Interesting Mysterious Universe released today which weirdly involved something I’ve been reading and thinking about lately…artificial intelligence.
It seems that a leading AI researcher has predicted that the event known as the singularity will happen around the year 2045. For those not in the know, the singularity is the point when computers will become self aware. I’m actually surprised that it will take this long to reach that point as technology advances exponentially.
Just this last week Watson, the IBM computer, played Jeopardy against the two best human players to ever play the game and beat them. The technology behind Watson is amazing. Sure, humans built and programmed Watson, but without human tampering Watson “listened” to the questions, “comprehended” them, analyzed them and then answered them. Here is a very cool story about Watson: http://venturebeat.com/2011/02/17/ibm-researcher-explains-what-watson-gets-right-and-wrong/
It’s all very fascinating and a little scary. Now, I’m not too worried about robots rising up and taking over, but I do worry about them further pushing humans from many menial labor jobs. Fast food service, customer service, sales…I would think that more and more of these jobs and others are bound to disappear. With a population that is continually growing this has the makings of a perfect storm.
But I guess we’ve been dealing with a human labor versus technology clash for a long time. The Internet has changed the way people shop and have succeeded in all but burying traditional brick and mortar retail venues. Video rental stores, book stores and music stores have been replaced with Netflix, Amazon and iTunes. And that’s not all, newspapers are dying, the yellow pages are dead, maps are being replaced with GPS, magazines are going bye-bye, television is slowly but surely losing ground to steaming media and traditional radio is not going to be around for much longer with things like Pandora.
Sure, new opportunities arise but I doubt that they’ll ever generate the labor numbers needed. I guess that is what technology is supposed to do though, make things easier and cheaper by eliminating manual labor. When all labor is eliminated will we all live lives of luxury and leisure or will it just exacerbate the difference between the haves and have-nots?
Well, whatever the outcome, I for one am going to welcome our new robot masters.
Link: Technology has been used in this story to catch a cat burglar…who is a cat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDX7tevXO1E&feature=player_embedded
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Conservatives, you're fired!
“Here’s how wide open the 2012 race for the Republican presidential nomination is as the games begin: When Donald Trump showed up Thursday as a last-minute speaker at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, he got a standing ovation.” McClatchyhttp://www.sacbee.com/2011/02/11/3394118/conservative-crowd-sizes-up-candidates.html
What? Was there someone with even nominal political acumen standing behind him? Maybe Rand or Ron Paul? Bobby Jindal? Huckabee? Jeb Bush?
Maybe the report got it wrong. What they meant to write was: “When Donald Trump showed up, attendees scratched their heads and looked at one another in confusion.”
That would make much more sense. If it is in fact written correctly…I mean, come on conservatives, chronically bankrupt, shill for anything, reality television, multiple divorcee…that Donald Trump.
First Palin and now this, can you guys actually distinguish the difference between leaders and entertainers?
What? Was there someone with even nominal political acumen standing behind him? Maybe Rand or Ron Paul? Bobby Jindal? Huckabee? Jeb Bush?
Maybe the report got it wrong. What they meant to write was: “When Donald Trump showed up, attendees scratched their heads and looked at one another in confusion.”
That would make much more sense. If it is in fact written correctly…I mean, come on conservatives, chronically bankrupt, shill for anything, reality television, multiple divorcee…that Donald Trump.
First Palin and now this, can you guys actually distinguish the difference between leaders and entertainers?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
the horror and the beauty of 4chan
I’ve been surfing the dread 4chan.org, one of the most notorious Web sites on these here intertubes. The rumors are true; it is the foulest, most disgusting, misogynistic, racist, homophobic and downright vile collection of posts to ever be collected. From child and furry pr0n to crime scene photos and other violent imagery, it’s there.
Interested in destroying your ex-girlfriends life, just ask the users of 4chan to bring down her facebook page and order her 1,000 large pizzas. It’ll happen.
Want to drive your neighbor insane, post his address and phone number on 4chan and he’ll soon be the victim of hundreds of prank calls, vandalism and who knows what else.
For 4chan isn’t just a small time thug. It looks like it has played heavily in several big criminal cases: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/internet/another-4chan-user-gets-busted-fbi
Still, 4chan is not without its humanity, and even dare I say…beauty. I don’t mean someone dumping their fap folder out of the goodness of their heart. (Definition: posting the pictures and stories stored on their computer that they use for masturbation to the Web site so that others can also masturbate to them.)
I’ve witnessed depressed teens actually get real, decent advice. I’ve seen amateur artists share fantastic work and receive great praise. I’ve followed along as teams of users work together to solve a difficult puzzle. I have waited anxiously with other users as an amateur writer has spun a tale of suspense.
It’s odd, but even in a place as evil as 4chan people seem to find solace. Anonymous posters feel free to share their passions, their disappointments and their very touching stories. They invite other users into their lives to share their tragedy and their triumph, something no doubt they would never do face to face.
In an odd way 4chan is the worst of the Internet but also shares some of the Internet’s most redeeming qualities.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I would never suggest anyone visit 4chan; it is an awful place and the small points of light to be found must be mined from piles of putrid human detritus. But, in a weird way, maybe that’s part of 4chan’s “charm.” When you visit, you never know what to expect and you’re always bound to be shocked, in other words, every visit is a horrifying adventure.
Interested in destroying your ex-girlfriends life, just ask the users of 4chan to bring down her facebook page and order her 1,000 large pizzas. It’ll happen.
Want to drive your neighbor insane, post his address and phone number on 4chan and he’ll soon be the victim of hundreds of prank calls, vandalism and who knows what else.
For 4chan isn’t just a small time thug. It looks like it has played heavily in several big criminal cases: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/internet/another-4chan-user-gets-busted-fbi
Still, 4chan is not without its humanity, and even dare I say…beauty. I don’t mean someone dumping their fap folder out of the goodness of their heart. (Definition: posting the pictures and stories stored on their computer that they use for masturbation to the Web site so that others can also masturbate to them.)
I’ve witnessed depressed teens actually get real, decent advice. I’ve seen amateur artists share fantastic work and receive great praise. I’ve followed along as teams of users work together to solve a difficult puzzle. I have waited anxiously with other users as an amateur writer has spun a tale of suspense.
It’s odd, but even in a place as evil as 4chan people seem to find solace. Anonymous posters feel free to share their passions, their disappointments and their very touching stories. They invite other users into their lives to share their tragedy and their triumph, something no doubt they would never do face to face.
In an odd way 4chan is the worst of the Internet but also shares some of the Internet’s most redeeming qualities.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I would never suggest anyone visit 4chan; it is an awful place and the small points of light to be found must be mined from piles of putrid human detritus. But, in a weird way, maybe that’s part of 4chan’s “charm.” When you visit, you never know what to expect and you’re always bound to be shocked, in other words, every visit is a horrifying adventure.
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