For those of you who aren't lucky enough to know Jess, I'm quoting her blog:
Many of you know, or should know, today is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. However, it was pointed out to me that since most of us are bloggers, perhaps we should spend our time today trying to Type Like A Pirate.
Digital Computer Programming is the easiest class in existence. It supposedly lasts from 2:10 to 5:00, but I've not yet failed to finish before 3:40. The first day was an overview of the class. Then the second day was a history of computers. On the third day we "studied" cout and commenting. Today, we used some math functions and didn't even get to basic input (that's for the next class). Since I've already done some programming, I was able to write the program in no time at all, do twice as much as the rest of the class, and still finish before anyone else. The last few minutes were spent making the program display all three methods of calculating the answer.
This is going to be bloody easy. I'm not going to learn much. Oh well.
John Scalzi says it.
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/050905ta_talk_surowiecki
Tipping is an odd thing. Fundamentally, the idea is to reward someone for good service. But we only tip certain kinds of people. Waiters at restaurants get tips, and boys who carry your luggage to your room at a hotel get tips. Why don't we tip the handiman who fixes our kitchen sink? Or the people working at the bike shop when you need a tune-up? Simply social convention, it seems. If you're interested in the history of tipping and some studies done on what affects how much people tip, check out the article. (Stolen from Justine Larbalestier.)
I've been here for a few days, and I'm enjoying classes. Unfortunately, the internet in our house broke down, so I've not been able to update recently. I know you've all been looking forward to seeing all my stories from the first few days, but you'll have to wait a couple more (depending on when our internet is restored to us).
Talk to you folks later.
I made it to Spokane. Other franticness commences. I am very happy to see Becky. More later.
It's that time of year again. Frantic packing, frantic sleeping followed by frantic driving, and then again by frantic unpacking, and frantic resting to top it off. Yes, frantic resting.
I just finished pretty much all of my packing, and it's time to place my beloved computer into a box as well. As you may guess, it's the last thing I pack, and the first thing I unpack. Anyway, no time to chat, for the frantic sleep is calling me. Goodnight world! I'll see you in Spokane.
An in the New York Times claims that there is a recent trend of scientists willing to speak up about their faith. Apparently the "stereotypical" scientist is a bit shy on the subject.
"Their belief in God challenges scientists who regard religious belief as little more than magical thinking, as some do. Their faith also challenges believers who denounce science as a godless enterprise and scientists as secular elitists contemptuous of God-fearing people", says the article.
This quote made me laugh. I don't know if I'm unusual or sheltered from conservative religious thinking (I come from a moderately conservative background myself, so I don't think that's it), but do many staunch religious folks see science as "godless", or scientists as automatically "secular"? This view must surely be a rarity.
Another quote that fascinated me was said by Steven Weinberg, who won the Nobel Prize for work in particle physics. "I think one of the great historical contributions of science is to weaken the hold of religion. That's a good thing."
What do you think?
I will update this eventually, really! Right now, though, I'm just taking the chance to point you all to Neil Gaiman's Blog, where he has put up the first 9:03 minutes (16.5 mb) of his upcoming novel, Anansi Boys. As soon as I get my sound working again, I'm listening to it. (Of course, I may steal someone else's computer in order to try it out.)