(no subject)
I'm reading this book right now called A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper about mathematical ideas and techniques that pop up when you're reading the newspaper. Last night, I came across a passage that set me roaring. Although, when I think about it a bit, I'm beginning to believe that my sense of humour has been irrevocably warped from being a math person for too long. May as well embrace the absurdity!
While I've never been tempted to dream up some bit of capsule of wisdom to adorn my bumper, I do like the idea of generating some random sequence of letters and numbers and requesting that this be my vanity plate. I'd have the absurd satisfaction of knowing that my ordinary-looking plate was really a vanity plate. Maybe this is the closest we can come to heroism.
-John Allen Paulos
While I've never been tempted to dream up some bit of capsule of wisdom to adorn my bumper, I do like the idea of generating some random sequence of letters and numbers and requesting that this be my vanity plate. I'd have the absurd satisfaction of knowing that my ordinary-looking plate was really a vanity plate. Maybe this is the closest we can come to heroism.
-John Allen Paulos