Jinn of Quality and Risk

There is one board game that stands above all others. The most beautiful, most ancient, most strategic, most subtle. The king of games. A game which teaches as much as it entertains, whose enthusiasts number tens of millions and which has often been compared to life itself. ... A game starts with an empty board, like a bare canvas before two painters. Starting with Black, the players alternately place single stones on the intersections of the lines, gradually filling the board. Once played, the stones do not move, unless captured and removed. With time the image of the game reveals itself like a landscape through a mist, now this detail, now that, where what seems clear now may later be revealed as illusion. [excellent essay at kuro5hin]

Go is an ancient board game which takes simple elements — line and circle, black and white, stone and wood — combines them with simple rules and generates subtleties which have enthralled players for millenia. Beyond being merely a game, Go can take on other meanings to enthusiasts: an analogy with life, an intense meditation, a mirror of one's personality, an exercise in abstract reasoning, or, when played well, a beautiful art in which black and white dance across the board in delicate balance. [American Go Association] 

written by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter (also in US edition)

An amoral billionaire directs the birth of a new technology, harnessing tiny wormholes to see absolutely anyone or anything, anywhere, without delay. Further, his two sons and a journalist figure out how to use the holes to peer back in time (thus the title of the book). Realtime coverage is here: earthquakes and wars, murders and disasters can be watched, exactly as they occur, anywhere on the planet. No personal treachery or shame can be concealed. People have to come to terms with lies, treachery, and erroneous history. The world and everything in it become as transparent as glass and there can be no more secrets, even in the past, can there?

Entertaining, but not a great book. Interesting speculation on how a revolutionary technology can change the world forever and require people to question the meaning of being human. The plot is somewhat simple, with few surprises, and the characters are unfortunately barely sketched (I suppose that's a pitfall of co-authorship). I liked how some non-essential technological advances were seamlessly integrated in the story-telling. The end chapter (Ages of Sisyphus) is a (fun and realistic) reverse chronology of life-threatening disasters that have struck our planet over billions of years.

Some intriguing questions the story raised for me: what events, people's lives, or conversations would I want to witness in the past (no interaction is possible through the wormcams, unfortunately); which private behaviours would I change if I knew others could observe me at any time; and what parts of my past would I prefer others not to know? Food for thought. Being able to witness past events (or repeatedly watch one) is a common wish, especially with the desire to find out what really happened. I can imagine people writing short stories about various historical events of personal significance, layering their own aspirations and perspectives. 

written by Kim Stanley Robinson

I quickly finished this collection of stories from the author of the epic Mars trilogy, Kim Stanley Robinson. The stories explore different pasts and divergent futures, revolving around questions of history and meaning, and how what we know about the past influences the way we look at the present and the future. I most enjoyed: 'Vinland the Dream' (an ancient hoax), 'Discovering Life' (engineers/scientists want to go to Mars, not just watch it), 'Ridge Running' (climbing mountains and joie de vivre), and 'Remaking History' (confusing history with fiction).

While looking for information about the book, I discovered that the author is currently working on a new trilogy, with the first volume to appear in July 2003! Sounds exciting: Science in the Capital — The first of three linked novels set in the strife-torn world of big science, operating out of the corrupt political heart of the developed world. In the interface between big science and big business lies the potential for the absolute destruction or salvation of our world, as new discoveries open ever more remarkable doorways into the future. 

The diet we evolved with is characterized by unprocessed or barely processed small animals, seeds, roots and tubers, seafood and wild fruits. ... Industrial food is highly attractive, delicious, and displaces whole foods which are more evolutionarily correct. ... Most of our beliefs [about food] are conditioned by the country, socioeconomic group, and family we are born into. Makes the case for a more fact-based approach to nutrition. Includes many references and links. 

This course syllabus is an excellent online resource with tons of information, references, and links: Diet is one of the direct interfaces between an organism and its environment, and therefore selecting, acquiring, ingesting, and digesting food are critical elements of an organism's survival, or adaptation. [Anthropology P380 Syllabus, prof. Jeanne Sept] 

We evolved millions of years ago as hunters and gatherers, and we should eat accordingly. The balanced diet for our species was what we could acquire then, not what the government and doctors tell us to eat now. We were likely hungry nearly all the time. When we had to reduce our intake of food our metabolism slowed to compensate. We didn't run after dinner for exercise, we ran before dinner—for dinner itself. Only about 10,000 years ago did we learn how to herd animals, grow grains and get to sit around. Published in 1987, The Paleolithic Prescription analysed what our ancestors ate (we are still our ancestors physiologically) and recommended a diet very different from the food pyramid promoted by various authorities.