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Category: Math

Non-Euclydian geometry, Mandelbrot, and the infinite washboard paradox

The Coastline Paradox is the counter-intuitive observation that it is in fact impossible for a land mass to have a well-defined perimeter.  The length of a coast is limited only by the instrument used to measure it.  A longer and, hence, less accurate unit of measurement means a greater degree of cartographic distortion.  For example: Read More

Switzerland

6/16/19 – 6/23/19 “How many vehicles would you guess are in the average rental fleet?” “Dunno, maybe two hundred.  Why?” “Well just look at all the sand in this car.” “So what?” “So there is at least a cup of sand in this car.  All these vacationers dragging sand in from the beach.  One cup Read More

Nicaragua part 1: Purchasing power parity and the misty morning mistress

5/20/19 – 5/27/19 “She’s all yours if you want her.” “Come again?” “What’s mine is yours, you know” “We’re just cooking breakfast.” “Alright my man, scramble those eggs.” Derek was from Chicago.  He had a small house in Granada with an extra room for rent.  I’d met him at a bar and mentioned I was Read More

Nevada Movements

I’m still several weeks behind on postings, but after spending all day working on some logistical issues I thought I would share some of my work.  As we went through Alaska and the Yukon, our biggest issue was getting food.  Sometimes we would go five days between gas stations.  At some points we went more Read More

Simple gear list for your first tour

I recently added a budget page to the site.  When we initially began planning this trip, we worked the finances out on the back of a napkin.  Surprisingly (or not surprisingly if you know my ability to SWAG) once I put everything into a spreadsheet our napkin turned out to be spot on.  I also Read More

Statistics is mathematicians lying to you

Last weekend two good friends and one total stranger shared an article with me about a pair of European cyclists that were murdered in Southern Mexico.  One of them also sent an article discussing how more Americans are murdered in Mexico than all other countries combined (unless you include the US of course).  I’d be Read More

Driving an unregistered car in Utah and obtaining a pedicab license in Detroit

I have to give it to the state of Utah for amazing efficiency in government. The irony is that Utahns hate the government. Pretty sure it goes back to The Utah War of 1857. It was a relatively uneventful skirmish, but apparently there are still some ruffled feathers. The expediency with which they execute the Read More