elfs just postulated an interesting idea on the global financial melt-down, that it was a failed Singularity event. That's a nice idea, and may be worth a story, but even so, the implication in the article he links to, that the meltdown is at least partially the result of brokers being unable to understand what their machines were doing, is one that might bear looking into more deeply...

I woke up with a bad headache this morning, and have been popping aspirin all day to try and keep going, but it's getting worse now. I'm getting that feeling behind the eyes that's sort of like tear gas and decompression at altitude. Don't feel like I can do do much except sit in front of a screen and veg. Maybe I can list some more items on Trade Me. I seriously doubt that I'll get to either ...

Sitting in the back of a MD S80 is not fun. Between the two engines. There is no ignoring their song. Come to think of it, this isn't the first time I this has happened to me on an AA SEA-DFW flight. I should remember this, to avoid it in the future. It would be fun to jump out of one tho. The S80 is the kind with the rear ramp door, that "D.B. Cooper" made famous. Come to think of it, that was out...

But I think a woman wearing ' In the Library ' would certainly get my attention. Yes, I am a geek. Spotted via elfs

elfs has a post worth reading here , noting most importantly a report that White House Deputy Press Secerary Antonio Fratto says this "emergency" plan has been put together over months , and concludes that this is exactly the raw looting you think it is. Also, check out the popular impression of the economy numbers here, particularly the 0% responses in the economic sector. I've never...

By way of elfs and Wil Wheaton : REQUEST FOR URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP From: Minister of the Treasury Paulson Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP Dear American: I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude. I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country...

From giza and elfs . Take a picture of yourself right now. Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture. Post that picture with NO editing. Post these instructions with your picture. Lucky me, I just got out of the shower... about the only time my hair does what I want it to :).

Elf Sternberg has an interesting post on his LiveJournal about AI morality. It's something that we're going to have to think about as a society, most likely sooner than a lot of us think. I personally agree with him; a properly designed AI wouldn't need controls built into it to keep it from turning on us. The most important aspect of Asimov's three laws is their order. Even among our fellow humans...

It's been quite a while since I ran stats for my comments, so... Total comments: 413 1 sarekofvulcan 143 2 qtheallpowerful 32 3 cjmr 26 4 winifred 13 5 Anonymous 13 6 stretfordditto 11 7 annathepiper 10 8 realtegan 9 9 audreyness 8 10 vitaminacetone...

swiped from elfs   This is just toooooooo damn funny...and so true!