Posts by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
(DIR) Post #AwdBG5aSdxAcjX358a by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-07-29T16:23:23Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
Been having a discussion, and thought I'd have a quick poll. Please boost to get this beyond my bubble.Is zero:
(DIR) Post #Awr1JGTsEpDuhoNOjo by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-08-05T08:30:03Z
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"I need to learn about the Windows BSoD, so I'm taking a crash course." -- https://mathstodon.xyz/@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk/114008698199375294
(DIR) Post #AydJgSHucuWuC43tpY by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-09-27T08:30:03Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
"Fox News did to our parents what our parents were afraid video games would do to us." -- Stephen King
(DIR) Post #AytT6xCwIXMdjenyKW by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-10-05T08:30:03Z
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Perendinate (verb) : To procrastinate for a long time, especially two days. *Me:* Two days? Pff - amateurs.
(DIR) Post #B0VW1q2u6kVlXUFHHM by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-11-22T09:30:03Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
"One learns from books and example only that certain things can be done. Actual learning requires that you do those things." -- Frank Herbert
(DIR) Post #B0eja37AMRotppOpQO by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-11-25T09:30:03Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
I hate elevators, so I take steps to avoid them.
(DIR) Post #B0fi3JuSzTM3ZWFUyO by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-11-27T13:02:08Z
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@neil If you take the "c" from the from and the "x" from the end of "cardboard box" you get"Ardbo Ardbo".
(DIR) Post #B1S33xl8WSteFvrd3Y by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-12-20T20:48:06Z
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"Before Siri and Alexa, there was ELIZA"People remain easy to fool.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMK9AphfLcoI have my theories as to why this might be so, but there's not way to verify (or refute!) them.
(DIR) Post #B1ThjWMexNM0mOkKdk by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-12-21T15:03:02Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
SOLSTICE !!!!We now return you to your regular programming.As you were ...#Solstice #Solstice2025
(DIR) Post #B1ThkwxDaAsxXGWlqC by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2025-12-21T14:53:20Z
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Just a reminder that while the amount of time of daylight will, in the Northern Hemisphere, now start to increase, nevertheless the time of sunrise will continue to get later until it reaches it's latest time on Dec 29th or Dec 30th.It's just that the sunset is *also* getting later, and from now on (for a few months) at a rate greater than sunrise.Just thought I'd mention.#Solstice #Solstice2025
(DIR) Post #B256bojd8XK0C4kOLw by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2026-01-08T09:30:03Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
"I once absent-mindedly ordered Three Mile Island dressing in a restaurant and, with great presence of mind, they brought Thousand Island Dressing and a bottle of chilli sauce." -- Terry Pratchett
(DIR) Post #B2PqlokUQCfaBZ3QUS by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2026-01-18T09:30:04Z
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"Anyone who believes in conspiracy theories has clearly never tried to organise a meal for four or more people." -- Source?
(DIR) Post #B2WdOyKyODJXhZAIUq by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T16:53:53Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@robinhouston To me, "just about" implies failure. If I recount a success I would use "only just".
(DIR) Post #B2WdmaPB1KYmQYOKIq by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T22:51:32Z
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@basil I think it's more finely grained than that. I know multiple UK people who think "I just about caught the train" means it was missed.It's not just UK vs US.@clacke @robinhouston
(DIR) Post #B2We3I6YJXEeane56e by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T22:50:14Z
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@basil I find that bizarre, so we should, all of us, stand warned that we might be misunderstood if we use this phrase.@clacke @robinhouston
(DIR) Post #B2We3TTe21F7rbXB7w by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T19:20:59Z
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@JoEnglish I'm utterly astonished that people interpret "I just about caught the train" as meaning that they caught it.Just. Astonished.I accept that this is how people seem to interpret it, and it's clearly idiomatic usage, but it seems completely illogical to me.If you succeed then I expect you to say "I just caught the train", or "I only just caught the train", but to say "I just about caught the train" clearly, to me, means you missed it.Language is weird.@robinhouston
(DIR) Post #B2We3p11x5QUfEJda4 by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T20:54:20Z
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@richardelwes "Have you finished your homework?" ... "Just about" ... means no, but I'm close."Are you six feet tall?" ... "Just about" ... means no, but I'm close."Did you catch the train?" ... "Just about" ... means ... ?I simply cannot read "I just about caught the train" as meaning that you did catch it, and while I must, based on the evidence, accept as an axiom that some people do, I am utterly baffled by it.@robinhouston
(DIR) Post #B2We3rlXj7ovC45oMC by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T21:01:12Z
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@richardelwes All of those still mean "no" to me.@robinhouston
(DIR) Post #B2WfP9Vp2bbUGiSAnQ by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-15T11:46:11Z
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@CanisMajoris This seems to be a great example of how logical constructions, logical progressions, and logical analysis does not always match the "gestalt understanding" of utterances.People don't actually say what they mean, they say what will create the right reaction in their listeners. /A Priori/ logical analysis doesn't always help.I wrote about an example of this some time ago.https://www.solipsys.co.uk/new/NotIfYouHurry.html?wa15mnLanguage is weird, but that's because people are weird.
(DIR) Post #B2WfjcS99LgHonUekS by ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-16T23:30:17Z
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@this_caroline@mstdn.social Yes, and the role of the listener is often overlooked. But when there's more than one listener one tends simply to speak and assume the message is being understood.This thread show that that is not always the case.A friend of mine write a PhD thesis in engineering about a new approach to "information" where the receiver plays a greater role, and it's not just about getting data from one place to another.I need to make it available and start referencing it.