Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Paul M. Cray's LiveJournal:

[ << Previous 20 ]

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
10:40 am	Divided Seconds Does anyone know for certain when divided seconds were introduced at Oxford. In the Wikipedia article on George Monbiot, it is claimed, citing an article in "The Independent, so hardly a reliable source, that Monbiot got a 2:1 in Zoology. But, based on his date of birth, that looks a little early unless George spend quite a bit of time doing other things before ending up in Oxford. We know that seconds were certainly divided in 1987. I think they were divided in 1986, but the Weasel differs. I do recall that I went on a trip from Newman College to Oxford in the summer of 1985, we meet an old student of the college (John Chester, son of Cyril Chester, an English teacher at Catholic/Newman College), who I recall telling us that he had just graduated with a 2:1 in Biochemistry, Biochemistry being the subject that they were trialling the division of seconds on. Now, of course, my memory may be faulty. Maybe John said that be had done Part I of Biochemistry Finals and that he was on for a 2:1 overall if he kept up the performance the next year in Part II, which would mean that he got a divided second in 1986 with them being available to everyone in 1987. Again, perhaps they were just told informally what they would have got had the seconds been divided in order not to disadvantage biochemists who would have got 2:2 in a years or years when people doing other subjects would have just got seconds. Does anyone have access to the relevant University Calendars? It would be good to know for certain what George and John actually got. (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
8:35 pm	I Wish to Complain About This Poll The Alpha Course has a new poster. You might have seen it. I suspect that it was inspired that atheist bus advert. The poster looks this God exists... * No * Yes * Probably In other words, it looks like a poll. And if you to the Alpha Course website, there it is on the front page and it is indeed a poll. Leaving aside the rhetorical slight of hand that they've played (compare and contrast Lewis's Trilemma), it struck me that there ought to be some other options. I noticed when I was the eastbound platform of the Piccadilly Line the other day (just round the corner from Alpha Course HQ at Holy Trinity, Brompton), that I was the only person who thinks this. So, in the true James Nicoll style, I suggest that a more meaningful poll would look something like this God exists... * No * Yes * Probably * Possibly * Probably not * Who is this God person anyway? * The whole concept of the Christian omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenovelent God is philosophically incoherent and the question is therefore meaningless * Some other option I will discuss in the comments * I wish to complain about this poll (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
9:39 am	A Moore's Law of Space One definition of Moore's Law is that the amount of computing power per constant currency unit doubles every Moore's Law period, where a Moore's Law period is typically taken to be between 18 and 24 months. Now consider the cost in constant currency units per unit mass in Low Earth Orbit. Now does that figure in 2009 compare with the figure in 1957 or 1983? Has it declined over time? Has the rate of decline been constant? Can any kind of Moore's Law relationship be derived for launch costs? I presume the answer is no on the grounds that if one could, it would well known. Even if the Moore's Law period were 15 or 20 years, all you would have to do is wait long enough for the price to fall to a point where a rich enthusiast could fund a return to the Moon, an expedition to Mars. We might not get there quickly, but we would there get eventually. Of course, there is no particular reasons to expect a Moore's Law to operate in launch costs. Moore's Law is not a law of nature, it is a law of marketing, and it is driven by the enormous demand for computer-based devices (i.e. devices that use semiconductor technology). There is no end, it seems, to the uses that such devices can be put to, while the uses of LEO are more limited. Furthermore, it happens that semiconductor technology exists in a physics domain where it has been possible to tweak continually production processes and get proportionally greater returns (a linear reduction in the wavelength of light used in the lithographic process will lead to a quadratic increase in the number of components than can be fitted in a given area - to first approximation). Rocketry (and most other technologies) just don't happen to be in that kind of domain (and, perhaps, as people always say, computers won't be for much longer). The development of most technologies is bursty with occasional breakthroughs interspersed with periods of incremental improvements. This seems to the case for rocketry. Which gets me back to favourite point: we should forget about space for the time being and concentrate relentlessly on the technologies that will create the breakthroughs that will allow cheap access to space: NMT and AGI. Current Mood: thirsty (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009
11:30 am	Wanstead, Mon Amour I edited my Interests last night. I spend a lot of time in Wanstead these days. Curiously I am the only person on LJ who lists "Wanstead" as an Interest. This compares to 14 for "Brentford". Some of those could be for the football club, of course. Perhaps Brentford is bigger than Wanstead, or, more likely, it is somewhat more "edgily" boho/bobo and thus fits in better with the LJ demographic (parts of Wanstead are very "Good Life" suburban). And then there is Robert Rankin. But Wanstead has an Underground station that is *actually underground* with lovely long escalators, although sadly, for some reason, no adverts on the platforms. Wanstead also has a church that looks (to me) like a Hawksmoor church (it was actually designed by Thomas Hardwick - born in Brentford - and completed in 1790), Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park (both part of Epping Forest) and Wastonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanstonia) Come on, you psychogeographers! What more do you want? (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
9:04 pm	Twists in the Tale: Spoiler Request for Scarlett Thomas's "Bright Young Things" I was recently reading an interview with Scarlett Thomas in which she discussed "Bright Young Things", her first "proper" novel (as opposed to the three now deprecated detective novels). The novel involves a group of twenty-something media trendies who mysteriously find themselves isolated on an island, possibly as part of some kind of reality show. I know from reading the reviews on Amazon that there is some kind of twist (or twists) at the end. I have my own theory of what this twist (or family of twists) could be, but I don't want to read the book to find out (my views on Thomas's "PopCo" are well-known). If anyone could let me know what the revelation is, I would be eternally grateful (I know it's cheating, but I am not a patient man). (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, September 2nd, 2007
12:52 am	True Nerd, Strong and Free II (3 Comments |Comment on this)
12:28 am	True Nerd, Strong and Free (Comment on this)
Thursday, July 19th, 2007
11:06 pm	If Only I Could Go Back and Study Anglo-Saxon, Norse, Celtic Your Score: Older Futhark You scored Language of the Norse, Older Futhark! Thirty symbols, all told. And no hardier, more warrior-like tongue has ever graced the longships of the Viki or left the Celts and Saxons in such quivering fear. There's only one drawback, that being you died 800 years ago. Link: The Which Ancient Language Are You Test written by imipak on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test (Comment on this)
Friday, July 13th, 2007
11:05 pm	Same Old Only a short quiz, but I still came out an INTJ, which might prove something or other. Your Personality is Very Rare (INTJ) Your personality type is logical, uncompromising, independent, and nonconformist. Only about 3% of all people have your personality, including 2% of all women and 4% of all men. You are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging. How Rare Is Your Personality? (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007
4:50 pm	Wandering Rocks Me to a tee, I think. You're Ulysses! by James Joyce Most people are convinced that you don't make any sense, but compared to what else you could say, what you're saying now makes tons of sense. What people do understand about you is your vulgarity, which has convinced people that you are at once brilliant and repugnant. Meanwhile you are content to wander around aimlessly, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. What you see is vast, almost limitless, and brings you additional fame. When no one is looking, you dream of being a Greek folk hero. Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 5th, 2007
7:54 pm	I Always Knew There was Something Weird About Him So, pmcray, your LiveJournal reveals... You are... 2% unique (blame, for example, your interest in swagelok) and 6% herdlike (partly because you, like everyone else, enjoy walking). When it comes to friends you are popular. In terms of the way you relate to people, you are keen to please. Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is conventional. Your overall weirdness is: 39 (The average level of weirdness is: 27. You are weirder than 80% of other LJers.) Find out what your weirdness level is! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, April 7th, 2007
10:34 am	atomicrazorfeed It might seem that the Razor has been quire of late, but this is the case at all, it just that atomicrazorfeed seems to have given up the ghost. If anyone has any ideas (or the correct level of privileges) about how I can poke it back it into life (perhaps the Weasel, who I believe created the feed initially), I would be very grateful. Of course, you could just subscribe to Atomic Razor (http://atomicrazor.blogs.com) using your favourite feed reader and then you won't risk missing any of our pensees. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, February 10th, 2007
12:46 am	So Good They Named It Twice You Are New York Cosmopolitan and sophisticated, you enjoy the newest in food, art, and culture. You also appreciate a good amount of grit - and very little shocks you. You're competitive, driven, and very likely to succeed. Famous people from New York: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tupac Shakur, Woody Allen What American City Are You? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, December 21st, 2006
1:21 pm	No Change There Then... I am: Arthur C. Clarke Well known for nonfiction science writing and for early promotion of the effort toward space travel, his fiction was often grand and visionary. Which science fiction writer are you? Why has this meme suddenly become popular again? It was around 18 months ago (see my entry for Monday, May 9th, 2005). The fact that I am still ACC is strangely reassuring. I think... (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, May 27th, 2006
7:13 pm	"Small, scared, clown" Humh... You scored as 2nd doctor. Small, scared, clown. Three words that sum you up. Recorder music is brilliant. </td> 2nd doctor 58% 3rd doctor 58% 10th Doctor 58% 1st Doctor 58% 5th Doctor 50% 9th Doctor 33% 4th Doctor 17% 7th Doctor 17% 6th doctor 17% Davros 17% a Dalek 8% 8th Doctor 0% What Doctor Who character are You? created with QuizFarm.com (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 31st, 2006
7:02 pm	Very Likely, Yes After you die... In the Ground After death, you will cease to exist. In all likelihood, your carcass will be deposited in the ground. Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 30th, 2005
6:05 pm	Get the Rack, Biggles Hardhat You are an atheist, a rationalist, a believer in the triumph of science and of reason over libido. You can’t stand mumbo jumbo, ritual, spiritual nonsense of any kind, and you refuse to allow for these longings in others. Astrologers, Scientologists and new–age crystal ball creeps are no different in your view from priests, rabbis and imams. They’re all just weak–minded pilgrims on the road to easy answers. Nature as revealed by science is awesome enough for you, but it’s a nature that needs curbing and taming by us on our evolutionary journey to perfection. Your heros are Einstein, Darwin, Marx and — these days — Gould, Blakemore, Watson, Crick and Rosalind Franklin. Could you be hiding a little behind those absolutist views, worried that, if you let in a few doubts and contradictory ideas, the whole edifice might crumble? Loosen up a bit and try to enjoy the amazing variety of human belief systems. Don’t worry — it’s unlikely you’ll end up chanting your days away in some distant mountain cult. What kind of humanist are you? Click here to find out. (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, October 2nd, 2005
4:50 pm	I Quite Like the Picture... You are a Tortured Conceptual Artist. Your fellow postmodernists call you an anachronism, but you've never cared much about the opinions of others. After all, most of them are far too simple-minded to appreciate the nuances of your work. They talk, while you are part of a lived tradition. What kind of postmodernist are you!? brought to you by Quizilla (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 14th, 2005
6:25 pm	These Things are Uncannily Accurate... Your Brain's Pattern You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy. You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts. People may say you're hard to read, but that's because you're so internally focused. But when you do share what you're thinking, people are impressed with your imagination. What Pattern Is Your Brain? (Comment on this)
Sunday, September 11th, 2005
9:45 am	Somehow, Very, Very Appropriate... I've long realised that my life was like a bad movie. But now I've discovered it's an Ed Wood movie, it's all starting to make a kind of horrible sense... Edward D. Wood, Jr. Your film will be 53% romantic, 28% comedy, 28% complex plot, and a $ 27 million budget. Ed Wood will get your film done waaaaay under budget, and will likely make it into a classic film of all time -- for all the wrong reasons. Let's face it, your life isn't terribly exciting to begin with, and it needs some camping up. His resume includes classics such as Plan Nine From Outer Space and Glen or Glenda? He's not afraid to tackle controversial topics, and may insist on portraying a transvestite in your film -- even if you've never seen a transvestite before. He was immortalized in the Academy Award winning Tim Burton film, Ed Wood -- go see it. My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 42% on action-romance You scored higher than 30% on humor You scored higher than 7% on complexity You scored higher than 7% on budget Link: The Director Who Films Your Life Test written by bingomosquito on Ok Cupid (Comment on this)