Happy Birthday to Jokemeister!!
As part of this years birthday celebration, the missus and I took a day off work last Friday and went to HK Disneyland. Just us - no Gerry.
:)
Regular readers of my blog know that I goto HK Disneyland quite often with Gerry. As a family destination, its a great choice considering that I'm only 20 minutes away by car. The place is clean and big enough for Gerry to run around in. Plus, as Gerry is so young, he gets in for free!
Anyway, for a change, the missus and I went to HK Disneyland on our own. We didn't go on many rides (more on that later) but we did watch all of the shows that were on offer. I have to admit, the shows were done very well. As a family destination, although HK Disneyland isn't very big, the stuff that is available is very high quality.
Unfortunately, although I enjoyed myself on Friday, I have to admit that, as an adult destination, HK Disneyland fails miserably. While there, we went on the only adult ride they had - the Space Mountain. And to be honest, it was disappointing as a roller-coaster ride.
The problem with Space Mountain is that the entire roller-coaster ride takes place within an enclosed dome. In order to create the effect that you are in space, the interior of the dome is pitch black with the occasional light show or star effect. The problem with this is that you can't see where you are going.
You see, in a normal roller-coaster ride, you can see the big bend or huge drop coming. This anticipation helps build your adrenaline as you can see that you are about to plummet down at ridiculous speeds before being whipped back up into the air for just enough time to catch your breath before dashing off in a huge loop-de-loop. Exhilarating right!
However, inside the Space Mountain, you can't see anything as its way too dark. The end result of this is that you end up sitting in the cart being tossed left and right seemingly at random. Which doesn't feel so much terrifying as annoying.
Ultimately, I guess whether you enjoy the Space Mountain will depend on your capacity for thrills. For example, the missus (who is not a big roller-coaster fan) still looked terrified in the photo which the ride takes of you. Her comment when she looked at me was, "how come you look kinda bored?"
Monday, April 21, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
TMHPS - The Monty Hall Problem Solution
Last Friday, I posed the Monty Hall Problem. For those of you who didn't jump online to check the answer, here is the solution.
Switching to the other door gives you a better chance of winning the car.
Although anti-intuitive, the mathematical solution is detailed very well in wikipedia. Even if you don't believe the math, at the bottom of the article are a load of links to simulations of this game so you can try it out for yourself.
If that doesn't convince you, please let me know as I would like to invite you to a game of cards...
Switching to the other door gives you a better chance of winning the car.
Although anti-intuitive, the mathematical solution is detailed very well in wikipedia. Even if you don't believe the math, at the bottom of the article are a load of links to simulations of this game so you can try it out for yourself.
If that doesn't convince you, please let me know as I would like to invite you to a game of cards...
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Monty Hall Problem
The Monty Hall Problem is named after the host of an old game show called "Lets Make a Deal". Basically, in the show, the contestant had a chance to win a car. Naturally, as with all game shows, there was a risk of winning nothing. So here is basically how the game plays.
Monty shows you three closed doors. There is a car behind one door and a goat behind the other two. If you open the door with the car, you win it. If you open a door with a goat, you don't win the car. Simple, right?
Here is where the problem part comes in. After you pick a door, but before the door is opened, Monty will open one of the doors that you didn't pick to reveal a goat (Monty knows where the car is so he always opens a door with a goat behind it). At this point, you have a choice. Do you stick with your original door or do you switch to the other unopened door?
For example, suppose you pick Door 1. Monty opens Door 3 to reveal a goat. Do you stick with Door 1 or switch to Door 2?
Monty shows you three closed doors. There is a car behind one door and a goat behind the other two. If you open the door with the car, you win it. If you open a door with a goat, you don't win the car. Simple, right?
Here is where the problem part comes in. After you pick a door, but before the door is opened, Monty will open one of the doors that you didn't pick to reveal a goat (Monty knows where the car is so he always opens a door with a goat behind it). At this point, you have a choice. Do you stick with your original door or do you switch to the other unopened door?
For example, suppose you pick Door 1. Monty opens Door 3 to reveal a goat. Do you stick with Door 1 or switch to Door 2?
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Liverpool through to Champions League semi-final
Huzzah! Liverpool beat Arsenal and have gone through to the Champions League semi-final!
What really amazes me is that, once again, Liverpool have produced a superb UCL display. Not for the first time in recent seasons, Liverpool look like a completely different team when playing in the UCL compared to when they play in the premiership.
In the premiership, they very often look pedestrian in the games that I watch. At times, even when they win, it seems like the players are just knocking the ball around and seem bereft of vision or any desire to win the game. In fact, when you watch a Liverpool side in the premiership, I very often don't get the feeling that they could score at any moment (unlike for example, Man Utd or Arsenal who are fantastic attacking teams). To be honest, I am being unfair on Liverpool here as the statistics probably don't bear this out (they are ranked fifth in the premiership in terms of goals scored) - but that is the impression I get.
However, in the UCL, they manage to beat teams who are, on paper anyway, a better team than them. And they do this consistently. Believe it or not, over the last four years, this will be the third time that they will have reached the semi-final. And considering their recent record against Chelsea in the UCL, I'm sure many people will be hopeful that they can make it to the final.
What really amazes me is that, once again, Liverpool have produced a superb UCL display. Not for the first time in recent seasons, Liverpool look like a completely different team when playing in the UCL compared to when they play in the premiership.
In the premiership, they very often look pedestrian in the games that I watch. At times, even when they win, it seems like the players are just knocking the ball around and seem bereft of vision or any desire to win the game. In fact, when you watch a Liverpool side in the premiership, I very often don't get the feeling that they could score at any moment (unlike for example, Man Utd or Arsenal who are fantastic attacking teams). To be honest, I am being unfair on Liverpool here as the statistics probably don't bear this out (they are ranked fifth in the premiership in terms of goals scored) - but that is the impression I get.
However, in the UCL, they manage to beat teams who are, on paper anyway, a better team than them. And they do this consistently. Believe it or not, over the last four years, this will be the third time that they will have reached the semi-final. And considering their recent record against Chelsea in the UCL, I'm sure many people will be hopeful that they can make it to the final.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Mosley sex scandal
If you have been following F1 motorsport, you would know that there is a huge controversy currently in progress surrounding Max Mosley, the current head of FIA. If you do a quick search on Google, you will find loads of articles regarding this.
In brief, The News of the World (a UK tabloid) recently reported that Mosley took part in a "Nazi-style orgy in a torture dungeon". Apparently, Mosley hired five prostitutes to engage in a sadomasochistic orgy of whipping and sex. Since the scandal broke, there have been numerous calls for Mosley to step down from his position as president of FIA.
Mosley is claiming that his actions had no Nazi connotations (ie he isn't denying the sadomasochistic orgy part). Furthermore, his actions were "harmless and completely legal" and as such, it should have no effect on his work. In other words, he doesn't think that he should get the sack.
Which brings up an interesting point. If his actions are legal, then should he lose his job over this sex scandal?
On one hand, I can sympathise with the view that his private life should remain private. In the case of Mosley, I don't see any link between his job and prostitution. Contrast this with the recent sex scandal of Eliot Spitzer. Eliot Spitzer was the New York Governor who was linked with a prostitution ring despite aggressively and publicly prosecuting prostitution rings during his stint as Attorney General and using ethics as his platform for office. In the case of Spitzer, his hypocrisy means I have little sympathy for him. However, as I said above, in the case of Mosley, I don't see any link between his job and prostitution.
On the other hand, Mosley's job is high profile. He has to have known in advance that he needed to act as a role model. In particular, according to this article, an officer of the FIA can be sacked if "by words, deeds or writings they inflict moral injury and loss on the FIA" (its the 3rd bullet point in the black section titled "Max Mosley - Decision Day"). As president of the FIA, Mosley must have known about this rule. And considering the massive outpouring of moral condemnation on his actions and the very real possibility of financial loss, this seems like quite an easy claim to make.
I guess at this point, it becomes a question of whether the FIA want to keep Mosley or not.
In brief, The News of the World (a UK tabloid) recently reported that Mosley took part in a "Nazi-style orgy in a torture dungeon". Apparently, Mosley hired five prostitutes to engage in a sadomasochistic orgy of whipping and sex. Since the scandal broke, there have been numerous calls for Mosley to step down from his position as president of FIA.
Mosley is claiming that his actions had no Nazi connotations (ie he isn't denying the sadomasochistic orgy part). Furthermore, his actions were "harmless and completely legal" and as such, it should have no effect on his work. In other words, he doesn't think that he should get the sack.
Which brings up an interesting point. If his actions are legal, then should he lose his job over this sex scandal?
On one hand, I can sympathise with the view that his private life should remain private. In the case of Mosley, I don't see any link between his job and prostitution. Contrast this with the recent sex scandal of Eliot Spitzer. Eliot Spitzer was the New York Governor who was linked with a prostitution ring despite aggressively and publicly prosecuting prostitution rings during his stint as Attorney General and using ethics as his platform for office. In the case of Spitzer, his hypocrisy means I have little sympathy for him. However, as I said above, in the case of Mosley, I don't see any link between his job and prostitution.
On the other hand, Mosley's job is high profile. He has to have known in advance that he needed to act as a role model. In particular, according to this article, an officer of the FIA can be sacked if "by words, deeds or writings they inflict moral injury and loss on the FIA" (its the 3rd bullet point in the black section titled "Max Mosley - Decision Day"). As president of the FIA, Mosley must have known about this rule. And considering the massive outpouring of moral condemnation on his actions and the very real possibility of financial loss, this seems like quite an easy claim to make.
I guess at this point, it becomes a question of whether the FIA want to keep Mosley or not.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Fashion advice for the ladies
Now that we are in April, the stormy season is starting - ie lots of rainstorms, strong winds etc. This was very evident over the last couple of days where its been really windy.
So considering the current weather, Jokemeister's fashion advice for ladies is - don't wear loose skirts. Or if you do, make sure its made of heavy material and hence, not easily blown about by the wind.
The basis for this advice? Lets just say its been a ... revealing ... couple of days.
:)
So considering the current weather, Jokemeister's fashion advice for ladies is - don't wear loose skirts. Or if you do, make sure its made of heavy material and hence, not easily blown about by the wind.
The basis for this advice? Lets just say its been a ... revealing ... couple of days.
:)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
April Fool's Day
Well, I managed to safely get past April Fool's Day. To be honest, I'm not a particularly big fan of April Fool's Day. I have never pulled any pranks on friends and luckily for me, none of my friends have ever pulled any pranks on me.
However, despite never taking part, I've always found it amusing to read the pranks that other people pull off (sadism ftw!). So in proud Jokemeister April Fool's Day tradition (which admittedly, only started last year), you can click here for the best prank that I managed to find this year.
And before you get any ideas, bear in mind that prank would never work on me for the simple reason that I don't flirt with any girls anymore. Admittedly, this is not due to the fact that I am married but rather because I got tired of being shot down.
However, despite never taking part, I've always found it amusing to read the pranks that other people pull off (sadism ftw!). So in proud Jokemeister April Fool's Day tradition (which admittedly, only started last year), you can click here for the best prank that I managed to find this year.
And before you get any ideas, bear in mind that prank would never work on me for the simple reason that I don't flirt with any girls anymore. Admittedly, this is not due to the fact that I am married but rather because I got tired of being shot down.
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