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.

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.

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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.

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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.

REDEFINING A MILK SHAKE

I subscribe to a number of free news services and receive their daily Emails. Yesterday arrived this interesting medical story.

Certain types of bacteria are very dangerous to the stomach and intestines and cannot be treated with an antibiotic that does not also kill the necessary good bacteria in these organs. There do exist antibiotics that will both kill the evil bacteria as well as the good ones.

The problem is that once you kill the good bacteria resident in the intestines or stomach, it does not just re-populate.

Some doctors have perfected what is known as fecal transplant, whereas you get the stools from a relative and bring it to your doctor. He has it checked to see that it is healthy cocka and then has it put in probably an ordinary Oster blender with some saline, making a fecal milk shake.

Then it is introduced via the back door and it works just about 100% of the time giving you the good bacteria that has been killed by the broad spectrum anti biotic. (Some people just do it themselves)

Amazing!

What I really appreciated about this was two fold. One is that I didn’t read it over breakfast, and the second was the title of the news feed. Though not totally on point, it said that “The Enema of My Enemy is My Friend”.

TALES OF WOE, FROM THE P.O.

Just read an article that shows the Post Office wanting to close thousands of offices. Last time I remember they wanted to cut Saturday delivery. I remember them closing the PO box window after limiting the hours. In each case, the solutions they put forth was not a hole in their administration end of the boat, it was that they gave too much service.

Every time the USPS publishes horrid losses, they act the same crappy way other government agencies, like schools of all levels, and may large corporations like banks. They cut services to the very people they are in business to serve and charge more for the remaining services. Gee folks, this takes lots of brains. They don't cut the administration, the bonuses, the salaries, the benefits, the overhead, and especially not the unions, the retirement funds, etc.

From one of the best postal services in the world, we are deteriorating it to a third world country. The only thing innovative I have seen is the Priority Mail if it fits, it ships. Oh, they have probably installed better mail handling equipment, better post office stamp and package machines, but they have not been innovative enough to compete with fax, Email, UPS, FedEx,
blogs, and other internet services.

And I'll give them this, that Congress who they have to go to for permission, is made up of lots of people who, cumulatively, doesn't seem to have two testicles.

I know little about the entire cost picture, but would vote eagerly for them cutting their own fat at least, equally to the services they want to cut, before allowing any of it.

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WHO THE HECK IS A NIALL STANAGE?

Someone I never heard of and hope to continue on this "never heard" path wrote a damning article about Keith Olbermann who just left MSNBC.

This right wing Fox News, Wall St. Journal, etc., hypocrite is so happy to see the wonderful voice of Keith Olbermann leave the air. I suppose I'd feel the same way if Hannity, Rush, Bill, etc. etc. all booked passage on the Titanic especially in steerage. Actually, I'd feel happier, but I would not gloat.

What ruffled my feathers was the Salon saw fit to publish this article. I suppose it could have come from Herr Glen Greenwald.

Olbermann is a loved, articulate, super intelligent, caring liberal voice for those who want to hear the polar opposite of the dribble of Fox News. In my view, many of his speeches ranked up there with the likes of Roosevelt, Kennedy and Obama. As a person, Olbermann was someone I grew to adore.

Keith O., I'm going to miss you. The void in my life, will be felt 5 times a week and I hope you rebound somewhere soon.

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