  the world's largest prime number was discovered by michael shafer. it has 6,320,430 digits and would take up over 1400 pages to write out. if a larger font size were to be used, such as helvectica 26.7, it might take up over 200,000 pages. this is just a rough estimate based on some of my own mental calculations. please don't quote me in your thesis. i'm kind of mad at michael shafer. i too was working on this project, and i was this close to finding the number myself. when i say "this close," imagine me holding my finger and thumb about half an inch apart, and squinting my eyes.
anyway, i got as far as 127. then i stopped to heat up a pizza. that's when michael probably swooped in and beat me to the punch. in other news, peter barham, of bristol university, has also outdone me in the field of figuring out the formula for cooking the perfect turkey. his own mathematical equation accounts for the ratio of the specific heat of the turkey to the specific heat of the air, and the radius, girth and precise physical geometry of the turkey. while i was using different methods, such as trying to factor in the "soupiness" of the gravy and the brand of aluminum foil that one would use to cover his/her turkey, i was on the exact same track.
but then i took some time out to pluck my eyebrows. alas, peter barham gets the credit, and i get jack. the thing that i wonder about is this. what the hell is a guy as smart as peter barham doing working with turkeys? you'd think he'd be out there trying to cure cancer or aids or find a way to invent a bottomless glass of wine. but, no. he's cooking a bird. today i sat down and said, "i'm going to finish my story. " i'm estimating i have about 6 paragraphs left.
6 lousy paragraphs. i've been sitting here for hours, and i haven't even opened the word file yet. there is something extremely wrong with me. now i think i'll do a google search for insanely difficult miniature golf courses. for research for my own mini golf course that i plan on opening, spring 2005. 
