Recent content by domtyler

Apart from the sour grapes I guess I'm worked up over it because I have a suspicion that the last minute bid, whether sniped or not, is more likely to be motivated by a desire to WIN the item rather than a considered decision to offer a certain amount. And now that I've written than down I see...

That's exactly why we are all going to hell-in-a-hand-basket.

That's not how it happened, I just made one bid, my carefully considered maximum, and during the day checked the auction just once. I'm exaggerating my outrage for effect but I do think that sniping is a counter-productive practice that does not result in cheaper purchases than Max bids.

The whole point is that your max bid should BY DEFINITION be A. reasonable (actually that's between you and your bank manager), and B. not an amount which you would want to increase either by "reseting" or "counter-biding". That's why it's a max bid. By extention there would be no advantage to...

The max bid is still the most honourable way to operate on ebay. Twice now I've lost out to some last minute (second even) sniper on ebay and it's infuriating. Not only is it infuriating it's wholly irrational behavior, presumably these are people who can't decide how much their max bid would be...

What cause would that be? The plucky freedom fighters of Iraq: "The resistance is getting stronger every day, and the will to remain as an occupier by Britain and America is getting weaker everyday. Therefore, it can be said, truly said, that the Iraqi resistance is not just defending Iraq...

Bit mainstream perhaps but I really enjoyed "The constant gardener", in fact it restored my faith in cinema. Fiennes is particularly good and I cried like a baby at the end.

A cautionary tale A while ago I was walking down towards Victoria station beside the high wall that (I think) marks the perimiter of HRH the Queen's back garden and I saw a sad sight. A squirrel had fallen from the wall (possibly due to narcotic over-exposure (which might explain if not excuse...

Seems like everybody got here before me. Oh well. It's certainly worth doing the whole feedback lark. But I wonder, is this a good way to listen to music? After a while, a long and happy while, everything began to sound a bit derivative and I began to reminisce about the late Peel's...

No, I'm hopelessly ignorant about the practice of proper maths. Occasionally I read something mathematical in the New Scientist or online which I think I understand and then seconds later it's wriggled free of my mind's feeble grip and gone. I think I see mathematicians as a slightly different...

Seems I'm off base with the equation idea. Thanks for the comments. I still want to have some kind of mathematical underpinning for the series, something to represent the way mathematics works, building proofs on proofs, chipping away at difficult problems from lots of different directions until...

And these for the slightly older crowd: Fantastic Jam-powered frog action Fight the power!

Don't think these have been mentioned but they are fab... Especially this one: Mr Lunch is very good at chasing birds. In fact, he's a profesional. Also, cool website from author here:http://www.jotto.com/

Hi, Can someone cast a mathematical eye over this idea and tell me if it's possible or interesting or crap. A series of portraits of mathematicians whereby each subject nominates the next on the basis of crossovers between their work or at least connections (mirroring the cross-fertilization...

Some thoughts on democracy in Iran Oliver, you obviously know your stuff and you've done your research. Your post was a challenge wasn't it? Do you feel that those who are reluctant to characterise Iran as a malevolent force with specifically murderous intent are blind to the obvious facts as...