Comments on life, entertainment, and mathematics by a guy with nothing better to do.
I don't know why, but every time I get the opportunity to use math script in a proof I get all giddy. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about: "math script" is a font used to denote collections of sets. It is similar to how blackboard font is used to denote spaces (like the integers, reals, or complex numbers).
Last night, I was attempting to finish my graph theory problemset early. I ran through it a few times, answering the questions that were readily apparent to me what the answer is. Repeat. Then, I sat down with Matt and Ella and worked out the last problem, which was causing us some problems. I then came back to finish all of the problems I had skipped, only to find that they were all done, except for the last one.
I woke up early today. It was an incredibly productive morning. Why don't I wake up early every weekend?
I watched Rent last night, and I was less than impressed. Maybe it's because so many people have raved about how amazing it is that the luster was lost on me. To me, it was mostly entertaining, but could have ended sooner. It always seemed like it was about to end, but it didn't. Also, the emotional impact I should have recieved seemed contrived and scripted. The main tradgedy might have been lost on me since I have never been personally effected by AIDS, but all of the personal conflicts seemed either too scripted (lesbian couple) or too formulaic (drug addiction).
I just took a look at the boxed sets of Farscape and found that each season is over $100. I understand charging that much for a full anime series, but for a single season of a four-season show, that's a bit much. I guess they probably don't sell very many, but the number and length of the episodes are pretty much the same as its old network-buddy Stargate, which runs for less than $50. Boxed sets are pretty, but still too expensive for me.
I believe I will require an efficient Hypergraph data structure for the algorithm I will eventually develop. A hypergraph extends normal graphs by using k-subsets of vertices instead of 2-subsets (normal edges). Anyone have any good source on how to efficiently store sets like this? I can't find any real standard data structures for hypergraphs.
The subject of this article is in the literal sense, as opposed to the suggestive sense I realized after typing it.
A few years ago I heard of an indy film that got rave reviews and was renown in the indy community. After I got the chance to watch it, I can see why. Not because it's a good movie, but because it's full of that stuff that amateur film makers love: long, drawn-out camera moves that turn 20 minutes of script into a feature film. I was so disappointed by the endless following sequences, when you stared at the back of someone's head for five minutes as they walk across a field, or a hall, or a room.
If you know a mathematician, preferrably several, you will definitely enjoy the movie "Proof." The three main actors perform incredibly to be three different types of mathematicians. The line between genius and lunatic (if there is one) is greatly questioned from both views: mathematical and "normal." The non-linear storytelling really allows for important facets of the characters to be revealed as necessary. I was happily surprised to find whatever remnants of a chick flick exists were well hidden and not the formulaic dribble that is normally attributed to the genre.
I've had an awful sleep schedule the last week. It's started to make me tired at all different times of day, and when I'm tired, I get really disoriented. I will look at a clock and not know what it means. I'll freak out, thinking I'm late for something. I get panicky, even if it's a few hours before I need to be anywhere.
Arrested Development came to a close in a 4-episode conclusion. I found it to be a very good close for the series, even though I really hope that they bring it back on a different network. I await the DVD release of season 3.
I've been working on a certain computational geometry problem for about 9 months now. I hoped to make this into my thesis subject, focusing primarily on the algorithm that is necessary for the n-dimensional spatial cache to work. I had not been able to find any papers specific to my problem. I found out tonight that it was because I was searching for the wrong words.
I took my first exam in CS 924 - Advanced Graph Algorithms. It was good overall, except that I didn't know a certain definition that should be a prerequisite for the course. I felt a little stupid, but didn't really care. I'm not getting a real grade. I'm just glad I could do the stuff that was taught in this class.
When the series "Numb3rs" came out, I thought it would be a watered-down crime drama that glosses over the mathematician character. However, I watched a few episodes and was very pleased. The mathematician's viewpoint is very realistic. The math itself can't be explained completely, but it's explained rather well. The most interesting part of the show (in my view) is the psychological effect of a mathematician dealing with real-life problems that effect people's lives. The stress of getting a problem correct increases with degrees of magnitude if someone will live or die due to the solution.
The Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics is this weekend, and there are a few things that a male mathematician might be interested in. Tonight, it was the first technical talk.
Planned first impressions are like a first date: you prepare before hand exactly what to say in every situation, get all nervous, and hope for the best. Usually I screw this up in the latter case. However, my meeting of Lenore Blum could not have gone much better. So, did I just make it to first base?
I just saw someone walking between classes with a rolling backpack. You know, the kind of roller/handle combination you usually see on large luggage, but on a backpack. A backpack that didn't look like it had anything in it. This laziness only slightly exceeds my laziness of thinking that hauling a 30-pound backpack hurredly between classes all day every day is a sufficient form of excersize.
