Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen wants to teach machines common sense. Maybe he should start by teaching humans. The Seattle Seahawks owner and mega-investor has earmarked $125 million for a project so artificial intelligence can “approach human abilities,” he said. Oren Etzioni, CEO of AI2, Allen’s AI research center, added that[…] Read On
Blog Archives
Living One-Handed – It’s Way Harder Than You’d Think
Having now spent an entire week with my left hand in a cocoon I can tell you exactly why we evolved with opposing hands. No matter how smart you are, when you’ve only got one hand, it is virtually impossible to do all sorts of basic things that even a[…] Read On
Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Why can’t we all just get along? is the quintessential question that’s dogged humanity since the dawn of civilization. The problem is we’re all so, so, so damn different. Some people are so into gaming or fantasy sports it’s practically all they think about. Others love animals to the point where[…] Read On
Another Name for Healthcare: Torture
Trying to lie still inside the torture chamber known as an MRI machine, I got to thinking about how much we whine, when things can be so much worse. Shouldn’t we be thankful just to have MRIs? Just kidding. In reality, I spent what felt like an eternity wondering how[…] Read On
‘Biggest Tax Cut in U.S. History’ My Ass
Overheard this morning in the Tobak household: “Have you seen this year’s property tax bill?” “I know, right? They’ve piled on a laundry list of local bonds, taxes and initiatives. And the assessment went up.” “Trying to figure out how we’re going to pay it by Friday.” “Take it out[…] Read On
Inexplicable Phenomena That Boggle the Mind
So much about life on Earth makes absolutely no sense at all: If inflammation and swelling are the body’s natural defense when injured, why are we always trying to reduce inflammation and swelling? Software is the only consumer product that’s always broken when you buy it. What makes free people[…] Read On
Journalistic Integrity, RIP
I remember floating around in the pool one summer, reading a fascinating Newsweek (or was it Time?) cover story about how growing replacement organs would soon be plausible. Since these organs would be grown from our own DNA, our bodies would not reject them. The article suggested that relatively simple structures[…] Read On