Gets My Vote

If you’re observant, you may have noticed that there is one career that is steadfastly ignoring the potential “great AI Replacement Theory” (i.e.: the jobs will go away because an AI can do them much better and faster). I am, of course, referring to …

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AI Art

My views on AI have changed somewhat, from my initial view that AI lacked the creativity to come up with grand strategies,[stderr] to something more confused. [stderr] Initially, I saw military strategy as a problem of creativity, and AI don’t seem to be very good at that – there’s too much of “output resembles input” for me to be enthusiastic about AI art: it looks more like remixing than innovation.  [By a coincidence, Caine over at Affinity is also posting about AI creativity tonight]

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At the Phipps Conservatory

Last weekend my friend in Pittsburgh and I went to visit the Phipps Conservatory.

Pittsburgh’s a great town, with lots of cool museums and galleries (home to the Andy Warhol gallery, Carnegie Museum, Phipps Conservatory, Frick Art Collection, etc.) also there’s way too much great food to be found there, according to my expanding waist-line.

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Turning 6 Year Olds’ Drawings Into Reality

I have to confess something: I never thought Picasso’s cubism was all that brilliant. It sort of reminds me of the kinds of things a 6-year-old does with magic markers, and a parent sticks up on the refrigerator with a magnet. Speaking of “refrigerator art”, anyway, this is delightful: a father with some experience at photoshop re-renders his 6-year-old’s cubist masterpieces:

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Incense

Making incense is fun and easy. It does, however, require a sacrificial grinder (so be forewarned)!

Whenever I make my incense I find myself pondering how the ingredients would be worth their weight in gold two thousand years ago. When the “three wise men” in the bible allegedly brought jesus frankincense and myrrh, they were bringing him valuable bling. Nowadays, I suspect it’d be an iPhone, bluetooth headphones with Swarovski crystals on them, Louboutins,* Louis Vuitton luggage, and a Lamborghini.

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