ABER-RANT

The golden ratio, represented by the Greek letter, φ (phi), is equal to (sqrt(5)+1)/2. This number makes a very interesting base because of this special property: φ2 = φ + 1, which means 100φ = 011φ and 0200φ = 1001φ. These two rules can be applied in either direction against any sequence of consecutive digits in a base-φ number to put it in "standard form", which means no digits other than 0 or 1, and no two 1's in a row. In addition, the repeating decimal 0.101010... is equal to 1. 100φ = 011φ This relation can be applied anywhere in a base-φ number to handle most "carries" when adding. So, for example, 111.111 +111.111 -------- 222.222 is the result after doing the addition, but the "2" digits in the result aren't considered "normal form", so they must be reorganized into zeros and ones by "carrying" the digits to the left. Unlike integer base arithmetic, in which digits need to be carried only ...

Blog for 8th September 2008 Television The television licence costs just under £12 per month and give us the benefit of BBC televison programmes sans advertisements. ITV has advertising revenue and is therefore free-to-air Why then, do Sky and Virgin expect us to pay a monthly fee for 2nd rate repeats with advertising? Are they nuts? Why do the "5" channels not allow the aspect ratio to be adjusted on their broadcasts? FAMILY GUY: What is it about this programme? I've seen most of the episodes, and even with the ones that I haven't seen, it feels like I've seen them before THE RICHES Perhaps Minnie Driver should take up comedy, as she is being acted off the screen by Edie Izzard There is a new series on the BBC; It is called GLADIATRESS I expect better from the BBC It should of course be GLADIATRIX FREE INTERNET I have joined various internet survey sites, the revenue from which, exactly pays my monthly internet bill Karma the last week I earned £1 of Argos vo...

Blog for 7th September 2008 Shopping Delights Somerfield, as always , never fails to offer tremendous savings this week's amazing offer ..Kebabs two for £1 or £3:50 each....Uh????? Sport As I write this Andrew Murray is two sets up against Nadal Altrincham 0-0 Salisbury AFC Advertisements and the "Stupid advert of the Year" award goes to ..Scotland..., THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON.... Don't people go to Scotland to get away from all that crap? Tesco.com........................Is there anything more annoying on our screens at the moment? The nearest Tesco to me is at least one hour's drive and is the size of a small corner shop State of the nation last year 100 britons a day migrated to Australia; since immigrants have to be under 45 with a trade... .this says something very profound about the state of Britain Alma Mater to my great surprise my old school finished 3rd in the co-ed section of the Times Public School league tables The rainy season has begun Se...