Hating Math but Loving Games
For some reason in my youth, I developed a dislike for math. One theory is that it was because it didn't come as easily for me as other things did (reading, comprehension, etc.). Another theory is that it just wasn't as INTERESTING in application as other things.
I did find, however, when the math problem was interesting (and not presented as a math problem) I really broke out the mental tools and kept at it till I solved it. Some of the old RPG systems I was involved in spurred revitalized interest in math, probabilities, and algebra.
There's been a recent spate of TV shows and movies that have prominently featured mathematicians as the protagonists and emphasized the hidden wonders of mathematics at work in every day life. One of those is the TV show numb3rs...
Interested in following up some of the mathematical theories and methods found in it? Check out this link.
Spurred on by a recent movie lent to me and Kate, I remembered something that always irks me: people claiming that something is true just because of their personal, and therefore anecdotal, experience.
It irks me because, one of the things I apply in life is the concept of mathematical proofs and scientific theories. A proof PROVES something is true. A theory is a model that might be true, and theories tend to gain adherents if it can explain and predict the behavior found in the real world.
However, scientific theories can only be disproven, never proven. Examples that show a theory appears to be correct is NOT proof.
More on this later... I've got a meeting to attend!
Manic Burst of Activity
I've been slacking in my blogging duties, and in an effort to jumpstart things, I've decided do some reactions to various news tidbits related to my various interests.
Science Watch: Tabletop Fusion?
It turns out that there's an (as yet unsubstatiated case) for tabletop fusion. In an article found in www.sciencenews.org it's related that a technique "that some scientists claim generates thermonuclear fusion in a benchtop apparatus works even without its controversial neutron trigger" and this means a powerful and potentially cheap source of energy. Why cheap? The procedure argues that "nuclear-fusion reactions can occur in a vat of chilled solvent agitated by ultrasound."
That's right. All those old black and white films with bubbling liquids may have been right! They were the power source of those mad scientists!
However, because the researchers "used neutron pulses to trigger the process", other researchers have been highly suspicious of the results.
Okay.
I don't know what that meant, but I believe it's because neutron pulses may have interfered with the results, or have not been adequately accounted for in interpreting the results of the experiment. The article lost me at this point so...
Comics Watch: Who Is Terra?
One of the most shocking betrayals in any comic book series occurred in the Teen Titans storyline titled "The Judas Contract". It had actually been set up earlier when a teenaged criminal supposedly being forced / held hostage by... bad guys... and eventually joined the Titans. She played her role well, and was criticized by comics readers as being a rip-off of Kitty Pryde from the X-men (especially since the New Teen Titans were seen as capitalizing somehow on the X-men's popularity). Then she betrayed them all after gaining their trust and love and learning most of their secrets.
And then the bombshell - she wasn't some poor brainwashed teenager who'd fallen under the influence of Deathstroke. Even before she'd met Deathstroke, she'd already been the vicious, deceptive, and vindictive girl that we saw... and that ultimately was her downfall.
It shocked me because the Titans had become the equivalent of a super-powered soap opera / action adventure story, where the lives of the characters mattered to me. It also intrigued me because of the way that the story had been put together, where hints of her dark side had already been made... if only we, as readers, hadn't been lulled into complacency by the "everything always ends happily" trope for superhero comics, we'd probably have guessed the sad truth long before it was revealed.
I wasn't alone in being fooled. In an interview, George Perez, the artist and co-plotter of the New Teen Titans at the time, said
Ah Tara, you were my introduction to a part of the world that shouldn't be bad or evil... but is anyway.
Idol Watch: Out of Touch
It's fascinating to watch the try-outs of American Idol primarily to see how out of touch some people are with reality. Perhaps some have been misled by so-called friends, some have been crippled by nerves, and some are just there to appear on TV... but most would surely realize that they're nowhere near the caliber of performer that they need to be!
The reactions that some have when rejected are astounding: prideful anger, outraged denial, and personal attacks against the judges. At least some have the grace and focus to accept the criticisms and decide to either improve themselves, or dedicate their lives to another endeavor.
I've been slacking in my blogging duties, and in an effort to jumpstart things, I've decided do some reactions to various news tidbits related to my various interests.
Science Watch: Tabletop Fusion?
It turns out that there's an (as yet unsubstatiated case) for tabletop fusion. In an article found in www.sciencenews.org it's related that a technique "that some scientists claim generates thermonuclear fusion in a benchtop apparatus works even without its controversial neutron trigger" and this means a powerful and potentially cheap source of energy. Why cheap? The procedure argues that "nuclear-fusion reactions can occur in a vat of chilled solvent agitated by ultrasound."
That's right. All those old black and white films with bubbling liquids may have been right! They were the power source of those mad scientists!
However, because the researchers "used neutron pulses to trigger the process", other researchers have been highly suspicious of the results.
Okay.
I don't know what that meant, but I believe it's because neutron pulses may have interfered with the results, or have not been adequately accounted for in interpreting the results of the experiment. The article lost me at this point so...
Comics Watch: Who Is Terra?
One of the most shocking betrayals in any comic book series occurred in the Teen Titans storyline titled "The Judas Contract". It had actually been set up earlier when a teenaged criminal supposedly being forced / held hostage by... bad guys... and eventually joined the Titans. She played her role well, and was criticized by comics readers as being a rip-off of Kitty Pryde from the X-men (especially since the New Teen Titans were seen as capitalizing somehow on the X-men's popularity). Then she betrayed them all after gaining their trust and love and learning most of their secrets.
And then the bombshell - she wasn't some poor brainwashed teenager who'd fallen under the influence of Deathstroke. Even before she'd met Deathstroke, she'd already been the vicious, deceptive, and vindictive girl that we saw... and that ultimately was her downfall.It shocked me because the Titans had become the equivalent of a super-powered soap opera / action adventure story, where the lives of the characters mattered to me. It also intrigued me because of the way that the story had been put together, where hints of her dark side had already been made... if only we, as readers, hadn't been lulled into complacency by the "everything always ends happily" trope for superhero comics, we'd probably have guessed the sad truth long before it was revealed.
I wasn't alone in being fooled. In an interview, George Perez, the artist and co-plotter of the New Teen Titans at the time, said
People did not know where it was going. Not even the diehard Titans fans who I see at conventions, who have magazines about the Titans that I read. All of them speculated that Terra was going to reform at the last minute and turn on the Terminator. Of course we had that in there, too, but for a totally different reason. The cover was created specifically to let you wonder which side she was going to take, not realizing that she was going against both.
Ah Tara, you were my introduction to a part of the world that shouldn't be bad or evil... but is anyway.
Idol Watch: Out of Touch
It's fascinating to watch the try-outs of American Idol primarily to see how out of touch some people are with reality. Perhaps some have been misled by so-called friends, some have been crippled by nerves, and some are just there to appear on TV... but most would surely realize that they're nowhere near the caliber of performer that they need to be!
The reactions that some have when rejected are astounding: prideful anger, outraged denial, and personal attacks against the judges. At least some have the grace and focus to accept the criticisms and decide to either improve themselves, or dedicate their lives to another endeavor.
Quizola - Heed My Words!
The secret's out. I AM the reincarnation of... gee... which God would I want to be the reincarnation of anyway?
 Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com |
The secret's out. I AM the reincarnation of... gee... which God would I want to be the reincarnation of anyway?
Married Life
My wife and I have been trying to settle down, but gosh darn it, there's a lot to do. Furniture and appliances to organize, expenditures and finances to plan, and lots of little details to deal with post-wedding...
Still, the gifts we've received and a couple of purchases have made things easier. One is the fridge, the other is the TV / DVD set. Woohoo! Now we gotta focus on getting stuff to make the kitchen a bit more manageable.
On another note, I STILL haven't finished my short story Gunsaddled. I have begun making my way through the Philippine Speculative Fiction Anthology, and have finished the Project Hero and Siglo: Passion anthologies. Good stuff, and will post my faves another time.
Merry Christmas to all!
My wife and I have been trying to settle down, but gosh darn it, there's a lot to do. Furniture and appliances to organize, expenditures and finances to plan, and lots of little details to deal with post-wedding...
Still, the gifts we've received and a couple of purchases have made things easier. One is the fridge, the other is the TV / DVD set. Woohoo! Now we gotta focus on getting stuff to make the kitchen a bit more manageable.
On another note, I STILL haven't finished my short story Gunsaddled. I have begun making my way through the Philippine Speculative Fiction Anthology, and have finished the Project Hero and Siglo: Passion anthologies. Good stuff, and will post my faves another time.
Merry Christmas to all!
Hawk and... Dove?
Just a short note: hectic work schedules and the wedding preparations are cutting down on my blogging time. However...
Kate and I were watching the Justice League Unlimited episodes I hadn't seen yet... and saw the episode "Hawk & Dove". The episode focused on two characters from DC Comics: super-powered brothers who held different views on life. Hawk tended to favor aggression and conflict to solve problems, while Dove was, predictably, more inclined towards peaceful methods. I've always felt that Dove had the weaker of the two names, always belonging to a tandem name set "Hawk and -".
When Kate heard the name of "Dove", she let out a yelp of disbelief.
"Dove? Did they say Dove?"
"Yes, why?"
Then in a voice full of astonishment and derision, she said "What does he do? Poop on people?"
Just a short note: hectic work schedules and the wedding preparations are cutting down on my blogging time. However...
Kate and I were watching the Justice League Unlimited episodes I hadn't seen yet... and saw the episode "Hawk & Dove". The episode focused on two characters from DC Comics: super-powered brothers who held different views on life. Hawk tended to favor aggression and conflict to solve problems, while Dove was, predictably, more inclined towards peaceful methods. I've always felt that Dove had the weaker of the two names, always belonging to a tandem name set "Hawk and -".
When Kate heard the name of "Dove", she let out a yelp of disbelief.
"Dove? Did they say Dove?"
"Yes, why?"
Then in a voice full of astonishment and derision, she said "What does he do? Poop on people?"
Prayers and Paperwork
The long process of getting my Catholic Wedding papers in order is still going on. It's become something of an adventure... an epic adventure.
It started innocently enough back in January when I discovered that all this wedding paperwork we were starting on had to be delayed. The required Baptismal Certificates and Confirmation Certificates must be stamped "For Marriage Purposes". They only issue one copy. Ever.
And the must be prepared 4 months before the wedding, otherwise they expire. Kate had already gotten hers; I hadn't.
Flashforward. We've already resolved that issue by having her documents reissued so they won't expire. Now it's my turn.
The parish that we're getting married in (located in Quezon City) doesn't accept my Confirmation Certificate. My second name is not on the document, but my middle name is. They require me to partially change my Confirmation Certificate. After losing my temper, I realize it doesn't get me anywhere. I ask if I need to re-do my Baptismal Certificate as well. They tell me only my Confirmation Certificate needs fixing. I take my Confirmation Certificate back to have it changed.
The parish where I was confirmed (located along Katipunan requires me to sign and submit an affidavit requesting changes. I have to go to the Chancery office (located in Cubao) to do it.
At the Chancery office, they tell me that I have to re-do my Baptismal Certificate as well. My FATHER's name is different from the NSO documents and from the Confirmation Certificate (it's a second name issue again). I lose my temper, but it resolves nothing. The plodding bureacracy doesn't believe my father is necessarily the same person. Though they agree that I am.
The parish where I was baptised (located in Makati) valiantly struggles to understand what has happened to me. They almost cause me despair when they indicate that they can't change what was set down in the books many years ago. They realize they're going to need prepare an affidavit to change my documents too and that's not a problem. What IS a problem is that I'm going to have to get the Confirmation Certificate that they released to me back from the parish we're getting married in (located in Quezon City).
When I return the document to them, they can prepare the affidavit and have me send it off to the Chancery Office of Manila (located in Intramuros) where it can be processed. Then I can give it back to the parish (located in Makati) so they can release the new Baptismal Certificate. Then I can bring it back to the Chancery Office of Cubao (located in Cubao) so that they can process the request. Then I can give it back to the parish where I was confirmed (located along Katipunan) and get my new Confirmation Certificate. ONLY THEN, can I give all these documents back to the parish where we're getting married (located in Quezon City).
*sigh*
The long process of getting my Catholic Wedding papers in order is still going on. It's become something of an adventure... an epic adventure.
It started innocently enough back in January when I discovered that all this wedding paperwork we were starting on had to be delayed. The required Baptismal Certificates and Confirmation Certificates must be stamped "For Marriage Purposes". They only issue one copy. Ever.
And the must be prepared 4 months before the wedding, otherwise they expire. Kate had already gotten hers; I hadn't.
Flashforward. We've already resolved that issue by having her documents reissued so they won't expire. Now it's my turn.
The parish that we're getting married in (located in Quezon City) doesn't accept my Confirmation Certificate. My second name is not on the document, but my middle name is. They require me to partially change my Confirmation Certificate. After losing my temper, I realize it doesn't get me anywhere. I ask if I need to re-do my Baptismal Certificate as well. They tell me only my Confirmation Certificate needs fixing. I take my Confirmation Certificate back to have it changed.
The parish where I was confirmed (located along Katipunan requires me to sign and submit an affidavit requesting changes. I have to go to the Chancery office (located in Cubao) to do it.
At the Chancery office, they tell me that I have to re-do my Baptismal Certificate as well. My FATHER's name is different from the NSO documents and from the Confirmation Certificate (it's a second name issue again). I lose my temper, but it resolves nothing. The plodding bureacracy doesn't believe my father is necessarily the same person. Though they agree that I am.
The parish where I was baptised (located in Makati) valiantly struggles to understand what has happened to me. They almost cause me despair when they indicate that they can't change what was set down in the books many years ago. They realize they're going to need prepare an affidavit to change my documents too and that's not a problem. What IS a problem is that I'm going to have to get the Confirmation Certificate that they released to me back from the parish we're getting married in (located in Quezon City).
When I return the document to them, they can prepare the affidavit and have me send it off to the Chancery Office of Manila (located in Intramuros) where it can be processed. Then I can give it back to the parish (located in Makati) so they can release the new Baptismal Certificate. Then I can bring it back to the Chancery Office of Cubao (located in Cubao) so that they can process the request. Then I can give it back to the parish where I was confirmed (located along Katipunan) and get my new Confirmation Certificate. ONLY THEN, can I give all these documents back to the parish where we're getting married (located in Quezon City).
*sigh*
Top 100 Songs Meme: 1990 [part 1]
- Hold On, Wilson Phillips - Pleasant listening and good KTV fodder... nice harmonies, now that i think of it. Sadly, it never really left a mark in my psyche as something significant.
- It Must Have Been Love, Roxette - Liked this song. Excellent for KTV if you can belt the refrain out.
- Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O'Connor - Ah, another angsty song. Loved Sinead's voice and delivery. Written by Prince, I think. The "2 U" bit gives it away.
- Poison, Bell Biv Devoe - Good dance tune. Catchy.
- Vogue, Madonna - Catchy lyrics and hook, but never really liked it.
- Vision Of Love, Mariah Carey - Uh? I lost interest in Mariah when her vocal acrobatics erased any sense of soul in her songs.
- Another Day In Paradise, Phil Collins - a social commentary song, meant to tug at the heartstrings. Felt forced to me, and a little bit too catchy in the hook department.
- Hold On, En Vogue - 1990 will forever be known as the year to HOLD ON. Another girl group (with some serious diva factor) sings a song with the same title. Liked this one more though.
- Cradle Of Love, Billy Idol - Uh, no. Very pop, not punk or rock at all.
- Blaze Of Glory, Jon Bon Jovi - Ah, I think of the Young Guns movie when I hear this... and always sing the refrain when I have to "shot down" my PC. In a Blaze of Glory. I liked this song, but knowing it was made for the movie makes me wince.
- Do Me!, Bell Biv Devoe - REALLY? 11th place? How come I don't remember it? And no thank you Bell, Biv and Devoe.
- How Am I Supposed To Live Without You, Michael Bolton - Excellent KTV fodder. And I actually had his album. It fed my angst during those years. Oh, the shame.
- Pump Up The Jam, Technotronic - Haha! Dance music. I enjoyed this one.
- Opposites Attract, Paula Abdul - I think of the dancing animated cat here, and remember them raving about how great it was. Didn't really like the vid. Or the song, now that I think about it.
- Escapade, Janet Jackson - Catchy and fun. Like.
- All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You, Heart - I liked this song. Interesting refrain, given the context of the verses. I think that it caused a furor in the U.S. because of the storyline.
- Close To You, Maxi Priest - Uh? Was this a re-make of the "Why do birds" song?
- Black Velvet, Alannah Myles - I liked this song. She was a belter, and a sultry one at that.
- Release Me, Wilson Phillips - Similar reaction to the number 1 song.
- Don't Know Much, Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville - nice vocal performance, but the tsismis regarding something goin' on between the two singers was more intriguing.
- All Around The World, Lisa Stansfield - I don't remember this.
- l Wanna Be Rich, Calloway - I don't want to remember this.
- I Remember You, Skid Row - Well, I don't remember you.
- Rub You The Right Way, Johnny Gill - Er... no thanks, Johnny.
- She Ain't Worth It, Glenn Medeiros Featuring Bobby Brown - When did these songs play on the radio?
- If Wishes Came True, Sweet Sensation - "..."
- The Power, Snap - Double "..."
- (Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection, Nelson - *scratches head*
- Love Will Lead You Back, Taylor Dayne - I know this one! Yehey! And it was one of those songs that sounded iffy on radio but probably rocked in person.
- Don't Wanna Fall In Love, Jane Child
- Two To Make It Right, Seduction
- Sending All My Love, Linear
- Unskinny Bop, Poison - I think Tom liked this one a lot. I don't remember it. Maybe if I heard the intro.
- Step By Step, New Kids On The Block - Corinne denies she ever liked them. I didn't like 'em at all. Thank god some of them tried their hands in other fields.
- Dangerous, Roxette - Not quite so memorable for me.
- We Didn't Start The Fire, Billy Joel - Yes, I liked the clever history lesson. I also liked the video.
- I Don't Have The Heart, James Ingram - You rock, James Ingram. Incredibly difficult to emulate the style and the soul of the singer.
- Downtown Train, Rod Stewart - I love the song, and I like the singer. Fed my angsty years too.
- Rhythm Nation, Janet Jackson - Enjoyed this era of Janet! Plus, my sister says the dancing & choreography rules!
- I'll Be Your Everything, Tommy Page - Hm. I'll pass.
- Roam, B-52's - Fun song. Half-funky and half-anthemic for parties.
- Everything, Jody Watley - nah.
- Back To Life, Soul II Soul - I loved this song! Go, Soul II Soul! I wish I still had a copy of this.
- Here and Now, Luther Vandross - I remember I did like this song. Sad, yet optimistic.
- Alright, Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson ruled in the video for this! Along with all the other dancers from bygone eras.
- Ice Ice Baby, Vanilla Ice - Stop! Collaborate and LISTEN! Or something like that. Should Karaoke this with Vinnie sometime.
- Blame It On The Rain, Milli Vanilli - catchy song, sad performers.
- Have You Seen Her, M.C. Hammer - the downward slide began here.
- With Every Beat Of My Heart, Taylor Dayne - Why isn't this higher up?
- Come Back To Me, Janet Jackson - uh... isn't this a church song?
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