davidad

18-year-old Ph.D. student at MIT,
studying the nature of human cognition through programming language theory;
amateur photographer and musician

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Like, Python

#!usr/bin/python
uh from sys import exit

# Grab the user's name. 
ok so like name = raw_input("yo! what's your name?") right
  
# Make sure they entered something, then say hi.
if name.strip() is actually like "":
   toootally just exit()
else:
   um yeah
   print like "Hi %s, nice to meet you." % name

Somebody actually implemented this dialect of Python.

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The ARM was conceived as a processor for a tethered desktop computer, where ultimate low power was not a requirement. We wanted to keep it low cost, however, and at that time, keeping the chip low cost meant ensuring it would go in low-cost packaging, which meant plastic. In order to use plastic packaging, we had to keep the power dissipation below a watt—that was a hard limit. Anything above a watt would make the plastic packaging unsuitable, and the package would cost more than the chip itself. We didn’t have particularly good or dependable power-analysis tools in those days; they were all a bit approximate. We applied Victorian engineering margins, and in designing to ensure it came out under a watt, we missed, and it came out under a tenth of a watt—really low power.
— Steve Furber, on designing the ARM (in 1983!)
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Character Strengths

The VIA Survey of Character Strengths would probably rank as my favorite personality test I’ve ever taken. Here is my report:

#1: Humor and playfulness You like to laugh and tease. Bringing smiles to other people is important to you. You try to see the light side of all situations.

#2: Forgiveness and mercy You forgive those who have done you wrong. You always give people a second chance. Your guiding principle is mercy and not revenge.

#3: Curiosity and interest in the world You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.

#4: Creativity, ingenuity, and originality Thinking of new ways to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible.

#5: Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness You expect the best in the future, and you work to achieve it. You believe that the future is something that you can control.

#6: Love of learning You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

#7: Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.

#8: Fairness, equity, and justice Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.

#9: Social intelligence You are aware of the motives and feelings of other people. You know what to do to fit in to different social situations, and you know what to do to put others at ease.

#10: Appreciation of beauty and excellence You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

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What happens to Fido when the Rapture comes?

For a fee, this service will place your dog or cat in the home of a caring atheist on Judgment Day. (via Julia Galef)

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Taxonomy of malls

malls
 - shopping
 - National

permalink An entry in the “Peeps Show” Peeps diorama contest.

An entry in the “Peeps Show” Peeps diorama contest.

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I admit the possibility that probability will be important in AI, but I think it’s highly unlikely.
— Marvin Minsky
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The joy of being a writer today is that you can claim your work’s flaws are all there by design. Plot doesn’t add up? It was never meant to; you were playfully reworking the conventions of traditional narrative. Your philosophizing makes no sense? Well, we live in an incoherent age. The dialogue is implausible? Comedy often is. But half the jokes fall flat? Ah! Those were the serious bits.
— B.R. Meyers (via Julia Galef)
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The essence of theatre…is in that moment when a scene has ended, the lights are dark, and all is still, save for the creaking of the stage floorboards as the actors change position, unseen. That quiet - that eerie almost-silence as the theatre tries to make you forget absolutely everything for just a moment as it stitches together its own reality - that is the ground upon which the figure of the work is built.
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So if we think about what it means to rotate x, and then rotate y… uh, there is no y. Yeah, it’s a very exciting data structure.
— Erik Demaine, having incorrectly copied his notes