Little things that make you happy

[Gayle]

I'm not exactly sure if I know who he is, but I bet he works up on this god-forsaken dusty research campus that's scientifically up-to-date and ahead of the curve, but aesthetically a complete and utter dump.

[kit_n_caboodle]

LTTMMH: When my cat, Pablo, shakes himself, he makes a sound that I am convinced is the sound of his lips flapping.

Makes me happy.

[Errata]

We were playing charades, and someone was acting out "Downton Abbey". It was obviously solved after the first word, because what else starts with that, but we like to pretend to have a hard time understanding to make them really work for it. For the second word, first syllable, he points to his stomach to try to get to "ab". But instead someone immediately shouts out "Downton Flabby".

[lavender blue]

Raspberry M&Ms are back at the store. Now if only I could find the cherry ones.

[Embra]

Cup of coffee first thing in the morning outside the tent, next to a beach, with the promise of a blue sky. In Scotland.

[Lainie]

Reading an Anne Tyler novel for the first time in years. I'd forgotten how much I love her writing.

[smittykins]

It just dawned on me that I'll be getting my SSDI on Friday, since Monday is Labor Day. And I won't have to ask Mom for money out of my savings account(which is in her name to avoid problems with Social Security) to make up for being laid off four days last week.

[Richard W]

Going on holiday. Wahey!

[Mad Jay]

I had a little bit of geek-clap-my-hands moment at work today, because I got to use the phrase "saved by the power of math"

. Part of the functionality that we are building requires us to compute a curve from a given yield. The formula for curve is

1/(1+x)^n where x is given and n goes from 0 to 540

Since x is already there in the database, we were doing the whole thing in a SQL query and storing the result in a column that has a precision of 14(which is much better than good for the domain we are in). Usually, x <1, and in usual cases the query worked fine. That's what we released to beta. However, in beta we found out , once in a while we get a record where x>1, and the query bombs out. So, I figured for high values of n, the whole calculation must be giving a number that doesn't fit into the 14 digit precision column. So, I rounded the number before storing.

But, when x was really high (like 9), the query still bombed out. Turns out, the power function in Oracle bombs if the end result is too high. The app meets requirements if we round the value to 0 for high values of x or n. But, it should never bomb out.

So, I was sweating bullets. For high values of x, I still need to compute the factor for low values of n. I can't just do if x>8, 0 else 1/(1+x)^n, because doing this will make the factor=0 for low values of n, which is wrong

So, I did this:- (1/(1+x))^n. Oracle doesn't bomb out. Doing 1/(1+x) first gurantees that the power function always starts with a low value. I tried with astronomically high values of x, and it doesn't bomb.

THe thing is, my fix relies on the fact that 1/a^b == (1/a)^b. If that weren't true, I would be screwed. Saved by the power of math.. power... get it

The project and product managers both came to me right when I figured this out, and the project manager just smiled the I-don't-get-it-but-sounds-like-you-do smile. The product manager got it. I put the fix in, and as soon as I was leaving, I told her that "We were saved by the power of math today." She didn't get the joke

[tagurit]

I don't get it, Mad Jay, but it sounds like you do. Congrats!

[GenYus234]

Exponential numbers are also called "powers". IOW, 2^4 is "two to the fourth power". So the "power" of math is the exponent in his equation.

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

My favorite beachfront restaurant is open for lunch (did not panic and close for Isaac). So I can have lunch in the sunshine and watch the storm surge.

[Mad Jay]

Originally Posted by GenYus234

Exponential numbers are also called "powers". IOW, 2^4 is "two to the fourth power". So the "power" of math is the exponent in his equation.

Right, and the Oracle function that does exponents is called power. You would write the formula 1/(1+x)^n as 1/power(1+x. n)

[GenYus234]

Now that we've broached the subject, the name Oracle always makes me happy. In mythology, the oracle would spout gibberish, which would then be "translated" by the cadre of trained priests and a reply would be given.

IOW, an oracle is full of nonsense and only a few people know enough to get any data out of it.

Yup, sounds like Oracle.

[Gavida]

Yesterday evening, after playing some rounds of Battlefield with some friends, I decided it was bedtime. Just when I was about to shut down my computer, my brother called me.

B(rother):"Hey, are you still awake or already in bed?"
Me:"Still awake, but almost on the way to the bedroom."
B: "Dang, I wanted to disturb you *laughs*"
Me: "Hehe, no luck"
B: "Check your Steam account if your PC is still running."
Me: *starts Steam* "What am I looking for?"
B: "Just loooooook."
Me "Ok, Steam is running and I am looking at the Midweek Madness sales."
B: "Keep looking"
Me: "Oh, The walking dead is on sale."
B: "Dang, look in the upper right corner"
Me: "Oh, I have a message in Steam." *click*

Steam message pops up: You have received a gift "The Walking Dead". Happy August 28th from your brother.

Me: "Err...*speechless for a second*"
B: "I saw that The Walking Dead was on your steam wishlist and it was on offer and so I bought one for you as well. Happy 28th of August, because somewhere in the world there probably is a reason for giving gifts on the 28th of August. *laughs*"
Me: "Wow, thank you very much, grinning from ear to ear here!"

We kept talking for a few more minutes, then I had to go to bed so I would be fit for work in the morning. I sooooo wanted to try the game right away, but it has to wait until this afternoon.

When I had my head on the pillow I was still grinning because I was so happy about the surprise gift from my brother. And while typing this and thinking about yesterday evening, I am again starting to grin like mad

(The next LTTMMH: When I can check out from work, drive home and play the game!)

[kit_n_caboodle]

Once in a while, Pablo kitty will stop what he's doing, stare into the middle distance, and blow air forcefully out his nose, kind of like he's mildly disgusted with it all.

But he is a cat of very little brain, so I doubt that he has given it all that much thought.

[MooseMacD]

I play an online RPG called RuneScape which also has a large user community. I would say the typical player is a male in their teens or early 20s, and you see a lot of the behavior you'd expect from male online gamers in their teens and early 20s (tho I'd say much less than in the online console gaming world) who could care less about the world around them.

So it's nice when I see a couple of really good YouTube video makers and players trying to use the game to raise money for charity. They have invited their YouTube subscribers (100,000+) to join them for parts of their a 24-hour "SlayDay" (Slayer is a RS skill where you kill a number of particular, sometimes unique/special, monsters) marathon and asking for donations which will be given to Cancer Research UK through JustGiving.com.

Money isn't exactly pouring in, but the thought that a couple of young gamers decided to try and use their game and YouTube popularity to raise money for cancer research made me happy.

[Tzarina]

Tony Packo's Original Pickles and Peppers and Klaussen Spicy Dills. No food on the planet makes me happier than spicy pickles.

[smittykins]

My paycheck was better than expected, so I didn't have to dip into my SSDI for groceries after all.

[TallGeekyGirl]

I found, installed, and learned a DOS emulator program that enabled me to install and play Phantasmagoria for the first time in over 12 years. Too cool!