IrishOboe

Well, then, a nerdy comment to PI day, and to rescue Janet from the embarrassment of having forgotten. Here in Europe, dates are written differently. Today, March 17, is written 17.3.2007. It makes sense, right? From smallest to biggest. (Japan makes even more sense: 2007/03/17, from biggest to smallest, narrowing things down and allowing for easy sorting in file names.) Thus, PI day was 14.3. That is not PI, not by a long shot. And of course 31.4. doesn't exist. So we have no PI day here. One thing less to remember. For you real nerds out there, some more detailed information: http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/popstds/datesandtime.html

I discovered all by myself :) that the most intelligent format for my photos and other computer files was to write the date 2007-03-17 (slashes introducing problems of their own) because then they would sort properly. In real life I tend to use 17 March 2007 when I want to make my meaning clear to everyone. It's also the format my genealogy program takes. If you want to see date confusion, try delving into genealogy, and worrying about the Julian/Gregorian switch (which took place at different times in different countries), and the fact that the new year sometimes started on March 25 not January 1, and often the "8th month" meant October, not August, and all this just in Europe and the U.S. -- well, it's a good thing I like puzzles. Incidentally, my genealogy program gives me the option of interpreting and entry of 3/17/07 in either European or American form.

Great video, thanks!

Sorry it's several days late by now, but you want nerdy, I *gots* nerdy. First you need to celebrate the day belatedly with the Pi music video at http://www.stevetoner.com/ph/TonerS/mathpi.html ; then--it really has nothing to do with pi, but you need to take a peek at the song by the same author about friction, mass, a dead fish, and a block of SPAM. http://www.alltooflat.com/about/personal/ton/soundoffriction.html (mp3 link at the bottom of the page).

Great links, thanks Andy. I enjoyed the Pi song because I actually know the song it's spoofing. I found the whole song on the author's website and it's worth a listen. Maybe I should put in on my MP3 player. I only know Pi to five decimal places. That reminds me, there was an oboist at Eastman who memorized Pi to some 30 places, but still thought it was equal to 22/7! What do they teach in schools these days?

Love it! So when did YOU (Janet) learn American Pie? That's from MY time, and it's not even Irish....

Ah, since you've exposed that it wasn't part of my homeschool education, I must confess that it was in Mrs. Nardy's senior English class in high school. Of course, my time in the public schools was part of my homeschooling, but the point of this comment is to say that a student brought "American Pie" in as a demonstration poem. I cannot remember now what this poetry "show and tell" was for, but I do remember the poem I brought in was by George Herbert.

LOL--George Herbert is my homeboy. But I like even better the quirky blend of wonderment, good theology, and American disregard for literary fashion in Edward Taylor--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Taylor (and try this sample: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=175406).

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