IS THAT LATIN?
What the H.A.L.? – Researchers have made new developments in the world of cognitive computing, or A.I. The field has seen a lull in recent years, either due to scares inspired by The Matrix, or boredom induced sleep inspired by the movie A.I.
In addition to things like voice-recognition software and cars that drive themselves are developments like swimming pools in France that interpret swimming patterns and alert your friends if you are drowning. This is good because the French are drunks. Lives have been saved, apparently. Also, video games use cognitive computing to make fake video game characters seem more real, which is a great boon for real people who wish they were fake video game characters.
There have also been some remarkable advances in replacing human CEOs with computers.
Bound to be critical in the coming Presidential elections.
Makes Me Wanna Holler – The Brookings Institution issued a report on what is called a “Ghetto Tax,” referring to the added expense of living and shopping in low-income areas.
In addition to increased rates for things like auto and health insurance premiums, low-income families tend to pay more for things like rent-to-own appliances, groceries, and auto loans. A large part of the problem is that low-income families – defined here as under $30,000 per annum and not the archaic numbers the government uses – are unable to comparison shop online, due to lack of access and credit. And because “underdeveloped” tends to mean no banks, residents are paying between $5 and $50 fees to cash paychecks.
The Times writes:
Measures that reduced the price of essential goods and services for low-income Americans by just 1 percent would put an additional $6.5 billion a year in their hands, said the report, titled “From Poverty, Opportunity.”
Several officials in different place around the nation are working to reduce this burden, though, as the story says, things like raising the minimum wage, building better schools, and providing access to healthcare will help much more.
Deval Patrick Offers Some Solutions for the Big Dig – Candidate for governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick today published an editorial in the Boston Globe outlining his position on the Big Dig restoration and oversight. You should read it.
This is, of course, tricky, given the fact that one does not want to making political hay out of a woman’s death. However, this is a political issue that will only be resolved in political circles, so his commentary is fitting.
One response here.
Don’t Call It A Comeback – Celebrating his 20th year as a US citizen, Yakov Smirnoff, the man made famous for allowing us to snicker at the tragedy of Cold War Soviet life, will be teaching a class at Missouri State University. The subject: “Living happily Ever Laughter.” Ever laughter…lord that guy is funny. No wonder he is TWO TIME comedian of the year. TWICE!
Yakov homebases in Branson MO, so he is a sure fit at Missouri State where he will teach the Psych class on the value of laughter in forming and sustaining relationships. Yakov of course, has experience in the diplomatic value of laughter, as seen by his early popularity and his subsequent not being deported. We can only pray that the experience allows him to form more clever observations about life in state institutions.
In addition to things like voice-recognition software and cars that drive themselves are developments like swimming pools in France that interpret swimming patterns and alert your friends if you are drowning. This is good because the French are drunks. Lives have been saved, apparently. Also, video games use cognitive computing to make fake video game characters seem more real, which is a great boon for real people who wish they were fake video game characters.There have also been some remarkable advances in replacing human CEOs with computers.
Bound to be critical in the coming Presidential elections.
Makes Me Wanna Holler – The Brookings Institution issued a report on what is called a “Ghetto Tax,” referring to the added expense of living and shopping in low-income areas.
In addition to increased rates for things like auto and health insurance premiums, low-income families tend to pay more for things like rent-to-own appliances, groceries, and auto loans. A large part of the problem is that low-income families – defined here as under $30,000 per annum and not the archaic numbers the government uses – are unable to comparison shop online, due to lack of access and credit. And because “underdeveloped” tends to mean no banks, residents are paying between $5 and $50 fees to cash paychecks.
The Times writes:
Measures that reduced the price of essential goods and services for low-income Americans by just 1 percent would put an additional $6.5 billion a year in their hands, said the report, titled “From Poverty, Opportunity.”
Several officials in different place around the nation are working to reduce this burden, though, as the story says, things like raising the minimum wage, building better schools, and providing access to healthcare will help much more.
Deval Patrick Offers Some Solutions for the Big Dig – Candidate for governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick today published an editorial in the Boston Globe outlining his position on the Big Dig restoration and oversight. You should read it.
This is, of course, tricky, given the fact that one does not want to making political hay out of a woman’s death. However, this is a political issue that will only be resolved in political circles, so his commentary is fitting.
One response here.
Don’t Call It A Comeback – Celebrating his 20th year as a US citizen, Yakov Smirnoff, the man made famous for allowing us to snicker at the tragedy of Cold War Soviet life, will be teaching a class at Missouri State University. The subject: “Living happily Ever Laughter.” Ever laughter…lord that guy is funny. No wonder he is TWO TIME comedian of the year. TWICE!Yakov homebases in Branson MO, so he is a sure fit at Missouri State where he will teach the Psych class on the value of laughter in forming and sustaining relationships. Yakov of course, has experience in the diplomatic value of laughter, as seen by his early popularity and his subsequent not being deported. We can only pray that the experience allows him to form more clever observations about life in state institutions.
posted by Mike | 12:45 PM
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