I'd say this video is more on the mark...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpU8sX10_4

Well, to start with the Democrats have super-majorities in the Senate and the House, as well as the Presidency, and the media. If they can't accomplish anything, then it is because of their own incompetence and ineptitude (no shortage of either).

Second, maybe if the Obama & the Demos had an agenda worth supporting they'd get more Republicans behind them. As it is, their agenda is so radical and out of touch that only the far left fringe supports it, and even that support is factionalized and combative. I'd say that makes the Republican Party of "No" the side of the people and the side of the sensible.

And lastly, Gridlock is the best thing that ever happens in our political system. I applaud any group that kneecaps government. I wish the Democrats had been more willing to play that role with Bush2. The country was served well with opposition in the Congress to the Presidents under Reagan, Bush1, and Clinton. It is Bush2 and BO have/had congress in their pockets - to the detriment of the nation. The best thing that could happen for the U.S. is for both the House and Senate to go to the GOP and freeze up the government like an IBM 486 trying to run Crysis2.

Obstructionism. More = better as far as government goes.

Thanks!

I didn't even notice that feature when I read through the article!

And, by the bye,

37:19, yours truly :-)

>> ^entr0py:

>> ^Trancecoach:
The NY times gave it a more critical examination.

The "play against Watson" feature was pretty interesting. Even sifters who don't have patience for an 8 page article might enjoy that.
Yes, he beat me. Though I got 12 correct answers to his 10, he's is better at holding back when he's unsure and avoiding bad guesses. Final score 14:22 Watson

>> ^Trancecoach:

The NY times gave it a more critical examination.


The "play against Watson" feature was pretty interesting. Even sifters who don't have patience for an 8 page article might enjoy that.

Yes, he beat me. Though I got 12 correct answers to his 10, he's is better at holding back when he's unsure and avoiding bad guesses. Final score 14:22 Watson

>> ^NetRunner:

Today Jeopardy, tomorrow the world.


Your mother, Alex. [fake Sean Connery's voice]

Bah this is frustrating. *discuss

I believe that since siftbot no longer discards videos after they become dead, this video should be returned to being alive, seeing as this video: http://videosift.com/video/IBM-Powers-Of-Ten-amazing-9-minute-science-video which has been posted 7 months later is still functional!

Also I reserve the right for declaring the dupe

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Sure, there will always be a place for PCs - just like we still have high end "mainframe" servers today. Just don't expect to see PCs in the living room for too many more years.
>> ^gwiz665:
I will gladly eat my words, if I'm mistaken. But I really, reeeally doubt it will be a mac/PC killer. It will be an alternative product - maybe laptop killer, but it cannot replace what desktop machines do (games, development, typing). It's basically the beginning of the paperless newspaper, I think. But I think the fact that it is bigger than your pocket will be a factor.
>> ^dag:
^ OK - I'll hold you to your prediction and we'll revisit in a couple of years. Here's my iPad prediction:
It's going to be huge. Much bigger in impact than the iPod or iPhone. Maybe not in total units sold, but in shaping a whole new class of device. Expect Nooks and Kindles to follow suit with devices that add movies and TV. Microsoft will also get in on the action- too late as usual, as they'll continue to push using a "windows" type environment- which doesn't translate well - but eventually they will be pulled by gravity to a windowless type UI tablet device.
The iPad- or a very similar device - will be the Mac/PC killer. We've had the the same paradigm (mouse, windows, drag, point, click) for over 20 years. It's time to move on.

>> ^gwiz665:
Anything successful gets copied by everyone else. Businesses travel in packs. Apple have been good blazing the trail for markets like ipods and iphone, but like all first movers there are plenty of problems with the trailblazing products, which clones can fix in their version.
It's IBM 100% compatible PC all over again. I'm pretty happy that IBM made the model that made the PCs what they are today, but the clone companies have a big hand in shaping the market too.
As long as Apple can keep innovating, more power to them.
(I still think the ipad is a weaker product than the iphone, but we'll see.)

I will gladly eat my words, if I'm mistaken. But I really, reeeally doubt it will be a mac/PC killer. It will be an alternative product - maybe laptop killer, but it cannot replace what desktop machines do (games, development, typing). It's basically the beginning of the paperless newspaper, I think. But I think the fact that it is bigger than your pocket will be a factor.

>> ^dag:
^ OK - I'll hold you to your prediction and we'll revisit in a couple of years. Here's my iPad prediction:
It's going to be huge. Much bigger in impact than the iPod or iPhone. Maybe not in total units sold, but in shaping a whole new class of device. Expect Nooks and Kindles to follow suit with devices that add movies and TV. Microsoft will also get in on the action- too late as usual, as they'll continue to push using a "windows" type environment- which doesn't translate well - but eventually they will be pulled by gravity to a windowless type UI tablet device.
The iPad- or a very similar device - will be the Mac/PC killer. We've had the the same paradigm (mouse, windows, drag, point, click) for over 20 years. It's time to move on.

>> ^gwiz665:
Anything successful gets copied by everyone else. Businesses travel in packs. Apple have been good blazing the trail for markets like ipods and iphone, but like all first movers there are plenty of problems with the trailblazing products, which clones can fix in their version.
It's IBM 100% compatible PC all over again. I'm pretty happy that IBM made the model that made the PCs what they are today, but the clone companies have a big hand in shaping the market too.
As long as Apple can keep innovating, more power to them.
(I still think the ipad is a weaker product than the iphone, but we'll see.)

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

^ OK - I'll hold you to your prediction and we'll revisit in a couple of years. Here's my iPad prediction:

It's going to be huge. Much bigger in impact than the iPod or iPhone. Maybe not in total units sold, but in shaping a whole new class of device. Expect Nooks and Kindles to follow suit with devices that add movies and TV. Microsoft will also get in on the action- too late as usual, as they'll continue to push using a "windows" type environment- which doesn't translate well - but eventually they will be pulled by gravity to a windowless type UI tablet device.

The iPad- or a very similar device - will be the Mac/PC killer. We've had the the same paradigm (mouse, windows, drag, point, click) for over 20 years. It's time to move on.


>> ^gwiz665:
Anything successful gets copied by everyone else. Businesses travel in packs. Apple have been good blazing the trail for markets like ipods and iphone, but like all first movers there are plenty of problems with the trailblazing products, which clones can fix in their version.
It's IBM 100% compatible PC all over again. I'm pretty happy that IBM made the model that made the PCs what they are today, but the clone companies have a big hand in shaping the market too.
As long as Apple can keep innovating, more power to them.
(I still think the ipad is a weaker product than the iphone, but we'll see.)

Anything successful gets copied by everyone else. Businesses travel in packs. Apple have been good blazing the trail for markets like ipods and iphone, but like all first movers there are plenty of problems with the trailblazing products, which clones can fix in their version.

It's IBM 100% compatible PC all over again. I'm pretty happy that IBM made the model that made the PCs what they are today, but the clone companies have a big hand in shaping the market too.

As long as Apple can keep innovating, more power to them.

(I still think the ipad is a weaker product than the iphone, but we'll see.)

>> ^dag:
Google's recent activity is worrying. Maybe I should be alarmed by them, but I'm not. Probably because Google is built on a core of innovation instead of copycatting and lawsuits. If Microsoft was a person (and I guess it is, according to the SCOTUS) then I would say it suffers from poor self-esteem. There must be a recognition of that within the company- that they have little innovation to be proud of - and that's what drives their company ethos. Oh and this of course.>> ^Croccydile:
>> ^campionidelmondo:
I'm more worried about Google to be honest. They're starting to control too much information, spreading into every sector. They just launched a social network, will launch their own phone as well as operating system and so on... Not that M$ doesn't suck, but then again most corporations are evil. Yes, Apple too.

Speak of the devil... http://www.gaborcselle.com/blog/2010/02/remail-acquired-by-google.html
This is only one small company, but that is even beyond Microsoft to not only buy them, but remove the product. At least when Microsoft bought Visio they kept selling it!



I understand your concerns given Microsofts history, but at the same time you cite copycatting when you point to DR-DOS... which was well after the fact. Really that was just poor Gary Kildall trying to recoup the old glory that was CP/M since nobody else was using it by that point.

"IBM originally approached Digital Research, seeking an x86 version of CP/M. However, there were disagreements over the contract, and IBM withdrew. Instead, a deal was struck with Microsoft, who purchased another operating system, 86-DOS, from Seattle Computer Products."

Sorry Gary, you had the chance for what was the deal of the century and lost it to Microsoft who saw someone had already made a clone of CP/M, bought it, spruced it up, licensed it to IBM and made billions off a $50,000 investment. Are we really supposed to feel that bad for those who missed that boat in the 80s? Imagine how pissed the dude who sold 86-DOS must be right now.

(Sorry, just nitpicking because even though MS has been a copycat at times... you gave probably the worst example Don't worry we still love you. I would hardly say Microsoft is lacking innovation as well with all of the side projects they have been churning out lately. But I digress I am the Microsoft apologist since they are an easy target I feel the need to make a counterpoint)

Here's the old-school version
http://www.videosift.com/video/IBM-Powers-Of-Ten-amazing-9-minute-science-video
And a happy Monty Python version
http://www.videosift.com/video/Powers-Of-Ten-Galaxy-Song

Great video.

The IBM ad at the end claims US traffic creates 45% of the world's air pollution. I think a congestion tax makes economic sense, but that stat sounds like nonsense.

The entire US, including not just automobile transportion but also industry, generates 21% of the world's carbon dioxide,1 which is less than China. None of the most polluted cities are in the US.

Reminds me of the Powers of Ten video. Also, of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Total Perspective Vortex.

IBM (among others) is making some nice progress simulating brain function with the intent of reverse-engineering the processes of cognition. Perhaps that will shed some light on these questions.

The substance dualism argument is an "argument from ignorance". It rightfully points out that current theories of perception are not complete, but then begins filling in those gaps with unsupported speculation. The fact that our theories are not complete is not evidence for the existence of souls any more than a person's inability to identify a light in the sky is evidence of alien visitation.

Anything that affects the physical world is testable, even if we do not currently have the tools to see it. If there are immortal souls then we will find the exact way in which they affect the physical world.

However, there are always people who begin with a conclusion and then look for evidence that supports it, and for such people any hole in our established understanding is evidence for their belief. Those are they types of people QS's video seems to address. There may be souls or whatever people think are there beyond death, but until we have actual evidence supporting that position then any confidence in such speculation is misplaced.

IBM, keeping you safe from fireworks and loud birds 24 hours a day!