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It is +6 C with a high forecast of +14 C. Sunrise 5:32 Sunset 21:25 Hours of daylight: 15:53.
See current forecast here. See current news here.This page last updated on: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 7:16 AM
Sunshine! Clear blue sky and sunshine. It has been a full week of heavy cloud cover and rain. It is now over. I have even had my first cup out on the patio, just enjoying the fresh air.
Yes! I have just checked my email and I have received a reply from Marcus du Sautoy about a book that he suggested in his book "Symmetry" for a friend of his. The title is "Adventures in Group Theory" (2002) by David Joyner. I have now ordered this book from amazon.ca . Since the book is from the United States and is not sitting in a warehouse in Toronto it will be about a month before it arrives. I did add three more books to my order at the same time:
All three books receive excellent reviews.
Now to sit back and enjoy the day. A great way to begin.
Here are four early morning photos taken while sitting in the patio area. The blue sky is the key image.
Notice the symmtry patterns on the tiles. I can rotate a brick through its center by 180 degrees and get the same image. That, and the null rotation of 0 degrees, are the only two rotational symmetries for a single brick. I do not see any mirror symmetries (i.e. where I can place a mirror and see the same image in the mirror as I see with the brick itself). Now consider a set of four bricks so I have two vertical and two horizontal. Now there are 4 rotational symmetries for the set: 0, 90, 180 and 270. If I consider the pattern to be infinite in all directions then the pattern also repeats if I move obliquely to the left by the width of a brick or if I move obliquely to the right by half a length.
I am feeling very unsure of myself at the moment. I do not have a good vocabulary for describing these symmetries, nor do I have any notation for indicating what type of symmetry this is. I am not even sure whether a glide transformation counts as a symmetry operation. I am not yet ready to visit the Alhambra.
| Long Term Activities | Planned Activities for Today | Time Today | Cumulative Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cull professional articles | Review Psychology articles | 5 hr |
|
| Prepare pdf files of my papers | Digitize 3 professional papers | 4 hr |
|
| Digitize slides | Digitize slide collection | 10 hr |
|
| Put away stamps | 0 hr |
| Learning Category | Planned Activities for Today | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Literature | Begin morning with a Rumi reading | |
| Puzzles & Games | New York Times crossword puzzles | 1 hr |
| Literature | Complete reading "The Temptations of Big Bear" by Rudy Wiebe | 3 hr |
| History | Continue reading "Indian Fall" by D'Arcy Jenish | 1 hr |
Mathematics |
Make a few notes on symmetry | 1 hr |
I finally have read this novel, which I purchased in 2002.
My first reaction is one of profound embarrassment at what I did not know about this part of Canadian history. My second reaction is awe at Rudy Wiebe's ability to write so powerfully, and with so many different voices.
This should be required reading for all citizens of Canada - because it gives a superb account of an important time in Canada's early years. It definitely deserves to receive the same level of attention as the building of the railway or the Riel Rebellion of 1885. In my opinion, Big Bear deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence with Macdonald and Laurier as one of Canada's great early leaders.
I would rate this as 5 out of 5.
Tags: novel, Canada
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