http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/plc/communication/valerie.htm
I love sarcasm, it's for me how I communicate my voice (right along appearing completely disinterested). However, even for a daily practitioner of this caustic language I learned a lot out of this article. For guys you might be suprised how women view sarcasm and vice versa. While it might come out as a wall of text, the article's a suprisingly good read, if you're not completely incompetent.
http://thumbpress.com/10-unusual-and-fascinating-animals/
This planet has so many crazy animals that it's nice to get a list of highlights (go to cracked.com for some of the creepier ones) These, for better or worse, are not among the real animals. From the Hodag of Wisconsin (very close to my old Boy Scout camp...comforting...) to the Fiji mermaids, this list covers some of the most famous and unique hoaxes and myths. Personally, I'd like a pet Skvader?
http://awesome.good.is/transparency/web/1012/war-of-current/transparency.jpg
This graphic compares the two geniuses of the end of the 19th century, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. As shown, both men lived astonishing lives, and bitterly fought until they lost a joint Nobel Prize. I guess compromising isn't all that bad after all... Anyway, my vote's for Tesla, after reading from this how Edison scammed him, but go decide for yourself.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Stumbling through a Backlog part 7
http://www.buzzfeed.com/microsofthotmail/things-hipsters-do-to-be-ironic-but-are-actually-a-4iv0
Very very true. Even though I basically live in hipster central, and despite my desire to not be one, hipsters do good sometimes. I ride a fixed gear bike,and it's pretty sturdy and much easier to fix than some big mountian bike. Plus, farmer's markets are schweet and a must visit for anyone, you can find the best stuff there. Finally, I love my skinny jeans. There, I said it, happy mom? All jokes aside, the more we can do to be our unique and awesome selves while reducing our impact on the environment the better. As cliche as it sounds, we do only have one Earth.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/12/alabama-cant-find-anyone-fill-illegal-immigrants-old-jobs/45829/
Now don't get me wrong, illegal immigration is an issue, but being heavy-handed fixes nothing. This is a great article in the wake of Alabama's draconian policies fininganyone who even unwittingly employs illegal immigrants as workers. Karma much? The best part is the solutions, especially since Alabama is so right wing. Prisoners as workers? That's government intervention and dangerous! Come on, at least keep your ideology straight.
http://www.raptitude.com/2010/03/40-belief-shaking-remarks-from-a-ruthless-nonconformist/
Before talking about this article, let me clear some stuff up about Nietzche. No, he didn't justify Naziism, that was his sister, yes he did have syphillis, no that didn't make him crazy. That said, Nietzche is one of the most formative authors for the 21st century, providing inspiration to some of the best movies (The Matrix for example) and providing a great example of how we can all undertake a hero's journey to be a superman, Nietzche is a must-read for anyone. As a bonus, you'll finally understand Fight Club.
Very very true. Even though I basically live in hipster central, and despite my desire to not be one, hipsters do good sometimes. I ride a fixed gear bike,and it's pretty sturdy and much easier to fix than some big mountian bike. Plus, farmer's markets are schweet and a must visit for anyone, you can find the best stuff there. Finally, I love my skinny jeans. There, I said it, happy mom? All jokes aside, the more we can do to be our unique and awesome selves while reducing our impact on the environment the better. As cliche as it sounds, we do only have one Earth.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/12/alabama-cant-find-anyone-fill-illegal-immigrants-old-jobs/45829/
Now don't get me wrong, illegal immigration is an issue, but being heavy-handed fixes nothing. This is a great article in the wake of Alabama's draconian policies fininganyone who even unwittingly employs illegal immigrants as workers. Karma much? The best part is the solutions, especially since Alabama is so right wing. Prisoners as workers? That's government intervention and dangerous! Come on, at least keep your ideology straight.
http://www.raptitude.com/2010/03/40-belief-shaking-remarks-from-a-ruthless-nonconformist/
Before talking about this article, let me clear some stuff up about Nietzche. No, he didn't justify Naziism, that was his sister, yes he did have syphillis, no that didn't make him crazy. That said, Nietzche is one of the most formative authors for the 21st century, providing inspiration to some of the best movies (The Matrix for example) and providing a great example of how we can all undertake a hero's journey to be a superman, Nietzche is a must-read for anyone. As a bonus, you'll finally understand Fight Club.
Stumbling through a Backlog part 6
http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/232300027/the-10-biggest-security-stories-of-2011.htm
Internet security's a big deal nowadays. From the inventive bastards at Lulzsec taking down PSN to the Iranian government using Twitter to round up dissidents during the Green Revolution, we are all affected by this. Even though the idealists were optimistic Bout the possiblity of the Internet to change the world for the better, this just goes to show that there's a dark side to the Internet, one that we must all be aware of.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8846577/Anonymous-hacktivists-target-child-abuse-websites.html
And then there's stuff like this. For those of you who don't know, Anonymous is an Internet collective responsible for some of the weirder aspects of pop culture, such as "U mad?" While they are often described as the Internet hate machine, sometimes by themselves, every once in a while they do something good. Here some hacktivists took down one of the largest child porn networks online, and provided the data to the FBI to arrest the members of the network. Perhaps the most heartening part of this story is that this is only the beginning of "Operation Darknet," a widespread takedown of child pornographers. To hear more about anon, as they call themselves, look on reddit or any tech news website.
http://rinkworks.com/said/courtroom.shtml
For the final post, here are some gems from everyone's favorite profession, lawyers. Although I come from a legal family, even the practicing members admit it gets silly sometimes. The nature of the justice system is to protect people's rights, but sometimes the focus on precise wording means that nonsensical things have to happen and the obvious questions have to be asked. Regardless, I highly reccommend this to all, even those who don't have lawyer parents or friends.
Stay stumbling!
Internet security's a big deal nowadays. From the inventive bastards at Lulzsec taking down PSN to the Iranian government using Twitter to round up dissidents during the Green Revolution, we are all affected by this. Even though the idealists were optimistic Bout the possiblity of the Internet to change the world for the better, this just goes to show that there's a dark side to the Internet, one that we must all be aware of.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8846577/Anonymous-hacktivists-target-child-abuse-websites.html
And then there's stuff like this. For those of you who don't know, Anonymous is an Internet collective responsible for some of the weirder aspects of pop culture, such as "U mad?" While they are often described as the Internet hate machine, sometimes by themselves, every once in a while they do something good. Here some hacktivists took down one of the largest child porn networks online, and provided the data to the FBI to arrest the members of the network. Perhaps the most heartening part of this story is that this is only the beginning of "Operation Darknet," a widespread takedown of child pornographers. To hear more about anon, as they call themselves, look on reddit or any tech news website.
http://rinkworks.com/said/courtroom.shtml
For the final post, here are some gems from everyone's favorite profession, lawyers. Although I come from a legal family, even the practicing members admit it gets silly sometimes. The nature of the justice system is to protect people's rights, but sometimes the focus on precise wording means that nonsensical things have to happen and the obvious questions have to be asked. Regardless, I highly reccommend this to all, even those who don't have lawyer parents or friends.
Stay stumbling!
Stumbling through a Backlog part 5
http://www.highexistence.com/mind-blowing-story-talking-to-god/
In a time when all our love for each other is leaving, when all goodwill is gone, when all the internet talks about is atheists versus christians, something like this comes along. I'm not sure if it's real or fake or just meant to be real, but it doesn't matter. This piece describes a conversation with a being that's pretty close to God talking about the evolution of civilizations with an atheist, and it's done very well. Maybe if enough people read this, we might have some advancement, and maybe that goodwill will come back. One can only hope.
http://www.good.is/post/synthetic-life-is-born-er-synthesized/
Dear god, it's frankenbacteria? Huh. This is a pretty short article, but it's kinda awesome. Evidently a mad scientist has fully created a new DNA sequence that can replicate itself naturally. I guess the genetic revolution is here, so where the hell is my Bioshock-esque lighting hands? Jokes aside, this is amazing and can have spectacular implications for our life on this rock. A must read.
http://mashable.com/2011/12/08/interactive-tabletop/
Want. That's pretty much all I can say about this interactive tabletop that lets people order from the table that seems pretty much like the iPad I'm writing this on. However, what does this mean for all the waiters? Are we going to start losing jobs to machines? Eh, I'll worry about it once the Republican Presidental Canidates start using it to beat down Ron Paul.
In a time when all our love for each other is leaving, when all goodwill is gone, when all the internet talks about is atheists versus christians, something like this comes along. I'm not sure if it's real or fake or just meant to be real, but it doesn't matter. This piece describes a conversation with a being that's pretty close to God talking about the evolution of civilizations with an atheist, and it's done very well. Maybe if enough people read this, we might have some advancement, and maybe that goodwill will come back. One can only hope.
http://www.good.is/post/synthetic-life-is-born-er-synthesized/
Dear god, it's frankenbacteria? Huh. This is a pretty short article, but it's kinda awesome. Evidently a mad scientist has fully created a new DNA sequence that can replicate itself naturally. I guess the genetic revolution is here, so where the hell is my Bioshock-esque lighting hands? Jokes aside, this is amazing and can have spectacular implications for our life on this rock. A must read.
http://mashable.com/2011/12/08/interactive-tabletop/
Want. That's pretty much all I can say about this interactive tabletop that lets people order from the table that seems pretty much like the iPad I'm writing this on. However, what does this mean for all the waiters? Are we going to start losing jobs to machines? Eh, I'll worry about it once the Republican Presidental Canidates start using it to beat down Ron Paul.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Stumbling through a Backlog part 4
http://www.ranker.com/list/7-disney-princesses-that-make-the-worst-role-models/molly-mahan
Total disclaimer on this one, I love Disney movies, even though I'm a college kid. That said, this is so true. In a world where we have Tottlers and Tiaras, someone's gotta call BS and say "I don't care how nice a story this is, the princess is a terribad role model!" I mean come on, isn't society dumb enough already? Let's start riffing and ripping on these things until a good role model comes out.
http://theweek.com/article/index/208561/why-do-smart-kids-grow-up-to-be-heavier-drinkers
Disclosure: I have an IQ well above genius, so this one caught my eye fairly quickly. Everyone knows that kid who can drink like a tank but gets straight As, well it turns out that's pretty normal. According to this article, the smart members of a group are more likely to engage in risk-taking activities, in this case getting plastered. So now you know, the best in the class isn't drinking because he can, it's because it's too hard to deal with the dumb legacy kid when sober. (To any legacy kids, you're not dumb, some are though, so watch out!)
http://theweek.com/article/index/208561/why-do-smart-kids-grow-up-to-be-heavier-drinkers
RIP Steve Jobs, but let's face it, this guy just made pretty stuff and learned from other's mistakes. Not that there's anything wrong with those two lessons, let's just not deify this guy any more than he has already. That said, I wish everything was as asthetically pleasing as my Macbook, although there are some issues with it. (I'm writing this on my iPad because of a logic board error.) It's sort of hard to get mad at something so pretty, even if it does dent way too easily.
Total disclaimer on this one, I love Disney movies, even though I'm a college kid. That said, this is so true. In a world where we have Tottlers and Tiaras, someone's gotta call BS and say "I don't care how nice a story this is, the princess is a terribad role model!" I mean come on, isn't society dumb enough already? Let's start riffing and ripping on these things until a good role model comes out.
http://theweek.com/article/index/208561/why-do-smart-kids-grow-up-to-be-heavier-drinkers
Disclosure: I have an IQ well above genius, so this one caught my eye fairly quickly. Everyone knows that kid who can drink like a tank but gets straight As, well it turns out that's pretty normal. According to this article, the smart members of a group are more likely to engage in risk-taking activities, in this case getting plastered. So now you know, the best in the class isn't drinking because he can, it's because it's too hard to deal with the dumb legacy kid when sober. (To any legacy kids, you're not dumb, some are though, so watch out!)
http://theweek.com/article/index/208561/why-do-smart-kids-grow-up-to-be-heavier-drinkers
RIP Steve Jobs, but let's face it, this guy just made pretty stuff and learned from other's mistakes. Not that there's anything wrong with those two lessons, let's just not deify this guy any more than he has already. That said, I wish everything was as asthetically pleasing as my Macbook, although there are some issues with it. (I'm writing this on my iPad because of a logic board error.) It's sort of hard to get mad at something so pretty, even if it does dent way too easily.
Stumbling through a Backlog part 3
http://www.nerve.com/movies/five-short-films-inside-longer-ones
Having just seen the Social Network for my English class (incidently the source of this blog), I was suprised to see it mentioned on one of my personal favorite websites, and even more pleased to stumbleupon it. This scene was one of my favorites, but the movie in general is fantastic. I highly recommend it and all the other movies on this list to anyone, and the site in general. Enjoy!
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bl-glenn-beck-conspiracy.htm?PS=231,904,372,662%3A4
Another great little generator, this time about everyone's favorite conservative crazy nutjob (apart from that guy who runs Conservapedia). This fun thing takes the random stuff Glenn Beck said and wrote on his now-defunct Fox News show and jumbles it all up into inane and incoherent ramblings about a new world order and socialism and all the other right-wing buzzwords. Although you have to respect the guy for kicking his addiction to ADD meds, this guy should not be allowed in the public spotlight if I can hear these coming out of his mouth.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/201102/mistakes-introverts-make
I'm gonna come right out and say it, I'm an introvert. I'm not the most social person, I suck at small talk, and I'd prefer to stay inside and play with my gadgets than go to a huge party, but this helps to remind me that a little human contact is good for the soul. Basically don't become a hermit, no matter how tempting it is, and have some friends you can hang out with. If anyone you know is an introvert, don't be pushy, but give them this, it may help next time you two are having trouble talking.
Having just seen the Social Network for my English class (incidently the source of this blog), I was suprised to see it mentioned on one of my personal favorite websites, and even more pleased to stumbleupon it. This scene was one of my favorites, but the movie in general is fantastic. I highly recommend it and all the other movies on this list to anyone, and the site in general. Enjoy!
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bl-glenn-beck-conspiracy.htm?PS=231,904,372,662%3A4
Another great little generator, this time about everyone's favorite conservative crazy nutjob (apart from that guy who runs Conservapedia). This fun thing takes the random stuff Glenn Beck said and wrote on his now-defunct Fox News show and jumbles it all up into inane and incoherent ramblings about a new world order and socialism and all the other right-wing buzzwords. Although you have to respect the guy for kicking his addiction to ADD meds, this guy should not be allowed in the public spotlight if I can hear these coming out of his mouth.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/201102/mistakes-introverts-make
I'm gonna come right out and say it, I'm an introvert. I'm not the most social person, I suck at small talk, and I'd prefer to stay inside and play with my gadgets than go to a huge party, but this helps to remind me that a little human contact is good for the soul. Basically don't become a hermit, no matter how tempting it is, and have some friends you can hang out with. If anyone you know is an introvert, don't be pushy, but give them this, it may help next time you two are having trouble talking.
Stumbling through a Backlog, part 2
http://www.thelastgoddess.com/wordpress/2011/05/05/zombie-proof-house-keeps-the-undead-and-jehovahs-witnesses-at-bay/
I can only imagine the conversations this house would bring. Imagine one moment your guests are enjoying the view from the second floor deck when suddenly, a metal sheet cuts off their vision. That's not even the strongest parts, big black slabs of rock block off windows and the bridge to the connected pool even draws up, almost like a medival castle. Although supposedly to keep out "zombies, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses," the real question is whether your friends are to be counted alongside those groups. After all, wouldn't it be comforting when you're feeling tethered by your phone and computer, to just close it all off with a big chunk of granite? Unfortunately, your friends are probably smarter than zombies, and they'll probably find a way in, electronically or otherwise...
http://heritage-key.com/blogs/malcolmj/10-reasons-why-socrates-still-relevant-today
Oh Socrates, you old gadfly you. Even though he annoyed the leaders of Athens so much they forced him to commit suicide by drinking hemlock, he still manages to question us today. This article does a pretty good job of showing how this old crack is still relevant. From reminding us to be happy to warn against materialism, his messages such as they were are even more necessary in an age of rampant greed. Hold up, happiness above materials, civil disobedience, Socrates was part of the 99%!
http://www.rinkworks.com/said/patients.shtml
Just when you thought doctors, those guys who spend thousands of dollars on extra schooling to keep us all healthy, actually got smarter from it, something like this comes along. Although some of the mistakes, such as "Discharge status: Alive but without permission" make sense once you've thought about it, some are just straight up mysteries. For example, how does someone leave their white blood cells in a different hospital? I guess it goes to show that no matter how much learning you do, you're only human.
I can only imagine the conversations this house would bring. Imagine one moment your guests are enjoying the view from the second floor deck when suddenly, a metal sheet cuts off their vision. That's not even the strongest parts, big black slabs of rock block off windows and the bridge to the connected pool even draws up, almost like a medival castle. Although supposedly to keep out "zombies, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses," the real question is whether your friends are to be counted alongside those groups. After all, wouldn't it be comforting when you're feeling tethered by your phone and computer, to just close it all off with a big chunk of granite? Unfortunately, your friends are probably smarter than zombies, and they'll probably find a way in, electronically or otherwise...
http://heritage-key.com/blogs/malcolmj/10-reasons-why-socrates-still-relevant-today
Oh Socrates, you old gadfly you. Even though he annoyed the leaders of Athens so much they forced him to commit suicide by drinking hemlock, he still manages to question us today. This article does a pretty good job of showing how this old crack is still relevant. From reminding us to be happy to warn against materialism, his messages such as they were are even more necessary in an age of rampant greed. Hold up, happiness above materials, civil disobedience, Socrates was part of the 99%!
http://www.rinkworks.com/said/patients.shtml
Just when you thought doctors, those guys who spend thousands of dollars on extra schooling to keep us all healthy, actually got smarter from it, something like this comes along. Although some of the mistakes, such as "Discharge status: Alive but without permission" make sense once you've thought about it, some are just straight up mysteries. For example, how does someone leave their white blood cells in a different hospital? I guess it goes to show that no matter how much learning you do, you're only human.
Stumbling through a Backlog, part 1
http://freespace.virgin.net/markr.rowe/fb-history/fb-history.htm
Have you ever had that friend who asks the weirdest questions, like what if George Washington had a Twitter? Well, apparently my friend wasn't the only one, as some bored Internet denizen made this comic showing famous events from history as if you were facebook friends with them. While light-hearted, it does cause some deeper questions. Would Abraham Lincoln have been too busy trying to become the mayor of the White House to give the Gettysburg Address? Would Thomas Jefferson be too distracted texting George Washington to write the Declaration of Independence? I'd hope not, but it does cause one to worry about how much productivity is lost by plugging into Facebook. I know I procrastinate, what about the rest of the world?
http://www.feng-shui-house.net/hunted-house/
Now this one is especially creepy because I happen to go to school near Albany. This abandoned girl's school would be especially spooky at night, but thankfully (or perhaps not so much) there is talk of demolishing the school for condominiums, but this raises another question. Who in God's name would want to live somewhere knowing that building used to stand there?
http://mentalfloss.com/amazingfactgenerator/
Thank god for something finally lighthearted! Even though I like to think of myself as open-minded, some of these facts suprised me. Did you know Albert Einstein, the great physicist, couldn't even drive a car? Or that Time magazine was supposed to originally be called Destiny? The greatest part is that you can submit your own facts and vote on others, so give it a whirl and learn some facts that may suprise you. I leave you with this random fact: before coffee, beer was the morning breakfast beverage of choice in America. Pretty sure that holds true for some college kids still...
Have you ever had that friend who asks the weirdest questions, like what if George Washington had a Twitter? Well, apparently my friend wasn't the only one, as some bored Internet denizen made this comic showing famous events from history as if you were facebook friends with them. While light-hearted, it does cause some deeper questions. Would Abraham Lincoln have been too busy trying to become the mayor of the White House to give the Gettysburg Address? Would Thomas Jefferson be too distracted texting George Washington to write the Declaration of Independence? I'd hope not, but it does cause one to worry about how much productivity is lost by plugging into Facebook. I know I procrastinate, what about the rest of the world?
http://www.feng-shui-house.net/hunted-house/
Now this one is especially creepy because I happen to go to school near Albany. This abandoned girl's school would be especially spooky at night, but thankfully (or perhaps not so much) there is talk of demolishing the school for condominiums, but this raises another question. Who in God's name would want to live somewhere knowing that building used to stand there?
http://mentalfloss.com/amazingfactgenerator/
Thank god for something finally lighthearted! Even though I like to think of myself as open-minded, some of these facts suprised me. Did you know Albert Einstein, the great physicist, couldn't even drive a car? Or that Time magazine was supposed to originally be called Destiny? The greatest part is that you can submit your own facts and vote on others, so give it a whirl and learn some facts that may suprise you. I leave you with this random fact: before coffee, beer was the morning breakfast beverage of choice in America. Pretty sure that holds true for some college kids still...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Findings from September 25, 2011
www.fastcompany.com/1636325/ibms-cityone-is-like-sim-city-except-the-solutions-are-real
I play a fair amount of video games, and it always gets me excited when someone finds a way to use the enormous manpower of the video gaming world for a positive benefit. It seems to me as though in the past year, policymakers have discovered this resource. This is one example, launched by IBM. CityOne is fun on its own, but it's even more rewarding to know that your solutions are being sent to people who can use what fixes you create in the real world, so that what you do in the private arena of your computer can help in the public world. If you like this sort of stuff, you might also be fascinated by the Navy's use of a video game to stop Somali pirates, or the recent discoveries in biology made through the use of a protein-folding game. As we get better and better at including technology in our lives, this sort of "crowd-sourcing," as Silicon Valley puts it, will become more and more popular, which I believe can only be for the best.
www.onlineschools.org/state-of-the-internet/soti.html
Just in case you didn't realize how big and powerful the Internet is getting, here's a site that will gladly remind you. The Internet is getting more and more powerful each day, and can have massive impacts, as the Arab Spring reminded us. Several non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, have subscribed to the belief that a free Internet without censorship is one of the best tools for combating repressive regimes, and the first infographic on the site shows us that repressive regimes know this, and attempt to combat it. However, it's nearly impossible to stop the Internet, for better or for worse, and sometimes there can be too much information revealed online, given that 12% of time online is spent on Facebook. One famous example of this comes from Justin Hall, an early blogger who eventually broke down on his final video log. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it, search "Dark Night Justin Hall" on youtube, and brace yourself.
www.forensicscience.net/organization_files/889/csi-infographic.jpg
I love CSI, I watch it all the time on hulu and have several seasons at home. However, it is worrisome when one hears about a person who is obviously guilty getting away with a crime because of a lack of DNA or fingerprint evidence. In reality, the majority of cases rely on detective work and interviews with witnesses, and rarely involve the forensic scientists unless necessary, and never in an interview. However fun it is to watch Horatio Caine drive around in his Hummer and make witty one-liners after shooting a suspect, we need to keep in mind that the shows are fun to watch because they are silly, not because they are true.
I play a fair amount of video games, and it always gets me excited when someone finds a way to use the enormous manpower of the video gaming world for a positive benefit. It seems to me as though in the past year, policymakers have discovered this resource. This is one example, launched by IBM. CityOne is fun on its own, but it's even more rewarding to know that your solutions are being sent to people who can use what fixes you create in the real world, so that what you do in the private arena of your computer can help in the public world. If you like this sort of stuff, you might also be fascinated by the Navy's use of a video game to stop Somali pirates, or the recent discoveries in biology made through the use of a protein-folding game. As we get better and better at including technology in our lives, this sort of "crowd-sourcing," as Silicon Valley puts it, will become more and more popular, which I believe can only be for the best.
www.onlineschools.org/state-of-the-internet/soti.html
Just in case you didn't realize how big and powerful the Internet is getting, here's a site that will gladly remind you. The Internet is getting more and more powerful each day, and can have massive impacts, as the Arab Spring reminded us. Several non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, have subscribed to the belief that a free Internet without censorship is one of the best tools for combating repressive regimes, and the first infographic on the site shows us that repressive regimes know this, and attempt to combat it. However, it's nearly impossible to stop the Internet, for better or for worse, and sometimes there can be too much information revealed online, given that 12% of time online is spent on Facebook. One famous example of this comes from Justin Hall, an early blogger who eventually broke down on his final video log. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it, search "Dark Night Justin Hall" on youtube, and brace yourself.
www.forensicscience.net/organization_files/889/csi-infographic.jpg
I love CSI, I watch it all the time on hulu and have several seasons at home. However, it is worrisome when one hears about a person who is obviously guilty getting away with a crime because of a lack of DNA or fingerprint evidence. In reality, the majority of cases rely on detective work and interviews with witnesses, and rarely involve the forensic scientists unless necessary, and never in an interview. However fun it is to watch Horatio Caine drive around in his Hummer and make witty one-liners after shooting a suspect, we need to keep in mind that the shows are fun to watch because they are silly, not because they are true.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Findings from September 20-21, 2011
www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-09/killer-drones-when-will-our-weaponized-robots-become-autonomous
As a former debater, I heard a lot of debates about combat drones deployed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while we didn't examine the future implications of autonomous drones, this article does so very nicely. The scary part about this whole situation, and for many situations of sci-fi weaponry, is that the technologies exist to deploy these weapons, and the only obstacles are cost and a desire to maintain old methods. At the end of the article, the author begs the question that I feel most relevant, "At what percentage of error are we willing to say autonomous robots are ready for war?" This question can not only be applied to drones, but also how much error is an army willing to allow before questions are raised. This could also be used as a message for us, the civilians - how much error do we and can we allow before we need to ask the hard questions in a public sphere, much as has happened in blogs protesting almost any topic imaginable, protected by the government they rail against.
www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/27185%253Fnlid%253Dnldly%2526nld%253D2011-09-22
Full disclosure, I love my Kindle, and at the speed I read, it wouldn't be feasible for me to take the number of books I need on a family trip without adding another bag to the trip. However, this raises issues of what happens when ebook readers become even more ubiquitous. In addition perhaps being able to read them during take-off and landing (I wish), perhaps they may create a learning divide between the "haves" and "have-nots." While ebook readers are certainly more cost-effective for textbooks, I can't give that textbook to the next person, be it my sibling or my friend, to use. While I'm a big fan in some instances, I'll admit that sometimes a physical book is better. As a bonus, the comments at the bottom are actually worth reading, and don't dissolve into a flame war or obnoxious ad hominems.
www.buzzfeed.com/fxnetwork/the-best-lines-from-its-always-sunny%253Ffb_ref%253DHSUA1
After the two deep finds, I thought this was hysterical. I enjoy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but I don't get to watch it nearly enough, so some of these lines were surprises to me. For those who don't know, It's Always Sunny is a show on FX in it's seventh season that follows five
obnoxious friends, called "The Gang," as they try to run a bar. The humor comes from their attempts to game the system and their various personality traits, ranging from huge egos to alcoholism. The humor is crude and offensive, but worth it all the same. I suggest at least reading these, then if any of them make you laugh, watch the new episodes on FX and reruns on Comedy Central.
As a former debater, I heard a lot of debates about combat drones deployed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while we didn't examine the future implications of autonomous drones, this article does so very nicely. The scary part about this whole situation, and for many situations of sci-fi weaponry, is that the technologies exist to deploy these weapons, and the only obstacles are cost and a desire to maintain old methods. At the end of the article, the author begs the question that I feel most relevant, "At what percentage of error are we willing to say autonomous robots are ready for war?" This question can not only be applied to drones, but also how much error is an army willing to allow before questions are raised. This could also be used as a message for us, the civilians - how much error do we and can we allow before we need to ask the hard questions in a public sphere, much as has happened in blogs protesting almost any topic imaginable, protected by the government they rail against.
www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/27185%253Fnlid%253Dnldly%2526nld%253D2011-09-22
Full disclosure, I love my Kindle, and at the speed I read, it wouldn't be feasible for me to take the number of books I need on a family trip without adding another bag to the trip. However, this raises issues of what happens when ebook readers become even more ubiquitous. In addition perhaps being able to read them during take-off and landing (I wish), perhaps they may create a learning divide between the "haves" and "have-nots." While ebook readers are certainly more cost-effective for textbooks, I can't give that textbook to the next person, be it my sibling or my friend, to use. While I'm a big fan in some instances, I'll admit that sometimes a physical book is better. As a bonus, the comments at the bottom are actually worth reading, and don't dissolve into a flame war or obnoxious ad hominems.
www.buzzfeed.com/fxnetwork/the-best-lines-from-its-always-sunny%253Ffb_ref%253DHSUA1
After the two deep finds, I thought this was hysterical. I enjoy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but I don't get to watch it nearly enough, so some of these lines were surprises to me. For those who don't know, It's Always Sunny is a show on FX in it's seventh season that follows five
obnoxious friends, called "The Gang," as they try to run a bar. The humor comes from their attempts to game the system and their various personality traits, ranging from huge egos to alcoholism. The humor is crude and offensive, but worth it all the same. I suggest at least reading these, then if any of them make you laugh, watch the new episodes on FX and reruns on Comedy Central.
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