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AI Busted for Practicing Law
A (weak) artificial intelligence in the form of an expert system has been cited for thinking too much. A web-based “expert system” that helped users prepare bankruptcy filings for a fee made too many decisions to be considered a clerical tool, an appeals court said last week, ruling that the software was effectively practicing law…
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Net Neutrality Video
SaveTheInternet.com, a Net Neutrality activist group, have just released an excellent video in support of a new law that would make Net Neutrality the law of the land. As Cory Doctorow says, “If the people around you don’t understand Net Neutrality, show them this. Show this to five friends this weekend, sign them up, and…
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TARDIS-Shaped USB Hub
This four-port USB hub is shaped like Dr. Who’s TARDIS. The blue light on top flashes and the hub makes the “vworp vworp” dematerializing sound whenever you connect or disconnect a device. Link (via Gizmodo)
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Joke
function Cthulhu() { print “Gadzooks! Tentacles!”; return 1; } $eldritch = Cthulhu(); // the call of Cthulhu (This suddenly occurred to me after an overlong coding run. I cracked myself up. It’s time to seek professional help.)
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Logic Goats–Uh, Gates…No, Goats
Here’s a papercraft project that I find much more amusing than it probably ought to be. Teach kids how logic gates work by way of goats. The central processing unit lies at the heart of every computer, a vast collection of microscopically small switches and logic-gates. Now, through the power of paper we bring you…
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Stop the PERFORM Act, Save the Ability to Record Radio
Congress has reintroduced the PERFORM Act, a broadcast flag for radio. If it passes, you can wave goodbye to the idea of recording digital radio or Internet radio. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a Web page to help you write to your Congresscritter to protest this. This bill aims to hobble TiVo-like devices for satellite…
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“Virtual Family Dinners” Help Elderly Shut-Ins
Technology company Accenture is working on a prototype video system that will allow geographically scattered families to get together virtually as often as they’d like. They’re aiming for technology that’s easy for even those who might be intimidated by computers, and which will automatically check to see which family members are available for a visit…
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Life Imitates Snow Crash…Again
I’ve previously written about Snow Crash-like technology coming to the real world. Now Google Earth is getting in on the act. Check it out at Technovelgy.com
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I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me…
This is either really, really neat, or really, really scary. Rity is an autonomous agent, a very special software program that can transfer itself (upload/download) from robots or computers…all by itself. It can upload itself into a mobile robot–like MyBot, a simplified version of robots used to play in the Robot-soccer association–and then actually follow…
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It’s No Coincidence that George Orwell was British
Criminal profilers working for the London Metropolitan Police’s Precrime…I mean, Homicide Prevention Unit are putting together a list of 100 future murderers. They’re not simply keeping a list of violent criminals who are now at large. The project seeks to identify individuals who will, in the future commit serious crimes. Instead of Philip K. Dicksian…