Category Archives: Uncategorized

Where’s the swingometer?   You can’t tell which party someone belongs to by the colour of their tie.   Eeeeek.   Echoes from Brexit: Lots of first time voters. Lots of “timid Trumpites”.   Possible difference from Brexit: I’m not … Continue reading →

Me, when packing: Why do I own so much stuff? Me, setting up a new apartment flat: Why are there so many things I need to buy?

I like buying furniture from IKEA, but it doesn’t always withstand heavy use. Apparently the drawers I bought (MALM) are not designed to hold as many papers as will fit inside them, and within a couple of years the base … Continue reading →

There’s a problem with your seat assignment: we have no seats. We will put you on a flight that leaves seven hours later. There are no seats showing on that flight either. Well, there are four, but I can’t seem … Continue reading →

Describing my research to non-mathematicians is tricky. The precise statement of my theorem usually requires a lot of background that even mathematicians in different fields may not have; much as I love explaining maths to people, it’s just not practical … Continue reading →

Yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Hobby Lobby, a for-profit corporation, is exempt from the legal requirement to cover certain contraceptives as part of its health insurance plan for employees because of the Religious Freedom Restoration … Continue reading →

Today I received my first unsolicited “proof” that it’s possible to square the circle. A footnote on the first page reads An advise: If you strongly believe that (1) 3.1415926… is the value of π. (2) π is a transcendental … Continue reading →

A couple of weeks ago I was at a meal at a friend’s place. We were talking about the process of peer review for a paper; one of the other guests commented “you’re lucky it doesn’t get sent to India … Continue reading →

I’m angry. Very angry. Angry enough to write about it, which is saying something. Rabbi Kimche has written an open letter (edit: now posted on his blog) about why he thinks Orthodox rabbis (and in fact, Orthodox Jews in general) … Continue reading →

I was on my way into the supermarket. The person in front of me went through the automatic door with no problem, and the door opened as normal for everyone who came in after me. But when I walked up … Continue reading →