Aha... so, that's what Jaron Lanier's been up to...

Just was over visiting the brand-spanking-new Gpod blog ( G[reyLodge] PODcasting ) so very excellent--- however, I am already having an ADD episode just trying to focus on one thing at a time. Senses on overload at the moment-- too much to read (ok, not really, one can never have enough to read, but waaaaaaa, just trying to keep up sometimes makes me a leetle crrrrazy!)

For starters, got sucked right into watching some of these lectures from the Waag Society's 2003 archives (lots of streaming video available). I've definitely added the Waag as a must-see for next time I'm over in Amsterdam. If you get the chance, peruse through those archives for more tasty morsels. Looks like a pretty swell place, eh?

Check this out:

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2003:
SENTIENT CREATURES LECTURES

Each Wednesday from 1 October until 26 November 2003, the Sentient Creatures Lectures were held in the Theatrum Anatomicum of Waag Society. In this lecture series, Waag Society presented speakers with an international reputation in the field of robotics, conciousness and communication. The complete programme as it was published can be found here.

Here's the first one I dove right into:

Jaron Lanier lecture of 5 November (371MB, .mov)

Mr. Lanier talks about his new project called Phenotropic Computing, in which pattern recognition is used as a way of connecting components of software systems.

"The black points between the stars are actually the Universe's baby pictures..."

Beautiful. I've always liked Jaron Lanier. Ever since I first found out about him from within the pages of Mondo2000...

I haven't really heard much about what he's been doing for the past several years and found this lecture quite intriguing.

Moving onto that Graham Smith one next, well, probably should wait 'til later (jeeeebus, it's almost 2am!)

Goodnight...