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The Memory Masters

Posted by timothy on from the hat-hen-ham dept.

Vaystrem writes "Wired's Article 'The Masters of Memory' details the outcome of the recent U.S. Memory Championship ,where 'three dozen people who had, in just five minutes, memorized the positions of 52 cards in a shuffled deck and were now happily organizing cards in a new deck into the same order as the pack they had memorized.'" The article includes details of "the mind numbing upcoming world championship. Could you in a half hour 'memorize a random string of thousands of 1s and 0s'?" I'm still working on the mnemonic alphabet.

22 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. computers by panxerox · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm a geek, memory is what I use computers for so I don't have to. (besides HD mem storage dosent frag out after a hard weekend and a keg of beer)

    --
    "It's so convenient to have a system where everyone is a criminal" - A. Hitler
    1. Re:computers by Unregistered · · Score: 4, Funny

      (besides HD mem storage dosent frag out after a hard weekend and a keg of beer)

      I see you've never fed your hdd a keg of beer.

    2. Re:computers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I did. It proceeded to beat up the floppy drive and slip the CD drive a mickey.

  2. I was thinking.... by Smitedogg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Crap, what was I going to post about?

  3. I memorized thousands of ones and zeros by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    But then I got high.

  4. Hmm by mnemonic_ · · Score: 5, Funny

    I feel obligated to reply to this story.

  5. Sponsored by... by mikeophile · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Vegas Casino Consortium. All winners will receive lifetime bans in every casino in the world.

  6. I could do that... by Professor+Cool+Linux · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's 42...

    (Sorry I couldn't Resist)

  7. actually by Digitus1337 · · Score: 5, Funny

    When they're not in competition they're memorizing 1's and 0's for me. I keep them in my basement as a backup in case my harddrives crash.

  8. Passwords Anyone? by FiberOpPraise · · Score: 5, Funny

    Any system admin would love these guys! Now we can safely create default passwords such as: fG2ajf(Ak&f235Afj!^pt3p%A$2 Without fear of the user writing them down!

  9. SCOiiiiiinnnngggg? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
    Can he memorize 2048 bits of my 16F84's program?

    He has stolen the Intellectual Property of my program.

    open4free

  10. you insensitive clod! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I suffer from CRS..
    (cant remember shit).

    -dirtbag

  11. Re:7 is the number, and the number is 7, not 8 nor by LostCluster · · Score: 3, Funny

    Where can I download the patch for the faulty entry in my long division tables?

  12. we named the dog indiana by welloy · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I wrote them down in my Diary so that I wouldn't have to remember!"

  13. A good memory would help.... by callipygian-showsyst · · Score: 4, Funny

    A good memory would help the /. editors: We wouldn't see any more dup articles!

    --
    Best Buy can have you arrested
  14. Heyyyyyy by (l.windthorst) · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does anyone remember that Happy Days where the Fonz helps Richie and Potsie study for a Biology test by turning it into a rock song that they play in class? Was that just a weird dream I had? I swear it actually happenned. Well, ever since then I turn things into songs in my head to remember them -- and it works really well. I mean, I added a tune to the Constitution and remembered the entire first two articles. It's kinda scary.

  15. careful by edxwelch · · Score: 4, Funny

    The human brain has a limited space for memory, so if you try to remeber too much you will end up forgetting other important stuff. That guy that memorized the 3000 long binary number probably can't remember his mother maiden's name now, or where he parked his car.

    1. Re:careful by PhotoGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just like the time I took that wine making course, and forgot how to drive.

      --
      Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
  16. how I memorize a deck of cards... by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...
    First, the set up.
    You have to hype up your memory abilities, subtly
    then you start flipping cards over.
    you remeber the first eight and the last 5.
    you bluff the rest.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  17. even easier by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just remember
    1307877299220713443 - 1

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  18. Re:Ha! Oblig. PA references: by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 2, Funny

    All of the contestants have already memorized the parent's URL's on sight, and will contribute to the Slashdotting by typing them in manually.

    wbs.

    --
    Huh?
  19. He didnt' really remember a 3000 long binary numbe by a!b!c! · · Score: 2, Funny

    He probably remembered the algorithm for gzip, compressed that number down to a 2000 long binary number in his head, and stored that in his memory. Then when he needed the 3000 digit number, he could just unzip the old one