I'm not sure why, but guys don't seem to blog very well. I'm not sure why. Shannon certainly surpasses me in both posts and readership. Oh well.
On a nerdier note, I found a website today: projecteuler.net. If you don't know who Euler is, and how to pronounce his name, you can just stop reading now. For the rest of you, it's a site with a collection of computer programing math problems. They start from very easy to extra hard, and are meant as a way to learn to program mathematically. (Sorry folks, no fun stuff like double linked lists or other things I do not understand.) I did the first problem today in Maple in a couple minutes. (And Maple is weird for logic programming.) Of the languages I know, MatLab would be the best suited to all this stuff, though from what I've seen a fair number of the problems are large integer based, so the unlimited precision of Maple would come in handy there. Anyway, my point was, it could be a fun little project to work on.
And about now I realize that I already told Brett about this today, so I'm not sure who else out there could possibly care . . .
Tuesday, August 26
Monday, August 25
The Year of Living Biblically
No, not me, silly. It's a book. A.J. Jacobs (author of The Know-It-All wherein he documents his adventures in reading the entire encyclopedia Britannica) this time has decided to spend a year following every rule laid out by the Bible. Jacobs is Jewish, but not in any real religious sense. As he points out, about the only Jewish thing his family did growing up was to put a star of David atop their Christmas tree. Anyway, he sets out to obey as strictly as possible, not only the ten commandments, but also every rule from the Bible that he can, from blowing a horn at a new month, to stoning adulterers, to not wearing cotton and linen together.Now, of course he can't quite always do it the way the Bible mentions, since many of those animal sacrifice practices would be illegal in the US, as would chucking boulders at people. (His solution for the stoning of adulterers is that the Bible never says how big the stones must be. He opts for pebbles.) But as much as this seems like it would be a book full of non-stop poking fun at crazy things the Bible says, it really isn't.
Through it all, Jacobs actually attempts to obey the spirit of the laws whenever he can. Though not a religious man at all, he does learn to awaken a bit of his spiritual side. He discovers that he enjoys prayers of gratitude, and that wearing white improves his mood.
After a year of living Biblically (about 9 months focusing on the O.T. only, and then a few months of adding the N.T. to it) he hasn't re-awoken as a Jew, nor has he adopted Christianity, but he feels that he's learned something important on the way.
The book is at times silly, and still has spots where can't help but poke a little fun at religions he doesn't understand, but he is generally very respectful. It's interesting, though not as good as "The Know-It-All" in my opinion.
Monday, August 18
Olympic Love
This continues to amaze me, so I continue to blog on the topic: Utah Loves the Olympics. America agrees that with Phelps done swimming, that's no reason to quit watching (79%). But no one believes that quite so emphatically as Utah (87%). Once again, Utah turns out the highest pro-Olympic totals in another ESPN poll.
I've been trying to figure out why Utah is so . . . Olympic. The only idea I can come up with has to do with the sampling of the voters. Let's assume there is a constant percentage of Americans who really love the Olympics. That would mean that Utah keeps coming out first in these polls not because we love the games more, but because of the sampling method. My theory (I'm not saying it's a good one, it's just the only one I have at this point) is that the Olympic loving people in other states are being drowned out by the hordes of other non-Olympic people going to ESPN.com to check up on their local MLB or NFL team, or their favorite NASCAR driver. In Utah, there isn't a pro team that does anything this time of the year, so many Utah sports fans are in a somewhat dormant state during the summer. This results in the Olympics fans being more noticeable in online polls. (I hope that made sense. I just rewrote that explanation like 5 times.)
Anyway, does anyone else have an idea why Utah loves the Olympics so much?
I've been trying to figure out why Utah is so . . . Olympic. The only idea I can come up with has to do with the sampling of the voters. Let's assume there is a constant percentage of Americans who really love the Olympics. That would mean that Utah keeps coming out first in these polls not because we love the games more, but because of the sampling method. My theory (I'm not saying it's a good one, it's just the only one I have at this point) is that the Olympic loving people in other states are being drowned out by the hordes of other non-Olympic people going to ESPN.com to check up on their local MLB or NFL team, or their favorite NASCAR driver. In Utah, there isn't a pro team that does anything this time of the year, so many Utah sports fans are in a somewhat dormant state during the summer. This results in the Olympics fans being more noticeable in online polls. (I hope that made sense. I just rewrote that explanation like 5 times.)
Anyway, does anyone else have an idea why Utah loves the Olympics so much?
Phelps
Yes, we've all been watching Michael Phelps win gold metals every night for the last week. He's been destroying people in half of his races, and he's been ultra-opportunistic (or ultra-lucky) in the others, and he's won every time it counted. America has, in general, been quick to declare Phelps the best Olympian ever. But is he? As usual, such a subjective claim can be difficult to pin down.
I hope no one misconstrues my remarks to imply that Phelps hasn't had an amazing set of swims. He clearly has. But when considering "best ever" sorts of declarations, the task becomes one of comparing people who have all done incredible things; they're all terrific.
Here's an article from the AP (via the Deseret News) that brings up a few reasons why Phelps may not be the greatest ever. The most significant thing I realized in reading the article is that the vast majority of the US, like myself, is quick to declare Phelps the best ever, despite knowing very little about any Olympic history further back than 20 or 30 years ago. Does anyone reading this know anything about the first 50 years of the modern Olympics? Name a single athlete who competed? Ok, now name one besides Jesse Owens.
Anyway, I would suggest that the more we might delve into Olympic history, and the more we learn about past games, we would find more and more athletes who would amaze us, and who ought to be considered in our discussions of greatness.
Finally, why do we feel compelled to pick someone as the greatest ever? Why can't they all just be great?
I hope no one misconstrues my remarks to imply that Phelps hasn't had an amazing set of swims. He clearly has. But when considering "best ever" sorts of declarations, the task becomes one of comparing people who have all done incredible things; they're all terrific.
Here's an article from the AP (via the Deseret News) that brings up a few reasons why Phelps may not be the greatest ever. The most significant thing I realized in reading the article is that the vast majority of the US, like myself, is quick to declare Phelps the best ever, despite knowing very little about any Olympic history further back than 20 or 30 years ago. Does anyone reading this know anything about the first 50 years of the modern Olympics? Name a single athlete who competed? Ok, now name one besides Jesse Owens.
Anyway, I would suggest that the more we might delve into Olympic history, and the more we learn about past games, we would find more and more athletes who would amaze us, and who ought to be considered in our discussions of greatness.
Finally, why do we feel compelled to pick someone as the greatest ever? Why can't they all just be great?
Wednesday, August 13
Tagging
Where would the blogosphere be without tagging to keep people busy? Via Shannon . . .
1. Did you date someone from your school?
Nope. I followed the Shannon dating plan of not dating. Anyone. Period. I'll tell you about the 2 dances that I went to in HS and the circumstances involving my going if you want.
2. What kind of car did you drive?
1987 Chevy Cavalier named "The Skunk" and a 1987 Plymouth Sundance, later named "Pansy: The Car Who Can't".
3. It’s Friday night...where are you?
I think we did the same thing every week. Basketball at Kevin's church, because his mom was the RS Pres and had keys, followed by a quick trip to 7-11 for massive re-hydration, followed by N64 at Mark's house where we played football, or WWF vs NWO or something like that.
4. Were you a party animal?
Does basketball, 7-11 and video games make me a party animal?
5. Were you considered a flirt?
If you caught me in the right mood, I might acknowledge that girls did, in fact, exist. If you kept me up until 2am and fed me tons of sugar, I may have admitted actually liking one. And that is about as far as any of that went.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
No, no and no.
7. Were you a nerd?
Of course. Kenny and I just about staged a protest over not being Sterling Scholars.
8. Were you on any varsity teams?
No, varsity is for dummies; I was on Honors. (I hope Suzanne still reads my blog, so maybe, just maybe, someone will get that.) My sole extra-curricular was Academic Decathlon.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled?
Nope.
10. Can you still sing the fight song?
As much as I ever could: "Through all the seasons of the year . . . . . . . . . mumble mumble . . . . . . clap clap . . . . . . clap clap . . . . . . . . . ROLLING HILLS!"
11. Who were your favorite teachers?
Herlin, Merrill, Brinton.
12. Where did you sit during lunch?
Summer months outside near the tennis courts. Winter we spent on the floor in the history hall.
13. What was your school's full name?
Hillcrest High School
14. School mascot?
The school constitution states "the school mascot shall be a "husky" dog." I'm not sure what those quotes are supposed to mean. I'll leave you to judge.
15. Did you go to Homecoming and who with?
No. In my defense, I was only 16 for Homecoming my senior year, so I only went 0/1.
16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
I think so. Maybe not for three years, but it was a blast. I didn't try, I goofed off all day, no responsibilities!
17. What do you remember most about graduation?
Wondering who on earth all those people in my grade were. I swear I'd never heard of them, nor seen them. Also, it was long.
18. Where did you go senior skip day?
Murray Park to play Frisbee in the rain.
19. Were you in any clubs?
Nope.
20. Have you gained some weight since then?
Since the beginning of high school or the end? I'm up about 15 pounds since HS, but I probably gained 30 during HS.
21. Who was your prom date?
Haven't you gotten it through your thick skull yet that I didn't date?
22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?
Sure. Not that I expect to be excited to see anyone there, nor do I expect anyone there to be excited to see me. But we'll probably go. If nothing else to get out of the heat for a weekend.
1. Did you date someone from your school?
Nope. I followed the Shannon dating plan of not dating. Anyone. Period. I'll tell you about the 2 dances that I went to in HS and the circumstances involving my going if you want.
2. What kind of car did you drive?
1987 Chevy Cavalier named "The Skunk" and a 1987 Plymouth Sundance, later named "Pansy: The Car Who Can't".
3. It’s Friday night...where are you?
I think we did the same thing every week. Basketball at Kevin's church, because his mom was the RS Pres and had keys, followed by a quick trip to 7-11 for massive re-hydration, followed by N64 at Mark's house where we played football, or WWF vs NWO or something like that.
4. Were you a party animal?
Does basketball, 7-11 and video games make me a party animal?
5. Were you considered a flirt?
If you caught me in the right mood, I might acknowledge that girls did, in fact, exist. If you kept me up until 2am and fed me tons of sugar, I may have admitted actually liking one. And that is about as far as any of that went.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
No, no and no.
7. Were you a nerd?
Of course. Kenny and I just about staged a protest over not being Sterling Scholars.
8. Were you on any varsity teams?
No, varsity is for dummies; I was on Honors. (I hope Suzanne still reads my blog, so maybe, just maybe, someone will get that.) My sole extra-curricular was Academic Decathlon.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled?
Nope.
10. Can you still sing the fight song?
As much as I ever could: "Through all the seasons of the year . . . . . . . . . mumble mumble . . . . . . clap clap . . . . . . clap clap . . . . . . . . . ROLLING HILLS!"
11. Who were your favorite teachers?
Herlin, Merrill, Brinton.
12. Where did you sit during lunch?
Summer months outside near the tennis courts. Winter we spent on the floor in the history hall.
13. What was your school's full name?
Hillcrest High School
14. School mascot?
The school constitution states "the school mascot shall be a "husky" dog." I'm not sure what those quotes are supposed to mean. I'll leave you to judge.
15. Did you go to Homecoming and who with?
No. In my defense, I was only 16 for Homecoming my senior year, so I only went 0/1.
16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
I think so. Maybe not for three years, but it was a blast. I didn't try, I goofed off all day, no responsibilities!
17. What do you remember most about graduation?
Wondering who on earth all those people in my grade were. I swear I'd never heard of them, nor seen them. Also, it was long.
18. Where did you go senior skip day?
Murray Park to play Frisbee in the rain.
19. Were you in any clubs?
Nope.
20. Have you gained some weight since then?
Since the beginning of high school or the end? I'm up about 15 pounds since HS, but I probably gained 30 during HS.
21. Who was your prom date?
Haven't you gotten it through your thick skull yet that I didn't date?
22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?
Sure. Not that I expect to be excited to see anyone there, nor do I expect anyone there to be excited to see me. But we'll probably go. If nothing else to get out of the heat for a weekend.
Monday, August 11
It's not a fluke
Another espn.com poll has found Utah to be the state most devoted to watching the olympics every day. 55% of the US will be watching each day, but 68% of Utahns are planning on doing the same, more than any other state. Again, WY was the other top state. And to North Dakota: Most of the country already has pretty lukewarm feelings towards you, I think it would be a good idea if you showed a little more support for the Olympics.
Friday, August 8
Utah loves the Olympics
Apparently, Utah loves the Olympics. This poll data is from ESPN.com. The image is hard to see (click on it and you should get a bigger one if you want to see the numbers for yourself) but 37% of respondents indicated that they would be watching the Olympics rather than MLB, NASCAR, NFL or Golf this weekend. But 65% of Utahns voted for the Olympics. The only state to score higher was Wyoming with 67% (but with only about 2 dozen respondents, so UT and WY are clearly undifferentiated in the +/-).Utahn or not, we'll be watching the opening ceremonies tonight as part of Shannon's birthday celebration. For the 1-2 readers I have who don't also read her blog, make sure and wish her a happy birthday.
Friday, August 1
Yogurt
Yogurt is clearly something meant to be eaten with a spoon. So why does Yoplait make their containers such that the top is the smallest end? It gives minimal opening to reach into the space. Doesn't it make more sense to provide a bigger opening for the same size by essentially reversing the top and bottom dimensions like all the other yogurt producers do?And what's this? Evidently in Turkey, Yoplait does reverse their dimensions!
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