Archive for the 'People' Category
Quote of the day: The difference between an idealist, cynic and realist
A quote from one of America’s best columnist:
“An idealist believes the short run doesn’t count. A cynic believes the long run doesn’t matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run. “ …
More information on the project page at…
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Image: Why choose if you can combine?
The best two versions we found of the more and more popular Barack O’Clinton images on the web.
Why choose if you can combine ?
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Joseph Weizenbaum is dead
Joseph Weizenbaum died yesterday in Berlin as a result of a stroke at the age of 85.
Throughout his life he has provided many outstanding contributions to computer science and AI. After he created the first banking computer in the world while working for General Electric he took up a position at the MIT as professor for applied and political science. In 1966 he published “ELIZA” - his best know work - and the first computer program demonstrating natural language processing. His academic contributions include the creation of the SLIP (symmetric List Processor) programming language and research on pointers, list structures and garbage collection schemes.
Over the years he also became one of the strongest critics of computer science and a society that blindly believes into technology. His influential book “Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment To Calculation” displayed his grown ambivalence towards computer technology. Many concepts from this book have by now become common understandings like, for example, how programmers are seen by society or his critics of the promises by AI.
In one of his last mails “Joseph Weizenbaum” wrote: (translated from German)
“…our death is the last service we can provide to the world: Would we not go out of the way the following generations would not need to re-create human culture. Culture would become fixed, unchangeable and die. And with the death of culture humanity would also perish…“
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Design: Web site and visual design by girls and women
These web sites have no girlie design - these web sites are made by girls and women and their design rocks
The “list” was put together by Pedro Reis a visual and web designer himself. …
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Quote of the day: Quotes with horses
We were surprise how many quotes or proverbs with horses exist. Below our quick list of the most interesting ones:
“I can make a General in five minutes but a good horse is hard to replace.” Abraham Lincoln - 16th US President (1861-65)
“Speak the truth but ride a fast horse.” West Texas saying
“The one who [...]
Quote of the day: Know your enemy
One of Sun Tzu’s maxims from his book The Art of War:
“If you are ignorant of both your enemy and yourself, then you are a fool and certain to be defeated in every battle.
If you know yourself, but not your enemy, for every battle won, you will suffer a loss (half and half).
If you know your enemy and yourself, then you will win every battle.
“Sun Tzu”, Chinese general and strategist ca. 500BC
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Music: Led Zeppelin Reunion
How to tell if an event was a great and global success. Well the Led Zeppelin concert in London this Monday definitely put the bar up quite a bit for others.
If 2,000,000 want to come and you have to distribute the tickets through a lottery to the lucky 20,000 that’s definitely an indication. If news stations around the world are reporting on the event at prime time even a better one. Not to mention the hundreds of web blogs, news paper and magazine sites.
And if on web sites from YouTube to MySpace hundreds of video clips of the event appear within 24 hours - we stopped counting on YouTube at 250 - you have definitely won the crowds over…
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Quote of the day: Life
I‘ve been around quite a bit and seen people from many walks of life.
There have been good times and not so good ones, but when I could and saw fit I’ve always tried to give back and helped others.
And they have been taking freely when things were going well but left me for [...]
Video: P-Funk documentary
When you like funk, this one hour documentary on George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic is a must.
… What’s your funk aptitude, bobba?
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Quote of the Day: Joseph Gerrald
From a sign in the Sydney Botanical Garden put up close to the place where Joseph Gerrald’s (one of the “Scottish Martyrs”) grave once was:
For myself, my friend, whatever destiny awaits me, I am content. The cause which I have embraced has taken deep root, and must, I feel, ultimately triumph. I have my reward. I see through the cheering vista of future events the overthrow of tyranny, and the permanent establishment of benevolence and peace. It is as silent as the lapse of time, but as certain and inevitable.
Joseph Gerrald, 17 May 1795
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