Need a break from the maze?
To pun, or not to pun, that is the question.
Well, I suppose one must always choose the lesser of two weevils.
If you happen to recognize the the second of these statements, I can say with some certainty that you are a Patrick O'Brian fan. His Aubrey-Maturin adventures are the basis for the Russell Crowe movie, “Master and Commander”. These naval yarns are very different from Alexander Kent's Bolitho novels. Instead of the three or four sea battles typical of a Kent book, a Patrick O'Brian book may not have a single battle in it at all. Or it might have one described as an aside over a dinner of Spotted Dog Pudding. Then again, there are some in which the great guns hammer away throughout.
What make these books fascinating is the relationship of an odd couple living in a wet and storm tossed apartment at sea. This pair consists of the Lucky Captain Jack Aubrey and his particular friend, the sometimes, I should say usually, morose Doctor Stephen Maturin. They make a great team, once they have both had their morning cups of coffee, which can be difficult in the rum and tea drinking English Navy.
I gather that almost all of the events described in the books come from actual real life events. O'Brian used original logbooks and other documents of the period to build the framework within which his characters live. And they do live. After finishing the twenty volume series, one feels as if one would be perfectly at ease at the Captain's table. At least, once one's glass had been filled once or thrice.
I gather that almost all of the events described in the books come from actual real life events. O'Brian used original logbooks and other documents of the period to build the framework within which his characters live. And they do live. After finishing the twenty volume series, one feels as if one would be perfectly at ease at the Captain's table. At least, once one's glass had been filled once or thrice.
I have always thought it would be a blast to read through some of these log books. It would be like a virtual voyage. Well now we can. Maybe not those of the Age of Sail, but never fear, the Age of the Dreadnought is good too.
The same group that brought us Galaxy Zoo, now has a Data Project called, old Weather. This is a transcription project using the log books of British Ships to gather weather observations. This data will be used to improve the Weather Models scientists are using to predict the weather. More power to them, because I want to know if it is going to rain on my next day off or not.
The same group that brought us Galaxy Zoo, now has a Data Project called, old Weather. This is a transcription project using the log books of British Ships to gather weather observations. This data will be used to improve the Weather Models scientists are using to predict the weather. More power to them, because I want to know if it is going to rain on my next day off or not.
I looked at several thousand (at least it seemed like it) galaxies in Galaxy Zoo, and I am really looking forward to delving into these log books.
Check it out, here. Just remember to come back to the really productive work of maze solving.
There is another page coming tomorrow!
Jonathan
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