Category Archives: amusements

amusements, science

Five Questions, Series 9 #4

With question four we’re getting near the end of this series of Five Questions.

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Question 4: How many even prime numbers are there?
I’m not sure if this is a trick question, mathematically, or not.
First let’s be clear what a prime number actually is. It is a integer number which is divisible only by itself and 1. All even numbers (2, 4, 6, …) are divisible by 2. So 2 itself, is therefore the only even numbered prime number. And given that the technical definition of a prime number is that it has to be greater than 1, the answer is that there is just the one even prime. And there is no trick. (See Wikipedia for a fuller description.)
But why might this have been a trick question? Well I thought it might be a trick, because I did wonder about 0. Is 0 odd or even? Well actually it doesn’t matter because dividing 0 by anything you get 0, not 1, which seems to negate the question, regardless of the technical definition of a prime number.

amusements

Five Questions, Series 9 #3

OMG, question 3 of this ninth round of Five Questions is really horrible. Why did I pose this one?

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Question 3: If you had to be executed but could choose the method, what method would you choose?
Eeeek!!! What a question! What a choice of possible answers!
How can one tell until what one would do until one is in the situation?

However I suspect the answer would probably be the most painless way possible. This seems to me to be a huge overdose of general anaesthetic and/or barbiturates, as we do for out pets when the time comes. That seems to be quick, painless and humane – indeed these are the overriding veterinary requirements for euthanasia. To do anything else would seem to be taking revenge, which is hardly ethical.

amusements

Five Questions, Series 9 #2

Here we are at the answer to question 2 of answers to this ninth round of Five Questions.

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Question 2: How do we guarantee “this” (whatever it is) never happens again?

Whatever “this” is, you can’t guarantee it never happens again. It doesn’t matter how many laws, procedures, checks, firewalls or storm-troopers you put in the way there will always be a loophole, or a stable door left ajar, somewhere; and they will be exploited, sometime, by someone – if only by some ingenious idiot.
Moreover, anything which the system allows – or more correctly doesn’t prevent – will be taken advantage of by someone. See, for instance, the rows in recent years about MPs’ expenses.

amusements, personal

Five Questions, Series 9

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Yet again it is around a year since I started my last round of Five Questions.
So here is this new series of five questions, ranging from the interesting to the downright crazy and even morbid.

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The five questions for Series 9 are:

  1. Has reading a book ever changed your life? If yes, which one and why?
  2. How do we guarantee “this” (whatever it is) never happens again?
  3. If you had to be executed but could choose the method, what method would you choose?
  4. How many even prime numbers are there?
  5. If you had to marry your “significant other” where you met, where would the wedding be?


Like the last series, I will post answers on a regular basis, because I’ve decided to write the answers up front, possibly before this post even goes live!
As always you’re all invited to sing along and join the karaoke – I’d like it if you all joined in! You can either answer the questions, as I answer them, by posting in the comments or by posting your answers on your own blog (in which case just leave a comment here so we can find your words of wisdom).
The answer to Question 1 should appear in a few of days time and then they’ll be at roughly weekly intervals.
Enjoy!

amusements, history, people, personal, ramblings

The Ancestors' Commandments

I came across these a few days ago in a family history society magazine. I’ve tidied them up a bit.
The Ancestors’ Commandments

  1. Thou shalt use the same forenames for at least one person for every generation, preferably at least once in every family, just to cause confusion.
  2. Thou shalt wait the maximum amount of time before registering births and deaths, or better still somehow forget to get them registered at all.
  3. Thou shalt have two forenames, and use them both separately on official documents, but never together.
  4. Thou shalt change your forename at least once during your lifetime.
  5. Thou shalt use every conceivable spelling for your surname, and make up a few others as well.
  6. Thou shalt never use the same year of birth or birth date and always vary it adding a couple of years here and taking away a couple of years there.
  7. Thou shalt use the house name and country as your place of birth and not the village or town.
  8. Thou shalt completely disappear without trace for at least 15 years of your life and suddenly turn up again.
  9. Thou shalt use at least two different versions of your father’s name.
  10. Thou shalt not use family members as witnesses at your wedding(s).
  11. Thou shalt get married somewhere where neither of you live.
  12. Thou shalt not have all of your children baptised and shalt not always use the same church.
  13. Thou shalt move between counties at least once every ten years.
  14. Thou shalt move hundreds of miles from your home at least once.

Brilliant, aren’t they. And so, so true. I think Noreen and I each have a full house in our family trees.