Mathmatical Rice Krispie Treats

A square plate and a coincidental cutting and stacking of (approximately) square Rice Krispie treats produced a tasty square pyramid with some interesting mathematical qualities. The layers of the pyramid are each a square, 1, 4, 9, 16 (Integer sequence A000290), they form a pyramid and summing each subsequent layer yields the (obviously called) square pyramid numbers, 1, 5, 14, 30 (Integer sequence A000330).

Two other interesting properties of the square pyramid numbers:

• The sequence contains exactly one square greater than 1, namely 4900.
• Gives number of squares formed from an n X n square. In a 1 X 1 square, one is formed. In a 2 X 2 square, five squares are formed. In a 3 X 3 square, 14 squares are formed, and so on.

Compare the suare pyramid number sequence with the triangular numbers, 1, 3, 6, 10 (sequence A000217). These are like the bowling pin two dimensional pyramid, but each level has fewer treats than the square pyramid stacking above. I think I like the quantity from the square pyramid better.

The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences is fun for looking for interesting sequences of integers, if you like that kind of thing. They even have the Lost numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, sequence A104101). The encyclopedia generates lists and graphs of number sequences, but even more interestingly, though less useful, it will generate a sound file of the sequence as played on an instrument of your choice.

Bacon Rainbow

I like my bacon crisp and cooked, she likes hers less done.

The result is a bacon rainbow of doneness.

To misquote Homer Simpson - "bacon, is there nothing it can't do?"

Cultivate your inner European

Use this quiz to find your inner European.

My results are not surprising, since I am of Italian descent.

Your Inner European is Italian!

Passionate and colorful. You show the world what culture really is.

Who's Your Inner European?

Tell us your results in the comments below.

(via FirstState)

Three rules for eating

In recent post, the Virtual Ranger describes a dinner party with some invertebrate entrees. I strongly suggest caution when reading the Ranger's post as he is eating BUGS!

The ranger has failed to follow the three important rules for eating (my mother taught me this):

1.) Never eat anything that is still alive. The bugs eaten by the Ranger fall into this category from sheer force of imagination. Most Klingon food falls into this catagory.

2.) Never eat anything that looks like it has already been eaten. A good example would be refried beans. I never felt the need to expand this category to include things that had actually been eaten but having heard of weasel coffee (Civets eat and poop out the coffee beans which are then roasted and brewed) I now must add a corollary to this rule.

3.) Never eat anything that looks back at you. This covers fish with the heads on. The plate always seems to be placed so that the eyes point at me. This could even cover sunny side up eggs if they are arranged properly. Sometimes the eggs try to stare you down.