Simon’s Rock College tests Alan Turing theories with ‘Imitation Game’ experiment

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

On Saturday April 16, students at Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and Dr. Richard Wallace of the A.L.I.C.E. AI Foundation for their first time tested Alan Turing’s thought-experiment. The Imitation Game, based on the original Turing model for testing the ability of humans to recognize artificial intelligence (AI), was carried out with nearly eighty human and AI participants.

The ‘Original Imitation Game’ is described in Turing’s 1950 paper. A popularized version now dubbed the “Turing Test” involves a judge knowingly interviewing a software program and a human person during a computer chat, and then trying to discern which is which. The Turing Test has been conducted many times as Artificial Intelligence programs developed. However, no study was ever published following the guidelines of the original thought-experiment itself.

The Imitation Game involved playing a “gender guessing game”, wherein two human subjects, a male and a female, communicate via computer chat to the judge. Both the male and the female would try to convince the judge that s/he is female. Turing’s original question was, if a gender guessing game were done with two humans, and then with an AI replacing the male, would the judge be more accurate in guessing who the real female was?

Three students at Simon’s Rock — Cameo Wood, Melissa Leventhal, and Allyson Sgro — wrote a grant to support the experiment, and shepherded the proposal through the Human Research Review Committee under the oversight of Professor Anne O’Dwyer. The experiment was funded by the departments of Natural Science and the department of Social Science at the college.

The experiment utilized a program called A.L.I.C.E., which is designed to hold one end of an interactive conversation. The program was provided by the ALICE Artificial Intelligence Foundation. Dr. Richard Wallace was on hand during the experiment to troubleshoot the AI robot, later gave a lecture about on The Anatomy of A.L.I.C.E. and blogged the event.

Six human subjects from Simon’s Rock composed the human players in the game; the judges were recruited from various non-technical internet communities. Roughly eighty individuals participated in the experiment, which required the organizers to maintain strict secrecy about the experiment until it was concluded. All subjects who participated in the experiment were required to be over 18, not affiliated with the college, and were not allowed any foreknowledge of the use of AI in the experiment. Roughly 70 interviews were conducted over a three hour period last Saturday, via AOL’s Instant Messenger, a messaging tool that allows individuals to write to one another online.

The research team at Simon’s Rock has started to analyze the data they acquired during the experiment and will be writing a paper for publication in the coming months. Inquiries regarding the experiment may be directed to researcher@theguessinggame.net.

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Open source game developer Perttu Ahola talks about Minetest with Wikinews

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Recently, Finnish open-source video game developer Perttu Ahola discussed Minetest, his “longest ever project”, with Wikinews.

Started in October 2010, Minetest was an attempt by Ahola to create a sandbox game similar to Minecraft. Minecraft is a multi-platform commercial game, which was in alpha version when Ahola challenged himself to create something similar to it from scratch, he told Wikinews.

Minetest is an open-source game, which is free for anyone to download and play. It is written in the C++ programming language, and the source code is available on code-hosting site GitHub. According to Ahola, Minetest attempts to run on older hardware, with limited graphics, but to be accessible to more people: those who have outdated technology, and making it available for no cost. Minecraft, on the other hand, is a paid game, currently costing USD 26.95 for its computer version. Minecraft is currently owned by Microsoft, and performs poorly on older hardware.

A correspondent from French Wikinews contacted Perttu Ahola via Internet Relay Chat a few weeks ago, discussing Minecraft. This interview is built on top of the previous interview, as we take a deeper dive into knowing more about this free game which is about to turn ten years old in a few months.

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Categories
Kitchen Home Improvement

How To Get Rid Of Clutter Using 5 Effective Proven Tips

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Submitted by: Marilyn Bohn

Are you discouraged by magazine articles that set the expectation for organizing too high? Here are 5 proven and powerful tips for getting rid of clutter in just a few minutes.

My daughter had eye surgery a few years ago and when she was released from the clinic she was given a pair of snazzy sunglasses–you know the ones I mean–they wrap around on the sides and you don’t want to be seen in public wearing them. She calls them her $1,500 sun glasses and wears them more than she wears her nice ones that are stylish. The reason for this is she can’t find her nice sunglasses when she needs them because she puts them where ever she takes them off. They might be in her purse, on the piano, on the seat of her car or on the desk. The $1,500 pair she always puts back in the glove compartment (aka: jockey box) in the car so she finds them every time.

I was thinking about this when I read an article that listed a few projects that can be completed in about 2 minutes. This disturbed me because I think people really believe these articles and then get discouraged or think something is wrong with them when they can’t get organized in 2 minutes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNlE4LIDO8A[/youtube]

Instead of having this mindset that it should only take 2 minutes I think it is more productive to start with some small area and see how long it will take rather than setting yourself up for failure. Here are some of the things suggested to get rid of clutter in 2 minutes or less:

1. The fridge: My friend used to tell me I had the most disgusting fridge ever. I think that is because she was OCD. Never-the-less it was full of left over’s that I had good intentions would become planned over’s, but they never did so they grew mold and then I could throw them away. Do you have the same problem; you have to save it and can’t throw it away until it is disgusting? We might as well toss it before cluttering the fridge.

I recommend getting rid of clutter in the fridge by taking about 5 minutes and taking out all of the mystery food and disposing of it, rinsing the container and loading them in the dishwasher. When you have more time come back and organize and clean the fridge.

2. Designate a home for things you use all the time but can’t find when you want them. Things like sunglasses, keys, purse and daily planner. These is not brain surgery, think of a place and call it home for that item from now and forever and get in the habit of putting it in its home when not being used.

3. Sock drawer: You can get rid of clutter and the socks can be straightened in under 5 minutes–IF it has already been organized. I recommend drawer dividers to separate exercise, daily and dress socks.

4. Nightstand: is yours piled with books, magazines, and hand lotion, lose change, food dishes, and unused tissues? Take about 5 minutes and get rid of those piles. Anything there that belongs somewhere else in the house put in your BE basket (belongs elsewhere) to be put away when you’re done here. Contain the loose change somewhere else as there usually isn’t room on a night stand and it isn’t a convenient place to come for change. Keep only items you use on a daily basis on the flat surface. Things like a lamp, 1 bottle of lotion (your whole collection doesn’t have to be here), tissues, radio, eyeglasses and a book are some examples. After it is organized then it will only take a few minutes to reorganize if the piles start happening again.

5. Night time routine: Are mornings a bit hectic for you? Is it because there is a lack of order in your home? Before going to bed (train your children to do this too) take 5 minutes or less getting rid of clutter. Put toys away, newspapers put in the recycle bin, dishes that aren’t in the kitchen put in the sink or dishwasher. How sweet it is to get up to an orderly home and a bit of tidying up the night before goes a long way in making mornings less hectic.

Don’t be discouraged when you don’t meet the expectations of a magazine article. Start–that is the key word, start getting rid of clutter and before you know it you will be able to organize many things in under a few minutes.

About the Author: Marilyn Bohn is the owner of Get it Together Organizing, a business dedicated to developing practical organizing solutions that help individuals and business professionals live clutter-free and productive lives. She is the author of “Go Organize! Sign up for her free tips

marilynbohn.com

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Viacom delays launch of gay cable channel

Friday, January 14, 2005

New York —Media giant Viacom has delayed the launch of its LGBT-themed LOGO channel by more than four months, according to reports. Originally scheduled to launch Feb. 17, the new channel’s debut was delayed until a planned June 30 sign on.

Part of Viacom’s MTV Networks, LOGO has secured carriage on Time Warner cable in Manhattan, RCN and Atlantic Broadband. It is in final negotiations with Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, which serves the San Francisco Bay Area.

The channel’s management said it will take the extra time to beef up its programming slate and sign on more carriers. LOGO already has secured the rights to such programming as Golden Globe and Emmy-winning Angels in America and films such as Far From Heaven, Philadelphia and The Birdcage.

Original programming includes plans for a string of reality-based series and documentaries with titles such as The Relationship Show, My Fabulous Gay Wedding, and Cruise, which take place about a gay-themed ocean cruise ship.

  • “MTV postpones launch of gay channel” — Digital Spy, January 14, 2005
  • Cynthia Littleton. “MTV’s Gay Channel Held Back to Summer” — Reuters, January 14, 2005
  • Bill Carter. “MTV Postpones the Debut of a Gay Channel” — Reuters, January 14, 2005
  • Alonso Duralde. “Logo’s good to go” — The Advocate, January 13, 2005

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This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Viacom_delays_launch_of_gay_cable_channel&oldid=2595005”

Fatal police helicopter crash in Slovakia due to technical failure: preliminary Interior Ministry finding

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Last week’s police helicopter accident in eastern Slovakia was caused by technical failure and not human error, said the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic on Friday. The statement is based on preliminary flight recorder data analysis. Ministry spokesperson Petar Lazarov confirmed the flight recorder and remains of the helicopter will be sent to the United States for further analysis. Helicopter crash occurred during a training exercise on May 10 shortly before 2:30 PM CEST at Prešov Air Base near Prešov, resulting in deaths of two crewmembers and serious injuries of both pilots.

According to initial reports by the Slovak Police Force, the helicopter spiraled down from a height of about 100 metres and 200 metres away from the point of take-off. Slovak tabloid newspaper Plus Jeden De? wrote that, according to a source from the forensic team that analysed flight recorders data, both rotors failed at the same time.

The accident caused fatal injuries to two Fire and Rescue Corps firefighters, First Lieutenant ((sk))Slovak language: ?nadporu?ík Peter To?or, born 1974, and Lieutenant Colonel ((sk))Slovak language: ?podplukovník Radoslav Lacko, born 1968. According to reports, one died on the site, and one in the Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. “The patient suffered serious head and chest injuries. Our doctors resuscitated him for about 50 minutes. Ultimately, he died of his injuries,” said hospital spokesperson Ivana Stašková. Both firefighters were buried on May 16. The helicopter pilots were hospitalized with serious injuries in the Ján Adam Reiman Teaching Hospital with Polyclinic in Prešov. While one of them was stabilized and conscious already on May 10, suffering from right femoral fracture, right rib and facial bone fracture, the second one is still in serious condition at the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, said hospital spokesperson Renáta Cenková.

The Bell 429 GlobalRanger helicopter, registration OM-BYM, was made in 2014 and commissioned by the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Interior on August 17, 2015. The Aviation Department later commissioned another Bell 429 helicopter, registration OM-BYD. According to Bell Helicopter, the primary purpose of both these helicopters was to be “border protection, search and rescue, natural disaster relief missions and road traffic law enforcement”.

Bell Helicopter reacted on the incident, expressing condolences and willingness to assist with the investigation. Members of the National Council started their late-afternoon session on May 10 with a minute of silence for the victims of the crash. Other government officials expressed their condolences as well, including the President Andrej Kiska, the Prime Minister Robert Fico, and the Mayor of Prešov Andrea Tur?anová.

This accident was not the first Bell 429 helicopter crash in Slovakia. On September 7 of last year, an Air-Transport Europe rescue helicopter crashed near Banská Bystrica, killing all three crewmen and a patient aboard. Investigation is still in progress and no preliminary results are known.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Fatal_police_helicopter_crash_in_Slovakia_due_to_technical_failure:_preliminary_Interior_Ministry_finding&oldid=4318820”
Categories
Pet Supplies

Dog Grooming Benefits

My promise to you is a safe, gentle, hygienic & stress free experience for your pooch!

The Benefits Of Dog Grooming

dog groomers in perthis essential for both your dog’s good looks and his health. However, doing these tasks at home may be complicated, so you might want to consider the benefits of professional dog washing perth

With proper dog grooming northern suburbs, you can eliminate mats, ticks, fleas, shedding, and stop other severe health conditions developing that you may have had no idea about. So, fret no more because we are giving you an in-depth look at how important and beneficial regular grooming is.

Detection and Prevention

Going to aprofessional dog groomer northern suburbs will benefit your dog very much so. It’s the best way to detect any problems that your dog might have, and early detection is very important as if you catch it early treatment is likely to be shorter and easier – of course depending on what it is.

Our dog grooming salon quinns rocks will look for rashes, lesions, inflammation, lumps, or infections that any normal dog owner could miss. You’ll be able to prevent any major health conditions or catch an underlying problem, which you might have had no idea about.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cpUDYAbc9g[/youtube]

Maintaining a Healthy Coat and Fur

Maintaining a healthy coat and fur for your dog means that you have to groom them frequently. They can’t just jump into the shower and clean themselves as we can.

Plus, it’s not even ideal to give them a regular bath. Regular bathing will cause their natural oil to fall out, and it will also damage their coat.

What you can do is brush them. Any responsible and seasoned dog owner will know that brushing your dog benefits them greatly. It will help to avoid mats in their fur. They can make the hair knot up, or pull on their tight skin, which will cause them discomfort and pain.

Mats can also cause ulcers and abrasions. Brushing will bring out the natural oils in the fur and remove any dead hair, dirt, and dandruff. Your dog will have a healthier shine to their coat and will also feel healthy themselves.

Whilst brushing your dog is great it is also useful to comb them through with a fine comb as this can reveal fleas that you maynot be aware of.

Taking Care of their Nails

When it comes to grooming, you must not forget about their nails. Uncut nails can lead to joint pain, as it means the dog may not be walking with pads in alignment. This is quite a common problem in dogs. Trimmed nails will keep them from curling, and will stop germs from getting stuck in there.

If you do decide to do this, invest in some proper nail clippers that are made especially for dogs. This will make cutting their nails much easier and will also make it less painful for your dog. If you are nervous about this ask your vet for advice.

Benefits of Regular Grooming and Brushing

Having a well-groomed, clean, and nice smelling dog around the house means that your house will be less likely to have bad odours gathering in your home. Regular grooming also causes less shedding from your dog.

You don’t have to vacuum clean your house every day if you keep up with the grooming. You’re also eliminating and preventing fleas and ticks from settling in as well.

The best part is, a good brushing session will make you bond with your dog, and who doesn’t love creating good memories with their dogs?

Positive Behaviour

The most important part aboutregular dog grooming is that it affects your dog’s mental health as well. A good looking, good smelling dog with a nice haircut will make your dog feel

This can affect their mental state and thus their behaviour as well.

Come to Bubbly Paws #1 Dog Groomer In Quinns Rocks

US drone strike kills at least fifteen in Pakistan

Monday, January 18, 2010

According to local officials, a United States drone attack in Pakistan’s South Waziristan province has killed at least fifteen people, although some reports put the death toll as high as twenty. The incident occurred in the Shaktoi region of the province.

“Now the death toll is 15. It could rise further. People are still busy removing rubble,” said a senior security official to the Reuters news agency. He commented that most of the dead were foreign fighters.

“The drones are apparently tracking and targeting Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, whose presence is frequently reported in the area,” said another official.

The United States has increased attacks using drones since a suicide bomber killed seven US intelligence agents in eastern Afghanistan in late December of last year.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=US_drone_strike_kills_at_least_fifteen_in_Pakistan&oldid=4357446”

Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with Liberal candidate Brian Jackson, Oxford

Monday, October 1, 2007

Brian Jackson is running for the Ontario Liberal Party in the Ontario provincial election, in the Oxford riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Ontario_Votes_2007:_Interview_with_Liberal_candidate_Brian_Jackson,_Oxford&oldid=4495441”

Australian government provides $15.8 million for North Adelaide Technical College

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Australian Minister for Vocational Education and Training, Gary Hardgrave has announced the government will provide AU$15.8 million to establish an Australian Technical College in North Adelaide. The minister said the government was entering into a partnership with the Archdiocese of Adelaide and consortium of industrial and manufacturing companies.

The North Adelaide college will be located in Elizabeth and be operated as an independent non-government school. The college is one of 25 to be established across the country.

Enrolments at the college will begin in 2007 and will offer courses in areas where identified skills shortages exist in the North Adelaide region, specifically – engineering, construction, electronics and cooking.

Mr Hardgrave said that the proposed college had been popular among the North Adelaide business community. “This important initiative has been well received by North Adelaide business and industry, and will help to address skills needs and provide opportunities for those in greatest need, including a lot of Indigenous students in the region,” Mr Hardgrave said.

“The fact that this College is being led by local employers, local government and other key stakeholders, means it will be truly industry and community driven,” he said.

Australian Technical Colleges were established to cater for year 11 and 12 students who wish to do an apprenticeship as part of their school education.

The Australian Education Union has expressed a number of concerns about the model put forward by the government. In a report, they claim that trade facilities at TAFE colleges (operated by state governments) will deteriorate as funding is diverted to the ATCs. The union is also concerned that ATCs are supposed to be selective VET schools. According to the union they will have selective entry and preferential funding. It is feared that teachers will be lured away from schools and TAFE colleges to higher paid positions in ATCs.

The Education Union suggested that the government invest in schools that already offer vocational education programs.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Australian_government_provides_$15.8_million_for_North_Adelaide_Technical_College&oldid=625217”
Categories
Communication Skills Training

Elocution, Accent Softening &Amp; Voice Coaching Stage 1

Elocution, Accent Softening & Voice Coaching – Stage 1

by

Martin MacLeod

Elocution Lessons – or simply how to make yourself heard at work

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAo9UBEZJI4[/youtube]

Elocution has been around for centuries as a means of helping people to speak with more clarity and finesse. But can some simple elocution lessons or voice coaching lessons actually help improve your impact when you speak today? And does it really have some place in business training? Try some of the very simple exercises in this and a followup article and find out for yourself if elocution or voice coaching might offer you a means of creating more impact the next time you are speaking. Elocution Lesson One – Breathing & Relaxation Firstly we are going to try and relax and take a few deep breaths. OK? And when you breathe in deeply try not to move your shoulders too much but breathe in from your belly (or stomach). Ready? OK …Breathe in ….. deeply … remember to use your stomach … and now wait a few seconds …. then breathe out slowly …. and count out aloud as you do it … … 1 … 2 … 3 … 4 … 5 … 6… 7 … 8 … 9 … 10 … … 11 … 12 … 13 … 14 … 15 … 16 … 17 … 18 … 19 … 20. Try and count all the way to 20 as you breathe out. OK normal breath in again … and out. Now lets try the deep breathing exercise again and count slowly all the way to 20. So … Breathe in ….. deeply … and … wait a few seconds …. then breathe out slowly …. and count out aloud as you do it … 1 … 2 … 3 … 4 … 5 … 6… 7 … 8 … 9 … 10 … … 11 … 12 … 13 … 14 … 15 … 16 … 17 … 18 … 19 … 20. …. try and count all the way to 20 as you breathe out. Elocution Lesson Two – Text Reading How about reading out some text aloud? OK? Print out this page. Then Find yourself a room where you wont be disturbed – or overheard!. Now read the following paragraph:- It was a beautiful day in more ways than one when Gerry finally decided to ask Sally to marry him. The Summer weather had now settled down and although there were still a few clouds in the sky, it was a very bright, blue sky that greeted them as they left the motel. Gerry took Sally by the arm and embraced her. And in that moment, he knew they were meant for each other. Now read it again but this time think about how much your mouth is opening. Try and open your mouth as wide as possible when you speak each word. In fact try and speak each word individually and not as part of a sentence. Try and make each word sound clear as possible. Try and “spit” out each of the words. OK that probably sounds somewhat strange! What we are trying to do there is to make each word have a beginning and an end. Oftentimes when we speak we “slurrrrrr” our speech and do not take enough effort to pronounce each word clearly enough. So lets repeat the paragraph one more time. This time reading it as a whole piece of text (not individual words without meaning) and making it sound as exciting (and emotional) a moment for Jerry as you possibly can. And how did that sound to you? In our next article – “Elocution, Accent Softening & Voice Coaching – Stage 2”, we’ll look at how tongue twisters can help exercise the jaw, lips and tongue to help ensure more clarity when you speak.

Skillstudio offer a range of public courses throughout the UK, including:-

Presentation Skills (3 different levels) Communication Skills Body Language Awareness Vocal Impact Job Interview Skills Skillstudio also offer 1-2-1 coaching and in-house training throughout the UK and Europe in: Presentation Skills Public Speaking Communication Skills Interview Technique Media Skills Assertiveness Body Language Awareness Chairperson Skills Facilitation Skills Telephone Technique Vocal Skills Accent Softening Elocution For more information on the elocution or accent softening and other training offered by Skillstudio check our website at http://www.skillstudio.co.uk or call +44 (0)8456 444 150

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