Tuesday Open Thread

Filed in National by on April 19, 2011

Welcome to your Tuesday open thread. Meh, Tuesday. What’s up with you?

Is this the future?

It turned out that a human had in fact written that report, but the creators of news-writing software Narrative Science decided to take this as a challenge – could its software write a better account of the game? It turns out that yes, it could. This is what Deadspin was sent from the robo-journo:

“Tuesday was a great day for W. Roberts, as the junior pitcher threw a perfect game to carry Virginia to a 2-0 victory over George Washington at Davenport Field.

Twenty-seven Colonials came to the plate and the Virginia pitcher vanquished them all, pitching a perfect game. He struck out 10 batters while recording his momentous feat. Roberts got Ryan Thomas to ground out for the final out of the game.

Tom Gately came up short on the rubber for the Colonials, recording a loss. He went three innings, walked two, struck out one, and allowed two runs.

The Cavaliers went up for good in the fourth, scoring two runs on a fielder’s choice and a balk.”

Impressive, eh? It may not have much flair or personality, but it’s readable and accurate. Sports reporters should have real cause for concern, it seems. It’s easy to see how other data-heavy fields, such as financial reporting, may also see an influx of robot writers in the future.

That didn’t really make much sense to me, but I’m not a baseball fan. What do you think? Do you think we will have robot bloggers in the future?

Cursing is good for you?

Ever hear someone scolded for their curse-laden language when they hurt themselves? Those finger-waggers who say cursing doesn’t help now should bite their tongues, then perhaps cuss to make it better. Researchers at Keele University released findings showing that letting loose a string of expletives actually has the effect of dulling the sensation of pain.

Researchers had volunteers dunk their hands into icy water and curse, and measured how long they could stand to keep their hands submerged. Then, they measured how long the volunteers could keep their hands in the freezing water while reciting harmless, “clean” language. The volunteers lasted longer while cursing, and the students who didn’t usually curse found the pain-dulling effects of cussing four times stronger than their more foul-mouthed peers.

Perhaps there’s a reason why you start cursing when you hit your thumb with a hammer. Next time you hurt yourself, let go. Tell scandalized bystanders that it’s doctor’s orders.

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Opinionated chemist, troublemaker, blogger on national and Delaware politics.

Comments (33)

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  1. anon says:

    Quote of the day (think about it for a minute):

    Karl Rove, architect of George W. Bush’s two presidential wins, calls Trump “a joke candidate.”

  2. socialistic ben says:

    Trump had a great line the other day hitting back at the Doughy-one..
    “what every you may think of Bush as a president, just remember, he and Karl Rove gave us Obama”

    I heard this on Hardball, but do not have adequate links to back it up…
    but in 2000 when trump “ran” as a Reform Candidate , he advodacted for universal single payer health care, more money for PLanned Parenthood, and a one time giant tax on people worth over 10m to help pay for those deliciously socialist ideas. He IS a joke. He wants attention and the fact that he is LEADING THE GOP right now shows how stupid the average republican voter is.
    At this point in the 2008 race, Obama was still a pipe-dream, Hill-dog was in the lead and Edwards hadnt been found out yet as a cheating bastard.

  3. anonone says:

    “Soaring pessimism about economy” April 2011 = Icebergs April 1912

  4. socialistic ben says:

    that kid in high school who always said really stupid stuff and could be relied upon to make me laugh 2002 = A1 2011

  5. anon says:

    “Soaring pessimism about economy”

    I think the conservative media had built in an entirely reasonable assumption that Obama would cave in to the Ryan budget.

    So when Obama gave his budget speech and issued his veto threats, the MSM and the financial establishment was equally as stunned as I was. They have only now begun to recover and spin their tales of woe if the Ryan budget is not passed. People are being told that Obama is preventing Republicans from saving the economy.

  6. socialistic ben says:

    i dont think anyone is buying it. Obama is a great campaigner. lucky for us he will be campaigning for the next year and a half, so maybe some policy will come out of it this time.

  7. anonone says:

    Apparently, humorous political satire based on misspelling the President’s name is now censored here.

    Nice to know that DL is censoring purely political speech. I guess Molly Ivins and calling Bush “Shrub” would be censored here, too

  8. anonone says:

    I guess with 9.2% unemployment and deficit reduction as the top economic priority, our optimism should be soaring because he gave a speech.

    Happy days are here again.

  9. V says:

    Trump’s telling people he’s going to announce whether he’s running on not on the finale of Celebrity Apprentice\
    http://www.tvguide.com/News/Donald-Trump-President-Apprentice-1031875.aspx

    if that doesn’t clearly show this is just an attention-whore thing for ratings for his reality show and not a serious campaign, I don’t know what does. WHY are we still talking about this guy again?

    and SHAME on msnbc for falling for it along with the rest of the media, but i guess any publicity for their affiliates is good publicity. corporate media is creating a country full of idiots.

  10. anon says:

    Washington Post reporting a White House plane carrying Michele Obama came dangerously close to crashing into a 200Ton Cargo plane this afternoon….repuke commenters at WAPO, say: “she did it to get sympathy for Obama”! Could these nutjobs be any more disgusting?

  11. good one says:

    myb sh ws lkng t gt n vwng f hr fd bng flwn n

  12. anonone says:

    If kindergartners were allowed to have guns, we wouldn’t have these problems.

  13. liberalgeek says:

    Apparently, David Anderson has won his Dover election.

    Congrats, David.

    Dover, you get the government you deserve.

  14. Joe Cass says:

    So now Mr.Anderson is culpable for the drug abuse and gang banging in our fair capitol.
    Dover, you’ll always be drive-by to me.

  15. Jason330 says:

    Oh good lord.

  16. heragain says:

    Who knows, LG. Maybe actually governing something will settle him down, a bit.

  17. Jason330 says:

    There is no way that this is not bad for Dover.

  18. Delaware Libertarian says:

    What’s the make up of the city district he won? I don’t know Dover that well besides the few blocks where Wesley is and that main road with Delaware State University, the racetrack, and a bajillion fastfood restaurants…

  19. Geezer says:

    “humorous political satire based on misspelling the President’s name”

    Sorry, that’s an oxymoron. It might be political satire, but it’s not humorous.

  20. Jason330 says:

    Don’t know. However, David flew under the radar. Once he exposes himself for the radical-right-wing Christianist,-more-money-for-border-security-nut-bag he is, there will be buyers remorse.

    Either that or Dover has decided to contend with Smyrna for the crown of “nuttiest town in Kent County”

  21. Jason330 says:

    The fourth is pretty big. It includes a lot of African-American neighborhoods in downtown Dover west of Governors Ave and north of Lookerman/Forest. 236 people voted.

    Congratulations idiots!

    http://www.cityofdover.com/media/documents/maps/map-Voting_Districts.pdf

    “In the Fourth District, David L. Anderson won on 152 votes to Marion L. Lott Sr.’s 46 votes and Mark D. Harmon’s 38.”

  22. Jason330 says:

    No. Smyrna is the northernmost town in Dixie.

  23. anon says:

    If Protack had started small like this, by now he’d be King of the Republicans.

    Before, DA’s viewpoints were simply delusional; now they will be scandalous.

  24. Lt. Bradshaw says:

    Isn’t Smyrna in New Castle county?

  25. anon says:

    These comments are time-traveling again.

  26. anon says:

    Where did we all go for those three minutes?

    I dunno… There was a bright light… and my underwear is on backwards now… I think they implanted some kind of chip.

  27. skippertee says:

    Where did we all go for those three minutes?

  28. Jason330 says:

    Great point about Protack.

  29. skippertee says:

    And HOW did your post quoting me get ahead of mine, anon?
    Now I’m afraid, very afraid.

  30. anon says:

    Speaking of time travel – Anybody read The Fermata by Nicholson Baker? Awesome book, though totally NSFW (the book, not the link).

  31. Jason330 says:

    I read the “The Mezzanine” 20 (?!) years ago and while I didn’t think much of it at the time, it always comes back to me when my thoughts go a’ roaming. So that says something about it.

  32. Thanks, LG. It is a new day in Dover.

  33. Jason330 says:

    A new gay in Dover.