The World of Failing Machines

The World of Failing Machines PDF Author: Grant Hamilton
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing
ISBN: 178535325X
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 131

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Book Description
The World of Failing Machines offers the first full-length discussion of the relationship between speculative realism and literary criticism. In identifying some of the most significant coordinates of speculative-realist thought, this book asks what the implications might be for the study of literature. It is argued that the first casualty might well be the form of the traditional essay.

The World of Failing Machines

The World of Failing Machines PDF Author: Grant Hamilton
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing
ISBN: 178535325X
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 131

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Book Description
The World of Failing Machines offers the first full-length discussion of the relationship between speculative realism and literary criticism. In identifying some of the most significant coordinates of speculative-realist thought, this book asks what the implications might be for the study of literature. It is argued that the first casualty might well be the form of the traditional essay.

World Wide Mind

World Wide Mind PDF Author: Michael Chorost
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439141207
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
What if digital communication felt as real as being touched? This question led Michael Chorost to explore profound new ideas triggered by lab research around the world, and the result is the book you now hold. Marvelous and momentous, World Wide Mind takes mind-to-mind communication out of the realm of science fiction and reveals how we are on the verge of a radical new understanding of human interaction. Chorost himself has computers in his head that enable him to hear: two cochlear implants. Drawing on that experience, he proposes that our Paleolithic bodies and our Pentium chips could be physically merged, and he explores the technologies that could do it. He visits engineers building wearable computers that allow people to be online every waking moment, and scientists working on implanted chips that would let paralysis victims communicate. Entirely new neural interfaces are being developed that let computers read and alter neural activity in unprecedented detail. But we all know how addictive the Internet is. Chorost explains the addiction: he details the biochemistry of what makes you hunger to touch your iPhone and check your email. He proposes how we could design a mind-to-mind technology that would let us reconnect with our bodies and enhance our relationships. With such technologies, we could achieve a collective consciousness—a World Wide Mind. And it would be humankind’s next evolutionary step. With daring and sensitivity, Chorost writes about how he learned how to enhance his own relationships by attending workshops teaching the power of touch. He learned how to bring technology and communication together to find true love, and his story shows how we can master technology to make ourselves more human rather than less. World Wide Mind offers a new understanding of how we communicate, what we need to connect fully with one another, and how our addiction to email and texting can be countered with technologies that put us—literally—in each other’s minds.

The Charisma Machine

The Charisma Machine PDF Author: Morgan G. Ames
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262537443
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 323

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Book Description
A fascinating examination of technological utopianism and its complicated consequences. In The Charisma Machine, Morgan Ames chronicles the life and legacy of the One Laptop per Child project and explains why—despite its failures—the same utopian visions that inspired OLPC still motivate other projects trying to use technology to “disrupt” education and development. Announced in 2005 by MIT Media Lab cofounder Nicholas Negroponte, One Laptop per Child promised to transform the lives of children across the Global South with a small, sturdy, and cheap laptop computer, powered by a hand crank. In reality, the project fell short in many ways—starting with the hand crank, which never materialized. Yet the project remained charismatic to many who were captivated by its claims of access to educational opportunities previously out of reach. Behind its promises, OLPC, like many technology projects that make similarly grand claims, had a fundamentally flawed vision of who the computer was made for and what role technology should play in learning. Drawing on fifty years of history and a seven-month study of a model OLPC project in Paraguay, Ames reveals that the laptops were not only frustrating to use, easy to break, and hard to repair, they were designed for “technically precocious boys”—idealized younger versions of the developers themselves—rather than the children who were actually using them. The Charisma Machine offers a cautionary tale about the allure of technology hype and the problems that result when utopian dreams drive technology development.

Machines

Machines PDF Author: Reginald Berkeley
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : English drama
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description


The World's Biggest Cash Machine

The World's Biggest Cash Machine PDF Author: Chris Blackhurst
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 1035011204
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 348

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Book Description
'Jaw-dropping' – Daily Mail 'A gripping tale, full of insight. Blackhurst is an enormously talented writer' – City A.M. Manchester United is more than just a football team; it's an institution. But, when the Glazer family took charge in 2005, they immediately plunged it into record levels of debt. Their reign has coincided with fan protests and a decline in Manchester United’s fortunes on the pitch . . . if not on the balance sheet. In The World’s Biggest Cash Machine, award-winning reporter Chris Blackhurst charts the history of Manchester United, from its start as a community-driven club to the sale of a minority stake to British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. In this captivating account, informed by interviews with key figures behind the scenes, Blackhurst charts the gripping story of the world’s biggest football club – as well as exploring the wider transformation of the Premier League into a playground for billionaire owners. 'Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you . . . if it doesn't make you angry, you need to check your pulse' – Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World, on Too Big to Jail

The World's Greatest Adventure Machine

The World's Greatest Adventure Machine PDF Author: Frank L. Cole
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0399552820
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
An adventure novel about four lucky kids and a mysterious, but thrilling ride for fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Jurassic Park! CastleCorp and the famous Castleton brothers are unveiling the World’s Greatest Adventure Machine! The roller coaster is an experience like no other, and four lucky kids have won the chance to be the first to ride it. There’s Trevor, whose latest stunt got him in trouble at school again. There’s Devin, whose father is pushing him to be the next Internet sensation. Nika’s wealthy grandfather isn’t too pleased about her participation. And Cameron, he’ll be the first to tell you, is a certified genius. The whole world is watching. But as the kids set off on their journey, they begin to realize that there is perhaps more to their fellow contest winners than meets the eye. And the Adventure Machine? It might just have a mind of its own. Join the contestants on their wild ride if you dare. Your adventure starts now! "[The World's Greatest Adventure Machine] made me laugh out loud as I was pulled through the twists and turns until my stomach dropped in suspense or I waved my hands in the air, cheering at the adventure. It will take you on a ride that you won’t soon forget!"-Peggy Eddleman, author of Sky Jumpers "A deftly written action/adventure novel...[that] will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both elementary school and community library collections."-Midwest Book Review Praise for Frank Cole’s The Afterlife Academy: A Whitney Award Nominee “An appealing ghost story without being creepy, this title would be a great read for any reader looking for a mix of adventure and humor.” —School Library Journal “A fun, suspenseful read. . . . Cole’s fast-paced fantasy can be enjoyed by the entire family.” —Deseret News “The adventure of a lifetime—or after-lifetime.” —OBERT SKYE, author of the Leven Thumps series “A fast-paced and fun adventure that puts a new twist on the afterlife!” —PLATTE F. CLARK, author of Bad Unicorn

Algorithms of Intelligence: Exploring the World of Machine Learning

Algorithms of Intelligence: Exploring the World of Machine Learning PDF Author: Dr R. Keerthika
Publisher: Inkbound Publishers
ISBN: 8196822340
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Delve into the fascinating world of machine learning with this comprehensive guide, which unpacks the algorithms driving today's intelligent systems. From foundational concepts to advanced applications, this book is essential for anyone looking to understand the mechanics behind AI.

The Machine That Changed the World

The Machine That Changed the World PDF Author: James P. Womack
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1847375960
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 501

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Book Description
When James Womack, Daniel Jones, and Daniel Roos wrote THE MACHINE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD in 1990, Japanese automakers, and Toyota in particular, were making a strong showing by applying the principles of lean production. However, the full power of lean principles was unproven, and they had not been applied outside of the auto industry. Today, the power of lean production has been conclusively proved by Toyota's unparalleled success, and the concepts have been widely applied in many industries. Based on MIT's pioneering global study of industrial competition, THE MACHINE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD offers a groundbreaking analysis of the entire lean business system, including product development, supplier management, sales, service, and production - an analysis even more relevant today as GM and Ford struggle to survive and a wide range of British abd American companies embrace lean production. A new Foreword by the authors brings the story up to date and details how their predictions were right. As a result, this reissue of a classic is as insightful and instructive today as when it was first published.

Stenographer and Phonographic World

Stenographer and Phonographic World PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business education
Languages : en
Pages : 600

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Book Description


Anti-Politics Machine

Anti-Politics Machine PDF Author: James Ferguson
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
ISBN: 1452965765
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 344

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Book Description
Development, it is generally assumed, is good and necessary, and in its name the West has intervened, implementing all manner of projects in the impoverished regions of the world. When these projects fail, as they do with astonishing regularity, they nonetheless produce a host of regular and unacknowledged effects, including the expansion of bureaucratic state power and the translation of the political realities of poverty and powerlessness into "technical" problems awaiting solution by "development" agencies and experts. It is the political intelligibility of these effects, along with the process that produces them, that this book seeks to illuminate through a detailed case study of the workings of the "development" industry in one country, Lesotho, and in one "development" project. Using an anthropological approach grounded in the work of Foucault, James Ferguson analyzes the institutional framework within which such projects are crafted and the nature of "development discourse," revealing how it is that, despite all the "expertise" that goes into formulating development projects, they nonetheless often demonstrate a startling ignorance of the historical and political realities of the locale they are intended to help. In a close examination of the attempted implementation of the Thaba-Tseka project in Lesotho, Ferguson shows how such a misguided approach plays out, how, in fact, the "development" apparatus in Lesotho acts as an "anti-politics machine," everywhere whisking political realities out of sight and all the while performing, almost unnoticed, its own pre-eminently political operation of strengthening the state presence in the local region.James Ferguson is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of California at Irvine.