This is great advice and it comes for free:

Now will saying ‘yes’ get you in trouble at times? Will saying ‘yes’ lead you to doing some foolish things?

Yes, it will. But don’t be afraid to be a fool. Remember, you cannot be both young and wise.

Young people who pretend to be wise to the ways of the world are mostly just cynics. Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. Cynics always say no.

But saying ‘yes’ begins things. Saying ‘yes’ is how things grow. Saying ‘yes’ leads to knowledge. ‘Yes’ is for young people. So for as long as you have the strength to, say ‘yes’.

(Stephen Colbert to the 2006 graduating class of Knox College)

A few weeks ago Troll Tech released official QtJava bindings under the name of Jambi. With Jambi, you can build native applications for Windows, Unix and MacOS X using Qt and Java. It’s a good idea and a good implementation, although nothing revolutionary, I myself have been successfully using QtRuby bindings for a few months.

But this mad head of mine started to think about the potential of bindings, compilers and code generation.

There are thousands of Qt developers who know the C++ API to Qt very well.

Qt is able to build native applications for many platforms (Windows, Unix and Mac OS X).

There is a number of unofficial Qt bindings (Ruby, Python, Java, Ada, Scheme, etc).

So here comes the idea: Qt-Web bindings/compiler/whatever. How could this mad idea be implemented? I have some ideas.

Keep in mind the point in the Qt-Web idea is not to have the best possible webapp development framework but to take advantage of the horde of Qt-literated people out there. Let me re-phrase that: this idea makes more sense to Troll Tech who be selling more Qt licenses and support contracts, than it makes to web developers.

As I was saying, I have several ideas on how to implement this:

  • Use Jambi to build Java applets. The return of Java applets 10 years later, wooohooo. Horrible, I know. And there is the disadvantage of downloading part of Jambi as needed or get Jambi included in the official Java repository. But that could work.
  • Qt-Flash bindings. You develop your application in ActionScript using Qt and you get a SWF. It would be more or less like the previous approach.
  • Qt-to-Flash compiler. You develop your application in C++, using the very same APIs and tools you use to develop a desktop application and you have a new “make all_flash” target that generates a SWF. 96% of computers have Macromedia Flash installed.
  • Qt-to-AJAX “compiler” (I think “translator” or “generator” would be a more appropiate word). You develop your application in C++, using the very same APIs and tools you use to develop a desktop application and you have a new “make all_ajax” target that generates HTML, CSS and Javascript. Now this has the potential to become Web 3.0: you develop webapps just like you would develop desktop apps!

Visto que en España la costa mediterránea se termina y que la economía española depende sobremanera de la construcción y el turismo, propongo crear una nueva zona costera: el Mar Interior de España, a imitación del Mar Menor en Murcia (aunque el Mar Menor tiene origen natural).

La idea es muy sencilla: aunque Madrid está en una meseta, en general el interior de España está por debajo del nivel del mar. Además, esas zonas son económicamente menos desarrolladas que las costas (Euskadi, Cataluña, Comunidad Valenciana), así que sólo hay que comprar algunos miles de hectáreas de tierras, muchas de las cuales están abandonadas o semiabandonadas, y dejar paso al agua.

¿De dónde sacar el agua para este Mar Interior? Del Oceano Atlántico preferiblemente, porque el Mar Mediterráneo se está quedando sin agua, y tampoco es cuestión de acelerar la muerte del Mediterráneo. El lugar más factible por donde abrir la vía de agua es Andalucía, dado que Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias y el País Vasco son zonas montañosas, y no creo que Portugal permita hacer una obra de esta magnitud en su territorio para que luego se beneficie el vecino de al lado (España).

Como consecuencia de la creación del Mar Interior, los madrileños ya no tendrían que ir a veranear a Valencia o Cataluña: ¡Majahonda y Getafe tendrían playa!. Albacete pasaría a ser una isla. Toledo y Segovia, como tienen Patrimonios de la Humanidad, podríamos protegerlos con unas cuantas presas. Cáceres pasaría a ser una zona turística de primer orden, con apartamentos en la playa y todo eso. Transmediterránea tendría que cambiarse el nombre a Transmarítima, para que así le den la concesión del ferry Madrid – Valencia. Lo que ahora son estaciones de servicio en la autovía y la autopista pasarían a ser chiringuitos en la playa. Toda una revolución, oiga.

En Microsiervos están con un meme que me interesa: las series de TV. Aquí van mis favoritas.

  • Alias Sydney Bristow y familia son espías de la CIA y su trabajo consiste en que las organizaciones de espías “malos” no consigan sus objetivos. Me enganchó tanto que para no tener que esperar al doblaje, la vi en inglés (grabado de USA). La tercera temporada y la primera mitad de la cuarta son bastante flojitas. El capítulo piloto es memorable. La quinta temporada sólo tuvo 15 capítulos porque Jennifer Garner dio a luz a su primer hijo a mitad de temporada.
  • 24 Jack Bauer es agente de la Unidad Antiterrorista de la CIA y su objetivo es evitar atentados masivos. Esta serie la pillé bastante tarde (ya iba por mitad de la cuarta temporada en inglés), pero me gustó mucho. La tercera temporada me pareció tan mala que la dejé de ver cuando iba por el capítulo 12. La quinta temporada es, para mí, la mejor de todas. Y si no lo digo, reviento: David Palmer es un presidente cojonudo.
  • The 4400 Una serie de verano con un éxito inesperado. A lo largo de 50 años, 4400 personas desaparecen misteriosamente. Un buen día, son “devueltos” a la Tierra. Ellos no han envejecido, no hay ningún cambio aparente. Excepto uno: cada retornado tiene un poder especial. Me encanta la canción principal de la serie (“A place in time”, cantada por Amanda Abizaid) y no me explico cómo Antena 3 la cortó: es lo primero que te engancha de la serie. Vi las dos primeras temporadas antes de que la serie llegara a España.
  • LAX El día a día de los gerentes del Aeropuerto Internacional de Los Ángeles. Bastante entretenida, sobre todo por historia amor-odio entre Heather Locklear y Blair Underwood. No emitida en España La estrenan el 9 de julio en España.
  • CSI. Cómo se lo hace el Laboratorio Forense de Las Vegas para resolver los crímenes que les llegan día a día, salpicado on pequeñas historias personales de cada protagonista. Lo que me gustó de esta serie es que Grissom, el jefe del equipo forense, tiene muy claro en qué se puede confiar: en las pruebas. Sólo método científico, cual discípulo del Señor Spock. Hay dos spin-offs, CSI Miami y CSI New York. La primera no me gusta nada, la segunda sí. CSI Miami y CSI New York empecé a verlas antes de que llegaran a España.
  • Prison Break En prisión todos son inocentes y a veces hasta lo son de verdad. La historia de cómo un hermano intenta sacar a otro hermano de prisión. La serie es buenísima, el final bastante malo. Veremos si con la segunda temporada lo arreglan. No emitida en España.
  • NY-LON Miniserie romanticona: él es de Nueva York, ella es de Londres. Se conocen por casualidad y se enamoran. Romance transatlántico. No emitida en España.
  • Lost (Perdidos). Un avión de pasajeros se estrella en una isla aparentemente desierta y en la que hay restos de algún tipo de experimento. Bastante entretenida. Empecé a verla antes de que fuese conocida en España y me alegro, porque doblaje al castellano es infumable.
  • Doctor en Alaska (Northern Exposure). Un médico judío urbanita es enviado a un pueblo perdido en Alaska. Tiene de todo: ternura, romance, aventura, comedia, misterio. Genial. Emitida (¿debería decir “maltratada”?) en España hace bastantes años.

Otras series que me han gustado son:

  • Eyes Sobre una agencia de detectives un tanto particular. Bastante divertida, pero cancelada en USA después de 5 capítulos. Dudo que llegue a España.
  • Numb3rs Un matemático ayuda a la policía a resolver ciertos crímenes. En algunos capítulos la presencia de las matemáticas entra con calzador. Dejé de verla por falta de tiempo, igual que CSI. La ví mucho antes de que llegara a España (y en realidad, no sé cuántos capítulos se han emitido en España).
  • Bullshit! Documental-serie de TV escéptica y muy divertida. Conducida por los humoristas Penn & Teller. Dejé de verla por falta de tiempo. No creo que se emita nunca en España, pero lo lo que sé el DVD americano tiene doblaje al castellano.

Por otra parte, no veo las series de TV en TV, sino que me las bajo de Internet en inglés. No es por pijotería ni nada, simplemente se trata de que así las veo un año antes y además oigo las voces originales (porque después de escuchar el doblaje de Jack en "Perdidos" (Lost), se queda uno sin ganas de ver la serie).

Bill Swanson is CEO of Raytheon and well known as one of the most important CEOs in the world. But he is better known for this famous “Bill Swanson’s 33 Unwritten Rules of Managament”:

  1. Learn to say, “I don’t know.” If used when appropriate, it will be used often.
  2. It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.
  3. If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much
  4. Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what’s there; few can see what isn’t there.
  5. Presentation rule: When something appears on a slide presentation, assume the world knows about it and deal with it accordingly.
  6. Work for a boss to whom you can tell it like it is. Remember, you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your boss.
  7. Constantly review developments to make sure that the actual benefits are what they were supposed to be. Avoid Newton’s Law.
  8. However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them your best effort
  9. Persistence or tenacity is the disposition to persevere in spite of difficulties, discouragement or indifference. Don’t be known as a good starter but a poor finisher!
  10. In doing your project, don’t wait for others; go after them and make sure it gets done.
  11. Confirm the instructions you give others, and their commitments, in writing. Don’t assume it will get done.
  12. Don’t be timid: Speak up, express yourself and promote your ideas.
  13. Practice shows that those who speak the most knowingly and confidently often end up with the assignment to get the job done.
  14. Strive for brevity and clarity in oral and written reports.
  15. Be extremely careful in the accuracy of your statements.
  16. Don’t overlook the fact that you are working for a boss. Keep him or her informed. Whatever the boss wants, within the bounds of integrity, takes top priority.
  17. Promises, schedules and estimates are important instruments in a well-run business. You must make promises – don’t lean on the often-used phrase: “I can’t estimate it because it depends on many uncertain factors.”
  18. Never direct a complaint to the top; a serious offense is to “cc” a person’s boss on a copy of a complaint before the person has a chance to respond to the complaint.
  19. When interacting with people outside the company, remember that you are always representing the company. Be especially careful of your commitments.
  20. Cultivate the habit of boiling matters down to the simplest terms: the proverbial “elevator speech” is the best way.
  21. Don’t get excited in engineering emergencies: Keep your feet on the ground.
  22. Cultivate the habit of making quick, clean-cut decisions.
  23. When making decisions, the “pros” are much easier to deal with than the “cons.” Your boss wants to see both.
  24. Don’t ever lose your sense of humor.
  25. Have fun at what you do. It will be reflected in you work. No one likes a grump except another grump!
  26. Treat the name of you company as if it were your own.
  27. Beg for the bad news.
  28. You remember 1/3 of what you read, 1/2 of what people tell you, but 100% of what you feel.
  29. You can’t polish a sneaker.
  30. When facing issues or problems that are becoming drawn-out, “short them to the ground.”
  31. When faced with decisions, try to look at them as if you were one level up in the organization. Your perspective will change quickly.
  32. A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person. (This rule never fails).
  33. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, an amateur built an ark that survived a flood while a large group of professionals built the Titanic!

Postscript: The qualities of leadership boil down to confidence, dedication, integrity and love.

A recurring problem in most rich societies is that students in general do not take enough math – despite high availability of relatively well-paid jobs in fields that demand math, such as engineering, statistics, teaching and technology. Students see math as hard, boring and irrelevant, and do not respond (at least not sufficiently) to motivational factors such as easier admission to higher education or interesting and important work.

[Continue reading 12 reasons to choose lots of Maths in high-school]

Well, that’s not the name of the band of Jonathan Coulton but I think it should be.

What can you say after reading the names of the songs in his albums: Mandelbrot Set, That Spells DNA, etc. You can even download some of his songs for free

Don’t miss Mandelbrot Set, it’s awesome!:

Pathological monsters! cried the terrified mathematician
Every one of them is a splinter in my eye
I hate the Peano Space and the Koch Curve
I fear the Cantor Ternary Set
And the Sierpinski Gasket makes me want to cry
And a million miles away a butterfly flapped its wings
On a cold November day a man named Benoit Mandelbrot was born

His disdain for pure mathematics and his unique geometrical insights
Left him well equipped to face those demons down
He saw that infinite complexity could be described by simple rules
He used his giant brain to turn the game around
And he looked below the storm and saw a vision in his head
A bulbous pointy form
He picked his pencil up and he wrote his secret down

Take a point called Z in the complex plane
Let Z1 be Z squared plus C
And Z2 is Z1 squared plus C
And Z3 is Z2 squared plus C and so on
If the series of Z’s should always stay
Close to Z and never trend away
That point is in the Mandelbrot Set

Mandelbrot Set you’re a Rorschach Test on fire
You’re a day-glo pterodactyl
You’re a heart-shaped box of springs and wire
You’re one badass fucking fractal
And you’re just in time to save the day
Sweeping all our fears away
You can change the world in a tiny way

Mandelbrot’s in heaven, at least he will be when he’s dead
Right now he’s still alive and teaching math at Yale
He gave us order out of chaos, he gave us hope where there was none
And his geometry succeeds where others fail
If you ever lose your way, a butterfly will flap its wings
From a million miles away, a little miracle will come to take you home

Just take a point called Z in the complex plane
Let Z1 be Z squared plus C
And Z2 is Z1 squared plus C
And Z3 is Z2 squared plus C and so on
If the series of Z’s should always stay
Close to Z and never trend away
That point is in the Mandelbrot Set
Mandelbrot Set you’re a Rorschach Test on fire
You’re a day-glo pterodactyl
You’re a heart-shaped box of springs and wire
You’re one badass fucking fractal
And you’re just in time to save the day
Sweeping all our fears away
You can change the world in a tiny way
And you’re just in time to save the day
Sweeping all our fears away
You can change the world in a tiny way
Go on change the world in a tiny way
Come on change the world in a tiny way