There are philosophical precedents for this understanding of mathematical algorithms. Some philosophers envision the capacity to apply an algorithm as a sort of psychological mechanism that merely causally produces the right answer. They in effect invite us to see mastering an algorithm as like hitching ourselves to a mechanical rail and having it pull us along.
This mechanical image of calculation is the target of a number of philosophical critiques. Arguably the most famous of these is in Wittgenstein’s later writings. Wittgenstein suggests that analogies between mathematical computations and mechanical processes only seem appealing if we overlook the fact that real machines have parts that bend and melt and are invariably subject to breakdown. "
The Faulty Logic of the 'Math Wars' - NYTimes.com
Monday, June 17, 2013
Schooling Ourselves in an Unequal America - NYTimes.com
Among 15-year-olds, Asian-Americans, who also tend to be more affluent, are the world’s best readers; white Americans are third only to Finns and New Zealanders. In a 2012 Harvard Business School survey, high-quality universities were rated the country’s chief competitive advantage. The world’s brightest students clamor to attend them.
But educational excellence is increasingly the preserve of the rich. Everyone — black, white, rich, middle class and poor — is testing better and enrolling more in college than the previous generation. But rich students, and particularly rich girls, are making bigger gains than everyone else.
Students from families in the highest income quintile are now eight times more likely than students in the bottom quintile to enroll in a “highly selective” college, one that requires a high school transcript filled with As in advanced placement courses, SAT scores in the 700s and a range of enriching extracurricular activities.
Those who get in are doing better than ever. The best colleges are seeing their dropout rates fall to near-zero levels, especially for women. The education they offer is generally better than what students get at less selective schools, too. One very revealing fact is that even for equally qualified students, academic outcomes at selective colleges are better across the board and their graduates earn more and are more likely to progress toward an advanced degree.
According to a study by the demographer John Bound and his colleagues, lack of institutional resources explains up to two-thirds of the increase in dropout rates at lower-tier colleges.
Schools could make up some of the difference by intensively investing in poor children, and the majority of richer countries do just that — spending more per pupilin lower-income districts than in higher-income districts.
In spite ofresearch that shows that high-quality preschool can make a positive — and ultimately cost-effective — impact on children’s cognitive development, President Obama’s call for universal preschool is going nowhere in Congress, mostly because it would be extremely expensive. The Obama administration has made no attempt to expand Head Start enrollment, even though half of all impoverished children are not enrolled in any preschool program.
These already well-off graduates could end up receiving a federal subsidy that is four times larger than that provided to low-income students through Pell grants. Meanwhile, a new, more generous college tax credit also extended tax write-offs to families earning between $120,000 and $180,000. They reap most of the credit’s $10 billion in annual benefits.
Schooling Ourselves in an Unequal America - NYTimes.com
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
How Technology Is Destroying Jobs | MIT Technology Review
the MIT academics foresee dismal prospects for many types of jobs as these powerful new technologies are increasingly adopted not only in manufacturing, clerical, and retail work but in professions such as law, financial services, education, and medicine.
How Technology Is Destroying Jobs | MIT Technology Review
How Technology Is Destroying Jobs | MIT Technology Review
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Bayes’ theorem: Its triumphs and discontents | Ars Technica
Lessons learned from 250 years of a famous statistical theorem
Bayes’ theorem: Its triumphs and discontents | Ars Technica:How the U.S. Uses Technology to Mine More Data More Quickly
Revelations Give Look at Spy Agency’s Wider Reach - NYTimes.com:
In 2006, the Bush administration established a program known as the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, to accelerate the development of intelligence-related technology intended “to provide the United States with an overwhelming intelligence advantage over future adversaries.”
In 2006, the Bush administration established a program known as the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, to accelerate the development of intelligence-related technology intended “to provide the United States with an overwhelming intelligence advantage over future adversaries.”
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
The question libertarians just can’t answer - Salon.com
the latest ranking of economic liberty by the Heritage Foundation
Michael Lind is the author of Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States and co-founder of the New America Foundation.
Wouldn’t there be at least one country, out of nearly two hundred, with
Chile, with its experiment in privatized Social Security, for example, and Sweden, a big-government nation which, however, gives a role to vouchers in schooling.
The question libertarians just can’t answer - Salon.com
Michael Lind is the author of Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States and co-founder of the New America Foundation.
Wouldn’t there be at least one country, out of nearly two hundred, with
- minimal government,
- free trade,
- open borders,
- decriminalized drugs,
- no welfare state and
- no public education system?
Chile, with its experiment in privatized Social Security, for example, and Sweden, a big-government nation which, however, gives a role to vouchers in schooling.
the mature, well-established industrial democracies: the U.S. and Canada, the nations of western Europe and Japan. But none of these countries, including the U.S., is anywhere near a libertarian paradise. Indeed, the government share of GDP in these and similar OECD countries is around forty percent—nearly half the economy.
Even worse, the economic-freedom country rankings are biased toward city-states and small countries.
The question libertarians just can’t answer - Salon.com
Sunday, June 02, 2013
China’s Economic Empire - NYTimes.com
economic stagnation in Europe and America is making the West increasingly uncomfortable. While China is not taking over the world militarily, it seems to be steadily taking it over commercially.
China’s Economic Empire - NYTimes.com
China’s Economic Empire - NYTimes.com
Saturday, June 01, 2013
The Case for One - Why having just one kid is better than you think: Lauren Sandler One and Only reviewed by Jessica Grose | New Republic
Reviewing Lauren Sandler's book The One and Only, Jessica Grose points at the advantage of having only one child: "Looking out for your own happiness is not inconsistent with being a good mother," she writes. While the link between child development and the number of siblings has not been established, the impact of multiple children on a woman's career is clear: "For other women going through the same struggle, Sandler doesn't purport to have the answer. She does, however, provide some support for the notion that you should be a little selfish when you're trying to make this decision, since your only child will likely be just fine whether or not they end up with a sibling," she says.
Lauren Sandler One and Only reviewed by Jessica Grose | New Republic
Lauren Sandler One and Only reviewed by Jessica Grose | New Republic
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Could You Talk To A Caveman? Scientists Say It's Possible
Words Like 'Mother' And 'Ashes' May Have Survived From The Last Ice Age : NPR:
examples from the Web that mean thou in English. That is to say second person, personal pronoun.
examples from the Web that mean thou in English. That is to say second person, personal pronoun.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Flowchart: New Emotions Invented By The Internet
21 Emotions For Which There Are No English Words [Infographic] | Popular Science
For instance, one may feel “a sudden and irrational rage in response to reading an ‘@-reply’ on Twitter.
It seems noteworthy that most of these new emotions are negative—they are usually a mix of commonly known negative emotions like anxiety and despair.
For instance, one may feel “a sudden and irrational rage in response to reading an ‘@-reply’ on Twitter.
It seems noteworthy that most of these new emotions are negative—they are usually a mix of commonly known negative emotions like anxiety and despair.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
How TamilNadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department remains an inefficient Organization?
ரிப்போர்ட்டர் சோமு: ஒரு ஞாபக மறதிக்காரனின் டைரிக் குறிப்பு
குமுதம் வார இதழில் நிருபனாக பணியாற்றிய சமயம்.... (1997 அல்லது 8) விழுப்புரம் அருகே பழமையான கோயில் ஒன்றின் அர்ச்சகர், அந்தக் கோயிலை இழுத்து மூடிவிட்டார் என்ற தகவல் கிடைத்தது.
தமிழகத்தின் முதல், "கோயில் கதவடைப்பு". லட்டு மாதிரி செய்தி.
குமுதம் வார இதழில் நிருபனாக பணியாற்றிய சமயம்.... (1997 அல்லது 8) விழுப்புரம் அருகே பழமையான கோயில் ஒன்றின் அர்ச்சகர், அந்தக் கோயிலை இழுத்து மூடிவிட்டார் என்ற தகவல் கிடைத்தது.
தமிழகத்தின் முதல், "கோயில் கதவடைப்பு". லட்டு மாதிரி செய்தி.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Agit-Prof: Howard Zinn's Influential Mutilations of American History | New Republic
Howard Zinn copied, pasted, and simplified his way to A People's History of the United States. The rest of his scholarship wasn't much better.
Howard Zinn's Influential Mutilations of American History | New Republic
Howard Zinn's Influential Mutilations of American History | New Republic
The trouble with Aaron's Law : Columbia Journalism Review
The proposed law honoring the legacy of Aaron Swartz is trying to be too many things to too many people
The trouble with Aaron's Law : Columbia Journalism Review
The trouble with Aaron's Law : Columbia Journalism Review
Kudankulam project cost up 14% | Business Standard
Construction began in Sept 2001 with estimated cost at Rs 13,600 cr; expenditure on the project at Rs 15,454 cr till Jan 2013
Kudankulam project cost up 14% | Business Standard
Kudankulam project cost up 14% | Business Standard
Nabokov's Politics
A newly translated play and a new biography alter his image as a disinterested aesthete.
Two New Nabokov Books Reviewed by Alexander Nazaryan | New Republic
The Tragedy of Mister Mornby Vladimir Nabokov
The Secret History of Vladimir Nabokov by Andrea Pitzer
Two New Nabokov Books Reviewed by Alexander Nazaryan | New Republic
The Tragedy of Mister Mornby Vladimir Nabokov
The Secret History of Vladimir Nabokov by Andrea Pitzer
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Centre sanctions two more n-plants at Kudankulam - The Hindu
the estimated cost of building the two plants has been pegged at Rs. 20 crore per megawatt.
the government has given its nod to build two more such units of 1,000 MW at the site in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
Russia will extend an export credit of $3.400 billion to Russian organisations to help build the units at four per cent interest.
Centre sanctions two more n-plants at Kudankulam - The Hindu
the government has given its nod to build two more such units of 1,000 MW at the site in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
Russia will extend an export credit of $3.400 billion to Russian organisations to help build the units at four per cent interest.
Centre sanctions two more n-plants at Kudankulam - The Hindu
How Your Language Affects Your Wealth and Health: கிறு, கின்று x த், ட், ற், இன் x ப், வ்
Does the language we speak determine how healthy and rich we will be? New researchby Keith Chen of Yale Business School suggests so.
Chen’s recent research suggests that people who speak languages that weakly distinguish the present and the future are better prepared for the future. They accumulate more wealth and they are better able to maintain their health.
Early 20th century thinkers such as Ferdinand de Saussure and Ludwig Wittgenstein were among the first who argued that language can impact the way people think and act. More recently Steven Pinker argued that we think in a universal grammar and languages do not significantly shape our thinking.
Ellen Langer and colleagues famously improved older people’s physical health by simple interventions including asking them to talk about the events of twenty years ago as if it they were happening now. Talking about the past as if it were the present changed people’s mindsets and their mindsets affected their physical states.
How Your Language Affects Your Wealth and Health: Scientific American
Chen’s recent research suggests that people who speak languages that weakly distinguish the present and the future are better prepared for the future. They accumulate more wealth and they are better able to maintain their health.
Early 20th century thinkers such as Ferdinand de Saussure and Ludwig Wittgenstein were among the first who argued that language can impact the way people think and act. More recently Steven Pinker argued that we think in a universal grammar and languages do not significantly shape our thinking.
Ellen Langer and colleagues famously improved older people’s physical health by simple interventions including asking them to talk about the events of twenty years ago as if it they were happening now. Talking about the past as if it were the present changed people’s mindsets and their mindsets affected their physical states.
How Your Language Affects Your Wealth and Health: Scientific American
லவ் ஃபெயிலியர் என்றால் ஆசிட் மட்டும்தான் முகத்தில் அடிக்க வேண்டுமா என்ன? போப் கூடத்தான் ஆகலாம்!
The childhood sweetheart of Pope Francis revealed that she had been forced to reject his boyhood offer of marriage, a move which eventually led him to devote his life to God.
Pope Francis: Amalia, the childhood sweetheart whose snub created a pope - Telegraph
Pope Francis: Amalia, the childhood sweetheart whose snub created a pope - Telegraph
Monday, March 18, 2013
60th National Film Awards announced
List of winners for the 60th National Film Awards 2012:
| Award | Winners (Movies/Artists) |
| Best Feature Film | Paan Singh Tomar |
| Best Hindi Film | Filmistan |
| Best Actor(s) | Irrfan Khan, Paan Singh Tomar / Vikram Gokhale, Anumati |
| Best Actress | Usha Jadhav, Dhag (Marathi) |
| Best Telegu Film | Eega |
| Best Supporting Actor | Annu Kapoor, Vicky Donor |
| Best Supporting Actress | Dolly Ahluwalia, Vicki Donor |
| Best Screenplay-Original | Kahaani |
| Best Screenplay-Adapted | Oh My God |
| Best Special Effects | Eega |
| Best Playback Singer | Shankar Mahadevan, Chittagong |
| Best Direction | Dhag (Marathi) |
| Best Choreography | Birju Maharaj, Vishwaroopam |
| Best Sound Recording | Gangs of Wasseypur |
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Ustad Hotel (Malayalam) |
| Best Investigative Film | Inshallah Kashmir |
| Best Film Critic | P.S. Radhakrishnan |
| Special Jury Award | Rituparno Ghosh and Nawazuddin Siddiqui |
| Special Jury Mention | Parineeti Chopra, Ishaqzaade |
60th National Film Awards announced
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Hindu worship not a religious act, income tax tribunal says - The Times of India
Lord Shiva, Hanuman and goddess Durga do not represent any particular religion but are regarded as supernatural powers of the universe, the Nagpur income tax appellate tribunal has said.
Shiva worship not a religious act, income tax tribunal says - The Times of India
Shiva worship not a religious act, income tax tribunal says - The Times of India
Friday, March 15, 2013
Hands-On With the Galaxy S 4: First Impressions - WSJ.com
In the fun category, the major goal was to improve the camera experience. He rifled through a number of features, such as dual video recording, which allows a user to embed a front-facing video window inside a video stream of the rear-facing camera. That way you could play TV correspondent, providing color commentary on your video.
A neat feature called "Sound & Shot" lets you record sound and attach it to a picture. Another one called "Story Album" automatically creates a photo album with your pictures and lets you order a printed version through a partnership with publishing service Blurb.
Convenience centered on new gesture technologies allowing a user to control the phone without touching it. "Air View" lets you hover your finger over email, browser or calendar, then pops up a close-up look of that area. "Smart pause" automatically pauses a video when you look away from the screen.
The health category seems promising. Samsung developed an app called "S Health" that lets you track your walking through a sensor. If you input the food you eat, it spits out a caloric counter. The app was designed to work with accessories as well, including a body scale, heart-rate monitor and a wearable wrist sensor called an "S band."
Hands-On With the Galaxy S 4: First Impressions - WSJ.com
A neat feature called "Sound & Shot" lets you record sound and attach it to a picture. Another one called "Story Album" automatically creates a photo album with your pictures and lets you order a printed version through a partnership with publishing service Blurb.
Convenience centered on new gesture technologies allowing a user to control the phone without touching it. "Air View" lets you hover your finger over email, browser or calendar, then pops up a close-up look of that area. "Smart pause" automatically pauses a video when you look away from the screen.
The health category seems promising. Samsung developed an app called "S Health" that lets you track your walking through a sensor. If you input the food you eat, it spits out a caloric counter. The app was designed to work with accessories as well, including a body scale, heart-rate monitor and a wearable wrist sensor called an "S band."
Hands-On With the Galaxy S 4: First Impressions - WSJ.com
Google Reader: Why did everyone’s favorite RSS program die? What free Web service will be next? - Slate Magazine
And Orkut. Oh man, why on earth is Orkut still around?
And what free Web service will be next?
Google Reader: Why did everyone’s favorite RSS program die? What free Web service will be next? - Slate Magazine
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Geopolitics of 'Girls' - By Daniel W. Drezner | Foreign Policy
Shows like AMC's The Walking Dead and NBC's Revolution examine how humans react to a Hobbesian system in which trust is a scarce commodity. Showtime's Homeland and FX's crackerjack The Americans explore the corrosive effects of espionage and counterintelligence during the War on Terror and Cold War respectively. HBO's Game of Thrones combines a dollop of magic with the realpolitik of 17th-century Europe.
The Geopolitics of 'Girls' - By Daniel W. Drezner | Foreign Policy
The Geopolitics of 'Girls' - By Daniel W. Drezner | Foreign Policy
Whither whistleblowing: Where have all the leaking sites gone? | Ars Technica
Remaining WikiLeaks clones offer lessons for the future.
Whither whistleblowing: Where have all the leaking sites gone? | Ars Technica
World’s most awarded print ad | Inquirer Business
The task: communicate Samsonite’s ultra-durability in an interesting way.
How did JWT Shanghai do it? By showing a dramatic and vivid contrast of first-class passengers enjoying a heavenly experience in an airplane, while the luggage undergoes a hellish ordeal at the cargo, yet still emerges sparkling after the torture.
World’s most awarded print ad | Inquirer Business
Are women on Facebook a bunch of lying liars? | Crave - CNET
A survey shows that a chunk of female Facebook users lie about their lives on Facebook. Is this a noteworthy phenomenon or just an indication of the human condition?
Are women on Facebook a bunch of lying liars? | Crave - CNET
Are women on Facebook a bunch of lying liars? | Crave - CNET
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