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http://ShiningGenji.stumbleupon.com/review/6318647/

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:27:48 -0800

For those of you who can read French...

Chant d'automne

Bient�t nous plongerons dans les froides t�n�bres ;
Adieu, vive clart� de nos �t�s trop courts !
J'entends d�j� tomber avec des chocs fun�bres
Le bois retentissant sur le pav� des cours.

Tout l'hiver va rentrer dans mon �tre : col�re,
Haine, frissons, horreur, labeur dur et forc�,
Et, comme le soleil dans son enfer polaire,
Mon coeur ne sera plus qu'un bloc rouge et glac�.

J'�coute en fr�missant chaque b�che qui tombe ;
L'�chafaud qu'on b�tit n'a pas d'�cho plus sourd.
Mon esprit est pareil � la tour qui succombe
Sous les coups du b�lier infatigable et lourd.

Il me semble, berc� par ce choc monotone,
Qu'on cloue en grande h�te un cercueil quelque part.
Pour qui ? - c'�tait hier l'�t� ; voici l'automne !
Ce bruit myst�rieux sonne comme un d�part.

II

J'aime de vos longs yeux la lumi�re verd�tre,
Douce beaut�, mais tout aujourd'hui m'est amer,
Et rien, ni votre amour, ni le boudoir, ni l'�tre,
Ne me vaut le soleil rayonnant sur la mer.

Et pourtant aimez-moi, tendre coeur ! Soyez m�re
M�me pour un ingrat, m�me pour un m�chant ;
Amante ou soeur, soyez la douceur �ph�m�re
D'un glorieux automne ou d'un soleil couchant.

Courte t�che ! La tombe attend ; elle est avide !
Ah ! Laissez-moi, mon front pos� sur vos genoux,
Go�ter, en regrettant l'�t� blanc et torride,
De l'arri�re-saison le rayon jaune et doux !

Charles Baudelaire

And here you can download the entire Fleurs du Mal (in French) or read them online...

http://ShiningGenji.stumbleupon.com/review/3967530/

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 10:33:25 -0700

Pour jamais ! Ah ! Seigneur, songez-vous en vous-m�me
Combien ce mot cruel est affreux quand on aime ?
Dans un mois, dans un an, comment souffrirons-nous,
Seigneur, que tant de mers me s�parent de vous ?
que le jour recommence et que le jour finisse,
Sans que jamais Titus puisse voir B�r�nice,
Sans que de tout le jour je puisse voir Titus ?

Jean racine, B�r�nice, Acte IV, sc�ne V

http://ShiningGenji.stumbleupon.com/review/3868727/

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:26:04 -0700

Thanks to a technological breakthrough, a practical quantum computer might be less than 10 years away.

A quantum computer is (or would be) a device that relies on quantum-mechanical properties for its computation. A quantum computer of a few hundred quantum bits, aka qubits (something far too small to be seen) could compute within minutes problems that would take all classical computers on earth billions of times the age of the universe.
A QC would be able to factorise of large numbers, which would mean the end of current public key encryption systems.

More importantly for knowledge seekers, a QC would make it possible to accurately simulate quantum systems, and thus get more intimate with the (quantum) nature of reality. One could then test the quantum theory under yet unattainable conditions.

Oxford scientist and father of the quantum computer David Deutsch believes it would also serve as a demonstration that the multi-world, or parallel universes interpretation of quantum physics is right: according to him, for each single step of its computations, a quantum computer of only a few hundred qubits would use computational resources that exceeds by far what is available in our universe. If the Multi World Interpretation is right, many other computers in parallel universes compute at the same time, and at the end the result is fetched by means of interference.

Well, that's it, hope I didn't bore you too much... Back to work, now.

Oops, sorry, just realised that access to the full article is for members...

http://ShiningGenji.stumbleupon.com/review/3792685/

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 15:54:08 -0700

ANTHEM

The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.

Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.

I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen