Slashdot Mirror


Records Smashed at (Human) Memory Championship

Pika the Mad writes "Wired News has a neat story about the recent U.S.A. National Memory Championship.'The finalists competed in three brand-new recall events that forced them to remember and recite aloud random words, personality characteristics of guests at a fictional tea party and the order of cards in two decks of playing cards, parroting answers in front of a crowd of onlookers, photographers and video cameras.' The winner claims that in the world finals he'll be competing against people who can memorize an entire deck of cards in 30 seconds."

10 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. A deck of cards? That's it? by brian0918 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure, they can memorize a deck of cards, but can they learn the lyrics to It's the End of the World as We Know it?

  2. that's nice by Loconut1389 · · Score: 2, Funny

    but when are the mammary championships?

    1. Re:that's nice by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 1, Funny
      --
      Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
  3. Re:Mnemonic Devices by hey! · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, that's what happens when you design a computer has a three bit working memory address bus on one hand, but on the other has literally billions of switches dedicated to pattern matching and special purpose retrieval functions.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  4. Re:1 Deck in 30 Seconds?! by PFI_Optix · · Score: 2, Funny

    On long stuff like that, I tend to use the "Simon" method (I just made that up, no idea what it would really be called).

    Look at the first card, say the name in your head. Look at the second, say the first and second. For every card, repeat the whole series. You develop a rythm and it almost becomes a song in your head. I tired and just got to 18 cards in 30 seconds that way.

    I don't know if I could memorize an entire deck of cards in one sitting, though. If I could look through it for two or three minutes, wait an hour or two, then come back to it, I could probably look through it for another minute or two and recite it.

    --
    120 characters for a sig? That's bloody useless.
  5. Damn by r00k123 · · Score: 5, Funny
    The championship was THIS weekend?

    Damn. I meant to tape that.

    1. Re:Damn by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 1, Funny

      The championship was THIS weekend?

      Don't worry, I can recall every detail of it! :P

  6. Re:Mnemonic Devices by PetiePooo · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's thirty days hath september, april, june, and november.

    No, no. Its, "Thirty days hath September. All the rest I can't remember."

  7. Re:Mnemonic Devices by Dachannien · · Score: 2, Funny

    And you've got knuckles left over, so in the event that Thirteenember and Fourteenuary are ever added to the calendar, you're still good to go.

  8. A deck of cards in 30 seconds... by fireman+sam · · Score: 2, Funny

    Pfft, I can do that.

    Oh, you mean the order of the cards... On second thought.

    --
    it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.