Thumbs are the new fingers for the GameBoy generation. UK latest:: Use of hand-held technologies, such as mobile phones, GameBoys and computers, has caused a physical mutation in the under-25s, according to new research. [Guardian Unlimited]

OK, last I'd checked, a mutation was something that happened on a genetic level in response to a burst of radition or other resulting in an abberation, usually harmful to the functioning of biological entity. An adaptation was what happened when there was a change to the environment and the species self-selected the fittest that could adjust to the change, allowing more of the fit to reproduce than otherwise. Pretty basic, high school level science/middle school biology here. I mean come on, you're English, you folks gave us Darwin, please, get it right.

At the same time this is like registering amazement that people who grew up using touchpads, as opposed to rotary phones, use more than one finger to dial. This is all it takes to get a doctorate, let alone to be the founder of a branch of study at a University in England?

11:32:46 PM    

Loosen That Tie. Now Vent About the Dress Code.. Dress codes, it seems, are coming back into style at many companies, and workers' views of them are sharply divided. [New York Times: Business]

My last job had a very loose dress code. I wore silk hawaiian shirts all summer, with jeans and sandals. If I had an importnat meeting, I'd wear a button down shirt, slacks, and hiking boots. Pretty much how I dress normally. In the past I've had jobs where ties, slacks, and button downs were the norm. I swore after the last of one that I would never do that again. So far, I haven't had to. If the right offer comes along, I may well fold on that point.  Time will tell.

11:14:54 PM    

Crime-Fighting by Computer Widens Scope. The same sort of statistician's dream used to build efficient crime-fighting is helping New York police silence dogs and loud parties. By William K. Rashbaum. [New York Times: Technology]

Weekly meetings help station commanders pinpoint problems, as they get credit where due, and yelled at where needed. Excellent example of data mining to track the productivity (especially overtime) of a business, in this case, law enforcement.

10:55:07 PM    

Neural network 'in-jokes' could pass secrets. Using two different neural networks to train each other could provide a unique approach to cryptography [New Scientist]

Interesting... When people get thrown together from different cultures and languages, they slowly form a 'pidgin' language that takes bits and pieces of their own language and mixes it up with their new companions, so that they can communicate. Their children (and grandchildren) take it a step further, forming a 'creole' type of language, that is not materially similar to their parents language, but which they all understand. It appears that nueral networks do the same thing in terms of getting results to and from each other, once each learns how the other is thinking.

8:19:03 AM