Retrospectacle: A Neuroscience Blog

Like most nerdlets, the concept of pi has always fascinated me: a number, yet undefinable, infinite. Of course, there was also the supurb movie Pi by Aronofsky, which only furthered its cult status. So rejoice pi-lovers, for today is Pi Approximation Day. This day is also Einstein’s birthday and according to Wikipedia, is the day MIT mails out acceptance letters. Wow, and I thought I was nerdy. If you’d like to know how to properly celebrate Pi Day, why just go here.

Well, I do have one other confession to make. Which is, I always wanted a tattoo of the symbol pi, but I always chickened out. Lame on so many levels.

In honor of this day, I’ve updated my blogroll with many shiny new links! Thank you to all who submitted, hope you’ll return the favor. I look forward to digging into them in the near future.

One more thing: its Brain Awareness Week!

How could I have forgotton? And, in honor of said week, Nick aka The Neurocontrarian actually interviewed me for his “I Am A Scientist” podcast series, last night. I’m sure I made a complete fool of myself, but you should check it out anyway cause Nick worked hard, and it was taped at a real radio station. So real professional-like. It will be up Sunday unless he thinks better of it.

Comments

#1 Cameron
March 14, 2007

Well, I do have one other confession to make. Which is, I always wanted a tattoo of the symbol pi

Hot.
#2 nick
March 14, 2007

you forgot to mention that you were housed inside a cochlea for the entire interview.
#3 Shelley Batts
March 14, 2007

Nick, I’m *always* inside a cochlea.
#4 Jonathan Vos Post
March 14, 2007

What numbers can be made with four copies of the number “pi”, or π?
Believe it or not: every integer under 1000.
And maybe every integer.

http://magicdragon.com/4pi.html
#5 Sterling "Chip" Camden
March 14, 2007

Thanks for adding me to the blogroll, Shelley! Happy pi day, and please remind us when the podcast interview goes live.
#6 Shelley Batts
March 14, 2007

Interesting, Jonathan! I’ve been having problems with getting the “pi” symbol to work too btw. Hmmmm….

Happy to, Chip. The podcast should be up on Sunday, but I’ll make a reminder post when its up.
#7 j-dog
March 14, 2007

I like Apple pi. Thnaks for the fun links, BTW.

Not to obsess or anything, BUT your Brand New Linkz would be better enhanced in they were alphabetical… You could have one of your posse do it.
#8 xenophobic
March 14, 2007

“Haraguchi-san recited an amazing 83,431 digits of Pi during a 13-hour overnight stretch.”
That is freaking insane!

…Happy Pi day!
#9 Shelley Batts
March 14, 2007

Posse??! Who?? Where!!!??

Good suggestion though, although can’t promise it’ll motivate me.
#10 Cameron
March 14, 2007

best way to get &pi is the html named character entity, which is AMPERSANDpi a full list
#11 #1 Dinosaur
March 14, 2007

The bit about MIT acceptance letters is a hoax. My HS senior son who is waiting to hear from them told me he found out they’ll be posting their decisions online on Saturday (3/17.)
#12 clem
March 14, 2007

Modblog, a body modification blog, has a selection of pi tattoos up today.

http://modblog.bmezine.com/2007/03/14/a-selection-of-pi-tattoos/
#13 Shelley
March 14, 2007

Wow! Those renewed my desire to get that tattoo. I was thinking on my back shoulder…..

/wishful thinking!
#14 Karl
March 14, 2007

May I inject a little bit of nerdiness in here – as a former math teacher who feels that one of the big problems in math teaching is not distinquishing between “number” and “numeral”. Pi is not “undefinable, infinite”. Its numeral in the decimal numeration sysyem is. We have other numerals for that number that are very finite – like one digit long.
Sorry to intrude on the fun – it’s a pet peeve. Anyway, happy ? day.
#15 Shelley
March 14, 2007

No worries Karl, glad to be corrected. If there’s any day to do it, its today!
#16 Alvaro
March 15, 2007

Shelley, your last post is a beautiful example of the “learning goals” described here…
http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2007/marapr/features/dweck.html