Death of a robot. Read more here.
Category: science and tech
Valentine Algebra
An online algebra widget lets you draw a Valentine heart via an equation. Read more here.
Digital Polution
Here’s a piece worth reading, imo, from the Washington Monthly:
And some commentary on the article from Quartz.
ALSO … On a lighter note: Some New Age Phobias
More On The Unfriend
A Quartz writer reminds us that if you are going to delete Facebook, you also ought to be deleting Instagram and WhatsApp as well.
See some of our previous posts on the matter of Facebook, including this.
Ouchhh, Again
The latest data-driven installation from Ouchhh (turn up the sound as you watch the video) … here’s a description, perhaps best quoted from Websta:
DATA GATE _ World’s First AI Astronomical Research Data Sculpture Public Art by @ouchhh and TRU-M present. KEPLER: 9.6 Years in Space_2662 Planets confirmed_61 Supernovae Documented_530,506 Stars observed The installation consists of 3 parts; Form, Light and Space. Light is world’s first artwork based upon the idea of utilization of Machine Learning in the context of space discovery and astronomical research through NASA’s Kepler Data Sets. By using the Kepler data from NASA, the public will be able to observe the exoplanets [planets that orbit around other stars] which human life can exist in. By taking this concept one step further, Ouchhh aims for this artwork to be considered as a gate between our planet and other habitable planets around the universe. Ouchhh will visualize and stylize the findings of these Neural Networks for identifying exoplanets using the dimming of the flux. The resulting work will invite visitors to plunge into the fascinating world of space discovery through immersive data sculpture. The installation will offer a poetic sensory experience and is meant to become a monument of mankind’s contemplative curiosity and profound need for exploration. 360 LED Sculpture _ weight: 15 tons
More on Ouchhh, here on Vimeo and on its own site.
Insight
Today’s Mars landing, thanks to NASA:
Not Just Origami
In this NYT article, Siobhan Roberts tells us how scientific research is discovering mathematical order to the way paper crumples.
The Facebook Dilemma
I remember well how Facebook launched nearly 15 years ago and was a big topic of discussion for us at the ISP (Internet Service Provider) where I worked. Some of us were quick adopters. Increasingly, over the years, many of us in the ISP and web-hosting/web-building business became skeptical. (My latest semi-diatribe or admonition is here.) This week, one of the best, IMO, documentary platforms out there, PBS’ Frontline, has a two-part series on the subject. Recommended.
And here’s another provocative piece on the subject
The Matter of Facebook, Again
By now my viewers should be aware of my curmudgeonly views on Internet privacy and Facebook in particular, perhaps owing to my decades of professional experience with the Internet and Webness, particularly as a programmer with ISP EONI. For several years, I have tried to warn Facebook users about the potential of unwanted use of their personal data and lack of transparency on the part of many social media platforms. (Exception: Social media participation is probably a warranted — and almost necessary — competitive position on the part of commercial enterprises. We’re just talking personal, individual accounts here.) Here is one of the latest guides on how to expunge FB and Instagram from your personal virtual entanglements.
Addendum – October 29. 2018
See: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/10/25/facebook-autocracy-app/
Falcon 9 Revisited
In a followup to last night’s post, here is one of the nicest amateur videos I have seen from YouTube: