* Posts by Michael H.F. Wilkinson

4248 publicly visible posts • joined 24 Apr 2007

Python orgy menaces Yorkeys Knob canoes

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Coat

So the pythons showed

the full Monty?

Mine is the one with the Holy Grail DVD in the pocket

End of an era: Atlantis hits the tarmac

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

End of an era indeed

I remember I was just painting the my first ever student room when the first shuttle was launched. I will raise a glass to the guys at NASA, who despite many flaws and problems, still gave us a lot to cheer about

Russia’s space telescope in orbit

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

They may have meant

the biggest space telescope, not the biggest satellite

Many satellites other than the Mentors can be seen by stargazers (even with the naked eye). With my 15x70 binoculars, I start to resolve structure in the ISS and similar sized satellites, but many others are readily visible.

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Boffin

Not necessarily better, but differnt

In astronomy, things get really exciting when you can line up different instruments on the same target, to see what it is doing at different wavelengths. Another important difference is that by itself, Spektr-R's images will be much poorer than any radio telescope on the surface of the globe. However, by combining its signals with ground-based scopes we synthetically make large dish, much in the way the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, or the Very Large Array, or more recently LOFAR build up an image using multiple antennae to simulate a very large one.

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Doesn't being in tune to disease mean

dying horribly of causes we can now not only cure but often prevent?

Science and engineering are the main reason human beings have FAR more heartbeats during their lives than other mammals.

Astronomy actually came into being because we needed to predict when to sow and harvest.

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Boffin

A lot of good science is happening right now, despite cuts

Perhaps you should follow real scientific literature now and then and not rely on newspaper articles (which I know can be seriously disjoint from what the scientist actually said). The very science you deride has brought you all the improvements in computing power, and many real cures as well. The work I do as a scientist (computer vision) has ranged from determining whether a drug attacks a specific cancer before administering it, through detection of malformations in blood vessels, and automatically scanning through terapixels of astronomical images for peculiar objects, to supporting post-disaster rescue efforts by automatically analyzing remote-sensing images for collapsed buildings. In the latest case we brought down the compute time from 104 days (=useless) to 8 hours (=useful). I also know cancer deaths have been reduced for certain types, in particular in the case of certain early cancers (no work of mine).

There is a lot of excellent science being done, though I agree more could and should be done. Funding cuts are not just undermining scientific progress, but also the status it has in society (or more particularly bureaucrats). I also agree school science can and should be improved.

I would invite every capable worker in science/technology to get involved in doing just that, by spending time at schools getting children involved in science. I taught some basic science/engineering lessons at my boy's school (they are 7 and 9) and it is great fun. We also organize outreach programs to secondary schools close to our uni, and that too is really nice. Too bad that that funding cuts are threatening even that.

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Sounds like a machine from a Bond movie

but great instrument once it gets operational. Very Long Base Line Interferometry (VLBI) is about to become ULBI (Ultra Long Base Line Interferometry), fitting, given ULTRA was a British (counter)-espionage unit involved in radio snooping and code breaking: Ultra meets Spektr-R.

Intel CEO: 'Ultrabooks' will be 'holistic' success

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Quite right

In the words of Niklaus Wirth:

"Software is getting slower faster than hardware is getting faster"

Apple kills MacBook, soups up MacBook Air

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Is it Apple's implementation you have a problem with

or bluetooth in general? I have few problems with my bluetooth kit (under Linux and Windows)

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Given Apple's attitude to Java

that is no surprise, at least as far as computer science students or any others that need to use Java code (bioinformatics anyone?).

MPs probe science behind bogus gov booze guidelines

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

I will do it

if they give me enough to drink.

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

I'll dirnk to having a scientific symposium on this topic

After all, "symposium" means get together for the purpose of drinking (literally).

"One aspect absent from the call for submissions is the close relationship between the academic community and policy makers."

I am all for closer links between scientists and pubs

'Wilful blindness? We've heard of it,' says Murdoch

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Well, at least he is old enough

to make the Ronald Reagan defense ( (I do not recall)^N ) plausible.

However, if he really does not recall, through whatever dementia, he should retire. If he does not retire, he cannot rely on dementia as an excuse.

Japanese erections named 'Bollox', 'Wonder Device'

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Thumb Up

What a beautiful example

of Engrish!!

We collected quite a few on our trip to Japan, but this must be the best.

Thumbs up, because, well, where else would it point

Robots form band, rock out to Marilyn Manson

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Yep!

see title

UK top cop: Coulson 'blindingly obviously' mixed up in hacking

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

or all three at once?

or am I being obstructively cynical?

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Black Helicopters

Why is it obvious

we tapped their phones, obvious, init?

First snap of giant asteroid Vesta from orbiting probe

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Neat shot

My scope only shows a speck, moving slowly between the stars

Get your kit off for Putin, win an iPad 2, Russian ladies told

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

The century of the fruitbat

is nearly over

try to keep up

;-)

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

Re: what

that's a nasty thought, cannot get the image you just conjured up out of my head.

Beer needed

DARPA project seeks immortality, suspended animation

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

B u t i f I s l o w d o w n

to reach a high age, will that not be very boring?

NASA

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Coat

Though you never know if NASA is not interested in geese

goose-powered space ship, anyone?

Mine is the the space suit

Firms fight over universal remote control patents

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Can I patent pitching a brick

as a means and method for permanently switching off any television, or any audiovisual playback or recording device, or any other device controlled by IR remote control, or any other electromagnetic or ultrasonic means, without any learning involved?

Just a thought

Pick a winner: The Sarah Hunter Google competition

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Boffin

I always thought

People in chaos theory were paranoid due to the shadowing lemma right behind them

iPhone plunges 13,500 ft from skydiver's pocket - and lives

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Maybe Stephen Fry's explanation of GPS was used

init?

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

One in a million chances

always crop up, well known fact

Just ask Sergeant Colon

Captain Kirk's Google+ account gets zapped

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Alien

He said hello on the wrong hailing frequency

maybe?

CERN 'gags' physicists in cosmic ray climate experiment

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Boffin

Actually

as an amateur astronomer, with a long log of sunspot counts, I am seeing a very quiet sun in the last few years. The last minimum was very deep, and much too long, the current maximum is occasionally throwing up fireworks, but I have also seen some very quiet periods, unlike anything I got in the late 1970s, early 1980s when I started observing.

The current low activity may be a glitch, but it seems to be part of a trend. We may well be in for a prolonged period of low activity, which could be similar to the Maunder minimum.

Pity for those who invest heavily in a hydrogen alpha filter for their scope if it is true, because the fireworks they will get to see with this expensive kit may be less than hoped for.

SeaMicro pushes 'Atom smasher' to 768 cores in 10U box

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Boffin

Sounds very interesting

I can almost fit my entire image (1.5 terapixel remote sensing stuff) into main memory

;-)

seriously, really interesting machine given the performance and power draw

SpaceShipOne designer produces hybrid flying car

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Remarkable guy, this Rutan

for an encore, he will make this flying car go into space?

then all he has to do is invent slood for us.

HP TouchPad 32GB WebOS tablet

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Shame about the delays, I liked the look of WebOS

but settled for an android phone nonetheless (to replace both a regular phone and my good old Tungsten T3).

Microsoft rolls out One Big Windows strategy

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Just a bit of advice

Both Balmer and the Windows OS need to go on a diet. Balmer for continued health, and the OS for this plan to succeed.

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Flame

HERETICS!!!!!

EMACS is the one true editor!!!

vi is venom incarnate

;-)

Parmo v poutine: Your cut-out-and-keep pdf guide

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Sounds like mr Creosote would like these

Put it all in a bucket, and have another bucket on stand by.

Asteroid hunter achieves Vesta orbit

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

Nah, the colour is all wrong

for vindaloo. It looks more like some dreadful, congealed concoction made from whale blubber. Nutritious, no doubt, but it rest on the stomach like a lead bowling ball.

Beer, because, well, in goes down well with vindaloo.

Vote now for the juiciest LOHAN backronym

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Thumb Up

Agreed!

In true GNU style recursive acronyms should be prefered.

Samsung Chromebook: The $499 Google thought experiment

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

As opposed to adding a really fat goally

as in the case of anti-virus software in the MS world

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Boffin

Google docs is rather limited indeed

For really complex documents I really prefer LaTeX

You try automatic numbering of equations with numbers in parentheses BEHIND the equation in word, plus automatically referring to them. Real nightmare.

Besides, one earlier MS-Word version packed in after you tried to create more than 128 equation objects (which means these "links" were stored in a fixed size array in the file format (after all who needs more than 640 kB RAM)). It was not my document, but a PhD thesis of some student at our department years back. He scorned all the rest of us for using old-fashioned LaTeX, instead of something modern. When he hit the 128 equation barrier, the tables were turned.

Murdoch man who also worked at Scotland Yard ARRESTED

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Flame

Grilling is WRONG

given Murdoch's age he should be left to stew until tender!!

Flame should be set to "simmer"

New tumor trial rules mobiles 'not guilty'

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Joke

The irritation stems from the voice on the other end

for me at least

Official: Pastafarian strainer titfer is religious headgear

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Happy

Just a few questions

- Since many are bashing organized religion, should we encourage disorganized religion instead?

- If the CoFSM is a true religion, how many schisms has it had? (any organized religion worth its salt has had many)

- Is there a prize for the best use of a pasta strainer?

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Gluten intolerance?

In his great wisdom and kindness, the FSM gave us buckwheat, to make gluten-free soba noodles!!

Praise be!!

can we have an FSM icon?

Scientists snap amazing technicolour dreamtoad

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Coat

Weren't these used to produce dried frog pills?

You know, the ones that in the right dose make mad people hallucinate they are sane?

Will News of the Screws reappear as Sunday.co.uk?

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Coat

They now no longer say NI !!

they say "Ekki, Ekki, Ekki!!"

I'll get me coat

Parmo v poutine: The ultimate post-pub nosh deathmatch

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Thumb Up

Kroket bitterbal and frikandel

Just a typo there, the German frikadel (meat ball) is very different from the Dutch frikandel (sausage of the CMOT Dibbler type).

BTW a bitterbal is just a kroket but smaller, and round rather than cylindrical. They are usually served at cocktail parties and receptions. The correct etiquette after biting one is to say "Eeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuh" with your hand in front of your mouth.

Thumbs up to "savoury napalm"

Terrafugia flying car gets road-safety exemptions

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Paris Hilton

The RG flying cra desk now how to reduce the weight!

PAPER!!!!

worked for PARIS

I finally got a SFW excuse for the use of this icon

Who'll keep taking Windows Tablets in the iPad era?

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

"I can't see Redmond buggering it up this time, but you never know."

I can.

Really, even with my eyes shut.

This is not simply MS bashing, I simply have an undying faith in the ability of people anywhere (and that includes myself) to get things terribly wrong in ways we never could imagine. This is a kind of inverse creativity embodied in Bergholt Stuttley (or Bloody Stupid) Johnson on the Discworld.

However, MS might get it beautifully right.

Insider says doom looms at RIM

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

If problems are opportunities

could someone please solve my opportunities for me then?

Do we really want 100Gig Ethernet?

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

Spot on!

Latency kills distributed computing far more than pure bandwidth.

Still remember coax though, and 300 baud connections to the Cyber 170/760 (AARGH)

Ballmer leaves investors speechless in Seattle

Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
Pint

Or

I am not as think as you drunk I am