A traditional desktop computer is pretty much worthless without being connected to a keyboard and monitor. Most modern applications also want a mouse. Even laptops — and pretty much all modern electronics — require at least one type of connection. They all need power, and most of them get it through a charger. Understanding ports…
I brushed my teeth this morning without giving it much thought. I sweep the kitchen floor, and I don’t agonize over it. There are a lot of actions that we take without having to think much about them. Brushing our teeth and tying our shoes, scrambling eggs, maybe driving to the store, don’t ask for…
On December 26, 2004, my husband suffered a crisis of faith. That was the day that a devastating tsunami washed over the island nation of Indonesia, triggered by a massive undersea earthquake. A dozen or so countries were ultimately affected, and more than 230,000 people lost their lives. Millions more lost everything except their lives….
I see everything as a snapshot. I really do. Well, most of the time. I find that the more active I am with my camera, the more likely I am to capture in my mind’s eye a still image of a live event. The ability to visualize a scene as a photograph is called “the…
When we imagine the Athens of the third century BCE, we think of marble columns, togas, and deep thinkers unmoved by material things – a world apart. Ancient Athens wasn’t so different from our own life, technology notwithstanding. Wealth meant status. Public image mattered. Citizens competed for influence in politics, philosophy, and even generosity. Homes…
John Stuart Mill in the 19th century, B.F. Skinner in the 20th, and Q-learning today all hinge on a simple, almost universal truth: What gets rewarded gets repeated. Whether it’s shaping behavior in people or machines, the logic remains the same—define the reward, and you define the outcome. This simple statement lies at the root…
I’m embarrassed to admit how many unfinished projects I have around my house. In fact, the house itself is an unfinished project. I have a problem walking away from something I’ve put time, effort and/or money into. Yes, I have a problem with Sunk Cost. I hate quitting. We live in a culture that glorifies…
Even as a technology professional, I rarely give much thought to the process that brings new software to my computer, phone, or tablet. Most of us don’t, as long as it works. We download a piece of software, double-click on the icon, and away we go! The action of double-clicking that installer, as simple as…
It’s kind of a no-brainer to understand that all our wonderful devices require power. Most often, when we think about needing power, we mean the power to our home, and from the outlets in the wall or our car’s charging ports into our devices. But have you ever wondered what happens when the power reaches…
Why do you believe what you believe? Try asking someone that at a dinner party. The room gets quiet—not because it’s rude, but because it’s risky. Great questions unsettle us. They force us to confront how much we’ve accepted without examination. And that’s exactly why they matter. So what makes a question really great? Three…
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