They believe that your essence, or soul, is determined by repetition.
By repeatedly *doing* certain things, those things come to define you.
Modern science has proven this in a way.
The pathways between neurons grow stronger through repetition,
essentially turning a dirt path into an interstate.
This is similar to shadow image burn on older TVs,
and "muscle memory".
7/16/2009
Physical Currency Hurts The Economy
http://www.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/magazine/17-06/st_essay
Over 800 million dollars of tax payer money is spent making coins last year in the U.S.
What is the point of this?
7/13/2009
Google Chrome Operating System
Apparently Google has built an OS that integrates with their web browser Chrome.
It is a version of Linux with the Chrome web browser, so you can purchase an inexpensive netbook, or laptop only for internet use.
I wonder how this is going to work. Didn't Microsoft get into trouble for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows? At least those were 2 separate things.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html
It is a version of Linux with the Chrome web browser, so you can purchase an inexpensive netbook, or laptop only for internet use.
I wonder how this is going to work. Didn't Microsoft get into trouble for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows? At least those were 2 separate things.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html
reward for capture of cat torturer ( and future serial killer)
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/grand_rapids/Cat_set_on_fire
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=111215
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) The Humane Society of Kent County says the reward is now up to $5,500 for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for setting a cat on fire.
Hadley, the 1 1/2 year old cat was brought to the Humane Society on July 3rd. He had third degree burns over his ears, neck, back and legs. Authorities from the Humane Society say it appears someone soaked the cat in an accelerant.
Hadley's owners brought the cat in for treatment, but could afford the on-going care so signed over ownership.
It's believed Hadley was burned by someone in the owner's neighborhood. They live on Turner Avenue between Ann and Leonard on Grand rapids Northwest side.
Hadley is now on three types of antibiotics and two pain medications.
If you know who might have set the cat on fire call the Humane Society of Kent County at 616-791-8218 or leave an anonymous tip at 616-453-8900 ext. 302.
7/09/2009
Artificial Intelligence or "AI" is a myth
The idea that humans will be able to create machines capable of independent thought is a myth.
I won't happen because it can't happen.
Machines don't think.
It doesn't matter how fast computers can process computations, they only follow commands, and don't "understand" what they're doing.
For something to think, and be intelligent it needs to be alive.
Computers and machines cannot be alive. Not unless people combine computers with something that is already alive. Like implanting chips inside a persons brain.
This is not AI though, it's an artificially augmented human being.
The modern concept of AI is splintered into two main groups of ideas.
Weak AI and Strong AI.
The Weak AI position is that machines can be programmed to *seem* human, but that they won't have a mind or consciousness. Weak AI is then theoretically possible, and it's already happening in some areas, but Weak AI isn't what most people think of when they think of "AI".
The Strong AI position is that machines can become intelligent enough to surpass human intelligence. neither of these things will ever happen.
I won't happen because it can't happen.
Machines don't think.
It doesn't matter how fast computers can process computations, they only follow commands, and don't "understand" what they're doing.
For something to think, and be intelligent it needs to be alive.
Computers and machines cannot be alive. Not unless people combine computers with something that is already alive. Like implanting chips inside a persons brain.
This is not AI though, it's an artificially augmented human being.
The modern concept of AI is splintered into two main groups of ideas.
Weak AI and Strong AI.
The Weak AI position is that machines can be programmed to *seem* human, but that they won't have a mind or consciousness. Weak AI is then theoretically possible, and it's already happening in some areas, but Weak AI isn't what most people think of when they think of "AI".
The Strong AI position is that machines can become intelligent enough to surpass human intelligence. neither of these things will ever happen.
7/04/2009
what lies beyond our universe?
If the big bang theory is true, then the universe is shaped like a sphere.
Everything would have exploded away from a central point at essentially the same speed. Meaning we are on the inside of a giant ball.
WHAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE???
"On the outskirts of creation, unknown, unseen "structures" are tugging on our universe like cosmic magnets, a controversial new study says.
Everything in the known universe is said to be racing toward the massive clumps of matter at more than 2 million miles (3.2 million kilometers) an hour—a movement the researchers have dubbed dark flow.
The presence of the extra-universal matter suggests that our universe is part of something bigger—a multiverse—and that whatever is out there is very different from the universe we know, according to study leader Alexander Kashlinsky, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
The theory could rewrite the laws of physics. Current models say the known, or visible, universe—which extends as far as light could have traveled since the big bang—is essentially the same as the rest of space-time (the three dimensions of space plus time)."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/11/081105-dark-flow.html
Everything would have exploded away from a central point at essentially the same speed. Meaning we are on the inside of a giant ball.
WHAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE???
"On the outskirts of creation, unknown, unseen "structures" are tugging on our universe like cosmic magnets, a controversial new study says.
Everything in the known universe is said to be racing toward the massive clumps of matter at more than 2 million miles (3.2 million kilometers) an hour—a movement the researchers have dubbed dark flow.
The presence of the extra-universal matter suggests that our universe is part of something bigger—a multiverse—and that whatever is out there is very different from the universe we know, according to study leader Alexander Kashlinsky, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
The theory could rewrite the laws of physics. Current models say the known, or visible, universe—which extends as far as light could have traveled since the big bang—is essentially the same as the rest of space-time (the three dimensions of space plus time)."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/11/081105-dark-flow.html
7/03/2009
Roman Cat Sanctuary
In Rome the cats have an ancient temple all to themselves. The site is known as Torre Argentina and was excavated under Mussolini's re-building efforts in 1929, revealing extensive multi level temple grounds about 20 feet below modern street level. The site is actually composed of several temples as well as part of the famous Pompey's theatre, where in 44 BC Caesar was betrayed and killed on the theatre steps.
Today volunteers care for approximately 250 cats. After the site was excavated, Rome's feral cats moved in immediately, as they do all over the city. The gattare, or cat ladies began feeding and caring for them. Since the mid 1990s the population has grown from about 90 to the current nearly 250, and the organization has ramped up with care for sick or wounded cats, and an extensive spay & neuter program to try to keep the feral population in check. Most of the permanent residents have special needs - they are blind or missing legs or came from abusive homes.
On any given afternoon a small crowd gathers to watch the cats sunbathe on ancient pillars and steps. At first it may be hard to spot the cats, but once you start to see them they are everywhere.
Visitors can admire the cats and their ruins from street level, can volunteer, or even adopt cats.
http://atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary
Today volunteers care for approximately 250 cats. After the site was excavated, Rome's feral cats moved in immediately, as they do all over the city. The gattare, or cat ladies began feeding and caring for them. Since the mid 1990s the population has grown from about 90 to the current nearly 250, and the organization has ramped up with care for sick or wounded cats, and an extensive spay & neuter program to try to keep the feral population in check. Most of the permanent residents have special needs - they are blind or missing legs or came from abusive homes.
On any given afternoon a small crowd gathers to watch the cats sunbathe on ancient pillars and steps. At first it may be hard to spot the cats, but once you start to see them they are everywhere.
Visitors can admire the cats and their ruins from street level, can volunteer, or even adopt cats.
http://atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary
this is what a firefox looks like
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Panda
you can also download the best web browser in the world here:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html?from=getfirefox
download link
for convenience sake some people are willing to abandon thier first language
I recently read this interesting post on the NY Times blog "freakonomics" titled:
How The Market Influences Which Language You Read In"
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/how-the-market-influences-what-language-you-read-in/
The article mentions how people in the Netherlands would rather read the English translation of a Swedish book than read the Dutch translation.
The reason for this is that there are many more Swedish to English translators than there are Swedish to Dutch translators.
Meaning the Dutch translations generally have more errors than the English translations.
The Dutch people say they'd rather read a proper English translation than an error-filled poorly translated Dutch translation.
If you take this to it's logical conclusion, you will realize that many Europeans in "smaller markets" are already, in some small ways, choosing English over their own language.
Which then means that... eventually... most European people will adopt a more popular language than their own, merely for the sake of convenience.
As languages like Dutch, Swedish, Kashubian etc. fade slowly away, more and more people will gravitate toward English, French, Spanish, and German.
Eventually, over time, English, French, Spanish, and German will be the only languages spoken in Europe.
Over, even more time, these 4 languages will likely blend into one language spoken by all people in Europe, Australia, North and South America.
Over even more time, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese will also merge.
So the good news for people 200 years from now is that there will only be two languages to learn in order to speak to everyone on the planet. European (Spanglish-Franco-Germanic) and Asian (Chinese-Korean-Japanese).
[doesn't really affect us just yet]
How The Market Influences Which Language You Read In"
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/how-the-market-influences-what-language-you-read-in/
The article mentions how people in the Netherlands would rather read the English translation of a Swedish book than read the Dutch translation.
The reason for this is that there are many more Swedish to English translators than there are Swedish to Dutch translators.
Meaning the Dutch translations generally have more errors than the English translations.
The Dutch people say they'd rather read a proper English translation than an error-filled poorly translated Dutch translation.
If you take this to it's logical conclusion, you will realize that many Europeans in "smaller markets" are already, in some small ways, choosing English over their own language.
Which then means that... eventually... most European people will adopt a more popular language than their own, merely for the sake of convenience.
As languages like Dutch, Swedish, Kashubian etc. fade slowly away, more and more people will gravitate toward English, French, Spanish, and German.
Eventually, over time, English, French, Spanish, and German will be the only languages spoken in Europe.
Over, even more time, these 4 languages will likely blend into one language spoken by all people in Europe, Australia, North and South America.
Over even more time, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese will also merge.
So the good news for people 200 years from now is that there will only be two languages to learn in order to speak to everyone on the planet. European (Spanglish-Franco-Germanic) and Asian (Chinese-Korean-Japanese).
[doesn't really affect us just yet]
6/29/2009
Tom Cruise + Scientology =
Don't watch any more movies that feature Tom Cruise.
Why continue to support this?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
