BILLY: Yes, I think I'm sponge-worthy. I think I'm very sponge-worthy.
ELAINE: Run down your case for me again...?
BILLY: Well, we've gone out several times, we obviously have a good rapport. I own a very profitable electronics distributing firm. I eat well. I exercise. Blood tests - immaculate. And if I can speak frankly, I'm actually quite good at it.
ELAINE: You going to do something about your sideburns?
BILLY: Yeah, I told you...I'm going to trim my sideburns.
ELAINE: And the bathroom in your apartment?
BILLY: Cleaned it this morning.
ELAINE: The sink, the tub, everything got cleaned?
And after we've absorbed all of this harmful sludge with the magic sponges, we can put them in a burlap sack, and have superman toss them into the sun. #carbonnanotubesponge
The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed. Also, you don't need a quantum computer or even a super computer to simulate AI, it's pretty much *ALL* programming...and *LOTS* of it. I've worked a lot on the Lady C bot, which uses parts of the Alice and Eliza bots as its base code and many people can't tell the difference between the bot and a real person, even over the course of long conversations. Also, multi-state computing, being able to deal with moar than just 1s and 0s, isn't really all that incredible, we'll actually likely see it start coming into form with the next few publicly released optical disk incarnations, which will be able to burn holes at different depths, instead of simply simply making smaller holes which is what's done at present. We're down to 405 nanometers with Blu-Ray. Original CDs burned 650 nanometer holes.
It’s clear from these messages that people are fascinated by the question, "What would an atom look like if we were able to view it close-up and see how electrons create the atom’s quantum architecture." In the nineteen twenties, Heisenberg’s Uncertainty principle dimmed the prospect for any such a picture no matter the most advanced technology imaginable. That discover bought most physicists to view any further search for a model that might try to describe how electrons behave in the atom as simply non-science or metaphysics – or at best an artwork.
Over these eight decades, despite all that science and technology have produced, the world is no closer to understanding how electrons move about the atomic space than it was eighty years ago.
The situation in atomic physics is something like that of Ptolemaic astronomy whose mathematics worked well enough for eighteen hundred years to satisfy people that the Sun orbited the earth; until Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo showed that it was the other way around.
I’m one of those who believe that QM is not the whole story and that by finding the right analog model a better understanding of the atom is possible.
I have one such offering – a long running artwork I call "Portrait of an Atom". See: [www.snelsonatom.com]
and: [www.kennethsnelson.net]
I agree with your thoughts about color not existing at the molecular level, but I question the limitations you place on the idea of a photographs. After all, any image created by a sensor that records spatial data due to interactions with the sensor can be (in my opinion) called a photograph. Yes, photo from Greek meaning light, but we have plenty of images that are created from stimuli to which the visual system is not sensitive and yet we still call them photographs. What'd think?
@Hi, I'm God: There's a long-haired gentleman outside who like to disagree with you. He looks a little ragged as he's nailed to a couple pieces of lumber.
@se7a7n7:
+2
Yeah, Bureaucracy at it's best. The ability to create everything everywhere gets strangled by dicks sitting in front of a desk watching money roll in...
@se7a7n7: That already exists. Monsanto and ADM both sell crop seeds to African nations. The catch? They're sterile - every year the nations need to buy new seeds.
The bigger issue here is what this invention would do to the economic structure of society. If we can replicate anything that we need, what would be the purpose of capitalism? We would not need stores, industries or commerce of any kind (if a replicator can replicate itself, why would we even need a replicator manufacturing business?). How many Lamborghini's do you need to replicate? It would eliminate the work ethic. Who would need to work for a living? Why trade? What would be the purpose for an economic structure of any kind? The change to our social and economic structure would be massive with such an invention.
@HarcourtAetolus: That was part of Rodenberry's idea behind the whole Star Trek universe. Remove the need for greed and whatnot and provide everything to the masses. Idealistic, yes, but hey, you can't fault him for being a visionary.
The implications on patented devices and drugs are interesting.
Technically, you can make patented things for your own use legally. Realistically, some extension of patent law equivalent of the DMCA keeping me from making a copy of my DVD collection on my computer would appear.
Thing is, if products no longer exist, and energy is renewable, we're back to a labour economy, with little demand for labour.
That _IS_ Star Trek. Seriously. The basic impossiblity of artificial intelligence makes the most important people... nerds.
You're left with transportation, hauling, and maintainance for those who want tech but can't make it and can't gather and understand information.
Of course there will be luddites. They can stay back on earth while we love our molecule-accurate mechanical connections with virtually no friction and fly throuh space and colonise mars.
"No," he said, "look, it's very, very simple ... all I want ... is a cup of tea. You are going to make one for me. Keep quiet and listen." And he sat.
He told the Nutri-Matic about India, he told it about China, he told it about Ceylon. He told it about broad leaves drying in the sun. He told it about silver teapots. He told it about summer afternoons on the lawn. He told it about putting in the milk before the tea so it wouldn't get scalded. He even told it (briefly) about the history of the East India Company.
"So that's it, is it?" said the Nutri-Matic when he had finished.
"Yes," said Arthur, "that is what I want."
"You want the taste of dried leaves in boiled water?"
"Er, yes. With milk."
"Squirted out of a cow?"
"Well, in a manner of speaking I suppose ..."
And it produced a liquid almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.
You want tea? Heat up some water, insert leaves in the packaging of your liking, let it steep for 2 minutes, and remove the leaves. Voila! Tea. Earl Grey Tea. And, yes, it is hot.
The last thing this country needs is a way to make more calories available. We have plenty of calories. After a weekend of bad Chinese food, I am ready to go back on another week of strained yogurt, tomatoes and cucumbers, and avocado rolls.
Let's stop obsessing with replicators and start working on learning to eat healthily. Properly prepared food requires little effort, little cleanup, and tastes good.
If I had nothing but Greek yogurt, tomatoes and cucumber salad, avocado rolls, and seared salmon for the rest of my days, I'd be pretty happy.
@.- -. --- -. -.-- -- --- ..- ... / .. ... / .-.. . --. .. --- -.: While grilled steaks are tasty, I'm on a moderation kick. I will eat back, but only about once every month or two. Maybe twice a year, I will go into McDonald's and order a medium fries and a small Diet Coke. About once a month, I order bad Chinese food.
Wednesday was the first time I had had pizza in two months (and I live in Brooklyn). More often than not, I find myself eating veggies and fish.
@OMG! Ponies!: Yeah but just think, that same Transporter technology can convert you into energy and separate out the fat before reconstituting your molecules.
That's why you don't see any really fat humans on Star Trek..
11/10/09
Are you following me camera guy? #carbonnanotubesponge
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
BILLY: Yes, I think I'm sponge-worthy. I think I'm very sponge-worthy.
ELAINE: Run down your case for me again...?
BILLY: Well, we've gone out several times, we obviously have a good rapport. I own a very profitable electronics distributing firm. I eat well. I exercise. Blood tests - immaculate. And if I can speak frankly, I'm actually quite good at it.
ELAINE: You going to do something about your sideburns?
BILLY: Yeah, I told you...I'm going to trim my sideburns.
ELAINE: And the bathroom in your apartment?
BILLY: Cleaned it this morning.
ELAINE: The sink, the tub, everything got cleaned?
BILLY: Everything, yeah. It's spotless.
ELAINE: Alright, let's go. #carbonnanotubesponge
11/10/09
11/10/09
Good times.
08/31/09
08/31/09
Over these eight decades, despite all that science and technology have produced, the world is no closer to understanding how electrons move about the atomic space than it was eighty years ago.
The situation in atomic physics is something like that of Ptolemaic astronomy whose mathematics worked well enough for eighteen hundred years to satisfy people that the Sun orbited the earth; until Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo showed that it was the other way around.
I’m one of those who believe that QM is not the whole story and that by finding the right analog model a better understanding of the atom is possible.
I have one such offering – a long running artwork I call "Portrait of an Atom". See:
[www.snelsonatom.com]
and:
[www.kennethsnelson.net]
08/31/09
Would this mean that Americans finally get health care as good as say, France?
08/30/09
I agree with your thoughts about color not existing at the molecular level, but I question the limitations you place on the idea of a photographs. After all, any image created by a sensor that records spatial data due to interactions with the sensor can be (in my opinion) called a photograph. Yes, photo from Greek meaning light, but we have plenty of images that are created from stimuli to which the visual system is not sensitive and yet we still call them photographs. What'd think?
--Bob
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/31/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
+2
Yeah, Bureaucracy at it's best. The ability to create everything everywhere gets strangled by dicks sitting in front of a desk watching money roll in...
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
The implications on patented devices and drugs are interesting.
Technically, you can make patented things for your own use legally. Realistically, some extension of patent law equivalent of the DMCA keeping me from making a copy of my DVD collection on my computer would appear.
Thing is, if products no longer exist, and energy is renewable, we're back to a labour economy, with little demand for labour.
That _IS_ Star Trek. Seriously. The basic impossiblity of artificial intelligence makes the most important people... nerds.
You're left with transportation, hauling, and maintainance for those who want tech but can't make it and can't gather and understand information.
Of course there will be luddites. They can stay back on earth while we love our molecule-accurate mechanical connections with virtually no friction and fly throuh space and colonise mars.
08/30/09
He told the Nutri-Matic about India, he told it about China, he told it about Ceylon. He told it about broad leaves drying in the sun. He told it about silver teapots. He told it about summer afternoons on the lawn. He told it about putting in the milk before the tea so it wouldn't get scalded. He even told it (briefly) about the history of the East India Company.
"So that's it, is it?" said the Nutri-Matic when he had finished.
"Yes," said Arthur, "that is what I want."
"You want the taste of dried leaves in boiled water?"
"Er, yes. With milk."
"Squirted out of a cow?"
"Well, in a manner of speaking I suppose ..."
And it produced a liquid almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.
08/30/09
You want tea? Heat up some water, insert leaves in the packaging of your liking, let it steep for 2 minutes, and remove the leaves. Voila! Tea. Earl Grey Tea. And, yes, it is hot.
The last thing this country needs is a way to make more calories available. We have plenty of calories. After a weekend of bad Chinese food, I am ready to go back on another week of strained yogurt, tomatoes and cucumbers, and avocado rolls.
Let's stop obsessing with replicators and start working on learning to eat healthily. Properly prepared food requires little effort, little cleanup, and tastes good.
If I had nothing but Greek yogurt, tomatoes and cucumber salad, avocado rolls, and seared salmon for the rest of my days, I'd be pretty happy.
08/30/09
But this thing is more important for underdeveloped nations and those who can't grow food or afford food.
Think BIG PICTURE, Mr.Ponies
08/30/09
08/30/09
@OMG! Ponies!:
Come again?
08/30/09
08/30/09
08/30/09
Puppy steak deluxe, available at your local replicator.
08/30/09
08/30/09
No, the entire baby steak concept messes with my atom-thick morals.
08/30/09
Wednesday was the first time I had had pizza in two months (and I live in Brooklyn). More often than not, I find myself eating veggies and fish.
08/30/09
That's why you don't see any really fat humans on Star Trek..
08/30/09
08/30/09