Friday, February 26, 2010

Another Math Problem

Here is another math (probability) problem that I have discovered, that I enjoyed solving - and challenged Carlos to solve.

I'll leave the answer up to you.

Part I: Mr. Jones has two children. The older child is a girl. What is the probability that both children are girls?

Part II: Mr. Smith has two children. At least one of them is a boy. What is the probability that both children are boys?

If you want the answer, post a comment. I'll reply. Or go here.

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For the previous math problem I posted, go here.

More Quotes I Live By

[For the original list, go here.]

"I've always believed that when you work hard and are kind to people, wonderful things will happen. And some of those wonderful things will happen to you." - Wil Wheaton


“Maturity is: The ability to stick with a job until it's finished; The ability to do a job without being supervised; The ability to carry money without spending it; and The ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even” - Abigail Van Buren

Johnny Weir

I'm liking Johnny Weir more and more.


[All of the below information was cut and pasted from other sources, but does reflect my opinion.]


Johnny Weir held a press conference Wednesday in Vancouver to address remarks made by two veteran sports commentators during the Olympics suggesting that his fabulousness is a bad example of, and for, male figure skaters and joking that he should undergo a gender test.

Weir began by joking that he grew stubble for the press conference to show that he’s a man, but his tone quickly got serious. As you’ll hear him say in the [embedded clip below], he’s not asking for an apology. He says he believes in free speech and wouldn’t want these men fired for expressing their opinion. (“I’ve heard worse in bathrooms and whatnot about me,” he quipped.) He just wants them to think before they speak — and to imagine the damage they could do to people like him and to generations of children whose parents may not give them the same freedom and support his did if they think their child will only be ridiculed for being who he or she is. “I would challenge anyone to question my upbringing and question my parents’ ideals and feelings about bringing up me and my brother, who’s completely different from me but taught very much the same way that I was,” Weir said. (The conviction in his voice during that statement had to have made his parents as proud as any medal he could’ve won.)

There’s a reason he’s calling attention to the situation: “Even my gender has been questioned. I want that to be public because I don’t want 50 years from now more young boys and girls to have to go through this sort of thing and to have their whole life basically questioned for no reason other than to make a joke and to make people watch their television program,” he said. He summed up his message — ”I hope more kids can grow up the same way that I did and more kids can feel the freedom that I feel to be themselves and to express themselves” — and his belief that the concepts of masculinity and femininity are old-fashioned. “There’s a whole generation of people that aren’t defined by their sex or their race or by who they like to sleep with. I think as a person you know what your values are and what you believe in, and I think that’s the most important thing.”



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Go, Johnny, Go!

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An NPR article about the same subject.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Improv Everywhere: Where's Rob?

For their latest mission, Agent Lathan pretended to get lost during a Knicks game. Throughout the second half he kept appearing further and further away from his assigned seat with a confused look on his face.

From the original six Improv Everywhere members participating, there are eventually tons of people yelling for Rob!



The stunt was later covered by ESPN The Magazine.

Flash Mob: Black Eyed Peas on Oprah

Oprah is even getting on the Flash Mob bandwagon. Here are the Black Eyed Peas on Oprah doing their hit I Gotta Feeling - with thousands of "spontaneous" dancers.

When I first saw the beginning, I felt bad for the lone dancer in blue. Once the next set of dancers started, I realized what was happening.

To easily collect all my Flash Mob discoveries, I have created a new category - see Labels below - and relabeled all the past posts.



Stay through the entire video for a behind the scenes segment.