Monthly Archives: February 2008

Bare Bones interpreter

Posted on February 11, 2008 by Eric

Over the weekend I finished the homework assignment for the “Theory of Computation” chapter of Computer Science: An Overview, Ninth Edition, by J. Glenn Brookshear. Brookshear defines a very minimal programming language called Bare Bones, in which variables may contain … Continue reading →

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Furthest I’ve gone to see a film

Posted on February 10, 2008 by Eric

Three friends and I took BART to San Francisco last night to see The Golden Compass at the Metreon.  If I’d gotten around to it sooner, we wouldn’t have had to go 45 miles each way to do it.  Prior … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Science Fiction & Fantasy | 1 Comment

Ballot confusion

Posted on February 8, 2008 by Eric

My previous post mentioned a problem with a way to decide how to vote on ballot propositions.  I guess it’s not surprising that they should be a source of confusion to people.  As Marcus Schmidt observes in Institutionalizing Fair Democracy: … Continue reading →

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Easy Voter Guide

Posted on February 8, 2008 by Eric

On the De Anza College campus yesterday, I happened onto a pile of leftover Easy Voter Guides.  While in general I think it was a well-prepared and useful guide, I did find one suggestion in it rather funny.  Under “How … Continue reading →

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My grandfather just thought I was lazy

Posted on February 4, 2008 by Eric

Scientists have discovered that there is a genetic basis for some people being early risers and others being night owls. [h/t Technocrat]

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Spin, Axis, and Blind Lake, by Robert Charles Wilson

Posted on February 1, 2008 by Eric

I was somewhat surprised that the cover of the mass-market paperback edition of Spin, the 2006 Hugo Award winning novel by Robert Charles Wilson, quoted a review in the Rocky Mountain News as having said that it was “the best … Continue reading →

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