Hah. I know Martn. Long time callahans irc channel and newsgroup member. (Spider Robinson fans) On Jun 18, 2016 11:12 AM, "Ron Wiesen" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Below is a story about "Extraterrestrial Script". Hopefully the list server > won't line wrap the mathematic equations into senseless spaghetti. A Model T > laptop enthusiast named Leonard Erickson was the first person to decipher the > alien symbology used in the equations. Then on November 11, 2000 Leonard > submitted the story and its mathematic equations to "Best Brains" as a math > puzzle where it subsequently was deciphered in stages by several folks -- > final stage was done by Martin Julian DeMello of Rice University who wisely > employed Occam's razor on November 14, 2000. See URL > [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.callahans/qmjueTh0aY8] > > > > ======== Story about the Extraterrestrial Script and the Model T ======== > > EXTRATERRESTRIAL SCRIPT > > > > While working with my Model T laptop, extraterrestrials attacked me. I > > was tied up and tortured for hours. I could "hear" them -- they used an > > unspoken thought exchange to "ask" me questions. All questions had the > > same aim. They wanted to know where I keep the Primordial Bit, born of > > the Big Bit Bang. Each time I refused to answer the torture grew worse. > > Eventually I became unconscious. When I awoke, I laid still and silently > > observed the extraterrestrials' activities. They were gathering bit > > samples from my Model T laptop and making some arithmetic calculations > > manually on a substance similar to paper. I "heard" them plainly. Their > > mission is to take bit samples from Model T laptops, and "question" the > > humans who own these impressive devices. These extraterrestrials know > > that this is the most direct path to finding the Primordial Bit. > > > > At an opportune instant I snatched my Model T laptop from them, and > > used it as a weapon. I bashed them repeatedly and they retreated toward > > their craft. I ran away and hid before they could recover and counter > > attack. After a brief search for me, the extraterrestrials boarded their > > craft and left. A few minutes later helicopters landed -- humans. Then > > more and more came -- an alphabet soup of agencies arrived: CIA, FBI, and > > so on. They found the paper like substance, which the extraterrestrials > > had left behind in their hasty retreat, and pondered the strange script > > written on it. That's when I came out of hiding and explained that the > > script is calculations written by the extraterrestrials. Of course I did > > not mention the extraterrestrials' mission -- I trust no one enough to > > reveal where I'm keeping the Primordial Bit. > > > > Scientists from all the agencies asked me a lot of questions about the > > script during long "debriefing" sessions. They are certain that the > > calculations in the script are navigational and likely indicate where the > > extraterrestrials come from, or where they are heading. I managed to > > steal a copy of the script before they released me. It's shown below. I > > did overhear the scientists discuss their analysis of the script. Here's > > what they know about it. > > > > o the script is five mathematic equations. > > o each equation is written as a horizontal series of symbols. > > o the two adjoined symbols in the first equation are an exponential > > function such as Y raised to the X power. > > o all the other equations have simple mathematic functions: addition, > > subtraction, multiplication, or division. > > o some symbols are arithmetic operators: add, subtract, multiply, etc. > > > > +-----+ > > | * | > > | * | > > +-----+-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > | | | * * | | * | | * * | > > | * * | | * | | * | | | > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > | * | | * | | * | | * * | | * | > > | * | | * | | * | | * | | * | > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > | | | * * | | * * | | * * | | | | * | > > | * | | * | | * * | | * | | | | * * | > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > | * * | | * * | | * | | | | * * | | | | * | | * | > > | * * | | * * | | | | * | | * | | * | | * * | | | > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > | * | | * | | * * | | * | | * | | * * | | * | | * | | * | > > | | | * | | * | | | | * | | * | | | | * | | * | > > +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ > > > > ========================================================================= > > > > Keeper of the Primordial Bit (born of the Big Bit Bang), -= Ron Wiesen =- > > >
