One of the differences between Overture and Google is that whereas Overture rank keyword based ads on the amount bid, Google rank them according to a function of this plus clickthrough/impressions history. In other words, does Google have a clickrank algorithm that is analogous to pagerank?
A bit sick, but still… “…The rules of this contest are simple: Start with this image of her cell, and decorate it in a way that would be suitable for the queen of gracious living. Keep in mind, this is not a regular b2b contest – you must redecorate this provided image of a jail cell for Martha… “ Worth1000.com contest
“A recent study by Dr. Daphne Bavelier… just published in the journal Nature, adds enhanced attention skills, the ability to follow multiple objects, and split-second tracking skills to the list of benefits experienced by video game aficionados.” … er OK, so having autistic children that can catch flies is a good thing? Enter the (Algebra) Matrix
The New York Post “panned Victoria’s singing career and said David was the star of a sport that, in America, ‘is largely played by young girls’.” Headline news from Sky News – Witness the event
An article that suggests that for the ‘IM’ generation the ability to write is disappearing: “in many other classrooms, traditional cursive is on its way out. So many students have trouble with it that teachers are increasingly adopting a simpler style known as Italic or print cursive” The last exam I took to become an architect was a professional exam on legal practice issues – all the people in the room had been working as architects for several years and over half of us had forgotten how to use cursive writing legibly, and so had to do entire essays in uppercase print. I now never use cursive writing, and notice that many of my friends do not, as this article suggests, perhaps it is becoming a legacy. Keyboards may replace cursive, some warn
MSNBC reports on user experience of the new field of genetic genealogy: “I clutched the phone and started the trans-Atlantic countdown: Thanks to a mail-order DNA test, I was about to find out whether my Irish cousin was really my cousin. On the other end of the call was my cousin’s fianc
MSNBC reports on user experience of the new field of genetic genealogy: “I clutched the phone and started the trans-Atlantic countdown: Thanks to a mail-order DNA test, I was about to find out whether my Irish cousin was really my cousin. On the other end of the call was my cousin’s fianc
This month’s Skeptic column in Scientific American elegantly debunks Bible Code claptrap. One of the things that Shermer points out in the article is that a ‘prediction’ is a statement that something will happen in the future. To look at something written in the past and say that it could possibly be restated to fit something that has already happened is not a prediction. The Bible Code did not ‘predict’ anything, but with a suitably contrived descramber it can ‘postdict’ almost anything, true or false, sense or nonsense. Following the success of Bible Code I comes Bible Code II, such is the power of the parasitic meme. This is bullshit that people want to believe, but no matter how hard they try to, it will always provably be bullshit. Via Boing Boing: Scientific American: Codified Claptrap — The Bible Code is numerological nonsense masquerading as science
I liked Marc Canter’s observation that anything beyond 1 degree if separation is just that – separated. However, I finally gave in and signed up to Friendster a while back, my tactic being to assume that by choosing one person who is a consumate networker, I would now have a PDNA a Personal Digital Networking Assistant and wouldn’t have to do anything (except be like those selfish peer-to-peer software users who never share anything). My Friendster account now says “You are connected to 12729 people in your Personal Network, through 1 friend.” – Hilarious. Can anyone guess the identity of my PDNA? Friendster – Home
In the early seventies people were nice, even sarcastic Brits behaved like earnest Northern Californians, and Mike Oldfield, looking like a biblical Christ, produced his Masterpiece, Ommadawn I just found my copy, aaah.
Ross Mayfield points out some disturbing facts about the boy scouts movement: “Meanwhile, the Boy Scouts ban atheists and gays. With the supreme court granting the right to private civil society organizaitons to be exclusive, extreme interests are balkanizing. Again, this is a market with few sellers.” I guess this is no surprise from the organization that has historically shared some of the styling and aspirations of the Hitler Youth. On my honor, I will do my best | csmonitor.com