@johnasmolin.bsky.social
Hooray! I'm 10% of the way through #RollingStoneTop500. It took about 5 months so this whole project is going to take years. It's been extremely interesting and fun so far.
November 22, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Hooray! I'm 10% of the way through #RollingStoneTop500. It took about 5 months so this whole project is going to take years. It's been extremely interesting and fun so far.
#50 Jay-Z, 'The Blueprint' #RollingStoneTop500 I really liked the first half of this then it kinda lost me. But very musical, and strong lyrics telling a story. 'Takeover' is a hell of a diss track "And all you other cats throwin' shots at Jigga, You only get half a bar, fuck y'all [n-words].'
November 21, 2025 at 1:10 AM
#50 Jay-Z, 'The Blueprint' #RollingStoneTop500 I really liked the first half of this then it kinda lost me. But very musical, and strong lyrics telling a story. 'Takeover' is a hell of a diss track "And all you other cats throwin' shots at Jigga, You only get half a bar, fuck y'all [n-words].'
#49 Outkast, 'Aquemini' #RollingStoneTop500 Very pleasing to have discovered this. Good rap and very funky and really good storytellin'.
November 21, 2025 at 1:04 AM
#49 Outkast, 'Aquemini' #RollingStoneTop500 Very pleasing to have discovered this. Good rap and very funky and really good storytellin'.
#48 Bob Marley and the Wailers, 'Exodus' #RollingStoneTop500 This is probably all I've ever known about Reggae, but I dig it. I didn't know most of the songs, but certainly 'Jamming,' which I would have bet had no 'g' at the end, 'Three Little Birds,' and 'One Love' are classics for sure.
November 21, 2025 at 1:02 AM
#48 Bob Marley and the Wailers, 'Exodus' #RollingStoneTop500 This is probably all I've ever known about Reggae, but I dig it. I didn't know most of the songs, but certainly 'Jamming,' which I would have bet had no 'g' at the end, 'Three Little Birds,' and 'One Love' are classics for sure.
#47 Ramones, 'Ramones' #RollingStoneTop500 Great album that really captures (started?) Garage/Punk Rock. I don't think I ever heard the gentle 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend' before, it's really good. Speaking of production, the quality of the sound is amazingly good considering it was recorded for $600
November 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
#47 Ramones, 'Ramones' #RollingStoneTop500 Great album that really captures (started?) Garage/Punk Rock. I don't think I ever heard the gentle 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend' before, it's really good. Speaking of production, the quality of the sound is amazingly good considering it was recorded for $600
#46 Paul Simon, 'Graceland' #RollingStoneTop500 All of these are good but I don't love it. I picked up the idea somewhere that Simon really wanted this to be cleanly produced. To me they seem overproduced, so mission accomplished I guess.
November 21, 2025 at 12:01 AM
#46 Paul Simon, 'Graceland' #RollingStoneTop500 All of these are good but I don't love it. I picked up the idea somewhere that Simon really wanted this to be cleanly produced. To me they seem overproduced, so mission accomplished I guess.
#45 Prince, 'Sign O' the Times' #RollingStoneTop500 Prince still doesn't do it for me. I did like 'If I Was Your Girlfriend,' I think.
November 20, 2025 at 1:22 AM
#45 Prince, 'Sign O' the Times' #RollingStoneTop500 Prince still doesn't do it for me. I did like 'If I Was Your Girlfriend,' I think.
#44 Nas, 'Illmatic' #RollingStoneTop500 Another one that needs more listens to really get into the lyrics. Not really my cup of tea but evocative of the 90s in New York. If you're from a culture that I'm clearly not.
October 23, 2025 at 11:41 PM
#44 Nas, 'Illmatic' #RollingStoneTop500 Another one that needs more listens to really get into the lyrics. Not really my cup of tea but evocative of the 90s in New York. If you're from a culture that I'm clearly not.
#43 A Tribe Called Quest, 'The Low End Theory' #RollingStoneTop500 I really like this one. Nice rhymey fast rapping over a jazz bass line. Relatively clean lyrics. I really liked 'What?'
October 22, 2025 at 2:33 AM
#43 A Tribe Called Quest, 'The Low End Theory' #RollingStoneTop500 I really like this one. Nice rhymey fast rapping over a jazz bass line. Relatively clean lyrics. I really liked 'What?'
#42 RadioHead, 'OK Computer' #RollingStoneTop500 Another that doesn't really hit for me. Writing about this a few weeks after a listen I only really remember 'Exit Music (for a Film)'. I like its classical influence (apparently Chopin's Prelude Op 28, No. 4). It also reminded me of 'Figure 8' from
October 22, 2025 at 2:30 AM
#42 RadioHead, 'OK Computer' #RollingStoneTop500 Another that doesn't really hit for me. Writing about this a few weeks after a listen I only really remember 'Exit Music (for a Film)'. I like its classical influence (apparently Chopin's Prelude Op 28, No. 4). It also reminded me of 'Figure 8' from
#41 The Rolling Stones, 'Let it Bleed' #RollingStoneTop500 Every song here rocks! I love 'Let it Bleed' and 'Country Honk' which I could have sworn was called 'Honky Tonk Woman' because it turns out to be a county version of it. Also, it's really called 'Honky Tonk WomEn'. Who knew?
October 22, 2025 at 2:25 AM
#41 The Rolling Stones, 'Let it Bleed' #RollingStoneTop500 Every song here rocks! I love 'Let it Bleed' and 'Country Honk' which I could have sworn was called 'Honky Tonk Woman' because it turns out to be a county version of it. Also, it's really called 'Honky Tonk WomEn'. Who knew?
#40 David Bowie, 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars' #RollingStoneTop500 Every track is classical Bowie and great listening. But this is another concept album that I don't see working that way. Maybe it felt different in context when it came out
October 22, 2025 at 2:19 AM
#40 David Bowie, 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars' #RollingStoneTop500 Every track is classical Bowie and great listening. But this is another concept album that I don't see working that way. Maybe it felt different in context when it came out
Today's Nobel Prize shows no one is listening
October 7, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Today's Nobel Prize shows no one is listening
Seen at University of Chicago. Apparently someone (other than sane investors) is against Psi Quantum
October 6, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Seen at University of Chicago. Apparently someone (other than sane investors) is against Psi Quantum
#39 Talking Heads, 'Remain in Light' #RollingStoneTop500 I wasn't familiar with this album but it all sounds just like the Talking Heads songs I do know, all very catchy and danceable.
September 2, 2025 at 4:37 PM
#39 Talking Heads, 'Remain in Light' #RollingStoneTop500 I wasn't familiar with this album but it all sounds just like the Talking Heads songs I do know, all very catchy and danceable.
#38 Bob Dylan, 'Blonde on Blonde' #RollingStoneTop500 More great Dylan. I only knew 'Rainy Day Women #12 and 35', which is ridiculous, and 'Just Like a Woman' which was apparently controversial.
September 2, 2025 at 4:31 PM
#38 Bob Dylan, 'Blonde on Blonde' #RollingStoneTop500 More great Dylan. I only knew 'Rainy Day Women #12 and 35', which is ridiculous, and 'Just Like a Woman' which was apparently controversial.
Reposted
Been awhile since I wrote a blog post.
Anyways... why haven't quantum computers factored 21 yet?
algassert.com/post/2500
Anyways... why haven't quantum computers factored 21 yet?
algassert.com/post/2500
Why haven't quantum computers factored 21 yet?
Craig Gidney's computer science blog
algassert.com
August 31, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Been awhile since I wrote a blog post.
Anyways... why haven't quantum computers factored 21 yet?
algassert.com/post/2500
Anyways... why haven't quantum computers factored 21 yet?
algassert.com/post/2500
eprint.iacr.org/2025/1237 Factorization using a dog! @dulwichquantum.bsky.social
Replication of Quantum Factorisation Records with an 8-bit Home Computer, an Abacus, and a Dog
This paper presents implementations that match and, where possible, exceed current quantum factorisation records using a VIC-20 8-bit home computer from 1981, an abacus, and a dog. We hope that this ...
eprint.iacr.org
August 28, 2025 at 10:34 AM
eprint.iacr.org/2025/1237 Factorization using a dog! @dulwichquantum.bsky.social
#37 Dr. Dre, 'The Chronic' #RollingStoneTop500 While there are lots of nasty words this is fairly approachable rap, rather fun and funky. And introducing Snoop Doggy Dog. Plus silly things like 'The $20 Sack Pyramid' and "The Doctor's Office"
August 21, 2025 at 11:47 PM
#37 Dr. Dre, 'The Chronic' #RollingStoneTop500 While there are lots of nasty words this is fairly approachable rap, rather fun and funky. And introducing Snoop Doggy Dog. Plus silly things like 'The $20 Sack Pyramid' and "The Doctor's Office"
#36 Micheal Jackson, 'Off the Wall' #RollingStoneTop500 Still not an MJ fan. "She's Out of My Life" is a good ballad, and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" takes me back, but I don't much like it.
August 21, 2025 at 11:44 PM
#36 Micheal Jackson, 'Off the Wall' #RollingStoneTop500 Still not an MJ fan. "She's Out of My Life" is a good ballad, and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" takes me back, but I don't much like it.
#35 The Beatles, 'Rubber Soul' #RollingStoneTop500 Not my favorite Beatles album, but still lots of classic songs: 'Drive My Car,' 'Norwegian Wood,' 'Nowhere Man,' and Michelle are all songs I know and love. 'Run for Your Life' is disturbing and I hope not reflective of anything they would really do
August 19, 2025 at 4:47 PM
#35 The Beatles, 'Rubber Soul' #RollingStoneTop500 Not my favorite Beatles album, but still lots of classic songs: 'Drive My Car,' 'Norwegian Wood,' 'Nowhere Man,' and Michelle are all songs I know and love. 'Run for Your Life' is disturbing and I hope not reflective of anything they would really do
A little off the face
August 18, 2025 at 12:51 AM
A little off the face
#34 Stevie Wonder, 'Innervisions' #RollingStoneTop500 I was worried I wasn't going to like this one. The first two songs seem a little slow and improvisational jazzy to me (see #31 Miles Davies) but really gets going (and political) with 'Living for the City' and doesn't stop.
August 13, 2025 at 8:48 PM
#34 Stevie Wonder, 'Innervisions' #RollingStoneTop500 I was worried I wasn't going to like this one. The first two songs seem a little slow and improvisational jazzy to me (see #31 Miles Davies) but really gets going (and political) with 'Living for the City' and doesn't stop.
#33 Amy Winehouse, 'Back to Black' #RollingStoneTop500 35 minutes of bluesy goodness, there's not a bad song here. These hit harder (especially 'Rehab'!) knowing she drank herself to death only five years later. Highly recommend the documentary of the same name.
August 11, 2025 at 6:47 PM
#33 Amy Winehouse, 'Back to Black' #RollingStoneTop500 35 minutes of bluesy goodness, there's not a bad song here. These hit harder (especially 'Rehab'!) knowing she drank herself to death only five years later. Highly recommend the documentary of the same name.
#32 Beyonce 'Lemonade' #RollingStoneTop500 Not the kind of music that I normally hear somehow but this is really good. They're all catchy and she can sure sing. I don't see what the fuss is about her getting a country and western Grammy since 'Daddy Lessons' is country and almost 10 yrs old.
August 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM
#32 Beyonce 'Lemonade' #RollingStoneTop500 Not the kind of music that I normally hear somehow but this is really good. They're all catchy and she can sure sing. I don't see what the fuss is about her getting a country and western Grammy since 'Daddy Lessons' is country and almost 10 yrs old.