Twenty-one is a Fibonacci number, a Harshad number, a Motzkin number, a triangular number and an octagonal number, as well as a composite number.
21 appears in the Padovan sequence, preceded by the terms 9, 12, 16 (it is the sum of the first two of these).
Adding up the sums of divisors for the integers 1 through 5 yields 21.
21 is a repdigit in base 4 (111).
21 is the smallest number of differently sized squares needed to square the square.
9/27/2006
Glass the Middle East
So the idea that we should glass the middle east to get rid of the fighting and make it easier to look for oil has two problems that I have been able to identify. First, in order to make glass, it requires a rapid cooling of the material. So even if we do drop a nuke over there, we have to rapidly cool the area afterward or we will not end up with glass. Maybe if we drag ice from the north pole down to the middle east we can rapidly cool the area.
Second, in order to make clear glass, the sand if purified. Obviously the sand laying on the ground in the middle east is not purified. Colored glass could make it harder for us to find the oil. I think this problem can be solved through a diplomatic endevour to convinve the people over there to purify all of the sand laying around before we drop our nukes.
So our solution is definitely doable with just those two minor obstacles that we can easily overcome...oh yeah, and the murder of the millions of people living there.
Second, in order to make clear glass, the sand if purified. Obviously the sand laying on the ground in the middle east is not purified. Colored glass could make it harder for us to find the oil. I think this problem can be solved through a diplomatic endevour to convinve the people over there to purify all of the sand laying around before we drop our nukes.
So our solution is definitely doable with just those two minor obstacles that we can easily overcome...oh yeah, and the murder of the millions of people living there.
9/23/2006
Hmmm
Many will recall that on July 8, 1947, witnesses claim an unidentifiedobject with five aliens aboard crashed on a sheep and cattle ranch justoutside Roswell, New Mexico. This is a well known incident that many say has long been covered up by theUS Air Force and the federal government. However, you may NOT know that in the month of March 1948, exactly ninemonths after that historic day, Albert Arnold Gore, Jr.; Hillary Rodham;John F. Kerry; William Jefferson Clinton; Howard Dean; Nancy Pelosi; DianneFeinstein; Charles E. Schumer; and Barbara Boxer were born. That piece of information has now cleared up a lot of things.
9/22/2006
To Catch a Predator
So for the last week or so, Matt has been trying to convince me that the dateline series (where they lure predators to a house where they think they are going to have sex with a child) is bad. Not cause the pervs are good, but because it violates rights. Well tonight I was flipping channels and it was on again. This time with an added twist. After the perv was arrested, they were taken back to the stationhouse and interrogated. These interrogations were shown on the show. How are these admittedly sick individuals supposed to get a fair trial if potentially inadmissible interrogation is aired on national TV? I have no problem with these sting operations that get these sickos off the street, but turning it into entertainment is not right. Airing interrogations is even worse.
9/20/2006
New Constitution
I am resurrecting an idea from not long ago. I had planned to write a new constitution of the united states. I am not going to write the whole thing in one post because A: it isn't finished, and B: it would be a really long post. So I will write what I finish when it happens. Today we start with the preamble. If you don't have the original one memorized, get out a copy so you can see what I would change. I encourage comments, especially if you disagree with any portion of it.
Preamble
We the people of the United States, in order to insure equality among the States and among the citizens of the States, provide for the common defense, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Preamble
We the people of the United States, in order to insure equality among the States and among the citizens of the States, provide for the common defense, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
9/12/2006
Critics
Our society has created a generation of critics. I have noticed fewer and fewer of us actually create. We rehash and spin. Tonight I was watching a really great concert on PBS and realized that it had been a very long time since I had created anything new. I look back at this blog and there is nothing new, there is only commentary and tired questions. I look at other blogs and popular entertainment and most blogs and a lot of entertainment is simply critical of other things. We have more book critics than authors. We have more movie critics than directors. Etc.
I think it is great that we are more informed now than we ever have been before, but I think that our mistake is thinking our criticisms can take the place of our creativity. I think that we should get a greater sense of individual accomplishment based solely on our own work and not accomplishment based on the cutting down of the work of others. A friend told me a while ago that a popular personality was criticizing a scientific theory and when asked what her alternative was, she replied, "You don't have to open a restaurant to be a food critic." To continue using that analogy, I think that we are moving towards a society in which you dont even have to eat to be a food critic, and I think that is a mistake.
I think it is great that we are more informed now than we ever have been before, but I think that our mistake is thinking our criticisms can take the place of our creativity. I think that we should get a greater sense of individual accomplishment based solely on our own work and not accomplishment based on the cutting down of the work of others. A friend told me a while ago that a popular personality was criticizing a scientific theory and when asked what her alternative was, she replied, "You don't have to open a restaurant to be a food critic." To continue using that analogy, I think that we are moving towards a society in which you dont even have to eat to be a food critic, and I think that is a mistake.
9/11/2006
Old Hobby
When I was learning spanish, I decided that since I was in a location in which there were people learining basically every language imaginable I would learn one phrase in every language I could. The phrase I chose was "Shut up and kiss me." Thanks to babelfish I am listing that phrase in many different languages in case any of you are traveling soon and think it will come in handy.
Dutch- sluiten-op en kus me
French- fermez--vers le hautet embrassez-moi
German- schließenSie und küssen Sie mich
Greek- κλείνω-επάνω και με φιλήστε
Italian- chiudalo -in su e baci
Portuguese- feche-me -acima e beije-
Russian- zakro1te-vverx и расцелуйте меня
Spanish- callate y besame
The problem with babelfish is that it directly translates so use these phrases at your own risk.
Dutch- sluiten-op en kus me
French- fermez--vers le hautet embrassez-moi
German- schließenSie und küssen Sie mich
Greek- κλείνω-επάνω και με φιλήστε
Italian- chiudalo -in su e baci
Portuguese- feche-me -acima e beije-
Russian- zakro1te-vverx и расцелуйте меня
Spanish- callate y besame
The problem with babelfish is that it directly translates so use these phrases at your own risk.
9/06/2006
MPRE
For those who are considering taking the MPRE this fall, the deadline of ontime registration is September 26. There is an additional period for late registration but I would imagine it costs more. the test will be given on November 4.
Also, for the record. The author does not stand by these dates and if you rely on them you do so at your own risk.
Also, for the record. The author does not stand by these dates and if you rely on them you do so at your own risk.
9/05/2006
Jury duty
I got summoned for jury duty. I have actually wanted to sit on a jury for a while, and so if I thought I had a snowballs chance I would be excited. However, I think there is a section in the model ethics code that specifically says that if you allow me to sit on a jury it is presumptive malpractice. Oh well, I will have a day to read a book and tell everyone in open court how much I hate cops.
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