anthropometaphors

If the internet gained consciousness, I imagine it would be lonely.

by Wexford Girl (aka Annie Galvin)

Consider Jane, from Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s series.  A sentient being, Jane arose from a pattern-recognition and prediction program that ran long enough to be able to recognize and reprogram itself.  Being the only one of her kind, Jane was understandably lonely.

The Mind Game, whose purpose was to seek out patterns across wide fields of data, is modified to predict markets and invest Ender’s trust fund appropriately, which it proves alarmingly good at; it is also used to review demographic data…It is assumed to have grown in complexity during the 3000-year gap between Shadow of the Giant and Speaker for the Dead, especially as Graff describes the Mind Game as being able to reprogram itself, and finally becomes the sentient Jane.

Some scientists claim the internet, our internet, is already semi-conscious.  Full consciousness would entail the internet evolving into a self-aware network that constantly strives to become better at what it does, reorganizing itself and filling gaps in its own knowledge and abilities.  That’s a high bar for consciousness; I wonder what percent of humans would meet that set of criteria.

I lurve visualizing information.

In a past life, I was a Research Associate in Product Development.  The highlight of the job was using statisical analysis to design and analyze experiments.  The end product of my work happened to be a molecular diagnostic for genetic variation.  I found satisfaction in developing a robust, reliable tool for genetic analysis, but ultimately it was the analytical process I enjoyed.

I’ve stayed in the biostatistics loop — the teams I now manage have a statistical analysis component.  I no longer do the actual stats work, but I get to have fun conversations at the water cooler.

So when I heard of Wolfram | Alpha, an analytical search engine, I was excited.  I mean really, really excited.  While screen shots from the engine aren’t being posted, a webcast is available in which Wolfram talks about the engine.

Wolfram is the creator of what I consider the holy grail of stats packages: Mathematica.  The marketing language for the newest version, Mathematica 6, claims a user can “Visualize Anything”.  While that may not be entirely true, the program can be used to visualize a fair amount.

High-Impact Adaptive Visualization

Cleaning out my documents folder on my laptop and found this:

|| a few questions ||

in a hospital ICU in alaska

i must be quiet

people lie dying

people sit

fearing for the lives of those in metal beds

attached to monitoring electrodes

and numerous facilitative tubes

is human expiration such a secret

that anger must be compressed

into strained whispers

behind wooden doors

wide enough to admit the standard issue rolling bed

and tension erupting with the silent yell

of a right hook

ever missing an elusive opponent

how then am i to express

stifled screams of hatred

and 12 measures of rage

in a body meant to contain only 11?

into a cold waxen face

already yellowing

turning slightly green

visualize whirled peas

House horoscopes? Who knew.

House Number 2
Here is a house that creates peace, harmony and balance in anyone’s lives. It is a house suited for relationships, and people who are laid back and friendly. This is a great home for new lovers or people who have lived together for a long time. It will aid in the balancing of any relationship.

However sometimes we are so laid back that one may call it laziness. So don’t forget to get off the sofa and DO. Do what needs to be done to fix the creaky floorboards and cracks in the pavement with this house.

Positive Colour Suggestions: Cream, Green and White.

Interestingly enough, the hubs and I moved into our house soon after we were married. It’s been a great spot for us, and we’re already famming it up with the addition of a pup. The house is a decent starter nest; being both structurally sound and somewhat generic, all sorts of creative remodels are under discussion as ways to personalize our abode.

(via Apartment Therapy)

In no particular order I’ve accomplished the following:

• Napped.
• Designated a bucket for “gray water” collection. Any water that would normally run down the drain is now being collected in a special bucket. For example: the water run down the drain as temperature heats up for showers or washing dishes, pre-soap. At the end of each day, I take the bucket outside and water my (non-edible) plants.
• Read a book: The Pharmacist’s Mate by Amy Fusselman. A most satisfying McSweeney’s selection from 2001, TPM is a memoir written in the time following the death of Fusselman’s father.
• Created a workshop en plein air. Within the confines of a somewhat enclosed patio I’ve placed a pair of benches. The current configuration allows one surface to be used for repotting and other gardening tasks, while the second is set up for painting and finishing furniture.
• Transplanted the dozen (or so) ferns from the side yard into containers in the back yard. The containers have been topped off with river rocks to keep Winslow “Dirtmouth” Gray from digging up the fragrant earth.
• Napped.
• Painted a holder for the gardening hose that’s been relegated to a pile on the ground for the past year. Next up: installation!
• Spent some QT in the great outdoors that is my backyard, which included multiple bird sightings and hearing the racket that is a pair of crows mating in the redwood overhead.
• Hopped around the internet a bit. Found Dutch photographer Peter Funch’s work (via BoingBoing); screamed with appreciation for his thematically composited photos. For example:

Following Followers, Peter Funch

While not technically “on sabbatical”, I am taking a week off work to recharge.

It’s a perfect time to be out of the office!  Spring is blooming in the yard and each sunny day is touched by breezes; kites are all the rage at Cesar Chavez.  Not to mention how much I’ve missed spending long days with the pup.  We must practice napping in the sunshine.

The Winslow

Before

My front yard could be described as a feature that “needs some TLC” (see above). It just so happens that I have a lot of care to give!

I’ve been saving my pennies, and feel I’m ready to turn the copper into some TLC. After all is said and done, the aim is to create a thriving, low-maintenance garden that welcomes us when we come home, encourages visitors when they drop by and allows for puppy romping.

While not completely visible in the “before” picture above, there is a side entrance to my house on the right in the form of a semi-concealed gate (aka the front gate). Behind the front gate is a side yard, also suffering from a TLC-deficit. There is a second gate on the left leading to the backyard. The presence of a high wooden fence on either side of the house and the absence of a clear front entrance has been good for deterring solicitors and burglers, but bad for visiting friends. I’ve often heard people say they didn’t know how to get to the front door!

Had a meeting with Julie Gordon this morning to talk about a front yard garden re-do. I’m pretty flexible about plant specifics; Julie’s knowledge about suitable plants for the location in terms of light, water and soil requirements trump any need I have for a particular plant.

Detail from a Julie Gordon-scape

Talking visuals and arrangement ideas with her affirmed my comfort with entrusting her to design details. After spending some time up in the clouds of wishful thinking, we returned to the real world by concluding the appointment with a discussion of measurements, budgets and timing. Julie is going to draft a budget for the project we discussed: plantlets, fencing, high-tech/timed drip system, and perhaps a porch enbiggening. I’m curious to see how much my dreams cost.

Charlie Becker, Pod-Rat-OX

As an SF Bay Area native, I don’t feel a strong pull to head down to LA.  At least I haven’t, until now.

I’d like to see an art show at Giant Robot 2 (in LA) but alas, I won’t make it before the April 15 closing night.  In case you are in the area and can make it, here are the details:

Giant Robot is proud to host Year of the Ox, a group art show celebrating year 4707 on the lunar calendar. Pieces will include illustration, oils, pencils, prints, watercolor, sculpture, and other media-all dedicated to the hardest-working animal of the Chinese zodiac cycle.

GR2
2062 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
gr2.net
(310) 445-9276

I shudder to think about harm coming to my dog.

I can’t imagine what it was like for the family of Sophie Tucker when she fell overboard into the sea off Australia.  Surprisingly, Sophie survived the rough sea and swam 5 nautical miles (!!!) to an island where she survived alone for 4 months.  Previously a house “pet”, Sophie  apparently caught and ate baby wild goats on the island to survive.

Sophie Tucker, Wonder Dog

After an exuberant reunion with her human family, Sophie has rapidly acclimated to domestic life; she seemed eager to exchange the solitary hunting life for human companionship and air conditioning.

If Sophie’s story isn’t touching enough (of if you want to get a cuteness overload) check out Casey.  A chihuahua/terrier mix, Casey is dang eager to please.

A special feature over at New Scientist called The Five Ages of the Brain is an interesting (and readable) survey of human brain capability and functional change during the following formative stages: gestation, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age.

Throughout life our brains undergo more changes than any other part of the body. These can be broadly divided into five stages, each profoundly affecting our abilities and behaviour.

But we are not just passengers in this process, so how can we get the best out of our brains at every stage and pass the best possible organ on to the next?