This is a problem via fakalin.

You have 10 pieces of string, each with two ends. You randomly pick two ends of string (possibly from the same string, possibly from different ones) and tie them together, creating either a longer piece of string or a loop. You keep doing this until you run out of free ends.

What is the expected number of loops you end up with?

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Here’s an interesting article about the shutting down of Encarta, the Microsoft published encyclopedia product, and implications for the media/information/publishing landscape at large.

At first, I thought it was the CD version that was being shut down, but no, it’s the online version; apparently the former, along with many Microsoft Home products (some were classics), had long been discontinued. Incidentally, I’ve used the CD product, but never the online product — I’ve been aware of it because it comes up in searches, but since it’s just the CD version put online, I’m not surprised it is meeting the same fate. It just goes to show that whatever process is driving traditional publishing into the ground is rather far along.
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I suppose good penmanship is the basis of good calligraphy, since calligraphy is mainly the addition of (variable) brush width to the structure of the characters. This bulk structure is really the key and it is particularly difficult to get correctly without muscle memory. That’s why they tell you to trace character books over and over.

However, there is a way to figure this matter of structure from first principles (and perhaps generate a more unique style as a result), albeit with the tradeoff that you cannot be quick, you must be careful.
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For an advanced economy with advanced electronic banking systems, it is embarassing that there is no bank that has branches in all parts of the country and no electronic funds clearing other than on “business days”. Computers don’t have geographic boundaries nor do they take breaks. Why can’t money be available everywhere (without resorting to a middle-man cash machine network) and be freely transferable 24/7?

For that matter, what is the fear of a central bank? In some countries, banks are like utilities and post offices — public services provided by the government. The First and Second National Banks were killed because people did not trust the government with their money. Well, it seems like big commercial banks can be trusted even less. Also, it’s not like anything would function with just community banks. It’s not a country of farmers any more…

I mean, capital allocation decisions can still be locally made and subject to market forces, as they should, but banking infrastructural issues like described here (and regulatory ones, some say) should have no reason not to be national, am I wrong?

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