“People wonder whether it’s legitimate to talk of Watson as a He, but really the more pressing question is whether we can even speak of an It. In an important sense, there is no Watson. If Watson is a machine, then it is a machine in the way that a nuclear power plant is a machine.”
Tag: 02.18.11
Man Versus Machine – Why We Have Nothing To Worry About
“Although we always use the latest gadget as a metaphor for the black box of the mind — our nerves were like telegraphs before they were like telephone exchanges before they were like computers — the reality is that our inventions are pretty paltry substitutes. Natural selection has nothing to worry about.”
Liverpool City Council Proposes 20% Cut in Arts Funding
“Liverpool City Council has published budget proposals that will see it reduce its arts funding by £1.8 million … The cuts translate to 20% reduction in funding to the city’s main arts organisations,” including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Everyman and Playhouse theatres, and the Liverpool Performing Arts Festival.
The Rise Of E-Book Lending
“One thing not happening as e-book lending booms is the kind of piracy that accompanied the digitization of other media. Where music and film buffs rip and hack, book lovers so far remain content to borrow temporarily on strict terms dictated by publishers, retailers and librarians.”
The Mystery Of Robert Ludlum’s Death
“A decade later, Ludlum’s death has become the subject of an inflammatory book that raises startling questions about the final weeks of the ailing author, who changed his will shortly before he died.”
Michigan Film Industry Boomed Because Of Tax Policy. Now?
“Since offering a film tax credit of up to 42% in 2008, the state has attracted more than 100 movie and TV productions, including “Transformers 3” and the new ABC cop drama “Detroit 1-8-7.” Spending on film productions in the state has mushroomed to $224 million in 2009 from $2 million in 2007, according to the Michigan Film Office.”
Michigan Governor’s Cuts Kill State’s Film Industry
“Unless state legislators show a spirit that our numbers-only governor does not, the movie and TV business is dead in Michigan.”
Chicago’s A City Of Culture. So What Do Mayoral Candidates Propose?
“Rahm Emanuel and Carol Moseley Braun want Chicago to create a new cultural plan. Miguel del Valle believes the Loop theater district does not need new tax incentives. Gery Chico says Chicago must find a way to expand library hours.”
Caravaggio’s Police Record Reveal (Man Was A Bad Dude)
“The picture the documents paint is that of an irascible man who went about town carrying personal weapons – a sword and dagger, and even a pistol – without a written permit, boasting that he enjoyed the protection of the ecclesiastical authorities who commissioned some of his most famous works.”
Rethinking How We Rethink Technology And Books
“We now know the future of serious reading and writing lies on the screen. But how should we build that future? The conservative answer has been to reproduce each aspect of the book on the screen, adding some incremental changes like color pictures or video illustration to compensate for the expense and inconvenience. I think we can do more.”