piranha@gtv ~/test>time python norec.py
python norec.py  0.08s user 0.00s system 102% cpu 0.074 total
piranha@gtv ~/test>time ruby norec.rb  
ruby norec.rb  0.26s user 0.03s system 100% cpu 0.291 total
piranha@gtv ~/test>time ruby1.9 norec.rb 
ruby1.9 norec.rb  0.30s user 0.00s system 98% cpu 0.314 total
piranha@gtv ~/test>cat norec.py
def fac(n):
    x = 1
    for i in xrange(1, n+1):
        x *= i
    return x

for i in xrange(1000):
    fac(200)
piranha@gtv ~/test>cat norec.rb
def fac n
  x = 1
  n.times {|i| x *= i+1}
  x
end

1000.times { fac 200 }