23 unsolved math problems

the kind nerds at NetworkWorld.com have assembled a list of the world's 23 toughest math questions. unfortunately, due to my obligations as the mastermind of the smart coffee revolution, i haven't had much time to devote to lending my supreme brain power to these problems.

it is safe to say, however, that there is a direct correlation between the progress of the brew nerds coffee takeover and the probability that these problems are solved. how i wish i could be there for the magical moment when the perfect cup of coffee hits the lips of an unsuspecting mathematical genius, making these 23 problems seem like mere rocket science to him (or her).

Nerd Attire - Episode Four: The Costumed Nerd

To begin, allow me to apologize for the short hiatus from my series on Nerd Attire. Now, without further ado, I bring you part 4 of the series, the Costumed Nerd.

The attire for a Costumed Nerd is perfectly intuitive.
In this case, a particular sci-fi (or other nerd-type) character strikes a chord with the Costumed Nerd, prompting them to go to great lengths to support and even honor said character. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, the obvious way to express this undying support is to duplicate the clothing that adorns the character.

It is this nerd's hope that the Costumed Nerd chooses opportune times to cloth his or her self as their favorite character, such as conventions, conferences and Halloween, but that is not always the case. A few, extreme Costumed Nerds will take it to the next level, outfitting themselves in science fiction costumes in their daily lives.

Enough narration. This attire can only be done true justice via digital imagery.

Trinity, Morpheus and Neo:

Tron Guy:

Trekkies (most common attire for the Costumed Nerd):

Han Solo and Princess Leia:

Up next: The final installment - The Cool Nerd

52% Pure Nerd

I happened upon this test today that determines what percentage of one's genetic makeup consists of Nerd, Geek and Dork components. See my results below:

Pure Nerd

52 % Nerd, 30% Geek, 13% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations!

Poll: Which blend of coffee best suits your drinking preferences?

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Nerd Attire - Episode Three: The Gadget Lover

The Gadget Lover

There are two types of gadget loving nerds. The first likes to prominently display their entire collection of modern technological marvels for all the world to see. The second is more discreet, and prefers to stow away their mp3 players, cell phones, portable gps systems, nintendo ds's, and other miscellaneous tiny, plastic coated collections of resistors, semiconductors, capacitors, et cetera.

The Proud Gadget Lover:
The goal of the proud gadget lover is to let the technology have the spotlight. This nerd's clothing selection should be overshadowed by the proud displaying of all things gadget. The base layer of clothing can be any of the previous or yet to be discussed nerd apparel options.

Once the base layer is applied, the proud gadget lover must assemble a collection of greater than or equal to four seperate pieces of technical gadgetry. The most common item in the arsenal of this nerd is the cell phone. When clipped onto a belt, it screams, "I am important". Two phones are even better. This lets everyone know that your work pays for one of them and you choose to keep your personal life seperated. Another obvious choice is the mp3 player, which can be secured around the neck or in a sleeve on the upper arm. Other options include a hand held gaming system, a graphing calculator, or a camera. Of course, many of these technologies are being combined, which poses a great threat to the proud gadget lover species.

The Incognito Gadget Lover:
This tech nerd makes their clothing purchases with one goal in mind: the safe and hidden storage of as many tech devices as possible. The folks at Scottevest are there to help. Here's an excerpt from their website:
SCOTTEVEST makes innovative, versatile, technology-enabled clothing – jackets, fleece layers, cargo vests, pants, shorts, shirts and more, all designed to help you store, manage, and carry your electronic gadgets and other gear essentials.

The beauty of Scottevest is that the clothes are fairly trendy and it's nearly impossible (probability = .007) for an aspiring nerd to go wrong. It's possible for the Incognito Gadget Lover to blend into the mainstream and have his nerdom go completely undetected.

It is not imperative that a nerd wishing to stow away their gadgets purchase their clothing from scottevest. This task can be accomplished much more simply and with baggy cargo pants or shorts and a hooded sweatshirt.

Next Installment: TBD

Nerd Attire - Episode Two: The New Nerd

In today's discussion on nerd fashion, we will focus on the up and coming trends for the New Nerd.

Shirt: The most popular attire for the upper half of the body for today's nerd is a black t-shirt. The t-shirt can portray any number of graphics, including, but not limited to, the following:
1. a funny slogan about said nerd's computer operating system, programming language, video game system, et cetera, of choice.
2. a mocking slogan about inferior os's, languages, games, etc (and/or the users of them).
3. any science fiction movie or tv show logo.
4. a catchy mathematics, science, or technology slogan.
5. retro tv shows, children's toys, video games and movies.
Very very important note: the new nerd will NOT be found wearing a t-shirt mocking their own nerdiness. This apparel is designed for nerd mockers and nerd wannabes.
The "new nerd" black t-shirt is meant to be worn untucked and is commonly paired with...

Pants: ...blue jeans. There are three viable denim options to compliment the "New Nerd" look. The first, and most common, is the relaxed fit, plain blue, no bells or whistles blue jean. There can be some signs of wear, but a clean and crisp pair will suffice, as well. The second option in denim is the carpenter jeans. This look was popularized in the late 90's, but is still considered a trademark for today's nerd. The reason for the carpenter pants' longevity in nerd fashio is that the baggy style allows for the storage of any number of tech gadgets. Rounding out the trio of denim options is a pair of snug fitting, black jeans. Wearers of this style should be aware that this selection most boldly proclaims one's nerdom.

Socks and Shoes: white socks. All white New Balance walking shoes. There should be no deviation from this, whatsoever.


Accessories:There are only a couple of sure fire accessories for the New Nerd style: A large pair of glasses is a good choice for the novice, bifocals being even better and black leather (or faux leather) belt would compliment the look of black t-shirt with jeans. An iPod is optional and a fanny pack will secure the wearer's identity as a tried and true nerd.

Next: The Gadget Lover

Nerd Attire - Episode One: The Old School Nerd

Old School Nerd(The obvious first choice)

Shirt: To pull off the old school nerd look, you'll need to don a short sleeve collared dress shirt with one or two front pockets. A white shirt works best for this look, but other solids will work nicely, as will certain prints and plaids.
To accompany this look, try a pocket protector, a bow tie, or suspenders. Or, if you're feeling up to the challenge, go with all three!
Also, please note, that when opting for this style, it is imperative that the shirt be buttoned all the way to the top as well as tucked in to the pants.

Pants: Any nerd looking to pull off the old school nerd look should invest in several pairs of blue, black and khaki dickies. It is advised that these pants should be pulled as high as biologically possible and secured with a belt (or suspenders as aforementioned). The more ankle that the weared can make visible, the better.

Socks: There are only two alternatives for socks: Black crew cut or white crew cut. It is nonnegotiable.

Shoes: The most common old school nerd footwear is the black dress shoe. This style was made popular by the movie "Revenge of the Nerds" and has set the standard for nerd style. The more comfortable the shoe, the better. An all black pair of sneakers is not preferred, but is an allowable alternative.

Accessories: There are many viable accessories for the old school nerd. Previously mentioned, the suspenders, pocket protectors, bow ties and belts are good starting points. Other key items include: black, thick rimmed glasses with optional tape on the bridge, a cleanly side parted hair style, and a casio watch with full calculator capabilities.

Up next: The New Nerd