Smithers

Hello everybody,

It seems highly likely that my shiny new MacBook Pro, for which I saved up for six months, and treated myself to a couple of months ago, was removed from my bag somewhere in the West End today while I was enjoying a day walking around and chatting with kvetcheternal.

This would suck a lot more if I weren't fully insured (though I'll be out of pocket for the £50 excess) and my data wasn't fully backed up. I'm really glad about that now.

I think I should mention that my address book, containing contact information for my friends, colleagues and family including I expect most of those reading this, will be accessible to the thieves. I apologise for this and will certainly be encrypting my HD once I have a replacement machine. I've only begun to consider the possible security implications of this event in terms of fraud and similar... gah.

Anyway, both the police and my insurance company have been informed; the police have a description including the serial number which is engraved in the bottom of the casing. Fingers crossed though obviously I'm not hopeful.

That's all, really. Hey ho.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Hello everyone,

About one month ago I posted about my intentions to travel to Paris, and I invited people to come along. I didn't get much in the way of response.

So, I'm posting again with a slightly more detailed plan and pricing. Since the affordable Eurostar tickets are disappearing fast, I would like to book this weekend so if you're interested please let me know immediately. ( See more below the cut. )

Greetings!

Once again, much time has passed since my last post. You can follow my occasional musings on Twitter now if you like, I am centrillium.

I have a job. Jobs come with holidays and I get to choose when they are. I have decided to go to Paris this summer, for about 10 days I think, encompassing the period 2-5 July in order to attend the Japan Expo. I would be delighted to have some company during this trip, so anyone reading this is invited to join me. Note that this will more or less immediately follow this year's Hay on Wye trip, which is on the 27 and 28 June.

As a little background, in addition to attending the Japan Expo, the purpose of this trip for me is also to do a little research and get an idea of what living in Paris might be like, since I am considering looking for a job there (there is lots of Areva NP activity in Paris, shockingly).

So, who would be up for this?

( I have included some very cursory cost estimates below the cut, most of which will be fairly obvious. )

I usually make quite long posts here but I thought I'd make one that's short and snappy for a change.

I saw WALL•E yesterday and loved it to bits.

I would like to buy a copy in HD, but I'm not convinced about the merits of blu-ray (and have no way to play blu-ray in any case).

As far as I'm aware legal ways to download HD content aren't really there yet - there are TV-oriented services requiring boxes e.g. X-box Live or Apple TV, and there's iTunes but that's currently limited to TV shows if you don't have Apple TV. I don't own a TV and have no desire to own one (I'm planning to buy a nice big computer monitor that should do the trick).

Does anyone know of any options I haven't mentioned?

It has been a long time since I made a ‘general update’ post here, and since we are at the start of a shiny new year I thought I’d post something long overdue just for the record.

( Long and rambly retrospective below the cut (with photos). )

Further to my previous post, I would like to propose the following:

Interesting mainstream cinema titles are at present rather sparse; the obvious choice - The Day the Earth Stood Still - Rotten Tomatoes (linked) rates at 20%.

I therefore suggest a trip to the Prince Charles Cinema, known to attendees of ICSF's recent bookcrawls, on Saturday night to see the 8:50 pm showing of Tropic Thunder, which I have heard is good. This might follow an evening meal in immediately adjacent Chinatown; I suggest Ikkyusan, favourite of the Anime Society for end-of-term socials. This in turn might follow shopping or other towny activities if there is interest. I know this is a late showing, but I don't think anyone will have trouble getting home.

Prices - £5 for the cinema, or £3.50 for those with membership cards for the 10% discount at Forbidden Planet (or for cheap cinema tickets). Ikkyusan is mediumly priced, expect to pay around £10-12 for a good meal.

Feedback during the House of Fail Xmas dinner suggests there should be some interest. If you would like to come, please indicate this in a comment. That's all!

Its been ages since my last post, and a proper update is definitely overdue. Unfortunately, I'm writing this in the few minutes I have before I have to leave for work, so I don't have time now!

This post is to let people know that I'm planning to be in London for a long weekend, from this coming Thursday night or early on Friday to Monday morning. This period will include bazzalisk & cathos's Winterval Extravaganzah on Saturday night, but at other times, it would be nice to catch up with people and generally do stuff. Would anyone be interested in any of the following during the period in question?

• Cinema trip


• Restaurant trip


• Shopping in town


• [insert item here]

Apologies for the lack of specifics. I may be in touch at later times!

Hello everybody!

Just a quick update. Life is pretty good. I've moved back in with my parents, very temporarily; and I've been looking for a job.

This morning I went up to Stafford to interview for a position on the Graduate Development Scheme at Areva T&D. This afternoon, I was told by e-mail that I was being given a job offer, which I am likely to accept.

( More details beneath the cut. )

( Photos! )

Yes... like david_bartram, I will make a brief post to say...

I've finished my degree! Job's a good'un (I'll almost certainly get a 2-1).


Those attending Smithersfest: Stratford (kvetcheternal, david_bartram, and Chris Hutchinson) - expect an e-mail from me today with final details of where and when to meet, what to bring, etc.

Another post, hot on the heels of the announcement of Smithersfest: Stratford...

Yes, firstly I'd like to remind people about that. So far I have a yes from kvetcheternal, a tentative yes from david_bartram, and some interest from the gentleman I shall refer to as Kung-Fu Chris (who isn't on LJ, so I will need to follow up with him by other means). Are there any other takers? Also, if Peter and Dave could get any audio-visual entertainment requests in soonish, that would be nice. :-)

Secondly, on the Wednesday after my exams (4th June) I intend to go into town, in order (among other things) to give blood. I understand that there was a blood donation trip fairly recently, so the population of potential co-donors is somewhat depleted, but if there's anyone who's due and can make Wednesday, please let me know!

That's all for now. For those with exams - gambare!

Hi everybody...! Another irregular update from Smithers.

First of all, it is exam time once again but this year all is well... well, nearly. I'm quite stressed, but not to anything like the degree of the previous two years. I've done two, there are three to go, and I'm feeling pretty good. At this point it would be a bit of a surprise if my degree didn't end up as a 2-1.

The main purpose of this post is to announce an event - Smithersfest: Stratford. I want to do something fun and relaxing after my exams, so... if the thought of disappearing off for a weekend in leafy Warwickshire, watching stuff and eating very tasty foods appeals to you (and you're not going to be exam stressing on the weekend of the 7-8 June), you should take a look below the cut! ( *cut* )

Hello!

This is just to let everyone know that bazzalisk, kazmar, kvetcheternal and myself will be going to the Cineworld on Fulham Road to watch Iron Man tomorrow. We will be catching the 3:10pm showing, because kvetcheternal has a game in the evening.

If anyone reading this would like to join us, feel free to come along!

Please note: the choice of Wednesday for the trip is to take advantage of the Orange Wednesdays offer, since kvetcheternal and I are Orange customers, so the four of us can go in at half price. Anybody else coming along should organise with an Orange customer or expect to pay full price, since splitting the price when there's less than half Orange customers in a cinema trip is a bit of a faff.

Sorry to make this LJ even more of a stuck record than it already is, but...

I think anyone interested in energy and climate change should have a look at this website. Essentially, it boils down to a proposal to replace coal-fired combustion units at existing plants with high temperature nuclear reactors, whilst keeping all of the balance of plant (steam generators, turbines, transformers, substations etc.).

As someone who considers himself fairly conversant in the language, the author is very clearly an engineer who really knows what he's talking about. I read his proposal and immediately thought, 'that's a really good idea'. Now, there might be technical issues he isn't aware of (in fact there probably are), but its definitely food for thought. Far more realistic than a North-African/European super grid powered by concentrating solar plants in the Sahara...

Greetings one and all!

I've been mentioning this to various people for a week or so, and kvetcheternal has said he will come, but here's an LJ post to make it official. Since it is my birthday on the 12th of February, I thought I might offer to take some peeps up to my distant homeland of Stratford upon Avon, or more specifically a largely residential suburb of Stratford called Wellesbourne, on the weekend before (9th and 10th of February).

( Details below the cut. )

I saw this report summary linked on NEI Nuclear Notes today, and was really impressed by how concise and comprehensive it is. If you're at all interested in energy and the environment, and have ten minutes to spare, you should read it (its only five pages).

My favourite quote: "In general, only if very high weight is given to social factors (e.g. aversion towards hypothetical severe accidents) does the analysis show that nuclear power is not in the group of the most advantageous generating technologies."

Sorry for this brief technical interlude. :-) Actual event organisey posts coming soon!

If you've spent much time around me, chances are you've heard some of what's in this post before... ( Long and rambly musings follow. )

Quick call out for help!

Can anyone recommend a textbook on numerical methods? Specifically, I need methods for solving Euler's equations and the Euler-angle rate equations. These are the coupled differential equations of rotational motion for rigid bodies. The context is a spacecraft attitude dynamics simulation.

I kind of need to find one by Monday, and my google-fu is weak... it would save me a lot of legwork if peeps just recommended one. ;-)

Thanks!

Well then...

A Smithersfest was requested (by not_on_fire), so a Smithersfest there shall be!

It will be this Saturday, 22nd September, at my house in Battersea as ever. Afternoon/evening, since I doubt people would want an all-nighter this soon to the start of term, so say a 2.00 pm start.

Showings. As of this writing there doesn't seem to be a torrent yet for a sub of the first Evangelion Rebuild movie... if one turns up before Saturday expect it to be shown! I have recently acquired Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society, and I would certainly like to show it (it is awesome). I'd like to show Stargate as well since its always good fun! Other than that, no firm ideas... suggestions very welcome!

So that I know roughly how many to expect, if you can come, please leave a comment. :-)

That's all!

Well, everyone, the date for the Blood Trip has been set. Based on conversations between bazzalisk and various others, he and I will definitely be going into town to give blood on Tuesday lunchtime, that is this Tuesday 21st, at 12 pm.

Meet at the West End Blood Centre (put W1W 8NB into google maps, and note the address is 26 Margaret Street - but I think most people reading this who might be interested will know where it is).

We should be finished in time for a nice lunch somewhere nearby and maybe some shopping, for those who don't have to hurry back to work. :-)

Who can join us?