No point in calling my mother. Two reasons: A. She would not have had use for this type of product since the advent of the absorbant gel-stuff; and, 2. I'm no longer in possession of a means for getting hold of her.

No, no, you were supposed to call vw's mom. That'll be plan B if the dryer thing doesn't work.

No, no, you were supposed to call vw's mom. That'll be plan B if the dryer thing doesn't work.

Yes. This. She'd love to hear from you!

Hee. Well, any minute now, I'll go and check on the dryer. I think it just stopped. I need to feed the cats, as they are Starving. To. Death. Also I wonder if I should actually say anything to Daniel, or just let him find out by reading.....

In my defense, this is one of those things that I can type about with relative ease, but actually voicing? might cause weeping, gnashing of teeth, and beating of head against a brick wall. I should let him at least finish breakfast before exposing him to this.

Woo! So I went out to walk the dog this morning in my boxers and tank top. Surprise! It's only 55 out with a high of only 72 predicted. That's what I'm talkin' about! The cold snap will be over by Wednesday, but every little bit helps.

That is pretty much my favorite temperature range. I'll be right over, Laura.

Poor Andi. I have no idea what to do. I'd try the shaking it out. I'd maybe run another rinse cycle before I then tried the no-heat drying, and then I'd wash it again. You're not gross; you're forgetful. Whole different vibe.

The cold snap will be over by Wednesday, but every little bit helps.

If that's the case, you want some of our zero degrees?

I have no idea what "absorbent gel stuff" is. Nevertheless, I feel for you, Andi.

I love my dead gay mathematician!

Seriously, though, as intimidating as I find the "On Computable Numbers" stuff (which is what my paper is nominally about), I was totally charmed by the original "Turing test" article here.

(2) The 'Heads in the Sand' Objection "The consequences of machines thinking would be too dreadful. Let us hope and believe that they cannot do so."

This argument is seldom expressed quite so openly as in the form above. But it affects most of us who think about it at all. We like to believe that Man is in some subtle way superior to the rest of creation. It is best if be can be shown to be necessarily superior, for then there is no danger of him losing his commanding position. The popularity of the theological argument is clearly connected with this feeling. It is likely to be quite strong in intellectual people, since they value the power of thinking more highly than others, and are more inclined to base their belief in the superiority of Man on this power.

I do not think that this argument is sufficiently substantial to require refutation. Consolation would be more appropriate: perhaps this should be sought in the transmigration of souls.

Okay, now I'm kind of charmed.

I love my dead gay mathematician!

Hands off my dead gay secret celebrity geek boyfriend!

Cindy visitage. Shiny!

Poor Andi. We could play a round of gross mess stories if ya wanna. I got plenty!

My MIL does laundry every time she comes to my house if I haven't managed to get it all hidden before she gets here. She turns everything inside out which makes me nuts. So I finally asked her why she does this and she tells me it is in case a tissue gets left in a pocket. That way all the stuff doesn't get covered with tissue fuzz. So why doesn't she just check the pockets? Wouldn't that take less time than turning everything inside out only to right it again after drying? She has no answer for that. Hrmph.

Oh, oh! And also (since I'm worried I may have to edit this quote out of my paper, I want to share it with somebody) from a different paper:

It would be quite possible to arrange to control a distant computer by means of a telephone line.... The [programmers] are liable to get replaced because as soon as any technique becomes at all stereotyped it becomes possible to devise a system of instruction tables which will enable the electronic computer to do it for itself. It may happen however that the [programmers] will refuse to do this. They may be unwilling to let their jobs be stolen from them in this way. In that case they would surround the whole of their work with mystery and make excuses, couched in well chosen gibberish, whenever any dangerous suggestions were made.

(1948-ish, by the way)