4 ms·

> Makes me wonder if there's a proof of P=NP with ClipArt illustrations that's buried in the South Asian Journal of Mathematics. For some reason, the gem impla

by JorgeGT 10y ago

> Makes me wonder if there's a proof of P=NP with ClipArt illustrations that's buried in the South Asian Journal of Mathematics. For some reason, the gem implausibly hidden in an obscure Indian publication reminded me of Borges' The Secret Miracle [1], where God is hidden in a single letter of a single book in the Clementinum library. It also makes me wonder, how many talents are forgotten, how many revolutions hidden away collecting dust? --- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Miracle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Miracle

analog31 10y ago
When I worked at the public library as a teenager, I proposed a "hundred dollar bill contest," where we would announce that there was a hundred dollar bill in one of the books. The head librarian got a horrified expression when she realized what I was proposing, and threatened to fire me on the spot. So I wouldn't mess around with God. ;-)
- cevi 10y ago
  Maybe this explains the time I found a $20 bill in a rather obscure library book.
  - jackvalentine 10y ago
    The university library I worked in as an undergraduate had a $100 note inside a hard copy of someone's PhD thesis, put there by the author. It was still there when I left, four years later. The secret of its existence was amazingly well kept by the staff - and nobody read the thesis.
    - muro 10y ago
      Should have used a cheque
      - jackvalentine 10y ago
        Why?
        JorgeGT 10y ago
        Presumably in order to notice when/if it's cashed?
        jackvalentine 10y ago
        I think it really takes some of the magic away for the recipient, and the wonder away from the author don't you think? Sometimes it's nice to just put a bit of magic out in the world and let it be without running tracking on it.
- FabHK 10y ago
  I seem to recall that this has been tried and then hordes of people stormed the library, went furiously through the books and basically threw them on the ground, making a huge mess until the bill was found. Not exactly what the librarians had in mind.

by JorgeGT 10y ago

analog31 10y ago

When I worked at the public library as a teenager, I proposed a "hundred dollar bill contest," where we would announce that there was a hundred dollar bill in one of the books. The head librarian got a horrified expression when she realized what I was proposing, and threatened to fire me on the spot. So I wouldn't mess around with God. ;-)

cevi 10y ago
Maybe this explains the time I found a $20 bill in a rather obscure library book.
- jackvalentine 10y ago
  The university library I worked in as an undergraduate had a $100 note inside a hard copy of someone's PhD thesis, put there by the author. It was still there when I left, four years later. The secret of its existence was amazingly well kept by the staff - and nobody read the thesis.
  - muro 10y ago
    Should have used a cheque
    - jackvalentine 10y ago
      Why?
      - JorgeGT 10y ago
        Presumably in order to notice when/if it's cashed?
        jackvalentine 10y ago
        I think it really takes some of the magic away for the recipient, and the wonder away from the author don't you think? Sometimes it's nice to just put a bit of magic out in the world and let it be without running tracking on it.
FabHK 10y ago
I seem to recall that this has been tried and then hordes of people stormed the library, went furiously through the books and basically threw them on the ground, making a huge mess until the bill was found. Not exactly what the librarians had in mind.