First evening in Paris, I'm feeling slightly discombobulated. The streets aren't straight, and we got quite lost on the way to the apartment *home* this evening.
First impressions of Parisians-- there was graffiti everywhere on the train ride into the city (like it's not controlled much).
Parents are very allowing of children to be outspoken--the light in babies faces is very different from USA babies-- parents allow the kids to be more determined--it's very hard to describe this difference.
There are many subtle language differences as well but I don't have command of the language so I digress. It seems to express similar ideas to our language but it does so in a way that is unique to being French.
I love it here.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Digestible chunks of reality
Buzz Zap!!! We were talking about robots after being inspired by this video on you-tube. It shows a robot able to cover a variety of terrains without falling over. Wow!
Being nerdy, we all had our input into the conversation. Here are a few of the things I took from us talking:
--memory and learning are simpler than you might think--Rosenfield uses a constructivist approach to explain how memory is built. His take is that memory is made up of the connections between neurons (rather than just being a retrieval system) and is therefore constantly being created by simultaneous stimuli that create a unique pathway in your brain.
--actually the other way of dealing with learning robots makes sense too. We have instincts which are 'hard-wired' into our mind--like little subroutines that can be 'called' when they're needed
--Lego robots--modular electronic components fused with legos, that could be built lego-style into a circuit--would be pretty cool. Kids could learn how to build working robots, people could make robots based on the need of the day
This morning I was thinking back on all of this and realized that going from simultaneous stimuli like Rosenfield talks about to actual stimulus & response behavior --it's all about the coding. How can you take impressions of the big world and make them digestible for a computer brain to decide what actions to take? What is the streamline-iest way to make a robot learn? Could we make a rubber-band powered robot?
Nerdy nerdy nerdy
As for making the big world digestible, I think the next big wave is going to skip reading research articles and just reading reviews of these articles, because there's too much to go through. That's what I'm doing for now anyway.
Being nerdy, we all had our input into the conversation. Here are a few of the things I took from us talking:
--memory and learning are simpler than you might think--Rosenfield uses a constructivist approach to explain how memory is built. His take is that memory is made up of the connections between neurons (rather than just being a retrieval system) and is therefore constantly being created by simultaneous stimuli that create a unique pathway in your brain.
--actually the other way of dealing with learning robots makes sense too. We have instincts which are 'hard-wired' into our mind--like little subroutines that can be 'called' when they're needed
--Lego robots--modular electronic components fused with legos, that could be built lego-style into a circuit--would be pretty cool. Kids could learn how to build working robots, people could make robots based on the need of the day
This morning I was thinking back on all of this and realized that going from simultaneous stimuli like Rosenfield talks about to actual stimulus & response behavior --it's all about the coding. How can you take impressions of the big world and make them digestible for a computer brain to decide what actions to take? What is the streamline-iest way to make a robot learn? Could we make a rubber-band powered robot?
Nerdy nerdy nerdy
As for making the big world digestible, I think the next big wave is going to skip reading research articles and just reading reviews of these articles, because there's too much to go through. That's what I'm doing for now anyway.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Just a Quick Update
Blah blah blah...I've re-read my recent posts and it's way too dry. Not a lot of vivaciousness to be sure, dear reader.
Here's an update about why I haven't been posting lately. I'm doing too much!
1) I learned to bake for Bouzies Bakery and covered for Thomas who was in France for 3 weeks
2) We're re-painting the house in expectation of Kathy's birthday extravaganza
3) I'm also delivery driving for the bakery
4) and applying for teaching jobs for this fall
5) and volunteering on Mondays, tutoring on Tuesdays, and whenever possible working with my dad on the weekends
It's enough to wear me out!
All that aside, my wife Amanda and I are going to FRANCE for too weeks! (After all this house-fixing is over we're renting an apartment near the Arch du Triomph and practicing our French. Amanda's Blog is more loquacious about this adventure.)
So kind reader, I hitherforth will try to write stuff that has more vim to it, for your sake.
Here's an update about why I haven't been posting lately. I'm doing too much!
1) I learned to bake for Bouzies Bakery and covered for Thomas who was in France for 3 weeks
2) We're re-painting the house in expectation of Kathy's birthday extravaganza
3) I'm also delivery driving for the bakery
4) and applying for teaching jobs for this fall
5) and volunteering on Mondays, tutoring on Tuesdays, and whenever possible working with my dad on the weekends
It's enough to wear me out!
All that aside, my wife Amanda and I are going to FRANCE for too weeks! (After all this house-fixing is over we're renting an apartment near the Arch du Triomph and practicing our French. Amanda's Blog is more loquacious about this adventure.)
So kind reader, I hitherforth will try to write stuff that has more vim to it, for your sake.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Illness = Creativity ?
One day I went into the art studio sick, and thus worked in an altered state throughout the day. A few days later I saw the art I had made and thought --hey that is really cool! I've since wondered if being sick had something to do with being creative.
10 minutes browsing only found two other people who think the same thing, here and here. But then I finally found some research on the subject.
In his journal article When Walls Become Doorways: Creativity, Chaos Theory, and Physical Illness, Tobi Zausner addresses the idea of the connection between illness and creativity by researching the lives of 21 visual artists. The artists fell into four categories:
"The artists studied clustered into four patterns. First, a
period of illness preceded choice of a career in art.
Second, illness transformed the creative process and
the art produced. Third, for some artists, illness became
life's focus, with negative consequences to the artists
and their art. Fourth, artists who remained creative
during an incapacitating or terminal illness produced
work in an entirely new medium."
Because the sample size in this study is only 21 people, Zausner concludes that the study is preliminary to actual research about creativity and illness.
Although the idea of creativity when you're sick is counter-intuitive, I thought of a mechanism for the correspondence: being sick activates your immune system, a great heaving part of which is your brain...so you use more of the entirety of your noggin when you're sick. Plus, if you're resting to get well, that's a lot of unused energy looking for ways to get out.
So, if you're sick today, rest up, drink lots of fluids, and play around with a new art medium. You never know what good may come of it.
10 minutes browsing only found two other people who think the same thing, here and here. But then I finally found some research on the subject.
In his journal article When Walls Become Doorways: Creativity, Chaos Theory, and Physical Illness, Tobi Zausner addresses the idea of the connection between illness and creativity by researching the lives of 21 visual artists. The artists fell into four categories:
"The artists studied clustered into four patterns. First, a
period of illness preceded choice of a career in art.
Second, illness transformed the creative process and
the art produced. Third, for some artists, illness became
life's focus, with negative consequences to the artists
and their art. Fourth, artists who remained creative
during an incapacitating or terminal illness produced
work in an entirely new medium."
Because the sample size in this study is only 21 people, Zausner concludes that the study is preliminary to actual research about creativity and illness.
Although the idea of creativity when you're sick is counter-intuitive, I thought of a mechanism for the correspondence: being sick activates your immune system, a great heaving part of which is your brain...so you use more of the entirety of your noggin when you're sick. Plus, if you're resting to get well, that's a lot of unused energy looking for ways to get out.
So, if you're sick today, rest up, drink lots of fluids, and play around with a new art medium. You never know what good may come of it.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Style Track
Each year a photo is taken of the high-school graduating class, and you can see the current trends in hairstyle and clothing. Ten years pass, and there is usually a reunion photo, showing the updated styles.
What gets me is when the classmates with similar hairstyles, although separated by distance, will often end up with the same hairstyle.
I suppose this could be just the overwhelming pressure of mass media, targeting a frequency I don't perceive, that affects graduates of the same age.
Pop Culture pushes our perceptions here and there, but we are the ones that make the ultimate choice as to our appearance. Or are we? Is there something even more sinister, an unknown force that already has us in its grip? ...A demonic waste-product of Popular Culture that has infiltrated our decision making processes. I call this the "style track".
If you meet up with someone from your generation, and you see the similarity, run! Fight! Flee! Change! Dig deep!
What gets me is when the classmates with similar hairstyles, although separated by distance, will often end up with the same hairstyle.
I suppose this could be just the overwhelming pressure of mass media, targeting a frequency I don't perceive, that affects graduates of the same age.
Pop Culture pushes our perceptions here and there, but we are the ones that make the ultimate choice as to our appearance. Or are we? Is there something even more sinister, an unknown force that already has us in its grip? ...A demonic waste-product of Popular Culture that has infiltrated our decision making processes. I call this the "style track".
If you meet up with someone from your generation, and you see the similarity, run! Fight! Flee! Change! Dig deep!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Values
This concept has been bothering me for a while--I'd like to know what you who read this think.
A lot of value has been placed on material goods--things we're used to having to pay for [like cheese, furniture, and marble countertops]--
while many services have a fee associated with them [electricity, massage, dentistry, and taxi rides]--
In practice, once someone decides to start charging for something, it's value is determined by the invisible hand of economics--supply and demand.
However, there are a lot of things we haven't placed a monetary value on that are very worthwhile [like the air we breathe, social cohesiveness, the value of free speech, etc.]
and I'm wondering if we should assign a value # to them, in order to give these topics fair measure against economically valued items. I mean, if someone intends to extinguish a species, I want to know what it's worth to them.
I have yet to see some other discussion about this, so let's have it out here...
Of course these are made up numbers. To get a real idea of the values to assign things, a token economy would need to be set up and lots of trading done.
But that's the basic notion. What do you think?
A lot of value has been placed on material goods--things we're used to having to pay for [like cheese, furniture, and marble countertops]--
while many services have a fee associated with them [electricity, massage, dentistry, and taxi rides]--
In practice, once someone decides to start charging for something, it's value is determined by the invisible hand of economics--supply and demand.
However, there are a lot of things we haven't placed a monetary value on that are very worthwhile [like the air we breathe, social cohesiveness, the value of free speech, etc.]
and I'm wondering if we should assign a value # to them, in order to give these topics fair measure against economically valued items. I mean, if someone intends to extinguish a species, I want to know what it's worth to them.
I have yet to see some other discussion about this, so let's have it out here...
| Off-limits topic | Economic vested interest |
| Breath of fresh air | $1.00 |
| Peace and quiet | $5.00 |
| First amendment right to free speech | $25 |
| Snake River salmon migration route | $100 |
| Free internet | $1000 |
| A kiss from my sweetie | $10,000 (if they brushed their teeth) |
Of course these are made up numbers. To get a real idea of the values to assign things, a token economy would need to be set up and lots of trading done.
But that's the basic notion. What do you think?
Monday, February 18, 2008
Tough Shit
Tough Shit
would be a pretty cool name for a line of durable---
outerwear,
underwear,
camping gear,
etc.
Pretty much anything durable could be sold under the label "Tough Shit" and it would catch on quickly.
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