Thursday, February 17, 2011

WATSON VS. the HUMANOIDS

Yesterday on the TV show Jeopardy, an IBM thinking machine took on two top Jeopardy champions ending a 3 day challenge and won by a healthy margin. Everyone I spoke to was hoping the humans would win. I held back my thoughts because:

As an ex IBMer and manager, I must admit with some shame, that I was rooting for Watson and not my fellow humanoids. I haven't worked for them in in over 35 years and my move to go into my own not hi-tech business proved to be a financially rewarding decision. Yet, I always wondered what I may have achieved should I stayed with big blue.

I don't know if I speak for others but I think that once big blue is in your blood, it can never be exorcised by the time and space continuum.

I still remember my employee number and some of the cast of characters The IBM culture became almost embedded yielding an ethic, a personal standard, and one to which I tend to encourage others. When I drive by the old plant site, since sold to Hitachi, flashbacks overtake my mind and I get a glimpse of what was my second home in the Administration Building. The plant was a place where nothing is impossible, it just costs a little more.

So congratulations Watson, an appropriate name as T.J. Watson, Jr. was to most IBMers a greater-than-human that dwelled solidly at the dominion level.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

DEMOCRACY NOW IN IRAN

Slate magazine published an article showing that in Iran, the Legislators are demanding the death penalty for organizers of protest. So, I just had to blog this:

I just love the fact that the oppressive legislators, whose major activity in life is probably to check for an enlarged prostate of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without the benefit of gloves or clothes pins, are demanding a death sentence for those who want to overturn the oppressive regime. Who would have thought?

At least, in this country, big business and their lackey bought and paid for legislators, can only vote and not demand the death penalty. We Americans are so much better. Of course, the fools that are paid to scream and hold signs can demand anything but hey, they are not legislators..... yet. You know, the idiots who hold signs saying "Government, leave my medicare alone".

For democracy to have a chance in Iran, the protesters have to "make nice" with the military. I suggest offering more virgins in heaven than Ahmadinejad does. A good number would be 80.
It is not too high so the astute military would not think it is a ruse.

See my web site: www. attitudejewelry.com

Thursday, February 10, 2011

DUMB AND NASTY makes the news

New York State Rep. Christopher Lee who is married Emailed a woman on Craig's List to get a date. In his Email, he lied about his age, lied about his occupation, lied about his maritial status, and send a picture of himself shirtless. The woman turned around and sent his overtures to some blabber mouth on line service causing the congressman to resign.

I don't think he wife should be angry with him. His monumental disregard or ignorance of Craig's List protocol should tell his wife that he is not a "player" but just took a bite out of forbidden fruit and needs to be properly forgiven by giving him what he hasn't been getting.

Now as to the foolishness of using your real name. enough can't be said. The use of a screen name such as Studsly Chris would have avoided much of the embarrassment. He should remove (photoshop out)his face from the chest picture and in most cases show the other half if he has the package that would augment the picture. Now he did right by lying about his age because it is Craig's List and if you tell the truth, everyone will think you are a dumb newbie.

What amazed me is that he said he worked for a lobbyist organization and while lying about occupation is just fine on Craig's, he is kind of dumb saying he is a lobbyist. I mean, you wouldn't want to say you're a lawyer or a pimp and lobbyist is one rung lower. So, the Representative got what he deserved but I really also fault the mean spirited woman.

This sending private correspondence to some on-line supermarket tabloid sleeze site instead of taking it up with the guy is someone I describe in select 5 and 4 letter words and both of them I use as adjectives and not nouns. Nasty is as nasty does.

Well, these are my opinions.

See my web site for gifts: www.attitudejewelry.com

THE SEXY HYPOTHALAMUS

A part of the brain, the hypothalamus, an almond-sized structure important for hunger, thirst and body temperature is also thought of to control sexual appetite. Now, it is newly found to be a center for aggression and violence. For the first time, this section has been isolated according to an article I read from Science Magazine, on-line. Notably, the sexual part and the violent part are in very close proximity and tests on rodents indicate that they interact somehow when there is sexual violence. In size, this is a minor part of the hypothalamus. The hope of the researchers are that they can ultimately change the violence without affecting the sex drive.

Ordinarily, I would assume that the extent of this would be worth the effort to reduce this kind of violence in society, but I am thinking that they are stopping short of what could be the potential of developing genetically engineered sexual warriors but not to the extent of exceeding a partner's predefined limits, if any.

In my view, if the procedure could then be reversed, with do-it-yourself equipment, you can make someone date specific. Yes, we can have an Ap for this.