Mark Pilgrim wrote up Hilbert’s Hotel an example of using a diagonal argument that uses the metaphor of an infinite hotel to discuss the difference between countable and uncountable infinite quantities (e.g. the fact that the Real numbers is a “bigger” infinity than the Natural numbers). Interesting reading.
Jacques Chirac has declared that France ‘must outlaw Islamic head coverings, Jewish skullcaps, and other obvious religions signs in schools and regulate them in the workplace.’ according to the Star-Ledger. A ban on wearing conspicuous religious insignia such as head scarves, large crucifixes or Jewish skullcaps in public schools will likely be in place by ...
The Star-Ledger covered a note about a Latvian man who was picked up with a blood-alcohol level of 7.22 PPM, approximately twice the level at which most people stop breathing (4.0). Even better was the hospital’s emergency ward head who ‘told reporters there was no record of anybody having survived such a dose, even in ...
The Star Ledger reports on a revival of plans for a public competition to design a 9/11 memorial for NJ victims to be placed in Liberty Corner State Park. A previous contest was doomed by poor publicity and was scrapped in November after garnering only 19 submissions, none of which impressed the family members who ...
MSNBC posted an interview with Peter Jackson where they discuss gaffes in the LOTR movies. My favorite: Blunder No. 4: “In shots of Fangorn Forest from a distance, it’s an evergreen forest. Seen from up close or inside, it’s a deciduous forest.” Jackson: Wow. Well, when you see it from the outside, it’s a real ...
Hilbert’s Hotel: Infinity != Infinity
Dec
20
2003
Commentary
ANTit