Cynical Nation

Well, the reviews certainly are outstanding:

The book is a promising reference concept, but the execution is somewhat sloppy. Whatever algorithm they used was not fully tested. The bulk of each page seems random enough. However at the lower left and lower right of alternate pages, the number is found to increment directly.

I won't give away the ending, but I will tell you it is completely unpredictable.

The Monte Carlo method?

You have to wonder where the folks at Rand find so much time to spend on such projects.

...and to think that my mother tried for 3 years to get a really well-written and illustrated children's book published and was told, "No, Thank You."

Sheesh!

she clearly should have cut back on the pictures and put in more clumps of numbers.

JMK, I think they have computers to do that kind of work.

Barry, this is what I recommend instead:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1597800228/103-7646887-4647837?v=glance&n=283155&s=books&v=glance

Pre-order now, it's going to be limited edition.

I think random words would be a much better read.

Paint. Aluminum. Toaster. Maple Sy-no wait. I'm saving that one for later.

"JMK, I think they have computers to do that kind of work." (Roger)

I'm sure they do, Roger, I've been reading a lot about both the Riverside Research Institute and Rand, both their involvement in the often "false body counts" in Vietnam and their involvement in using fictitious numbers to rationalize NYC's closing of Fire Companies in parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx in the 1970s. After looking at a partial litany of what they did during those years, it's hard to believe they have time for anything else.

JMK