Hans' Milieu

For those who do not know, Vocab101 is my daily attempt to find a new and interesting word which could potentially be used in everyday circumstances. The words I find range from the obscene, to the unbelievably true (which are hyperlinked in blue) and, of course, the colloquial. Thus, Hans’ Milieu now has a ‘Wordy Wednesday’.

Each Hans’ Milieu edition of Vocab101 will take place on Wordy Wednesdays and will contain all the words I have tweeted over the course of one week from the previous Vocab101 session (7 days, 7 new words). Furthermore, each Hans’ Milieu edition of Vocab101 will contain additional new words which did not make the original cut, but are just as tantalising/disturbing!

Vocab101:

• Biphonal – Using more than one phone at the same time. For example: Talking on one mobile phone while texting on another.

• Drailing – Sending out e-mails, most often to ex-partners, whilst drunk.

• Imonogamy – The practice of only using instant messaging as a form of communication. Yes, MXit counts.

• Holidrawl – Adapting one’s speech patterns to match the local accent while on holiday.

• Debauchelor – A groom whose bachelor party is particularly raunchy.

• Cataglottism – A very rare word, used to describe kissing using one’s tongue.

• Eccedentesiast – Someone who fakes a smile, such as a television presenter.

Vocab101-isms which missed the cut:

• Krukolibidinous – The act of staring at someone’s crotch.

• Lalochezia – Using foul or abusive language to relieve stress or to ease pain.

I do hope that you enjoyed this edition of Vocab101 and that you will return for some more Vocab101-isms in the near future.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Today we will all be fortunate enough to experience a ‘once in a lifetime event’. At one point today, around midday, clocks and calendars will give a combined consecutive numerical reading of 12:34:56 07/08/09 – Which is believed to only occur once every 100 years.

Thus, at 34 minutes and 56 seconds past 12:00 hours (12 pm), on Friday the 7th of August 2009, we will experience a centennial moment in time in which the first zeroless pandigital number can be used to precisely pinpoint the exact date and time.

In layman’s terms: all nine numerical digits, which hold a value greater than zero and which make up all arithmetic equations, will present themselves at a single point in time, in numerical order from smallest to largest, via the most well known sequence of numbers in existence: 123456789.

12:34:56  07/08/09

Personally I find this to be incredibly interesting. Particularly because I do have an inclination and mild obsession with numerical sequences and geometric symmetry. Consequently, I found a few interesting facts and figures concerning this first zeroless pandigital numbered sequence. For those who do not know, a pandigital number is in fact “an integer that in a given base, has among its significant digits, each digit used in the base at least once” (Wikipedia.com, 2009).

In most instances, the number ‘777’ is considered to be one of luck. It is also considered to be a symbol of absolute perfection. As it so happens, this number has an evenly symmetrical number of solutions, in both descending and ascending order, using the numbers 123456789 and by only ‘adding’ and ‘subtracting’. The solutions are (Martin Gardner, 02 June 2009):

Ascending                                                          Descending

– 12 – 3 + 4 + 5 – 6 + 789 = 777              – 9 – 8 + 765 – 4 + 32 + 1 = 777

– 12 + 3 – 4 – 5 + 6 + 789 = 777               98 + 7 + 654 – 3 + 21 = 777

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to display all the numbers from 1 through to 9 on an abacus? Well, here is your answer:

How about displaying this ascending zeroless pandigital sequence in Roman numerals? Here we go:

I, II, III, IV, V, VI,IIV,IIIV,IIIV,X,XI,XII

Here are a few interesting facts relating to numbers 1 through 9 courtesy of Richard Phillips’ book ‘Numbers’:

1. The letters A, B, C, D, E, M, T, U, V, W and Y all have one line of symmetry.

2. The number 2 is a prime number and is the only even prime number.

3. There are three barleycorns in an inch, three feet in a yard, and three miles in a league.

4. The word four has four letters. In the English language there is no other number whose number of letters is equal to its value.

5. There are only five possible tetrominoes. A tetromino is a shape made by joining together four squares. The game Tetris is based on the assembly of tetrominoes.

6. There are six feet in a fathom. A fathom is a unit of length used mainly by sailors. It equals 1.8288 metres.

7. The Seven Deadly Sins are avarice, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, sloth and wrath (listed in alphabetical order).

8. In the game of pool the Eight Ball is a black ball with the number 8. The expression `behind the eight ball’ means to be in a difficult or baffling situation.

9. There are nine major planets in the solar system, Beethoven wrote nine symphonies, and a cat is said to have nine lives.

I wish you all a very numerically filled and happy zeroless pandigital day!

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

I know that a lot of people wonder what they will look like in several years from now, but have you ever wondered what you may have looked like if you had grown up in a different time?

Well, the website tentatively known as ‘Yearbook Yourself’, has a rather ingenious solution to his problem.

Using simple, yet effective, facial mapping techniques; ‘Yearbook Yourself’ allows you to take any forward facing photograph’s of your beautiful visage and turn them into time period specific yearbook portraits.

The specific time periods on offer currently range from the century splitting year 1950, all the way to the millennium bug ridden year 2000. You may view my ‘Blast from the Past’, courtesy of Yearbook Yourself, in the following album:

View Full Album

An interesting thing to do, is to compare your original High school photograph (you can see my real one at the top of this post *cringe*) to those of a potential yesteryear. Truth be told, I am incredibly glad to be a child of the ‘00 High school graduating generation. Some of those ‘founding’ styles were simply horrendous (1986, 1988 and 1990; I am looking at you)!

Unsurprisingly, we all have High school graduating photograph’s, including celebrities:

Celebrity Yearbook Pictures

I hope you all have fun with this post and I look forward to seeing your ‘creations’ *rolls eye’s at the multitude of new ‘old’ Facebook profile pictures*.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

A few months ago, regrettably only after breaking my arm, I was approached by a well known South African public relations firm for my review of the ‘South African Premiere of Slumdog Millionaire’. Subsequently, I was kindly asked if I would be interested in being a part of their mailing list and any future ‘events’. Of course I responded with a resounding ‘yes’!

Since that time, I have been kept up to date and privy to the latest in South African box office records, figures and events. Often incorporating the information into my posts whenever I deem the data to be informative, applicable and or appropriate. To my surprise, it appears that the fruits of my labour have begun to ripen.

Last week, I unexpectedly received an official invitation to an actual ‘press screening’ of an as yet unreleased film. It goes without saying that I was incredibly taken aback and immensely excited. After all, it was the first time that I had been invited to an event as a ‘recognised’ member of the press.

The invitation was to the screening of ‘The Human Contract’, which serves as Jada Pinkett Smiths debut as both a writer and director.

The Human Contract focuses on charming, self-made marketing entrepreneur Julian Wright (Jason Clarke), who is constantly tormented by a viciously disturbing secret that he has harboured from childhood. With his personal life in shambles and physical pain his only means of solace, Julian becomes entrapped in an open styled love affair with a gorgeously elusive stranger, Michael Reed (Paz Vega), who tempts him from the rigid confines of corporate life to try and explore a bohemian laden lifestyle. A decision that will not only dramatically affect his life, but also the lives of his co-workers, friends and family.

Read the rest of this entry →

Hey Milieunairs,

It is Music Monday and thus time for another Vivaciously Varietal Vibe!

• 

  Flavour: Alternative Rock

• Artist: Placebo

• Album: Meds

• Song: Running Up That Hill

Rationale: I am a great fan of MUSE, especially songs such as Ruled By Secrecy and Sing For Absolution, which I have dubbed as ‘hauntingly beautiful’. Thus, when I heard this song during the screening of The Human Contract, I knew that it would become one of my favourite songs.

I absolutely adore the rhythmic beat of this song. I find it strangely hypnotic, akin to listening to your lovers heartbeat when your ear is pressed against their chest. As a result, I felt I needed to share it with you all. Perhaps this song may take you to another place, like it did with me.

‘Running Up That Hill’ by Placebo

As always, whenever I post about Vivaciously Varietal Vibes on Music Monday’s, simply click on the name of the song to be taken to a web page that displays the songs lyrics.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!