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Complex Numbers
Complex Numbers
A complex number is expressed in the standard form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is defined by i^2 = -1 (that is, i is the square root of -1). For example, 3 + 2i is a complex number.
The bi term is often referred to as an imaginary number (though this may be misleading, as it is no more "imaginary" than the symbolic abstractions we know as the "real" numbers). Thus, every complex number has a real part, a, and an imaginary part, bi.
Complex numbers are often represented on a graph known as the "complex plane," where the horizontal axis represents the infinity of real numbers, and the vertical axis represents the infinity of imaginary numbers. Thus, each complex number has a unique representation on the complex plane: some closer to real; others, more imaginary. If a = b, the number is equal parts real and imaginary.
Very simple transformations applied to numbers in the complex plane can lead to fractal structures of enormous intricacy and astonishing beauty.
November 30, 2008 at 7:12pm November 30, 2008 at 7:12pm
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Having finished NaNo early, I got to hang out without responsibility this weekend. No newsletters to do, no work expected of me... I got some filing done. And what do you call it when you go through old files and shred documents you know you won't need anymore? I call it defiling. I did that. I have a lot more to do. I'm not very organized.
Well, there was one commitment hanging over me for November, which was to submit one story for publication. This I did... tonight, of course, with mere hours to spare before the end of November 
I don't remember if I said this, but the last submission got rejected. Oh well.
SO to end the month, I'd like to compare and contrast two links I found today. The first comes from my favorite snark site, Cracked.com, though I found it in Elisa, Snowman Stik  's journal. The author is the same guy who came up with the Monkeysphere concept, which longtime readers might remember. If not, click on the guy's name at the top of the article and look for Monkeysphere on his list of stuff he wrote.
http://www.cracked.com/article_15231_7-reasons-21st-century-making-you-miserable...
The second article, something of a counterpoint to the first, comes courtesy of Fark.com, and is a Cracked-like "Ten" list - only without the pictures or the gratuitous shots of boobies. It's still an interesting read.
http://bigcigars.tumblr.com/post/62289054/10-reasons-to-be-antisocial
Now go away and leave me alone.  |
November 27, 2008 at 9:58pm November 27, 2008 at 9:58pm November 24, 2008 at 11:11pm November 24, 2008 at 11:11pm
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I did it.
I wrote over 50,000 words in less than a month.
It's even mildly coherent, and has a plot.
The above count is by MS Word; the WDC and NaNo sites both register a higher word count. No complaints.
This has been a pretty cool exercise.
Thank you to all the people who have given me encouragement and/or listened to me bitch along the way.
Especially my wife, who had to LIVE with this shit.
Tomorrow, I celebrate. |
November 21, 2008 at 5:07pm November 21, 2008 at 5:07pm November 17, 2008 at 11:51pm November 17, 2008 at 11:51pm
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Between NaNo (35,434 now) and work (don't get me started) I haven't had much time to blog.
But I had to tell everyone about one bright spot in all the bad news about the economy and whatnot:
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html
"WORKING ON A DREAM" SET FOR JANUARY 27 RELEASE
Bruce Springsteen's new album "Working on a Dream" has been set for a January 27 release on Columbia Records. "Working on a Dream" was recorded with the E Street Band and features twelve new Springsteen compositions plus two bonus tracks. It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album.
*starts counting down the days*
Coincidentally (HA!) they're playing the halftime show at the Superbowl just a few short days later |
November 13, 2008 at 11:54pm November 13, 2008 at 11:54pm
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Start taxing churches like the businesses that they are.
Then they get to take political sides all they want.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9344595
It doesn't violate church/state separation to tax them. They provide a service to their customers. They should be taxed for it.
THAT oughta balance the budget. |
November 12, 2008 at 9:58pm November 12, 2008 at 9:58pm
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Today, I passed the halfway point of my NaNo writing, which stands at 26,118 words by MS Word count. As I promised myself, I went out (in anticipation of this, because I was in the area anyway) and picked up an expensive bottle of wine and an expensive cigar. They're waiting for me, for when I break that 50K word mark, for celebration.
I gotta say, I like my protagonist. I suppose that's a plus.
As for yesterday, everyone who commented gets scorn heaped upon them, including Chewie Kittie  who waffled with two guesses. Since one of them was right, I'm tempering that scorn with 500 gps. I know I said 1000, but I also said ONE guess
I do - or did; I think my wife might have sold it - own a copy of the Butthole Surfers' Electriclarryland CD.
I don't mind the sun sometimes
The images it shows
I can taste you on my lips and smell you in my clothes
Cinnamon and sugary and softly spoken lies
You never know just how you look through other people's eyes.
-Butthole Surfers,
Pepper |
November 11, 2008 at 11:12pm November 11, 2008 at 11:12pm
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It's late, I'm tired (BUT I made my NaNoWriMo goal for the day) so I don't have much to say.
However, I'm not above posting a link:
http://www.oddee.com/item_96497.aspx
15 Creepiest Old Album Covers
I actually possess one of these. I'll leave it to y'all to guess which one. Everyone gets one guess. If you're the first to get it right, you'll get 1000 GPs. If you get it wrong, you'll be the proud recipient of my scorn for however long it takes me to forget this blog entry (which, considering how my memory works these days, won't be long). |
November 10, 2008 at 8:39pm November 10, 2008 at 8:39pm
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Okay, folks, I have no problem with gays marrying; I think it's good for everyone for us to promote and reward stable, solid relationships - without mandating them. Besides, what consenting adults do behind closed doors is of no concern of mine.
But when I see this:
http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/11/06/wal-mart-tryst-begats-felon...
I have to amend that to, "...behind closed NON-VEHICULAR" doors.
Ew.
(I'd still be going "Ew" if one or both of them had been female, so don't start with the double standard thing)
(Still... a felony? Come on, get with the 21st century.)
(Aren't you all proud of me for resisting the obvious puns?) |
November 9, 2008 at 10:37pm November 9, 2008 at 10:37pm
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I've always wondered about Chicago. I don't remember which comedian said it, but it went something like, "Go figure Chicago, huh? I don't get it. It's like a bunch of New Yorkers got together and said, 'You know, I really like the garbage, crime and overcrowding, but it's Just Not Cold Enough.'"
But finally, there's a reason to move to Chicago, and no, it's not our new President-Elect who is, after all, moving over here.
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/food/1259952,FOO-News-det05.article
First there was Wendy's "Baconator," two quarter-pound burgers topped off with six strips of bacon. Hot 'n' juicy indeed.
Then J&D's smoky Bacon Salt, billed as delivering the flavor without the fat, the frying or the filthy kitchen, hit the shelves of Meijer, Jewel and other area grocery stores in September.
And this month, we saw the unveiling of breaded, deep-fried bacon -- dressed in country gravy -- at Risque Cafe in Lake View.
Mmmmm... bacon.
The candy of the meat world.
*reaches for statin and swallows a couple just as an antidote for the article* |
November 8, 2008 at 12:08pm November 8, 2008 at 12:08pm
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Because this made me waste time when I should have been either writing or working, I must inflict it upon you as well.
http://www.gamereclaim.com/2008/10/128/
Assembler is a new physics based wonder where you move some depository equipment to get your precious green crate in position. For what? No matter! Physics work perfect and the feel of grabbing and moving around things is just perfect. Don’t play too much or you’ll dream of dirty green crates flying around.
Good luck  |
November 7, 2008 at 4:47pm November 7, 2008 at 4:47pm
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The one limiting Presidents to two terms?
I think it's time to repeal it.
Yep. Washington set a precedent for 2 terms, something to which Jefferson agreed, but it wasn't enshrined in the Constitution until 1951.
So I'm going against one of my personal heroes, here, but keep in mind that we're living in different times, and remember that Jefferson owned slaves.
One of the rationales behind the concept of a Presidential term limit was to keep from having a dictator-for-life; but hey, isn't that why there are two other branches of the government? And how many Presidents in recent memory would have been voted in for a third term anyway? None, I submit to you: Nixon resigned; Ford couldn't even be elected on his own once; Carter and Bush I were ousted after a single term; Reagan, as popular as he was, was already showing signs of Alzheimer's in '88 (and, some would argue, in '80); Clinton had Lewinsky hanging over his head (literally), and GW Bush? Don't make me laugh.
So really, there's nothing to lose and everything to gain by repealing Amendment XXII.
I've even come up with a slogan for it:
Repeal Amendment Twenty-Two!
An Idea whose Time has Come!
And if You don't Like the Thought of This,
There's Amendment Twenty-One!
For obvious reasons, this needs to get traction NOW. It often takes 7 years or more for a Constitutional Amendment to be ratified; after that, it'll be too late.
So y'all don't have to go mucking about in Wikipedia, Amendment 21 repealed Prohibition. |
November 6, 2008 at 1:07pm November 6, 2008 at 1:07pm November 5, 2008 at 11:41pm November 5, 2008 at 11:41pm
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Burned out on politics, and I know y'all don't want me whining about the agonies of NaNoWriMo, so what do I talk about?
Work still isn't what it could be, though we just got a project that should take up way too much of my time for the next two weeks.
My back still hurts. Some days are better than others. Today wasn't one of those days. Yesterday was.
It's Guy Fawkes Day in England. Or it was - it's the 6th there already. Still, it's my favorite non-native holiday. Really, what's not to like?
I suppose I could post this Cracked link, but while funny, it's not up to my usual standards:
http://www.cracked.com/article_16746_9-innocent-google-searches-that-get-porn-on...
9 Innocent Google Searches That Get Porn On the First Page
Some say the internet is a cesspool of depravity, where even searching for an innocent phrase like "water sports" will return filth. But it can't be that bad, right?
Using Google Image Search, we tried some common and completely non-dirty words with the "SafeSearch" filter on and then off. What we found left us shocked, disgusted and highly, highly aroused.
Worth it just for the pic they use to censor the naughty bits. (Warning, language can be over the top, even more than usual for Cracked.)
OH! And then there's this.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=r5R8gSgedh4
Kids' songs done by modern musical artists. The Alanis Morrisette parody is especially cutting.
Comedy gold. |
November 4, 2008 at 11:03pm November 4, 2008 at 11:03pm
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Got caught up in other stuff, and now the election has me biting my nails.
I did manage to plot the next few scenes in outline. It's something... but it's not word count.
I'll just have to catch up over the next week
Voting today was relatively painless. Had to wait in line, but since I told everyone else to stand in line as long as you had to, I felt obligated. I was really giving myself a pep talk
Good thing I did, too... my state is just about evenly split on the Prez race as I write this. My congress race is 50/50 with most of the results in.
At least the VA Senate race is going my way...
Enough. Tomorrow we should KNOW.
Woke up Election Day, skies gunpowder and shades of gray
Beneath a dirty sun, I whistled my time away
Then just about sundown
You come walkin' through town
Your boot heels clickin'
Like the barrel of a pistol spinnin' 'round
Don't worry Darlin', now baby don't you fret
We're livin' in the future and none of this has happened yet
Don't worry Darlin', now baby don't you fret
We're livin' in the future and none of this has happened yet
Update of course, I hung around instead of going to bed, and the race was decided.
Sarah Palin today said she would pray to God that she would wake up as VP-Elect tomorrow.
So I prayed that she wouldn't.
Thank you, God.
Now, please make Sarah Palin fade into the obscurity that she deserves, and I might actually quit being an atheist. |
November 3, 2008 at 11:05pm November 3, 2008 at 11:05pm
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Those of you who are U.S. citizens and otherwise eligible:
GO VOTE TOMORROW!
I don't care how long the lines are or how much grief they might give you at the polls. There are ways around it. If you're registered, you have the right to vote. You have the responsibility to vote.
Even if your candidate seems a shoo-in in your state... vote. Don't take anything for granted.
Even if the other team seems a shoo-in in your state... vote. Other people might be taking it for granted.
If you live in a battleground state, like I do... definitely vote, because you and I are going to be the ones to decide this election.
And don't underestimate the importance of the senate, house and any local races.
Stand in line as long as you have to. Call any problems with voting machines to the attention of the officials.
Vote for the lesser of two evils if you must.
Vote your conscience.
You know who I support. But I don't care if you vote for the other guy, because that's what this system is all about.
Just. Fucking. Vote. |
November 2, 2008 at 8:16pm November 2, 2008 at 8:16pm November 1, 2008 at 5:18pm November 1, 2008 at 5:18pm
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Well, I was right about two things:
1) I write about 1000 words an hour.
2) This isn't easy.
But I did it, and I got about 3000 words done today, and now I think I have some idea what to expect for tomorrow.
Don't worry; I'm not going to spend the whole month blabbing about where I am with NaNo, though I'll post word counts from time to time just to try to keep myself honest.
Speaking of which, I continue to send in one story per month to a publisher. Last month, I procrastinated until the 30th, but I did it, and just got the rejection email today. You gotta love efficiency!
3024 |
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I'm more than happy with Carrion Luggage, however.
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