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Happy Pi Day

Jonathan writes "Today, the 14th of March, is Pi Day 2008. Pi Day is internationally celebrated in honor of the mathematical constant "Pi," who's actual value will — now and forever — remain unknown. NeoSmart Technologies has a run-down on the history of Pi, Pi Day, and the significance of Pi and other such "magical numbers" to science and technology. 'Pi isn't just a number that you can use to calculate circle-related mathematics, it's a symbol of something by far greater. Pi is one of many "magic" numbers that are found everywhere — if you know where to look. These magic numbers can't be explained, they just are. And if you use them right, they make it a lot easier to do a lot of really complicated things... In a way, they're a testimony to technology and computers (or vice-versa, depending on how you look at it).'"

19 of 351 comments (clear)

  1. Happy Pi day... by bugnuts · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... No cake for you!

    1. Re:Happy Pi day... by electricbern · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, the cake is a Pi.

      --
      alias possession='chmod 666 satan && ls /dev > il && tail daemon.log'
  2. Wrong day by Ed+Avis · · Score: 4, Funny

    Surely 22/7 would be pi day.

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    -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
    1. Re:Wrong day by eln · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sorry, 22/7 is only approximately pi day.

    2. Re:Wrong day by Hillgiant · · Score: 5, Funny

      Everyday is approximately pi day. Just some approximations are better than others.

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      -
  3. Pi-th Post! by eldavojohn · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bask in its glory!

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    My work here is dung.
  4. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by Brainless · · Score: 4, Funny

    Screw Pi day, come on Steak-n-BJ Day!

  5. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sorry, but we missed Pi day by a longshot. Having Pi day on any old 3/14 lacks sufficient precision. Pi day was on March 14, 1592. Pi second would have been March 14, 1592 at 6:53 and 58 seconds in the morning. I'm sure they were partying like it was 1599 on that day.

  6. Re:Unknown value? by fred+fleenblat · · Score: 4, Funny

    The value of pi can be precisely expressed as 1.0 (in base pi).

  7. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Screw Pi day, come on Steak-n-BJ Day! I'm married, you insensitive clod!
    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  8. Obligatory Portal reference by imbaczek · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Pi is a lie.

  9. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by hansamurai · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tomorrow is the Ides of March, where I will pretend I'm well versed in Shakespeare.

  10. Re:m/dd/yyyy indeed? by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 4, Funny

    None of us are going to be living? Speak for yourself. I just penciled it in the date on my calendar! (I'm signed up for Cryonics.)

    -ellie

  11. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by ArcherB · · Score: 4, Funny

    Screw Pi day, come on Steak-n-BJ Day! I'm married, you insensitive clod! Then I guess you are looking forward to chicken and masturbation day!

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    There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
  12. Re:Talk Like A Physicist Day by Dun+Malg · · Score: 4, Funny

    (In Plank units) Aren't plank units Board-Feet?
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    If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
  13. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by lgw · · Score: 5, Funny

    "At least I got chicken."

    (not what Leroy Jenkins actually said, but it's still the meme.)

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  14. Remain unknown? What the fsck? by Deadstick · · Score: 4, Funny
    Pi is exactly equal to the sum of the infinite series 4 - 4/3 + 4/5 - 4/7 + 4/9 - 4/11...

    rj

  15. Pi Joke by lenmaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is the volume of a pizza of radius z and thickness a?

    Answer: pi*z*z*a