A Plea for Indices

Recent news reports of developments in cosmological theories mention 'a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second'.

That appears to mean 10^-36 seconds.

Confronted by a number either very large or very small, people are likely to count the digits to the left of the decimal point, or the leading zeroes to the right. It is therefore considerate to do the counting for them.

To someone who can't convert it to standard form 'a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second' means little more than 'a number too small for you to understand' so nothing would be lost by using index form in the first place.

Following The Leader

I heard that the Great Leader of North Korea has commanded that all men copy their leader's haircut.

Had he ordained that they all copy his large tummy, he'd have had to find a great deal of additional food.

When he's photographed surrounded by subordinates and admirers, he looks like a food source surrounded by hungry predators.

Learning Slowly

I recently started to revise my abstract algebra. I'm making good progress by going slowly. Each morning I advance one more step through the text book, where a step is either a new idea or a theorem, and then I enliven such humdrum activities as washing up, waiting for a bus, or peeling vegetables, by thinking about the idea of the day.

I actually cover each step three times, because I  preface taking the next step by re-reading the previous day's idea, and follow it by skimming quickly through what comes next.

So far I've got through 60 pages without a hitch.

Getting Away with Murder

A criminal prosecution has been halted because a government official had given the accused a letter promising immunity from prosecution for terrorist crimes connected to Northern Ireland. That letter was issued after an amnesty bill presented to Parliament had been withdrawn in the face of opposition, so immunity was granted, not just without the knowledge of Parliament, but in defiance of Parliament.

The precedent is terrifying. Some future government could set up 'hit' squads to eliminate its opponents, and give all squad members letters of immunity.

I propose the impeachment of whoever authorised the sending of those letters.

Enjoying the Garden.

It seemed to be a long time since I did any gardening, so long that I'd almost forgotten there was gardening to be done, but today's dry mild sunny weather tempted me outside, and I wrought destruction with my secateurs. It was most satisfying !!

Neglected Insulation

On my way the into town today I decided to put on my gloves, realising as I did so that it was the first time I'd worn gloves since well before Christmas.

I don't think there's been a single day this Winter when the temperature at midday has been below freezing, and, although I have spotted the odd snowflake, no snow has settled on the ground.

Rocket Science and its Contraries

"It isn't rocket science" has become a cliché for 'easy'.

Yet the science behind rockets is not at all recondite. It's a matter of gas pressure, momentum and viscosity. The details involve complicated calculations, but that shouldn't worry the owner of a calculator.

For difficult maths and science, consider the Riemann zeta function, or the eigenvalues of a quantum operator. Alas, most people feel no perplexity about those questions, because they've never even heard of them.

Reviving Past Frugality

Yesterday I darned a pullover. It was a knitted pullover and had a little hole that would have grown rapidly without action.

I've got into the habit of throwing clothes away as a soon as I notice serious dilapidation, but it struck me that that is very wasteful, so I darned the pullover. At one time most garments were darned or patched a few time before being discarded, and superannuated knitted garments would be unravelled and the wool preserved for knitting something else.

Nowadays it is rare to see darns or patches even on the clothes of people who consider themselves poor. Perhaps we should re-define poverty as needing to darn one's socks.

"Scientifically Proven"

Some phrases annoy me greatly. Particularly irritating is "Scientifically Proven".

It appears in a television advertisement for something or other - I've never paid it enough attention to find out what is being advertised.

Scientific research does not prove things true; it tests hypotheses, and at best provides grounds for accepting them as a basis for further investigations.

I also  note the use of 'proven' instead of 'proved', hinting at the solemnity of legal proceedings.

I must find out what commodity is being advertised, so I can make a point of not buying it.

An Example to all Teenagers.

I'm delighted by the story of the two sixth formers who absconded from a boarding school to have a holiday in the Carribean.

It was at once a challenge to the pomposity of teachers, who tend to take themselves far too seriously - I used to be a teacher so I know what it's like - and a well deserved rebuke to parents who care so little for their children that they are prepared to pay nearly £30 000 per year to have them looked after by someone else.

I don't expect the couple thought about making a gesture. It's reported that they were just fed up with the rain and wanted to go somewhere sunny. That they thought school and families less important than that should put those authorities firmly in their place.

Well done!!

A Plea for Virtual Fireworks

Impressive firework displays were televised last night, and although large crowds gathered to watch at the scene, most of the spectators must have watched on the television. So for most people a computer generated simulation would have been at least as good, and very much cheaper.

Some Very Long Trains

I've just been reading about the Ghan train that goes from Adelaide on the South coast of Australia, to Darwin on the North coast.. I gather it's quite common for trains to have 30 coaches and sometimes even more.

See http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/home.jsp

Part of the case made for a new railway line  from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds is that there is little spare capacity on the existing railways, but the possibility of having longer trains seems to have had little attention.