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Understanding The Voynich Manuscript #4

Understanding The Voynich Manuscript #4 If not Latin, then what? Please see the links at...

Understanding the Voynich Manuscript #3

Understanding the Voynich Manuscript #3 Plants and the moon. For thousands of years, people...

Understanding the Voynich Manuscript #2

Understanding the Voynich Manuscript #2 An i for an i ? Not nymphs: women! There are...

Understanding The Voynich Manuscript #1

Understanding the Voynich Manuscript #1 Tom, Dick and Harry explain a statistical method. ...

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Patrick LockerbyRSS Feed of this column.

Retired engineer, 73 years young. Computer builder and programmer. Linguist specialising in language acquisition and computational linguistics. Interested in every human endeavour except the scrooge... Read More »

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A Glossary of Alternative Reality #1

A Glossary of Alternative Reality #1

Jun 17 2010 | comment(s)

A Glossary of Alternative Reality  #1


If you analyse deliberate disinformation deeply - and manage to retain your sanity - you tend to observe some fascinating nuances and psychological tricks.

A bonus in such analyses is the discovery of things which - expressed in deliberately non-scientific terms - are quite amusing.

In an alternate reality, you might find definitions like mine in a dictionary or glossary.

_______________________________________________________
Speed camera

        A scientific instrument for detecting the difference between

        30.000 000 m.p.h.    
Clausewitz On Science

Clausewitz On Science

Jun 17 2010 | comment(s)

Clausewitz On Science


Clausewitz On War - yes.  But Clausewitz On Science?

Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz is famous for his book Vom Kriege - On War.  In that book he is very specific in stating that there is no 'science of war'.

In order for someone to state quite categorically that an area of study is not a science they must first know enough about science to be able to determine the matter scientifically.
I? Robot?

I? Robot?

Jun 17 2010 | comment(s)

I?  Robot?

Okay, so I got the logicman handle for being a bit like Mr. Spock.

But I am not a robot.


I used to get called professor at school because I was so absent-minded.

But I am not an absent-minded robot.


So why does Google News offer me this advice?



MODIS Rapidfire For Citizen Scientists - #1

MODIS Rapidfire For Citizen Scientists - #1

Jun 16 2010 | comment(s)

MODIS Rapidfire For Citizen Scientists - #1

A brief explanation of the NASA/GSFC MODIS Rapid Response System - Rapidfire - together with a Howto for citizen scientists.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration / Goddard Space Flight Center Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer is a bit of a mouthful, so I'll just refer to it as Rapidfire from here on, if you don't mind.
The MODIS Rapid Response System was developed to provide daily satellite images of the Earth's landmasses in near real time.  True-color, photo-like imagery and false-color imagery are available within a few hours of being collected, making the system a valuable resource ...

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Arctic Summer 2010 - Hot Or Not?

Arctic Summer 2010 - Hot Or Not?

Jun 15 2010 | comment(s)

Arctic Summer 2010 - Hot Or Not?


Will it get very warm in the Arctic this summer?

It is already so warm in many parts of the Arctic that floes which would normally obstruct the free flow of ice for weeks or months are now surviving only days before breaking up.  That is abnormal.  The long term trend in summer peak temperatures shows little rise.  That is because most of the rise has occurred outside of the summer season.

Before moving on, I have to give credit to Neven for the astute observation about summer temperatures.
Understanding Depression

Understanding Depression

Jun 15 2010 | comment(s)

Understanding Depression

I suffer from depression. 

One day I may write more fully about how it affects me, and how I cope.  But not just yet.

If you have never suffered from depression you may be mistaken in your ideas about the problem.  For me, depression is a 'pressing down', an energy-sapping burden.  I have to fight to summon up the mental energy to do anything at all.  Even sitting at my keyboard writing articles is very tiring.

The other side of depression can be a bonus.  I get strong creative urges from time to time which so inspire me to write that I can do little else.  I am an obsessive-compulsive creative writer.