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The Real Thing

"I am not a puppet!" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Breakthrough in Artifical Intelligence

For a century now people have been assuming that robots will arrive and become commonplace in the home.  Manufacturing has its industrial robots but helping robots in the home have not become reality.  The problem is not so much being able to construct the physical aspects of a robot, it is the intelligence, the "brain", that is the big issue. By doing 25,000 runs on a computer to build up experience, it was found that biological intelligence was structure into a network of modules.  This is a breakthrough finding for artificial intelligence.  Modules means alternatives can be chosen to meet a problem.  This is what makes humans and animals so difficult to understand. Apparently, all things evolve via modules.  Such networks have not solely appeared out of intellectual necessity.  Modules can be joined together with shorter network connections, using less to make more.  Evolution is not wasteful.  In the computer simulation, once a cost for network connections was added mo

Cane Toad Survives a Plane Flight Across Australia

Australian cane toads really get around, in most unlikely ways. A cane toad got into a golf shoe then survived a plane trip from Brisbane to Perth. It stayed in the shoe six days before being discovered by the shoe's owner. Apparently, this is not unusual. The pests are very tough and resilient. In the above case, quarantine authorities would not comment, though a spokesperson did try to make out that it was a tree frog. The owner of the shoe lived in Brisbane for many years and said it was definitely a cane toad. It seems cane toads won't have to walk across the top of Australia (as they steadily are). Crossing the country is far easier by plane. Cane toads are intelligent as well. It is known that if water is scarce they will follow a cow drawing moisture from cow pats until the cow eventually reaches a river or dam. http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/ http://adventure--australia.blogspot.com/atom.xml http://www.technora

UK Is Dishonest Not Paying Pensions

The battle goes on between Australia and the UK about the shortchanging of British people who were born, lived and worked in their homeland before emigrating. They paid their taxes and crucially paid there "stamp" every working week toward the state pension. However, the UK does not align payments with inflation for ex-pats living in "wealthy" countries, only those retiring in developing nations. UK governments, indeed previous governments of all political shades, have "stole" from these elderly people. Today the British pension paid to those who emigrated permanently to Australia is worth a pittance. There is no way they could live on it. Australia has to make up the shortfall even if ex-Brits have lived in Australia for only a few years before retiring. This is disgraceful behavior from a supposedly civilized country. It certainly fails the Australian norm of a fair go. On average the rate of pension paid to those living in the UK is more

Flying Dog

"Fly? Yeh, I can fly." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Cat Chips

"Who ate all the French fries.?" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Nullarbor Created by Many Small Rivers

The Nullarbor plain in the central-southern part of Australia is one of the driest regions on Earth. It is called the Ceduna Delta. The Murray-Darling further to the east is the largest river system extant today. It is difficult to accept that the Nullarbor was created by many small rivers flowing southward into the ocean. These rivers flowed very fast cutting through hills which were formed by the land rising between Australia and Antarctica. Ultimately, sediment was deposited in the drying riverbeds. Analysis of sediment from drillings in the delta showed rivers flowed there 80 million years ago. Sources of gas and oil have been identified which could be tapped in the future. The Ceduna Delta is as large as the Niger Delta in Africa. It contains half a million cubic kilometers of sedimentary sandstome and shales. Hydrocarbon reserves are already being exploited in the Niger Delta. Because the "destination" of the rivers was close to the Great Australian Bight lar

Room for Two

"Move over bunny. There's room for two up here." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Bull Ants Feed at Twilight

Bull ants do not feed during all daylight hours. Observation has shown that they feed at twilight. When the sun is brighter for longer for example in summer, or there is no cloud cover, bull ants forage for food later in the day. When the sun is darker, earlier, they search for food sooner in the day. It was believed that all insects fed according to circadian rhythms, but this does not seem to be the case. Activity in the nest was affected by cloud cover. Outside activity that involves feeding occurs at twilight. Obviously, they are feeding during these short intervals to avoid predators: most animals that eat ants would be inactive at twilight. Tests were done at ANU in Canberra. Bull ants were put in containers where diffused light was altered. It was found they only fed when the light was set at a particular low level. Evolution does take some winding paths. This shows though that evolution develops in a rational way. http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.t

Beatboxing - Percussion Sounds of the Mouth

There must be a dearth of things to study. Scientists are now researching the odd sounds that people make. It may seem weird but its true. Those who can make odd sounds are called beatboxers. Scientists are interested in percussion sounds. These are expressed in Celtic, Chinese, North American and Indian cultures. Hip-hop is an area of great interest. A young "practitioner" had MRI scans done on his mouth while he created percussion sounds. The conclusion reached is that a lot of brainpower is involved in imitating percussion. It "is a small part of the larger puzzle," experts say. In my view it takes little mental concentration. Just put your tongue behind you top teeth a "tap" away. http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/ http://adventure--australia.blogspot.com/atom.xml http://www.technorati.com/blogs/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Society Vista C

Camel Kick-off

"The ref told me kick-off was at 2 o'clock." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Dogs on Fire

"Where's the fire, Mrs?" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Stopping the Spread of the Complex Red Fire Ant

Australia is fighting against the spread of red fire ants. This pest has invaded other countries such as the US. Nothing seems to work to stop their malicious takeover. They give a nasty bite. It was thought to be a simple kind of ant but studies have shown it to be a complex creature. It has two distinct variants in its social structure. Normally colonies keep their distance. On the other hand, many colonies do form a supercolony where queens work together and breed in safety. Ants of the supercolony do kill queens of isolated colonies. The ants are different genetically. Queens of individual colonies are fatter. This is to feed the first larvae when they start the colony. Queens who work together never need the "boost" fat. The change of a single gene dramatically changes physicality and behavior. It is contentious as to whether there will be an evolutionary winner. We just do not know at this stage. It is hoped that chemicals producing violent behavior can

Sick Dog

"I'm sick, but I gotta keep my website up to date." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Past Interaction of Indians With Australan Aboriginals Is Questionable

Australia's physical connection with the mainland of Asia disappeared 4,000 years ago. It is assumed that people from India crossed into Australia before this time. There is little proof of this. Indians and Australian Aboriginals are distinctly different. Aboriginals are more like Africans, while Indians appear to be black Caucasians. DNA tests on both gene pools do show a link. However, this link could be directly from Africa 70,000 years ago. A similar thing could be said about Neanderthal genes being carried by some modern humans. The markers could have been there before both species split off from a common ancestor. The fact that Neanderthals have a different number of chromosomes is dismissed by some scientists when it is known that offspring of related species with differing chromosomes can have offspring but they are invariably "mules" who have infertile young. Australian Aboriginals are the earliest of Mankind to leave Africa. There were many wa

The Dung Beetle Is the Strongest of Them All

Who's the strongest pound for pound? That bug upon the ground! Scientists have worked out which creature is the strongest. It is a dung beetle, Onthophagus taurus . This tiny bug can pull 1,141 times its own body weight. For a human to equal this he/she would have to lift 80 tonnes, equivalent to six trucks. The dung beetle has to be extremely fit and healthy to accomplish this feat. Putting them on poor diets before a test reduced the amount they could pull. Apparently, they have to be strong because of their lifestyle. A male digs a deep hole under a dung pat where he mates with a female. If another male enters the tunnel the two males will fight a furious battle by locking horns until one is pushed out. The more weight a male can pull the more likely he is to win the fight and be able to mate, thus passing on his genes for high strength. Some male beetle don't seem to compete with the large aggressive males. They are born smaller and weaker. When they were fed more they

Cat Race

"Race you to the top." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Ear Drop Duck

"I'll have to whip down to the pharmacy and get some ear drops." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Birds Know What You Are Thinking - They Understand Behavior

Be careful the next time you quietly curse a magpie attacking you during breeding season. It may know what you are thinking. Why is it that the birds seem to know the personalities of individuals walking by? If you have fed them in the past they appear to remember you and let you go on by unhindered while swooping down onto the heads of other people. Crows have been observed hiding food from other crows. This is not due to stress as was once believed. There is still contention between the two opposing groups of scientists. Tests on scrub jays it was claimed proved that they were hiding food from more dominant Jays. This was really a hypothesis, not real proof. The other group claims that birds are conscious of others and what other may be seeing, like humans. In their tests bird were allowed to hide peanuts in a litter of corn cobs. If another bird was watching they later came back and re-hid the peanuts. When they buried peanuts on their own they rarely re-hid them. This

Orangutan on the Nose

"And for my next trick I will make my nose -- reappear! " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

The NBN May Never be Completed

We hear so much praise about progress of the new broadband network being rolled out by the National Broadband Network (NBN). The problem is - there has been little progress. Apart from the acclaimed network in a part of Tasmania, few customers enjoy ultra-fast broadband anywhere else. The Internet divide still exists between city and rural. Obviously the NBN will be laid out in city areas because this is where the greatest income will be obtained. As it now stands rural regions will not get faster Internet until way past 2020. Many people will be dead by then. How do we know if fiber optics will be superceded? Soon the ocean protection walls will be finished around Venice and there are cries that it is old technology and will not save the valuable city. Perhaps the same will be said about the NBN. In the present economic climate where will be few businesses left in populated cities to enjoy the improved communication. Only if the mineral sector declines and the Aussie dollar

Animal Advice

"How yah goin' mate? You're new. Need any advice?" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog

Australians Workers Not to Eat Meat - Dictated by Employer

If you do a paid job for a customer shouldn't you be allowed to eat what you want in your lunchbreak? I would think that most people would say yes. A Hindu billionaire, Pankaj Oswal, has dictated that workers do not eat meat while working at his home . The construction union of Western Australia has said that workers will eat what they want. Mr Oswal's case was based on the proposition that companies and organizations worldwide have rules such as no-smoking and no-drinking while at the premises. Rajan Zed of the Universal Society of Hinduism has called on the Australian Human Rights Commission to intervene. I wonder, if Mr Oswal had chosen Hindu workers would he have had this problem? Surely there are Hindu workers out there. It would have been easier for Mr Oswla to do this. Considering he has set designated areas for workers to eat anything they want. Rajan Zed has seen this as an opportunity to preach. He says, "Hinduism promoted strict vegetarianism insisting on ah

Swearing Clampdown in Tennis Is Possible

In a country where swearing in public is an accepted part of normal life it seems odd for Australian authorities to threaten tennis players with fines for doing it on court. At least it remains only a slim possibility at the moment. The problem is that professional tennis is televised in general viewing hours when children could be watching. Andy Murray, at the center of debate for swearing in his match with Denis Istomin, says he will not tone down his behavior. He could have been a little more diplomatic and announced that he would sincerely mend his ways. In a challenge with tennis authorities he would definitely lose. Sarcasm about moving the microphones further away from the court must surely be a joke. Spectators want to experience as much of the action as possible. Blaming other players for swearing more than himself is unsportsmanlike. Saying that swearing in languages other than English goes unnoticed is a bit "iffy" as well. http://www.adventure--

Interested Cats

"What's going on over there then? " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funny Animal Photos Vista Computer Solutions Blog