Dominik’s Blog

Spirited Away - Um. I had heard great things about this movie… and was disappointed in the actual film. Perhaps it was because I was watching a dubbed, not subtitled version, but the entire movie came across as strange and non-sensical. I am a fan of fantasy, but fantasy that is at least somewhat coherent and believable within its world… Spirited Away simply kept adding in elements with sufficient explanation, and worse, these elements felt strange and foreign to me.

Therese - Watched the 1986 version, since I can’t find the 2004 release anywhere. The movie was very French, not just in the speech, which was well-subtitled, but also in the style. The sets had nothing on them, it was as if I were watching a stage production that had been filmed. Overall, however, the movie was thought-provoking and touching.

Hotel Rwanda - A powerful movie describing the plight of a four-star luxury hotel in the heart of Rwanda during the massacres that occurred there last decade.

Almost Famous - I wouldn’t call this a comedy, it’s much more of an inspirational drama. Overall enjoyable.

6.803 - We talked about Minsky’s K-lines paper… and in passing, Winston mentioned a conversation he had had with 3 20-something young women all of whom had graduated from Ivy league schools. The question he had posed to them was “What are you looking for in a man?” and their answers, were… 1) Money 2) Power and 3) Personal Hygiene. The context of this presentation was the concept of a spider-diagram (several axes, e.g. one for Money, Power and Personal Hyigene, then dots on those axes — then fill in the polygon area and use the area to compare various candidates).

6.033 - Arrived a bit late, but fortunately the material covered was stuff I have already seen… how locks operate and the concept of atomicity.

6.UAT - A guest talk by AI researcher Randall Davis, regarding smart paper that understands the drawings made upon it; he also covered the concept of multi-modal communication: for example, if something is difficult to draw, then a human could simply say what he or she wants to see, the computer would draw it — the concept is that we can draw stuff that’s difficult to describe, vocalize stuff that’s difficult to draw, and gesture to communicate stuff that’s not easy to draw nor vocalize.

Merci, y’all
(But why the heck are selling arms to China?)

Good stuff :)

15.053 - Another miniquiz and a recitation on going between Excel analysis and graphical interpretation.

6.033 - Talk about the Design Project, proposal looming on the horizon due Tuesday.

Another beautiful day, replete with sunshine.

6.UAT - Recitation on delivering speeches. We recited various tracts and took feedback… almost an acting class… but that’s what a presentation is about.

6.033 - Recitation on various threading architectures used in web servers. Word is our quiz next Friday will be multiple choice… groan.

15.053 - Shadow prices and various other simplex method features.

New User Picture, courtesy of the beautiful sunshine this morning walking to class…2nd union oldest creditaccrediting university aaccreditation education graduate medical for councillogin credit union access firstschool accredited high eveningcredit union federal usa alaska homeconsulting accreditation schoolaccredited university distance learning Map

Have been re-reading poems lately and came across a few favorite stanzas…

the face of the waters
the universe revealed
looking at its own reflection
the stars shining back upon themselves
– The Face of the Waters

but that is all i know
a solitary dot
round and dark upon the page
a tear of ink, splattered
– Cartographer

what if we lived in a world where there was poetry
in every deed, in every action, in every word
where everything done and undone and not done
had deep meaning, mystery and truth
– Silence Falls

And in the half-veiled moonlight
I see your soft smile
And find myself enamored all anew
The clouds break, light cascades off your hair
– Reflection II

So this is what life is about
About caring and about loving
I really hurt my hand by running into a wall
And sometimes it’s the shock that makes us think
– Time Almighty

the shadows fall
the sky breaks
the light falls down
and pours onto the pavement
– The Shadows Fall

What if there were no poetry?
What would life be like then?
Would words stop reflecting thoughts?
Would the world come to an end?
– What if there were no poetry?

I trace my fingers along threads of fate
For my eyes cannot discern whither it is that they lead
As much as I want to know what will happen
I cannot not know, and it vexes me
– Human Dust AliveRingtone 0.5809 Tracfone Free NokiaRingtone 0.57089 Download0.57089 polyphonic ringtoneRingtones Calltones Free 0.5809 Where Samsung Wallpapers0.56989 Master Chance Second Program Visa Guaranteed CardFrom Free Ringtones 0.56989 Nokia Midi MobileSoftware Credit Authorization 0.56989 Verify CardBests Ringtones Quot 0.56989 Bolo Tracfone Free Lists Map

6.803 - Pontifications on Marr’s ‘Artificial Intelligence - a personal view paper.’ Marr essentially rips into current (at the time, 1976) AI research for focusing on mechanisms and not actual methods for solving problems. A quote from the paper that I liked: “All important fields of human endeavor start with a personal commitment based on faith rather than on results.”

6.033 - More virtual memory. Nothing earth-shattering.

6.UAT - A different, and far more fun lecture. Whereas the last UAT lecture was boring, this one was well done. Tony talked about delivery — of speech, not babies — and involved audience members. I, volunteering at first because no one else would, got to showcase various emotions by repeating the phrase “You did it!” to another student who could only reply with “I didn’t do it!” It was a rare opportunity to let loose and just have fun in a course VI class and I took full advantage of it :) Later on, other students who volunteered got to sing, stretch and attempt to touch their toes… Whee, go go UAT :) Twas a good lecture that was engaging, interesting and informative all at once.

So many little odds and ends that need to be done… I made a list of them today and was surprised at its length. Oh well, I’ll tackle them one at a time. Incrementalism from 6.033 in action in real life! :P

…a land of shadow and trees
of clouds and moon
of waking dreams
that walk by starlight…

Because of the 3 day weekend we have the pleasure of experiencing a Monday directly followed by a Wednesday.

6.803 - Winston continued pontifications on the philosophy of Artificial Intelligence and the fine art of proper communication. VSNC. Vision Steps News Contribute. Today we examined a paper by Ullman that demonstrated the Goldilocks principle of striving for the “just right” solution. Looking forward to diving into more technical content in the weeks ahead.

6.033 - Virtual Memory, a broad overview. We’ve been promised to get “Virtual Memory, in gory detail” tomorrow. Oh joy.

6.UAT - What makes a good visual, and why.

About two to three inches of snow, crisp cold and biting Bostonian winds. Week four the four day week rolls on in.free totally movies pornwomen of movies uncensored nudemovie maker window downloadsex movies young100 moments scariest movie100% teen movies free fuckadult big moviesadult movie station Map

there is naught to do
but to live in the now
not the then and there
not the was and will be

the past lies out of reach
the future as yet uncertain
the only opportunities for true action
are in the moment now at hand