When the Break Lights Lie: A Signal to Start Data Month

Data is the quiet force shaping every decision we make—even the ones we believe are instinct. From ancient tablets to algorithmic dashboards, it’s always been there, whispering guidance or nudging us astray.

So welcome, Time Buddies. Or Data Disciples. That’s what I already called you. You don’t know that yet. But you will, since today marks the start of:

📊 June is Data Month on Mike’s Mind

This month, the focus sharpens. Expect stories rooted in real data—sometimes ancient, sometimes modern, always grounded in truth.

The next one’s already lined up: a single narrative that threads together the Sumerians and a wartime insight that saved lives—proving how data shapes destiny when we dare to look beyond what’s obvious.

The Car That Changed Its Mind (and Mine)

I’m driving an EV now, for the first time in my life. It’s whisper-quiet, sure—but also a little controlling. Each time I start the car, it defaults to strong recuperation mode, a setting where the vehicle starts braking the moment I lift my foot, converting kinetic energy back into the battery. Efficient? Absolutely. But it subtly hijacks my instincts. Brake lights flash like I’ve slammed the pedal when I’ve only coasted, changing how I drive in ways I didn’t anticipate.

My dashboard doesn’t just show speed and charge anymore, but fluid estimates.

But the minimum isn’t really the minimum—it adapts. Same with the shimmering “eco orb” that changes color based on how eco-conscious the algorithm believes I am. Suddenly, I’m not just steering—I’m negotiating with an invisible logic engine.

When the System Decides (and Doesn’t)

Then, this happened.

I rolled toward a zebra crossing. An adult woman stepped out—suddenly, with no time to spare. And the car? It did… nothing.

No braking. No beeping. Just stillness.
I had to act, and obviously I did.

Strange, because this same car often slams the brakes for shadows, leaves, or imagined threats. My wife and I both hate that. But in the moment that counted, it stayed silent. Was it a glitch? A delay? Or the butterfly effect of a subtle setting I’d changed days earlier?

One data point. One non-decision. One moment that could’ve changed everything.

Here’s My Invitation

So, for the rest of June, I’ll be your data disciple.
Or rather, I’ll let you be mine.

I’ll share true stories about data—ancient archives, modern dashboards, and the invisible patterns that shape how we move through the world. Stories about what we track, what we miss, and how systems begin to speak for us.

And I want to hear from you:

What kind of data stories do you want to explore?

Smart cities? Memory tech? Corporate dashboards? AI hallucinations?

Welcome to Data Month.
Let’s see where it drives us.