Short answer? As many as you like. But some choices are better than others. The common “western” system is known as 12-TET (12-tone equal temperament), which is a modification of earlier geometrical tunings (such as the Pythagorean and quarter-comma meantone temperaments) where the frequency of each note is defined in terms of a simple ratio with respect to a reference note, usually C (the frequencies of C and G are in the ratio 2:3, for example). There are problems with such systems – frequency ratios between arbitrary notes are not simple in general, and any geometrical tuning system will have a wolf interval, whose dissonant sound must be avoided in musical composition.

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- As you are aware of the activities of terrorist attacked at our airport,during our daily routine on 100% inspection of incoming and our going flights, we arrested a man with a consignment that claiming to be yourpartner, after we scan thetrunk box, we discovered the trunk box contain liquid cash in [US] Note and other documents attached to the consignmentdid not carry the suspect name, but carry your name and address as the receivers of the trunk box and this is very SUSPICIOUS.Get back to me immediately to explain your intention; before I proceed to contact my superior and your embassyfor more investigation, hope you arenot sponsoring terrorism with this fund? be very sincere to me please.Yours in service,a Office of Thomas joe,Metropolitan police chief.Heathrow Airport UK.EMAIL mrallen92@hotmail.com

I came across an article today that lifted my spirits:

100% Verifiable Bug-Free Code Is Possible (Dobbs Code)

The executive summary: ok-labs.com and nicta.com.au have developed a microkernel that is provably correct, in defiance of the conventional wisdom that formal methods are only practical for the simplest of projects. While I take my hat off to the developers for their heroic efforts, I firmly believe this is only the first step in a process that will revolutionise the industry. The ultimate goal should be a complete, provably correct computing platform. This will not come about quickly or easily, but there are practical things we can do in the meantime.

I have suffered for many years from back acne. I don’t exactly have the healthiest-looking skin elsewhere on my body*, but I am distinctly more comfortable with my t-shirt on in public. Nevertheless, it was never bad enough to prompt me to approach the doctor and get antibiotics. That was until I got a boil.

Here I am, heading down the motorway again back to Galway, enjoying the last bit of dual carriageway I’m going to get for another 150km or so, and I notice that either I’m going blind, or my headlights are shafted. I struggle on, but once I hit Fermanagh and the tail lights in front of me melt away, I realise if I don’t wash the muck off the headlights soon, I’m going to drive straight through a hedge. Then on cue, the windscreen washers run out of juice and I can’t see anything at all. So I stop in the usual garage in Enniskillen and head for the water tap.

Raindrops falling from the black sky into the light. Passing traffic throwing puddles up into spray. Flags pulled out hard by the brisk wind, shaking their stiff poles. The little red car by the door of the hotel, awaiting its master.

He returns! Quick, play dead!

The starter motor sighs weakly, unable to turn. Dials light briefly, then fade. A death rattle emerges from the heart of the machine.

But, but, I didn’t leave the lights on. What the hell?

The Man attempts escape at his usual velocity. Denied. Clutching his jacket around him as the wind gnaws on his bones. Copper teeth spark against steel. Keep her lit.

Keep her lit.

–

The Times and the BBC report that the Swiss referendum to ban minarets has passed. How much of this result is attributable to genuine anti-Islamic sentiment and how much is due government unpopularity (see my previous post on the topic) is unclear. Opinion polls suggested the opposite result and the turnout was uncharacteristically low, so it appears that this is a case of a vocal and committed minority outvoting an apathetic majority. Even though it is likely to be overturned in the constitutional court, this is a worrying result that highlights the dangers of direct democracy when it comes to emotive issues.

Forget about abolishing the Seanad. Fine Gael’s first act in office (next year…?) should be to introduce a constitutional amendment outlawing the payment of public money to any religious organisation. This would serve not only to draw a line (one would hope) under the historical abuse of children in care homes and elsewhere, but also force the immediate secularisation of the education system in the Republic, which is long overdue. The churches wouldn’t be able to sell their schools to the State under the amendment (even if the State could afford to buy them), but considering they were all built and maintained using taxpayers’ money in the first place, the only proper thing to do would be to donate them. Call it “compensation” if you will.

I heard earlier on the news that Alan Johnson has sacked David Nutt as chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, after he published this paper criticising the current drugs classification policy in the UK. To someone who has been following what passes for debate in this area for years, Professor Nutt has said little that comes as a surprise. However, after Nutt disagreed publicly with two Home Secretaries in as many years, Johnson has done what all politicians do in such circumstances and shot the messenger.