Extending Post-Meet Recall

Internecine fighting is seldom anything other than downright ugly.

I note from the 'international news' sections of feeds, that this round's current American presidential hopefuls from the Republican party seem keen to continue in such vein.

Shouty exchanges seeming more contrived reality tv than serious political discourse. As we've kind of come to expect, sadly.

After the latest televised debate, with field now whittled down to four (plus one, elsewhere, obvs), this one image dominated as a screen still. Taking by way of example London's Times reporting below the pic up top;

Although signs are banned, [Vivek] Ramaswamy held up a pad of paper on which he had scribbled “ɴɪᴋᴋɪ = ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛ” to try to ensure a viral moment.

Despite ad hominem attacks - those against the person rather than the issue - being both an unadvisable ploy and one possibly counter-productive more often than not, when used they gain media traction.

I wonder if now written, it moves from slander to libel?

Whilst ensuing coverage may well have debunked the claim as outlandish, focused on rebuttal of the slighted, or moved on to picking holes in the record of the accuser, it's all pretty much irrelevant.

For good or ill, it's the placard that sticks.

From their Sketch writer pondering who 'won' [spoiler alert, he plumped for the absent candidate], here's assessment elsewhere in The Times;

"At one point the biotech multi-millionaire held up a pad of paper with “ɴɪᴋᴋɪ = ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛ” scrawled across it. It may have won tomorrow’s front-page pictures, but surely such a savvy tech-bro understands how Photoshop works."

Which was pretty much my second, instant thought upon seeing it.

Memes aplenty prone to eviscerate his candidature with perhaps a longer digital half-life than the original.

Or in the further words of the observer above;

"... the stunt is likely to spawn countless social media memes and not all of them will be kind."

Yet there is a more suited setting for such 'stunt'. Repurposed as a legitimate meeting aid.

Our video calls.

Even when away from my preferred lab space, I try to ensure I've sheets of blank paper handy. Ready for just this type of messaging.

You could have it done in advance for a prepared key message confirmation. Or as seems in this case, written up during proceedings.

Whichever, to simply then hold it to your webcam as here works well.

It gets remembered.

And you can show it more than once, by way of reminder, later too.

The imagery here is pretty good. An easy to grasp equation. The equals sign often a winner. As are other mathematical, arrow or even emoji-style symbols.

Just the two words. Another plus.

Bear in mind you can choose landscape orientation if need be. And I always seek to use a marker pen, rather than the thin biro of above. Also feel able to use a second colour ink where apt. Particularly for lines, emphasis or encirclement.

Unlike for those with presidential ambitions, you are banned from such signs. On occasion using this simple prop to add to your repertoire will make sure you get what you want from your video calls.