On this day, I learned how to use the Wronksian to determine linear independence of a set of functions. It’s something I remember hearing about in Linear Algebra, but we just kinda glazed over it. For a Wronskian, you take your functions of x, then however many of them there are minus one, you take that many derivatives of them. If you have three functions, take two derivatives. Then you set them up in a 3×3 matrix like so:

|f1(x)   f2(x)   f3(x)|
|f1'(x)  f2'(x)  f3'(x) |
|f1''(x) f2''(x) f3''(x)  |

Take the determinant, then if this ends up as a function of x, find any zeros in the [hopefully] given interval. If there are no zeros or it is a nonzero constant, congratulations, your functions are linearly independent. If there are zeros or your function ends up as 0, sadly, it is linearly dependent.

On this day, I learned a lot about the mechanics of how we make English sounds with our mouths and throats! This is all the stuff I always thought I’d have to take a linguistics course for, but get animated instead!

I also learned that R2 of Code Geass is really addicting. I probably shouldn’t've watched so much of it, but on a classes-free afternoon, what else am I going to do?

I learned that people are actively targetting the Muslim Superhero niche, in a kinda cool way!

On this day, I learned that it only takes one episode for Lelouche to regain his identity in Code Geass. That’s pretty disappointing. I can’t even call it a spoiler in good faith because if you haven’t seen season two, you don’t know what it refers to, and if you have seen it, you do know, but you’re already past it. UGH, lame. At least sweat it out a little.

I learned that Rollerblades is actually a company name. They make in-line skates. I also learned that I forgot to bring my in-line skates to school with me, like I’d wanted to. oops~

I learned that eagles are pretty dang clever. That is one of the most cold blooded kills I’ve ever heard of in the animal kingdom. *shivers* I wouldn’t want him doing that to me!

On this day, I learned that people really did use to go to a lot of effort to make things for St. Valentine’s Day, which just goes to show that Hallmark and the candy companies are just holing in on a market, not creating their own, so much.

I learned that the Chicken Bella from Ruby Tuesday isn’t that good (but the broccoli was, whut!?) Well, Dad liked, I guess.

I learned that Atticus Finch is a big influence for a lot of lawyers, and I can totally understand why.

I also learned that little kids are still killing themselves. So sad!

I learned that Stu and I are pretty cute when we get dressed up:

On this day, I learned that there is a man in France, who wears a lot. He says he likes to be prepared for any eventuality.

I learned how to calculate areal speed from a period for a satellite in circular orbit around the earth. If you multiply the speed by the period, you get the circumference of the circle, so you can get the velocity in terms of the diameter or vice versa, then fill in the equation “1/radius of the orbit = g_earthRad_earth²/ radius²velocity². TRUE STORY.

I learned mom was going to try to give up smoking (again); wish her luck! She says she’s going to get a prescription for some pill and nasal spray to inhibit the boost of moral courage she gets from nicotine. She says when she tried the patch, she had the urge to rip it off and chew on it. Hardcore.

I learned when “crowning” occurs during the birth process. I also learned that there is a NSFW statue of this instant, modelled by your favorite Britney Spears.
Speaking of birth, I learned that little kids are still making babies. When are they going to get the idea?

On this day, I learned that there was such a thing as a glacier calf, but the nature of this icy thing, I still could not ascertain. Apparently they make noise?!

I learned that the Hindu take their devotion to all things Cow very seriously.

I learned that geneticbreakthroughs are coming along splendidly for those with HIV

I learned that rabies is harmful because of the swelling on the brain damaging tissues. There have been successful rabies survivors who were put into a coma until that swelling was taken down by the anti-bodies. The virus has the ability to wall itself off, so this process takes a while longer than it might otherwise.

I learned that a Rice Christian is someone who converts to gain the tangible benefits to the faith; food, shelter, etc.

On this day, I learned a boat-load about poetry; how you should try to maintain a progression of thought and emotion, how to give extra emphasis to lines by a mixture of end-stopping and enjambment, how easy it is to misinterpret the most obvious things (to me) and a slew of other things. I think I got a lot out of tonight’s class. Three hour classes are just so exhausting.

I learned that you can calculate the constant pressure specific heat by adding the gas constant (not universal, universal divided by molar mass) to the constant volume specific heat. You can get the change in enthalpy by multiplying the change in volume by the constant pressure specific heat, and the change in internal energy by multiplying the constant volume by the change in pressure. I learned that Temperature vs. Specific Volume graphs look a lot like Pressure vs. Specific Volume graphs, except the constant pressure/temperature (respectively) lines have trends with opposite sense (up vs down)

I learned that perhaps women aren’t equal afterall, in the eyes on the law.

I learned that munk means doughnut in swedish. Once upon a time, I knew it meant doughnut, but I had no idea what language. And in the intervening years, I forgot entirely that it existed at all.

I learned that in Knittish, DPN stands for double pointed needles, a very dangerous implement.

I learned that pineapples grow on the ground. Seriously, I never had a clue.

I also learned that daffodils need to be thinned out (well, separated) every 6 years or so so they can maintain the best bulb -> happiness ratio, and that you shouldn’t plant them right under trees.

On this day, I learned that a little girl in Houston was hit up by some cops for being a prostitute. However, she wasn’t. Possibly because she was 12. The fact that this had to go to trial at all is pretty incredible to me.

I learned how to do bernoulli’s equations. These are very similar to linear differential equations, but there is an additional term of yⁿ tacked on to the f(x). To deal with this, you make a substitution of u = y^1-n. Substitute this for all the ys in the equation, then . That is, homogeneous eqtns

I learned that interviewing with a company is not necessarily the same as the company being interested in having you work for them, especially if they are very big and made up of lots of little projects. But I did get some interviewing experience, which will come in useful, I suppose. I learned you really should prepare for questions like “What was a good time and bad experience you had on a team”, “how could we challenge you”, “what do you do in your spare time”. My peerless mind failed me here >:[

I learned that some peoples have a very different perception on the roles of homosexuals than we do in the US. A very interesting perception, I think. I’m not sure what a gay person would think about keeping up a het relationship on the side, though :p (input, anyone?)

On this day, I learned that Steve Wozniak is going to be on Dancing with the Stars, but more importantly, he is a member on MetaFilter. Pretty cool!

I learned that there are some pretty interesting people on twitter.

I learned some interesting things about corporations, such as how someone at Pepsi needs to study up on gravity, and that Lockheed-Martin is working on the Orion vehicle :D exciting.

On this day, I learned that it is possible to finish Code Geass in one day if that’s all you do (no hw, no studying, etc). And the ending is still a horrible cliff hanger! (of season one)

I learned that Tim Burton is making another Alice in Wonderland. Ehhhh, might be good? :D

I also learned that there are terms for the good guys that come next after the protagonist. The second protagonist is the deutoragonist, then triagonist, etc. Weird.

I learned that there is a type of indian shoe that you wear until they conform to your feet: khussa.