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By cvining, 12 January, 2011

Singularity & The Unltraintelligent Machine

NPR had a piece yesterday on the idea that machines may one day be so intelligent as to become capable of designing and building even more intellingent machines, triggering a exponential growth of intelligence, an intelligence sigularity, such that human intelligence becomes negligible by comparison.  Some consider this intelligence sigularity a existential threat.  

Here is a link to the NPR Story:  

 

Commentary
Philosophy
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By cvining, 12 January, 2011

Blood Libel

When someone yells 'fire!'
In a crowded theater
And people react
And people get hurt
The person who yelled
Should
At least
Feel sorry about yelling

Commentary
Politics
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By cvining, 21 December, 2010

Assange/Marxist Duty

The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, in an interview with BBC while out on bail pending possible extradition to Sweden concerning sexual assault without a condom charges, had this to say concerning his persumably unrelated mission with Wikileaks:

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Philosophy
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By cvining, 26 November, 2010

Chess

Below is a link to my chess games.  I played tournament chess actively from 1973-1990 reaching a USCF rating of the low 2128s.

The file below contains 347 of my games, about 250 of which were in rated tournaments.

Commentary
About
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By cvining, 11 October, 2010

Funicular

Funicular, funicular
A euphonious word
One of the finest
I ever heard

Funicular, funicular
I don't even know
If one of those comes
Or if one of those goes

Funicular, funicular
What the hell does it mean?
And where can I get one?
Where can one be seen?

Funicular, funicular
I tell you what
I'll look it down
While you look it up

Funicular, funicular
So that's what one is!
Take note everyone
It's on the next quiz!

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By cvining, 29 September, 2010

Antony, Cleopatra and fish

NPR.org has a piece with Adrian Goldsworthy, who recently published his latest book Antony and Cleopatra, in which he relates the following fish story:

From Plutarch's "life of Antony"

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By cvining, 27 September, 2010

Former Argentine President Kirchner discussing President Bush's "War is Good" policy

Oliver Stone mentioned this conversation on a recent episode of Bill Maher.  The main speaker is former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner.  Yes, the Bush era is over.  Still, this is pretty amazing:

I said that a solution for the problems right now, I told Bush, is a Marshall Plan.  And he got angry.

He said the Marshall Plan is a crazy idea of the Democrats.

He said the best way to revitalize the economy is war.  And that the United States has grown stronger with war.

... He said that.  Those were his exact words.

To paraphrase Gordon Gecko "War is Good."

Commentary
Iraq
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By cvining, 24 September, 2010

The American

Saw it this afternoon.

Not exactly, I suppose, a 'feel good' movie.  Even a bit dark.  But actually quite well done.  Bits of foreshadowing, some very nice cinematography with those italian villages.

I love the scene in the bar with that Sergio Leone film "Once Upon A Time In The West" playing in the background.  The bartender just nods at the TV with pride: "Italiano."  

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Reviews
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By cvining, 18 September, 2010

3. FREE SPEECH: COMMITMENT TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT

This just in:

WHAT'S NEW   Robert L Park   Friday, 17 Sep 2010   Washington, DC
(Portions snipped.  see Park's website for the entire Newsletter)

Commentary
Religion
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By cvining, 11 June, 2010

James Forestall

James Forestall.  The first US Secretary of Defense.  Died from a fall from the 16th story window of a psych hospital.  Some (many) say it was suicide.  He was being treated for depression after being fired as Secretary of Defense by Truman.

Commentary
Politics
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