Vitaly Parnas

There was a period when the more cinematically preconceited version of myself would endure a full Tarkovsky feature with great difficulty. And most such attempts would terminate prematurely. In fact …

As I concocted the Hamiltonian Cycle post, I admit to having faced certain frustration in rendering the necessary diagrams. Normally I try to refrain from diagrams or visuals of any …

Motivate yourself by exchanging one behavior for another.

One of my preferred types of NP hardness proofs involves gadgets. Some publications prefer the more general terminology components, but I’ll use the former. Gadget-based proofs, with the proper …

Exploring the definition and implications of pseudo-polynomial asymptotic time complexity.

We encounter the Knapsack problem all the time. Given a set of items, each of a specific size and value, is it possible to fill a limited size knapsack with …

Another rendition in the series of remarkable cities.

The first time I became acquainted with the term fusion had to be in the context of music. In my earlier years I discovered a number of progressive rock bands …

I recall the 1980’s PC arcade game Paratrooper. It begins with the simple splash screen presenting the game title, accompanied by a fragment of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue …

In the course of a fairly stagnant day at the computer, I proceeded for a walk in a nearby park. With the rainfall tamed, the clouds sparse, the post-afternoon sun …

Let’s continue with sketches of three more cities I found extraordinary.

I’ve travelled across remarkable cities. Many inspired unforgettable sensations and made an extraordinary impact. In fact, some became a sort of a mental sanctuary for me. I can seek …

History never had been a strong aptitude of mine. I never cared for it during the imposed coursework in high school or the institute. I digested the minimum to achieve …

Do I write this post as a result of having finally finished reading War and Piece (Война и Мир)? Did I read the epic novel in spirit of my eagerness …

I’ve continued with public speaking conquests on two fronts: in the digital medium of a virtual Toastmasters club, and in the physical medium of my locally organized club.

In …

2018 has turned into 2019. 2017 was still the year a moment ago. 2020 is as surely to follow, and in but a few turns of tide, in but a …

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a conversation and felt drained, while your face gradually acquires a more grim and intense shape?

There is a constructive and …

I surpassed the year mark since I started to actively maintain this blog. What has this milestone enabled? What lessons have I captured?

Initially, I didn’t have a particular …

I’ve been having recurring conversations with myself on the merits of past decisions; not necessarily my decisions, but the decision making process and analysis in general. There is nothing …

After the third rendition of the weekly public speaking club, I believe to have a fairly working structure. The first unofficial 30 minute warm-up facilitates an open discussion of our …

How you’re psychologically disposed to that language will play a paramount role in determining your ultimate progress. Having said that, I’ll pose the following question. Do you wish …

In language development, I consider factors such as degree of fluency, the speed of development, and the extent of naturally sounding vocalization. I would classify the above as simply your …

I want to explore a set of paradoxes that arise from self-referential problem formulations. I will then proceed to present the paradox in a more formal setting of computability theory …

In Curitiba, BR, Toastmasters clubs are scarce. Until recently, a few specialized TM clubs had existed. Now, even those no longer appear in the search.

While I had transferred my …

I finally succeeded at voicing that infamous guttural ‘r’. It marks my greatest linguistic achievement in a while. You know the sound I speak of - the ‘r’ articulated entirely from …