Stuart Presnell
@logopetria.bsky.social
Mathematics, CS, physics, philosophy
Most recently : Teaching logic and philosophy of mathematics in the Philosophy department at the University of Bristol
Most recently : Teaching logic and philosophy of mathematics in the Philosophy department at the University of Bristol
Pinned
Stuart Presnell
@logopetria.bsky.social
· Nov 30
bsky.app
I haven't been doing a writing challenge like NaNoWriMo this year, but I have done something else. Scroll back through my recent posts and read the first word of each one
bsky.app/profile/logo...
bsky.app/profile/logo...
1980: Iraq invades Iran
Ronald Reagan is elected President
Lech Wałęsa co-founds Solidarity, the first independent trade union in Poland
Robert Mugabe is elected Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
CNN begins broadcasting
Mark David Chapman kills John Lennon, aged 40
Namco releases Pac-Man
#YearPerDay
Ronald Reagan is elected President
Lech Wałęsa co-founds Solidarity, the first independent trade union in Poland
Robert Mugabe is elected Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
CNN begins broadcasting
Mark David Chapman kills John Lennon, aged 40
Namco releases Pac-Man
#YearPerDay
November 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
1980: Iraq invades Iran
Ronald Reagan is elected President
Lech Wałęsa co-founds Solidarity, the first independent trade union in Poland
Robert Mugabe is elected Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
CNN begins broadcasting
Mark David Chapman kills John Lennon, aged 40
Namco releases Pac-Man
#YearPerDay
Ronald Reagan is elected President
Lech Wałęsa co-founds Solidarity, the first independent trade union in Poland
Robert Mugabe is elected Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
CNN begins broadcasting
Mark David Chapman kills John Lennon, aged 40
Namco releases Pac-Man
#YearPerDay
We often see polls revealing how the population are wildly misinformed about basic facts, wildly overestimating how much of the national budget is spent on X or what percentage of the population are Y. But is there ever any polling of politicians to see how much they know about the public's views?
November 17, 2025 at 11:28 AM
We often see polls revealing how the population are wildly misinformed about basic facts, wildly overestimating how much of the national budget is spent on X or what percentage of the population are Y. But is there ever any polling of politicians to see how much they know about the public's views?
Ex Machina is terribly plotted. The first part of the film carefully builds an intricate little world and then right at the end, out of nowhere, the conclusion follows naturally from the characters' motivations and relationships. Ridiculous!
I think people who object to Ex Machina on the basis that it does not communicate or inspire deep enough thoughts about consciousness etc are watching it wrong; it's a claustrophobic character piece with thriller elements that exploits some possibilities offered by having one of the leads be a robot
November 17, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Ex Machina is terribly plotted. The first part of the film carefully builds an intricate little world and then right at the end, out of nowhere, the conclusion follows naturally from the characters' motivations and relationships. Ridiculous!
Even on a single issue, chasing the median voter doesn't always make sense. If 48% think we should turn away asylum seekers, 4% think we should let them in but be horrible to them, and 48% think we should let them in and be kind to them, the median voter is in a tiny minority
Fascinating how often political commentary in the UK still refers to the median voter. In a multi-dimensional space with salience endogenous to positions, it‘s unclear to me who that should be. In a multi-party system, winning the median voter is of course not necessarily a vote-maximizing strategy.
November 17, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Even on a single issue, chasing the median voter doesn't always make sense. If 48% think we should turn away asylum seekers, 4% think we should let them in but be horrible to them, and 48% think we should let them in and be kind to them, the median voter is in a tiny minority
Top 5 movie genres
5) Witty antagonistic romance
4) Audrey Hepburn charms a stern older man
3) The whole film is one shot
2) Confusing time travel
1) Film in which a British boss whose American dealings have gone badly stares mournfully through the window of a moving vehicle at his wife Helen Mirren
5) Witty antagonistic romance
4) Audrey Hepburn charms a stern older man
3) The whole film is one shot
2) Confusing time travel
1) Film in which a British boss whose American dealings have gone badly stares mournfully through the window of a moving vehicle at his wife Helen Mirren
Top 5 movie genres are:
– The CLOCK is TICKING
– Entertaining couple drinks fast and talks faster
– It’s New York in the 1970s and everything is grimy and paranoid
– Nothing actually happens; I may have something in my eye
– These two timelines are gonna collide about forty minutes from now
– The CLOCK is TICKING
– Entertaining couple drinks fast and talks faster
– It’s New York in the 1970s and everything is grimy and paranoid
– Nothing actually happens; I may have something in my eye
– These two timelines are gonna collide about forty minutes from now
Top 5 movie genres are:
heist
intelligence/espionage thriller
pitch perfect
cerebral ensemble oscar fodder drama
heist some more
heist
intelligence/espionage thriller
pitch perfect
cerebral ensemble oscar fodder drama
heist some more
November 17, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Top 5 movie genres
5) Witty antagonistic romance
4) Audrey Hepburn charms a stern older man
3) The whole film is one shot
2) Confusing time travel
1) Film in which a British boss whose American dealings have gone badly stares mournfully through the window of a moving vehicle at his wife Helen Mirren
5) Witty antagonistic romance
4) Audrey Hepburn charms a stern older man
3) The whole film is one shot
2) Confusing time travel
1) Film in which a British boss whose American dealings have gone badly stares mournfully through the window of a moving vehicle at his wife Helen Mirren
1979: Ayatollah Khomeini takes power in the Iranian Revolution
Saddam Hussein becomes president of Iraq
Margaret Thatcher becomes the UK's first female Prime Minister
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
The World Health Organization announces the global eradication of smallpox
#YearPerDay
Saddam Hussein becomes president of Iraq
Margaret Thatcher becomes the UK's first female Prime Minister
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
The World Health Organization announces the global eradication of smallpox
#YearPerDay
November 16, 2025 at 8:48 PM
1979: Ayatollah Khomeini takes power in the Iranian Revolution
Saddam Hussein becomes president of Iraq
Margaret Thatcher becomes the UK's first female Prime Minister
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
The World Health Organization announces the global eradication of smallpox
#YearPerDay
Saddam Hussein becomes president of Iraq
Margaret Thatcher becomes the UK's first female Prime Minister
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
The World Health Organization announces the global eradication of smallpox
#YearPerDay
1978: The first synthetic human insulin is produced
Louise Brown is the first baby born by IVF
The first series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is broadcast
The rainbow flag of the LGBT movement flies for the first time
Kurt Gödel dies, aged 71
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is born
#YearPerDay
Louise Brown is the first baby born by IVF
The first series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is broadcast
The rainbow flag of the LGBT movement flies for the first time
Kurt Gödel dies, aged 71
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is born
#YearPerDay
November 15, 2025 at 9:17 PM
1978: The first synthetic human insulin is produced
Louise Brown is the first baby born by IVF
The first series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is broadcast
The rainbow flag of the LGBT movement flies for the first time
Kurt Gödel dies, aged 71
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is born
#YearPerDay
Louise Brown is the first baby born by IVF
The first series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is broadcast
The rainbow flag of the LGBT movement flies for the first time
Kurt Gödel dies, aged 71
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is born
#YearPerDay
Reposted by Stuart Presnell
The reason Trump's slashed science funding is because he doesn't want anyone to rediscover the Mechanism that Bowie, Prince and Lemmy were guarding to keep us on the Good Timeline
Is it also just nostalgia when we say that things got a lot worse after David Bowie died or is that one actually true
Ah the 1970s.
Stagflation, three day weeks, collapsing infrastructure. Civil War in Northern Ireland. In yer face racism and bigotry everywhere. Bin strikes. Strikes in general. Blackouts. Industrial decline. Wage inequality. Dog crap everywhere. And households spent 25% of their income on food.
Stagflation, three day weeks, collapsing infrastructure. Civil War in Northern Ireland. In yer face racism and bigotry everywhere. Bin strikes. Strikes in general. Blackouts. Industrial decline. Wage inequality. Dog crap everywhere. And households spent 25% of their income on food.
November 15, 2025 at 5:32 AM
The reason Trump's slashed science funding is because he doesn't want anyone to rediscover the Mechanism that Bowie, Prince and Lemmy were guarding to keep us on the Good Timeline
The reason Trump's slashed science funding is because he doesn't want anyone to rediscover the Mechanism that Bowie, Prince and Lemmy were guarding to keep us on the Good Timeline
Is it also just nostalgia when we say that things got a lot worse after David Bowie died or is that one actually true
Ah the 1970s.
Stagflation, three day weeks, collapsing infrastructure. Civil War in Northern Ireland. In yer face racism and bigotry everywhere. Bin strikes. Strikes in general. Blackouts. Industrial decline. Wage inequality. Dog crap everywhere. And households spent 25% of their income on food.
Stagflation, three day weeks, collapsing infrastructure. Civil War in Northern Ireland. In yer face racism and bigotry everywhere. Bin strikes. Strikes in general. Blackouts. Industrial decline. Wage inequality. Dog crap everywhere. And households spent 25% of their income on food.
November 15, 2025 at 5:32 AM
The reason Trump's slashed science funding is because he doesn't want anyone to rediscover the Mechanism that Bowie, Prince and Lemmy were guarding to keep us on the Good Timeline
TimeGuessr #897 43,607/50,000
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩⬛ 4 yrs, 2.8 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟩 0 yrs, 2.4 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 3.0 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 2.7 km
🌎⬛️⬛️⬛️ 📅🟩🟩🟨 1 yr, 11840 km
timeguessr.com
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩⬛ 4 yrs, 2.8 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟩 0 yrs, 2.4 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 3.0 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 2.7 km
🌎⬛️⬛️⬛️ 📅🟩🟩🟨 1 yr, 11840 km
timeguessr.com
TimeGuessr
TimeGuessr - the game that tests both your geography and history knowledge. Guess where and when historic photos were taken.
timeguessr.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:46 PM
TimeGuessr #897 43,607/50,000
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩⬛ 4 yrs, 2.8 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟩 0 yrs, 2.4 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 3.0 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 2.7 km
🌎⬛️⬛️⬛️ 📅🟩🟩🟨 1 yr, 11840 km
timeguessr.com
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩⬛ 4 yrs, 2.8 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟩 0 yrs, 2.4 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 3.0 km
🌎🟩🟩🟨 📅🟩🟩🟨 2 yrs, 2.7 km
🌎⬛️⬛️⬛️ 📅🟩🟩🟨 1 yr, 11840 km
timeguessr.com
1977: The Space Shuttle Enterprise makes its first test flight
Astronomer Jerry Ehman at the Big Ear radio telescope finds the exceptionally strong "Wow! signal"
Harvey Milk is elected City Supervisor in San Francisco
Elvis Presley, Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby, and Charlie Chaplin die
#YearPerDay
Astronomer Jerry Ehman at the Big Ear radio telescope finds the exceptionally strong "Wow! signal"
Harvey Milk is elected City Supervisor in San Francisco
Elvis Presley, Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby, and Charlie Chaplin die
#YearPerDay
November 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
1977: The Space Shuttle Enterprise makes its first test flight
Astronomer Jerry Ehman at the Big Ear radio telescope finds the exceptionally strong "Wow! signal"
Harvey Milk is elected City Supervisor in San Francisco
Elvis Presley, Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby, and Charlie Chaplin die
#YearPerDay
Astronomer Jerry Ehman at the Big Ear radio telescope finds the exceptionally strong "Wow! signal"
Harvey Milk is elected City Supervisor in San Francisco
Elvis Presley, Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby, and Charlie Chaplin die
#YearPerDay
1976: UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson resigns
The Cray-1 supercomputer is released
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple
Concorde begins scheduled flights
The US celebrates its bicentennial
Viking 1 lands on Mars
The first known outbreak of Ebola virus occurs
Mao Zedong dies
#YearPerDay
The Cray-1 supercomputer is released
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple
Concorde begins scheduled flights
The US celebrates its bicentennial
Viking 1 lands on Mars
The first known outbreak of Ebola virus occurs
Mao Zedong dies
#YearPerDay
November 13, 2025 at 11:06 PM
1976: UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson resigns
The Cray-1 supercomputer is released
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple
Concorde begins scheduled flights
The US celebrates its bicentennial
Viking 1 lands on Mars
The first known outbreak of Ebola virus occurs
Mao Zedong dies
#YearPerDay
The Cray-1 supercomputer is released
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple
Concorde begins scheduled flights
The US celebrates its bicentennial
Viking 1 lands on Mars
The first known outbreak of Ebola virus occurs
Mao Zedong dies
#YearPerDay
1975: American troops evacuate Saigon as forces from North Vietnam take over, ending the Vietnam War
The Khmer Rouge begins the Cambodian genocide
Spanish dictator Francisco Franco dies
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Superior
Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft
#YearPerDay
The Khmer Rouge begins the Cambodian genocide
Spanish dictator Francisco Franco dies
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Superior
Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft
#YearPerDay
November 12, 2025 at 10:18 PM
1975: American troops evacuate Saigon as forces from North Vietnam take over, ending the Vietnam War
The Khmer Rouge begins the Cambodian genocide
Spanish dictator Francisco Franco dies
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Superior
Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft
#YearPerDay
The Khmer Rouge begins the Cambodian genocide
Spanish dictator Francisco Franco dies
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Superior
Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft
#YearPerDay
This is easy to fix. First shot of the film is a replay of Bond getting blown up in NTTD. We pull out to reveal that this is being watched on a TV by M and the new Bond
M: What I don't understand is, when did you escape, 007?
Bond (directly into the camera): Never, this happened to the other fella
M: What I don't understand is, when did you escape, 007?
Bond (directly into the camera): Never, this happened to the other fella
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 12, 2025 at 11:15 AM
This is easy to fix. First shot of the film is a replay of Bond getting blown up in NTTD. We pull out to reveal that this is being watched on a TV by M and the new Bond
M: What I don't understand is, when did you escape, 007?
Bond (directly into the camera): Never, this happened to the other fella
M: What I don't understand is, when did you escape, 007?
Bond (directly into the camera): Never, this happened to the other fella
Reposted by Stuart Presnell
How often do you find yourself wishing for a newsletter that covered fundamental physics in way that was accessible but not dumbed down? Pretty often, I am sure!
Well, here it is. My free newsletter--"The Spacetime Beat". Enjoy!
nirmalyakajuri.substack.com
⚛️🧪
Well, here it is. My free newsletter--"The Spacetime Beat". Enjoy!
nirmalyakajuri.substack.com
⚛️🧪
The Spacetime Beat | Nirmalya Kajuri | Substack
All the cool fundamental physics you have been missing out on. Click to read The Spacetime Beat, by Nirmalya Kajuri, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
nirmalyakajuri.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:21 PM
How often do you find yourself wishing for a newsletter that covered fundamental physics in way that was accessible but not dumbed down? Pretty often, I am sure!
Well, here it is. My free newsletter--"The Spacetime Beat". Enjoy!
nirmalyakajuri.substack.com
⚛️🧪
Well, here it is. My free newsletter--"The Spacetime Beat". Enjoy!
nirmalyakajuri.substack.com
⚛️🧪
1974: President Richard Nixon resigns over the Watergate scandal. He is succeeded by Vice President Gerald Ford, who grants him a full pardon
The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang is discovered
The Arecibo radio telescope sends a radio message into space
Stephen King publishes Carrie
#YearPerDay
The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang is discovered
The Arecibo radio telescope sends a radio message into space
Stephen King publishes Carrie
#YearPerDay
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 PM
1974: President Richard Nixon resigns over the Watergate scandal. He is succeeded by Vice President Gerald Ford, who grants him a full pardon
The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang is discovered
The Arecibo radio telescope sends a radio message into space
Stephen King publishes Carrie
#YearPerDay
The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang is discovered
The Arecibo radio telescope sends a radio message into space
Stephen King publishes Carrie
#YearPerDay
1973: The UK and Ireland join the European Economic Community
An OPEC oil embargo triggers an energy crisis
Augusto Pinochet seizes power in Chile
Pioneer 10 reaches Jupiter
The World Trade Center is officially dedicated
Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ win the Nobel Peace Prize
#YearPerDay
An OPEC oil embargo triggers an energy crisis
Augusto Pinochet seizes power in Chile
Pioneer 10 reaches Jupiter
The World Trade Center is officially dedicated
Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ win the Nobel Peace Prize
#YearPerDay
November 10, 2025 at 9:38 PM
1973: The UK and Ireland join the European Economic Community
An OPEC oil embargo triggers an energy crisis
Augusto Pinochet seizes power in Chile
Pioneer 10 reaches Jupiter
The World Trade Center is officially dedicated
Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ win the Nobel Peace Prize
#YearPerDay
An OPEC oil embargo triggers an energy crisis
Augusto Pinochet seizes power in Chile
Pioneer 10 reaches Jupiter
The World Trade Center is officially dedicated
Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ win the Nobel Peace Prize
#YearPerDay
Just hoping this meme format isn't too old and tired by the time we get to make this joke
November 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Just hoping this meme format isn't too old and tired by the time we get to make this joke
To paraphrase a Simon Munnery joke: "People often see someone with a disability and talk to them patronisingly, as if they think having a physical impairment means they must also have some kind of mental impairment. The opposite error also occurs when sports people are asked for their opinions"
Don’t ever ask your favorite athlete about their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:42 PM
To paraphrase a Simon Munnery joke: "People often see someone with a disability and talk to them patronisingly, as if they think having a physical impairment means they must also have some kind of mental impairment. The opposite error also occurs when sports people are asked for their opinions"
1972: White House operatives break into Democratic offices in the Watergate complex
British soldiers kill 14 protest marchers in Northern Ireland
At the Munich Olympics 11 Israeli athletes are killed
On Apollo 17 Harrison Schmitt takes the Blue Marble photograph
Atari releases Pong
#YearPerDay
British soldiers kill 14 protest marchers in Northern Ireland
At the Munich Olympics 11 Israeli athletes are killed
On Apollo 17 Harrison Schmitt takes the Blue Marble photograph
Atari releases Pong
#YearPerDay
November 9, 2025 at 9:46 PM
1972: White House operatives break into Democratic offices in the Watergate complex
British soldiers kill 14 protest marchers in Northern Ireland
At the Munich Olympics 11 Israeli athletes are killed
On Apollo 17 Harrison Schmitt takes the Blue Marble photograph
Atari releases Pong
#YearPerDay
British soldiers kill 14 protest marchers in Northern Ireland
At the Munich Olympics 11 Israeli athletes are killed
On Apollo 17 Harrison Schmitt takes the Blue Marble photograph
Atari releases Pong
#YearPerDay
1971: Bangladesh declares independence from Pakistan
The UK and Ireland switch to decimal currencies
The New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers on the war in Vietnam
The US leaves the gold standard
Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail, introducing the use of the '@' symbol
#YearPerDay
The UK and Ireland switch to decimal currencies
The New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers on the war in Vietnam
The US leaves the gold standard
Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail, introducing the use of the '@' symbol
#YearPerDay
November 8, 2025 at 8:11 PM
1971: Bangladesh declares independence from Pakistan
The UK and Ireland switch to decimal currencies
The New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers on the war in Vietnam
The US leaves the gold standard
Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail, introducing the use of the '@' symbol
#YearPerDay
The UK and Ireland switch to decimal currencies
The New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers on the war in Vietnam
The US leaves the gold standard
Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail, introducing the use of the '@' symbol
#YearPerDay
1970: An oxygen tank explodes on Apollo 13, putting the crew in danger
Four students at Kent State University in Ohio are killed by National Guardsmen
Xerox PARC computer research laboratory opens
The Aswan High Dam is completed
Jimi Hendrix dies, aged 27
The Beatles break up
#YearPerDay
Four students at Kent State University in Ohio are killed by National Guardsmen
Xerox PARC computer research laboratory opens
The Aswan High Dam is completed
Jimi Hendrix dies, aged 27
The Beatles break up
#YearPerDay
November 7, 2025 at 9:57 PM
1970: An oxygen tank explodes on Apollo 13, putting the crew in danger
Four students at Kent State University in Ohio are killed by National Guardsmen
Xerox PARC computer research laboratory opens
The Aswan High Dam is completed
Jimi Hendrix dies, aged 27
The Beatles break up
#YearPerDay
Four students at Kent State University in Ohio are killed by National Guardsmen
Xerox PARC computer research laboratory opens
The Aswan High Dam is completed
Jimi Hendrix dies, aged 27
The Beatles break up
#YearPerDay