Neutron Star Corporation Board Meetings
4/1/10
4/1/10
The Speaker: Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the first meeting of Neutron Star Corporation.
With us today, are Miss Kelly Osbourne, Miss DJ Flight, President Medvedev of Russia, United States Army General Westmoreland, Mr Rolf Meyer, formerly a director of UBS, the bank also sometimes known as USD, Archbishop Rowan Williams, Lord Raglan, and myself.
President Medvedev has...Mr Medvedev has let it be known that he is happy to be known informally as Medders.
We begin, to decide upon the role of women here. Now, the Worshipful Guild of Bankers had no women present for one hundred years, at least. So I feel that we should consign them to either cleaning and food preparation duties, or not at all.
Kelly: Outrage, sir.
I have a call of outrage, let that be noted.
Miss Flight: May I comment?
The Speaker: A call of outrage from Miss Flight.
Genteel Mr Medvedev: Sir, without the ladies present, we would not suffer the very pleasant charms of her selection of music.
General Westmoreland: Some of us are already present at a group that does not allow women present, unless attired as men, known as the Lol Committee, so another such group shouldn't be necessary.
The Speaker: So taken, all in favour? Membership of women approved.
Redoubtable Miss Flight: A point of order, sir. Messers Westmoreland and Raglan have both been dead for some time, Lord Raglan since the nineteenth century.
The Speaker:That didn't affect Mr Raglan's membership of the Bankers' Guild! He remained a full member for at least fifty years after he died, and probably still is, in some incarnation!
Lord Raglan: Thankyou very much.
The Speaker: Lord Raglan, would you care to read out the next item for discussion?
Lord Raglan: Certainly, may I have the list? The next item is..uhh, ah. The Poisoned Pawn variation of the French Defence in chess play.
The Speaker looked to The Girl, and she noticed him, so retreiving a chess set.
The Speaker: Excellent. If you please, madam.
A fine wooden chess board and pieces was set up, and many variants of the chess opening were pursued.
The meeting continued most enthusiastically for at least two hours on this subject.
7/1/10
Present this day: Lord Raglan, myself, General Westmoreland, President Medvedev, Mr Meyer and Archbishop Williams, all sat in the steam room at the company sauna.
Miss Lily Allen of Berlin Bank, Miss Kelly Osborne, also of Berlin Bank, and DJ Ms Flight were in a dry room.
In the steam room, very hot steam blasted from a nozzle with loud low hissing. Archbishop Williams had a small towel over his head, as did the respected and handsome President Medvedev! The two men were sat back in their seats. Between the opposing rows of seats was a plastic chess set on a small table, and the remaining gents who were of a mind to, discussed an important dilemma!
The speaker: You see clearly with Bogoljubow versus Book, played 1939, the French Poisoned Pawn. I found this online, on chessgames dot com.
As in 'nam, we had an 'emissary' or two, wandering closely toward the occupied territory. Charlie...
Lord Raglan: Who are they?
Speaker: They were much like...(then in sotto) thuuhh fzzzy wzzzies.
Lord Raglan: Alright. What then?
General Westmoreland: Charlie would send over artillery shells, like the white pawns on c4 and d4. With their tactical group moving across, as the knight on f4, by move 16, our sneak attack needed to remain close to artillery shellfire!
Lord Raglan, a few moves further into the game: Excellent! And then they build two rooks on d1 and d2.
Speaker: Notice this, sir. Black bishop unsights the white pawn on d4, to send a last signal to our man on e4.
Lord Raglan: The white rook wants to listen in.
As the gents poured over the chess problem, steam hissed again, and the chess game was obscured, as the cubicle filled with a steamy hot cloud!
In the dry sauna room, Lily and Kelly sat beside eachother, and discussed issues in banking and currency exchange rates. Lily occasionally tilted her head, as if to imagine something, while Kelly would speak, looking at no particular point of focus, with her head turned a little. Ms Flight stood and walked to the steam room, her 'scrammy' dreadlocks proud of her shoulders. Then a charming young lady, with a big soft towel around her, and a large dark beehive hairstyle strolled into the sauna room, and she laid with her back on the varnished wooden bench, that ran along and was set into the ceramic room wall.
11/1/10
Present at the board; Ms Amy Winehouse, and Intergalactic Bankers' Guild Navigator 1st Class, Miss Flight, with us also, Miss Kelly Osborne, and Russian President Medvedev, Church of England Archbishop Williams, Lord Raglan, General Westmoreland, Mr Meyer, formerly of UBS, and myself.
We were as guests the Zurich offices of Swiss Bank Corporation, in a sumptuous convening room. The Girl stood near, in black skirt and white shirt.
A Hewlett Packard tower fed the image of a chess program to an HP screen, lying on its back on a small table. Messrs Williams, Raglan, Westmoreland and myself stood above the screen, looking down upon it.
Mr Raglan's upper lip seemed to confer, to cause his wide moustache to twitch about, while my very wide but thin, British Military Moustache held firm, stiffly waxed. Mr Westmoreland's wide moustache was curled at either side.
At the broad wooden table, Miss Flight held tea with the ladies, and Mr Medvedev.
Miss Osborne asked, 'What of the Lockheed F-35, gentlemen?'
I answered, 'You have read that it was successfully tested, I presume.'
Turning to answer Miss Osborne, the eyes of the Girl followed me.
I told Kelly, 'That's a stovul (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) jet. The Harrier was a veestol (Vertical or Short Take Off And Landing) aircraft. It was an entirely radical and excellent weapon. But The Harrier was astronomically difficult and expensive to design and develop, and didn't sell in anything like the number needed to cover cost. Presumably its backers told us to build a cheaper fighter jet to pay for it, the Eurofighter.'
'I should say.' Commented Mr Raglan.
'The Harrier was also difficult to fly correctly without a lot of care. It was really a highly trained pilots' weapon. So poseurs who fancied they could fly, usually without full clearance, would crash it.' I said.
'Lack of discipline, the worst enemy!' Commented Lord Raglan, returning his view to the chess game.
I continued, 'Perhaps enthusiasm for buying up hovercraft of various sizes, at the time of the beginning of the Harrier project, was quashed by intoxicated planners and staff, told, 'but a hovercraft can't fly!' who found themselves discarding hovercraft for large scale military use, to put it all into an improbable futures contract on the Harrier!'
'The Typhoon is a crate. It's a box, no-one takes it seriously.' Said Mr Westmoreland, his attention glanced from the game below.
'The US had tried to shed themselves of the F-22.' Said Mr Raglan, 'And large F-35 sales are expected.'
'The F-22 is a far more useful fighter aircraft, but likely again, Lockheed can't seem to find buyers, who don't try to force them to build at a loss. Last April's debate would have been an attempt to get them to sign a long contract, or stop making the F-22 altogether.' I told the group.
Mr Meyer asked, 'What are the ideas of the air force pilots?'
I looked at Mr Medvedev, saying, 'Many aren't interested to fight anyway. Most just want to police the sky, and bomb the ground where they see fit.'
Lord Raglan's bristles curled slightly, and he said, 'Then we might as well not bother! That's farming! What, Medders?!'
''Let them eat cake', to quote Ms Antoinette.' Said thoughtful and intelligent Mr Medvedev!
Archbishop Rowan's eye raised toward me a little from the chess game, as I turned toward Lord Raglan, one hand on hip, the other to my wide and pointed moustache, but I noticed the Archbishop's guiding thought...!
A few harrumphs are noted in the minutes.
21/1/10
Today's meeting of Neutron Star Corporation, held this afternoon at the Zurich office of Swiss Bank Corporation again, held present;
Deutsche Chancellor Ms Angela Merkel, American actress Ms Angelina Jolie, Ms Winehouse, Miss Flight, and Miss Osbourne.
President Dimitri Medvedev of Russia, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachov, Archbishop Williams, Lord Raglan, General Westmoreland, Mr Meyer, and myself.
The meeting began with a brief announcement, and continued with quiet applause in the direction of President Medvedev.
The polite applause continued for twenty five minutes, as Russian President Medvedev found himself many times standing and slightly bowing in recognition of the applause.
29/1/10
The team met at Zurich once more. Present, Guild Navigator Flight, Misses Kelly Osbourne and Lily Allen of Berlin Bank, and television comedienne Miss Jo Brand. Also with us, President Medvedev, Archbishop Williams, Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov, Lord Raglan, U.S.A.A.General Colin Powell, General Westmoreland, Mr Rolf Meyer, and myself as Mr Speaker. With mention of The Enigmatic And Mysterious Girl.
The gentlemen stood again over the upward facing computer monitor, as a chess program displayed a game of the French Defence.
President Medvedev was speaking for a few minutes on the telephone to Russian Prime Minister Putin, while conversing in tandem with Mr Lavrov.
The ladies were sat together, they had a box of Milk Tray chocolates open before them, but Jo spoke to The Girl; 'Could I have a couple of fresh, narrow carrots, please? And some plain unsweetened yoghurt, and a few iceberg leaves.'
The Speaker, listening, suggested, 'Jo, perhaps some Potassium salt?'
'I expect that would be a good idea!' Said she, cheerfully as always.
I looked to The Girl, whose eyes fell to me, and I informed her, 'Lo-Salt, please.'
The Girl turned, left and returned with the goodies for Jo whom, a little removed from the other ladies, took a carrot in her hand, and with the other hand, she 'Tkk!' Snapped the carrot, and commented, 'Hmm, that's fresh!'
Conversation quietened among Kelly and friends, while Miss Flight looked to Jo, and a hint of guilt seemed to pass while she sucked on a chocolate.
'I think I'll dunk it in this yoghurt!' announced Jo, who proceeded to consume a little of the carrot.
Lily ponked her chocolate onto a plate, 'These chocolates aren't really very nice.'
Lily's friend, Kelly said, 'They aren't. They taste like Kraft cheese!'
Jo bit a crisp piece of lettuce.
Shortly thereafter, the ladies imbibed in Galia melon with yoghurt, banana, and finely fresh ground almonds.
The Speaker then alluded to the game being described by the computer.
'This one is very interesting. Saemisch, Urbanec, 1943. He seems to either be describing something or giving a directive. He shoots down black's bishop directly before the black king!'
Archbishop Rowan commented 'I should think that neither side required their dark squared bishops.'
Lord Raglan, 'It is early in the game to know that.'
The Archbishop suggested, 'Perhaps the computer should give an analysis.'
Lord Raglan, 'That would help greatly.'
The Speaker stated, 'With analyses, about the most important thing that influences the event is the choice of analysis point. The bishop strike, on move six, as we know, is very soon. And to comprehend what the computer decides, we should be able to see a few steps ourselves. But these must be measured against actual progress in time and space. Hence, the earlier in the game our analysis point, then it is more difficult to place a reference.'
President Medvedev hanged up the telephone, for Mr Lavrov and himself to join the chess group, so the Speaker went through again what just described.
'Normally this is encountered by reflections.' Said Mr Medvedev, 'If we find something closely similar further on, we would probably have to look at that, before returning to the earlier incidence. Then also the computer will have some point from which to look back. This won't be very explicit, computers are very concerned with the task at hand. But in a closed system as that, topology is a stronger influence.'
The gentlemen admired Mr Medvedev, then looked further into the game.
The Speaker, 'Both queens have replaced the bishops, note that they stay on dark squares. The players have probably discarded the bishops in favour of the queens. But they appear to be in a kind of stasis.'
Foreign Minister Lavrov, 'That may relate to topology also. A chess board is clearly a finite matrix.'
But the Speaker became unsettled by a deep convergence, 'This is not so good, I'm afraid. Both remaining bishops have met, smack in the centre! Yes, now the knight has locked it all in.'
General Westmoreland, 'What do you believe that shows?'
'Observation.' Said the Speaker, looking at the monitor, 'Perhaps quantum mechanical. Also awareness of being observed, very closely.'
Mr Powell agreed, 'Certainly, and regarding Secretary Lavrov's motion, that brings us toward the subject of an infinite class, which Mr Speaker had once referred to Srinivasan, who states that infinite classes are not supported by quantum logic.'
The gentlemen, with whom Jo and Flight had joined, studied the position for a minute. The mood in the bright, sumptuous room with a thick wool carpet of light grey, a fine, dark wooden table and yellow walls painted in a low hue; quietened. The company directors present became reflective in thought. While studying the game, suggestions as to analysis point were tendered, but the Speaker broke the stream with a suggestion, generally toward the Russian President, 'Monte Carlo analysis. We should use that.'
The Speaker noticed The Girl turn her attention toward him, and her eyes fell upon his, for a moment, before he returned his view to Mr Medvedev, who nodded gradually to Mr Speaker.
Lord Raglan asked about Monte Carlo analysis, so swiftly the Speaker turned to Mr Meyer, who summarised, by then to an entire room of interested persons, especially Miss Flight, who is most keen on games of many varieties. 'The important thing about analyses is that many are fairly destructive, reducing the state, to build lines and vectors of a kind. To conserve the game, Monte Carlo analysis is among the most popular that are a little creative in their application. However, this will make the choice of analysis point too difficult for us to decide unassisted. Fortunately, the computer program we have operating is strongly leant toward artificially intelligent system protocols. So I suggest we use Hiarcs here, to establish an analysis, and possibly offer a result to Rybka's Monte Carlo function.'
Mr Medvedev posited, 'Most chess analysis engines either use, to an extent, Monte Carlo integration or something similar, certainly they can take the option to write accordingly.'
'Thankyou sir, we shall do as Mr Meyer suggests.' Decided the Speaker.
The computer was configured, and its analysis parameters set.
The Speaker, 'Deep Position Analysis, single engine. I'm leaving one core redundant. These; search types, futility, aren't so important to us right now, but probably, 'Sharpen PV' will be. Optimistic search actually might invoke fairly wondrous maths, in this case we should uncheck it. I'll reduce the forward pruning.'
Mr Westmoreland spoke to Miss Flight, 'What would you say to this nucleus, on move 26?'
Who answered, 'That is probably too dense to be directly broken up. Can we forward a few moves?'
The Speaker turned to Lord Raglan, who said, 'Here. After the light squared bishops have annihilated eachother, but before the rooks take over the fight.'
But Mr Speaker interceded, 'No, here sir. When the rook play initiates, the nucleus is reacquired.'
'Good.' Answered Lord Raglan.
Offering an allegience, the Speaker said, 'I don't allow mutual branching at the moment. It has to be from a perspective. So whose side shall we be on?'
President Medvedev, 'I think he should be Saemisch, as white.'
The Speaker, while working on the analysis setting, 'I don't well understand this branching, first and other moves. So we will mostly leave it. It is better to use depth of moves than time duration of analysis, however...alright, I'll try to set the depth higher.
I have also altered the branching scale, but the schema is much the same. We're going to cut bad lines, too. This analysis is likely to take a day or two. Are we ready?'
A mumbled yea from some, while the ladies seemed mysteriously awe inspired!
'Enabled, armed...Lord Raglan?'
'Fire!'
The group watched for moments, as Deep Hiarcs began to acquire its objects.
Conversation quietly began again on less crucial material, as Lord Raglan, and Foreign Minister Lavrov watched the computer screen with Mr Speaker,who observed, 'The machine seems interested in knight to g4 on move 29. It should cover that presently.' The chaps remaining to overlook the screen, studied the move list, while the pieces did nothing at all on the board display, since the analysis was only commencing. After ten minutes, the Speaker, 'We may as well conclude this meeting for now. Shall we to the gymnasium and sauna spa, ladies and gentlemen?'
Agreement was promptly reached and we retired.
31/1/10
President Medvedev sat at one side of a large table, on either side of himself, were no chairs.
Across the smart and dark wooden table from him, sat Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who proudly had grown a wide, laterally waxed and thick moustache.
By Mr Putin was sat Lord Raglan, also with a wide moustache. By Mr Raglan sat The Speaker, resplendent in his narrow and firmly waxed, lateral military moustache. Beside the Speaker was Mr Meyer, whose thick moustache curled upward, as did General Westmoreland's beside him. Next to Mr Westmoreland was fully bearded Archbishop Rowan Williams. Genteel and considerate Mr Medvedev was cleanly shaven.
The Speaker announced, 'During the history of venerable institutions, such as, The Bankers' Guild, or the Hapsburg Empire...'
'Hear, hear!' Exclaimed Lord Raglan!
The Speaker continued, 'The company directors, many of whom possessed handsome moustaches.'
Comments of 'Hear, hear.' Were noted.
There was a gentle tapping on the door, and The Girl ushered to the room, Miss Jo Brand, Miss DJ Flight, and Miss Kelly Osbourne.
'May you excuse us, please?' Asked Jo.
The gentlemen watched the ladies politely invite President Medvedev to dine with them at a nearby restaurant, forthwith.
Mr Medvedev took his leave, and proceeded of the discussion, with the ladies and The Girl.
There was a duration lasting several minutes of quiet puzzlement, while the outstandingly moustachioed men's head movements, mostly turned to reflect eachother's lack of understanding of what had just occurred. The Speaker, whose face showed concerned mystification, raised an out-turned fingertip to one of the stems of his fine moustache, and exclaimed, 'The Deuce?!'
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Last Update: 31/1/10