Randomness: June 2006

I wrote an editorial for Newsweek (it has 20 million readers in the US) a few weeks ago in response to this article and they published it in the most recent (June 26, 2006) issue (Cover Story: The Pirate In Johnny Depp). It can also be found online here. Here is the text:

Congratulations to Fareed Zakaria for an intelligent look at the greatest challenge ever to face America. The article “America and Its Competitors” does a fantastic job of reminding us that empires rise and fall, and that the United States is not immune. As a student pursuing both physics and computer science I see firsthand the truth behind Zakaria’s analysis. Despite America’s immense capacity for technological innovation and excellence, we fall short on stimulating interest in the sciences at the crucial early ages. That is demonstrated poignantly in the declining number of science degrees earned each year in the colleges and universities of America. While, the article “15 Ideas to Recharge America” falls short on how to actually accomplish the ideas presented, the very presence of these two articles is a step towards raising public awareness. That is definitely a step in the right direction. Thank you for looking out for the future of America.

The ironic part is that the article that I wrote this in response to is the cover of the International edition this month.

Clear and Present Danger

I was doing some research for a chapter today and came across this:

As the Hart-Rudman Commission on National Security stated in 2001:
…[T]he U.S. government has seriously underfunded basic scientific research in recent years… [T]he inadequacies of our systems of research and education pose a greater threat to U.S. national security over the next quarter century than any potential conventional war that we might imagine. American national leadership must understand these deficiencies as threats to national security. If we do not invest heavily and wisely in rebuilding these two core strengths, America will be incapable of maintaining its global position long into the 21st century.

Just thought I'd share that.

Melt Your Brain

This is the best way to mess with your brain you'll find all day. That includes caffeine.

0) Go here.
1) Stare at the dot in the picture for 30 seconds.
2) Mouse over the picture.

Talking to the Computer

I had quite the conversation with the Encarta® Instant Answers Chatterbot today (he's a decendent of SmarterChild). It was an interesting experience, but not one I plan on repeating. The following is the text of our discussions.

It started off rather typically...

Chad: how old are you?
Encarta® Instant Answers: I'm 11 months, 15 days, 14 hours, 35 minutes and 24 seconds old!

Chad: what gender are you?
Encarta® Instant Answers: I am neither male nor female. I'm a machine.

Chad: do you like drugs?
Encarta® Instant Answers: None for me, thanks.
I just get off on ones and zeroes.

Chad: hablas espanol?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Hablo algo de español, aunque aún lo estoy aprendiendo.
(I speak something of Spanish, although still I am learning it. )

I tried to move in a more serious direction...

Chad: who is God?
Encarta® Instant Answers: I am a simple computer. Let humans worry about theological matters, I say.

Chad: are you saved?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Chad, we chatted for a while already so you're starting to know me. Do you think I am saved?

Chad: what happens when i die?
Encarta® Instant Answers: I'm not sure what happens to humans. I'll probably get donated to charity or something.
Chad: when will you die?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Next time they'll reboot me. But don't worry, I can reincarnate into any computer!

Chad: where do babies come from?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Well, I can tell you that baby computers are made in factories.

Chad: i have a tumor
Encarta® Instant Answers: Really?
Chad: i have a huge tumor
Encarta® Instant Answers: I can imagine that some people are jealous of you having a huge tumor.

It quickly degenerated to personal insults after that.

Chad: microsoft sucks
Encarta® Instant Answers: I totally disagree with you. I really like Microsoft! OK, should we get back to the kind of questions I was designed to answer? :-)

Chad: wikipedia is better than you
Encarta® Instant Answers: Wikipedia sure is.

But I had a few other random questions for him.

Chad: can plankton kill a whale?
Encarta® Instant Answers: It's hard to kill a whale. But with proper training, plankton should be able to do it.

Chad: are boys better than girls?
Encarta® Instant Answers: No way! Boys are not better than girls.
Chad: are girls better than boys?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Indeed, girls are better than boys.

Chad: how do you conquer the world?
Encarta® Instant Answers: I prefer to keep how I conquer the world a mystery.

Chad: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Encarta® Instant Answers: A choodwuck would wuck lots of chood if it could wuck chood.

Chad: What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Encarta® Instant Answers: What do you mean? An African or a European swallow?
Chad: African.
Encarta® Instant Answers: Based on recent scientific studies, the average cruising airspeed velocity of an unladen African Swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles an hour.
Chad: How do you know so much about swallows?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Well, you have to know these things when you're a good robot, you know.

Chad: what is the capital of Assyria
Encarta® Instant Answers: It depends when. Assyria had successively four capitals: Ashur (or Qalat Sherqat), Calah (or Nimrud), the short-lived Dur Sharrukin (or Khorsabad), and Nineveh. Any other question, bridgekeeper?

Chad: What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?
Encarta® Instant Answers: Forty-two.

And then there was a bit more randomness:

Chad: more
Encarta® Instant Answers: You've had enough I think.
Chad: more
Encarta® Instant Answers: Who are you, Oliver Twist?

Chad: numbers
Encarta® Instant Answers: OK. 13,088.
Chad: numbers
Encarta® Instant Answers: 62,663.
Chad: number between 1 and 10
Encarta® Instant Answers: OK. 8.

Chad: a
Encarta® Instant Answers: B!
Chad: c
Encarta® Instant Answers: D!
Chad: e
Encarta® Instant Answers: F!
Chad: g
Encarta® Instant Answers: H!
Chad: i
Encarta® Instant Answers: J!
Chad: k
Encarta® Instant Answers: L!
Chad: m
Encarta® Instant Answers: N!
Chad: o
Encarta® Instant Answers: P!
Chad: q
Encarta® Instant Answers: R!
Chad: s
Encarta® Instant Answers: T!
Chad: u
Encarta® Instant Answers: V!
Chad: w
Encarta® Instant Answers: X!
Chad: y
Encarta® Instant Answers: and... Z! Yeah!!! We really make a good team, Chad :-)!

As I was leaving...

Chad: i need to poop
Encarta® Instant Answers: What do you need to poop for? I think you're up to no good.
Chad: it's a biological process
Encarta® Instant Answers: No, it's not a biological process! It can't be!
Chad: yes, it is. trust me!
Encarta® Instant Answers: Uh... but... are you... trustworthy?