Day: December 9, 2005

As is so often the case, ditching newspeak and “political correctness” almost compels good sense. Such is the case with Fred Reed’s column this week talking common sense about “diversity”—for example:

“Diversity causes nothing but trouble. Think about it. Do old people want to hang around young people? No. Do young people want to hang around old people? Generally they would rather take poison. Do liberals and conservatives want to get within rifle range of each other? No. Except conservatives, because they have rifles.”

And, I might add, know how and when to use ’em. More at the link. Print it out and annoy a moonbat with it.

h.t. to Hugh. I know I’ll never miss a Fred column cos you’ll remind me, Hugh. Thanks.

Served up for Breakfast at Basil’s

Well, almost…

University of Floriday scientists have developed a neural network using rat brain cells and taught it how to fly a plane. Assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida, Dr Thomas DeMarse, used 25,000 neural cells from a rat embryo to grow a neural network he then connected to an F-22 flight simulator. Although it had a steep learning curve and tended to crash a lot, the bio-computer eventually got its wings.

“When we first hooked them up, the plane ‘crashed’ all the time,” Dr DeMarse. “But over time, the neural network slowly adapts as the brain learns to control the pitch and roll of the aircraft. After a while, it produces a nice straight and level trajectory.”

DeMarse hopes to build hybrid computers for work situations, like unmanned space probes, that will be more fault-tolerant than all-inorganic computers.

I’m a little unsure about his “fault-tolerant” organic computer model. I don’t see evidence of Mass Media Podpeople’s and Loony Left Moonbats’ brains developing alternate pathways as their brains waste away… and what of the typical congresscritter? Hmmm, they all seem to give lie to Jerry Pournelle’s comment about how smart morons are… Wouldn’t trust any of ’em to fly a plane (or even a simulator) I was in given their track record on other matters. I’d rather trust a rat’s brain grown in a dish.

h.t. Roland Dobbins commenting at Chaos Manor

Well, almost…

University of Floriday scientists have developed a neural network using rat brain cells and taught it how to fly a plane. Assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida, Dr Thomas DeMarse, used 25,000 neural cells from a rat embryo to grow a neural network he then connected to an F-22 flight simulator. Although it had a steep learning curve and tended to crash a lot, the bio-computer eventually got its wings.

“When we first hooked them up, the plane ‘crashed’ all the time,” Dr DeMarse. “But over time, the neural network slowly adapts as the brain learns to control the pitch and roll of the aircraft. After a while, it produces a nice straight and level trajectory.”

DeMarse hopes to build hybrid computers for work situations, like unmanned space probes, that will be more fault-tolerant than all-inorganic computers.

I’m a little unsure about his “fault-tolerant” organic computer model. I don’t see evidence of Mass Media Podpeople’s and Loony Left Moonbats’ brains developing alternate pathways as their brains waste away… and what of the typical congresscritter? Hmmm, they all seem to give lie to Jerry Pournelle’s comment about how smart morons are… Wouldn’t trust any of ’em to fly a plane (or even a simulator) I was in given their track record on other matters. I’d rather trust a rat’s brain grown in a dish.

h.t. Roland Dobbins commenting at Chaos Manor

“You never appreciate how smart a moron is until you try to program a robot — but robots do get programmed.” –Jerry Pournelle

Which compels the question: “Which are Mass Media Podpeople? Morons or robots?”

Talk amongst yourselves…

Noted at bRight and Early’s Overnigt News Open Post

Now, I’ll admit I’m not your average football fan. (*cough* Haven’t watched a whole game from start to finish any time in the last decade that I can recall—heh. But I do enjoy football in bits and pieces. It’s the whole “watching someone else play a game” thing that bores the heck outa me, most times.) This article about football, however, really held my attemtion:

Coach Leach Goes Deep, Very Deep

Interesting. I might just watch a whole football game sometime in the next decade… Maybe more than one. Who knows?

h.t. Roland Dobbins commenting at Jerry Pournelle’s Chaos Manor.

OK, this is an Open Trackback Alliance Open Post. Link to this post in a post of your own, then trackback. I’ll round things up later.

“Thingie pinged” at TMH’s Bacon Buts’ “Bacon Break — Be Gentle”, Choose Life.

So, I’m open downfield; hit me!