Author Archives: BabakF

“Dream Good”: Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s Resolution List, 1942

By BabakF | Published: January 3, 2012

1. Work more and better 2. Work by a schedule 3. Wash teeth if any 4. Shave 5. Take bath 6. Eat good — fruit — vegetables — milk 7. Drink very scant if any 8. Write a song a day 9. Wear clean clothes — look good 10. Shine shoes 11. Change socks 12. [...]

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Unaccountable Killing Machines: The True Cost of U.S. Drones

By BabakF | Published: December 30, 2011

“This sloppiness with life and death decisions is a substantial moral failing, and should be a huge scandal for President Obama. But, he has decided to both distance himself from it while also taking credit for its successes, even as it focuses on ever less important and marginal figures within the terrorist milieu.” via Unaccountable [...]

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Stefon Harris: There are no mistakes on the bandstand

By BabakF | Published: December 12, 2011

  Beautiful music, and important message for those of us researchers who believe in “not invented here” “What is a mistake? By talking through examples with his improvisational Jazz quartet, Stefon Harris walks us to a profound truth: many actions are perceived as mistakes only because we don’t react to them appropriately.” via Stefon Harris: [...]

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Luis von Ahn: Massive-scale online collaboration

By BabakF | Published: December 8, 2011

After re-purposing CAPTCHA so each human-typed response helps digitize books, Luis von Ahn wondered how else to use small contributions by many on the Internet for greater good. At TEDxCMU, he shares how his ambitious new project, Duolingo, will help millions learn a new language while translating the Web quickly and accurately — all for [...]

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Horizon 2020: Commission proposes €80 billion investment in research and innovation, to boost growth and jobs

By BabakF | Published: December 1, 2011

The European Commission has today presented a package of measures to boost research, innovation and competitiveness in Europe. Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has announced Horizon 2020, an €80 billion1 programme for investment in research and innovation. Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has put forward a Strategic Innovation Agenda for the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which [...]

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