Arithmetical symmetry Nov 3, 2006
See?  Math can be beautiful: 

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 + 10 = 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
987654321 x 9 + -1 = 8888888888

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
(via Neatorama) #math
Podcasting Nov 3, 2006
Podcasting (soon to be renamed "Netcasting" because of legal issues) is stupid.  I really don't see the point of it.  Why would I want to listen to some dorks talk about what's on their websites?  Maybe it's because I don't own an iPod or other easy-to-use portable audio player (my Treo plays music, but it's sort of annoying).  Maybe it's because I don't walk anywhere; I drive.  And when I drive, I listen to CDs (gasp!) and commercials on free public radio (God I love commercials).  People who live in cities tend to walk everywhere, and the best way to isolate yourself from the rest of the world while simultaneously being right in the center of it is to wear headphones at all times.  And maybe these walkers walk so much that they've exhausted their pitifully small music collections, so the next logical step is to listen to a bunch of dorks talk about their websites. 

Plus, podcasting lets people hear what bloggers sound like.  That's sometimes scary.  That's why these people are writers and not talkers.  Their voices often don't fit your mental image of them, and their spoken rendition of their written language can get real annoying real quick.  Also, the podcasts I've heard have been frighteningly poor in audio quality.  It sounds like someone speaking into the cheap microphone that came with their Gateway 2000.  And I wouldn't be surprised if that's what it was. 

I'm sorry, I just can't get into it.  Then again, I've been resistant to new technology in the past.  A few years ago, my dad was doing some research into this new thing called "blogging" and he asked me what I thought about it.  I said, "Meh, it's just stupid people writing their stupid opinions online." #technology
Scottsdale Nov 3, 2006
I keep hearing about Scottsdale, Arizona and how great of a place it is.  Wikipedia said the New York Times called it "The Beverly Hills of the Desert", but that was in 1989, so I don't know how accurate it still is.  This Scottsdale real estate site shows a few houses and condos for many millions of dollars, so the city is a bit out of my price range.  But the US Conference of Mayors awarded the city "Most Livable City", and we all know the USCoM is never wrong (never heard of 'em).  Seriously though, I might be interested in checking this place out some day.  I've heard only good things.  Lots of golf, mountains, and warm weather. 

This is a sponsored post. #travel