First, the answer to the previous Math Question, as Pax and Evan answered, is 50%. Here's why:
The probability of the team of at least one run is 100% minus the probability of the team scoring no runs. There is a number of ways in which the team can score no runs. Let O be a strikeout, and H be a hit.
- The team can get three strikeouts (OOO). Probability = (1/2)(1/2)(1/2) = (1/8)
- The team can get three strikeouts and one hit in three ways:
HOOO, OHOO, OOHO. Probability of each: (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)(1/2) = 1/16. Probability of one hit and three strikeouts: 3 * (1/16) = (3/16).
- The team can get three strikeouts and two hits in six ways:
HHOOO, HOHOO, HOOHO, OHHOO, OHOHO, OOHHO. Probability of each: (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)(1/2)(1/2) = 1/32. Probability of one hit and three strikeouts = 6 * 1/32 = 6/32
Probability of no hits: 1 - ( (1/8) + (3/16) + (6/32) ) = 1/2 = 50%.
Now, here's two more math questions:
Math Question #2: What's the most amount of money that a contestant can win on a single show of Jeopardy!? Assume that you can place the Daily Doubles wherever you want.
Math Question #3: Can you guarantee a tie in Tic-Tac-Toe for X? For O? How is it done?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sean Hannity is an asshole
Incase you haven't been following, Keith Olbermann calls Sean Hannity on his willingness to be waterboarded. Watch.
I would gladly hit Sean Hannity in the nuts with a hammer and have no remorse about it. Nice, Keith.
I would gladly hit Sean Hannity in the nuts with a hammer and have no remorse about it. Nice, Keith.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Weird Al lA drieW
I'll post the solution (and an extension question) to the recent math question once ChuckJerry responds.
In the meantime, though, how had I never seen this Weird Al parody of the Bob Dylan classic until I accidentally stumbled onto it on YouTube while looking for the original Dylan video?
In the meantime, though, how had I never seen this Weird Al parody of the Bob Dylan classic until I accidentally stumbled onto it on YouTube while looking for the original Dylan video?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Math Question of the Day
Suppose a baseball team has hitters who only gets singles or strikes out. Suppose further that when a batter gets a single, if there is already a man on first base he advances to second base, while any runner on second or third base scores a run. When a batter strikes out, any players on base stay at that base. Finally, suppoe that all the batters have equal hitting ability. If the probability of each batter getting a hit is 50%, what is the probability of the team scoring at least one run before having 3 outs?
Monday, April 13, 2009
Mob Movie Monday
A magnificent... err... triuMvirate of memorable mob movie moments for your viewing pleasure.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
I guess I'll hold off on my King Lear joke next poker game
PREFACE: There are many intelligent, clever people who are regular poker players. This post is not a put-down. That said...
There are two guys who host poker games in Southern Jersey, "Mike" and "Jim". They coordinate the games and are permanent dealers. Mike's games are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights at his house while Jim's are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at a different location. The games are both in towns in Camden County, and Mike and Jim are buddies. Presumably, this way people could play every night and each game would not draw people away from the other game. I usually play at Mike's house. However, I have been to Jim's a couple of times and therefore, I am on both of their text message lists. The scene at Mike's house is very friendly (even when it's for big money), and everybody chats and jokes throughout the games.
About two weeks ago, Jim's text messages started becoming more frequent and insistent. He started to advertise games every night, including the regular nights at Mike's (M, W, F). I found this strange and continued to stay loyal to the game at Mike's house.
So last Wednesday I show up at Mike's game, get settled, buy in and grab beer / food, and say... "Hey, Mike, did you know that Jim has started to text people about having games on Mondays and Wednesdays also?"
"Yeah, [Walt]. I got those texts also."
"Are you cool with that? I mean, don't you guys compete, in a sense, for the same guys to show up on weeknights?"
"Kind of, but not really. I mean, as long as we each have enough guys to play it's cool. The groups really are kind of separate. It was weird, though. The first thing I texted him back when he started having those games was, 'Et tu, Brute?'"
I start chuckling and the other seven guys at the table are just staring at Mike. Another player says, "What does that mean, Mike?"
"What, 'Et tu, Brute'?"
(Me: ) "Well, it's from Caesar. It means..."
I go on to explain the context of the line in relation to Julius Caesar, and how Shakespeare immortalized it, and I realize that about halfway through I think I lost them at Julius Caesar - as in, the only two Caesars these guys know are the big statue at the casino in Atlantic City and the salad dressing.
Feeling like an intellectual snob, I let my voice trail off and Mike continues to deal. The image of me being the only guy appreciating Mike's reference highlighted by the blank stares after his line makes me chuckle still.
It reminded me of the time during the summer when I sat down to play in a poker tournament in Bally's in Atlantic City. I was running late and got there just before they started. Everybody is in that quiet couple of minutes just before the dealers start the tournament and I get settled. I am wearing a t-shirt entitled "The Mathematicians". This is what is looks like.
So I sit down and nod hello. A 40-something guy across the table, in a Soprano style accent, goes, "Ey, what's on your shirt?"
I look down to recall what shirt I'm wearing, and the table all looks to check out the shirt. I say, "It's 'The Mathematicians.' It's just the faces of a bunch of famous mathematicians throughout history."
The guy just stares back at me and goes, "Oh."
Me: "Yeah. So..."
The guy: "Cool. I thought it was like an album cover or something."
Me: "Ha. Yeah, no, just some mathematicians."
Thankfully, the dealer started the tournament and the conversation ended. I felt like an intellectual snob again.
It's quiet again.
There are two guys who host poker games in Southern Jersey, "Mike" and "Jim". They coordinate the games and are permanent dealers. Mike's games are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights at his house while Jim's are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at a different location. The games are both in towns in Camden County, and Mike and Jim are buddies. Presumably, this way people could play every night and each game would not draw people away from the other game. I usually play at Mike's house. However, I have been to Jim's a couple of times and therefore, I am on both of their text message lists. The scene at Mike's house is very friendly (even when it's for big money), and everybody chats and jokes throughout the games.
About two weeks ago, Jim's text messages started becoming more frequent and insistent. He started to advertise games every night, including the regular nights at Mike's (M, W, F). I found this strange and continued to stay loyal to the game at Mike's house.
So last Wednesday I show up at Mike's game, get settled, buy in and grab beer / food, and say... "Hey, Mike, did you know that Jim has started to text people about having games on Mondays and Wednesdays also?"
"Yeah, [Walt]. I got those texts also."
"Are you cool with that? I mean, don't you guys compete, in a sense, for the same guys to show up on weeknights?"
"Kind of, but not really. I mean, as long as we each have enough guys to play it's cool. The groups really are kind of separate. It was weird, though. The first thing I texted him back when he started having those games was, 'Et tu, Brute?'"
I start chuckling and the other seven guys at the table are just staring at Mike. Another player says, "What does that mean, Mike?"
"What, 'Et tu, Brute'?"
(Me: ) "Well, it's from Caesar. It means..."
I go on to explain the context of the line in relation to Julius Caesar, and how Shakespeare immortalized it, and I realize that about halfway through I think I lost them at Julius Caesar - as in, the only two Caesars these guys know are the big statue at the casino in Atlantic City and the salad dressing.
Feeling like an intellectual snob, I let my voice trail off and Mike continues to deal. The image of me being the only guy appreciating Mike's reference highlighted by the blank stares after his line makes me chuckle still.
It reminded me of the time during the summer when I sat down to play in a poker tournament in Bally's in Atlantic City. I was running late and got there just before they started. Everybody is in that quiet couple of minutes just before the dealers start the tournament and I get settled. I am wearing a t-shirt entitled "The Mathematicians". This is what is looks like.
So I sit down and nod hello. A 40-something guy across the table, in a Soprano style accent, goes, "Ey, what's on your shirt?"
I look down to recall what shirt I'm wearing, and the table all looks to check out the shirt. I say, "It's 'The Mathematicians.' It's just the faces of a bunch of famous mathematicians throughout history."
The guy just stares back at me and goes, "Oh."
Me: "Yeah. So..."
The guy: "Cool. I thought it was like an album cover or something."
Me: "Ha. Yeah, no, just some mathematicians."
Thankfully, the dealer started the tournament and the conversation ended. I felt like an intellectual snob again.
It's quiet again.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Random Notes 3.28.09
- Earth Hour is today. It's in the papers today and was promoted by the Environmental Club at my school. There are several crucial environmental issues that we, as a global community, must start addressing now. So, therefore, I think this a nice symbolic idea.
However, why don't we shoot a little higher, like maybe not use unnecessary power for an hour every day? Or three times a week? Or, just don't use it unless it's necessary? Something that will actually make a difference? People are amazing. We do things like Earth Hour to "raise awareness" and then there's no follow-up. Why isn't recycling mandatory? Remember Earth Day starting when we were in high school?
And, remember the Kyoto Protocol that George Bush wiped his ass with? (Yes, I understand that he didn't want to sign something that China could ignore, effectively increasing their economic strength, but, isn't that a little... immature? Shortsighted?) Well, in a few months, there's this. I hope we come through this time. I know everybody's (rightly) worried about the economy... but think about how disastrous economic issues could become if, say, one day a few years from now New York City is 4 feet below sea level [or, insert health-related-concern-which-is-a-result-of-human-actions-on-the-environment here].
(By the way, I don't actually really know much about the environment or about the politics behind it. This is just a rant, expressing that George W. Bush and Co. certainly had the public appearance of not caring much about environmental issues, and whether this is true or not, we need to both change perception of environmental issues, and obviously actually do something about them!)
Anyway...
- The Harlem Globetrotters' theme song, Sweet Georgia Brown, has become a favorite of our cockatiels. I need to figure out how to shoot a video of them going crazy whistling back to the whistling song and post it on YouTube. That's my next project (that is, once I get posting regularly here down.)
- I've been into March Madness, but didn't fill out a bracket this year. The story lines that have kept me going are that Villanova is doing well and is local, and I love watching Blake Griffin (he'll be an NBA all-star within 5 years, barring injury). The tourney certainly does lose some excitement if one does not have money riding on who wins. However, having not filled out a bracket this year, I realized something (and this is not mock everybody who has one done - if my work had one going I would have done it): How do people actually place so much stock in their picks? How many co-workers or friends have you heard discussing brackets and say things along the lines of, "You know, I actually like Mississippi State over South Carolina in an upset. They're tough." It sounds pretentious and there's no way that anybody who lives in New Jersey has seen most of the schools in the tournament play more than once, if at all. I've done it myself, every year. I realize later that I'm just regurgitating sound bits I've seen on Sportscenter, either consciously or subconsciously, which is whatever everybody probably does - or just reads blogs somewhere to obtain their opinions.
This is not to be a killjoy. March Madness is one of the best annual sports spectacles we have in our country, if not the best. I just think people should just be like "Why did I pick this #13 over this #4? Fuck it, I wanted an upset and I know that (school in #13 position) was on ESPN a few times this year. Plus, my girlfriend's cousin goes there" rather than try to justify it with some manufactured knowledge of either school.
That being said, it's dope that Obama filled out a bracket.
- Check out Bob Dylan's discography. He put out 8 dope albums in his first 5 years! Well, his debut Bob Dylan was ok... but the next 7 are amazing through John Wesley Harding. Artists these days aren't as prolific. So did the Beatles - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, White Album, and Abbey Road are were released in like a four year span. Artists seemed to go on hot runs in the past - I also think of Led Zeppelin's early years (Led Zep I - 1969 through Led Zep IV - 1971) and Stevie Wonder's run of amazing music which was five great albums from 1972's Music of My Mind through 1976's double album Songs in the Key of Life. Is music just too commercial these days, and designed solely to make money? Do record companies not want to oversaturate the market with music from one artist, or of one genre? There must be great musicians these days (and there are) who I'm sure wouldn't mind releasing album after album in a few months time.
However, why don't we shoot a little higher, like maybe not use unnecessary power for an hour every day? Or three times a week? Or, just don't use it unless it's necessary? Something that will actually make a difference? People are amazing. We do things like Earth Hour to "raise awareness" and then there's no follow-up. Why isn't recycling mandatory? Remember Earth Day starting when we were in high school?
And, remember the Kyoto Protocol that George Bush wiped his ass with? (Yes, I understand that he didn't want to sign something that China could ignore, effectively increasing their economic strength, but, isn't that a little... immature? Shortsighted?) Well, in a few months, there's this. I hope we come through this time. I know everybody's (rightly) worried about the economy... but think about how disastrous economic issues could become if, say, one day a few years from now New York City is 4 feet below sea level [or, insert health-related-concern-which-is-a-result-of-human-actions-on-the-environment here].
(By the way, I don't actually really know much about the environment or about the politics behind it. This is just a rant, expressing that George W. Bush and Co. certainly had the public appearance of not caring much about environmental issues, and whether this is true or not, we need to both change perception of environmental issues, and obviously actually do something about them!)
Anyway...
- The Harlem Globetrotters' theme song, Sweet Georgia Brown, has become a favorite of our cockatiels. I need to figure out how to shoot a video of them going crazy whistling back to the whistling song and post it on YouTube. That's my next project (that is, once I get posting regularly here down.)
- I've been into March Madness, but didn't fill out a bracket this year. The story lines that have kept me going are that Villanova is doing well and is local, and I love watching Blake Griffin (he'll be an NBA all-star within 5 years, barring injury). The tourney certainly does lose some excitement if one does not have money riding on who wins. However, having not filled out a bracket this year, I realized something (and this is not mock everybody who has one done - if my work had one going I would have done it): How do people actually place so much stock in their picks? How many co-workers or friends have you heard discussing brackets and say things along the lines of, "You know, I actually like Mississippi State over South Carolina in an upset. They're tough." It sounds pretentious and there's no way that anybody who lives in New Jersey has seen most of the schools in the tournament play more than once, if at all. I've done it myself, every year. I realize later that I'm just regurgitating sound bits I've seen on Sportscenter, either consciously or subconsciously, which is whatever everybody probably does - or just reads blogs somewhere to obtain their opinions.
This is not to be a killjoy. March Madness is one of the best annual sports spectacles we have in our country, if not the best. I just think people should just be like "Why did I pick this #13 over this #4? Fuck it, I wanted an upset and I know that (school in #13 position) was on ESPN a few times this year. Plus, my girlfriend's cousin goes there" rather than try to justify it with some manufactured knowledge of either school.
That being said, it's dope that Obama filled out a bracket.
- Check out Bob Dylan's discography. He put out 8 dope albums in his first 5 years! Well, his debut Bob Dylan was ok... but the next 7 are amazing through John Wesley Harding. Artists these days aren't as prolific. So did the Beatles - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, White Album, and Abbey Road are were released in like a four year span. Artists seemed to go on hot runs in the past - I also think of Led Zeppelin's early years (Led Zep I - 1969 through Led Zep IV - 1971) and Stevie Wonder's run of amazing music which was five great albums from 1972's Music of My Mind through 1976's double album Songs in the Key of Life. Is music just too commercial these days, and designed solely to make money? Do record companies not want to oversaturate the market with music from one artist, or of one genre? There must be great musicians these days (and there are) who I'm sure wouldn't mind releasing album after album in a few months time.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
My Favorite Assist
My all-time favorite assist highlight is #3 on this countdown.
And yes, even though I'm 32, I still search for basketball highlights on Youtube when I'm bored.
And yes, even though I'm 32, I still search for basketball highlights on Youtube when I'm bored.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The New Guy at the Gym
My local gym has a basketball court where a nice group of guys, aged about 20 - 55, show up at regular times during the week for pick-up basketball. It's nice to know that during any given week, up to 4 times a week, you can go and get a decent pick-up game. I've lived down here (South Jersey) for 3.5 years now, and during that time everybody gets to know each other, at least by name, and there are regulars at the gym. Most places, I'd imagine, work that way.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago a regular guy brought his buddy "Al". Al was tall (maybe about 6'4" or 6'5"), skinny, and dressed from head to toe in official Villanova gear. He looked athletic, and was clowning around when guys were warming up waiting for the game to start. I figured one of two things must be true. Either this guy is really good, or he is just a goofy guy who happens to be a decent athlete.
Anyway, the game starts and I wind up guarding Al. As the game goes on, Al isn't doing anything. Passing the ball mainly, and not scoring. He also had a little bit of hobble to his kneeThe game gets tight. It is up to 11 baskets and it's like 9-8 us. Suddenly, Al wakes up. He hits a long three with my hand in his face. Then, he comes off a screen and hits a fade-away 18 foot jumper. Finally, with the score 10-10, he jukes me and pulls up from about 15 feet and hits a jumper all-net to win the game.
Our team goes and waits to get back on. A teammate of mine goes,
"Hey, [Walt], you did a good job on that guy." (not sarcastically).
I said, "Are you serious? He hit like the last three shots on me to win the game!" He goes, "Yeah, but he didn't score aside from that."
I shrug.
He goes, "You knew who that was, right?"
"Who?"
"Alvin Williams."
I immediately remember Alvin Williams from my many hours spent playing NBA Live 2003 for XBox, where he was the starting point guard from the Toronto Raptors. Turns out, he's not much older than me, but had a bunch of knee issues. He's a Philadelphia-area guy and is just playing at the gym to stay in shape.
Anyway, I wound up guarding him about 3 or 4 times as teams rotated on to face his team. He only played hard when he had to, and occasionally he would do something so athletic that it was incredible. He was "just trying to stay in shape". He was a nice guy and it was cool to say that I played against an NBA player. I did play well against him though I'm sure it was someone of a downgrade for him to go from playing against guys like Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce to somebody like me.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago a regular guy brought his buddy "Al". Al was tall (maybe about 6'4" or 6'5"), skinny, and dressed from head to toe in official Villanova gear. He looked athletic, and was clowning around when guys were warming up waiting for the game to start. I figured one of two things must be true. Either this guy is really good, or he is just a goofy guy who happens to be a decent athlete.
Anyway, the game starts and I wind up guarding Al. As the game goes on, Al isn't doing anything. Passing the ball mainly, and not scoring. He also had a little bit of hobble to his kneeThe game gets tight. It is up to 11 baskets and it's like 9-8 us. Suddenly, Al wakes up. He hits a long three with my hand in his face. Then, he comes off a screen and hits a fade-away 18 foot jumper. Finally, with the score 10-10, he jukes me and pulls up from about 15 feet and hits a jumper all-net to win the game.
Our team goes and waits to get back on. A teammate of mine goes,
"Hey, [Walt], you did a good job on that guy." (not sarcastically).
I said, "Are you serious? He hit like the last three shots on me to win the game!" He goes, "Yeah, but he didn't score aside from that."
I shrug.
He goes, "You knew who that was, right?"
"Who?"
"Alvin Williams."
I immediately remember Alvin Williams from my many hours spent playing NBA Live 2003 for XBox, where he was the starting point guard from the Toronto Raptors. Turns out, he's not much older than me, but had a bunch of knee issues. He's a Philadelphia-area guy and is just playing at the gym to stay in shape.
Anyway, I wound up guarding him about 3 or 4 times as teams rotated on to face his team. He only played hard when he had to, and occasionally he would do something so athletic that it was incredible. He was "just trying to stay in shape". He was a nice guy and it was cool to say that I played against an NBA player. I did play well against him though I'm sure it was someone of a downgrade for him to go from playing against guys like Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce to somebody like me.
Monday, January 12, 2009
I have found my new crack
Holy shit... if you remotely like ginger ale... these are delicious. I literally eat them like candy. Highly recommended from Walt Clyde.
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