Programming: Here's an article on binary math in C. For more practical stuff (in you're a Python programmer), read this bit on the fileinput library in Python (very useful, but I hadn't heard of it previously).

Essays: Ever play Monopoly and wonder why the game (as you were taught) is so slow? That's because you were taught wrongDouglas ( Read more... )

A conversation I had with a friend on Twitter this morning:

@Sorcyress: I am kinda weirded out by the idea of "hug a jew day" (girls were discussing in high school class)...
@Sorcyress: ...but I don't really have the background to fight it. Maybe I'm just reacting to the phrasing "a jew", which is a slur? I don't know.
@Sorcyress: (Also ( Read more... )

• The Case for Separated Bike Lanes in NY: Good short documentary essay.
• The Filled Pause Research Center: Um...
• Absurdly Long Key Lengths in Crypto are Silly: Includes an interesting argument about computer science based on physics.
• The Conservative Bible Project: Wonder what they'll do about Jonah.
• Quine Relay in 11 Languages: I am in awe.
• An ( Read more... )

Again, I delay posting because I can't decide what to post about, but there's stuff to say. So this is a little disorganized:

Fitness: Went climbing on Wednesday:
( Courses )

JapanesePod101.com has started the following challenge: Given a key kanji and a bunch of other kanji, how many compounds can you make containing the key and at least one of the others? Today's challenge: [日]　二、本、一、国、人、十、中、三、時

( Probably Only Interesting if You're Studying Japanese )

Word counts from candidate speeches graphed over time: Here's leadership vs. change. Looks like McCain has come a long way from his "leadership over change" pitch from early in the campaign.

Bonus:

( Read more... )

Ah, this is the life. Went to the Sunset with Olin friends, had some delicious food, a caribe (coffee + coconut rum + creme de cacao), and a black o'lantern (Guinness + pumpkin ale). Good times were had by all. David also brought me some manga back from Japan, and with any luck I'll be able to read it (albeit slowly ( Read more... )

I take it you already know ( Read more... )

Japanese sign translations use some of the oddest English words sometimes. I saw a sign on a crepes stand today that used the word "hither". While I guess ここ, そこ, and あそこ (koko, soko, and asoko) could be accurately translated as "hither", "thither", and "yon", that's not the wording I would choose.

Also, Japanese 7-11 ATMs now accept foreign ( Read more... )

My last weekend in Japan ( Read more... )