13–18 of 86 entries from the month of:

August 2006

Policy proportionality

August 27, 2006

in Bombs and rockets, Politics, Security

I know it’s a theme I have raised many times, but it remains puzzling to me: why are democratic societies so uniquely incapable of accepting the costs associated with terrorism? If you try to circumscribe any kind of dangerous activity, from smoking to extreme sports, you will find plenty of people ready to wave the [...]

{ 8 comments }

‘Locks’ rhymes with… ’socks’

August 27, 2006

in Daily updates

On the basis of a quick statistical analysis, I have determined the demographics of my sock population. Approximately 20% are single, all as the result of having tragically lost their partner. Another 20% have re-married to a partner similar enough that you need to look closely to realize the slight mismatch. 15% of the population [...]

{ 3 comments }

Major vulnerability of mechanical locks

August 26, 2006

in Geek stuff, Oxford, Security

To those who retain faith in mechanical pin and tumbler locks, a bit of information on the bump key as a means of picking them may unsettle you. It’s a hot topic on many of the news aggregation sites online at the moment (Metafilter and Engadget 1 and 2, for instance), but those who don’t [...]

{ 18 comments }

Early thesis fatigue

August 26, 2006

in Oxford, Writing

Most people in the program seem to be eyeing the thesis with a mixture of apprehension and regret. The difficulties of making an original contribution to an academic discipline are not to be underestimated. On the one hand, you can opt to find a distinct gap in the existing literature and fill it. The first [...]

{ 4 comments }

Vancouver timeline

August 26, 2006

in Canada, Travel

For the sake of organization:

6 Sept - Arrive in Vancouver at 9:35am PST
8 Sept - Cabin Fever 2 begins
9 Sept - Drew Sexsmith’s birthday
10 Sept - Cabin Fever 2 ends ; Nick Ellan’s birthday
15 Sept - Meet with former profs at UBC
16 Sept - Party in North Vancouver
17 Sept - Petgill Lake hike, following pancake [...]

{ 5 comments }

…and Lethe-wards had sunk

August 25, 2006

in Daily updates

An attempt at a brain-reviving nap this evening turned, surprisingly, into several hours of lucid dreaming. Anyone who has experienced the phenomenon, in which you become the author of the dreams which you know that you are having, can attest to how empowering and enjoyable it is. You can shift yourself anywhere in the world, [...]

{ 3 comments }

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