Friendly Artificial Intelligence

A Friendly Artificial Intelligence or FAI is an artificial intelligence (AI) which has a positive rather than negative effect on humanity. Friendly AI also refers to the field of knowledge required to build such an AI. This term particularly applies to AIs which have the potential to significantly impact humanity, such as those with intelligence comparable to or exceeding that of humans. This specific term was coined by researcher Eliezer Yudkowsky of the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence as a term of art distinct from the everyday meaning of the word "friendly"; however, the concern is much older

Requirements for FAI and Effective FAI
The requirements for FAI to be effective, both internally, to protect humanity against unintended consequence of the AI in question and externally to protect against other non-FAIs arising from whatever source are:

• Friendliness that an AI feels sympathetic towards humanity and all life, and seeks for their best interests
• Conservation of Friendliness that an AI must desire to pass on its value system to its entire offspring and inculcate its values into others of its kind.
• Intelligence that an AI be smart enough to see how it might engage in altruistic behavior to the greatest degree of equality, so that it is not kind to some but more cruel to others as a consequence, and to balance interests effectively
• Self-improvement that an AI feel a sense of longing and striving for improvement both of itself and of all life as part of the consideration of wealth, while respecting and sympathizing with the informed choices of lesser intellects not to improve themselves
• First mover advantage.

Planet Math

PlanetMath is a free, collaborative, online mathematics encyclopedia. The emphasis is on peer review, rigor, openness, pedagogy, real-time content, interlinked content, and community. Intended to be comprehensive, the project is located at the Digital Library Research Lab at Virginia Tech.

PlanetMath was started when the popular free online mathematics encyclopedia Math World was taken offline for 12 months by a court injunction as a result of the CRC Press lawsuit against the Wolfram Research Company and its employee Eric Weisstein.

PlanetMath content is licensed under the ‘copyleft’ GNU Free Documentation License. An author who starts a new article becomes the copyright holder of that article; he or she may then choose to grant editing rights to other individuals or groups. All content is written in Latex, a typesetting system popular among mathematicians because of its support of the technical needs of mathematical typesetting and its high-quality output. The user can explicitly create links to other articles, and the system also automatically turns certain words into links to the defining articles. The topic area of every article is classified by the Mathematics Subject Classification (MSC) of the American Mathematical Society (AMS). Users may attach addenda, errata and discussions to articles. A system for private messaging among users is also in place.

The software running PlanetMath is written in Perl and runs on Linux and the web server Apache. It is known as Noosphere and has been released under the free BSD License.

The Future of Medical Transcription

Medical transcription, also known as MT, is an allied health profession, which deals in the process of transcription, or converting voice-recorded reports as dictated by physicians and/or other healthcare professionals into text format.

The medical transcription industry will continue to undergo metamorphosis based on many contributing factors like advancement in technology, practice workflow, regulations etc. The evolution toward the electronic patient record demonstrates that, over time, documentation habits will change either through standards and regulations or through personal preferences. Until recently, there were few standards and regulations that MT’s and their employers had to meet.

First, we had the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). It wasn't long ago "experts" stated that HIPAA would not have any effect on the medical transcription industry. Either in a state of denial or ignorance of the law, many transcriptionists and companies had continued on their existing course of providing medical transcription. Many providers are concerned that the majority of the transcription industry will not be able to meet several specific requirements: namely, access controls, policies and procedures, and audits of access to the patient information. Without the knowledge or resources to comply, many in the industry are claiming to comply and signing their Business

Associates Agreements without taking the security measures required. Many are uninformed, and some are choosing to remain so, believing that the world of transcription cannot possibly be expected to make these adaptations. The fact is that the employers will demand HIPAA compliance and will change employees and contractors when they don't get it. There will also be demands to enhance patient safety, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. It is mandatory for service providers and healthcare practices to migrate to a HIPAA compliant environment.

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Safety Measures before going to Boating

Most of the people feel themselves enthusiastic when they are planning to go for a boating. And many of them don’t follow any kinds of safety measures at the time of boating. Here are some of the tips that would help you in safeguarding yourself at the time of boating.

1. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher on board.
2. Check that the US Coast Guard approves it. Also, keep the equipment charged and that it can be readily accessed.
3. Test the boat lights before leaving the dock.
4. If battery operated lights are being used, always have extra batteries on hand.
5. Even if you plan to get back before it gets dark, it is always wise to prepare for equipment malfunction.
6. Study the right anchoring procedures. Improper anchoring is reportedly one of the causes of many fatal accidents.
7. Do not permit the passengers to ride beyond of the protective fences of the boat. If the boat suddenly stops or turn, the passengers may fall overboard.
8. Be mindful of the weather condition.
9. If you observe lightning flashes and the water is getting choppy, prepare for a possible emergency situation. Bring with you a radio to keep up to date with the latest weather reports.
10. Carry emergency supplies like first aid kits, lights, and maps.
11. Keep them inside a floating bag. Inform someone where you will be going and when to expect your return. Exercise etiquette in boat launching.
12. Remove the straps and covers before launching. Practice how to properly load and unload when it is not too hectic at the ramp.

Web content management systems capabilities

A web content management system is a software system used to manage and control a large, dynamic collection of web material (HTML documents and their associated images). A CMS facilitates document control, auditing, editing, and timeline management. A Web CMS provides the following key features:

Automated templates
Create standard output templates (usually HTML and XML) that can be automatically applied to new and existing content, creating one central place to change that look across a group of content on a site.
Easily editable content
Once your content is separate from the visual presentation of your site, it usually becomes much easier and quicker to edit and manipulate. Most CMS software include WYSIWYG editing tools allowing non-technical individuals to create and edit content.
Scalable feature sets
Most CMS have plug-ins or modules that can be easily installed to extend an existing site's functionality.
Web standards upgrades
Active CMS solutions usually receive regular updates that include new feature sets and keep the system up to current web standards.
Workflow management
Workflow is the process of creating cycles of sequential and parallel tasks that must be accomplished in the CMS. For example, a content creator submits a story but it's not published on the website until the copy editor cleans it up, and the editor-in-chief approves it.
Document management
CMS solutions may provide a means of managing the life cycle of a document from initial creation time, through revisions, publication, archive, and document destruction.
Content virtualization
CMS systems may provide a means of allowing each user to work within a virtual copy of the entire website, document set, and/or code base. This enables changes to multiple interdependent resources to be viewed and/or executed in-context prior to submission.

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Paraffin treatments for Nails

In many areas, manicurists are licensed and follow regulation. Since skin is manipulated and is sometimes trimmed, there is a certain risk of spreading infection when tools are used across many people and therefore sanitation is a serious issue. So paraffin treatment is also one of the treatments for nails that help in maintaining good look on nails. And let us know what is paraffin treatment and how does it helps our nails in looking good. The hands can be dipped in melted paraffin wax. Paraffin wax for nails is used because it can be heated to temperatures of over 100 degrees, without burning or injuring the hand. The intense heat allows for deeper absorption of emollients and essential oils. The wax is usually infused with various botanical ingredients such as Aloe Vera, chamomile, tea tree oil, and azulene. Fruit waxes such as peach, apple and strawberry are often used in salons.

Occasionally, lotion is rubbed on the hand before submersion into the paraffin bath. The hand is usually dipped more than once to allow a thicker wax coat to form, making the coating stay warm for longer and less likely to break or tear prematurely. After the hands have been dipped in the wax, they are wrapped in either plastic or tin foil, and then covered with cloth to retain warmth. The hands are left for a few minutes before the paraffin is cooled and dried.

Using Digital cameras for taking pictures

The development in science and technology in recent years has not just been about developing of devices that make life easier, it has also been a lot about making life more luxurious. One such great development has been the concept of digital camera.
Digital cameras are nothing but cameras that allow you to take pictures digitally instead of having to use cameras that take and store pictures on photographic films. They are easy to use, and are generally multifunctional, providing various facilities. Digital cameras are known for taking good images, which are as good as the pictures taken by the conventional cameras, if not better.
In fact, digital cameras allow one not only to click great pictures; they also allow one to view the pictures as and when taken. Therefore, if you take a picture, and are not satisfied with the way it looks, and if you still have the opportunity of capturing that special moment, you can go on clicking your camera, till you get exactly what you desire.
Digital cameras also allow the option of using a flashlight as and when required, to obtain a much clear image. In many digital cameras, there is also an option for taking automatic pictures. This is especially meant for those special moments, when everybody wishes to get included in the picture, without being left out, staying behind the lens.
Digital cameras also allow the user to shoot as well as save videos. Generally the sound and the picture quality is good, though it mostly varies from camera to camera. The flashlight can be used while video shooting too and the fact that these are so portable and handy, they allow you to carry them anywhere for any length of time with great ease. Options can be set for automatic video shooting to, in case nobody is willing to stand behind the lens.
There are digital cameras that also allow you to change the style and color of the pictures you may be taking. For instance, you may set an option to take only black and white pictures, or pictures with a bluish or reddish hue. Some digital cameras also come with special lens that can focus and take pictures of a much wider area. Sometime you also might be able to take your own pictures as well as videos, staying behind the lens by adjusting them, if your digital camera gives you that option.
However, one of the greatest benefits of using a digital camera is probably the fact that it allows you to click a large number of pictures without having to worry too much about the memory space. The pictures may be saved in CDs, which means that no matter how long your vacation maybe and how many pictures you end up taking, you do not run out of space trying to save those sweet memories. This not only makes digital cameras more convenient to use, but it also makes it very cheap as compared to the traditional cameras.
However, the special features provided by the digital cameras vary from one camera to another, depending on the producing company, and of course on the price range of the camera. With the rapid development in digital cameras taking pace every now and then, and the prices coming down heavily, with each new discovery, digital cameras are fast becoming one of the most popular electronic goods of the modern world.
Suddenly possessing a digital camera has become a necessity in this fast changing world. Whether one loves photography or not, possessing a personal digital camera is surely one luxury many of us crave for!

The Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards were originally called as the Gramophone Awards or "Grammy’s", which are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the record industry. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the more prominent Grammy Awards are presented in a widely viewed televised ceremony. The current President of the Academy is Neil Portnow. The Grammy’s are considered the highest music honor, the U.S. record industry's equivalent to the Academy Awards (Oscars) for motion pictures for which citations are needed. Prior to the first live Grammy’s telecast in 1971 on ABC, a series of taped annual specials in the 1960s called The Best on Record were broadcast on NBC. The award show is normally held in February. The 49th Grammy Awards ceremony took place on February 11, 2007 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Nominations for 2008's awards were announced on December 6, 2007, and the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, again at the Staples Center. As of 2006, the eligibility period for the Grammy Awards begins October 1st. The long-time running animated show The Simpson’s often mocks the Grammy Awards. In the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", Homer Simpson wins a Grammy for "Outstanding Soul, Spoken Word, or Barbershop Album of the Year" with his barbershop quartet, The B Sharps. In Behind the Laughter the Simpson’s also sweep the Grammy Awards for their song "Simpson’s Christmas Boogie".

Equal-cost multi-path routing (ECMP)

Equal-cost multi-path routing (ECMP) is a routing strategy where next-hop packet forwarding to a single destination can occur over multiple "best paths" which tie for top place in routing metric calculations. Multi-path routing can be used in conjunction with most routing protocols, since it is a per-hop decision that is limited to a single router. It potentially offers substantial increases in bandwidth by load-balancing traffic over multiple paths; however, there can be significant problems in its deployment in practice. RFC 2991 discusses multi path routing in general.

Load balancing by per-packet multi path routing is generally deprecated due to the impact of rapidly changing latency, packet reordering and MTU differences within a network flow, which can disrupt the operation of many Internet protocols, most notably TCP and path MTU discovery. RFC 2992 analyses one particular multi path routing strategy involving the assignment of flows to bins by hashing flow-related data in the packet header, which is designed to avoid these problems by sending all packets from any particular network flow down a single deterministic path, while balancing multiple flows over multiple paths in general.

In many situations, ECMP may not offer any real advantage over best-path routing: for example, if the multiple best next-hop paths to a destination re-converge downstream into a single path (a common scenario), it will merely add complexity to the traffic paths to that destination without improving available bandwidth. ECMP may also interact negatively with other routing algorithms where the physical topology of the system differs from the logical topology, for example in systems that employ VLAN’s at layer 2, or virtual circuit-based architectures such as ATM or MPLS. Equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) is a routing technique for routing packets along multiple paths of equal cost. The forwarding engine identifies paths by next-hop. When forwarding a packet the router must decide which next-hop (path) to use. This document gives an analysis of one method for making that decision. The analysis includes the performance of the algorithm and the disruption caused by changes to the set of next-hops.

Bugs And Your Apartment

To keep your apartment livable you have not only to make sure you are vacuuming once per week and walking your dog but also it is by making sure your apartment is clean. Insects and rodents can make home in a place, apartment is not at all exception for them. There are many factors that can influence whether or not your apartment will find itself in the middle of a bad B movie. The cleanliness and maintenance of the apartment is very important to the condition of your apartment. If the grounds are poorly maintained and if the garbage rarely removed, you can find yourself living a terrible location. If you find things of this nature, inform management. If you do not bring out any response, you may have to take your complaints farther, but this is the place to start.

I remember pretty well, it was when I am living in one of the Austin apartments, my neighbors had a bad experience with the management of their portion as they did not react in time and informed to landlords and it was too late when they had their complaint raised to them. Ensuring that apartment remains clean is huge aspect of dealing with pests. Insects and rodents can live on any food that you do, so make sure that all food is cleaned up as early as possible. This includes washing your dishes on a daily basis, vacuuming and makings sure that crumbs are wiped up as soon as possible. Doing this will help you keep your apartment pest free.

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