The Ultimate Time-Waster

Strictly for those with nothing better to do: Popping Virtual Bubble-Wrap.

(Via Mathematics under the Microscope.)

The Brass Trinket

On Wednesday evening I took my daughter Zoe to see the Golden Compass.  I read her the Dark Materials trilogy a few years ago and last month she read all three again by herself, just to be ready for the film.  Beforehand I thought it was inevitable that the film would simplify and tone-down the books.  Film-makers have to be cautious with the first part of a trilogy because, if it doesn't make enough money, they don't get to make the second and third parts.

Before we even got in to the film, in the foyer an middle-aged woman approached us and furtively asked if we would be interested in coming to see a free film on Saturday morning.  I said "No" without even thinking, and only later realised that it was probably some form of religious protest.  Very sad.

The film starts with a Lord of the Rings style voice-over which explains the major themes of the story.  In the book Pullman unfolds the plot gradually and the significance of Lyra only slowly becomes apparent to the reader.  In the film this is all put right up at the front.  I was disappointed and leant over to Zoe and said something like "Well, that's given away all the plot.  We might as well go home now!".  I can only think that the makers did this because the first showings indicated that  audiences found the plot to be too confusing.

Throughout the film I found myself spotting other Lord of the Rings moments:

• Iorek Byrnisson was voiced by Gandalf (Ian McKellen).
• Among the leaders of the Magisterium, Saruman (Christopher Lee) makes a brief appearance.
  
• The Magisterium headquarters seem very similar to Denethor's palace in Minas Tirith. 
• The charge of the 'gyptians at the battle of Bolvangar reminded me of the charge of Rohirrim at the battle of the Pelennor Fields.
• Towards the end, Lyra and Roger wander off together, rather like Frodo and Sam do at the end of the Fellowship of the Ring.
  

I also noticed that Daniel Craig got to do some James Bond stuff in the snow at Svalbard.

My first reaction on coming out of the cinema was of slight disappointment.  I felt that film was too rushed: it could have done with another 30 minutes.  But on further reflection I see this disappointment as a good sign: it means that I was still wanting more.  I will certainly be taking Zoe to see part 2.

Solving Linear Equations on the Train

From a post by Alexandre Borovik at Mathematics under the Microscope: 

... from a mathematical point of view, solving a (elementary level) Sudoku puzzle is nothing more than solving a triangle system of Boolean equations by back substitution, something very similar to what we do after a Gauss-Jordan elimination in a system of simultaneous linear equations. But has anyone ever seen people on a train solving systems of linear equations from a newspaper?  ...

(As it happens, I have myself solved systems of linear equations on trains.  It was when I took some maths courses with the Open University 10 years ago.  I did most of my studying on the train to and from work.)

Ancient Tracks on the North Yorkshire Moors

About 400 metres west of Hob Hole, a set of tracks descend from Little Hograh Moor to cross Baysdale Beck.  Old tracks can be found all over the North Yorkshire Moors.  Often they form intertwining braids like this, as if the line of a single road has meandered from side to side over many years.  I suppose it is most likely that they were made in mediaeval times by  sheep and cattle being driven to and from moorland farms owned by the many abbeys and priories in the area.  However, I like to think that their origin is much older, dating back to the Bronze Age and the beginnings of agriculture in the area, but this is just speculation on my part.  (Image from Google Maps.)

Pluvialis almost loses her Goshawk

Reading this was the highlight of the week for me.