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Book Review, © Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
Let's encrypt: "This book is about an interesting kind of cryptography." And here is what we get:
Well Bob, Welcome to yet another game between the Whappers and the Blogs here in scenic downtown Blovonia . I think it is fair to say that there is plenty of BlogFever brewing in the stands as the hometown comes out to root for its favorites. It's a fine day for a game . Another new inning . Ain't life great, Mike ? No damage yet, Mike . Now, Frank Gavi comes to the plate . Here we go. And the next pitch is a slow change-up . OOOh, that's almost in the dirt . No strike this time . A full windup and it's a flaming fast ball . Super looper for a hit No outs yet . Now, Frank Gavi swings the bat to get ready and enters the batter's box . He's trying the curveball . He pops one up into deep left field . Hey, one down, two to go. The crowd is nervous. Albert Ancien-Regime swings the bat to get ready and enters the batter's box . The crowd is roaring . Here's the pitch It's a fastball with wings . High and too inside. The umpire calls a ball . Here comes the pitch It's a breaking curve . Whoa, he's brushing him back . The umpire calls a ball . lifts it over the head of Harrison "Harry" Hanihan to bump his average up . His salary is up for renegotiation this year . How about those ballplayers. One out so far. The pitcher spits. Herbert Herbertson adjusts the cup and enters the batter's box . Another fastball . Fans the air ! And the next pitch is a knuckball . He pops it up to Orville Baskethands . The Blogs only need to get one more out . The crowd is nervous. Mark Cloud swings the baseball bat to stretch and enters the batter's box . Here's the pitch . He just watched it go by . He's winding up . What a rattling corkscrew . He swings for the stands, but no contact . He's winding up . What a rattling corkscrew . and it's ... La Bomba ! HomeRun ! The crowd is looking for the last out ! Here we go. Prince Albert von Carmicheal swings the baseball bat to stretch and enters the batter's box . Here we go. He's uncorking a fast one that looked like it was rising . High and outside . The umpire calls a ball . The next pitch is a flaming fast ball . He knocks a line-drive into the head of Alberto Juan Turbosino Only one more out needed . The pitcher spits. Frank Gavi adjusts the cup and enters the batter's box . Here's the pitch . He just watched it go by . He's uncorking a rattling corkscrew . Nothing on that one . Checks first base . Nothing. Winds up and pitches a spitter . drives it into the stands for a HomeRun! Before the last out, let's get a message in from our sponsors. This is WZZZ-TV bringing you the ballgame! St. Belch Beer: Especially tailored for men who watch ballgames . St. Belch . Imported Aura . No Overly-flavorful Assault on your tongue . What do these words mean? Bold ! Delicious ! Easy ! What a car, the Ford Blatzwurst . Now back to the game . The pitcher spits. Mark Cloud swings the bat to get ready and enters the batter's box . The crowd is roaring . And the next pitch is a change-up . Whoa, he's brushing him back . No strike this time . A full windup and it's a fast one that looked like it was rising . Whoa, he's brushing him back . No strike this time . lifts it over the head of Orville Baskethands for a double! Only one more out needed . The crowd is nervous. Jerry Johnstone swings the baseball bat to stretch and enters the batter's box . Okay. He's winding up . What a torcher . High and outside . Definitely a ball . He swings for the stands, but no contact . Fans the air ! It's contact time and the ball takes a weird bounce at second base for a double . The Blogs are trying for the last out . Here we go. Johnny Johanesberger comes to the plate . Here's the pitch . Whooooosh! Strike ! It's a fast one that looked like it was rising . He just watched it go by . Here's the pitch It's a fast one that looked like it was rising . clears the stadium wall . Whoa ! HomeRun ! These are the times that make baseball special . Now, Parry Posteriority swings the bat to get ready and enters the batter's box . He's trying the curveball . He gets a real piece of it and drives it toward the wall where it is almost ... Oh My God! ... saved by Harrison "Harry" Hanihan . That inning proves why baseball is the nation's game . Now a message from our sponsors. Did you know that fermentation is natural ? Go green and support the environment . Hey! Go green and support the environment . Hey! Go green and support the environment . Just wanted to say thanks to our sponsors for those great messages . It's the Blogs turn at bat . Nothing's happened yet to the Blogs . Now, Harrison "Harry" Hanihan adjusts the cup and enters the batter's box . Yeah. He's uncorking a breaking curve . He just watched it go by . He's uncorking a rising fast ball . Nothing on that one . Here comes the pitch It's a fast one that looked like it was rising . No contact in Mudsville ! The last strike . Only three chances in this game . Hey, one down, two to go. The pitcher spits. Andy Anteriority comes to the plate . Here's the pitch . Whooooosh! Strike ! Checks first base . Nothing. Winds up and pitches a blazing comet . Nothing on that one . Here comes the pitch It's a rising fast ball . clears the stadium wall . Whoa ! Two more outs to go. Here we go. Gerry Johnson swings the bat to get ready and enters the batter's box . He's trying the curveball . He lifts it back toward the wall where it is caught by Parry Posteriority . The Whappers are trying for the last out . Here we go. Alberto Juan Turbosino adjusts the cup and enters the batter's box . Here we go. And the next pitch is a blazing comet . High and outside . Definitely a ball . He's uncorking what looks like a spitball . He lifts it over the head of Frank Gavi into short right field for a dangerous double and the throw is too high to make the tag . These are the times that make baseball special . The crowd is nervous. Gerry Johnson swings the bat to get ready and enters the batter's box . He's trying the curveball . He pops it up to Prince Albert von Carmicheal . The inning's over . Some kind of ballplayer, huh, Bob . Now a message from our sponsors. Hey! Support Mother Nature and drink. St. Belch Beer: Especially tailored for men who watch ballgames . St. Belch Beer: Especially tailored for men who watch ballgames . Now back to the game .
And if I want to decrypt it, here is what I get: "THIS BOOK IS ABOUT AN INTERESTING KIND OF CRYPTOGRAPHY." Interesting, but is that useful? Well, below, we apparently have an example of the same encryption method:
The picture on the left is my copy of the original picture. The picture on the right contains encrypted text. The color of every pixel has been changed slightly. The decryption program can scan that picture and extract the plaintext message. Actually, the picture on the right has probably lost its encrypted message, when I composed the double image with my paint program, as some detail was probably lost.
See http://www.wayner.org/books/discrypt2/.
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