Links for 19-02-2007
Vinge’s singularity alternatives, the moral vacuum of space, Matt Cheney on Aldiss’ ‘Greybeard’…
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1 – What If the Singularity Does NOT Happen
“Important note for those surfing this talk out of context
I still regard the Singularity as the most likely non-catastrophic outcome for our near future.” Precis/slides from Vernor Vinge’s recent talk. -
“Space is the next economic development zone, and while the human presence there will mostly be beautiful, we’ll also be faced with thought-provoking issues.” Food for science fictional thought.
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3 – ‘Second Life’ Crumbles Under Own Weight, May Bar 2nd-Class Citizens
“It looks like a long-predicted tipping-point for Second Life is finally upon us: The virtual world platform, not being scalable in any useful way at present (despite earlier claims to the contrary), is beginning to crumble under its own weight.”
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4 – White-o-glyphics
“If we took all the common graphic symbols floating around nowadays, would we have enough to make a viable hieroglyphic language? Would it be possible to translate Finnegan’s Wake or Moby Dick entirely into dingbats, whim-whams and clip art?”
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5 – Ms Gillian McKeith – Banned From Calling Herself A Doctor!
“For years, ‘Dr’ Gillian McKeith has used her title to sell TV shows, diet books and herbal sex pills. Now the Advertising Standards Authority has stepped in.” A result for sanity and science.
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6 – Greybeard by Brian W. Aldiss
Matthew Cheney goes digging in the crates.
