re: Jesse Helms' Economist Obit
Jesse Helms was a man that stuck to his upbringing and refused to see the world any other way, which can oftentimes be expected of someone his age. He was abrupt, discourteous, and uncompromising, but he also did a lot of good in his time on this earth. I will agree that it's a shame a man like that was so involved in our media and government and allowed to cloud the minds of everyone he came in contact with, but at least he owned his prejudice. It was not unheard of taking into account the time period.
Overall, I think the obituary is fair and even further, I believe it is probably how he would have wanted it. He wasn’t ashamed of saying what he thought, which is admirable in some sense.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Jeff Han's Breakthrough Touch-screen Computer
re: Jeff Han's Breakthrough Touch-screen Computer
The future is definitely looking bright because of people like Jeff Han. With this touch-screen computer, we see a device that is intuitive as well as efficient that takes away the confusion of the common user interface. This device could (and most likely will) change the future of accessibility, making the user experience practically worry-free.
The touch screen demoed by Jeff Han could be used to add a a little more depth to a field such as graphic design or it could be utilized as a learning device for people with disabilities. A home builder could use this touch-screen device to design an entire home or preschool children could build their own little dream world with only their hands. The possibilities are truly endless for people of all ages, backgrounds, and technical experience.
If I had Jeff Han's touch-screen computer, I'd use it for a number of things including the work I currently do with designing. It would also be pretty awesome to show off when people come over for dinner, but that would be entirely secondary.
The future is definitely looking bright because of people like Jeff Han. With this touch-screen computer, we see a device that is intuitive as well as efficient that takes away the confusion of the common user interface. This device could (and most likely will) change the future of accessibility, making the user experience practically worry-free.
The touch screen demoed by Jeff Han could be used to add a a little more depth to a field such as graphic design or it could be utilized as a learning device for people with disabilities. A home builder could use this touch-screen device to design an entire home or preschool children could build their own little dream world with only their hands. The possibilities are truly endless for people of all ages, backgrounds, and technical experience.
If I had Jeff Han's touch-screen computer, I'd use it for a number of things including the work I currently do with designing. It would also be pretty awesome to show off when people come over for dinner, but that would be entirely secondary.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Top 100 Public Intellectuals: Cool Facts
V.S. Ramachandran, India
Neuroscientist
V.S. Ramachandran is best known for his work on neurological syndromes such as phantom limbs, autism, neglect, and his pioneering work on synesthesia, a condition where the subject sees numbers, letters, and symbols as colors, even when they are in black and white form. He also invented the mirror box, his contribution to fixing phantom limb symptoms. Ramachandran was referred to by Richard Dawkins as “The Marco Polo of neuroscience” and by Newsweek magazine as one of the “hundred most prominent people to watch” in the 21st century. He was also given the title of Padma Bhushan, awarded to recognize distinguished service to the nation, by the President of India in 2007.
Richard Posner, United States
Judge, author
Richard Posner is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He was named in a 2004 poll by Legal Affairs magazine as one of the top twenty legal thinkers in the U.S. and is very well known for his shocking positions on a variety of important issues. A journalist for The Washington Post wrote that he believes Posner will never sit on the Supreme court despite his “obvious brilliance”, because his positions are seen by some as “outrageous”. For example, he argued that buying and selling babies on the free market would lead to better outcomes than our present situation – government-regulated adoption. He is also known for joking about support for the legalization of marijuana and LSD.
Daniel Dennett, United States
Philosopher
Daniel Dennett is currently a professor of philosophy at Tufts University who describes himself as an autodidact, more of a self-taught person than a school-trained person. He claims to have introduced the first Frisbee to the U.K. while he was at Oxford and is an avid sailor. Much like ethologist Richard Dawkins, his views on evolution are identified as being adaptationist, a set of methods for distinguishing the products of adaptation from traits that arise through other processes. In 2006, Dennett was hospitalized due to an aortic dissection and was given a new aorta. He then wrote an essay with a firsthand account of his health problems, his gratitude toward the doctors and scientists who saved his life, and his lack of a deathbed conversion.
Neuroscientist
V.S. Ramachandran is best known for his work on neurological syndromes such as phantom limbs, autism, neglect, and his pioneering work on synesthesia, a condition where the subject sees numbers, letters, and symbols as colors, even when they are in black and white form. He also invented the mirror box, his contribution to fixing phantom limb symptoms. Ramachandran was referred to by Richard Dawkins as “The Marco Polo of neuroscience” and by Newsweek magazine as one of the “hundred most prominent people to watch” in the 21st century. He was also given the title of Padma Bhushan, awarded to recognize distinguished service to the nation, by the President of India in 2007.
Richard Posner, United States
Judge, author
Richard Posner is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He was named in a 2004 poll by Legal Affairs magazine as one of the top twenty legal thinkers in the U.S. and is very well known for his shocking positions on a variety of important issues. A journalist for The Washington Post wrote that he believes Posner will never sit on the Supreme court despite his “obvious brilliance”, because his positions are seen by some as “outrageous”. For example, he argued that buying and selling babies on the free market would lead to better outcomes than our present situation – government-regulated adoption. He is also known for joking about support for the legalization of marijuana and LSD.
Daniel Dennett, United States
Philosopher
Daniel Dennett is currently a professor of philosophy at Tufts University who describes himself as an autodidact, more of a self-taught person than a school-trained person. He claims to have introduced the first Frisbee to the U.K. while he was at Oxford and is an avid sailor. Much like ethologist Richard Dawkins, his views on evolution are identified as being adaptationist, a set of methods for distinguishing the products of adaptation from traits that arise through other processes. In 2006, Dennett was hospitalized due to an aortic dissection and was given a new aorta. He then wrote an essay with a firsthand account of his health problems, his gratitude toward the doctors and scientists who saved his life, and his lack of a deathbed conversion.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Jill Bolte Taylor's Powerful Stroke of Insight
View the related video
Listening to Jill Bolte Taylor recounting the experience which could have easily been the final moments of her life, I was completely taken aback. Though the story seemed to me a bit sad, I was amazed by the sheer serendipity of it all. What are the chances of being a brain scientist and having the opportunity to witness what happens when the brain shuts down, step by painful step? What are the chances of living to share such a life-changing story with the world? It's just phenomenal.
Jill Taylor's story puts much focus on the right and left hemispheres of the brain and the very different functions of each. The left side of the brain thinks in words and relies on logic, breaking everything down into linear processes, while the right side of the brain associates using pictures and is heavily reliant on feelings. The right brain is subjective; the left brain is objective. Taking all of this into consideration, I believe I am an almost equal mix of right- and left-brained thinking, right being a bit more dominant.
Though I'm an emotional being, I have learned over the years to separate feelings from logic in order to make myself a stronger person. Emotions are inherently illogical, so this seems like fairly good practice. I love words and pictures equally, but I'm not a big fan of numbers. Numbers aren't passionate and although you can roll them off the tip of your tongue, I find it hard to see beauty in the numeral system. It's not that I'm bad with numbers, I just prefer not to associate with them unless I absolutely have to. I do, however, associate with my little friend logic fairly often. Mathematical or otherwise, logic isn't the friend you just want to tag along; you want this guy right at your side, helping you through even the most difficult decisions. (Also, a glass of Pinot Grigio is a great choice for your other side.)
Listening to Jill Bolte Taylor recounting the experience which could have easily been the final moments of her life, I was completely taken aback. Though the story seemed to me a bit sad, I was amazed by the sheer serendipity of it all. What are the chances of being a brain scientist and having the opportunity to witness what happens when the brain shuts down, step by painful step? What are the chances of living to share such a life-changing story with the world? It's just phenomenal.
Jill Taylor's story puts much focus on the right and left hemispheres of the brain and the very different functions of each. The left side of the brain thinks in words and relies on logic, breaking everything down into linear processes, while the right side of the brain associates using pictures and is heavily reliant on feelings. The right brain is subjective; the left brain is objective. Taking all of this into consideration, I believe I am an almost equal mix of right- and left-brained thinking, right being a bit more dominant.
Though I'm an emotional being, I have learned over the years to separate feelings from logic in order to make myself a stronger person. Emotions are inherently illogical, so this seems like fairly good practice. I love words and pictures equally, but I'm not a big fan of numbers. Numbers aren't passionate and although you can roll them off the tip of your tongue, I find it hard to see beauty in the numeral system. It's not that I'm bad with numbers, I just prefer not to associate with them unless I absolutely have to. I do, however, associate with my little friend logic fairly often. Mathematical or otherwise, logic isn't the friend you just want to tag along; you want this guy right at your side, helping you through even the most difficult decisions. (Also, a glass of Pinot Grigio is a great choice for your other side.)
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