tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post114432794123717676..comments2024-03-28T18:17:00.135-05:00Comments on Computational Complexity: The Life of the PartyLance Fortnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752030912874378610noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144450779190803842006-04-07T17:59:00.000-05:002006-04-07T17:59:00.000-05:00Somehow I am reminded of the Laputa mathematicians...Somehow I am reminded of the Laputa mathematicians (from Gulliver's Travels), who are always followed by a servant who strikes them with a stick when they are too lost in their thoughts.<BR/><BR/><I>It seems the Minds of these People are so taken up with intense Speculations, that they neither can speak, nor attend to the Discourses of others, without being rouzed by some external Taction upon the Organs of Speech and Hearing; for which Reason those Persons who are able to afford it always keep a Flapper (the Original is Climenole) in their Family, as one of their Domesticks; nor ever walk abroad or make <BR/>Visits without him. <BR/><BR/>And the Business of this Officer is, when two or more Persons are in Company, gently to strike with his Bladder the Mouth of him who is to speak, and the right Ear of him or them to whom the Speaker addresses himself. <BR/><BR/>This Flapper is likewise employed diligently to attend his Master in his Walks, and upon Occasion to give him a soft Flap on his Eyes; because he is always so wrapped up in Cogitation, that he is in manifest Danger of falling down every Precipice, and bouncing his Head against every Post; and in the Streets, of jostling others, or being jostled himself into the Kennel.</I>Lucahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17835412240486594185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144447404234949152006-04-07T17:03:00.000-05:002006-04-07T17:03:00.000-05:00Anon Fri Apr 07, 03:26:43 PM:Isn't interesting con...Anon Fri Apr 07, 03:26:43 PM:<BR/><BR/>Isn't interesting conversation self reducible?<BR/>Gilad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144441603638348582006-04-07T15:26:00.000-05:002006-04-07T15:26:00.000-05:00Lance, your comment shows the limited usefulness o...Lance, your comment shows the limited usefulness of this device. We scientists know that we are very often not exciting in conversation. A device seconding this gives us no added knowledge. We need a device to tell us how NOT to be boring. This device is like a nagging back-seat-driver, who readily informs you that you're lost, but cannot help you find your way. <BR/><BR/>Seems like the second date test can perform the same task as this machine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144433836074047842006-04-07T13:17:00.000-05:002006-04-07T13:17:00.000-05:00This device is invented to help autistic people re...This device is invented to help autistic people relate to those around them.<BR/><BR/>It doesn't detect if someone is "boring".<BR/>It works in the opposite direction.<BR/>It detect if someone is "bored" by detecting their facial expressions.<BR/><BR/>http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025456.500-device-warns-you-if-youre-boring-or-irritating.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144432295285437622006-04-07T12:51:00.000-05:002006-04-07T12:51:00.000-05:00"...social grace is just not one of our strengths....<I>"...social grace is just not one of our strengths."</I> Give me a break. There are plenty of excuses for not being empathetic to others' reactions in social situations, and they are generally just that: excuses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144420386875100632006-04-07T09:33:00.000-05:002006-04-07T09:33:00.000-05:00There are no women on the soda 2007 PC.How is this...<EM> There are no women on the soda 2007 PC.</EM><BR/><BR/>How is this related to the topic of this post? The remote connection I can see is dates, but that seems to be pushing it....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144414785515416832006-04-07T07:59:00.000-05:002006-04-07T07:59:00.000-05:00There are no women on the soda 2007 PC.There are no women on the soda 2007 PC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144400229952936612006-04-07T03:57:00.000-05:002006-04-07T03:57:00.000-05:00That suggests a question which should be popular a...That suggests a question which should be popular at a party!<BR/><BR/>Does the ditribution of people on dates follows a Zipf law?Cheshire Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07463645065346922684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144397726853399772006-04-07T03:15:00.000-05:002006-04-07T03:15:00.000-05:00Please, please stop propagating this ridiculous st...Please, please stop propagating this ridiculous stereotype.<BR/><BR/>There are a million reasons why someone might not get a first date, but not getting a second date is all your fault.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144390297616722812006-04-07T01:11:00.000-05:002006-04-07T01:11:00.000-05:00I fully agree with Lance says, and I beg to disagr...I fully agree with Lance says, and I beg to disagree that we cannot be articulate enough. Just that due to the nature of our work we have the capacity to take more criticism, and hence often do not outrightly resent/object/protest some one elses views about us. It is specially a problem getting a second date because girls start assuming that you must be geeky.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144387298997218802006-04-07T00:21:00.000-05:002006-04-07T00:21:00.000-05:00I have no idea what you mean.I have <A HREF="http://weblog.fortnow.com/2006/04/how-many-students.html#comments" REL="nofollow">no idea</A> what you mean.Macneil Shonlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16382866616548432101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-1144351353057966732006-04-06T14:22:00.000-05:002006-04-06T14:22:00.000-05:00I'd like to have one!I'd like to have one!Teutschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04848264673734802964noreply@blogger.com