Jinn of Quality and Risk

Donald Knuth has released another preview section of his famous work, as described in his news page. The newest section covers 'Generating All Combinations.' No serious programmer or software engineer should be without owning and having read a personal copy of The Art of Computer Programming. To explain Donald Knuth's relevance to computing (and geeks should all know who he is) is like explaining Paul's relevance to the Catholic Church. He isn't God, he isn't the Son of God, but he was sent by God to explain God to the masses. (In other words, it's not a dummies guide.) Anecdote: The version number of TeX is currently 3.14159 ('tex --version'). Each new release of TeX adds a new digit towards pi. Another program of his, METAFONT, evolves in the same way towards e, the base of the natural logarithm. [via /.] 

The principle premise of the Zone Diet is a simple one: Your genes have changed very little during the past 100,000 years. Your body is a biochemical machine. Like any machine, it needs the right fuel to operate properly. Over hundreds of thousands of years, Mother Nature has designed your digestive system to operate correctly when eating just two food groups: (1) lean protein and (2) natural carbohydrates like fruits and fiber-rich vegetables. What about grains? Well, 8,000 years ago, there were no grains, bread or pasta. Agriculture is a very recent (by evolutionary standards) invention. Evolution works very slowly. As far as our genes are concerned, we're still a bunch of hunter/gatherers foraging for food. The problem, of course, is that our genes may be programmed that way, but that's not the way we actually live. 

If you took a picture of the Sun at the same time each day, would it remain in the same position? The answer is no, and the shape traced out by the Sun over the course of a year is called an analemma. The Sun's apparent shift is caused by the Earth's motion around the Sun when combined with the tilt of the Earth's rotation axis. 

As developed by Greeks and Egyptians, then expanded by the Romans, the Red Sea ports served as transfer points for cargoes to and from India and other places in Africa and Arabia. Goods unloaded at the ports were hauled by camel train across the desert to the Nile, at Koptos, and carried by boat to Alexandria. From there they moved by ship to markets throughout the Mediterranean basin. ... Both Myos Hormos and Berenike, also known as Berenice, were established in the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, in the early third century B.C., when Egypt was under Greek influence. Berenike was named after the ruler's wife. The article doesn't mention this, but I can't help hoping Aristotle's lost writings might be found there... 

Saudi Arabia is a medieval theocracy. I've never quite understood why the West was supporting (and financing) these fat despots. Now that it is clear that the Saudis are systematically encouraging terrorism against Israel and ourselves, it's time to say bye-bye. First ensure that we don't need their oil (Russia is now the largest producer in the world), second develop alternative sources of energy (revive nuclear power), and third force them to set up a semi-civilised government (as we are doing in Afghanistan and will shortly do in Irak).

Even if we were not attempting to prosecute a war against terror, the time would have long since arrived to reconsider our relations with Saudi Arabia. ... By any modern standard of civilization, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a bizarre place. In an age of spreading consensual government, the House of Saud resembles an Ottoman sultanate staffed by some 7,000 privileged royal cousins. ... Polygamy is legal, and practiced, among the Saudi elite. Everywhere in the kingdom, women are veiled, secluded and subject to the harsh protocols of a sexual apartheid. ... The Saudi constitution is defined officially by governmental decree as the Koran, and the legal system is the domain of clerics who adjudicate by an array of medieval codes and punishments. ...

To recapitulate, all the old reasons that prevented us from breaking away from Saudi Arabia are no longer compelling. More and more, the royals' oil policy is neither pro-Western nor so crucial as it once was in determining world pricing. The present government has been an active abettor of terror, and perhaps the most virulent anti-Israeli Arab country in the region. Al Qaeda and other terrorists have received bribe money from the Saudis, without which they could not operate so effectively. That the monarchy has not been forthcoming in tracking those with ties to the September 11 murderers reflects its real worry about where such investigations might lead. And Saudi cash has been a force for radicalism right here in the United States, casting into doubt the legitimacy and purpose of almost every Islamic charity now operating within our borders. Nor should we forget that no country in the world is more hostile to the American idea of religious tolerance, free speech, constitutional government and sexual equality. 

Immediately after the 10-minute nap participants showed increased alertness, both subjectively and in the performance measures, but not with the 30-minute nap. After a 30-minute nap, participants are actually groggy for up to half an hour due to sleep inertia. The positive effects of a short nap have been proven to last at least 3 hours. [via Yahoo] 

The classical speech I use every year to celebrate Independence Day (should have posted this on July 4th, but I was away from my desk): Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace— but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! — Patrick Henry (Son of Thunder)