I have not been writing for a few months because I did not think anyone was reading what I had written. Now there are stats that tell me how many time a post was read.  There were 4971 page views and I posted 330 times.  There were few thumbs downs.  Perhaps, I should begin posting again.  However, it seems a waste of time if I am not being paid for writing.

Artificial intelligence is the solution.

Hi Lorenzo,

When I was teaching at Mid Michigan Community College, I became frustrated with students that did not know how to study. I had been a computer programmer at Dow Chemical; consequently, I knew what was required to become a Dow Chemical employee. The students at MMCC were not becoming the type of people that could meet management's needs. I knew then that there would be an effort to work around this problem. Artificial intelligence is the solution.

"Computer becomes first to pass Turing Test in artificial intelligence milestone, but academics warn of dangerous future." http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/computer-becomes-first-to-pass-turing-test-in-artificial-intelligence-milestone-but-academics-warn-of-dangerous-future-9508370.html  

Stephen

Scientific American Mind January/February 2014

Scientific American Mind January/February 2014 Speak for Your Self by Ferris Jabr Taking Early Aim At Autism by Luciana Gravotta Hi Lorenzo, The current issue of Scientific American Mind contains information that I should have learned many years ago. It was not a possibility because it was not available when I was being formally educated at CMU. My college professors could not teach me what they do not know. Perhaps, they didn’t know because the research had not been completed and publishes at that time. It has now and the knowledge that is contained within the above articles is so important that I have read them multiple times. I suggest that you do the same. Where I live is in dynamic flux. Ronald, a Canadian friend that has lived in the house behind mine for many years is selling and moving back to Canada. Brenda, my neighbor living next to me is moving soon to Baton Rough. I doubt if she will be back. Even the weather is in a state of flux: too cold, too warm, too humid, too windy, too foggy and too wet. I wonder in the morning what is going to happen next. I recently figured out the cause of my skin problem that I have on the back of my hands. It happened when a veterinarian diagnosed a spot on the back of Flounder’s neck as ringworm. I have now for over two months been putting Athlete’s Foot Cream on Flounders spot and on the back of my hands. I now know the primary cause of my fungus problem. It is Florida’s hot and humid summers. I will solve that problem too. I own a Husqvarna chainsaw and would cut your fallen tree into firewood for you in the spring if you were no so far away. Stay warm, there are only a few more months until spring. Stephen

How Bilingualism Can Affect Your Brain

Speaking multiple languages may be an advantage in more ways than one: a new study suggests that bilinguals are speedier task-switchers than monolinguals.

Task-switching and its real-world applications

Task-switching—the ability to mentally “switch gears” and refocus on new goals—is a valuable skill that has numerous practical uses. You use it to shift attention from the wheel to the road while driving, or to switch gears between offense and defense in a team sport. Bilingualism has already been associated with a number of cognitive advantages, and now a 2010 study from Language and Cognition has investigated how bilingualism might enhance crucial task-switching skills in young adults.

This Carnegie Mellon University study recruited 88 college students, half of whom were monolingual and half of whom were bilingual. Both groups had about equal SAT scores, suggesting no inherent difference in cognitive ability.

Each participant sat in front of a screen with two different kinds of tasks assigned to each of their two hands. As cues appeared onscreen, one hand was responsible for identifying the color of the cue. The other hand was responsible for identifying the shape of the cue.

There were two aspects to this task-switching experiment: single-task trials and mixed-task trials. In single-task trials, participants identified either color or shape but never switched between the two tasks. In mixed-trial tasks, participants frequently switched between color and shape identification tasks—a more difficult procedure.

Researchers compared single-task and mixed-task reaction times to determine how reaction time and accuracy differed between groups and trial types.

Bilinguals were much faster than monolinguals on trials that required task-switching—their reactions were 6 milliseconds quicker on average. Both groups, however, were equally quick to respond on single-task trials, which did not involve switching.

Statistics: Consequences of a College Education

1. 53.6% of U.S. college grads under 25 are jobless or underemployed.
2. 8.5% of national unemployment rate when Class of 2012 graduated.
3. 49% of 18 to 34-year-olds take a job they don't want so as to be able to pay bills.
   
4. 24% of them have taken an unpaid job to gain work exprience.
5. 35% have gone back to school to because of America's poor economy.
6. 24% have moved back in with their parents after living along after graduation.
7. 30% of graduates consider thier job a career.
8. 19% are working part-time but want full-time jobs.
9. 50% of all jobs are found through family, frineds or colleagues.
10. 32% of college graduated have debt.
11. $20,457 national average of student debt.
12. $44,442 is the average starting salary.
    
    
    source: National Association of Colleges and Employers salary survey, April 2012;
    Pew Research Center college graduation, February and May 2012.
    
    
    
    


 

It is a dirty business ....

"It is a dirty business, but someone has to do it."  Who could have said that to Stephen and and why would they say that? 

Betteye B. said that to me.  It is significance when you know that Betteye and Paul B. are career CIA.

Sleep well, if you can.

The Twinkie Era Has Ended

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/NATL-Twinkies-Maker-Hostess-Going-Out-of-Business-179643161.html


I recall my brown bag lunch with two Twinkies, a white bread baloney sandwich and apple.