Enjoy!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Mock Computer Errors
These are classic mock computer errors. I had seen most of them before, but decided to post them after my mom passed them along to me. Great stuff.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Google and Nasa back new school for futurists
I found this article to be interesting.
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By David Gelles in San Francisco
Published: February 3 2009 05:02 | Last updated: February 3 2009 05:02
Google and Nasa are throwing their weight behind a new school for futurists in Silicon Valley to prepare scientists for an era when machines become cleverer than people.
The new institution, known as “Singularity University”, is to be headed by Ray Kurzweil, whose predictions about the exponential pace of technological change have made him a controversial figure in technology circles.
Google and Nasa’s backing demonstrates the growing mainstream acceptance of Mr Kurzweil’s views, which include a claim that before the middle of this century artificial intelligence will outstrip human beings, ushering in a new era of civilisation.
To be housed at Nasa’s Ames Research Center, a stone’s-throw from the Googleplex, the Singularity University will offer courses on biotechnology, nano-technology and artificial intelligence.
The so-called “singularity” is a theorised period of rapid technological progress in the near future. Mr Kurzweil, an American inventor, popularised the term in his 2005 book “The Singularity is Near”.
Proponents say that during the singularity, machines will be able to improve themselves using artificial intelligence and that smarter-than-human computers will solve problems including energy scarcity, climate change and hunger.
Yet many critics call the singularity dangerous. Some worry that a malicious artificial intelligence might annihilate the human race.
Mr Kurzweil said the university was launching now because many technologies were approaching a moment of radical advancement. “We’re getting to the steep part of the curve,” said Mr Kurzweil. “It’s not just electronics and computers. It’s any technology where we can measure the information content, like genetics.”
The school is backed by Larry Page, Google co-founder, and Peter Diamandis, chief executive of X-Prize, an organisation which provides grants to support technological change.
“We are anchoring the university in what is in the lab today, with an understanding of what’s in the realm of possibility in the future,” said Mr Diamandis, who will be vice-chancellor. “The day before something is truly a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea.”
Despite its title, the school will not be an accredited university. Instead, it will be modelled on the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, the interdisciplinary, multi-cultural school that Mr Diamandis helped establish in 1987.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
--------------------------
By David Gelles in San Francisco
Published: February 3 2009 05:02 | Last updated: February 3 2009 05:02
Google and Nasa are throwing their weight behind a new school for futurists in Silicon Valley to prepare scientists for an era when machines become cleverer than people.
The new institution, known as “Singularity University”, is to be headed by Ray Kurzweil, whose predictions about the exponential pace of technological change have made him a controversial figure in technology circles.
Google and Nasa’s backing demonstrates the growing mainstream acceptance of Mr Kurzweil’s views, which include a claim that before the middle of this century artificial intelligence will outstrip human beings, ushering in a new era of civilisation.
To be housed at Nasa’s Ames Research Center, a stone’s-throw from the Googleplex, the Singularity University will offer courses on biotechnology, nano-technology and artificial intelligence.
The so-called “singularity” is a theorised period of rapid technological progress in the near future. Mr Kurzweil, an American inventor, popularised the term in his 2005 book “The Singularity is Near”.
Proponents say that during the singularity, machines will be able to improve themselves using artificial intelligence and that smarter-than-human computers will solve problems including energy scarcity, climate change and hunger.
Yet many critics call the singularity dangerous. Some worry that a malicious artificial intelligence might annihilate the human race.
Mr Kurzweil said the university was launching now because many technologies were approaching a moment of radical advancement. “We’re getting to the steep part of the curve,” said Mr Kurzweil. “It’s not just electronics and computers. It’s any technology where we can measure the information content, like genetics.”
The school is backed by Larry Page, Google co-founder, and Peter Diamandis, chief executive of X-Prize, an organisation which provides grants to support technological change.
“We are anchoring the university in what is in the lab today, with an understanding of what’s in the realm of possibility in the future,” said Mr Diamandis, who will be vice-chancellor. “The day before something is truly a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea.”
Despite its title, the school will not be an accredited university. Instead, it will be modelled on the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, the interdisciplinary, multi-cultural school that Mr Diamandis helped establish in 1987.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Monday, February 02, 2009
Battlestar Galactica - Has it 'Jumped the Shark'
The new Battlestar Galactic has been one of my favorite television shows of the past few years and perhaps ever, but has it finally jumped the shark?
Spoilers will follow, so don't read ahead if you are not caught up with the show and hope to watch it.
Battlestar was and is extremely well done. For a long time I thought the strength of the show is it didn't have to be a sci-fi show, it could have been set in another time and place and the elements that made it strong would have worked with minimal adjustment. The storytelling and acting was fantastic. While these elements remain strong, the show has gone further and further from it's roots. At the end of the 3rd season 4 Galactica crew members hear the Bob Dylan song 'All Along the Watchtower', representing that something has 'switched' in their brains and now they know there are Cylons? What!?! This has subsequently been explained, but I never fully bought it. There has been good stuff since that point in the show, some great stuff, but it was too far fetched on many different levels.
Everyone started wondering who is the 5th and Final Cylon. This is interesting, but none of this is what made the show interesting at the outset. We know who it is now and we found earth (which was very cool) and where are we headed now.
I'm not sure and the show could redeem itself by the end, time will tell.
Don't get me wrong, this remains one of my favorite TV shows and I'll watch it to the bitter end, but I think it may have lost a bit of it's luster. Ever since the end of the 3rd season when the four of the final five were revealed to be Cylons, it really lost something. My suspension of disbelief was pushed a bit too far. It's lead to some great stories as a result, but it's not quite the same.
Spoilers will follow, so don't read ahead if you are not caught up with the show and hope to watch it.
Battlestar was and is extremely well done. For a long time I thought the strength of the show is it didn't have to be a sci-fi show, it could have been set in another time and place and the elements that made it strong would have worked with minimal adjustment. The storytelling and acting was fantastic. While these elements remain strong, the show has gone further and further from it's roots. At the end of the 3rd season 4 Galactica crew members hear the Bob Dylan song 'All Along the Watchtower', representing that something has 'switched' in their brains and now they know there are Cylons? What!?! This has subsequently been explained, but I never fully bought it. There has been good stuff since that point in the show, some great stuff, but it was too far fetched on many different levels.
Everyone started wondering who is the 5th and Final Cylon. This is interesting, but none of this is what made the show interesting at the outset. We know who it is now and we found earth (which was very cool) and where are we headed now.
I'm not sure and the show could redeem itself by the end, time will tell.
Don't get me wrong, this remains one of my favorite TV shows and I'll watch it to the bitter end, but I think it may have lost a bit of it's luster. Ever since the end of the 3rd season when the four of the final five were revealed to be Cylons, it really lost something. My suspension of disbelief was pushed a bit too far. It's lead to some great stories as a result, but it's not quite the same.
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