April 2011

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Apr 08, 2011

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Now that computers have progressed to the point where they can challenge humans on Jeopardy! and defeat a Grandmaster in a game of chess, it's time for us to ask serious philosophical questions about what it means to be "human" during a time of accelerating technological change. If the Singularity is near, what impact will...

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Apr 06, 2011

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Felix Lorioux was one of France’s best loved artists, but he was a humble, quiet man who did little to promote himself beyond his home country. He was born in 1872 and began as a fashion designer. But his childlike sense of wonder led him to a career as a children’s book illustrator. Walt Disney...

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Apr 01, 2011

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The televised campaign speech of Mac Akasaka, founder of the Smile Therapy Association and a candidate in the 2011 Tokyo gubernatorial race representing his own Smile Party (slogan: "Towards a Positive Tokyo!"). No subtitles, but given Akasaka's enthusiasm and a few keywords you should be able to grasp the thrust of his campaign: A smile can take...