Quote of the Day, February 4, 2006

All knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.

- Leonardo da Vinci

I'm Ready for the Robot Uprising. Are you?

I just got the book How to Survive a Robot Uprising. Apparently, I have long been prepared for one aspect of surviving this particular kind of apocalypse. In order to conspire with your fellow humans, you must be able to talk to one another. But speech recognition software will allow the robots to know what you are saying - unless you can fool that software. One suggestion is to mix languages. Another is to make up words. They suggest using street slang or acronyms. But why take chances? Use a made-up language that is a mix of different languages and made-up words. Mutran el persoai persos! Irogas nikeki!

...with David Bowie as Nikola Tesla

No, really. I have heard nothing whatsoever about this movie. But that cast list calls to me for some reason.

Tim Kaine's Eyebrow Goes National

Tim Kaine did the Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union. It was the nation's first real exposure to his possessed eyebrow. And sure enough, people are talking about it. Just remember, folks. Don't stare at it too long, or it might hypnotize you.

Mindless Political Debate

But I repeat myself. A new study "points to a total lack of reason in political decision-making... 'Essentially, it appears as if partisans twirl the cognitive kaleidoscope until they get the conclusions they want, and then they get massively reinforced for it, with the elimination of negative emotional states and activation of positive ones.'" In other words, they get high on politcal spin.