Sip

I was stuck in traffic today in 107 degree (F not C ) weather so of course I started wondering randomly again ... Is "freedom of religion" trully possible in a civilized society? Note: I would have put this thread under "religion" but I think it fits "life" much better One of the big things here we have in the US is this supposed "freedom of religion" thing. Yes, I like the US a lot, but I just don't think it is possible to have true freedom of religion. Why not? Well, any civilized society must have laws. Suppose we have a clause P in the law. Then, by definition of law, you can't have clause NOT P in your religion since it would be against the law. Thus, you don't have freedom of religion. Do you think I am oversimplifying things here? I tend to do that once in a while Was I maybe affected by the soaring heat? How can a society even pretend to have true "freedom of religion" if it is so obviously impossible to achieve? _ [ July 12, 2002, 08:43 PM: Message edited by: Sip ]

Why not give those cigarettes to people for free? I'm sure they could have figured out a way to "burn" them Oh, wait, but then the "legit" business man wouldn't make money selling "legit" cigarettes Come to think of it, all that alcohol and cigarettes would have made for a VERY nice party I am sure ... instead of just burning it, invite a whole bunch of people and let them "destroy" those things while having some fun. Of all the stupid, wastefull things . . [ July 12, 2002, 06:32 PM: Message edited by: Sip ]

quote:Originally posted by MosJan:seaphan jan his referring to your Adams apple Mi kitch devets bayts verje haskatsa vor inchi masin er xhosum

For a good 35 seconds or so I was like Then I was like what the hell is he talking about my Xndzor ... what possible twisted, strange meaning could it have that I am not understanding And then I GOT IT!!! I really forgot about that thing http://zr2.cs.ucla.edu/Sip/zr2/roflmao.gif But right now, instead of being like that guy, I feel a lot more like this: http://zr2.cs.ucla.edu/Sip/zr2/SmallAss.jpg So far, it's just one of those days where nothing seems to be making sense ... and I got a paper dealine at 9pm (it was supposed to be last night but they extended it)... but I'm still FAR from finishing

Very interesting dear Arpa!!!! I fully understand what you mean about numbers and ancients ... many didn't even have the concept of zero till recently (I dont' know the exact story there). But I have heard of American indian tribes that would count 1, 2, many !!! After all, I usually deal with 0, 1, and sometimes a "don't care" which can be either a 0 or a 1. About the number 7 ... please keep in mind that this is probably just theory of some author who happened to write a book on it! Well, it goes back to the ancient Egyptians. They experimented a lot with number systems based on 12 (base-12). This is because the counting method they used, relied on pointing the thumb to the joints on the fingers. Each finger has 3 joints ... with 4 fingers to point to with the thumb, they could count to 12 on each hand. With 2 hands, they got the number 24. That is probably why they divided the day into 24 hours ... they had strictly 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night so they kept adjusting the lengths of their hours depending on the seasons. Also, in some instances, they used to count up to 60 ... They could count to 12 on one hand. With the 5 fingers on the other hand, they could keep track of how many 12s they have counted: 1x12, 2x12 ... 5x12=60. A lot of their bargaining and business dealings were most likely based on the number 60 which happens to be a VERY cool number. If you start listing the factors of 60, you have 1,2,3,4,5,6 that divide it perfactly ... but then OOOPS, 7 does not divide 60 too well. So they really disliked the number 7. It made things difficult for them. They considered it a BAD number ... evil ... so forth. So now the part that I consider kinda "theoretical" .. this author was claiming that the Israelites who were the slaves of the Egyptians and suffered for years and years under their rule ... after moving away and becoming independent, decided to do things completely opposite of what the Egyptians had. So, among other things, they picked the number 7 as a GOOD number. They considered it a lucky one. They rested EVERY 7 days and thus, the 7-day week was born. Of course that is way before the days of the bible and the Roman days when our modern calendars took shape and I don't know too much about exactly how this 7-day week came to be the standard for the modern world. But it does seem to have its roots to very long times ago. If anyone knows more about these things, please post. I am always fascinated by numbers, their origins, and their significance. ... but that thing about the old guy and the number "40" is just mind boggeling!!! I can easily imagine people having VERY different concepts of numbers, counting, measurements, and so forth if they have never been exposed to this standard base-10 math that we all learn in school. [ July 10, 2002, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: Sip ]

Dear Armo: all I have to say is that it is EXTREMELY cool that you have an attitude like that. I think you will do great and I can really see you have made a well thought-out decision I made the post above since I know there are people that think like us and live like us! It's just that the pop culture seems to always glorify (and highly exagerate) the "party" life at the University level and I have been shocked to talk to some younger students who think that's all that goes on in college ... of course if that's what they think, that's what they will do and it becomes sort of a "self-fullfiling prophecy"!!! One of my favorite examples is the Y2K scare ... if I come and say "oh, there will not be enough bread for everyone next week" ... well, everyone will naturally go and buy extra bread this week to last for next week. If everyone went and bought all that bread at the same time, of course there will be a shortage and we will not have enough bread in the store next week The prophecy came true! Anyway, sorry for the tangent but I really like that example !!! Just hoping that in case there are others that will read this thread ... those who are at or close to the critical time of making that decision. I want them to have the BIG picture. Moving away can be great ... but only if you have the correct attitude (note, I still don't know what is the correct attitude so I can only offer my perpective and nothing more). I have also lost a few friends who were great kids in highschool but went down the wrong path ... wasted some of their most potentially fruitfuil years all because they were interested in "instant gratifications". But I also have a friend that moved away from school and just got his MD from Vanderbilt (in Tennessee) and is starting his medical internship years in New York. Oh and I also realize that I have been mixing the "moving away" topic with "partying and being irresponsible" topic! Granted ... it's not very fair. But it seems to me that when one is on his or her own, surrounded by peers that have those kinds of "party" attitudes, it becomes exponentially more difficult to resist the temptations I know I wouldn't have been able to ... peer-pressure can be a very strong and devastating force.

quote:Originally posted by ara baliozian:The "I am right" mindset leads inevitably to "You are dead wrong" and "You are an ignoramus!" which leads not to dialogue or an exchange of views but an exchange of insults and a dead end. Sometimes it leads to an exchange of a proof (for the "I am right" hypothesis) after which everyone is happy. Except for the ignoramus that sometimes can't grasp the proof. That is when insults start flying. But I do see your point when both parties are ignoramuses ... then you got nothing but insults coming up.

Yup ... I really believed SANs (storage area networks) would catch on big time. ZOOX is one of the few companies that really has some good stuff (technically). But then they got dragged down by this massive market crashes ... lost a few big contract opportunities ... and their management did some pretty stupid stuff so now they are just penny stock

Ament to that ... Yesterday was a good day. My stock in ZOOX went up about 73% !!! It went from about 11.5 cents per share to around 20 cents per share. I bought it at around $50 per share a couple of years ago. Viva la Capitalism ... It's hard to believe but I am much happier now that I am almost broke and just a poor student as opposed to when I was working 2 or 3 jobs and making lots of money ... getting up early in the morning to check the market ... then getting nervous all day and then also all night checking the asian markets ... screw that! No more for me

Ok, I am really hungry right now so I am of course thinking about food! I thought it'd be kinda fun to know where everyone has had the BEST and WORST food ever in their life (so far). I think home-made stuff doesn't count (unless there's a way I can get to eat some at some point in the future ) So here's mine: BEST ---- 1) All-you-can-eat Mongolian BBQ ... they have a couple of places here in southern cal... one near the CSUN campus, one in Resida. Oh my god ... it's the BEST thing ever. You pick and choose different frozen meats and then veggies and stuff (kinda like chinese stir-fry) in a bowl, add a few sauces (you pick) and they cook it right there in front of you. Mmmmmmmmm Mmmmmmmmm 2) All-you-can-eat Buffet at Alladin Casino in Vegas ... By far the BEST buffet ever. And believe me, I have tried many many in many many places. Everything is just exquisite: sea food, chineese food, italian, mediterantian, american, and not to mention their chocolate covered strawberries ... Mmmmmm Mmmmmmm ... The mediteranian sheep kabob just melts in the mouth. If it wasn't $20 per person, this would have been my #1 choice. 3) I think the name was Golden Dragon something ... It's a chinese buffet/all you can eat restaurant in Anchorage (Alaska). My mouth waters just thinking about that place. EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING in their buffet was so delicious, I couldn't stop eating. In addition to chinese food, they also have a Tai food buffet, a very nice BONUS!!! ... too bad it's far 4) This little buritto place in the town of Blue Jay, very close to Lake Arrowhead (about 2 hours from LA). I think this picture says it all: http://zr2.cs.ucla.edu/Sip/zr2/burrito.jpg For this place, the (size of buritto)/price metric is just outragously good. 5) This place called Landry's in New Orleans. Best shrimp I have ever had. I think this picture will explain some of it but there were some other parts to that dish that hadn't arrived yet (sorry it's a little big). Worst Place ----------- I think I have mentioned this before somewhere but it's gotta be that one place I went in Paris. I don't speak french and the waitress did not know english. Some how, I said something and she brought me RAW DUCK MEAT. It was the most discusting thing I have ever eaten. Well, I was really hungry so I ate it. I don't think I like Paris too much. Oh and another thing, I know it's a bit cliche' ... but what's up with those little small portions they give you at really fancy restaurants? As you may notice, no place like that has made my TOP list. In my head, quantity has a direct impact on quality when it comes to food Food critics don't seem to agree ... but sometimes that little shack in the corner of such and such street can leave me much more sattisfied than that fancy 5-star restaurant with all their differents forks and knives and plates.

I think it's because Jesus and Moses and a few other guys in the bible did things in 40 days. I know for sure Jesus was wondering around somewhere for 40 days and that's why it's so important. I actually read a while back a few theories of why the number 7 is so prevalant in different contexts ... why some consider it as lucky ... why is the week 7 days. I found some of those theories completely fascinating and they trace the origins back to a VERY VERY long time ago (to the ancient egyptian days). Anyway, let me know if you want to hear about 7. [ July 07, 2002, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: Sip ]

Mos jan, first of all, still posting at 4:45 AM ?!!! Second of all ... RC CHOPPER?!!! Are you kidding me? Dude, pictures, details, info, anything ... I LOVE those things (I've never had one and have heard they are very hard to fly ... assuming I understood you correctly)

Interesting thread ... something that is probably on the minds of many Armenian families (some I know very personally). I am in BIG favor of staying home for as long as you are in school. Yes, I've had to put up with being looked down upon as "a 25 year-old who still lives at home" in this rediculous US culture which seems to constantly adovcate: "Go very far away to college, drink, party, smoke, have sex, have fun, and try to study once in a while"!!! ... I know it is supposed to be shameful and not the "American" thing to do. But I don't regret a single second of it. Sure I may have missed all the "fun" and excitement of living alone but there are also BIG advantages to having a nice "home" to go to after class each day. A place where you can reflect and remember that you are in school to work hard ... to learn ... and to become a better person (not what the media, pop culture, and the others tell you). I have seen several of my friends move out of their supporting, loving, homes ... go into the strange world of University life in the US and simply get lost. Note, I am NOT saying this will happen to everyone ... I am just trying to share my experience which I think has been VERY positive staying at "home" while spending all my years at UCLA. Also let me make it clear that ever since high school I have been pretty independent. I have paid for EVERYTHING I have needed. I have paid for my own cloths, car, insurance, school feels, toys, traveling, etc etc ... at some points I have had 2 or 3 jobs while at school ... I have worked hard (Ok I never paid rent and I did eat a lot of stuff out of the fridge which I didn't buy but you get the point ) Staying home has allowed me to travel extensively (due to the money I saved), have lukrative hobies and other activities (i.e. offroading) which are essential to coping with the stresses that pusuing a Ph.D. degree can entail and not to mention the fact that you often have access to the nice home-made meals!!!! So staying at home does NOT mean not being independent. But it does mean having a good support structure in place for when the times get really hard (because they will!). Especially if you are going to chase education levels well beyond a 4-year BS, then don't be so hasty leaving home. In some cases you will have no choice ... if a very good university has accepted you but is far from home, your only choice may be to move. But if there is an alternative, I would not easily dismiss "staying home" as an option. You'll have the rest of your life to be on your own

quote:By ThothOne of my main regrets is that I didn't goof off more in my youth. Really. I always was working 1 or 2 jobs - taking massive amounts of credits - work work work - doing what was expected of me...etc I wish i would have taken some time off to backpack around the world or such - or spend some (more) time at our various national parks and just bum around - see places meet new people etc. So don't be afraid to trake a braeak - maybe right in the middle of your school program. And don't just rush into your major. As you take some time off and see the world a bit - talk to folks - find out what they do - etc - then you can decide what you may want to do with your life. There is plenty of time for study and work - don't be in such a rush all of the time (to just do school and work). (Did I mention how Armenians just love to give advice...LOL)? I wish you well. It's funny! Those who "goof-off" when they are young regret it, those who "work hard" regret it ... no one that I know of has been able to hit that perfect balance between work and play! I think I will always wonder "what if?" ... but I will never regret my past After all, if I had done anything differently in the past, I would NOT be the Sip I am today ... and that would trully suck.

http://zr2.cs.ucla.edu/sm/glasscat.jpg I prefer this one MUCH MUCH more

quote:We had a choice between going to Brazil, Costa Rica, and Armenia,” says R. Dale Safrit, Professor at North Carolina University and coordinator of the trip. “We chose Armenia.”. Out of the WHOLE world, they narrowed it down to Brazil, Costa Rica, and Armenia? That's gotta be the screwiest thing I have heard in a while!!! http://zr2.cs.ucla.edu/Sip/zr2/roflmao.gif

quote:Originally posted by ara baliozian:WHERE SMART ENDS and smart-ass begins? I would say right below that last quote line above. And I think it's safe to say that smart-ass will end at the end of this sentence, and hopefully smart will begin again.

I have to say this is yet another one of those eye opening threads that make me check back here everyday I just wanted to add that it seems to me, in the past, we have had our identity very deeply rooted in the church. I don't remember how many times I have heard: "Oh, did you know Armenia was the first nation to accept christianity" ... blah blah blah (as if that is something to be proud of !!!) The way things are going and the world is evolving, I don't think the traditional church will have much luck with the "youth" (especially those in the Diaspora). Since very young, I simply got turned off by the church since first of all, I had no idea WHAT they were saying, second, the stuff that I did understand made no sense. I trully believe that having a strong tie to a central "entity" such as a church is very important for our survival. However, I don't think our church, in its current state, will get things done. Need to evolve ... need to adapt with the times ... and need to pull the young people in... and it won't happen with the same old tired addages from the bible But then again, what do I know

quote:Originally posted by Accelerated:... desease/illness among children in the Western World is Attention Deficit Syndrome Yah, I've also heard that AIDS is pretty nasty. Never mind me ... I just need a little sleep and I'll be back to normal.

quote:Originally posted by MosJan:... yev voch te Azat ankax kanayq. Yes che gidei vor mer Azat e ankax mi kin e

I kinda like that hair cut ... you have enough hair for combing and for pictures and when talking to people face to face ... Yet you have the joys and comforts of being bald ... best of both worlds I think

quote:Originally posted by hagarag:... Haven't you read the Bible? No but I did watch History of the World (Mel Brooks) and the Ten Commandments (Charlton Heston). I don't think they mentioned anything about that part of the bible Thanks for the clarification. Traveller: Very well said

Wow! You learned about the K3,3 graph when you were 5 ???!!!! I'm impressed Yes, your answer is correct. The K3,3 is the smallest graph which is NOT planar (it's lines cannot be drawn in a plane). Now the interesting question ... can you PROVE your answer?

Where does the bible come in?

quote:Originally posted by Harut:what is K3,3 planar? A "graph" in graph theory is basically a bunch of points connected by a bunch of lines (edges). It has no real geometrical meaning of physical dimensions. It's more of an "abstract" structure. the K3,3 is basically the name of the graph which is in the problem above. A group of 3 points connected to another group of 3 points (all connections between groups). A graph is planar if it's edges can be drawn on a plane (flat surface) without anything crossing each other. The one above is NOT planar since you can't draw all the lines so that they don't cross. There are 2 basic graphs that are not planar: K3,3 (you already saw above) K5 (put 5 points on a paper and connect all together) I think there is a theorem somewhere that says any non planer graph must have at least one of those 2 smaller graphs as a sub component (it's been a while since my last graph theory class so I am a bit shaky on this ) There is a pretty interesting and easy to understand version of the proof for K3,3 which I'll try to remember... It all sounds complicated but as you see, it's NOT!!! Even a kid at the age of 5 can grasp the ideas. That's what I really love about these "computer science" type stuff