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Statistical Diaries, volume Three (2000) is partially UP for browsing! Soon this 1999 edition will cease to exist!
Statistical Diaries, volume Two (1999)
updated April 17, 2000
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If you want to put on the mailing list for future (and future) editions, please e-mail me @ rumali@uwm.edu. This essentially means you will get an e-mail sometime next year for when the next edition surfaces.
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E-mail: rumali@uwm.edu
[Here's a new way to give somebody the finger! Next time you feel inclined to "flip somebody the dirty bird", just say "Four!" You've just cursed somebody in binary! Here's how it translates:
A bit can only have two values: "On" or "Off", usually represented as "1" or "0" (or "0" or "1", depending on who you talk to). If each finger represents a bit, then having all fingers down is equivalent to all bits "off", which translates to "0". When you turn on the first bit (either your finger or your pinky, it doesn't matter if you have your palm facing up or facing down), as in figure 2, that translates to "1." To achieve values higher than "0" or "1", you have to introduce more bits (fingers).
The second finger you introduce will, by virtue of its placement as the second bit, have a value of either "0" or "2". When this second finger is down, that bit has a value of "0"; when it is up, it has a value of "2", thus figure 3.
To get to "3" (an odd number), we have to turn on the first bit, giving it a value of 1; however, when added to a switched-on second bit, we get our "3", as in figure 4.
Finally, for the purposes of our digital vulgarity, a third bit (our middle finger) can only represent "4" (on) or "0" (off). I've not included a picture of me demonstrating this. Note: if you are really angry and want to give somebody the double-bird, try shouting "132". ]
Enjoy the diaries!
COMBINATIONS
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