Emporer's New Mind author bummed out by TP
Roger "king-hell math-guy" Penrose is suing over the presence of Penrose tiles on bumwad.In a unique accusation of copyright infringement, distinguished mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose has filed a lawsuit over the decorative design on a brand of toilet paper. He charges that the Kimberly-Clark Corporation unlawfully appropriated an important geometric pattern of his creation and imprinted it on rolls of Kleenex Quilted bathroom tissue. He is demanding that all existing stock of the offensively designed T.P. be confiscated and destroyed, and wants an inquiry into Kimberly-Clark's profits so that suitable damages may be assessed....Link Discuss (via FOJO)Speaking of doing things by hand, let's get back to the toilet paper. When Penrose noticed a pack of Kleenex Quilted his wife had purchased, he immediately recognized the design embossed on its ill-fated 2-ply sheets. It was a very near facsimile of an aperiodic pattern he had created twenty years ago. Widely known in the geometry field as "Penrose tilings," this particular pattern is notable for using only two polygons to cover a surface. A thin diamond and a thick one form an endlessly interlocking field of five-pointed stars and decagons, sort of like a mildly psychedelic bathroom tile.
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Cory Doctorow
Upcoming appearances
* Feb 9, 2012, DeKalb, IL: Day of Doctorow, NIU
* Feb 10-12, 2012, Chicago, IL: Capricon 32
* Feb 13, 2012, Arlington, TX: UT Arlington College of Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series
* Feb 16, 2012, Victoria, BC: 13th Annual Privacy and Security Conference
Recent books:
* Context (essays)
* With a Little Help (short stories)
* For the Win (YA novel)
* Makers (adult novel)
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