Balanced ternary

Balanced ternary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: For example, a classical "2-pan" balance, with one weight for each power of 3, can weigh relatively heavy objects accurately with a small number of weights, by moving weights between the two pans and the table.

Solution to a common puzzle problem.

Thoughts on copyright

• Loaded words: piracy, stealing, vs copyright infringement.
• Physical vs intellectual property: I don't lose something (other
  than potential revenue) when someone copies my work.
• By definition of the law copyright infringement is as much theft
  as stealing Cable TV.
• Artist as a beacon of light vs artist as a mirror reflecting society.
• Why not to steal: right and wrong defined by law, or defined by
  some other ethics. Break the law if the ends justified it?
• Ignore motivation for infringement: easier, priced too high,
  monopolies prevent fair competition, etc.
• Copyright as motivation (limited monopoly) vs artist has
  intrinsic "rights" to their work.
• No intrinsic value: "value" of intellectual works determined by
  consumers. Does this lead to long tails (few win everything)?
• Perpetual copyright: 1790 - 14 years, 1831 - 28 years, 1909 - 28
  years (28 year renewal), 1976 - 75 or life plus 50, 1992 - no need
  for renewal, 1998 - 95/120 years or life plus 70, DMCA, SOPA.
• Can't sing birthday song in restaurants.
• If intrinsic right to property does exist, why let copyright
  expire, ever?
• Flip: creative works property of "the people" who postpone their
  right to the work to encourage additional creation.

Amazon.com: Profile For Viktor Blasjo: Reviews

Amazon.com: Profile For Viktor Blasjo: Reviews: This book is utterly worthless in every conceivable way. It is a mystery to me why Springer have brought disgrace upon themselves by publishing this inept drivel. A complete account of Anglin's incompetence would require a review as thick as the book itself, but hopefully a few deterring examples will suffice.

Wow. This person dislikes a lot of books.

Berkeley math humor

Chicago undergraduate mathematics bibliography: Narasimhan, Complex analysis in one variable

As we might expect from the famed freshman-eating Narasimhan, this book is much quicker-paced and covers more topics than either of the two above (including a chapter on several variables). Sadly, there are no exercises, but the book is a good reference work.