Letters: Watson on Jeopardy, Dan Grobstein File

I put the Watson News here, instead of in a separate item, because by the time you read this it will have been beaten to death. Still, I found the whole thing fascinating, as I told the breakfast radio audience of Portland's No. 1 DJ, my friend and high school buddy Bruce Murdock.
Bob Nilsson, commenting on Day One:
I wish I knew why Watson has no speech recognition so he would not chime in with an already-tried wrong answer! And tell me how Watson “happened” to pick the daily double on his first try; when normally he moves horizontally starting at the top of the board. producers couldn’t have asked for a better tight match; at least on day 1.

 A friend writes: ...article in Slate by Ken Jennings called "My Puny Human Brain" about the the experience of being bested by a supercomputer

Dan Grobstein File

• Privatization links here and here
• Plenty of time for spy agency mischief in Egypt between now and the election.
• Boehner: If jobs are lost because of GOP cuts, 'So be it'
• TECHNOLOGY   | February 16, 2011
  Egypt Leaders Found 'Off' Switch for Internet
  By JAMES GLANZ and JOHN MARKOFF
  An blackout during protests has mesmerized technical experts and raised concerns about other governments.
• "the political class has created a large and vociferously right-wing class of people who are completely immune from the impact of their own calls for fiscal austerity," by protecting social security.
• U.S.   | February 17, 2011
  Florida Governor Rejects Tampa-Orlando High-Speed Rail Line
  By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
  The governor in effect turned down $2 billion in federal funds as part of President Obama's goal of building a national high-speed rail network. 
• Florida doesn't want high-speed rail? Other states do.

• N.Y. / REGION   | February 19, 2011
  Ethnic Differences Emerge in Plastic Surgery
  By SAM DOLNICK
  Plastic surgeons in ethnic communities across New York City have reported a surge in demand for procedures that mirror cultural beauty ideals. 
• Trendy Deficit Hawks
• Frontline is still killing it this season, most recently with "Post Mortem", an episode about the lack of standardization and reliability in post mortem medical examinations.
• GOP continues to use failed NJ governor Chris Christie as example despite no results
• Liberals change their minds; conservative don’t
• Homeowner foreclosures on Wells Fargo office