Paul Varley
@paulpower.bsky.social
I like popular maths and science (particularly astronomy), cricket, trains, sometimes I obsess over videogames. I've been working at @techniquest.org for 13 years now. Autistic, non-binary, he/they.
When they first started, they put the food in the oven for one millisecond at a time until it was cooked, so that they knew exactly how long to cook it for.
November 28, 2025 at 11:57 AM
When they first started, they put the food in the oven for one millisecond at a time until it was cooked, so that they knew exactly how long to cook it for.
One time in the nets I lobbed up a moon ball so wide it came down in front of the next net across and landed on the head of the batter in that net, who had walked forward to retrieve the ball bowled to him. Luckily, he had a helmet on.
I don't think I'm cut out for this somehow. Will stick to stats
I don't think I'm cut out for this somehow. Will stick to stats
November 27, 2025 at 12:25 PM
One time in the nets I lobbed up a moon ball so wide it came down in front of the next net across and landed on the head of the batter in that net, who had walked forward to retrieve the ball bowled to him. Luckily, he had a helmet on.
I don't think I'm cut out for this somehow. Will stick to stats
I don't think I'm cut out for this somehow. Will stick to stats
Tried it at uni. Batting, I missed the ball completely five times, getting bowled by the fifth. Bowling, I sent down two overs of possibly leg spin, with many wides and a ball that would have been a wicket if it hadn't been a no-ball due to having bounced more than twice before it hit the stumps.
November 27, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Tried it at uni. Batting, I missed the ball completely five times, getting bowled by the fifth. Bowling, I sent down two overs of possibly leg spin, with many wides and a ball that would have been a wicket if it hadn't been a no-ball due to having bounced more than twice before it hit the stumps.
A classic for this was Jo'burg 2016, with all eleven South Africans making between 10 and 49 in the first innings: www.espncricinfo.com/series/engla...
SA vs ENG Cricket Scorecard, 3rd Test at Johannesburg, January 14 - 16, 2016
Get cricket scorecard of 3rd Test, SA vs ENG, England tour of South Africa 2015/16 at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg dated January 14 - 16, 2016.
www.espncricinfo.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:43 PM
A classic for this was Jo'burg 2016, with all eleven South Africans making between 10 and 49 in the first innings: www.espncricinfo.com/series/engla...
Profits are arguably the biggest inefficiency of them all.
October 23, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Profits are arguably the biggest inefficiency of them all.
Speaking as someone who does a lot of public speaking about science, that's just... not true? The more I groove what I plan to say, the more confident I get, the less stuttery I get and the easier it is to respond to something unexpected.
October 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Speaking as someone who does a lot of public speaking about science, that's just... not true? The more I groove what I plan to say, the more confident I get, the less stuttery I get and the easier it is to respond to something unexpected.
If it helps, there's a course in the Mario Kart series called Kalimari Desert. Presumably the link is to the Blooper enemies in Mario, though none show up at the course. Unless they're all on the train...
October 17, 2025 at 4:39 AM
If it helps, there's a course in the Mario Kart series called Kalimari Desert. Presumably the link is to the Blooper enemies in Mario, though none show up at the course. Unless they're all on the train...
I suppose a lot of the "looking nice" places have done relatively well in recent years for the simple reason that you can't get them online. Sucks that you don't have any grocery stores though. My local row of shops has a lot of hair and tattoo places but at least it has groceries and takeaways too.
October 15, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I suppose a lot of the "looking nice" places have done relatively well in recent years for the simple reason that you can't get them online. Sucks that you don't have any grocery stores though. My local row of shops has a lot of hair and tattoo places but at least it has groceries and takeaways too.
Sure, I have a calculator watch because I'm a giant nerd.
October 11, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Sure, I have a calculator watch because I'm a giant nerd.
@vicas3.bsky.social @serenedragon3.bsky.social Mario swapping the colours of his overalls between SMB1 and the other games might end up being convenient for differentiating the sprites of all these All-Star games...
October 11, 2025 at 6:40 AM
@vicas3.bsky.social @serenedragon3.bsky.social Mario swapping the colours of his overalls between SMB1 and the other games might end up being convenient for differentiating the sprites of all these All-Star games...
Personally I feel like Americans just need to learn to accept and love draws.
October 3, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Personally I feel like Americans just need to learn to accept and love draws.
Reorganising on Serene's scale of 2*happy - angry, we have:
1. Mega Man X: 6½
2. Cool Spot: 5½
3= Demon's Crest: 5
3= Addams Family: 5
5. Mickey Mania: 3
6. DKC1: 2
7. Aero: 1
8. Doom Patrol: ½
9. Daffy Duck: -½
10. Bubsy 1: -1
11. Alfred Chicken: -2
12. Beethoven: -3½
13. Flintstones Movie: -4
1. Mega Man X: 6½
2. Cool Spot: 5½
3= Demon's Crest: 5
3= Addams Family: 5
5. Mickey Mania: 3
6. DKC1: 2
7. Aero: 1
8. Doom Patrol: ½
9. Daffy Duck: -½
10. Bubsy 1: -1
11. Alfred Chicken: -2
12. Beethoven: -3½
13. Flintstones Movie: -4
September 30, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reorganising on Serene's scale of 2*happy - angry, we have:
1. Mega Man X: 6½
2. Cool Spot: 5½
3= Demon's Crest: 5
3= Addams Family: 5
5. Mickey Mania: 3
6. DKC1: 2
7. Aero: 1
8. Doom Patrol: ½
9. Daffy Duck: -½
10. Bubsy 1: -1
11. Alfred Chicken: -2
12. Beethoven: -3½
13. Flintstones Movie: -4
1. Mega Man X: 6½
2. Cool Spot: 5½
3= Demon's Crest: 5
3= Addams Family: 5
5. Mickey Mania: 3
6. DKC1: 2
7. Aero: 1
8. Doom Patrol: ½
9. Daffy Duck: -½
10. Bubsy 1: -1
11. Alfred Chicken: -2
12. Beethoven: -3½
13. Flintstones Movie: -4
@vicas3.bsky.social @serenedragon3.bsky.social Roll over, Beethoven.
September 30, 2025 at 10:35 AM
@vicas3.bsky.social @serenedragon3.bsky.social Roll over, Beethoven.
On the other hand, very funny watching a Tom Cardy video where he clearly says "arse" at one point and all the commenters who quote that line are saying "ass" out of some weird refusal to accept reality.
September 30, 2025 at 6:21 AM
On the other hand, very funny watching a Tom Cardy video where he clearly says "arse" at one point and all the commenters who quote that line are saying "ass" out of some weird refusal to accept reality.
I mean, for my last year or so in my primary school, *I* was the librarian... and the computer person 😅
September 29, 2025 at 10:44 AM
I mean, for my last year or so in my primary school, *I* was the librarian... and the computer person 😅
The "problems are bad but the causes are very good" people got us into this mess in the first place.
September 29, 2025 at 10:01 AM
The "problems are bad but the causes are very good" people got us into this mess in the first place.
Draws can be great. I mean, speaking as a fan of a sport where one side can be demolishing the other and still draw because the other side ran out the (five-day long) clock. Takes some real Dunkirk/Apollo 13/Shackleton spirit to manage that.
September 29, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Draws can be great. I mean, speaking as a fan of a sport where one side can be demolishing the other and still draw because the other side ran out the (five-day long) clock. Takes some real Dunkirk/Apollo 13/Shackleton spirit to manage that.
Swansea is the Graveyard of Ambition, so I'm pretty sure we could make a syndrome based on it...
September 28, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Swansea is the Graveyard of Ambition, so I'm pretty sure we could make a syndrome based on it...
Picked Sri Lanka for two main reasons:
1) Their history is long enough to be interesting but short enough to be manageable.
2) I have a Sri Lankan colleague at work who I thought would get a kick out of it!
1) Their history is long enough to be interesting but short enough to be manageable.
2) I have a Sri Lankan colleague at work who I thought would get a kick out of it!
September 28, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Picked Sri Lanka for two main reasons:
1) Their history is long enough to be interesting but short enough to be manageable.
2) I have a Sri Lankan colleague at work who I thought would get a kick out of it!
1) Their history is long enough to be interesting but short enough to be manageable.
2) I have a Sri Lankan colleague at work who I thought would get a kick out of it!