daily dose of imagery is a simple view of my day to day visual experience, or my personal photoblog.
I post one photo a day on this web site.
By Sam Javanrouh. The newest addition to my RSS reader.
Monthly Archives: May 2008
Daily Dose of Imagery
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Shikai Maki - The Best Looking Sushi. Ever.
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I’ve loved sushi for as long as I can remember, and since I read Carl’s Sushi: A Layered Technology a few years ago, I’ve also loved making my own sushi - improving and getting more adventurous every time.
On the left, please see my next attempt: Shikai Maki, as demonstrated by myamii over at For the Love of Food. I’m both nervous and excited.
The Meaning of Life. No, Seriously!
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This is what started it all. By bringing some interesting philosophical questions to the table, this discussion got me seriously thinking about what impact not following a structured and continuous personal and professional development plan can have on both my quality of life and that of the world directly around me.
The FAQ on the Meaning of Life is an interesting concept and contains ideas from many diverse schools of thought. However, it’s not written for a wide audience: a science background - and specifically, one in computing - is beneficial, possibly required, to understand the concepts discussed.
So what is The Meaning of Life? I won’t spoil it, but suffice to say that it’s not actually 42, and the Technological Singularity will be the key moment in the evolution of our world.
Lambasting nanotechnology and advocating intelligence enhancement through an increase in research of both Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism, it’s an interesting and thought-provoking read whether you believe none of the conclusions, some of them, or believe it devoutly…
If we could reconfigure our neurons and upgrade the signal propagation speed to around, say, a third of the speed of light, or 100,000,000 meters per second, the result would be a factor-of-one-million speedup in thought. At this rate, one subjective year would pass every 31 physical seconds.
The FAQ raises some interesting questions and will make you question - if only for a moment - where you’re going wrong (if you are at all) and what you can improve (if anything). The most important thing is that it makes you think.
Another Example of Middle-East Ignorance
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Dunkin’ Donuts removes ‘terror scarf’ ad - The US chain Dunkin’ Donuts has pulled an advert following complaints that the scarf worn by a celebrity chef offered symbolic support for Islamic extremism.
She was wearing a black-and-white checked scarf around her neck that resembled a traditional Arab keffiyeh.
This fashion choice incensed at least one prominent conservative blogger, who said it evoked extremist videos.
The blogger called the garment “a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos”.
People really do need to get more educated on these issues. Do the majority of people not realise that there is a difference between Arabs and Muslims - let alone Muslims and extremists?
As a white middle classer who has recently decided to learn Arabic, I get a lot of odd, angry stares when I (attempt to) talk to the local Arab immigrants. However, I just ignore these ignorant people… just like Dunkin’ Donuts should have.
Edit: Here is the blog post from said “prominent conservative blogger”. Watch out, it’s scary over there!
Suing in the Name of God
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Soon it’s going to be illegal to see into the future; contact the deceased; and find out what’s inside closed envelopes. Well, probably…
New laws are about to criminalise clairvoyants who fail to note on their advertisements that their services ‘are not subject to scientific proof’.
Obviously, I’d like to think that the more intelligent among us realise that most of this “clairvoyance” is just a combination of Forer effects, confirmation bias and self-delusion, but I’m a positivist.
I can’t wait to see my first case:
“Madame Arcati, you have been convicted of preying upon stupid and gullible people by purporting to see into the future, and to communicate with the dead, without warning them in writing that your art is tosh”.
“But Sir, that’s what we of the spiritual trade have been doing for centuries. Surely the stupid and gullible should be allowed their illusions?”
“And another thing, Sir: If I am to be punished for this, what about the Vicar? He can’t prove his claims any more then poor little I can. What about wrinkle cream makers?”
This has also been in the news previously. I do wonder, though, if it will be stretched to cover the many instances of popular pseudoscience.