In my PSYC111 class last year, the neuroscience lecturer read us that story (The man who mistook his wife for a hat). IIRC, he had associative agnosia - he could describe parts of something, but not tell what the thing was as a whole.. eg: he descibed a rose as "a convoluted red form with a linear green attachment" which personally, I think is a fantastic description. Then the doctor told him to smell it, and he identified it as a rose instantly.
The brain is a pretty interesting thing.
An even more interesting brain-related story is that of the split-brain syndrome (getting pretty OT here) where the bundle of nerves connecting the two hemispheres of the brain is split, which is sometimes done as treatment for severe epilepitics. Because all the language functions are in the left hemisphere of the brain, people who undergo this procedure often say that the left side of their body (controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain) seems to "have a mind of its own". It gets even weirder when people deny having noticed stimuli, when they have responded to them (confused? Read this.
Irony is the use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.
I can't help but think that the people who moderated this post "Insightful" as opposed to "Funny" really didn't understand the concepts contained in it.
You mean the Smashing Pumpkins since they broke up, nearly a year ago now?
Lack of faith in NASA or understanding of gravity?
on
Continents on Titan?
·
· Score: 1
From the article: ..which will then parachute through the atmosphere and presumably land several hours later.
I'm not entirely sure if this is a dig at NASA's recent space upsets, or just someone unsure about the effects of gravity..
I think the point is that it's a cool hack. Making a motorcycle out of a jet engine is pretty cool, and takes some skill, as does getting linux to run on your VCR. Sure it may not perform as well as other bikes, but neither is linux going to run well on your toaster.
What I was mostly worried about was the "don't you dare call it.." part. It seems very defensive for no apparent reason. Linux is the kernel, GNU/Linux is the OS (or "Lignux", as pointed out by the friendly AC). Also, I more often shorten "Benjamin" to "Ben", and if I were to meet anyone called Benedict, I can't see myself shortening their name to ben.
I must say that links' ability to render tables is pretty spiffy, but it still doesn't do frames (well, the version i have doesn't). I prefer the lively colours that lynx provides for me. Things are so much easier to read with a white background. I find the B+W of links really hard to look at for any extended period of time. But hey, YWWV.
Uhhh... where is that document? I don't seem to be able to find it.
Though that's not the reason I'm posting. It seems that if a troll is defined as anything that goes against the slashdot party line, you really have to define the line too.. Does it let people express pro-Microsoft opinions? or anti-linux opinions. It should, if they are well thought out, and not just "linux sux0rs". A good post is still a good post, whether it's against the party line or not.
I think that, while people asking for legal advice is going to attract a lot of non-lawyers and half-truths, it really does make for some very interesting discussions, with people being forced to think about laws that they may not have thought about before, but affect them greatly. The internet is still a pretty grey area for the law, but it is slowly taking shape as precedents are set. Discussion about the law is important, even if you're not a lawyer, you still have an opinion, and people who are making new laws regarding to the internet really should look at the opinions of its citizens, and take them into consideration. We (well, I) spend most our time here, so laws that affect the internet will afect me.
In other news, apparently here in New Zealand you can't be prosecuted for copying copyrighted software, so long as you don't sell it. Crazy.
Slashdot Mirror
Cyber Monday?
I put on my robe and wizard hat
In my PSYC111 class last year, the neuroscience lecturer read us that story (The man who mistook his wife for a hat). IIRC, he had associative agnosia - he could describe parts of something, but not tell what the thing was as a whole.. eg: he descibed a rose as "a convoluted red form with a linear green attachment" which personally, I think is a fantastic description. Then the doctor told him to smell it, and he identified it as a rose instantly.
The brain is a pretty interesting thing.
An even more interesting brain-related story is that of the split-brain syndrome (getting pretty OT here) where the bundle of nerves connecting the two hemispheres of the brain is split, which is sometimes done as treatment for severe epilepitics. Because all the language functions are in the left hemisphere of the brain, people who undergo this procedure often say that the left side of their body (controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain) seems to "have a mind of its own". It gets even weirder when people deny having noticed stimuli, when they have responded to them (confused? Read this.
Irony is the use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.
I can't help but think that the people who moderated this post "Insightful" as opposed to "Funny" really didn't understand the concepts contained in it.
You mean the Smashing Pumpkins since they broke up, nearly a year ago now?
From the article:
..which will then parachute through the atmosphere and presumably land several hours later.
I'm not entirely sure if this is a dig at NASA's recent space upsets, or just someone unsure about the effects of gravity..
I think the point is that it's a cool hack. Making a motorcycle out of a jet engine is pretty cool, and takes some skill, as does getting linux to run on your VCR. Sure it may not perform as well as other bikes, but neither is linux going to run well on your toaster.
What I was mostly worried about was the "don't you dare call it.." part. It seems very defensive for no apparent reason. Linux is the kernel, GNU/Linux is the OS (or "Lignux", as pointed out by the friendly AC).
Also, I more often shorten "Benjamin" to "Ben", and if I were to meet anyone called Benedict, I can't see myself shortening their name to ben.
I must say that links' ability to render tables is pretty spiffy, but it still doesn't do frames (well, the version i have doesn't). I prefer the lively colours that lynx provides for me. Things are so much easier to read with a white background. I find the B+W of links really hard to look at for any extended period of time.
But hey, YWWV.
Uhhh... where is that document? I don't seem to be able to find it.
Though that's not the reason I'm posting. It seems that if a troll is defined as anything that goes against the slashdot party line, you really have to define the line too..
Does it let people express pro-Microsoft opinions? or anti-linux opinions. It should, if they are well thought out, and not just "linux sux0rs".
A good post is still a good post, whether it's against the party line or not.
What's your system?
From the NASA press release:
"and mountains that may split and slide
sideways for hundreds of kilometers, or miles."
Hmmm... I'm not sure what to think of that. I guess they're just trying to keep their bases covered?
Vietman
I think that, while people asking for legal advice is going to attract a lot of non-lawyers and half-truths, it really does make for some very interesting discussions, with people being forced to think about laws that they may not have thought about before, but affect them greatly. The internet is still a pretty grey area for the law, but it is slowly taking shape as precedents are set. Discussion about the law is important, even if you're not a lawyer, you still have an opinion, and people who are making new laws regarding to the internet really should look at the opinions of its citizens, and take them into consideration. We (well, I) spend most our time here, so laws that affect the internet will afect me.
In other news, apparently here in New Zealand you can't be prosecuted for copying copyrighted software, so long as you don't sell it. Crazy.