Eliezer Yudkowsky (recently heard on G’Day World #238) is back. This time we’re having a discussion about another one of Eli’s favourite memes – rationality. We had originally planned to discuss his “Twelve Virtues of Rationality” but got side tracked into why “faith” and “religion” are irrational and dangerous and… well… we never really got onto what we planned to talk about. So we’ve agreed to have another crack at this one in another couple of weeks. Next time we’ll stick to the script.
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed today’s chat as well. As I explained to Eli afterwards, I don’t really think these shows will change the minds of many religious types. In fact, I’m pretty sure they have mostly stopped listening to the show.
The idea of these shows now is to provide some tools and arguments for those of you who find yourselves having discussions with your religious friends and family. So take notes (or get the transcript!!) and do your part to make the human race completely rational!
Now… folks… this isn’t radio. This is podcasting. It’s supposed to be a conversation, not just me talking at you.
Took my bricked Dopod 838 Pro into a 3 store in Melbourne Central tonight and they gave me a loan phone for the 4 weeks it’s going to take to get my phone repaired. So thanks to those of you who offered me a loan phone but I’m golden.
Mind you… this phone is a three year old Moto that’s weird ass and slow. But at least I can still check my Gmail and Gcal on it… I think.
The Carpenters’ song “We’ve Only Just Begun” started life as a bank commercial. It was written by Paul Williams, the same guy who wrote “Evergreen”, the song that won Barbra Streisand an Oscar, as well as the theme from Love Boat, and “Rainbow Connection” (which my kids are singing in a concert tomorrow night).
That song started life as a few verses in a bank commercial. Those verses Roger Nichols and I wrote to accompany footage of a young couple getting married, going to the reception and then driving off into the sunset. The copy read, “We’ve got a long way to go, we’d like to help you get there, the Crocker Bank.” So I sat down and realised that I had to describe a wedding in about three lines. So I came up with: “We’ve only just begun/ White Lace and promises/ A kiss for luck and we’re on our way.” Then they drive off and the song goes on, “Before the rising sun/ We Fly / So much of life ahead.” It was basically the first two verses and then we completed it. We didn’t think that there was very much chance that anyone would record it. it was very sentimental and a throwback to earlier times. I think a lot of stuff was. The number one album at the time that the Carpenters had a hit with it was In A Gadda Da Vita. So I suppose that in a sense the Carpenters, Roger and I were really alternative at the time.
It just goes to show you that great art and cheap commercialism can sometimes be friends.
My Dopod 838 Pro is five months old and on the blink! I have to drop it into the 3 repair joint tomorrow and god knows how long it will take to get it back. And my old XDA won’t work on the 3 network. I knew I should have listened to all y’all who told me not to move to 3!
Anyway… I have MODM coming up this week, and a busy week as it is. Heading to Sydney next week. All in all – I need a mobile that works!
Anyone out there got a spare (eg old) 3 handset I might be able to borrow for a couple of weeks???
Don’t install Compete.com‘s Firefox toolbar!! I did and it completely borked things today, forcing me to delete pretty much everything and go back to a clean install of Firefox. Admittedly, after trying to resolve it for an hour, I might have over-reacted when I told Firefox to delete EVERYTHING including my bookmarks… but after getting this for an hour every time I tried to open Firefox:
and under pressure to prep for an interview, I was frazzled.
That said, Compete’s graphs on TPN look much more realistic than Alexa’s.
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Yesterday I saw my first 3D film! Took one of my boys to the Melbourne Museum and went into their Virtual Theatre, put on the glasses and they worked! It wasn’t until I had my eye surgery last year that I had any chance of seeing 3D (with or without glasses) so this was a big moment. Shit flying out of the screen at me! I had a huge geeky smile on my face. I need to see every 3D film every made now. Including Jaws 3D. Oh yeah.
I’d love to come on the show sometime. The day in early 2005 when Scoble blew my mind at a talk at San Jose State University, where I’m (still) a grad student, he had his aggregator up on screen running on his tablet, then fired up Skype and called you in Australia.
Classic stuff.
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Happy to announce that Tony Goodson is taking over hosting duties on The Productivity Show! Des and I just haven’t had time (ironic, I know Alanis) to get it done over the last six months, so I’m glad someone is taking it over. Tony has been listening to G’Day World and TPN since the very beginning. I remember having coffee with him in the city early in the history of G’Day World when he tried to convince me that I was the new Parky (Tony’s a pom). It’s fitting that Tony is taking over this show as he was our guest on the very first one we did, way back in June 2005. Welcome to TPN, Tony!
UPDATE: Tony just reminded me that of last weekend he is now officially an Aussie! Welcome to our fair country sir.
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Just got back from a preview screening of “Blades Of Glory” at Paramount’s offices in Melbourne (thanks for hooking me up Bruce – say hi to Michael Bay from me!). Hughesy and Tony Martin were there as well. Got an interview lined up for Friday with one of the stars, Will Arnett. Should be a bit of fun. Movie was a lot funnier than I expected. The best Will Ferrell movie I’ve seen since “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”. Blades also stars the very hot Jenna Fischer, the best thing about the US version of The Office.
