n.1. a property of certain probability distributions: the exponential distributions and the geometric distributions, wherein any derived probability from a set of random samples is distinct and has no information (i.e. "memory") of earlier samples. 2. the life and times of Steve Myles
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Dr. McLay on Punk Rock Operations Research posted the following exam question she gave to a stochastic processes class:
Question: There is a zombie outbreak in Richmond. The zombie population can be modeled as a linear growth birth death process. Each zombie independently reproduces at a rate of λ = 2/hour and is killed by resourceful Virginians at a rate of μ = 0.5/hour. If the population started with a pack of two zombies, find the average size of the zombie population after 24 hours.
Answer: The average size of the population can be modeled using a linear growth birth death process. Let Ei denote the expected size of the zombie population after 24 hours given that there are initially i zombies. Then Ei = i * E1.
The expected size of the zombie population is given by
Ei = ie^((λ-μ)t) = 2*e^36 after t=24 hours. That is a lot of zombies!
Math is cool. There are some assumptions that go into this solution that are addressed in her post.
October Horror Films 2011 | Day 25 | House of the Dead 2(dir. Michael Hurst; Lions Gate Films/MindFire Entertainment 2006)
Brief review: On Tuesday, we watched House of the Dead 2. It’s a decent zombie film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I don’t remember House of the Dead very well, but I remember enjoying it. That didn’t stop me from understanding this, though. Basically, a mad scientist/university professor inadvertently unleashes zombies on the university populace when a “reanimate the dead” experiment goes awry. A government team, including members of the military and a covert scientific research agency, is sent in to rescue any survivors and to try to obtain a blood sample from a “first generation” zombie.
I liked this movie. There are some funny parts and as with most zombie movies, there is a lot of gore. I recommend House of the Dead 2 to zombie fans and fans of the video game series.
Bonus:Sid Haig appears as Dr. Curien, the scientist who creates the zombies. Sticky Fingaz plays the leader of the Special Forces team sent in to rescue any survivors at the university.
I’m behind again on posting these, but we’re on schedule in terms of watching.
October Horror Films 2010 | Day 16 | Survival of the Dead (dir. George A. Romero; Blank of the Dead Productions/Devonshire Productions/New Romero/Sudden Storm Productions 2009)
Brief review:Survival of the Dead is the latest of Romero’s entries in his 40+ year-long “Living Dead” series. I’m not really sure what to think of this movie. It was more about a feud between two Irish families (the Muldoons and the O’Flynns) that live on an island off the coast of Delaware than about zombies. I’d recommend Survival of the Dead for Romero fans.
Block: Part two of the “Romero” block.
Bonus:Richard Fitzpatrick, who was also in Bitten (which we watched on 10/6), plays Seamus Muldoon. Maybe he’ll be in our selection from 10/26, too.
