*-algebra

In mathematics, and more specifically in abstract algebra, a *-algebra (or involutive algebra) is a mathematical structure consisting of two involutive rings R and A, where R is commutative and A has the structure of an associative algebra over R. Involutive algebras generalize the idea of a number system equipped with conjugation, for example the complex numbers and complex conjugation, matrices over the complex numbers and conjugate transpose, and linear operators over a Hilbert space and Hermitian adjoints.

Terminology

*-ring

In mathematics, a *-ring is a ring with a map * : A → A that is an antiautomorphism and an involution.

More precisely, * is required to satisfy the following properties:

for all x, y in A.

This is also called an involutive ring, involutory ring, and ring with involution. Note that the third axiom is actually redundant, because the second and fourth axioms imply 1* is also a multiplicative identity, and identities are unique.

Ring (Suzuki novel)

Ring (リング, Ringu) is a Japanese mystery horror novel by Koji Suzuki, first published in 1991, and set in modern-day Japan. It was the basis for a 1995 television film (Ring: Kanzenban),a television series (Ring: The Final Chapter), a film of the same name (1998's Ring), and two remakes of the 1998 film: a South Korean version (The Ring Virus) and an American version (The Ring).

Plot synopsis

After four teenagers mysteriously die simultaneously in Tokyo, Kazuyuki Asakawa, a reporter and uncle to one of the deceased, decides to launch his own personal investigation. His search leads him to "Hakone Pacific Land", a holiday resort where the youths were last seen together exactly one week before their deaths. Once there he happens upon a mysterious unmarked videotape. Watching the tape, he witnesses a strange sequence of both abstract and realistic footage, including an image of an injured man, that ends with a warning revealing the viewer has a week to live. Giving a single means of avoiding death, the tape's explanation ends suddenly having been overwritten by an advertisement. The tape has a horrible mental effect on Asakawa, and he doesn't doubt for a second that its warning is true.

Ring (film)

Ring (リング, Ringu) is a 1998 Japanese psychological horror film directed by Hideo Nakata, adapted from the novel Ring by Kôji Suzuki, which in turn draws on the Japanese folk tale Banchō Sarayashiki. The film stars Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Rikiya Ōtaka. The film follows TV reporter and single mother Reiko who is caught up in a series of deaths surrounding a cursed video tape.

Production took approximately 9 months.Ring and its sequel Rasen were released in Japan at the same time.

After release, Ring inspired numerous follow-ups within the Ring franchise and triggered a trend of Western remakes.

Plot

Two teenagers, Masami (Hitomi Satō) and Tomoko (Yūko Takeuchi), talk about a videotape recorded by a boy in Izu which is fabled to bear a curse that kills the viewer seven days after watching. Tomoko reveals that a week ago, she and three of her friends watched a weird tape and received a call after watching. Tomoko is killed by an unseen force as Masami watches, horrified.

IBM Mira

Mira is a petascale Blue Gene/Q supercomputer. As of June 2013, it is listed on TOP500 as the fifth-fastest supercomputer in the world. It has a performance of 8.59 petaflops (LINPACK) and consumes 3.9 MW. The supercomputer was constructed by IBM for Argonne National Laboratory's Argonne Leadership Computing Facility with the support of the United States Department of Energy, and partially funded by the National Science Foundation. Mira will be used for scientific research, including studies in the fields of material science, climatology, seismology, and computational chemistry. The supercomputer is being utilized initially for sixteen projects, selected by the Department of Energy.

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, which commissioned the supercomputer, was established by the America COMPETES Act, signed by President Bush in 2007, and President Obama in 2011. The United States' emphasis on supercomputing has been seen as a response to China's progress in the field. China's Tianhe-1A, located at the Tianjin National Supercomputer Center, was ranked the most powerful supercomputer in the world from October 2010 to June 2011. Mira is, along with IBM Sequoia and Blue Waters, one of three American petascale supercomputers deployed in 2012.

Mira (surname)

Mira is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

Mira (band)

Mira were a five-piece dream pop/shoegaze band from Tallahassee, Florida, formed in 1996.

History

Mira was formed by vocalist Regina Sosinski, guitarist Tom Parker, bassist Sam Riles and drummer Alan Donaldson. Originally called Still, they were influenced by shoegaze bands such as Slowdive and Cocteau Twins.

After releasing several EPs on their own Tesseract label, the band signed to Projekt Records, and their song "Cayman" appeared on Projekt's cat-themed 1999 compilation A Cat-Shaped Hole in My Heart.

Max Fresen replaced Riles, and the band added guitarist Mark Davidson.

Mira released their eponymous debut album on April 4, 2000.

For second album Apart, Melody Fleck replaced Fresen on bass, and the band toured the U.S.

In 2002, they collaborated on a self-released split single with Cream Abdul Babar, covering each other's songs.

Following 2005's There I Go Daydreamer, the band ceased activity and members moved on to other musical projects.

In 2011, Projekt released a compilation of rare and early Mira recordings, titled The Echo Lingers On (Demos, Outtakes and Rehearsals).