You Too Can Help Me Teach My Class

Wanted : Imaginary Currencies


I'm teaching two courses this year, both of them new to me and one brand new at never been taught at our university before.  The brand new and never been used course is on the pricing of derivatives using the Black-Scholes formula (and yes I've read the Black Swan) and other methods.


Part of the course includes currency trading options, and I'd like to have some imaginary currencies to use in assignment and exam questions.  So I pitch the request out to the representatives of the imaginations of the blogi-sphere.


What is your imaginations currency and how does is trade vis-a-vis the US dollar of sterling?


I do have a reputation for silliness to up hold here - typically my word problems use names from novels or history books I've been reading.  My daughter come home with stories of the prof who bases his assignment on Harry Potter novels that circulate her high school.  One year I was lazy and went for normal names and a student complained that they were too boring.  Naturally the next test featured Nebuchadnezzar, Zaphod Beeblebrox and transactions in the currency units of carbon credits and goats.

Happy Birthday Mr. Darwin

I love it when University Students put their creativity towards having fun.  I also want to see what turns up for the costume contest.


DarwinDay

SYW/FIW French Infantry

Here's some shots of my 25mm SYW troops, the French regiments stationed at Louisbourg in 1758.  They are blurry, as I am still learning how to use the new cam for close up work.  I would have reshot them last night but Lynne came home from book club earlier than I expected!

Cambis Regiment (RAFM)

Artois regiment (RAFM figures in waistcoats)

Bourgogne on the right (RAM) and Voluntaires Etranger on the left (OG, from the 1745 range)

Compangnie Franche (fielded as a line battalion) plus artillery (all RAFM)

French staff reassure the women folk (who look more than capable of looking after themselves), while scruffier elements of the French forces lurk nearby

New Photos and New Pages

I've found more Louisbourg photos, and added these to the new "Photos" page (see the link on the right.


It was 1995 my wife was 7 months pregnant, we were living in Halifax and we took a flyer up to Cape Breton as the last adventure BC (before children) for the Grand Encampment.  Parks Canada had no idea how many visitors to expect and it was packed, but they rose to the occasion and it was a great weekend.  We managed to skip most of the lines by good luck - also a pregnant woman is great for queue jumping. 

More Louisbourg Shots

As per David C's request I've dug through the photo box and found 2 pictures from an earlier visit.  On this day, I was on the first bus out to the site and given the grey morning pretty much had the town to myself for a while.  The second photo down is one of the best shots I've ever taken.

While I'm dong my bit for Nova Scotia tourism, I 'll also load up the shot of the aged pater in front of the recreation of Champlain's original Port Royal (opposite the river from the current Annapolis Royal NS).

Looking for Advice - What's Your Painting Set Up

I had a discussion with SWMBO about how I set up for painting - which ended up with her asking what other modelings do.  I thought I'd check around.


Here's how I set up for painting.

1. I paint in our living room so that I can watch TV and talk to my family, plus it's got better light and way more heat (at least in January) then the basement.
2. I use a vinyl table cloth to protect the floor (much bashed up hard-wood, due to be replaced but so are the basement, kitchen and roof!).
3. I use 2 folding TV tables to balance my water, painter's palette figures etc.
4. I keep the bulk of the paints in a box at my feet.

The end result is that I get boxed into my chair (which has arms, further imprisoning me) and SWMBO gets nervous that I'll knock something over or drop it on the chair or flood (sigh again).  It's also tough to get a lamp on the tables which is what I'd love to do.


So advice?

SYW on the 1:1 Scale

I was trying to find shots of my daughter's Jamestown project, but instead stumbled on shots from our family vacation to Louisbourg c 2006.

The view from the King' bastion towards the Dauphin demi-bastion

This shot shows some of the building challenges of building in Cape Breton - the terrain is either solid granite or cranberry bog.  In times of siege, the Governor would be well advised to fix the ditch and covered way, although historical maps of the sieges show that the walls were exposed at this spot due to the lay of the land.

View from the King's Bastion over the town and out over the harbour mouth.  It shows why the fortress was built - the large well sheltered harbour.  Notice in the distance the island (which had a battery during the sieges) and the lighthouse point on the opposite shore - where Wolfe erected his battery in 1758.

Inside of the curtain wall between the King's and Dauphin bastions.

Inside the King's bastion - Companie Franche and Cannonniere Bombardier coming out for a demo.

The main block was the largest building in North America at the time.  The palisade was meant not to keep the redcoats out but to keep the goats and pigs in!

Musket volley!

Coming up on to the ramparts.