Freedom routs Nazareth

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Not only did Freedom score touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams during Friday night's 67-34 romp over Nazareth in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference football game, the Patriots did it in the first three minutes, 30 seconds.

It was an extremely complete team effort.

Individually, senior two-way standout Jake Young showed he can score every which way.

Young accomplished the extremely rare individual offense-defense-special teams trifecta of touchdowns.

He recovered a fumble in the end zone in the first quarter, caught a 21-yard scoring strike from his younger brother, Joe, in the second quarter and returned the opening kickoff of the second half 87 yards for a TD.

It was that kind of night for coach Jason Roeder's upstart Patriots, who improved to 2-0 after last year's 2-8 campaign.

Seven Freedom players scored touchdowns.

"We knew we were going to play a lot of kids tonight," Roeder said on the unseasonably hot and humid evening.

"Offense, defense and special teams, we preached to the kids that they needed to be ready. I was very pleased with our effort. We're playing hard, we're playing fast and we're playing together. And because of that we've been successful."

Freedom, picked for the middle of the pack in the EPC's South Division, scored 27 points in the first quarter and 21 more in the second period in their home opener at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. The Patriots led 48-20 at intermission.

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Freedom routs Nazareth

Govt won't retract freedom of speech in social media – Najib

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JERLUN, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The government will not retract the freedom of speech in the social media but wants the freedom to be exercised with accountability, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said the government practised an open attitude but it was the responsibility of the people, especially the young generation or 'Gen Y' to understand that there was a limit to freedom.

"I want to issue a warning that the existing law will be imposed on anyone attempting to jeopardise peace. This is certainly in force," he said in his speech when opening the Jerlun Umno divisional delegates meeting at the Sekolah Menengah Sains Kubang Pasu, here today.

He said that the Sedition Act would be abolished and would be replaced by the proposed National Harmony Act, but matters pertaining to religion and race would not be neglected.

Najib said the government would not allow freedom that did not adhere to the principles of accountability especially regarding Islamic religion, the other faiths as well as the special privileges of the Malays and the Malay Rulers.

"We must defend...(we are) not saying there is a new legislation and the rest will be put aside...but we will add in more appropriate provisions," he said.

He said although there would be freedom and openness, he hoped these would not result in extreme cases cropping up because there must be maturity in thinking in whatever action taken.

"There must be a limit...(because of) this principle of accountability, we must look for a formula where we provide space for the freedom of speech including comments on the leaders but, at the same time, there must be a limit so as not to destroy peace and national harmony," he said.

Also present at the function were Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, who is also the Jerlun Umno division head, Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Najib said that in implementing anything new, including legislation and action which were open in nature, he took into consideration the views of many groups before implementing it.

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Govt won't retract freedom of speech in social media - Najib

Gem mining damages eco-system

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Gem mining in the Bogawantalawa area has affected the eco-system and created a milieu in which estate women are raped by some involved in gem mining. Measures should be taken to avoid environmental destruction and women molestation, said Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Member S.Suresh Kumar (NUW).

He was speaking at the monthly meeting of the Ambagamuwa PS at its auditorium at Ginigathena with its Vice Chairman W.G. Rukshan Prdeep Ranasinghe in the chair recently.

Member Kumar said that a few estate houses had been destroyed by torrential rains experienced in the area several months ago and the affected families are still living in huts. Steps should be taken to look into their grievances and help them to reconstruct their houses, he said. Vice Chairman Ranasinghe said steps will be taken to open a children's park constructed with the funds provided by Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugam Thondaman.

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Gem mining damages eco-system

Perth beaches re-open after sighting of 3.5-metre shark on first day of aerial patrols

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ABC Aerial surveillance of Perth beaches has started for the summer season.

Two Perth beaches have been re-opened after the first shark sighting of the season, a 3.5-metre white shark 50 metres off Floreat beach.

Surf Life Saving WA said the shark was tracking south, and that Floreat Beach and City Beach were closed as a precaution.

The sighting comes as weekend helicopter patrols begin along the Perth coast for the summer season.

The Surf Life Saving helicopter will fly between Dawesville and Two Rocks looking for swimmers in trouble, and for sharks close to shore.

SLSWA's manager of aviation services Peter Scott said it is a busy time of the year for shark sightings, with a lot of whales and other marine animals in the area.

"We can provide some assurance and also we use the aircraft to verify sightings from the public as well, so we can try and identify if there is actually a shark there," he said.

"But essentially it does provide that extra layer of comfort for everyone."

WA Premier Colin Barnett said the patrols would increase to seven days a week from October 1.

"SLSWA plays a crucial role in protecting Western Australian beaches and it is vitally important to have the aerial patrols in place in time for the warmer weather," Mr Barnett said.

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Perth beaches re-open after sighting of 3.5-metre shark on first day of aerial patrols

Weird Jellyfish-Like Creatures Invade West Coast Beaches

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The strange blue creatures swarming West Coach beaches this summer simply go wherever the wind takes them.

Droves of Velella velella -- also known as "by-the-wind sailors" -- have been washing ashore in droves this summer along the West Coast.

Mystery of Death Valley's 'Sailing Stones' Solved

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The marine animals, which float on the surface of the Pacific Ocean, have a small sail and oval shaped bodies about the size of a palm of a hand -- leaving them at the mercy of the wind and ocean currents.

Steve Lonhart/NOAA MBNMS

PHOTO: A few Velella velella, also known as by-the-wind-sailors, were seen on Pescadero State Beach, Calif. on May, 14 2003.

Once they reach land, the blue, translucent velella die and decompose into cellophane-like corpses, according to National Geographic.

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Weird Jellyfish-Like Creatures Invade West Coast Beaches

Sighting of 3.5-metre shark closes Floreat and City beaches in Perth

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ABC Aerial surveillance of Perth beaches has started for the summer season.

Two Perth beaches have been re-opened after the first shark sighting of the season, a 3.5-metre white shark 50 metres off Floreat beach.

Surf Life Saving WA said the shark was tracking south, and that Floreat Beach and City Beach were closed as a precaution.

The sighting comes as weekend helicopter patrols begin along the Perth coast for the summer season.

The Surf Life Saving helicopter will fly between Dawesville and Two Rocks looking for swimmers in trouble, and for sharks close to shore.

SLSWA's manager of aviation services Peter Scott said it is a busy time of the year for shark sightings, with a lot of whales and other marine animals in the area.

"We can provide some assurance and also we use the aircraft to verify sightings from the public as well, so we can try and identify if there is actually a shark there," he said.

"But essentially it does provide that extra layer of comfort for everyone."

WA Premier Colin Barnett said the patrols would increase to seven days a week from October 1.

"SLSWA plays a crucial role in protecting Western Australian beaches and it is vitally important to have the aerial patrols in place in time for the warmer weather," Mr Barnett said.

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Sighting of 3.5-metre shark closes Floreat and City beaches in Perth

SWIC Astronomy Club announces fall events

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The Southwestern Illinois College Astronomy Club wants to explore the solar system with you this fall!

The club continues its series of talks about space and all its wonders at the Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle Ave. All meetings will be held in the Main Complex. The schedule of events for fall 2014 is as follows:

Are YOU the center of the universe? is Thursday, Sept. 18 from 6:30-8 p.m. in Room 1060. Have you ever wondered who or what exactly is the center of the universe? Christine Nobbe, a science, technology, engineering and mathematics educator, and self-described space geek, will lead a talk during which you will explore the universe to learn of new discoveries and find out who (or what) is at its center. This presentation also will include a joint meeting with the St. Louis Space Frontier society, a local chapter of the National Space Society.

Wow, curiosity, you make wonderful 3-D pictures! is Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10-11:30 a.m. in Room 2163. Have you ever wondered how 3-D media works? Karl M. Kindt III, adjunct instructor at Webster University, will present a workshop on how to make 3-D pictures using simple camera techniques and software. Bring your cell phone and digital camera to learn how to create 3-D photographs. Stereo photographs are used to explore the depth of a person, place or an object. By the end of this workshop, you will be a 3-D photographer. 3-D software for your cell phone and computer will be presented along with a special pair of 3-D glasses, which will be used to explore images of the moon, mars, people, places, works of art and more. Because this workshop is limited to 35 attendees, reservations are required. To reserve your spot, email kyle.stumbaugh@swic.edu.

Astronomy in cultures is Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 6-7 p.m. in the First Floor Lounge. As humans, we have always been curious and tried to make sense of our surroundings. By making connections with what we know, we have found ways to determine when to hunt for animals and when to plant and/or gather food. Over time, societies have interwoven the sun (Sol), the moon (Luna), the stars-constellations and the wandering stars into their lives. In this presentation, Club Adviser and SWIC Adjunct Faculty Member Kyle H. Stumbaugh will discuss how astronomical objects interrelate into the societys calendars, ceremonies and religions, and present a visual display of historical societies.

The sessions are free and open to the public. For more information, email Stumbaugh at kyle.stumbaugh@swic.edu or call 618-235-2700, ext. 5561.

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SWIC Astronomy Club announces fall events

Will Future Students Be Taught By Artificial Intelligence? – Video

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Will Future Students Be Taught By Artificial Intelligence?
You asked for it in the comments, so here it isthis week we #39;re talking about the future of education! As students across the country are getting ready to go back to school, it #39;s the...

By: FW: Thinking

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Will Future Students Be Taught By Artificial Intelligence? - Video

Artificial Intelligence: How Algorithms Make Systems Smart

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Algorithm is a word that one hears used much more frequently than in the past. One of the reasons is that scientists have learned that computers can learn on their own if given a few simple instructions. Thats really all that algorithms are mathematical instructions. Wikipedia states that an algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for calculations.

Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning. Whether you are aware of it or not, algorithms are becoming a ubiquitous part of our lives. Some pundits see danger in this trend. For example, Leo Hickman (@LeoHickman) writes, The NSA revelations highlight the role sophisticated algorithms play in sifting through masses of data. But more surprising is their widespread use in our everyday lives. So should we be more wary of their power? ["How algorithms rule the world," The Guardian, 1 July 2013] Its a bit hyperbolic to declare that algorithms rule the world; but, I agree that their use is becoming more widespread. Thats because computers are playing increasingly important roles in so many aspects of our lives. I like the HowStuffWorks explanation:

To make a computer do anything, you have to write a computer program. To write a computer program, you have to tell the computer, step by step, exactly what you want it to do. The computer then executes the program, following each step mechanically, to accomplish the end goal. When you are telling the computer what to do, you also get to choose how its going to do it. Thats where computer algorithms come in. The algorithm is the basic technique used to get the job done.

The only point that explanation gets wrong is that you have to tell a computer exactly what you want it to do step by step. Rather than follow only explicitly programmed instructions, some computer algorithms are designed to allow computers to learn on their own (i.e., facilitate machine learning). Uses for machine learning include data mining and pattern recognition. Klint Finley reports, Todays internet is ruled by algorithms. These mathematical creations determine what you see in your Facebook feed, what movies Netflix recommends to you, and what ads you see in your Gmail. ["Wanna Build Your Own Google? Visit the App Store for Algorithms," Wired, 11 August 2014].

As mathematical equations, algorithms are neither good nor evil. Clearly, however, people with both good and bad intentions have used algorithms. Dr. Panos Parpas, a lecturer in the department of computing at Imperial College London, told Hickman, [Algorithms] are now integrated into our lives. On the one hand, they are good because they free up our time and do mundane processes on our behalf. The questions being raised about algorithms at the moment are not about algorithms per se, but about the way society is structured with regard to data use and data privacy. Its also about how models are being used to predict the future. There is currently an awkward marriage between data and algorithms. As technology evolves, there will be mistakes, but it is important to remember they are just a tool. We shouldnt blame our tools.

Algorithms are nothing new. As noted above, they are simply mathematical instructions. Their use in computers can be traced back to one of the giants in computational theory Alan Turing. Back in 1952, Turing published a set of equations that tried to explain the patterns we see in nature, from the dappled stripes adorning the back of a zebra to the whorled leaves on a plant stem, or even the complex tucking and folding that turns a ball of cells into an organism. ["The Powerful Equations That Explain The Patterns We See In Nature," by Kat Arney (@harpistkat), Gizmodo, 13 August 2014] Turing became famous during the Second World War because he helped break the Enigma code. Sadly, Turing took his own life two years after publishing his book. Fortunately, Turings impact on the world didnt end with his suicide. Arney reports that scientists are still using his algorithms to discover patterns in nature. Arney concludes:

In the last years of Alan Turings life he saw his mathematical dream a programmable electronic computer sputter into existence from a temperamental collection of wires and tubes. Back then it was capable of crunching a few numbers at a snails pace. Today, the smartphone in your pocket is packed with computing technology that would have blown his mind. Its taken almost another lifetime to bring his biological vision into scientific reality, but its turning out to be more than a neat explanation and some fancy equations.

Although Turings algorithms have been useful in identifying how patterns emerge in nature, other correlations generated by algorithms have been more suspect. Deborah Gage (@deborahgage) reminds us, Correlation is different than causality. ["Big Data Uncovers Some Weird Correlations," The Wall Street Journal, 23 March 2014] She adds, Finding surprising correlations has never been easier, thanks to the flood of data thats now available. Gage reports that one company found that deals closed during a new moon are, on average, 43% bigger than when the moon is full. Other weird correlations that have been discovered include, People answer the phone more often when its snowy, cold or very humid; when its sunny or less humid they respond more to email. A preliminary analysis shows that they also buy more when its sunny, although certain people buy more when its overcast. The online lender ZestFinance Inc. found that people who fill out their loan applications using all capital letters default more often than people who use all lowercase letters, and more often still than people who use uppercase and lowercase letters correctly. Gage continues:

Are sales deals affected by the cycles of the moon? Is it possible to determine credit risk by the way a person types? Fast new data-crunching software combined with a flood of public and private data is allowing companies to test these and other seemingly far-fetched theories, asking questions that few people would have thought to ask before. By combining human and artificial intelligence, they seek to uncover clever insights and make predictions that could give businesses an advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

ZestFinance Chief Executive Douglas Merrill told Gage, Data scientists need to verify whether their findings make sense. Machine learning isnt replacing people. Part of the problem is that most machine learning systems dont combine reasoning with calculations. They simply spit out correlations whether they make sense or not. Gage reports, ZestFinance discarded another finding from its software that taller people are better at repaying loans, a hypothesis that Mr. Merrill calls silly. By adding reasoning to machine learning systems correlations and insights become much more useful. Part of the problem, writes Catherine Havasi (@havasi), CEO and co-founder of Luminoso, Is that when we humans communicate, we rely on a vast background of unspoken assumptions. We assume everyone we meet shares this knowledge. It forms the basis of how we interact and allows us to communicate quickly, efficiently, and with deep meaning. ["Who's Doing Common-Sense Reasoning And Why It Matters," TechCrunch, 9 August 2014] She adds, As advanced as technology is today, its main shortcoming as it becomes a large part of daily life in society is that it does not share these assumptions.

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Artificial Intelligence: How Algorithms Make Systems Smart

Meet Microsofts other artificial intelligence

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Chris Burns

If you live in China, you may already know about Microsofts "other" artificial intelligence. Cortana lives in the United States and is spreading across the world - but were not talking about Cortana. Were talking about XiaoIce - aka "Little Ice."

Microsoft China is working on a service called XiaoIce. This service is already ready to roll in Beta form for several apps and is being integrated with a few more in the very near future. Its pretty awesome - you speak with it, and it speaks back to you - like a text-only version of Cortana, but ready to dive deep into a wide variety of apps.

But whats it doing in China? And why isnt it here in the United States?

XiaoIce works with Sina Weibo, its going to work with WhatsApp, it works with text chat. So whats the deal?

Just this past month, Microsoft announced that itd be bringing Cortana to China with Windows Phone 8.1 - its nickname was (and is) "Xiao Na." XiaoIce is a sort of derivative of that. Heres what it can do in a basic chat - translated from Mandarin:

Jerry: XiaoIce, will it rain tomorrow?

XiaoIce: Tomorrow the weather in Beijing will be nice with a maximum high of 25*C. No rain to get you soaked.

Jerry: How about the day after tomorrow?

XiaoIce: The day after tomorrow, the weather in Beijing will also be fair, with a max high of 23*C.

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Meet Microsofts other artificial intelligence

Mesa College lands $3.7 million

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San Diego Mesa College has received more than $3.7 million in grants to support underrepresented students wanting to pursue careers in biomedical or behavioral science as well helping improve the academic success of low-income Hispanic students.

The college was awarded $2.62 million from the U.S. Department of Education to improve retention and academic success for low-income Hispanic students under a five-year Title V grant. Mesa was one of about 20 colleges and universities selected for the funding through a competitive process.

Mesa Colleges grant proposal, called Proyecto Exito or Project Success, calls for the college to offer more tutoring, mentoring, summer programs and career development. Officials say they will be redesigning courses, strengthening student support and expanding training for faculty and staff.

This is the first Title V grant received by Mesa College. About 32 percent of the colleges fall enrollment was of Hispanic or Latino descent, officials said.

Mesa is thrilled to receive this grant, which will enable the college to create the conditions that lead to higher student retention and completion for our Latino students, college President Pamela Luster said in a statement. Our student population mirrors that of the greater San Diego area, and as such our commitment to our growing population of Latino students is critical. Their success is our success, and as educated citizens our students contribute to greater economic advances for our community and the region.

Julianna Barnes, vice president of student services, said in a statement that the grant will strengthen the college's institutional capacity to better support Latino students and will level the odds for success for all students.

Mesa also recently learned it would be getting nearly $1.1 million over five years from the National Institutes of Health to extend a program that helps underrepresented groups studying biomedical or behavioral sciences to pursue careers in research.

The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program has been in place since 2005 and is the result of a partnership between Mesa College and UC San Diego. Officials say 97 of the 102 Mesa College students participating in the program have transferred or plan to transfer to a four-year college or university and some students are en route to earning a doctorate.

The program focuses on academic research and provides for faculty mentors, tutors, counselors and training workshops.

Students participate in an eight-week, full-time undergraduate summer internship at UC San Diego that includes six hours a day of laboratory training with top research scientists. They also attend lectures and seminars with faculty from UCSD, the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

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Mesa College lands $3.7 million