From Jasper Fforde's Something Rotten
Beginning of chapter 5:
The twenty-seven point procedure is the most costly and complicated piece of bureaucracy the city has ever devised...
End of chapter 43:
"You sent all twenty-eight of them forward just to hide St. Zvlkx?"
"Twenty-seven actually--one of them was real."
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
27 monkeys
Ookla the Mok's CD Smell No Evil is:
a 27-track rock opera about a space-rocket test-monkey and the boy who loves him.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Another literary-type 27
Sarah (Squeak) writes:
Not sure if you have this one - I just finished reading Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuck. From the inside cover of the paperback:
Ever heard of a culling song? It's a lullaby sung in Africa to give a painless death to the old or infirm. The lyrics of a culling song kill, whether spoken or even just thought. You can find one on page 27 of POEM AND RHYMES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, an anthology that is on the shelves of libraries across the country.
Thanks, Sarah!
Not sure if you have this one - I just finished reading Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuck. From the inside cover of the paperback:
Ever heard of a culling song? It's a lullaby sung in Africa to give a painless death to the old or infirm. The lyrics of a culling song kill, whether spoken or even just thought. You can find one on page 27 of POEM AND RHYMES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, an anthology that is on the shelves of libraries across the country.
Thanks, Sarah!
Monday, August 16, 2004
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Major League 27s
Many thanks to an alert reader who sent me this.
MINNEAPOLIS -- After playing 27 innings in 27 hours, the Oakland Athletics were just glad to be going home. Going home with two victories was a bonus.
MINNEAPOLIS -- After playing 27 innings in 27 hours, the Oakland Athletics were just glad to be going home. Going home with two victories was a bonus.
Buffalo Regional Government!
From the Buffalo news story- Proposal: A new 'regional city'
With one chief executive elected countywide, the regional city would take on City Hall's functions and its approximately 2,700 workers, protecting their seniority without being bound by labor contracts negotiated with the former city government.
AND
The commission's plan attempts to address that issue by expanding the Legislature from 15 to perhaps as many as 27 members, with roughly nine from Buffalo since the city makes up about 30 percent of the county population.
Buffalo is in THE KNOW!
posted by jen ; )
With one chief executive elected countywide, the regional city would take on City Hall's functions and its approximately 2,700 workers, protecting their seniority without being bound by labor contracts negotiated with the former city government.
AND
The commission's plan attempts to address that issue by expanding the Legislature from 15 to perhaps as many as 27 members, with roughly nine from Buffalo since the city makes up about 30 percent of the county population.
Buffalo is in THE KNOW!
posted by jen ; )
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Princess-y 27s
From The Princess Bride by William Goldman. (That's the book version. Not the movie.)
Inigo, at the age of twenty-seven, began having a few extra glasses of wine at night, to help him get to sleep.
and
...the Prince interrupted the Archdean with gentlest manner and said, "Holiness, my love is simply overpowering my ability to wait--please skip on down to the end of the service."
The time was then 5:27
Inigo, at the age of twenty-seven, began having a few extra glasses of wine at night, to help him get to sleep.
and
...the Prince interrupted the Archdean with gentlest manner and said, "Holiness, my love is simply overpowering my ability to wait--please skip on down to the end of the service."
The time was then 5:27
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
27 in The Village
I went to see The Village tonight, and I don't want to give away any plot points...but there is a 27 near the end of the film.
Late Show 27
Tom Cruise was a guest on tonight's Late Show with David Letterman. Dave asked Tom how many movies he's done 20? 30?
Tom said, "I don't know...definitely more than 20. Maybe twenty.....seven?"
Tom said, "I don't know...definitely more than 20. Maybe twenty.....seven?"
Monday, August 02, 2004
Linky goodness
Here are some more 27-related links...
Project X: The Mystery of the Number 27
27 Number Phenomenon Sightings
Properties of the Number 27
Project X: The Mystery of the Number 27
27 Number Phenomenon Sightings
Properties of the Number 27
Mystical mathematical randomness
Thanks again to Jen for finding this link.
27
The third cube, 33.
1/27 = .037037037..., and 1/37 = .027027027...
27!+1 is prime. There aren't many numbers N such that N!+1 is prime; and it's hard to find them because factorials are so large. As of May 2002, the only known values of N are: 1, 2, 3, 11, 27, 37, 41, 73, 77, 116, 154, 320, 340, 399, 427, 872, 1477, 6380, 26951, ... (Sloane's A002981).
27×227+227+27 is prime.
Because 27 is the smallest factor of 999 that is not also a factor of 9 or 99, 27 is the smallest number whose reciprocal has a 3-digit repeating pattern. See also 239 and 757.
27 is the sum of the digits 2 through 7. 15 is the other 2-digit number that shares this property.
To test a number for divisibility by 27:
Take the digits of the number in groups of 3 starting from the right, and add the resulting numbers together. If the result is more than 3 digits, repeat this process.
Check the resulting 3-digit number for divisibility by 9. If it isn't, the original number isn't divisible by 27.
If it is, divide it by 9 (see the 9 entry for a simple way to do this). Then check the answer for divisibility by 3. If it is, the original number is divisible by 27, otherwise it isn't.
See also 89, 134217728, 10888869450418352160768000000 and 103.0056206947796095239×1029.
27 is a psychologically random number, similar to 17 and 37 and having no particular cultural origin. Like 37, it is often used when some random-sounding large number is needed. For example, in Graham Greene's 1953 play The Living Room one finds the line:
ROSE Since my last confession three weeks ago I've committed adultery
twenty-seven times.
(27 is also my favorite cult number, for various reasons, for example it's the street number of a house where I grew up, and my age was 27 years + 27 days when I met a certain close friend.)
27
The third cube, 33.
1/27 = .037037037..., and 1/37 = .027027027...
27!+1 is prime. There aren't many numbers N such that N!+1 is prime; and it's hard to find them because factorials are so large. As of May 2002, the only known values of N are: 1, 2, 3, 11, 27, 37, 41, 73, 77, 116, 154, 320, 340, 399, 427, 872, 1477, 6380, 26951, ... (Sloane's A002981).
27×227+227+27 is prime.
Because 27 is the smallest factor of 999 that is not also a factor of 9 or 99, 27 is the smallest number whose reciprocal has a 3-digit repeating pattern. See also 239 and 757.
27 is the sum of the digits 2 through 7. 15 is the other 2-digit number that shares this property.
To test a number for divisibility by 27:
Take the digits of the number in groups of 3 starting from the right, and add the resulting numbers together. If the result is more than 3 digits, repeat this process.
Check the resulting 3-digit number for divisibility by 9. If it isn't, the original number isn't divisible by 27.
If it is, divide it by 9 (see the 9 entry for a simple way to do this). Then check the answer for divisibility by 3. If it is, the original number is divisible by 27, otherwise it isn't.
See also 89, 134217728, 10888869450418352160768000000 and 103.0056206947796095239×1029.
27 is a psychologically random number, similar to 17 and 37 and having no particular cultural origin. Like 37, it is often used when some random-sounding large number is needed. For example, in Graham Greene's 1953 play The Living Room one finds the line:
ROSE Since my last confession three weeks ago I've committed adultery
twenty-seven times.
(27 is also my favorite cult number, for various reasons, for example it's the street number of a house where I grew up, and my age was 27 years + 27 days when I met a certain close friend.)
27s from the research assistant...
Since my lovely roommie was so kind as to find my explanation of the magic of 27 and put it at the top of the blog, she has been named the official research assistant of The Chronicles of 27. (It's it's own reward...)
Here are some of her sightings:
Her mother has wanted to know since 1976: Is Cathy ever going to get married?
We all know her - perhaps a little too well. Pathetic one day, empowered the next. Since she first appeared in newspapers 27 years ago, the maddening yet lovable Everywoman has struggled "with the four basic guilt groups: food, love, mother and career," said her creator, Cathy Guisewite.
27 Sightings of Late.
1. 27 days for a marriage license.
I saw this article a few days ago.
There's more to marriage than a license
BY MITCH ALBOM
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Last week, a group of Michigan lawmakers, hoping to stem the alarming divorce rate, proposed a law: couples would have to undergo four hours of pre-marital counseling.
If they refused, they would have to wait 27 days for a marriage license, instead of just three.
Now, I can hear our married readers screaming, "Go for the 27! Are you crazy?" This only shows the disconnect between those who dream of jumping over the broom, and those who are already sweeping up.
2. 27 Giambra Regionalism Proposals.
FOCUS: GIAMBRA REPORT CARD
Short on results?
Not all of Giambra's ideas are faring so well. Of the 27 proposals floated by the county executive, the cities, towns or villages he needed to work with rejected nearly half. And some of those communities criticized Giambra for his "flavor of the month" approach to regionalism.
3. U.S. Constitution
has 27 amendments...
4. Secret Peach Passion Sparkly Gel Deodorant
2.7 ounces! What more could a Jen ask for? Peach and sparkly!
5. In the book that Erin and I bought for lent...
the first lesson...is a meditation, that you are supposed to say one time and then REPEAT 26 times. Meaning 27 times. Another sign...
8. Sofia Coppola
What up? Is she really the first American woman to be nominated as best director? And did it really take her...dadadada 27 days to make the film? Whoa. I think she was a terrible actress, right?
Walgreen's Drugstore.
I was purchasing an item that the cashier thought was in the rebate book. I knew it wasn't I already looked...but she said "just give me 27 seconds!" : )
Bam#1
Another 27 sighting...although I am not sure how positive this one is...
Some question the expense of having a full-time Council in Buffalo with its staff of 27 and dozens of interns.
We just downsized 4 at-large members, which should not have even been an issue...but...Well, isn't it obvious that we don't need that many members? But no...no...not obvious in Buffalo. Home of all things racially motivated of course. 27 staff members.
Here are some of her sightings:
Her mother has wanted to know since 1976: Is Cathy ever going to get married?
We all know her - perhaps a little too well. Pathetic one day, empowered the next. Since she first appeared in newspapers 27 years ago, the maddening yet lovable Everywoman has struggled "with the four basic guilt groups: food, love, mother and career," said her creator, Cathy Guisewite.
27 Sightings of Late.
1. 27 days for a marriage license.
I saw this article a few days ago.
There's more to marriage than a license
BY MITCH ALBOM
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Last week, a group of Michigan lawmakers, hoping to stem the alarming divorce rate, proposed a law: couples would have to undergo four hours of pre-marital counseling.
If they refused, they would have to wait 27 days for a marriage license, instead of just three.
Now, I can hear our married readers screaming, "Go for the 27! Are you crazy?" This only shows the disconnect between those who dream of jumping over the broom, and those who are already sweeping up.
2. 27 Giambra Regionalism Proposals.
FOCUS: GIAMBRA REPORT CARD
Short on results?
Not all of Giambra's ideas are faring so well. Of the 27 proposals floated by the county executive, the cities, towns or villages he needed to work with rejected nearly half. And some of those communities criticized Giambra for his "flavor of the month" approach to regionalism.
3. U.S. Constitution
has 27 amendments...
4. Secret Peach Passion Sparkly Gel Deodorant
2.7 ounces! What more could a Jen ask for? Peach and sparkly!
5. In the book that Erin and I bought for lent...
the first lesson...is a meditation, that you are supposed to say one time and then REPEAT 26 times. Meaning 27 times. Another sign...
8. Sofia Coppola
What up? Is she really the first American woman to be nominated as best director? And did it really take her...dadadada 27 days to make the film? Whoa. I think she was a terrible actress, right?
Walgreen's Drugstore.
I was purchasing an item that the cashier thought was in the rebate book. I knew it wasn't I already looked...but she said "just give me 27 seconds!" : )
Bam#1
Another 27 sighting...although I am not sure how positive this one is...
Some question the expense of having a full-time Council in Buffalo with its staff of 27 and dozens of interns.
We just downsized 4 at-large members, which should not have even been an issue...but...Well, isn't it obvious that we don't need that many members? But no...no...not obvious in Buffalo. Home of all things racially motivated of course. 27 staff members.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Sightings from my alert readers...
All two of them. ;)
This one comes from Curtis at Singing Loudly:
From The Effect of Living Backwards by Heidi Julavits, copyright 2003.
In Chapter one the narrator and her sister are in a plane talking about seducing a male flight attendant to see how long it takes him. One is betting the other that he is either to fast or too slow. The sister gets up to go back and give the married flight attendant "a hand."
"The man in row 27 regarded us irritably through the seat crack as I played with her rubber watch, beeping it idiotically in my attempt to set the timer to 00:00. Edith braided her hair over her left
shoulder, then cinched the split, hoary finale with the elastic she had gripped between her teeth. She tossed the braid over her shoulder and pressed her fingers on the cowlicked heaves by her crown."
And the second, from Jen (of all things)
MIAMI (AP) -- Retired but hardly slowing down, Ricky Williams is racking up mileage instead of yardage.
Frequent flyer Williams was in Los Angeles on Monday after a brief visit to Tokyo and may next be bound for Martha's Vineyard. It's all part of a whirlwind trip that became a retirement tour when Williams decided last week he was done with football and the Miami Dolphins at age 27.
This one comes from Curtis at Singing Loudly:
From The Effect of Living Backwards by Heidi Julavits, copyright 2003.
In Chapter one the narrator and her sister are in a plane talking about seducing a male flight attendant to see how long it takes him. One is betting the other that he is either to fast or too slow. The sister gets up to go back and give the married flight attendant "a hand."
"The man in row 27 regarded us irritably through the seat crack as I played with her rubber watch, beeping it idiotically in my attempt to set the timer to 00:00. Edith braided her hair over her left
shoulder, then cinched the split, hoary finale with the elastic she had gripped between her teeth. She tossed the braid over her shoulder and pressed her fingers on the cowlicked heaves by her crown."
And the second, from Jen (of all things)
MIAMI (AP) -- Retired but hardly slowing down, Ricky Williams is racking up mileage instead of yardage.
Frequent flyer Williams was in Los Angeles on Monday after a brief visit to Tokyo and may next be bound for Martha's Vineyard. It's all part of a whirlwind trip that became a retirement tour when Williams decided last week he was done with football and the Miami Dolphins at age 27.
Friday, July 16, 2004
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Jasper Fforde and 27
There is an abundance of 27s in the Thursday Next series.
In the first book, Thursday is a Literary Detective for SpecOps 27.
(text reads Wordage is our business Grammar is our game.)
I know there were more that I came across while reading, before I started formally recording them, but I've just started The Well of Lost Plots and came across this line:
I had this idea for a bumper sticker: 'A unicorn isn't for page twenty-seven, it's for eternity.'
and here's another one, referring to the car Miss Havisham is driving:
It was the 27 liter Higham Special.
In the first book, Thursday is a Literary Detective for SpecOps 27.
(text reads Wordage is our business Grammar is our game.)
I know there were more that I came across while reading, before I started formally recording them, but I've just started The Well of Lost Plots and came across this line:
I had this idea for a bumper sticker: 'A unicorn isn't for page twenty-seven, it's for eternity.'
and here's another one, referring to the car Miss Havisham is driving:
It was the 27 liter Higham Special.
Doctoral 27
Jen's doctor brother, who just celebrated one year in practice, wrote in an email to her today:
Take a quick guess on how many patient visits i averaged per week for my first year--
27.
Take a quick guess on how many patient visits i averaged per week for my first year--
27.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Literary 27s
Twenty-seven--three, and you think he might have had the edge? He murdered us.
-Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Well, I'll tell you the truth, said the little old man. I'm just twenty-seven years of age.
-Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
-Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Well, I'll tell you the truth, said the little old man. I'm just twenty-seven years of age.
-Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Friday, June 04, 2004
27 and Terror
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
The New Yorker and Blogging
This story in the New Yorker (with thanks to all things jen for the link)
She scans a dozen first thing in the morning and keeps tabs on another twenty-seven throughout the day, though any of these may lead her to countless others.
She scans a dozen first thing in the morning and keeps tabs on another twenty-seven throughout the day, though any of these may lead her to countless others.
That 70's Show
Jen was watching a repeat tonight on Fox, and Kelso bought a sweater that was $27 dollars.
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