I am delighted to see another book by Danica Mckellar, Hot X: Algebra Exposed", with somewhat a provocative title.
Full of flowers and girl-talks, this book will be fun for high school students. Instead of x and y, how about some flowers and stuff! Way to go Danica! I want your autograph :)
REALLY, girls (AND boys), that high school algebra is not that hard. Why do schools require you to learn this stuff? It adds your problem solving ability! With a little algebra, you can solve a lot more problems!
To me, the climax of Algebra is the quadratic formula... whoa, without it, we can't do much beyond baby equations. It opens door to the imaginary world (with a negative discriminant)
Ok, what IS an algebra anyway? chances are: your high school teacher may not be able to give you a very good answer. Dealing with unknowns such as x and y? Well, an algebra is a study of operations and its operands (Gee, I can't even give you a very good definition either)
In your math life, you just don't deal with numbers! You may deal with other things that are composed of numbers, such as matrix, and the rules may change. A × B is not B × A in the matrix operations.
Besides an autograph, I'd like to ask Danica, how many more books do you want to write? A teenage girl's guide to calculus would be very interesting. Danica, how about host a TV show about math, call it More Wonder Years. I will watch and record every episode!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Bankrupt Blockbuster
I KNEW it was coming... Blockbuster preparing to file bankruptcy.
Netflix doesn't need a store.
You can go to the public library to borrow a movie for free.
People no longer rent game cartridges, they play online.
Sorry, the changing of how people do things driving old stuff out of business.
"Be Kind, Rewind"
Netflix doesn't need a store.
You can go to the public library to borrow a movie for free.
People no longer rent game cartridges, they play online.
Sorry, the changing of how people do things driving old stuff out of business.
"Be Kind, Rewind"
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Actual Job Email I got
Hello Joseph Mak,
This email is in response to your resume posted on CareerBuilder
This is regarding a position for Java Developer with our direct client located in Chicago, IL Please review the following details and let me know if this is something that you would be interested in. Kindly send us a copy of your updated resume
I appreciate your interest in _[Company Name deleted]__ and we look forward to partnering with you.
Job Description:
Job Title : Java Developer
Duration : 3-6 Months
Basically it’s a Java Developer
Must be a U.S Citizen
Must have excellent communication skills.
Street Fighter vs Tekken
Oh my, Street Fighter vs Tekken is coming!
Video
Street Fighters fought with many other things: XMen, Marvel, Capcom, and SNK... and then finally go to Tekken. Delicious graphics, still Haouken, Dragon Punch and Hurricane? I hope Ryu gets some new moves.
Nope, I still haven't played SF4 yet.
Video
Street Fighters fought with many other things: XMen, Marvel, Capcom, and SNK... and then finally go to Tekken. Delicious graphics, still Haouken, Dragon Punch and Hurricane? I hope Ryu gets some new moves.
Nope, I still haven't played SF4 yet.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Mourning for Victims in the Manila bus seige
I mourn the deaths and severe injuries of the victims in the Manila bus seige incident.
The Phillipines police appeared incompetent and failed to even acknowledge that initally.
These police guys should learn a thing or two from "Speed", one of the best movies I've seen.
You just don't anger a mad man with an M16. The police dare to arrest the guy's brother and let him watch it on Live TV.
You NEGOTIATE with him.
For those who lost jobs and face other bad circumstances... yes you are unfortunate, but please don't drag innocent people with you.
Find the guy who fired you instead (that's the Americans problem solving technique)
If you try to hijack something... chances are: you will DIE and your demands won't be met, although you may be able to drag a few innocents with you.
The Phillipines police appeared incompetent and failed to even acknowledge that initally.
These police guys should learn a thing or two from "Speed", one of the best movies I've seen.
You just don't anger a mad man with an M16. The police dare to arrest the guy's brother and let him watch it on Live TV.
You NEGOTIATE with him.
For those who lost jobs and face other bad circumstances... yes you are unfortunate, but please don't drag innocent people with you.
Find the guy who fired you instead (that's the Americans problem solving technique)
If you try to hijack something... chances are: you will DIE and your demands won't be met, although you may be able to drag a few innocents with you.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Email and Wristwatch
News says college freshmen think email is too slow and no need for wristwatches.
How time has changed. When *I* was in college there wasn't cell phones.
But, look, college "kids", you are PAYING for text messages. Your daddy and mommy did not have to pay for emails. Perhaps they also like my favorite email client elm
You twitch your thumbs too hard, while your parents simply type on the keyboard.
Text message only when needed, such as saying "I'm in a meeting, see you in 5 min", or sending 911 when you see a crime scene.
I do not see need to send text a lot, your Miss Right candidate may enjoy your texts (or block them altogether)
Wristwatch... I stopped wearing years ago. Cellphone-as-a-clock works for me. Heck, I don't even have a CLOCK in the living room. Cellphones though can act as simple calculator will never replace the real thing.
How time has changed. When *I* was in college there wasn't cell phones.
But, look, college "kids", you are PAYING for text messages. Your daddy and mommy did not have to pay for emails. Perhaps they also like my favorite email client elm
You twitch your thumbs too hard, while your parents simply type on the keyboard.
Text message only when needed, such as saying "I'm in a meeting, see you in 5 min", or sending 911 when you see a crime scene.
I do not see need to send text a lot, your Miss Right candidate may enjoy your texts (or block them altogether)
Wristwatch... I stopped wearing years ago. Cellphone-as-a-clock works for me. Heck, I don't even have a CLOCK in the living room. Cellphones though can act as simple calculator will never replace the real thing.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
70% Does Not Understand the Equal Sign
Another stab at American math education: 70pc US students don't understand the equal sign in math: Study.
First I want to stab at the title. No one ever uses "pc" to stand for percent in math. How about using the percent sign. Ah, perhaps the % don't work well in an URL, then spell it out! or say 7 out of 10.
So given the following question (which is stupidly phrased): 4+3+2=()+2. The student will take the equal sign as the "evaluate" operation and go 4+3+2=(9)+2 and then say the answer is 11.
Look, don't blame on the kids yet. Blame on the QUESTION. Did you make it clear for the kids to find out what should go inside the blank?
The article says
You've got to be kidding. Not many parents are capable to read any professional math. I definitely can't.
To get people learn math: YOU HAVE GOT TO ATTACH MEANINGS. The equal sign, greater than and less than sign fortuntately has a pictorial meaning.
Think a SCALE. Both sides are equal gives you a symbolic =, symbolizing balance. The left is greater? Use the symbol >. The right hand side is greater? Use the symbol <. Simple. Tell the students.
Don't just do the math. Understand the meanings.
The fact that you move variables from LHS to RHS is because you are doing the opposite operation on both sides (to cancel a certain operation), retaining the equality.
Do you know it or blindly do it?
Note: Multiply by -1 on both sides of an inequality, however, would switch the arrow direction.
In real life, problems involving inequalities just don't show up often.
Do calculus students blindly apply the formulas without even understanding what the derivative or integral is? Learn the meanings FIRST.
Ok, back to the study, does it mean 70% Americans don't know the equal sign even when they become adults? I don't think so, what is it that makes them enlightened?
First I want to stab at the title. No one ever uses "pc" to stand for percent in math. How about using the percent sign. Ah, perhaps the % don't work well in an URL, then spell it out! or say 7 out of 10.
So given the following question (which is stupidly phrased): 4+3+2=()+2. The student will take the equal sign as the "evaluate" operation and go 4+3+2=(9)+2 and then say the answer is 11.
Look, don't blame on the kids yet. Blame on the QUESTION. Did you make it clear for the kids to find out what should go inside the blank?
The article says
Meanwhile, they suggest that parents help the students and teachers "read professional journals, become informed about the problem and modify their instruction."
You've got to be kidding. Not many parents are capable to read any professional math. I definitely can't.
To get people learn math: YOU HAVE GOT TO ATTACH MEANINGS. The equal sign, greater than and less than sign fortuntately has a pictorial meaning.
Think a SCALE. Both sides are equal gives you a symbolic =, symbolizing balance. The left is greater? Use the symbol >. The right hand side is greater? Use the symbol <. Simple. Tell the students.
Don't just do the math. Understand the meanings.
The fact that you move variables from LHS to RHS is because you are doing the opposite operation on both sides (to cancel a certain operation), retaining the equality.
Do you know it or blindly do it?
Note: Multiply by -1 on both sides of an inequality, however, would switch the arrow direction.
In real life, problems involving inequalities just don't show up often.
Do calculus students blindly apply the formulas without even understanding what the derivative or integral is? Learn the meanings FIRST.
Ok, back to the study, does it mean 70% Americans don't know the equal sign even when they become adults? I don't think so, what is it that makes them enlightened?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Editing in Unix
People have been debating for DECADES for the better editor on Unix: vi or Emacs?
WYSIWYG is for losers. In Unix we deal with text.
vi has arcane and strange commands, but users love it. The fact that they can use their cursors without leaving the home keys already give them endless praise. (Hitting Esc to the command mode although requires going out of the home keys never bothers anyone).
Emacs is a bit more intuitive but still wacky. Experts do all sorts of LISP things to tweak Emacs the way they want it.
NO other innovation is ever needed, after decades and decades. vi and Emacs are here to stay.
Perhaps you like Emacs more? Waita minute, emacs may not be installed on your system. But vi will always be there. So if you work in Unix, you need to learn vi. Face it.
Here is how to search in Emacs: Ctrl-S. Intuitive enough for me.
Here is how to search in vi: forward slash /, huh?
Let's say you are an emacs users and forced to use vi but did Ctrl-S.
Here is the result: instant FREEZE spell on your terminal!
Reason: it stands for suspend or something.
To fix: darn, close the terminal and try again, or the magic de-spell keystroke: Ctrl-Q.
Sorry, Unix users MUST give in to vi.
WYSIWYG is for losers. In Unix we deal with text.
vi has arcane and strange commands, but users love it. The fact that they can use their cursors without leaving the home keys already give them endless praise. (Hitting Esc to the command mode although requires going out of the home keys never bothers anyone).
Emacs is a bit more intuitive but still wacky. Experts do all sorts of LISP things to tweak Emacs the way they want it.
NO other innovation is ever needed, after decades and decades. vi and Emacs are here to stay.
Perhaps you like Emacs more? Waita minute, emacs may not be installed on your system. But vi will always be there. So if you work in Unix, you need to learn vi. Face it.
Here is how to search in Emacs: Ctrl-S. Intuitive enough for me.
Here is how to search in vi: forward slash /, huh?
Let's say you are an emacs users and forced to use vi but did Ctrl-S.
Here is the result: instant FREEZE spell on your terminal!
Reason: it stands for suspend or something.
To fix: darn, close the terminal and try again, or the magic de-spell keystroke: Ctrl-Q.
Sorry, Unix users MUST give in to vi.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Career on Thin Ice
Recently I get a chance to talk to some people about their IT career. I am glad they do well... still have a job, in fact, they are having some good career. These guys are at least a few years younger and do have a much more successful career, most likely with less programming skills.
They say, "I don't do coding anymore."
A IT career without coding for me is hard to imagine. They tell me, they are now a liaison between "the business" and programmers outsourced half way around the world.
"I write specs and they do it"
Nice going. Without the frustration of code fighting, draw boxes and arrows, write some Word docs and have somebody figure it out*
* * *
I asked a couple other folks, "How long have you worked at your current job?"
"I've been there for 10+ years. I used to code and now I manage people half way around the world too"
I already thought my last job for 7 years was way too long.
* * *
These guys though seem to be doing good, probably able to drive a BMW merely by drawing boxes and arrows and have somebody do the real work. What these guys don't realize is... even THEIR job can be outsourced. Their career is also on thin ice.
Without some real skills it will be hard to survive. 10 year IS really too long for any job, unless you are a VP or something. I hope that job continue to provide them updated skills they need. I wish them good luck. I wish MYSELF good luck.
*If I "architect" something (that is too strong a word, do "software architects" know what an actual building architect does? they may not even remember the 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles, nor have some actual skills besides pulling buzzwords), I WORK WITH my developers. I get them in a room, tell them what are the things and divide-and-conquer each component. I go into the burning house with firemen like a firefighter leader. I don't draw pictures and have them download and then hide from them.
They say, "I don't do coding anymore."
A IT career without coding for me is hard to imagine. They tell me, they are now a liaison between "the business" and programmers outsourced half way around the world.
"I write specs and they do it"
Nice going. Without the frustration of code fighting, draw boxes and arrows, write some Word docs and have somebody figure it out*
* * *
I asked a couple other folks, "How long have you worked at your current job?"
"I've been there for 10+ years. I used to code and now I manage people half way around the world too"
I already thought my last job for 7 years was way too long.
* * *
These guys though seem to be doing good, probably able to drive a BMW merely by drawing boxes and arrows and have somebody do the real work. What these guys don't realize is... even THEIR job can be outsourced. Their career is also on thin ice.
Without some real skills it will be hard to survive. 10 year IS really too long for any job, unless you are a VP or something. I hope that job continue to provide them updated skills they need. I wish them good luck. I wish MYSELF good luck.
*If I "architect" something (that is too strong a word, do "software architects" know what an actual building architect does? they may not even remember the 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles, nor have some actual skills besides pulling buzzwords), I WORK WITH my developers. I get them in a room, tell them what are the things and divide-and-conquer each component. I go into the burning house with firemen like a firefighter leader. I don't draw pictures and have them download and then hide from them.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Global Warming/Worsening
This piece of news has been bumped by other news. Gosh, huge ice broken off from Greenland. 4x the size of Manhattan.
Followed by flood! mudslides! and other disasters are bound to come. Are you going to point to me a prehistoric flood striked Earth also and therefore NO global warming is taking place?
For those who don't believe in global warming upon volumes of scientific data, this Greenland ice is another one.
For those who DO believe in global warming: can you explain why my winter heating bill is so high.
It is global weather worsening... it is increasingly more difficult for humans to survive.
I urge you... recycle that can. use less paper and plastic. Just garbage piling up is already a global problem.
Followed by flood! mudslides! and other disasters are bound to come. Are you going to point to me a prehistoric flood striked Earth also and therefore NO global warming is taking place?
For those who don't believe in global warming upon volumes of scientific data, this Greenland ice is another one.
For those who DO believe in global warming: can you explain why my winter heating bill is so high.
It is global weather worsening... it is increasingly more difficult for humans to survive.
I urge you... recycle that can. use less paper and plastic. Just garbage piling up is already a global problem.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Ridiculous studies
Often times we see how "research" deal with stupid topics. Here is a study of attractive women overlooked for certain jobs. So, the good look of some women actually HURT them in traditional masculine jobs...
I don't mind having attractive women at the director posts, IF they have the right skill sets. If you are an attractive woman, do you want to be a truck driver or a hardware salesperson?
There is no need to pay the "researchers" for these common sense "studies". What do you do with these "findings"? Close all these useless studies and spend that money elsewhere!
like manager of research and development, director of finance, mechanical engineer and construction supervisor.
They were also overlooked for categories like director of security, hardware salesperson, prison guard and tow-truck driver.
I don't mind having attractive women at the director posts, IF they have the right skill sets. If you are an attractive woman, do you want to be a truck driver or a hardware salesperson?
There is no need to pay the "researchers" for these common sense "studies". What do you do with these "findings"? Close all these useless studies and spend that money elsewhere!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Learned something new from a Dummies book
I flipped over Geometry for Dummies and I am pleasantly suprised that I learned something new today.
A soccer ball is made by starting with a platonic solid, the icosahedron, and chop each corner off! Namely it is a truncated icosahedron.
I have always wonder the shape of a soccer ball... other balls (basketballs, volleyballs, baseballs, etc are made in more straight-forward ways).
Now I know the interesting formation of pentagons and hexagons formation come from that...
In that same Appendix section there was some brief talk on the Golden Ratio. Just about everyone who writes about it are SO fascinated by this number that they just keep praising it is FASCINATING by showing the golden spiral and shell shape.
Most authors simply too excited and never give good details to explain the phenonenom. (This is because φ -1 = 1/φ. You chop 1 off (the square) and you still have the golden ratio, and you can keep doing this)
Dummies book... don't let the title fool you, though it is a bit insulting, but most dummies book actually have some very good information with a splash of humor.
Look at how this author explains logic.
If I study hard, I get good grades
If I get good grades, I become a guy/babe magnet.
Contrast that with this:
Let p, q, r be conditions:
If p => q
and q => r
then, p => r, by transitive property.
Examples! Especially real world examples are nice to have in math texts.
A soccer ball is made by starting with a platonic solid, the icosahedron, and chop each corner off! Namely it is a truncated icosahedron.
I have always wonder the shape of a soccer ball... other balls (basketballs, volleyballs, baseballs, etc are made in more straight-forward ways).
Now I know the interesting formation of pentagons and hexagons formation come from that...
In that same Appendix section there was some brief talk on the Golden Ratio. Just about everyone who writes about it are SO fascinated by this number that they just keep praising it is FASCINATING by showing the golden spiral and shell shape.
Most authors simply too excited and never give good details to explain the phenonenom. (This is because φ -1 = 1/φ. You chop 1 off (the square) and you still have the golden ratio, and you can keep doing this)
Dummies book... don't let the title fool you, though it is a bit insulting, but most dummies book actually have some very good information with a splash of humor.
Look at how this author explains logic.
If I study hard, I get good grades
If I get good grades, I become a guy/babe magnet.
Contrast that with this:
Let p, q, r be conditions:
If p => q
and q => r
then, p => r, by transitive property.
Examples! Especially real world examples are nice to have in math texts.
Friday, August 6, 2010
19871988
It was the year 1987, and I have encountered this (homework?) problem. Calculator is allowed.
The problem is this: Evaluate 19871988. Give 4 significant digits in scientific notation.
Whoa, my calculator can't handle a number this big! Yours probably can't either.
But WHOA, Windows' calc can handle that. Amazing.
The answer is 6.567e+6556
How do you get this without a calculator that can have this big capacity? The answer is... logarithm.
Let x = 19871988.
log both sides, bring that exponent down.
log x = 1988 log 1987
The right hand side is: 6556.81735
This means, x = 10^(6556.81735).
The exponent is 6556.
The mantissa is 10^(0.81735) = 6.567.
Isn't it pleasing to find a use of that [10^x] key?
The problem is this: Evaluate 19871988. Give 4 significant digits in scientific notation.
Whoa, my calculator can't handle a number this big! Yours probably can't either.
But WHOA, Windows' calc can handle that. Amazing.
The answer is 6.567e+6556
How do you get this without a calculator that can have this big capacity? The answer is... logarithm.
Let x = 19871988.
log both sides, bring that exponent down.
log x = 1988 log 1987
The right hand side is: 6556.81735
This means, x = 10^(6556.81735).
The exponent is 6556.
The mantissa is 10^(0.81735) = 6.567.
Isn't it pleasing to find a use of that [10^x] key?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Ideas and Opinions
Eistein has many ideas and opinions, and he wrote a book with that title.
This is a classic, meaning you may hear people talk about it but may not have actually read it.
True confession: I have NOT read this myself, hopefully will be able to one day, and I hope I am capable of understanding him.
Relativity is on my bookshelf, and I must admit I don't understand all of it though it is already written for those "who are not conversant with the mathematical apparatus of theoretical physics", though it may be a piece of cake for your whiz physics major friends.
Sure, Einstein had some ideas and opinions, AND SO SHOULD YOU.
I encourage you to keep a blog of your ideas and opinions. It may be amusing to read it years from now, and it is a great way to share with your buddies... because it may be odd to suddenly call up your friend and say "hey I've got an idea or opinion".
If you have a blog I'll add it to my google buzz and I'll read yours often.
Imagine Einstein didn't write down his theories, he will just be another person in the crowd, and be totally forgotten.
This is a classic, meaning you may hear people talk about it but may not have actually read it.
True confession: I have NOT read this myself, hopefully will be able to one day, and I hope I am capable of understanding him.
Relativity is on my bookshelf, and I must admit I don't understand all of it though it is already written for those "who are not conversant with the mathematical apparatus of theoretical physics", though it may be a piece of cake for your whiz physics major friends.
Sure, Einstein had some ideas and opinions, AND SO SHOULD YOU.
I encourage you to keep a blog of your ideas and opinions. It may be amusing to read it years from now, and it is a great way to share with your buddies... because it may be odd to suddenly call up your friend and say "hey I've got an idea or opinion".
If you have a blog I'll add it to my google buzz and I'll read yours often.
Imagine Einstein didn't write down his theories, he will just be another person in the crowd, and be totally forgotten.
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