randomfrequency.net

An undefined problem has an infinite number of solutions.

– Robert A. Humphrey

[Quote found at ...in other words...]

This makes me think of some of the stuff I’ve learned in computer science/programming: One of the first things you’re supposed to do when writing a program is define the problem you’re solving. That way you know exactly what the program is expected to do and you can approach those goals directly. Without a clearly defined problem, you end up having a poor sense of direction when coding. You often end up trying to code things that aren’t as important as the objectives you should be hitting, or worse, you completely miss required objectives.

When I read the quote, I don’t understand it to mean that an undefined problem can be solved in innumerable ways. I read it to be saying the exact opposite of what it’s saying on the surface–that an undefined problem has no solution. How can an undefined problem have a solution, anyway? Tons of things can be put forth as solutions to an undefined (or even poorly defined) problem.

Moral of the quote: Figure out what you’re trying to do before you do it.

The sun slowly fades beneath the far horizon
As dusk sees life along the water’s edge.
The crisp air gently cools the moment,
Encouraging embrace.

Stirringly gently in the soft breeze,
The bud begins her slow awakening.
Petal by petal, stretching out,
She’s ready to greet the world.

sun setting
hues of light fading across the sky
darkness slowly ensues

black of night
empty air
cold

isolation
desolation
reaching out
screaming out
desperation

dawn approaches
sun gradually rising
tones of warmth spreading across the earth

daylight comes

[The following was written per the instructions given at Bouts Râmes.]

An eccentric youth walks past a lonely bar,
Wearing a cloak and a hat with purple plume.
With glee he sings aloud, strumming his guitar.
Suddenly a window opens, its occupant ready to fume:

“Be silent, young man! Sing no more of that tripe!
I care not for your strumming, nor your stupid credo!”
The youth yells back, “Old man, your words are ripe.
If you dislike my song, then you can suck my torpedo!”

[The following was written per the instructions given at Bouts Râmes.]

The illny yungle and her zeer
Wungled by a vulzum chate.
“Behoof and skrie, and bezel theer,”
The zeer did porgle, full of glate.

“Behoof the krumpf, and skrie oostem!”
Blainged the yungle, full of thrornge.
“Helvin tsang, but never yoosfem,
For every theer is zran kvorange.”

The play Habeas Corpus is being performed on campus this weekend, Thursday through Sunday. My roommate and several other friends are involved in it. I went and saw it Thursday, it was totally awesome. It also sold out, and they had to turn 30 people away. I went to try to see it again tonight (Friday night), but it was sold out when I got there… and before they even started tonight’s showing, they had sold out for Saturday, too. How awesome is that? :) I really wanted to see it a second time but I don’t guess I will be able to.

It looks like Bush is gearing up to declare victory, but Kerry hasn’t yet conceeded. According to the sites I’ve read, Bush won by a margin of well over 3 million votes in the popular election. Ohio is still arguably in dispute, with a very slim margin for Bush at the moment.

As much as I can’t stand the thought of having four more years of Bush, I hope Kerry conceeds soon. Bush clearly has the popular vote, and if Kerry manages to wrangle the electoral collage despite that then he will be doing the exact same thing Bush did to Gore four years ago. I disagreed with that then and I’ll disagree with it now. The people have clearly spoken, and their choice should hold (even if I do think they’ve made an enourmous mistake).

Though, I still think it would be pretty cool if neither of them got the electoral college and it went to Congress. It’s unlikely, but that would give us the possibility of Bush in the presidency and Edwards in the vice presidency. I would find that so amusing. :)

In other disturbing news, eleven states just passed state constitutional ammendments banning gay marriage (with many of them also effectively extending the ban to civil unions). Not only did the ammendments pass, they passed with a large majority in most cases. And this is on top of the fact that 27 other states have statutes banning gay marriage, as well as the federal Defense of Marriage Act. It makes me sick.

While I definitely believe that our elected officials should be chosen by the people, I do not believe that the rights of an individual should be restricted by the people in this way. I hope this isn’t an indication that the federal constitutional ammendment may pass. Hopefully these issues will be fought out in the courts, and hopefully next round of elections we’ll finally pick some people who defend the rights of the people.