The first time my pipeline failed, I assumed I had made some tiny mistake.

A wrong parameter. A missing library. Maybe I forgot to update a path somewhere.

I genuinely thought it would take ten minutes to fix.

It took almost two days. And honestly, I’m still not completely sure I fixed the right thing. The results looked better after. Whether that means I actually solved it, I couldn’t tell you.

Before my internship, most of my experience came from coursework and tutorials where the datasets were clean, and the instructions were clear. You download the data, train the model, get a result, write a report, and move on.

Real-world data doesn’t work like that.

Things break for reasons that aren’t immediately obvious. One preprocessing mistake quietly ruins everything downstream, and you won’t notice until three steps later when nothing adds up. At one point, I had so many temporary print statements scattered through my code that reading the output became its own separate problem.

And the error messages almost never point to the actual issue. I don’t know why I kept trusting them.

I remember one evening - it was late, probably past 5, I had a half-eaten sandwich next to me that I kept meaning to throw away - staring at outputs that made absolutely no sense.

Not slightly wrong. Completely wrong.

The kind of wrong that makes you wonder if you’re even looking at the correct file.

After hours of checking things, I was fairly confident weren’t the problem, I eventually traced the issue back to something in the preprocessing step. Something I had glossed over because it seemed too small to matter. I had spent most of the day looking in the entirely wrong place.

That’s when I started understanding that debugging isn’t really about finding errors.

It’s about finding assumptions.

AI research is full of assumptions.

You assume the data is fine. That the labels make sense. You assume the model is the problem, then you assume it isn’t, then you’re not really sure what you’re testing anymore. Most of the time, you’re just trying to figure out which assumption quietly betrayed you three hours ago.

I probably reran the same experiment more times than was strictly necessary because I kept hoping the next result would somehow make more sense than the last one. Sometimes it did. Usually, it didn’t.

A surprising amount of debugging is just staring at numbers until one of them looks slightly suspicious.

What surprised me most wasn’t how complicated the models were. It was how much time went into everything around them.

Reading documentation. Checking outputs. Verifying whether something actually improved or just got lucky on that particular run. Trying to figure out whether a result was meaningful or whether I had accidentally introduced a different problem while fixing the first one.

There’s one issue I ran into mid-internship that I still haven’t fully explained. I worked around it. It hasn’t come back. I’ve decided not to think about it too hard.

One bug disappeared completely after a restart, and I still don’t know why.

I used to think strong programmers were people who wrote complicated code quickly.

I don’t think that anymore.

Strong engineers are people who stay calm when nothing is working. Because sooner or later, something always stops working. You spend hours debugging and find a mistake that takes five seconds to fix. Or the fix doesn’t fix anything. Or you solve one problem and immediately discover two more you hadn’t noticed before.

I wish I could say I had a systematic debugging process. Most of the time it looked more like controlled panic with occasional breaks.

Sometimes the only thing that changed between failure and success was stepping away and looking at it again the next morning with slightly less frustration.

There were days I questioned everything.

The code. The dataset. My implementation. My understanding of what I was even trying to do.

During meetings, I’d sometimes listen to people discuss problems I hadn’t even considered yet. Eventually, I started to realize most people were figuring things out as they went, too. They just didn’t narrate the confusion out loud.

Nobody is debugging for hours because everything is going well.

At some point, without really realizing it, I stopped worrying so much about looking like I knew what I was doing.

I started asking more questions. Dumber questions. The kind I would’ve avoided before because I was worried about what they’d reveal about what I didn’t know.

It helped more than anything else I did.

Near the end of the internship, I didn’t feel like someone who had figured things out.

I had a clearer picture of how much I still didn’t understand. Which sounds discouraging, but actually felt useful. Knowing specifically what you don’t know is different from just feeling generally lost.

Some days, I left my laptop with nothing resolved. I’d come back the next morning, and something would click that hadn’t clicked the night before. That happened more than I expected.

I became less afraid of problems I couldn’t immediately solve.

AI research didn’t teach me how to have the answers.

Most days, it just taught me how to stay in the room when I didn’t.

I Thought AI Research Would Mostly Be About Coding. I Was Very Wrong. was originally published in Code Like A Girl on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

♦

KITCHENER - Another day, another game where Jack Couch Park had a tough time containing the baseball.

In a game where 25 runs were scored, 19 were scored via the home run as the Barrie Baycats beat Kitchener 18-7 Sunday afternoon.

Barrie hit eight out of the park, giving them a league-leading 37 homers on the season.

Many of them were of the multi-run variety, as they ballooned their lead to 8-0 by the end of the third.

The Baycats continued to pile on the runs, only posting a zero-run inning once.

The Panthers were full marks with 14 hits, but couldn't keep up and couldn't solve Saul Vazquez with consistency.

Raffi Gross, Petey Kiefer and Josh Williams all hit solo shots, the only blemishes on what was a banner night for the visiting starting pitcher. 

Vazquez struck out nine through six innings for the win. He gave up seven hits and four runs.

The final of the four runs he was charged with was Trent Lawson coming around to score. He pinch ran for Josh Williams, who was clunked on the back to lead off the seventh.

For doing that, Vazquez was tossed from the game, and both benches even cleared for a moment.

Samuel Quintana took the loss for the Panthers. He gave up 10 runs on 10 hits, struck out five and walked two.

Malik Williams was three-for-five, while Yosvani Penalver had two hits.

Noah Hull was the big bat for Barrie, going three-for-six with two home runs and seven RBI.

Kitchener drops to 6-11 on the season, while Barrie improves to 13-4.

The Panthers don't have long to think about the loss, as Welland comes to town for a Monday night rain out make up game at 7:05 p.m.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW and #PackTheJack!

Lore is a next-generation, open source version control system

Rust 5.6k Updated Jun 22

Most interns don’t fail dramatically. There’s no single blunder, no heated confrontation, no obvious red flag. They simply fade—competent on paper, forgettable in practice—and never quite understand why the return offer never comes.

That’s the quiet tragedy of it. The failure isn’t loud. It’s invisible.

After observing and working alongside dozens of interns across industries, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: the ones who don’t make it rarely lack intelligence or technical skill. They lack professional self-awareness — the ability to see themselves as others in the organization actually see them.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

The average intern measures success by completion. Did I finish the assignment? Did I submit it on time? Check. Check.

But the professionals watching you aren’t measuring completion — they’re measuring judgment. They want to know: Does this person understand why this task exists? Can they connect their work to a larger outcome?

Example
An intern is asked to compile a competitor analysis. She delivers a clean spreadsheet, right on schedule. Another intern delivers the same spreadsheet—but opens his email with, "I noticed two of these competitors recently shifted pricing models. Wanted to flag it in case it’s relevant to the Q3 discussion.” Same task. Completely different signal.

💡Takeaway: Before submitting any piece of work, ask yourself one question—so what? If you can’t answer it, your work isn’t done yet.

Internships are structured, but real professional environments are not. The moment your last task is complete and you’re silently waiting for the next one, you’ve already lost ground.

Senior professionals are busy. They don’t have time to manage your calendar for you. When you require constant direction, you become overhead—not an asset.

Example
An intern finishes a research brief two hours before the end of the day. She sends it over, then goes quiet. Meanwhile, a team meeting is being prepped for tomorrow with no one assigned to format the presentation slides. Nobody asked her to do it. She didn’t do it. The next intern — the one who noticed the gap and asked, “Is there anything I can help with for tomorrow’s meeting?” — was offered a full-time role six months later.

💡Takeaway: Get into the habit of a daily end-of-day question: “Is there anything the team needs help with before I wrap up?” It’s a small habit. The returns are disproportionate.

Most interns approach feedback defensively—consciously or not. They nod, say “noted,” and privately decide whether they agree. The best interns do something fundamentally different: they treat every piece of feedback as a data point about how the organization thinks.

Example
A manager tells an intern his email updates are too long. The average intern shortens the next email. The exceptional intern shortens it, then asks, "Is the right format a bullet summary at the top, or do you prefer no update unless something is urgent?” He’s not just fixing the problem. He’s learning the culture.

💡Takeaway: After receiving feedback, always follow up—not to debate it, but to confirm you’ve understood it correctly: “Just to make sure I’m applying this right—would [X] be closer to what you’re looking for?" This single habit makes you memorable.

Interns often believe they’re being evaluated during formal presentations, structured reviews, or visible deliverables. They’re not wrong — but they’re only half right.

The informal moments carry enormous weight. How you behave in a meeting you weren’t expected to contribute to. Whether you introduce yourself to someone new or wait to be introduced. Whether you follow up after a coffee chat or let it dissolve into nothing.

Example
Two interns attend the same all-hands meeting. One treats it as passive information. The other sends a one-line note to the speaker afterward: “Really found your point on customer retention interesting — it changed how I’m thinking about the project I’m working on.” That’s not flattery. That’s professional engagement. The second intern is remembered. The first is not.

💡Takeaway: Treat every interaction as part of your professional record. Not with anxiety — with intention.

Technical skills get you the internship. Cultural fluency determines whether you’re asked to stay.

Every organization has an unwritten operating system—how people communicate, how decisions get made, and what’s said in meetings versus what’s said in hallways. Interns who fail to read this OS often work hard in the wrong register: too formal where the team is casual, too casual where precision is expected, too quiet when visibility matters, and too loud when listening is the real job.

💡Takeaway: Spend your first two weeks observing more than performing. Watch how your manager communicates under pressure. Notice whose opinion carries weight in a room and why. Ask yourself: “What does ‘doing a great job’ actually look like here?” —and then calibrate.

They never explicitly ask, "What would make this internship a success from your perspective?”

That question, asked in the first week, changes everything. It tells your manager you’re serious. It gives you a target. And it reframes the internship from a passive experience into an active commitment.

Most interns wait to be told. The 1 in 100 asks.

The gap between a good intern and a great one is rarely talent. It’s the willingness to think like someone who already belongs there and then prove it, quietly, every single day.

If this article helped you, share it with a friend preparing for internships or entering corporate for the first time.

And follow the ENGINEERING BEYOND CODE series for more real corporate lessons that colleges rarely teach.

5 reasons Why Interns Should Not Overwork Themselves To Impress Everyone

4 Tips To Outshine In The First Week Of Internship

What Shocked Me Most During My First Internship

Why Some Interns Get Trusted Faster Than Others

The Intern Who Did Everything Right Still Didn’t Get the Offer was originally published in Code Like A Girl on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

His dickhead lawyer actually called him a national treasure AFTER he was convicted. Perhaps convicted felon is better than the truth which is that he is also a convicted felon with allegations of being a serial rapist. These most recent charges and newer victims are coming up in 2027 and just the delay alone suggests to me that he is being given every opportunity to do the honourable thing and pass on before further tarnishing his formerly grandiose reputation. I have to wonder how long he's felt the need for private security. Maybe only since he was first charged but possibly ever since his first rape...oops I mean his first consensual sex with a female who later brought charges against him.   

Neither his lawyer nor himself were immediately yelling that they would appeal the decision. Strange. Any chance that it was a negotiated deal between Stronach and the prosecutors? Something along the lines of plead guilty (and no appeal) to the most minor charges and we'll give you a pass on the many rape charges. Maybe the idea was that Stronach literally would die before the next trial was started much less completed. Perhaps his sentencing on these two convictions will shed light on the matter. 

Hopefully he will quickly lose his Order of Canada status and medal . How many of our authorities knew that he had an indecent penchant  for younger women BEFORE he was recommended and then appointed to the Order of Canada? How many other Order of Canada recipients have behaved as Frank Stronach has? I wonder if even one right wing Conservative with a strong business reputation is now looking over his shoulder and wondering if his past criminalities may yet catch up to him. 

♦

LONDON - A lopsided fourth inning turned a close high-scoring game into a blowout.

The London Majors put seven on the board in the fourth and cruised to a 19-7 win over the Kitchener Panthers Friday night at Labatt Park.

Kitchener had a 7-5 lead headed into the home half of the fourth, buoyed by home runs from Yosuke Fujie, Mateo Zeppieri and Malik Williams, taking it to starter Victor Payano.

But Bawin Colon had a tough time finding the strike zone for Kitchener, giving up seven runs (six earned) on one hit, walked three and struck two batters. 

He faced seven batters and didn't record an out.

Owen MacNeil surrendered five runs on six hits in the first three innings, before making way to Colon for the fourth.

Payano got through five, giving up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits, walking one and striking out five. 

The Majors bullpen made the difference. While the Kitchener bullpen couldn't slow London down, the Majors' pen gave up one hit in the final four innings.

Zeppieri and Josh Williams each finished with two hits. 

Malik Williams' home run was his only hit, but extended his hitting streak to nine games. He has hits in 12 of the 13 games he has played in this season.

Kitchener has been outscored 33-30 in the last two games.

The Panthers fall to 6-10 on the season. London improved to 11-4.

Kitchener is home to Barrie for Father's Day on Sunday at 2 p.m.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW and #PackTheJack!

In operation since 1986, the Community Legal Clinic of York Region (“CLCYR”) is a non-profit organization dedicated to access to justice and poverty reduction by providing free legal services to the unrepresented. Funded by Legal Aid Ontario and York Region, the Clinic’s work includes summary legal advice, referrals, representation, public legal education, community development, and law reform initiatives. Areas covered include housing law and tenant rights, social assistance, employment law, and immigration law.

With its main office in Richmond Hill, and satellite locations in Georgina, Keswick, Maple, Markham, Newmarket, Vaughan, and Woodbridge, the CLCYR serves the largest population among the 71 non-profit legal clinics in Ontario and is the only clinic serving the York Region!

If you champion social justice and are looking for a meaningful way to give back to your community in a volunteer position that aligns with your skills, we invite you to apply to join the Board of Directors.

As a Director, you will leverage your expertise to guide the CLCYR in its mission to provide crucial legal support and advocate for access to justice for low-income and marginalized communities throughout Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughn, and Whitchurch-Stouffville.

The Board operates as a policy governance board, establishing organizational goals. Directors are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the CLCYR, overseeing the Executive Director, ensuring adequate financial resources, providing proper financial oversight, and protecting the legal and ethical integrity of the CLCYR.

Directors will serve a two-year term, with the option to seek two additional consecutive terms.

Board meetings are held on the third-to-last Thursday of each month from 7 to 9:30 PM. While most sessions are held virtually, select meetings will be held in person. Each Director is required to join one committee (e.g., Finance Committee, Policy and Governance Committee).

Directors are expected to attend all scheduled Board and committee meetings. Time commitment for this position is up to 10 hours monthly, including reviewing meeting materials, attending meetings, and email correspondence.

We seek candidates with knowledge of non-profit governance board structure, who appreciate working collaboratively in a team environment, and understand the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We are particularly interested in applicants with experience and expertise in the area of Finance, along with other skills including:

• organizational leadership
• community development and advocacy
• strategy implementation
• change management
• communications and relationship management
• risk management and/or administration
• government knowledge

For more information about the Community Legal Clinic of York Region, please visit clcyr.on.ca.

For inquiries about the recruitment process, or to request further information about the Board, please send an email to nomination@clcyr.on.ca. A Board member from the Nominations Committee will contact you.

Please submit your current resume and cover letter to nomination@clcyr.on.ca. Only those submissions sent to this email will be considered for the recruitment process. The application deadline is Sunday, July 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

The post Community Legal Clinic of York Region appeared first on Capacity Canada.

Together, we hit our goal of hearing from over 2000 youth for the 2026 Youth Impact Survey! ♦

We also surpassed the number of youth we heard from in 2023. ♦

This has been a community-wide effort and we couldn’t have reached this goal without everyone’s contributions. Thank you to:

• all the youth who filled out the survey
• the 13 Youth Impact Survey Ambassadors who worked with us
• the young people who helped spread the word about the survey
• the partners and organizations who promoted the survey
• everyone else who helped to make this Youth Impact Survey a success

Stay tuned for information about the prize draw, volunteer letters, and what’s next for the data.

The post 2026 Youth Impact Survey – We heard from over 2000 youth! appeared first on Children and Youth Planning Table.

♦

Though it’s now part of the Heineken universe and is a brand that started about 160 years ago in Udine, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northeastern Italy, Moretti is a 4.6% ABV pale lager with a label that features artwork that I find quite quaint.

As far as beer-can art goes, I slot it into the same beer-label pantheon as the image of the rugged Polish shepherd you’ll find on a can of Tatra (which is named for a Polish sheepdog), a brand that is in the Żywiec group of beers, which is also part of Heineken (wouldn’t you know). You don’t have to go too far to find a dominant beer giant behind even the most quirky, obscure brands.

The origin story of Moretti Man, however, is as murky as a pint of stout and has been subject to no little debate and argument: was he the re-presentation of a mustachioed patio drinker that founding brewer Menazzi Moretti spied at the Trattoria Boschetti in Udine, in 1942, as reports have it?

Or, was he inspired by a 1939 photograph of a Tyrolean farmer from Thaur?

In the latter theory, easily available to peruse with an Internet search, there was apparently even a legal schmozzle when the German photographer, upon seeing Moretti advertising campaigns some years later, accused the brewer of stealing her intellectual property in the 1950s.

Such is the beery tall-tale. Either way, I love the beer, the hat and the ‘stache!

Check out my latest post Love the hat and ‘stache: that cool Moretti Man! from AndrewCoppolino.com.

As Luisa D'Amato also stated in today's K-W Record (front page) people's rage against regional councillors is starting to show.  Fortunately for the councillors the vast majority of them do not seriously believe that homeless people, unemployed people or handicapped people in any way really are people.  Of course they are politically astute enough not to say so in words other than by their votes which even then some just love to gussy up and gild the lily when they vote to kick the already downtrodden in the teeth or worse.

Conservatives are always careful to shield industry and business from their own excesses whether they be toxic dumping, unsafe labour practices, nickel and diming employees and or shorting hours at every opportunity, hiring discrimination, at work gender harassment, promotions based more on popularity and less on job performance etc. etc.

Housing policies including development taxes, land costs and disincentives to lower cost housing have all managed to fuel our housing crisis whereby decent housing now is only available to those with jobs paying in the upper 25% of wages. By decent housing I'm including apartments and other rental housing in good shape. Of course these same regional councillors would rather spend taxpayers dollars on more legal fighting than actually donate a small piece of regional land for a tent encampment as suggested by Justice Michael Gibson. Again kicking the less fortunate in the teeth makes them feel like they are special. 

Our regional councillors grossly failed female police officers a few years back when these officers were attempting to end the ongoing and clearly tolerated sexual harassment within the ranks. Even the female regional councillors shut their mouths and kept their heads down not wanting to be seen as aligning with lowly employees in their dispute with illegal police employment behaviours. Now the complete group of #*$#holes from senior management to sitting regional councillors apparently can't understand why our local police force are having troubles attracting qualified female candidates. Idiots!

Regarding our water troubles I see a couple of problems. Firstly LRT has seriously hindered our finances throughout the Region from fewer regional services such as transfer stations, fewer police in local townships (Woolwich), reduced garbage collection and most certainly greatly reduced water infrastructure maintenance. The second problem is what I call the Israeli-Trump syndrome. In our case it is the Developer- Regional government syndrome. They are both identical in that when the Israeli right wing divot Netanyahu yells "Jump"  U.S. President Trump yells "How high?". 

There are a few decent ones on that regional council. Perhaps five or six out of 16 in total. Start paying close attention as for example Luisa D'Amato (K-W Record) sometimes lists how specific councillors have voted on specific matters. There is an election this October and we need to desperately get rid of most of the old guard who view their job as exactly that: guarding the privilege of the already entitled in Waterloo Region . 

Following his victory at the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn last Sunday, Josh Hokit shouted, “Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?” into the microphone.

Soon after, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi posted:

“One of the oldest racist ideas about Black women is that they are men. Enslavers deployed this racist idea to justify forcing Black women into the same heavy and backbreaking field labor as enslaved Black men. And now today, racist theorists have repeatedly used this idea to degrade prominent Black women, including Michelle Obama.”

While I hope you’ll never hear Hokit’s exact words in your workplace, you may encounter comments that rely on harmful tropes and stereotypes.

When that happens, speak up. Force the speaker to confront their bias with a phrase such as:

• What makes you say that?
• What led you to that conclusion?
• Tell me more.

And when you raise concerns about the behavior, you may hear someone try to explain it away with some form of “I’m sure they didn’t mean anything,” or “they’re like that with everyone.”

These reactions shift attention away from the harm caused and toward defending the speaker. Keep reading for an effective response to such a situation endorsed by eBay.

Share on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

This week’s Better Allies content is sponsored by:

Inclusive leadership starts with communication. The words leaders choose, the stories organizations tell, and the conversations teams have shape culture every day. Double Forte helps organizations communicate with clarity, credibility, and purpose during the moments that matter most. Learn more at double-forte.com

After I recommended the phrase “We don’t do that here” in my June 5th newsletter, Estelle Jackson, a diversity and inclusion specialist at eBay, reached out to let me know they teach that phrase in their allyship training. She also shared another technique they teach:

Focus on impact, not intent.

For example,

• I know that wasn’t your intention, but can you see how that might feel from their perspective?
• I don’t think you meant any harm, but can you understand the impact those words could have?

Jackson explained that this approach helps people learn without feeling attacked and keeps the conversation centered on creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong.

Clarifying your pronouns is a simple but powerful act of support during Pride month and year-round. Whether you do this verbally or in an email signature, on a nametag, or as part of your video conference profile, you are helping to normalize sharing pronouns. This practice is helpful to genderfluid, transgender, and other nonbinary folks, who get loads of pushback on the pronoun issue overall.

A few years ago, Sinclair Sexsmith tweeted on this topic, saying:

“Dear cis people who put your pronouns on your ‘hello my name is’ nametags: Thank you. When you do that, I feel more comfortable putting they/them. And I feel much more comfortable talking to you, bc you already tell me you know a little about the gender binary.”

I’ll add an important caveat: please don’t say, “My preferred pronouns are …”. After all, pronouns are words that accurately describe someone, not simply preferences. Using them shouldn’t be seen as optional. Instead, say “My pronouns are …”.

While it’s important to share our pronouns, we shouldn’t require others to do so. (I’m thinking of meetings where someone says, “Everyone, introduce yourself and tell us your pronouns.”)

As Jeannie Gainsburg, author of The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate, explains:

“Asking people directly about their pronouns puts people on the spot, making it very uncomfortable for them if they don’t want to share. It can also offend some people who think that their pronouns should be obvious.”

In a previous newsletter, I shared three tips from Gainsburg’s book about gathering pronouns respectfully without insisting that anyone share them. You can find them under #5 in the October 14, 2022 newsletter.

A UK-based tech executive told me that his colleague, Mohamed, sent this message to their department chat:

“I’m still getting messages addressed to some guy called ‘Mohammed’ in the salutation, instead of Mohamed. This is probably just because of autocorrect, and sometimes it’s a pain to have to spell check the spellchecker. So, if that happens, could you add my name as ‘Mohamed’ in your spellchecker, or just use ‘Mo’? It’s a small nuisance, but it would really help with my identity crisis! 🤪”

Thank you. What a simple thing for us all to do. If you’re not sure how to add someone’s name to your spellchecker, search online for “how do I add a word to my spell check dictionary?”

That’s all for this week. I’m glad you’re on this journey with me,

Karen Catlin (she/her), Author of the Better Allies® book series

Copyright © 2026 Karen Catlin. All rights reserved.

Together, we can make a difference with the Better Allies® approach.

• Say thanks to Karen and buy her a coffee ☕ (Need a receipt for educational reimbursement? Reply to this email, and we’ll take care of it.)
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• Read the Better Allies books
• Tell someone about these resources

Speak Up Against Harmful Tropes, and Other Actions for Allies was originally published in Code Like A Girl on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

♦

KITCHENER – On Bark at the Park night at Jack Couch Park, both the Panthers and the Brantford Red Sox showed some bite in scoring a CBL-high 37 runs scored.

But in the end, it was Kitchener scoring 23 runs - their highest single-game output in nine seasons - and dispatched the Sox 23-14 to snap a six-game losing skid. 

The preparation played a big factor, according to Panthers manager Pete Kiefer, who said the team put in some great practices since their 7-6 defeat in Guelph on Saturday.

“We had a harder workday on Tuesday, and a lighter day yesterday," he said before the game. "A few of the guys even had showed up earlier this morning to put some extra work in."

That work paid off with six home runs, and a nine-run fourth inning, an inning where they sent 14 batters to the plate.

Malik Williams went four-for-four with two home runs and seven RBI to lead the way.

His first came in the first inning, his third of the season, a two-run shot to open the scoring.

Zane Skansi hit his first career CBL home run in the home half of the second. And they weren't done. Petey Kiefer hit a solo shot onto Ottawa Street to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead early.

Kitchener poured it on with three more runs in the third and ballooned the lead to 16-0 after four innings.

Evan Elliott tied a season-high with six innings of work in the win. He gave up two runs on five hits, striking out three and walking one.

Raffi Gross and Yosvani Penalver also had home runs for Kitchener.

Brantford didn't go away quietly though.

Chris Ortega had a two home run game for the Sox, and Lucas Bateman had his first career home run.

The visitors scored eight runs off Brett Reid in the ninth inning in a game that lasted three hours and 38 minutes.

But in the end, Jake Liberta came in and struck out three to finish it off and improve Kitchener's record to 6-9 on the season. Brantford dropped to 3-8.

With a matchup with the Majors in London Friday night, the Panthers will be back in action at Jack Couch Park on Sunday, June 21 against the Barrie Baycats for a Father’s Day matinee. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW and #PackTheJack!

The post Canada Day appeared first on Grand River Rocks Climbing Gym.

The post Canada Day appeared first on Grand River Rocks Climbing Gym.

Recently (yesterday?) I mentioned Woolwich's Double Whammy against citizens of Waterloo Region. While Waterloo and Cambridge are no slouches in the industrial pollution department I believe that little Woolwich Township is the double prize winner as in # 1  for worst polluted site i.e. Uniroyal/Lanxess in Elmira and they are also # 2  i.e. Safety-Kleen in Breslau. Now do keep in mind that while Safety-Kleen are and have been legally liable for the environmental state of their site, incoming PCBs and all, nevertheless it is my expectation that the bulk of the environmental discharges, emissions and general pigginess can be attributed to the owners of the site before them as mentioned in yesterday's post here.

Regarding Polysesouvient, the very active anti private firearms ownership lobby, I have to point out that there is a very solid rebuttal in today's K-W Record under Letters To The Editor by a Mr. Dennis Watson of Waterloo titled "Report not what it looks like".  He points out that the relevant RCMP 2024 report ignored 60% of the Canadian statistics as neither Ontario nor Quebec numbers were included. This is because unlike many of the other provinces these two provinces have their own municipal police forces in almost all communities/cities and  I believe that the O.P.P. covers the rest. Also for the provinces and locations where the RCMP are the only police force present, Mr. Watson states that "...a third of the guns recovered could not be traced,". Personally I must also add that here in Ontario both our biggest and most crime troubled city (Toronto)  has had their municipal police force go on the public record as saying that removing firearms from registered and licensed owners will not lessen crime. The Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) have also publicly said the same thing as well as suggesting that indeed the large majority of illegal firearms involved in crime in Ontario are smuggled here from the United States.

Getting back to dirty polluters let me advise readers of the following. In my younger days I travelled on foot extensively and sometimes took self guided tours of various regional contaminated sites.  Somehow I do not recall if I had written or verbal permission all the time although I do recall to Mr. Ron Stroh's credit he personally did give me permission on one occasion to tour his property on the immediate east side of Uniroyal/Lanxess .  It is truly amazing what an observant person can learn by walking a contaminated site. Also way back when Rich Clausi coined the phrase the "Full Aerial Response Team" (FART) when the Ministry of Environment demanded to know how we obtained photographs or possibly environmental samples of this and that.

I have seen first hand gross pollution on the Safety-Kleen site. I and everybody else has certainly smelled it over the decades. I have also obtained hydrogeological reports from decades ago describing the gross sub-surface pollution obviously caused by either spillage or dumping or both. I have a few months back sent data and pictures to relevant environmental researchers. I know how serious the ground and groundwater contamination has been and likely still is between the operating area and the Grand River. Much of this property was and maybe still is part of I believe the Forwell (gravel) Pit. I also have work connections decades ago to employees at Forwells. There was limited attempts at hydraulic containment of a very small part of the site decades ago in an attempt to keep the PCBs floating on top of the shallow aquifer (also known as LNAPLS) from migrating downgradient en masse to the Grand River.  

I expect yet another phony sham of an Environmental Assessment to "prove" exactly what the Region and Safety-Kleen want which is something giving the guilty parties the good housekeeping seal of approval. 

No I am not referring to any politicians in the first part of the title above.  That would be rude and disrespectful. Having said that how many people currently feel that there is anything wrong with being rude to Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and other dead @*+#heads? Not very many. Having said that how many people feel that there is anything wrong with being rude to the following living people namely Putin, Netanyahu, Trump etc.? Probably a lot more than you think.

Exactly how desperate are they for more water in Waterloo Region? The fools are so desperate that as was hinted at months ago they are considering reactivating contaminated wells that were shut down decades ago along the Grand River  at the south end of Kitchener and just north of Cambridge. To be specific we are talking about wells that are known as GUDI which stands for Groundwater Under Direct Influence of surface water. The surface water is conveniently located downgradient from the former Forsythe Oil and Breslube and is currently known as Safety-Kleen in Breslau.  Yes Breslau is right across the Grand River from Kitchener and is a fine example of how we do our remediation of contaminated soils and waters here in Woolwich Township. Yes this can be attributed to a very strong Conservative work ethic and ideology that diminishes and suborns  the importance of clean air, water and soils to the far more important padding of private parties bank accounts often at the cost of the public interest. 

Interestingly the article in today's K-W Record on page A3 by Bill Jackson refers to wells only on the west side of the Grand River. Now of course the wells' names and numbers are listed although at least a couple are missing. In fact who but me and long term Breslau locals plus consultants and well paid suits have any idea of how many wells are missing and which side of the Grand River they are on? Coincidentally (not) I am sure that the missing wells named K70 and K71 are on the east side of the Grand River.

Yes the east side putting them even closer to Safety-Kleen and ground and groundwater contamination from the former pigpens located there. That contamination includes the former "Black Lagoon" which does not refer to black gold (oil) as it is sometimes referred to in Texas.  Well actually maybe it does because also nearby was/is ? a former sub-surface pool of oil floating on the water table enriched with industry's finest Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). Now keep in mind the Grand River itself may somewhat block further westward flow of contaminated shallow aquifer water but it does not deter contaminant flow in deeper aquifers westward underneath the river. I expect that these other wells are screened into those deeper aquifers. 

Do not fuss citizens of Waterloo Region. Good Conservative ideology believes that not just a few but the many can have their thirst quenched by toxic groundwater diluted by both dozens and more other wells as well as by the river water and its' accompanying algae and odours. By the way instead of being honest about the gross contamination left by Forsythe and Breslube; the Region who shut all these wells down  35 to 45 years ago blamed the shutdown on algae and accompanying odour issues.

♦

The Ontario Soccer Board of Directors is comprised of twelve (12) Directors including a Chair and Vice-Chair, five (5) Regional Directors and five (5) Independent Directors, all elected by the Voting Members (District Associations) with support from the independent Nominations Committee of Ontario Soccer.

The Board of Directors do not duplicate the role of Ontario Soccer’s executive management; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the day-to-day business of Ontario Soccer and the implementation of strategy and policies adopted by the Board of Directors.

Ontario Soccer is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse Board working environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity sports organization. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability.

The Nominations Committee is seeking qualified volunteer Board candidates who are able to contribute to soccer in Ontario that reflects the values of inclusiveness, respect, excellence, integrity, high ethical standards, community building and a focus on what is best for the game. If you have experience in the sport and a passion for quality soccer, the Nominations Committee encourages you to check out and share widely this opportunity to get involved.

The following positions are up for election in 2026:

• Vice Chair – 1 Vacancy – 3 Year Term
• Regional Director – West – 1 Vacancy – 3 Year Term
• Independent Director – 1 Vacancy – 3 Year Term
• Independent Director – 1 Vacancy – 3 Year Term

Note: As per Ontario Soccer By-laws, listed on the Governing Documents section of our website, please note the following sections:

• 5.3 Eligibility (page 13)
• 5.4 Qualifications (page 14)
• 5.5 Director’s Consent to Act (page 14)
• 8.5 Nominations Committee (Process) (page 21)

Candidates must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for only one (1) position on the Board of Directors (forms can be found HERE). To be eligible, candidates must submit a COMPLETE EOI application package consisting of the following five (5) mandatory items:

• Required Documents:
  1. Appendix A – Expression of Interest Form
  2. Appendix B – Skills and Competency Form
  3. Appendix C – Nomination Form (Note: Voting Members can nominate more than one candidate)
  4. Brief résumé (maximum two pages) outlining your soccer/sporting and professional/business background
  5. Reference letters or endorsement letters from at least two (2) individuals (not related to you) who have known you for a minimum of five (5) years
• Additional Documents:
  1. Self-Identification Form (voluntary)
  2. Police Record Check – Facilitated by Ontario Soccer, if required

Candidates EOI application package must be submitted through the online portal. All application forms can be found HERE. Please note that late applications will not be considered.

Additional information about By-Laws and processes for the election can be found on OntarioSoccer.net/elections.

If you have any questions about the EOI application package or the nominations process, please contact Elections@ontariosoccer.net.

The post Ontario Soccer appeared first on Capacity Canada.

After a slower start to the year, the Waterloo Region real estate market showed signs of renewed activity in May. Sales increased from 561 in April to 625 in May, reflecting a noticeable improvement in buyer engagement as we moved further into the spring market.

From our perspective, we are seeing more buyers booking showings, asking questions, and re-engaging with their home search. Earlier this year, many buyers appeared content to wait on the sidelines while they watched interest rates, economic conditions, and broader uncertainty unfold. Today, those same buyers seem more willing to engage.

That does not mean we have returned to the frenzied market conditions of a few years ago. Buyers remain thoughtful, selective, and value-conscious. However, there is a noticeable difference between the sentiment we were seeing earlier this year and what we are seeing today.

The market feels healthier. More balanced. And more active.

While sales activity improved month-over-month, the Waterloo Region housing market remains more balanced than the conditions we experienced in recent years.

Compared to May 2025, home sales were down 8.0%, average sale prices were down 5.7%, new listings were down 13.3%, and inventory declined 4.8%. Homes sold in an average of 23 days, slightly faster than last year.

While those year-over-year numbers may appear softer, they do not fully capture what is happening in today’s market. The more important story is that activity has continued to improve as we moved through the spring market, and buyers are becoming increasingly comfortable making purchasing decisions.

• 625 homes sold, down 8.0% year-over-year
• Average sale price: $745,909, down 5.7% year-over-year
• 1,442 new listings, down 13.3% year-over-year
• 4.0 months of inventory, down 4.8% year-over-year
• Average days on market: 23 days, down 4.2% year-over-year

Cornerstone Association of REALTORS®

The biggest takeaway from May was not pricing. It was activity.

Buyer activity improved, showing demand is still present in the Waterloo Region real estate market, even if buyers are taking a more cautious and analytical approach than they did during the peak years.

Average sale prices continue to vary significantly by property type, with detached homes continuing to outperform the townhouse, semi-detached, and condominium segment.

This is one of the most important themes in the current Waterloo Region housing market. Detached homes are seeing stronger demand, shorter selling timelines, and lower inventory levels, while the attached and condo market remains more price-sensitive.

Cornerstone Association of REALTORS®

One of the biggest shifts we noticed in May was that buyers seemed more willing to engage.

We are seeing strong showing activity on homes that are priced appropriately, presented well, and positioned correctly within the market. Buyers are still doing their homework, comparing options, and taking their time, but when they see value, they are acting.

In many cases, the difference between a home that generates strong activity and one that struggles comes down to pricing.

Today’s buyers are incredibly informed. They are comparing every home against competing listings, recent sales, property condition, location, layout, and overall value. As a result, strategic pricing remains one of the most important factors influencing a home’s success.

For sellers, this means the market is active, but it is not forgiving. Overpricing can quickly reduce momentum, while a well-prepared and well-positioned home can still attract serious buyer interest.

The detached housing segment continues to outperform the rest of the market.

In May, single-family homes saw 415 sales, down 3.7% year-over-year. The average sale price was $851,962, while the median sale price was $780,000. Detached homes sold in an average of 20 days and had 3.2 months of inventory.

These numbers show that detached homes remain the strongest segment of the Waterloo Region real estate market. Demand continues to be supported by lower inventory levels, shorter selling timelines, and continued buyer interest in properties that offer more space, privacy, and flexibility.

For sellers with detached homes, this is encouraging. However, pricing still matters. The homes performing best are those that are prepared properly, marketed effectively, and priced in line with current buyer expectations.

The townhouse, semi-detached, and condominium segment continues to face more challenges.

In May, this segment saw 210 sales, down 15.3% year-over-year. The average sale price was $536,328, while the median sale price was $549,950. Homes in this category took an average of 30 days to sell, with 5.4 months of inventory.

Buyers in this segment have more choice and greater negotiating power. This has contributed to longer selling timelines and increased price sensitivity.

The gap between detached homes and the townhouse/condo market remains one of the defining themes of today’s market. While detached homes continue to see stronger activity, attached and condominium properties require an even more careful pricing and marketing strategy to stand out.

For sellers, May’s market shows that buyer demand is still there, but buyers are approaching the market with more discipline.

The homes that are selling successfully are typically the ones that show well, are priced strategically, and are marketed properly from the start. In this market, presentation and exposure matter, but pricing is still the anchor.

A strong listing strategy should consider:

• Professional preparation before listing
• Accurate pricing based on current market conditions
• High-quality photography and marketing
• Strong online presentation
• Clear positioning against competing listings
• Skilled negotiation once interest is generated

This is not a market where sellers can rely on momentum alone. But it is a market where the right strategy can make a meaningful difference.

For buyers, today’s Waterloo Region housing market continues to offer more choice, more time, and more negotiating opportunity than we saw during the peak years of the market.

That said, desirable homes that are priced well can still move quickly. Detached homes, in particular, continue to see stronger demand and shorter timelines.

Buyers should be prepared, but not panicked. The current market gives buyers the opportunity to compare options, understand value, and make more informed decisions. However, when a strong property is priced appropriately, waiting too long can still mean missing out.

The biggest story in May was not pricing.

It was activity.

Buyers are engaging more than they were earlier this year. Showings are increasing. Sales are improving. And buyers and sellers appear to be becoming more aligned in their expectations.

This does not mean every home will sell quickly, nor does it mean we have returned to a seller’s market. Buyers remain selective and continue to focus heavily on value.

However, the Waterloo Region real estate market is moving in a more positive direction.

For sellers, success still comes down to preparation, presentation, pricing, exposure, and negotiation.

For buyers, today’s market continues to offer more choice, more time to make decisions, and greater negotiating opportunities than we have seen in several years.

If you are thinking about buying or selling in Waterloo Region, the right strategy depends on your property type, location, price point, and timing. A broad market update is helpful, but your next move should be based on what is happening in your specific segment of the market.

The post Waterloo Region Real Estate Market Update | June 2026 appeared first on Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Agent - The Deutschmann Team.

The Ontario government has passed legislation that will see the province appoint heads of councils in 8 municipalities after the upcoming municipal election this fall. These appointees will have strong Chair powers to deliver on the provincial mandate letters they receive from the government.

The government has indicated they are open to hearing from individuals that think they have the skills and seek to be appointed. However, there is no set of criteria to guide these decisions.

So the Chamber has engaged with our members through a number of our committees and our Board of Directors as well as in community conversations to develop a set of skills and experiences that prospective applicants should be measured against and that meet broad community expectations.

Attached is a letter that outlines the results of these broad consultations that was sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and copied to our local MPP’s.

Dear Minister Flack,
On behalf of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, I am writing regarding the Government of Ontario’s proposed changes to regional governance and the appointment of Regional Chairs.
We appreciate the government’s commitment to modernizing municipal governance structures to ensure municipalities can deliver services efficiently, respond to growth pressures, and meet the needs of residents and businesses. Strong local governments are essential to Ontario’s economic competitiveness, housing objectives, infrastructure delivery, and quality of life.
To inform our perspective, the Chamber engaged with a broad cross-section of our membership who represent employers, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and stakeholders from across Waterloo Region. While views on the specifics of regional reform vary, there is strong consensus on the qualities that should guide future appointments.

We note with appreciation the service of current Regional Chair Karen Redman, and offer the following not as commentary on any individual, but as a forward-looking reflection of what our members believe the role will demand in the years ahead.
The business community would encourage the government to prioritize candidates who demonstrate the following:

Strong Local Experience and Understanding Regional Chairs should have a deep familiarity with the communities they serve — local economic drivers, growth pressures, infrastructure priorities, and the relationships between lower-tier municipalities and regional government. This grounding is essential to effective leadership.

Independence from Current Elected Office Many members expressed the view that appointed Regional Chairs should not simultaneously hold elected municipal office. Serving in both capacities can create real or perceived conflicts between local and regional interests. An independent Chair is better positioned to act on behalf of the region as a whole.

Senior Executive Leadership Experience Modern regional governments are large and complex organizations. Members consistently identified the importance of CEO-level experience — including strategic planning, financial oversight, organizational management, and the ability to lead through complexity and change.

A Proven Track Record of Driving Results Ontario’s regions face significant challenges in housing, infrastructure, transportation, and service delivery. Effective leadership will require individuals comfortable with change, skilled at building consensus, and experienced in implementing solutions in complex environments.

Sound Judgment on Large and Consequential Issues Regional governments manage some of the most significant public policy files in the province. The ideal Chair should have demonstrated experience balancing competing interests, making evidence-based decisions, and advancing long-term community outcomes over short-term considerations.

Pragmatic, Outcomes-Focused Leadership The business community values practical problem-solvers over ideologues — leaders who focus on results, apply sound judgment, and find workable solutions that serve the public interest.

Understanding of Municipal Governance and Public Administration Executive experience must be paired with literacy in how municipal governments operate — including relevant legislation, governance processes, and the realities of working within a multi-government environment. The understanding could come from being previously elected or knowledge developed from other experiences.

Minister, Waterloo Region is one of Canada’s fastest-growing and most economically dynamic communities. The leadership chosen to guide the regional government through its next chapter will shape our competitiveness, housing supply, infrastructure readiness, and quality of life for years to come.

We appreciate the government’s willingness to pursue meaningful governance reform and welcome the opportunity to discuss these perspectives further. Our intent is to support the appointment of leaders who can help regions function effectively, foster intergovernmental collaboration, and advance the long-term interests of residents and businesses across Ontario.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Ian McLean
President and CEO
Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce

Cc.
The Hon. Mike Harris, MPP for Kitchener Conestogo
Aislinn Clancy, MPP for Kitchener Centre
Jess Dixon, MPP for Kitchener South Hespeler
Catherine Fife, MPP for Waterloo
MPP Brian Riddell, MPP for Cambridge

We look forward to working with all of our partners to ensure that the important work is underway at all three levels of government so that Waterloo Region will be a successful community as we grow to a community of one million. 

The post Letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs – Regional Chair skills appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

♦

It has become a classic tale from a few years ago when you talk to restaurateurs: a new restaurant opens – and then almost immediately Covid-19 hits.

“We developed the Aiana concept, and we set our opening date. Literally the next week was when the pandemic hit. So for our first two years, it was open, close, open, close, like switching multiple teams, everything. And crazy,” says Aiana chef-owner Raghav Chaudhary.

Since then, Aiana has refined and honed its concept and the way it cooks, but Chaudhary and team, he says, stayed true to their values when it comes to the classic tasting menu.

“It forced to me to learn and helped with the way we work with the products and just get a better understanding of the entire process — though we have always focussed on our tasting menu.”

Aiana goes through a few menu changes throughout the seasons where they highlight the produce of the moment and sourcing from premium producers and ones as local as they can find.

I had a chance to return to the O’Connor Street restaurant to venture into the spring menu — “Wildflowers and Wine,” an eight-course tasting experience. It was delicious and intriguing and obviously celebrates spring and the first growth.

For Chaudhary, that’s “the baby growth.”

“I get a lot of inspiration from the land and terroir of Canada. Just drive in the countryside and the greenbelt and all the wildflowers are there. It’s just such a colourful time. We’ve tried to incorporate that.”

Bison tartare is Middle Eastern inspired and prepared in-house and seasoned with zhoug, a chimichurri-like Yemeni green sauce created from charred jalapenos, limes and cilantro oil that is folded into pine nuts and pistachio.

The emerald caviar is the excellent product from Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar of St. John, NB, along with smoked belly for a pâté featuring sour cream, chives and lemon. It’s mighty satisfying.

The menu I enjoyed also featured Italian summer truffles and a more humble local dish — but quite tasty — focussed on corn in the form of a half-dozen or so variations.

The influences and inspiration from around the world blend with the local, what Chaudhary describes as multicultural touches throughout the menu representing the cultures of Canada.

Muscovy duck, dried for three days, is inspired by his visit to Eight Tables San Francisco, its crispy skin accented with orange, thyme garlic and garlic accompanied by a taro croquette with a Dijonnaise for some gentle heat. The plate includes cauliflower puree and nasturtium for pepperiness.

The maple and pine season now at end, crème brûlée includes toasted marshmallow redolent of a “springtime campfire,” he says, with pine buds and a tuile of burnt maple sugar. It captured the season.

“We have our compressed strawberries in maple syrup,” Chaudhary adds. “We’re saving all that compressed strawberry maple liquid for our next menu, and we have ordered green strawberries for a green-strawberry summer salad as a dessert.”

Sounds interesting too. Just like the birch ice cream made in-house and which is served with a dessert cocktail made with cedar tea locally foraged.

Wines at Aiana are interesting, unique pairings that I found quite satisfying and offering different flavour profiles — that is the purview of sommelier Robert Lemieux.

“Wine at the table is like an extra ingredient. It will add to the dining experience created by the chef by complementing or contrasting the flavours and aromas coming from the plate,” according to Lemieux.

Five or so years in, look to Aiana for a fine dining experience that evolves as the seasons do, Chaudhary says.

“We’re planning on doing a slight menu switch for the first week of summer. That will be about July 23,” says Chaudhary. “Not a 100% flip, but three or four dishes. We’ll change to create a new feeling as we move with the seasons.”

Check out my latest post Aiana Ottawa and seasonal tasting menus from AndrewCoppolino.com.

Indexes are the cheat codes of databases. Pick the wrong one and your queries crawl. Pick the right one, and billions of rows feel instant. Let’s break down the three you actually need.

The Workhorse 🐎

If databases were kitchens, B-Trees would be the chef’s knife, used for almost everything.

Imagine a library with a billion books. A regular binary search tree gives each node exactly two children. Efficient, but shallow trees don’t exist; you’d need to walk through ~30 levels to find anything. Now imagine a tree where each node holds dozens of keys and can have dozens of children. That’s a B-Tree: wide, short, and built to minimize the expensive round-trips to disk.

B-Trees enforce a rule: every node must hold at least a minimum number of keys. When a node fills up, it splits and promotes a key to the parent. This keeps the tree balanced automatically, no matter how chaotically you insert or delete data.

Who Uses B-Tree Indexes?

Pretty much every major database on the planet. Here’s what’s running on B-Trees right now.

⚡ B-Tree vs B+ Tree — Quick Note

Most databases actually use a B+ Tree: a variant where all data lives in leaf nodes, and leaf nodes are linked together. This makes range scans blazing fast — once you find the start of a range, you just walk the linked list. No going back up the tree.

B-Tree indexes shine on equality lookups (WHERE id = 42), range queries (WHERE age BETWEEN 20 AND 30), and sorting (ORDER BY created_at). If you're building anything with a relational database and aren't sure what index to use, start here.

How does Google find your query in 0.3 seconds across the entire internet?

A B-Tree can tell you “find the row where id = 500" extremely fast. But what about "find every document that contains the word quantum"? Running that query by scanning billions of documents one-by-one would take hours. The Inverted Index flips the problem entirely.

🧠 The Mental Model

Think of the index at the back of a textbook. You don’t re-read the whole book to find where “photosynthesis” appears, you look it up in the index and it tells you exactly which pages. An inverted index is that, but for every word in every document.

Instead of storing “document → words it contains,” an inverted index stores “word → documents that contain it.” For each term it also tracks how often the word appears and exactly where (position), which powers relevance ranking.

To search for “database index”, the engine just looks up both terms and finds the intersection of their document lists. No scanning. No looping. Pure lookup.

Who Uses Inverted Indexes?

Find Me the Nearest Coffee ☕

The math that powers “restaurants near you,” ride-sharing, and delivery apps.

Latitude and longitude are just numbers, so why can’t a regular B-Tree handle location queries? Because proximity in 2D space isn’t a simple “greater than / less than” comparison. A location that’s numerically close in one coordinate might be geographically far away.

Geospatial indexes solve this by using spatial data structures, such as R-Trees and QuadTrees, that represent 2D space. They let databases answer “find all points within 5km of this coordinate” in milliseconds, even across millions of locations.

Want the Deep Dive?

Geospatial indexing is a meaty topic — R-Trees, QuadTrees, PostGIS, bounding boxes, the Haversine formula… I’ve covered it in a dedicated post with visuals and real-world examples.

Read the Full Geospatial Index Post →

Choosing the right index depends entirely on your data access patterns:

1. Use B-Trees for standard relational queries, exact matches, and sorted ranges.
2. Use Inverted Indexes when you need powerful full-text search engine capabilities across massive text documents.
3. Use Geospatial Indexes when your application relies heavily on location-based, two-dimensional coordinate tracking.

Top 3 database Indexes every engineer should know was originally published in Code Like A Girl on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

♦

KITCHENER - The Kitchener Panthers are proud to announce the signing of utility man Noah Boughton.

The dual citizen of Canada and the United States spent 2025 with Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, where he hit .283 in 40 games, including five home runs and 23 RBI.

Previously, he played collegiately at Dallas Baptist University in 2023 and Lipscomb in 2024.

In the summer of 2023, he played 40 games with Edmonton (West Coast League) where he hit .295 and had a .379 on-base-percentage.

"I'm really excited to add Noah to our roster," said general manager Shanif Hirani.

"He provides a lot of versatility defensively and has the hitter profile of someone I was looking for. He's had multiple years of having more walks than strikeouts against high level pitching."

============

NOAH BOUGHTON

• Bats/Pitches: L/R
• Hometown: Colleyville, TX
• Birthdate: October 15, 2001
• Pronunciation: NO-uh // b-OWW-ton

A tool that parses emails by enhancing the Python standard library, extracting all details into a comprehensive object.

Python 444 Updated Jun 11

structured outputs for llms

Python 13.2k 2 issues need help Updated Jun 15

Python port of Google's libphonenumber

Python 3.8k Updated Jun 22

“I can’t ask people for money.”
“I don’t want to ask my friends…
what if they say no?”
“Isn’t that the fundraiser’s job?”

If you’ve ever heard (or thought) these things as a board member, you’re not alone. In fact, discomfort with fundraising is one of the most common barriers to building a strong, sustainable organization.

But here’s the reality: in today’s climate of funding uncertainty, fundraising is no longer something a board can “delegate and forget.” It’s a shared responsibility—and a powerful opportunity.

There was a time when hiring a fundraising professional meant a board could check the box and move on. Not anymore.

Today, financial sustainability depends on a whole-of-organization approach, and the board plays a critical role. Board members bring networks, credibility, and influence—assets no staff team can replicate on their own.

The challenge? Most board members weren’t recruited with fundraising in mind.

That’s why reframing the role is essential.

When people think of fundraising, they often imagine the moment of asking for money. But that’s just one small part of a much larger process: the donor cycle.

There are many ways for board members to contribute—often in ways that feel natural and comfortable:

• Identifying potential supporters: Who in your network might care about the organization’s mission?
• Making introductions: Inviting a colleague to a tour, a talk, or a meeting.
• Building relationships: Helping create trust and awareness over time.
• Participating in asks: Joining staff when the moment is right.
• Stewardship: Thanking donors and strengthening ongoing relationships.

Not every board member needs to do everything. The key is finding the role that fits.

Many board members underestimate the reach of their own networks.

You don’t have to ask your closest friends for money. Often, your greatest impact comes from simply opening doors—introducing people, creating opportunities for connection, or sharing the organization’s story.

A speaking opportunity at your Rotary Club.
An introduction at a staff meeting.
A casual conversation that sparks interest.

These moments build the foundation for future support.

Fundraising is fundamentally about relationships.

Rarely does someone make a significant gift after a single conversation. It takes time—multiple touchpoints, growing trust, and a deepening understanding of the organization’s impact.

Board members play a crucial role here. Your credibility and connections help build that trust in ways staff alone cannot.

And when the time comes for an “ask,” you’re not starting from scratch—you’re building on a relationship.

One common fear is: What if I don’t know all the details?

The good news: you don’t need to.

In fundraising meetings, staff bring subject-matter expertise. Your role is different—you’re there as a passionate advocate, someone who believes in the work and can speak authentically about why it matters.

That’s often what resonates most.

If there’s one place where almost every board member feels comfortable, it’s stewardship.

A thank-you call.
A handwritten note.
A simple expression of appreciation.

These small acts make a big difference—and they strengthen the relationships that sustain organizations over time.

Let’s name it: fundraising can feel uncomfortable.

But that discomfort is natural—and manageable. Here are a few simple ways to build confidence:

• Remember your purpose: You’re not asking for yourself—you’re inviting others to support something meaningful.
• Focus on relationships, not transactions: Most interactions are about connection, not asking.
• Be authentic: Share why you believe in the organization.
• Practice: Confidence grows with experience—especially when working alongside others.
• Prepare well: Good briefing materials and clear goals make a huge difference.
• Be yourself: You don’t need a script—just sincerity.

Fundraising isn’t about pressure or persuasion. It’s about connection, belief, and shared purpose.

For board members, it’s not an extra burden—it’s an opportunity to amplify impact.

And when boards fully engage in fundraising, organizations don’t just survive—they thrive.

♦Rob Donelson, Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada

Email: rob@capacitycanada.ca

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