Google Reader Shared Items“Richard Feynman and The Connection Machine
by W. Daniel Hillis
Nobel prize winner physicist Richard Feynman played a critical role in developing the first parallel-processing computer and finding innovative uses for it in numerical computing and building neural networks as well as physical simulation with cellular-automata such as turbulent fluid flow, working with Stephen Wolfram.”
via Richard Feynman and The Connection Machine.
Cory Doctorow on life in the information economy
via Cory Doctorow on life in the information economy – Business of Software.
Elaine Morgan is a tenacious proponent of the aquatic ape hypothesis: the idea that humans evolved from primate ancestors who dwelt in watery habitats. Hear her spirited defense of the idea — and her theory on why mainstream science doesn’t take it seriously.
via Elaine Morgan says we evolved from aquatic apes | Video on TED.com.
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Do you freak out when you lose your mobile phone signal? Do you get stressed when your Internet goes down? Are you mortified if you have to use dial-up to access your email? If so, you may be suffering from “Disconnectivity Anxiety.” Though not an official psychiatric disorder, I see it as a growing problem in our “gotta be connected 24/7″ culture. I define Disconnectivity Anxiety DA as: “a persistent and unpleasant condition characterized by worry and unease caused by periods of technological disconnection from others.”
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"Anti-terrorist demonstration in Jinan, China. (BigPicture)
When the lovable Segway was unveiled, who would have guessed that its chief street use would be a platform for cops and soldiers. Here’s Paul Saffo on the phenomenon:
It is always fascinating to see once-cuddly technologies turn dark. Consider the Segway, that sweetly geeky gizmo that was supposed to drive autos out of our cities and save the planet. Well, Segways have arrived, but instead of transporting happy auto-eschewing citizens on their daily errands, the Segway has become the personal chariot of cops adopting the gyro-stabilized two-wheeler for patrol and crowd control work. Seqway-riding security dudes are turning up at airports and convention centers, and now are finding their way into the security mix at lock-down events like the G8 Summit and the upcoming Beijing Olympics. No cuddly here, just pure menace, like the rent-a-samurai in full battle rattle riding a nobby-tired industrial Segway at the this month’s G8 summit (pic below). Watching the transformation is like discovering that one’s favorite teddy bear has fangs and a taste for human flesh. Before long, I’ll bet we’ll see squads of Segway cops in full riot gear running down fleeing demonstrators at some future anti-globalization demonstration."
via Street Use.
Fact filled, humorous, I used to watch all this girl’s vids, she’s zany zany zany
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