields, and Galois: Part 1. His … <a href=\"https://boffosocko.com/2026/08/13/groups-fields-and-galois-part-1-ucla-extension/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Groups, Fields, and Galois: Part 1 | UCLA Extension</span></a>",
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"content": {
"text": "Dr. Michael Miller, a retired researcher at RAND, has been teaching upper level undergraduate/graduate level math courses for fun at UCLA Extension for over 50 years. This fall he'll be introducing the areas of groups, fields, and Galois theory from abstract algebra to those interested in abstract math: Groups, Fields, and Galois: Part 1. His intention is to do a follow-on class on Galois theory in the Winter which will use this class as a foundation. If you're in the Los Angeles area his class starts on September 22, 2026 at UCLA on Tuesday nights from 7-10PM. Register here: https://www.uclaextension.edu/sciences-math/math-statistics/course/groups-fields-and-galois-part-1-math-9001\n\nHis courses are thorough and rigorous, but geared toward lifelong learners and beginners in abstract mathematics to allow people better entry points into higher level mathematics. His classes are interesting and relatively informal, and most students who take one usually stay on for future courses. The vast majority of students in the class (from 16-90+ years old) take his classes for fun and regular exposure to mathematical thought, though there is an option to take it for a grade if you like. There are generally no prerequisites for his classes, and he makes an effort to meet the students at their current level of sophistication. For this particular class, if you've got some experience in high school algebra and know some preliminaries about mathematical proofs you'll be ready to dive in.\n\nThere are regular commuters joining from as far out as Irvine, Ventura County and even Riverside. Most in the class are dedicated hobbyist and professional mathematicians, engineers, physicists, and others from all walks of life (I've seen actors, directors, doctors, artists, poets, retirees, and even house-husbands in his classes.)\n\nIf you're unsure of what you're getting into, I recommend visiting on the first class to consider joining us for the Fall quarter. Sadly, this is an in-person course. There isn't an option to take this remotely or via streaming, and he doesn't typically record his lectures. I hope to see all the Southern California math fans next month!\n\nCourse Description\n\n\nGroup theory is recognized as one of the great unifying mathematical disciplines, with far-reaching applications in virtually all scientific (and many non-scientific) fields. This course, the first of a two-quarter sequence that concludes in Winter 2027 with a course on fields and Galois Theory, is geared toward developing the tools of group theory needed to establish the Abel-Ruffini theorem on the insolvability by radicals of the general polynomial of degree five or greater. Results established along this journey will also be applied toward addressing the three classical ruler and compass construction problems of antiquity: trisecting the angle, duplication of the cube, and squaring the circle, as well as Gauss' surprising characterization of constructible regular polygons.\nSeptember 22 - December 1\n\nTuesday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT\n\nREG# 410697\n\nFee: $450.00\n\n\nRecommended textbook: TBD\u00a0\n\nDr. Miller provides enough background and thorough notes that if you're taking notes on his lectures, you typically won't need a textbook.\n\nIf you've never joined the class before (Dr. Miller has been teaching these for 53 years and some of us have been with him for nearly that long; I'm starting into my 20th year personally), I've written up some tips and hints.",
"html": "Dr. Michael Miller, a retired researcher at RAND, has been teaching upper level undergraduate/graduate level math courses for fun at UCLA Extension for over 50 years. This fall he'll be introducing the areas of groups, fields, and Galois theory from abstract algebra to those interested in abstract math: <a href=\"https://www.uclaextension.edu/sciences-math/math-statistics/course/groups-fields-and-galois-part-1-math-9001\">Groups, Fields, and Galois: Part 1</a>. His intention is to do a follow-on class on Galois theory in the Winter which will use this class as a foundation. If you're in the Los Angeles area his class starts on September 22, 2026 at UCLA on Tuesday nights from 7-10PM. Register here: <a href=\"https://www.uclaextension.edu/sciences-math/math-statistics/course/groups-fields-and-galois-part-1-math-9001\">https://www.uclaextension.edu/sciences-math/math-statistics/course/groups-fields-and-galois-part-1-math-9001</a>\n\nHis courses are thorough and rigorous, but geared toward lifelong learners and beginners in abstract mathematics to allow people better entry points into higher level mathematics. His classes are interesting and relatively informal, and most students who take one usually stay on for future courses. The vast majority of students in the class (from 16-90+ years old) take his classes for fun and regular exposure to mathematical thought, though there is an option to take it for a grade if you like. There are generally no prerequisites for his classes, and he makes an effort to meet the students at their current level of sophistication. For this particular class, if you've got some experience in high school algebra and know some preliminaries about mathematical proofs you'll be ready to dive in.\n\nThere are regular commuters joining from as far out as Irvine, Ventura County and even Riverside. Most in the class are dedicated hobbyist and professional mathematicians, engineers, physicists, and others from all walks of life (I've seen actors, directors, doctors, artists, poets, retirees, and even house-husbands in his classes.)\n\nIf you're unsure of what you're getting into, I recommend visiting on the first class to consider joining us for the Fall quarter. Sadly, this is an in-person course. There isn't an option to take this remotely or via streaming, and he doesn't typically record his lectures. I hope to see all the Southern California math fans next month!\n\n<h2>Course Description</h2>\n\n<blockquote>\nGroup theory is recognized as one of the great unifying mathematical disciplines, with far-reaching applications in virtually all scientific (and many non-scientific) fields. This course, the first of a two-quarter sequence that concludes in Winter 2027 with a course on fields and Galois Theory, is geared toward developing the tools of group theory needed to establish the Abel-Ruffini theorem on the insolvability by radicals of the general polynomial of degree five or greater. Results established along this journey will also be applied toward addressing the three classical ruler and compass construction problems of antiquity: trisecting the angle, duplication of the cube, and squaring the circle, as well as Gauss' surprising characterization of constructible regular polygons.\nSeptember 22 - December 1<br />\nTuesday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT<br />\nREG# 410697<br />\nFee: $450.00\n</blockquote>\n\nRecommended textbook: TBD\u00a0\n\nDr. Miller provides enough background and thorough notes that if you're taking notes on his lectures, you typically won't need a textbook.\n\nIf you've never joined the class before (Dr. Miller has been teaching these for 53 years and some of us have been with him for nearly that long; I'm starting into my 20th year personally), I've <a href=\"https://boffosocko.com/2015/09/22/dr-michael-miller-math-class-hints-and-tips-ucla-extension/\">written up some tips and hints</a>."
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Found at The Predecessors while typewriter hunting in Anacortes, WA. It was paired with another similar green Olympia SM3, but I immediately picked this one up because of its beautiful and uncommon typeface.
It'll need several new parts including rubber, but this portends to be a fantastic typewriter.
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"summary": "Found at The Predecessors while typewriter hunting in Anacortes, WA. It was paired with another similar green Olympia SM3, but I immediately picked this one up because of its beautiful and uncommon typeface.\u00a0 It’ll need several new parts including rubber, but this portends to be a fantastic typewriter.",
"url": "https://boffosocko.com/2026/08/12/1959-olympia-sm3-portable-typewriter/",
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"text": "Found at The Predecessors while typewriter hunting in Anacortes, WA. It was paired with another similar green Olympia SM3, but I immediately picked this one up because of its beautiful and uncommon typeface.\u00a0\n\nIt'll need several new parts including rubber, but this portends to be a fantastic typewriter.",
"html": "Found at The Predecessors while typewriter hunting in Anacortes, WA. It was paired with another similar green Olympia SM3, but I immediately picked this one up because of its beautiful and uncommon typeface.\u00a0\n\nIt'll need several new parts including rubber, but this portends to be a fantastic typewriter.\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1959-Olympia-SM3-typesample-1-1024x501.jpeg\" alt=\"Typed manilla card with sample of a 1959 Olympia SM3 typewriter with a Professional Elite No. 41 typeface which is a small sans serif slightly italic face.\" width=\"660\" height=\"323\" /><img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wp-17865755083194698788317566480970-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"1959 Olympia SM3 portable typewriter in green crinkle paint on an oak library card catalog next to a silver plated cocktail shaker in the shape of a zeppelin.\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" />"
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Papa's got a brand new in-box. Picked up at thrift for $3.30.
#Acquisition#Note taking#Social Stream#analog office equipment#Harry C. Hedberg Company#letter trays
{
"type": "entry",
"published": "2026-08-11T15:48:23-07:00",
"summary": "Papa’s got a brand new in-box. Picked up at thrift for $3.30.\u00a0",
"url": "https://boffosocko.com/2026/08/11/wooden-letter-tray-stock-no-721/",
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"text": "Papa's got a brand new in-box. Picked up at thrift for $3.30.\u00a0",
"html": "Papa's got a brand new in-box. Picked up at thrift for $3.30.\u00a0\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wp-1786487424392841715592346928366-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Fading white label that reads Stock No. 721 Harry C. Hedberg Company, Marion, Wisconsin 54950\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />"
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You just picked up a dusty, but somewhat functional Olympia SM3 and you know that you need to replace the rubber body bushings to prevent your carriage from hitting the body panels and scratching the paint job. The problem is that you've got a lovely new-to-you typewriter in front of you, and you don't have the patience to not type on it until you've done this easy repair.
I've never seen it mentioned anywhere, but I've got a quick, temporary solution that'll get you typing in just a few minutes. (Incidentally squished, old rubber bushings is the number one issue with vintage Olympia SM3s, and if you've not come across it, I've written out the details for a permanent repair/replacement solution.)
One can remove the two front smashed bushings near the space bar on either side and pair/stack them up with the two smashed bushings in the rear. It may take a bit of removing some of the "proud" protrusions to smooth the bushing pairings, but it'll work. In my case, I used an X-acto knife (though a pair of scissors might also suffice) to slim down portions of the bushings that were sticking out. This also helped to keep the bushing combination from being too tall and not allowing me to get the shoulder bolt back into the machine.
The one issue you may encounter with this solution is potentially while typing with the shift lock engaged. This is because the front bushings help provide the proper clearance for the space bar while the shift lock is enabled. Typically one doesn't type in all caps, so you might not notice this subtle issue at all.
Another possible solution depending on your particular machine is to swap the front bushings with the back ones as the rear ones typically carry more weight and are more squished than those in the front. Your mileage may vary based on your particular machine.
If nothing else, hopefully either the swap or the stack hack will help get you typing right away while you wait to pick up some replacement bushings from the local hardware store.
Good luck and happy typing.
{
"type": "entry",
"published": "2026-08-08T19:24:32-07:00",
"summary": "You just picked up a dusty, but somewhat functional Olympia SM3 and you know that you need to replace the rubber body bushings to prevent your carriage from hitting the body panels and scratching the paint job. The problem is that you’ve got a lovely new-to-you typewriter in front of you, and you don’t have … <a href=\"https://boffosocko.com/2026/08/08/a-stopgap-repair-solution-for-impatient-new-olympia-sm3-typewriter-owners/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">A Stopgap Repair Solution for Impatient New Olympia SM3 Typewriter Owners</span></a>",
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"category": [
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"Olympia typewriters",
"typewriter repair"
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"content": {
"text": "You just picked up a dusty, but somewhat functional Olympia SM3 and you know that you need to replace the rubber body bushings to prevent your carriage from hitting the body panels and scratching the paint job. The problem is that you've got a lovely new-to-you typewriter in front of you, and you don't have the patience to not type on it until you've done this easy repair.\u00a0\n\nI've never seen it mentioned anywhere, but I've got a quick, temporary solution that'll get you typing in just a few minutes. (Incidentally squished, old rubber bushings is the number one issue with vintage Olympia SM3s, and if you've not come across it, I've written out the details for a permanent repair/replacement solution.)\n\nOne can remove the two front smashed bushings near the space bar on either side and pair/stack them up with the two smashed bushings in the rear. It may take a bit of removing some of the \"proud\" protrusions to smooth the bushing pairings, but it'll work. In my case, I used an X-acto knife (though a pair of scissors might also suffice) to slim down portions of the bushings that were sticking out. This also helped to keep the bushing combination from being too tall and not allowing me to get the shoulder bolt back into the machine.\u00a0\n\n\n\nThe one issue you may encounter with this solution is potentially while typing with the shift lock engaged. This is because the front bushings help provide the proper clearance for the space bar while the shift lock is enabled. Typically one doesn't type in all caps, so you might not notice this subtle issue at all.\n\nAnother possible solution depending on your particular machine is to swap the front bushings with the back ones as the rear ones typically carry more weight and are more squished than those in the front. Your mileage may vary based on your particular machine.\n\nIf nothing else, hopefully either the swap or the stack hack will help get you typing right away while you wait to pick up some replacement bushings from the local hardware store.\n\nGood luck and happy typing.",
"html": "You just picked up a dusty, but somewhat functional Olympia SM3 and you know that you need to replace the rubber body bushings to prevent your carriage from hitting the body panels and scratching the paint job. The problem is that you've got a lovely new-to-you typewriter in front of you, and you don't have the patience to not type on it until you've done this easy repair.\u00a0\n\nI've never seen it mentioned anywhere, but I've got a quick, temporary solution that'll get you typing in just a few minutes. (Incidentally squished, old rubber bushings is the number one issue with vintage Olympia SM3s, and if you've not come across it, I've written out the <a href=\"https://boffosocko.com/2024/07/14/aggregated-resources-and-playlist-for-a-crash-course-on-the-olympia-sm3-portable-typewriter/#Olympia%20SM3%20Rubber%20Bushings%20Replacement\">details for a permanent repair/replacement solution</a>.)\n\nOne can remove the two front smashed bushings near the space bar on either side and pair/stack them up with the two smashed bushings in the rear. It may take a bit of removing some of the \"proud\" protrusions to smooth the bushing pairings, but it'll work. In my case, I used an X-acto knife (though a pair of scissors might also suffice) to slim down portions of the bushings that were sticking out. This also helped to keep the bushing combination from being too tall and not allowing me to get the shoulder bolt back into the machine.\u00a0\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wp-17862419544881578045833272310872-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of the left rear of the bottom of an Olympia SM3 typewriter featuring a stacked pair of black rubber bushings in the corner of the machine.\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" />\n\nThe one issue you may encounter with this solution is potentially while typing with the shift lock engaged. This is because the front bushings help provide the proper clearance for the space bar while the shift lock is enabled. Typically one doesn't type in all caps, so you might not notice this subtle issue at all.\n\nAnother possible solution depending on your particular machine is to swap the front bushings with the back ones as the rear ones typically carry more weight and are more squished than those in the front. Your mileage may vary based on your particular machine.\n\nIf nothing else, hopefully either the swap or the stack hack will help get you typing right away while you wait to pick up some replacement bushings from the local hardware store.\n\nGood luck and happy typing."
},
"author": {
"type": "card",
"name": null,
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"_id": "49178543",
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The one issue you may encounter with this solution is potentially while typing with the shift lock engaged. This is because the front bushings help provide the proper clearance for the space bar while the shift lock is enabled. Typically one doesn't type in all caps, so you might not notice this subtle issue at all.
Another possible solution depending on your particular machine is to swap the front bushings with the back ones as the rear ones typically carry more weight and are more squished than those in the front. Your mileage may vary based on your particular machine.
If nothing else, hopefully either the swap or the stack hack will help get you typing right away while you wait to pick up some replacement bushings from the local hardware store.
Good luck and happy typing.
