Illumination

Krzysztof Zanussi defines Illumination as the moment of enlightenment in which the mind sees the truth directly; explaining that through this state of intensified thought, a person attains wisdom.

” Technical note 0404 “

I’m sure almost everyone will enjoy reading this comprehensive and insightful research attitude manifest by Michael Nielsen whose interesting book on quantum computation and quantum information was a hit.

My favorite quote from this write-up is the following sentence:
“… a field that is a mess is really an opportunity.”

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For Amin

His lost smiles
His small bottle of cigarette butts
His Heidegger talks
His unfinished dreams
His lonely walks
His cold body in Fall leaves

He surpassed all of us

Cyber

Join me in this Cyber Thriller and turn on and off the lights in the living room and at the computer desk; but please don’t bust the lamps.

Max

Distribution of the maximum of a random process is different from the distribution of the average.
Two divergent approaches. Two distinct behaviors.

Operation Ira[n]i Freedom

The unilateral, so-called pre-emptive invasion of Iraq has opened a new door to the U.S. foreign policy. No good news for the other two members of the axis of evil.
Ever since Western values started to surface in the demographic pool of Middle Eastern societies, elite sects of traditionally religious communities started copying the Western model of gevernance, and secular pro-Western oligarchies, governed the illiterate masses that were still in the grotesque misery of feudality, from Egypt to Pakistan. The world of Islam, without experiencing the aggressive attacks of secular illumination and the defeat of religion as it happened in the Christian world during the Renaissance, faced new changes; continueing to the present. When this new wave reached the depth, the radical Islamic backlash roared across the region. But this is just one of the reasons Iran is an Islamic Republic.
Today, the Islamic Republic is in a delicate situation confronting the U.S. and allies over Iran’s nuclear plans, which were initially supported by the U.S. during the seventies when the country was a promising stronghold against the Red camp in the North. The U.S., not hiding the hassle, wants to see Iran’s case in the Security Council as soon as possible. Many years of sanctions against the un-favorite have not been that effective, since the European friends need Iran’s oil money even if the U.S. doesn’t. The new allegations against the Islamic Republic, aside from all practical considerations, show the Americans’ determination to pursue a similar policy towards Iran as they adopted with respect to Iraq. The United States’ push to forward the Iranian nukes case to the Security Council, and Bush and Rice’s frequent comments on Iran’s mischievous reactions towards the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), makes it clear that, for many reasons, the nuclear case can be a serious starting point to confront the firsthand trouble maker.
Technical issues of attacking Iran would be the last thing to consider. Iran’s being “much more vast and mountainous than Iraq”, which was especially hinted at after the release of the 9/11 commission report, basically shows the problem of politicians, who measure their difficulties in conquering a nation by counting the mountains and lakes.
The more interesting part is the benefit that the Iranian theocracy will gain in case of any minor offensive against the country’s nuclear facilities. A totalitarian regime like the Islamic Republic exists and feeds on hatred against a big enemy. Any harsh engagement makes it easy for the theocrats in Iran to reinforce their argument of the alleged great Satan and pound the already weary and shattered reformist activists including the students. It gives the conservatives in Iranian power hierarchy, a valuable tool for generating propaganda, something they have been longing for for a while; as it shows itself in the bold statements of the conservative part of the regime after winning the controversial parliamentary elections in February.
Any aggressive stand by the West makes it simpler for conservatives to excite masses using nationalistic and fanatic religious emotions; the realm which their legitimacy is based upon.
Normalization of intellectual trade between the West and Iran would accelerate the pace of change, and undermines the first principle of the theocracy: existence of the “wicked” West; which allows the regime to control the lives of all its subjects and to exploit them in the name of fighting for the good. Improving relations and peaceful negotiations will make the Islamic Republic’s claim much hollower.
Free exchange of constructive and liberal ideas would help to culminate what the Iranian youth are craving for: recognition in the international community. Updating the Iranian political movement is a necessity which comes to reality by exposure to current debates and developments. The reformist movement has suffered much from this lack of acquaintance.
At this stage with the European Union’s continuing talks with Islamic Republic, the US won’t win any milestone by taking crude actions against one of the remaining axes of evil. This probable action will strengthen the radicals in the country, and will awaken the flames of nationalism and vigorous religious atrocity. Even in the case of a united harsh action by the US and the EU, in the long term it would just make things move toward a dead-end, as it did in Iraq.
Angry games have only losers.

Lower Cambridge

Karl Iagnemma is working on a new project:

” He’s working on a novel about an ill-fated scientific expedition to upper Michigan in the 1840s. “

His sharp allegories for ” Ill fated scientific expecditions to lower Cambridge in the late 1990s ” make me laugh. This guy is great.

I hope he wouldn’t mind reciting First paragraph of one of his tales about Techotline man and his Ex-advisor :

“When students here can’t stand another minute, they get drunk and hurl themselves off the top floor of the Gehring building, the shortest building on campus. The windows were tamper-proofed in August, so the last student forced open the roof access door and screamed ….! and dove spread-eagled into the night sky. From the TechInfo office I watched his body rip a silent trace through the immense snow dunes that ring the Gehring building. A moment later he poked his head from a dune, dazed and grinning, and his four nervous frat brothers whooped and dusted him off and carried him on their shoulders to O’Dooley’s, where they bought him shots of Jaegermeister until he was so drunk he slid off his stool and cracked his teeth against the stained oak bar…”