Singularity: Will We Live To See It?

The Singularity Is Near, by Ray Kurzweil

Definition: The technological singularity is a theoretical future point of unprecedented technological progress, caused in part by the ability of machines to improve themselves using artificial intelligence.

"Many computer scientists take it on faith that one day machines will become conscious. Led by futurist Ray Kurzweil, proponents of the so-called strong-AI school believe that a sufficient number of digitally simulated neurons, running at a high enough speed, can awaken into awareness. Once computing speed reaches 10¹⁶ operations per second — roughly by 2020 — the trick will be simply to come up with an algorithm for the mind. When we find it, machines will become self-aware, with unpredictable consequences. This event is known as the singularity."

Find more information at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity

In 1965, the United States had a single craft brewery: Anchor Brewing, in San Francisco

See what happened after the Class of '62 graduated?

"Beer has lagged well behind wine and organic produce in the ongoing reinvention of American cuisine. Yet the change over the past twenty years has been startling. In 1965, the United States had a single craft brewery: Anchor Brewing, in San Francisco. Today, there are nearly fifteen hundred. In liquor stores and upscale supermarkets, pumpkin ales and chocolate stouts compete for cooler space with wit beers, weiss beers, and imperial Pilsners. The King of Beers, once served in splendid isolation at many bars, is now surrounded by motley bottles with ridiculous names, like jesters at a Renaissance fair: SkullSplitter, Old Leghumper, Slam Dunkel, Troll Porter, Moose Drool, Power Tool, He’brew, and Ale Mary Full of Taste."

"Even flies have a nose for alcohol. They home in on its scent to lay their eggs in ripening fruit, insuring their larvae a pleasant buzz."

The New Yorker - A Better Brew: The Rise of Extreme Beer, by Burkhard Bilger

Search Millions of Photographs from the LIFE Photo Archive! From the 1750s to today.

Most were never published and are now available for the first time through the joint work of LIFE and Google.

Holiday Mail for Heroes - Please Send a Christmas/Holiday Card to American Service Members by December 10th

The Red Cross is partnering with Pitney Bowes this holiday season for the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. For the second year in a row, we’re collecting holiday cards to distribute to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. Pitney Bowes is generously donating technology, resources and postage to make this holiday card program possible.

Our goal is to collect and distribute one million holiday cards to spread holiday cheer and facilitate thanks to these brave individuals and families.

Please send cards following the guidelines listed below:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

OR

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Every card received will first be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working in one of 16 sorting stations around the country.

• All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.
• Participants are encouraged to limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group. If you are mailing a larger quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope or postage.
• Please ensure that all cards are signed.
• Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.
• Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.
• Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
• Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
• All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.

Order your pizza via TiVo! No Kidding

"This is the first time in history that the ‘on-demand’ generation will be able to fully experience couch commerce by ordering pizza directly through their television set. You’ll see a television ad for Domino’s and you’ll click ‘I want it’ through your remote. In about 30 minutes, your pizza will show up at your door.”

Remembering the Westerns - Click Here

Consider This...The Stupidest Exercise Machine You'll Ever See

Norm Pearlmutter and Mitch Turner Recall the ADVANCE from the fall of 1958 when we were in 9th grade at South Ocean Avenue

This was in October 30, 2008, Archives section of the Advance, 50 Years Ago column. Look how far we've come in fifty years!

Norm 11/6/08

---

Steve Bonyun, son of Mr. and Mrs.

William Bonyon of Brookhaven, and

Mitchell Turner, son of Mr. and Mrs.

Burghardt Turner of Patchogue, were

among the 10,000 young persons who

took part in the Youth March for integrated

schools in Washington, D.C. on

Saturday.

************************************************

Norm,

Thanks for sending this. It is amazing that these two things (newspaper clip, and the ELECTION!!!) come so close together. The youth march was kind of a warmup/precursor for the March on Washington when King gave his famous speech. I'll never forget that bus ride to the first march, and the events of both marches.

What a time this will be, as we help create the changes needed in our country, and the world. It's still sinking in!

Mitch