Iran to hold public trials for 2,000 detained in protests… Netanyahu Aims Comeback… Developing… UPDATE: ‘Those in power’ should stand with nation, says Khan…‘For 6 mos. I’ve been witnessing revolution’…‘Establishment said ‘Nawaz, Zardari are thieves’”…Govt: Won’t create hurdle if long march remains peaceful… U.S. naval forces seize $1m in drugs while rescuing 8 Iranian, PakistaniContinue reading “DesPardes Report: Oct 2022 As the World Turns…”
Monthly Archives: October 2022
Math behind the image (or the face behind the mask)
GHULAM MUSTAFA: At the time of this writing, there are about 6 billion smart phones on this planet. Each equipped with a high resolution camera. Let’s assume that each smart phone owner takes one pic per day. That makes 250M per hour or about 70k pics per sec. So, by the time you finish readingContinue reading “Math behind the image (or the face behind the mask)”
Elections in US & Brazil; COP27 & G20
Ahead of midterm elections in the US that are expected to tip the balance of power in Congress, this is an analysis from both sides of the Atlantic. The gridlock resulting from Congress falling under the control of one party while the White House remains under another has actually been good for the economy inContinue reading “Elections in US & Brazil; COP27 & G20”
Birds and Us
Excerpts from Jesse Russell’s book review at The Hedgehog Review: In his recent work Birds and Us, British ornithologist Tim Birkhead provides a genealogical retrospective of human relationships with birds. Through his work, Birkhead offers a number of interesting tidbits about the relationship between feathered and what Plato once famously called “feather-less” bipeds (or humans).Continue reading “Birds and Us”
The Roots of War
Chris Blattman in the Boston Review: The globe is a patchwork of rival territories. Controlling them brings wealth and status. Different groups covet their neighbors’ resources and prey on the weak, but most do their best not to wage war. Now, when I say war, I don’t just mean countries duking it out. I meanContinue reading “The Roots of War”
COMMENT: Pak Reactivates Saudi, Kuwaiti Offer For Refinery in Gwadar, Balochistan
To meet fossil fuel demands till 2040, Pakistan has reactivated stalled Saudi & Kuwaiti oil refinery offers in Balochistan. The aim it seems is value-addition than just import of crude/petroleum from the region’s oil exporters. Storing & marketing them beyond may also be on the wish list. Express Tribune reports that Pakistan and Saudi ArabiaContinue reading “COMMENT: Pak Reactivates Saudi, Kuwaiti Offer For Refinery in Gwadar, Balochistan”
Racism Row: How Asia and Africa Shaped Civilization
When Josep Borrell spoke of ‘privilege’, did that mean ‘white’ privilege? By Tariq A. Al Maeena at Gulf News: As a child growing up in the family home, I was fortunate to be surrounded by large trees on the property, some bearing a variety of fruit. I would spend hours under or on the lowerContinue reading “Racism Row: How Asia and Africa Shaped Civilization”
Meatballs, Baseball
IRSHAD SALIM: One day my grandma asked my father why he had beaten me up as i was the youngest and his most loved one. My father told grandma that if he could beat up the youngest and the most loved one, others should be ready for much harsher punishment. Lo and behold, after thisContinue reading “Meatballs, Baseball”
Self-Taught AI Shows Similarities to How the Brain Works
Anil Ananthaswamy in Quanta: For researchers interested in the intersection of animal and machine intelligence, “supervised learning” might be limited in what it can reveal about biological brains. Animals — including humans — don’t use labeled data sets to learn. For the most part, they explore the environment on their own, and in doing so,Continue reading “Self-Taught AI Shows Similarities to How the Brain Works”