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the_ignored
SFN Addict
2562 Posts |
 Posted - 03/21/2008 : 03:31:19
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The story can be found here, while the guy's solution can be found here.
What are any practical applications?
Well, apparently Joel Friedman, a math professor at the University of British Columbia, said probably everyone in the field of symbolic dynamics had tried to solve the problem at some point, including himself. He said people in the related disciplines of graph theory, discrete math and theoretical computer science also tried.
"The solution to this problem has definitely generated excitement in the mathematical community," he said in an e-mail.
Margolis said the solution could have many applications.
"Say you've lost an e-mail and you want to get it back - it would be guaranteed," he said. "Let's say you are lost in a town you have never been in before and you have to get to a friend's house and there are no street signs - the directions will work no matter what." |
I find that hard to swallow, but then I'm not friggen' genius.
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>From: enuffenuff@fastmail.fm
(excerpt follows):
> I'm looking to teach these two bastards a lesson they'll never forget.
> Personal visit by mates of mine. No violence, just a wee little chat.
>
> **** has also committed more crimes than you can count with his
> incitement of hatred against a religion. That law came in about 2007
> much to ****'s ignorance. That is fact and his writing will become well
> know as well as him becoming a publicly known icon of hatred.
>
> Good luck with that fuckwit. And Reynold, fucking run, and don't stop.
> Disappear would be best as it was you who dared to attack me on my
> illness knowing nothing of the cause. You disgust me and you are top of
> the list boy. Again, no violence. Just regular reminders of who's there
> and visits to see you are behaving. Nothing scary in reality. But I'd
> still disappear if I was you.
What brought that on? this. Original posting here.
Another example of this guy's lunacy here. |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 06:16:18 [Permalink]
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| Was his name Matt Damon? |
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recurve boy
Skeptic Friend
Australia
53 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 09:23:38 [Permalink]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_Coloring_Conjecture
So this still means that we need signs. But this way we don't need to pay attention to the names. All we need to do is colour the roads. Now your friend doesn't have to give you his address. He just gives you a list of instructions. And this will work regardless of your starting point. And maybe his house number.
This is very useful. Imagine you are on vacation in a city. You want to explore. You never need to remember where you are. You just remember the code the hotel gave you. And every day you can take a new blue road and not get lost. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 10:09:24 [Permalink]
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The truckers would appreciate that!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 12:21:44 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Ricky
Perhaps it has use in distributed computing, but again, it seems small.
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Then perhaps Siberia will have some input. She did school work on distributed computing.
I really hope she's ok. I haven't heard from her in what feels like ages.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 12:30:12 [Permalink]
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I too, have been wondering. We also seem to be missing Beskeptigal.
As for the math, I don't understand a bit of it. But then I have trouble counting change and due to this, I consider debit cards a blessing -- don't have to deal with change.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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recurve boy
Skeptic Friend
Australia
53 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 16:14:54 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Ricky
The condition of the graph being strongly connected will rule out other cities as well, but there are enough two way streets that this normally doesn't happen.
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I don't see a reason why we cannot artificially force this condition just for the purposes of creating a coloured map.
E.g. take those tourist maps. Those are often incomplete and only contain certain major roads or attractions. We can lay our coloured map on top of that. And now we can explore without having to work out the city.
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Chippewa
SFN Regular
USA
1496 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 18:51:00 [Permalink]
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I wonder if Mr. Trahtman will try the Sphere-Packing Problem next.  |
Diversity, independence, innovation and imagination are progressive concepts ultimately alien to the conservative mind.
"TAX AND SPEND" IS GOOD! (TAX: Wealthy corporations who won't go poor even after taxes. SPEND: On public works programs, education, the environment, improvements.) |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2008 : 20:33:00 [Permalink]
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Does this mean lots of new jobs for street painters?
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Former security guard solves math puzzle
