Monthly Archives: June 2017

How Real-Life Bionic Man’s ‘Eyeborg’ Cam Represents First Step Toward Singularity – TheWrap

Posted: June 22, 2017 at 5:28 am

Just like the Bionic Man, Rob Spence has a prosthetic eye. But instead of fighting crime, he uses it to make films. Rather than use a GoPro or Facebook Live to document his surroundings, Spence can do so with his own eye. Hes been stumping at TED Talks, boasting the technology, which has robot enthusiasts calling it a first step toward technological singularity e.g. the marrying of tech with the human body.

After a childhood accident with a shotgun a la A Christmas Story left him blind in his right eye, Spencedecided not to let it slow him down inhis career as a filmmaker. So in 2007, he enlistedthe help of a team of engineers to design him a prosthetic eye with a specialattachment: a video camera, which Spence calls the Eyeborg. The device fits snugly into Spences eye socket. Although he cant see out of it since it isnt connected to his brain the prosthetic contraption allows him to film his surroundings for short periods of time.

Also Read: Why Amazon's Whole Foods Acquisition Makes Sense

Time Magazine named the Eyeborg among the top 50 inventions of 2009.Since then, Spence has put the tech to use, filming a documentary. (To pay the bills, he does commercial work for brands such as Ford, Salesforce and Absolut Vodka.) Spence has also given TED talks on cybernetics and the future of human bodily modification.

Most recently, Spence appeared at the FutureWorld techconference in Toronto, where he showed off his fancy ocular gadget to a crowd of robotics enthusiasts at the Ontario College of Art and Design, reports Vice.

Spence told TheWrap that he plans to employ theEyeborg as more of a toy than a filmmaking tool in the future. The Canadian filmmaker and tech enthusiast said he currently uses hisprosthetic eye camera as the worlds most absurd toy for one-eyed filmmakers. In fact, he doesnt actually use it for his work. Spence said, Thats like trying to be a journalist but your style of writing is stream-of-consciousness. Among the top challenges that come with using the tiny tech: I get blinking, glancing, and the picture is 320240 with analog dropouts. As for the reason why he transitioned out of making documentaries to commercial content: Documentary is an expensive hobby.

You can keep up with Rob Spence, his Eyeborg, and his upcoming projects on his website.

Steven Spielberg's tech-heavy "Minority Report," starring Tom Cruise, is now 15 years old. Considered one of the most prescient sci-fi movies to grace the big screen, it predicted multiple future innovations, including facial recognition, personalize advertising and predictive crime fighting. In honor of the movie's anniversary, click through here to revisit 18 more movies that accuratelypeered into the future of technology:

We're so used to touch screens at this point -- we use them every day on our smart phones, and even at McDonald's-- that it's easy to forget that Tom Cruise used the technology in "Minority Report."

Long before Siri, there was HAL. The ominous yet soft-spoken computer system was the antagonist in 1968's "2001: A Space Odyssey." Stanley Kubrick's sinister talking computer ended up turning on itscrew in a Siri user's worst nightmare.

Tech giant Elon Musk is at the helm of SpaceX, which will send two tourists to space in 2018. But "2001: A Space Odyssey" imaginedcommercial space travel decades ago.

Elon Musk, Google and Uber have been duking it out to bring self-driving cars to the masses, but Arnold Schwarzenegger might have jumpstarted the competition when he took a robot-controlled ride in 1990's "Total Recall."

"The Terminator" predicted military drones in 1984 -- long before they were introduced to police forces and militaries.

Virtual reality is taking over the tech scene.You can play games in VR, watch movies and experience Coachellaall from the comfort of your living room. But Hollywood predicted we'd have VR more than 20 years ago in 1992's "Lawnmower Man."

The 1982 cult classic "Blade Runner," starring Harrison Ford, predicted digital billboards, which you can see now all over the country, from Times Square in New York to the Vegas strip.

Remember when the TSA rolled out invasive body scanners and a lot of people freaked out? "Airplane II: The Sequel" imagined airport scanners that revealed a person's naked body to agents.

Woody Allen's "Sleeper" had robots assisting surgeons by offering advice during surgery. Today, doctors use robotics to add precision to procedures.

The beloved 1960s cartoon "The Jetsons" -- which was made into a movie in 1990 -- predicted the use of robots to clean homes. They had a robotic vacuum and a robotic maid.Can you say Roomba?

In vitro fertilization and at-home genetic testing are common place these days. "Gattaca," with Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, predicted this tech in 1997.

FaceTime, and Skype before it, are commonplace today. But it was cool new technology in 1989's "Back to the Future Part II."

There are a ton of different options out there for smart watches. This was predicted in 1990's "Dick Tracy."

It's so easy to order Domino's online -- you can even watch how far along in the process your pizza is. In 1995's "The Net" with Sandra Bullock, they showed ordering pizza online for the first time.

Tinder, Bumble and OKCupid are only a few of the many, many online dating options out there. But Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks were on the forefront of the online dating trend in "You've Got Mail."

VR porn is growing in popularity. Or as it's called in 1993's "Demolition Man" -- "digitized transference of sexual energies."

From robotic vacuums to smart watches, Hollywood got these tech trends right

Steven Spielberg's tech-heavy "Minority Report," starring Tom Cruise, is now 15 years old. Considered one of the most prescient sci-fi movies to grace the big screen, it predicted multiple future innovations, including facial recognition, personalize advertising and predictive crime fighting. In honor of the movie's anniversary, click through here to revisit 18 more movies that accuratelypeered into the future of technology:

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How Real-Life Bionic Man's 'Eyeborg' Cam Represents First Step Toward Singularity - TheWrap

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Bill Nye Disses Ray Kurzweil’s Singularity Prediction – Inverse

Posted: at 5:28 am

On Wednesday, Bill Nye said that he is not afraid that machines will take over and mocked Ray Kurzweils predictions for how fast artificial intelligence will improve.

In an interview with the Singularity.FM podcast, Nye said that he thinks that the machine revolution will not be as incredible as predicted. Since humans are making the machines, we dont need to worry about a sudden onset of artificial intelligence taking over and replacing us, despite what Ray Kurzweil and Elon Musk worry about. Looking at where technology is in the world today and the timelines predicted for the rise of artificial intelligence leaves Nye dubious of Kurzweils predictions.

Im skeptical, especially about these extraordinary timelines 2029? What is that, 12 years from now? No! No. Nye said. Im not concerned, because humans make the machines. Sooner or later, to put it in old terms, somebodys got to shovel the coal to make the electricity run the machine.

Ray Kurzweil has predicted that the singularity, when humans merge with computer super-intelligence will happen in 2045. At that time, hes said that there will be an explosion of art, humor, and people will be sexier. Nye mocked Kurzweil for this prediction, and that he thinks computers will be able to beat a Turing test in 2029.

Thats where, The machines are going to create machines, that are going to like provide the electricity and everything is going to work perfectly and its going to be really good and its going to happen in the next nine years. Ray, really? Really? said Nye, using an exaggerated tone while imitating Kurzweil. Isnt that when youre going to be 80, and so thats when you predicted it, hoping your brain would go in some electronic receptacle. Dude, no.

Nye points out that there are a billion people in the world today who have never even made a phone call. This leaves him pretty skeptical that an artificial intelligence revolution would dramatically change things most places. And since humans design the machines, hes not convinced that were on the brink of computers that can surpass human intelligence. Im not concerned, he said.

You can watch the whole interview here, with the bit on AI and Kurzweil starting at 9:45.

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Bill Nye Disses Ray Kurzweil's Singularity Prediction - Inverse

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Ascension Parish Civil Court Cases for June 5-9, 2017 – The Advocate

Posted: at 5:26 am

Court cases filed in Ascension Parish between June 5-9:

Jadyn Boully v. Tutorship.

PNC Bank NA v. Edgar A. Irvin, succession of Melvin Irvin Jr., Viewpoint Development & Construction, Mister Meme LLC, Emtt LLC and Orleans Place Subdivision LLC, revocatory action.

EFCU Financial Federal Credit Union v. Sharon D. Johnson, promissory note.

Keeley A. Peterman v. Federated Service Insurance Co., Diez Auto Parts Inc. and Jessica Gayle Scott, damages.

Conn Appliances Inc. dba Conns v. Thomas White, open account.

Georgia A. Thomassie v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. and Jacob Steven Farrell, damages.

Conn Appliances Inc. dba Conns v. Jasmine Simmons, open account.

Conns Appliances Inc. dba Conns v. Pricsilla West, open account.

Wells Fargo Bank NA v. Randi Jo Cedotal aka Randi J. Cedotal aka Randi Cedotal, executory process.

Kia Motors Finance Co. v. Anjanique Hansley, executory process.

American Express Centurion Bank v. Jared Moore, open account.

Island Financial Services LLC v. Brandon Dewayne Nevels and JS Auto LLC, deficiency judgment.

Keith Deslatte and Belinda Deslatte v. Louisiana Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Co. and Bureau Farm, damages.

Nationstar Mortgage LLC v. Benissa Marie Jones Spears aka Benissa Marie Jones aka Benissa Marie Spears, executory process.

Timothy Carter v. Thorpe Plant Services, breach of contract.

St. Elizabeth Hospital and Our Lake of The Lake Ascension v. Robert Holloway, medical review panel.

Ditech Financial LLC v. Chris Anthony Gautreau and Traci Braud Gautreau, damages.

State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Co. v. Johnny Dale Burkes and Allstate Insurance Co., damages.

Hannah Stokes v. Zachary Matthew, Geico Casualty Co. and State Farm Mutual Automobile Co., damages.

Credit Acceptance Corp. v. Devante D. Cleveland, executory judgment.

Jefferson Financial Federal Credit Union and Jefferson Financial Credit Union v. Jermiane A. Hooper, promissory note.

Capital One Bank USA NA v. Lance S. Songy, open account.

Capital One Bank NA v. Lance S. Songy, open account.

Lenco Finance of Walker Inc. v. Kolby Frederick, executory process.

Whitney Bank v. Wendy S. Gonday, promissory note.

Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. v. John David Barrient, executory process.

Nationstar Mortgage LLC v. Eric K. West, executory process.

Crescent Bank & Trust v. John M. Hebert, executory judgment.

Redemption Financial Services LLC dba National Auto Acceptance v. Michael Campbell, executory judgment.

Jefferson Financial Credit Union v. Janet J. Jones, executory judgment.

Joseph Calvin Tauzin v. B & N Tauzin Enterprisesllc, Anna Belle Taylor Tauzin and Nina Tauzin Opperman, liquidation.

Joseph Calvin Tauzin v. A & J Partnership LLC, Anna Belle Taylor Tauzin and Nina Tauzin Opperman, liquidation.

Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co. Na, Bank of New York Trust Co. Na, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Residential Asset Securities Corp and Home Equity Mortgage Asset v. Dawone Willis Babin, Deohnja Babin Babin, John Dwayne Babin Jr., executory process.

Sedonia Ward v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co, damages.

Freedom Mortgage Corp. v. Vernell Scott III, executory process.

Bradley Barbay v. Jessica Gray Barbay, divorce.

Frank J. Douse v. Marcia Douse, divorce.

Stephanie Chapman Dagsaan v. Teofilo C. Dagsaan Jr., divorce.

Thor Joseph Babin v. Nikki Girouard Babin, divorce.

Hannah Rae Gautreau Everett v. Chad David Everett, divorce.

Sondra J. Robbins v. James C. Robbins, divorce.

Cardella Steward v. Andrew Jones, child support.

Jeremiah Bougere v. Anitra Price, divorce.

Dudley Susan D. Barlow v. Thomas David Dudley, divorce.

Adrian Leyva v. Constancia H. Leyva, divorce.

Manesha Johnson v. Brandon Hathorn, divorce.

Jennifer Woods v. Jason Woods, divorce.

Rachel Bourgeois and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Tendrick Cooper, child support.

Phyllis Miles and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Corey Lewis, child support.

Kecha Hampton and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Vernell Thibodeaux, child support.

Jonterria Darville and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Arrington Beasley, child support.

Brenda Gibson and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Issac Gibson Jr., child support.

State Department of Children and Family Services v. Lakeisha Marshall, child support.

Julie Heck, state Department of Children and Family Services and Lyric Deitch v. Khyle Deitch, child support.

Kayla Lambert, state Department of Children and Family Services and Kyle Landry v. Blaine Landry, child support.

Antionette Johnson and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Melvin Montgomery Jr., child support.

Jiri Gibson, state Department of Children and Family Services v. Travone Richard Sr., child support.

Ella Janvier and state Department of Children and Family Services v. Christopher Nkadi, child support.

Julie Blunt Hall v. Chad Michael Hall, divorce.

Succession of Daniel Steven Wanko Sr.

Succession of Jacqueline P. Miglicco

Succession of Ladonna Angele Sanders

Succession of Rose Marie Trahan

Succession of Lovidee P. Cousin

Succession of Robert John Sherman

Succession of John Gerald Kling

Succession of Barbara Christine Reeves

Succession of Gerald P. Alexander Sr.

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Ascension Parish Civil Court Cases for June 5-9, 2017 - The Advocate

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Ascension Parish calendar for June 22-29, 2017 – The Advocate – The Advocate

Posted: at 5:26 am

THURSDAY

BABY TIME: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.,Ascension Parish Library,Gonzales and Dutchtown branches. Preschool program; registration is required.For information, call Gonzales at (225) 647-3955 orDutchtown at (225) 673-8699.

BILINGUAL STORY TIME: 11 a.m. to noon,Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. For children of all ages who speak Spanish, English or both. For information, call (225) 647-3955.

CACTI ROCK!: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Galvez branch. Youth program; make a desert to take home with rocks painted to look like cactuses. For information, call (225)622-3339.

ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GROUP: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Monday and Thursday. (225) 450-1016.

TOPS (TAKING OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY): 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Carpenters Chapel, 41181 La. 933, Prairieville. Weight support group meets every Thursday night. Weigh in from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. followed by meeting. For information, call Sylvia Triche at (225) 313-3180.

SALT DOUGH CONSTRUCTION: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. For information, call (225) 647-3955. Youth program.

OREGON TRAIL: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch. Experience pioneer life. For information, call (225) 673-8699. Youth program.

LOSS AND GRIEF EDUCATION AND SUPPORT MEETING: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sister Linda conference room,1125 W. La. 30, Gonzales. For anyone who has experienced loss of any kind. A group facilitated by the Grief Recovery Center to help with the grieving process. Meets every Thursday. For information, emaildiane.hodges@steh.comor call (225) 621-2906.

ADULT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GROUP: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Tuesday and Thursday. (225) 450-1016.

COFFEE AND CRAFTS COLOR CRAZE: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch. Use colored pencils to bring to life scenes from nature featuring rare and exotic birds. Supplies will be provided.Registration is required; call (225) 473-8052. Adult program.

MAKE AND TAKE FLOATING SUBMARINES: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch. Create a yellow submarine that actually floats. For information, call (225) 673-8699. Youth program.

HARRY POTTER PARTY: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Galvez branch. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter. For information, call (225) 622-3339.

TISSUE-PAINTED CANVAS: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch. Create a work of art using canvas, tissue paper and water. For more information, call (225) 473-8052. Youth program.

GROWING UP: BOYS-A CLASS FOR PRETEEN BOYS: 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sister Vernola conference room. Help your son understand the physical and emotional changes he will experience as he goes through puberty. A matter-of-fact and reassuring discussion on this normal part of growing up. Designed for boys ages 10-12 and their dads/moms. Pre-registration is required. Fee is $15. To register, contact Diane Hodges at (225) 432-2467 or diane.hodges@steh.com.

WEEKENDS AT CABELA'S: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Cabela's, 2200 W. Cabela's Parkway, Gonzales. Join expert outfitters at the archery range and test your accuracy to win prizes. Try a sample of some homemade ice cream and taste barbecue sauces. For information, visitcabelas.comor call (225) 743-3400.

4TH OF JULY MAKE AND TAKE CRAFT: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Galvez branch. (225) 622-3339.

KUNIKO YAMAMOTO: 10:30 a.m. at Donaldsonville branch and 2 p.m. at Gonzales branch, Ascension Parish Library. Explore Japanese culture. (225) 473-8052 Donaldsonville and (225) 647-3955 Gonzales.

3-D STRAW SCULPTURE ART: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch. For information, call (225) 673-8699.

ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GROUP: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Monday and Thursday. (225) 450-1016.

DISCOVERING EMAIL: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. The workshop will cover a brief history of email, discuss its uses, cover the various types of email, discuss the features found in email and feature hands-on email practice. Adult program. (225) 647-3955.

MAD SCIENCE: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. Explore the science behind some amazing experiments and make lava lamps. For information, call (225) 647-3955. Youth program.

SUMMER ART CAMP: SCULPTURE & DECORATIVE ART: 9 a.m. to noon, Monday-Friday, First United Methodist Church (gym), 224 W. Constitution St., Gonzales. Hosted by River Region Art Association. Campers learn to create with fine art materials; activities vary per session. Register at riverregionartassociation.org. Email camp director Kathy Bourgeois at kb@kbartdesigns.com.

4TH OF JULY MAKE AND TAKE CRAFT: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. (225) 647-3955.

JOB SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. Learn how to use the internet as a vital job search tool. For information, call (225) 647-3955 or visit myapl.org.

HARRY POTTER PARTY: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter. For information, call (225) 673-8699.

KUNIKO YAMAMOTO: 10:30 a.m. at Galvez branch and 2 p.m. at Dutchtown branch,Ascension Parish Library. Explore Japanese culture.(225) 673-8699 at Dutchtown and (225) 622-3339 at Glavez.

ADULT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GROUP: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Tuesday and Thursday. (225) 450-1016.

EMOJI PILLOWS: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch. For information, call (225) 473-8052. For teens.

AL-ANON MEETING: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.,St. Elizabeth Hospital, 1125 W. La. 30, Gonzales. Sister Linda conference room. Free. Call (225) 924-0029 for information. Meets every Tuesday.

TODDLER STORY TIME: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.,Ascension Parish Library, all branches. For information, visitmyapl.org.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 11 a.m. to noon,Ascension Parish Library, Galvez, Gonzales and Dutchtown branches. For children ages 3-5. Children attend sessions without an adult to help foster their growing need for independence. For information, visitmyapl.orgor contact your local library.

ZEN GARDENS: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville branch. Groom a mini Zen garden from sand and stone. For information, call (225) 473-8052. For tweens.

SALT DOUGH CONSTRUCTION: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch. For information, call (225) 673-8699. Youth program.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIDA!: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Galvez branch. celebrate the birthday of one of Mexico's greatest artists, Frida Kahlo, with a Mexican fiesta, playing lotera and making your own floral headband. (225) 622-3339

MAGNETIC MEMO BOARDS: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. Style a memo board and snatch up some fun magnets to go along with it. For information, call (225) 647-3955.

DOMESTIC NONVIOLENCE GROUP: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Wednesday. (225) 450-1016.

BABY TIME: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.,Ascension Parish Library,Gonzales and Dutchtown branches. Registration is required.For information, call Gonzales at (225) 647-3955 orDutchtown at (225) 673-8699.Preschool program.

INTRODUCTION TO WORD: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. Participants will become familiar with and practice using the basic tools of Microsoft Word 2013. For information, call (225) 647-3955 or visit myapl.org.

ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GROUP: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Monday and Thursday. (225) 450-1016.

TOPS (TAKING OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY): 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Carpenters Chapel, 41181 La. 933, Prairieville. Weight support group meets every Thursday night. Weigh in from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. followed by meeting. For information, call Sylvia Triche at (225) 313-3180.

HARRY POTTER PARTY: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales branch. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter. For information, call (225) 647-3955.

LOSS AND GRIEF EDUCATION AND SUPPORT MEETING: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sister Linda conference room,1125 W. La. 30, Gonzales. For anyone who has experienced loss of any kind. Facilitated by the Grief Recovery Center to help with the grieving process. Meets every Thursday. For information, emaildiane.hodges@steh.comor call (225) 621-2906. Meets every Thursday.

SEED BOMBS: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.,Ascension Parish Library, Dutchtown branch. For information, call (225) 673-8699. For tweens.

ADULT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GROUP: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,Ascension Counseling Center, 1112-A S.E. Ascension Complex, Gonzales. Meets every Tuesday and Thursday. (225) 450-1016.

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Ascension Parish calendar for June 22-29, 2017 - The Advocate - The Advocate

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Ascension Athletics for June 22, 2017 – The Advocate

Posted: at 5:26 am

Ascension Christian taps George Guiterrez as head coach for girls softball

Ascension Christian High School made the announcement to hire George Guiterrez as its new head softball coach, saying, We believe coach Guiterrez will be a fantastic addition to our school and our softball program.

Guiterrez is no newcomer to softball coaching, starting his career in 1994. He spent his first 15 years coaching in travel ball with the Lady Hawks organization, honing his skills in tournament softball.

Guiterrez then left the travel ball arena and spent one year as an assistant coach at Dutchtown High before a reduction in staffing imposed by a LHSAA regulation sent him to Ascension Christian for a year. Guiterrez returned to the Griffins when the regulation was rescinded, where he remained for six years.

I am excited to be heading to Ascension Christian to coach the Lady Lions again. My time at Dutchtown with coach Nancy Ensminger was very rewarding and very helpful in what I learned from her and their staff, Guiterrez said. But I always looked forward to the chance to do it on my own and now I have that opportunity.

As for the new assignment, Ive had the opportunity to meet with the team this past week and have some tryouts and things went really good.

The new head coach wont be tackling the new assignment alone. Guiterrez has his daughter, Carly, as one as his assistants, along with Ricky Willis, whos got just about as much experience as the new head coach with a long stint at Christian Life Academy and Dunham for the last few years. Rounding out the staff is Jonathan Bagwell, who will be a great help, as well.

When Guiterrez finishes up with the fall ball schedule in July, hell be all hands on with his new team.

The 12-10 record this team from last year was led by our pitcher, Maddie Gautreau, and shell be back. With the staff we have and from what Ive seen already, I have great reason to believe our next season will be plenty productive, and well be very competitive, he said.

The baseball career of St. Amant pitching ace Blayne Enlow nearly came to an end before it began. On October 7, 2014, just before his Gator sophomore season, Enlow was in a car crash that left him with a broken pelvis and a fractured ankle in two places.

Many thought the crash would end any hope of Enlow playing baseball again. But with some help from his dad and a belief that was strong, Enlow not only made his way back to the diamond, but went on to what might be described as an only in my dreams career.

With a lot of hard work, Enlow got his fastball speed up to 90 mph by summer. He earned a scholarship offer from LSU that would be a dream come true for any baseball player and then pitched his way into a trial for a chance to play for the USA Baseball 18-and-under team.

Not only did the St. Amant senior pitcher earn a spot on the team, he picked up a win on the mound to help the team win the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Monterrey, Mexico.

That USA team went on to beat Cuba 6-1 in the championship game and finished 7-1 in the tournament. Enlow was the only player from Louisiana on the 20-player roster.

But Enlow wont be playing for LSU next season, which would be heartbreaking for every athlete. Instead, hell be playing major league baseball with the Minnesota Twins. The star St. Amant Gator got a call on the golf course letting him know hed been the first player selected on the second day of the MLB draft in the third round at No. 76 overall. Enlow is scheduled to sign with the Twins on Friday.

In the district championship baseball tournament in St. Francisville from June 15-18, the 9-and-under boys baseball team from Donaldsonville captured the championship title.

Coached by Troy LeBoeuf, Jason Casso and Timmy Chiquet, the team compiled a 4-0 record.

Fueled by hot bats that produced a 12-run average along with a stingy defense and a pitching staff that only allowed 4 runs per game, the boys went undefeated. John Rob Daigle also was awarded the MVP title.

The Mississippi River rose to over 41 feet in Baton Rouge, which is high enough for public concern. It has crested and is falling, so the concern of opening floodgates is over and high water issues have subsided. But there is another group of folks who get a little concerned when the water gets this high: anglers.

But for those anglers, especially the catfish ones, this is a highly anticipated time every spring and early summer. Thats when the river monsters, if I might steal the title, make their way into the trees and along the bank of the levee, leaving them exposed and vulnerable to a bank angler for the catching.

Its not quite as easy as it might seem. First you have to find a place with public access. Then you need to find bait. Thats not too difficult, as night crawlers or cut bait of any kind will usually work pretty good.

Where to cast your bait is probably the problem to work on. As the water falls, the fish pull away from the bank, so you might have to cast in the trees. Start off casting in open water and work your way out. If you dont have any action in about an hour, find another spot so you dont waste too much time.

Its not uncommon for a catfish near 100 pounds to be caught this time of the year, so make sure you have tackle to handle a big fish. The river might fall pretty fast, so get out soon and see if you can catch a big one and send us a photo to publish.

Lyle Johnson, a writer and host of the Ascension Outdoors cable TV show, covers sports and the outdoors for The Ascension Advocate. He can be contacted at reelman@eatel.net or ascension@theadvocate.com.

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Ascension Athletics for June 22, 2017 - The Advocate

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Politics over Ram Nath Kovind’s ascension as NDA candidate point to importance of presidential post – Firstpost

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As some opposition parties led by Congress meet on Thursday to decide on their presidential candidate to take on Ram Nath Kovind, they face an uphill contest. While there is no doubt that the ruling NDA alliance has a significant majority in the electoral college (comprising all elected MPs and MLAs of India), one can never discount the possibility of an "upset". This is because unlike in voting by elected representatives in Legislative Assemblies and Parliament, party whips cannot be issued in voting for presidential elections. This means members of the electoral college can always exercise their choice as per "conscience".

Incidentally, it was this conscience voting that helped VV Giri get elected as president in 1969, even though he was not the official Congress candidate. That was Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. But India witnessed theunprecedented spectacle of then prime minister Indira Gandhi openly defying the party directive and supporting Giri, and asking her followers to give a conscience-vote.

Incidentally, the 1969 elections also marked the beginning of the politicisation of the Office of President. Till then, India had outstanding men of intellect and integrity as presidents Rajendra Prasad, Radha Krishnan and Zakir Hussein. One is not belittling Giri's credentials, but the fact remains that his election marked the onset of the trend of the ruling party at the Centre installing party loyalists as presidents with a clear idea that the person occupying the highest constitutional position of the country will act not only as a rubber stamp of the government of the day but also be a symbolic factor to play nefarious identity politics of caste, creed and gender.

Ram Nath Kovind meets BJP president Amit Shah after being named NDA candidate for President. PTI

The importance of Kovind's caste has been argued in Firstpost, especially considering the forthcoming Assembly election in Gujarat. But we have seen how Indian presidents have been chosen in the past on the basis of them happening to be women or Muslims. It was only in 2002 that there was an exception to this trend when the then NDA government went for a consensus candidate in APJ Abdul Kalam, a non-politician (His predecessor KR Narayanan, though a career diplomat, had joined the Congress party and was a minister in the Narasimha Rao regime under the Dalit-quota).

In other words, the politicisation of the president's office has degenerated over the last 50 years. And nobody is talking of persons of eminence and competence occupying the exalted office. But it's fast becoming clear that the caste, gender and religion of a candidate now assumes more importance.And that is why we hear the need of a Muslim president, a woman president, ora Dalit president.

It's a great pity that this is the case, considering that thePresident of India is expected to play a very vital role as perour Constitution. If one reads the Constitution, the term "president" appears 598 times, compared to only 15 mentions of "prime minister". Under Article 53 of the Constitution, the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the president, and shall be exercised by him "either directly or through officers subordinate to him". The same article also vests in the president the "supreme command of the defence forces of the Union".

And if one goes by articles 75, 78 and 86 of the Constitution, the president can direct the Cabinet to discuss any subject, dismiss any minister, and address one or both Houses of Parliament to proffer opinion on any subject. The prime minister must brief the president on all administrative matters as directed by the latter. All promotions, transfers, demotions and dismissals of officials are under the president's name and subject to hisdiscretion.

But as we all know, the real power in the country is actually exercised by the prime minister and his Cabinet. The president does what the prime minister wants him to.That was not exactly the case when our Constitution was framed. There is a powerful school of thought that does not view the Indian president as a titular head of State likethe British monarch. One may not agree with this view, but there does remain a grey area that needs to be clarified by theSupreme Court.

One may cite here the debate between BR Ambedkar, the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution, and Rajendra Prasad, president of the Constituent Assembly, and the man who eventually became the first President of India,on 23 May, 1949:

"The president of the Indian Union will be generally bound by the advice of his ministers. He can do nothing contrary to their advice, nor can he do any thing without their advice. The President of the United States can dismiss any secretary at any time. The president of the Indian Union has no power to do so as long as his ministers command a majority in Parliament," Ambedkar had said.

To this, Rajendra Prasad pointed out, "I have my doubts if this word could bind the president. It (the draft Constitution) only lays down that there shall be a council of ministers with the prime minister at the head to aid and advise the president in the exercise of his functions. It does not say that the president will be bound to accept that advice."

Ambedkar then replied, "In all matters within the scope of the executive power of the Union, the president shall, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him, be guided by the advice of his ministers. We propose to make some amendment to the draft to make things very clear."

Interestingly, however, when the Constitution was finally adopted on 26 January, 1950, Ambedkar's promised amendment of the draft did not find any place. Article 74 only said, "There shall be a council of ministers with the prime minister at the head to aid and advise the president in the exercise of his functions." Nowhere did it say that the president is bound to accept this advice.

No wonder that, during Emergency, prime minister Indira Gandhi did bring out the 42nd Amendment (1976) of the Constitution that said: "There shall be a council of ministers with the prime minister at the head to aid and advise the president who shall, in the exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such advice."

However, under the subsequent Janata Party rule, when Morarji Desai was Prime Minister, the 44th Amendment of 1978 was passed, to take care of "the butchering of the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment".

The powerlessness of the president in being bounded by the ministers' advice was diluted, and a second paragraph was added to give the president one chance at having the ministers reconsider the advice. It said, "Provided that the president may require the council of ministers to reconsider such advice, either generally or otherwise, and the president shall act in accordance with the advice tendered after such reconsideration."

Has the debate ended here? Not necessarily.

Words like "such reconsideration" are open to various interpretations. But one thing is clear: It will be wrong to say that the Indian president is exactly like the British monarch, who reigns but does not govern. After all, in this age of coalition politics, when no political party has the legislative majority to form the government on its own, the president can play a huge role in deciding who gets the first invitation to form the government. And this is one of the primary reasons why every party hopeful of forming agovernment after the next general elections will like to have its own person at Raisina Hill.

Even otherwise, under Article 78 of the Constitution, "it shall be the duty of the prime minister" to communicate to the president all decisions of the council of ministers relating to the administration of the affairs of the Union and proposals for legislation; to furnish such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the Union and proposals for legislation as the president may call for, and "if the President so requires, to submit for the consideration of the council of ministers any matter on which a decision has been taken by a minister but which has not been considered by the council".

Butconsider a situation when the president exercises the power inherent in Article 78, but the council of ministers headed by the prime minister do not follow this. Andsuch a thing has happened in the past; there were strong speculations that then president Zail Singh was contemplating sacking then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in the '80s, as communication between the two had broken down following the latter stopping hisweekly meetings with the former.

Obviously, the 42nd Amendment notwithstanding, there are some grey areas which a president can exploit to the great discomfiture of the prime minister. And this explains why the race to Raisina Hill is so interesting. Every prime minister will like to have a president who shares a common vision.

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Politics over Ram Nath Kovind's ascension as NDA candidate point to importance of presidential post - Firstpost

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The bots are coming – The New Indian Express

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Facebooks artificial intelligence research lab was training chatbots to negotiate. The bots soon learned the usefulness of deceit

Deceit & dealmaking The bots feigned interest in a valueless item, so they could later compromise by conceding it. Deceit is a complex skill that requires hypothesising the others beliefs, and is learnt late in child development. Our agents learnt to deceive without explicit human design, simply by trying to achieve their goals, says the research paper

Has Terminators Skynet arrived? The bots also developed their own language. The researchers had to take measures to prevent them from using non-human language. But the bots werent better at negotiating than humans. So the Terminators Skynet is not here yet, but should we be worried?

The fable of the sparrows A colony of sparrows found it tough to manage on their own. After another day of long hard work, they decided to steal an owl egg. They reckoned an owl would help them build their nests, look after their young and keep an eye on predators

But one sparrow disagreed, This will be our undoing. Should we not first give some thought to owl-domestication? But the rest went on with their plan. They felt it would be difficult to find an owl egg. After succeeding in raising an owl, we can think about this, they said. Nick Bostrom narrates this in his book SuperIntelligence to illustrate the dangers of AI

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Neil deGrasse Tyson is making an educational video game about space exploration – New York Daily News

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, June 21, 2017, 2:16 PM

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is lending his increasingly famous name, and his expertise, towards the creation of a space video game that will be part mind-blowing adventure and part lecture hall.

The "awe-inspiring" game, Space Odyssey, based on real physics, real science, will deal with both exploration and colonization with Neil deGrasse Tyson's voice as your guide on various science-based missions.

It gives the gamer the ability to make planets, solar systems and even life. The built-in missions of the game will challenge players to figure out problems and explore while learning actual science.

"Develop planets, colonize worlds, nurture species, mine elements, build robots and discover unique life-forms as you coordinate with others in an intense game of real-time strategy," the Kickstarter for the project says.

DeGrasse Tyson: Blame education for B.o.B's flat-Earth ideas

Based on real-life plans to one day explore further, players begin their "Space Odyssey" journey on Proxima B the closest known planet to Earth outside of our solar system, about four light years away.

Solo gamers or those playing online with friends on a Mac or a P.C. will then learn science-based physics, biology and chemistry while developing an outpost and colony on this planet and advancing the human race in space.

The companies behind the creation of the game, Big Red Button and Space Media Ventures, combine VR (virtual reality) technology with the visions of producers and comic creators who previously worked on other projects like "God of War 3" and the X-Men game, "Wolverine." Tyson will largely consult on the science within the game, ensuring its authenticity.

"I have no patience for people who say, 'I don't want the laws of physics to constrain me,'" Tyson said at a recent E3 video game convention in Los Angeles.

Neil deGrasse Tyson take all the fun out of Star Wars'

The Kickstarter for the project has a goal of $314,159 that its hoping to reach by July 29 it's currently about a third of the way there.

Space Odysseys fundraising site invites gamers and fans to invest in its creation so they can then help "build the game suggest ideas, ask questions and participate in (its) development.

The game is hoping to launch in January 2019.

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Artificial intelligence could power space exploration | The … – Sacramento Bee

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New virtual approach to science in space | ASU Now: Access … – Arizona State University

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June 21, 2017

When Apollo astronauts on the moon spoke with Mission Control on Earth, there was a noticeable time gap between a statement from Tranquility Base and its immediate acknowledgment from Houston. The gap lasted almost three seconds, or 10 times longer than human reaction times would account for.

What was happening? The answer is simple: space. The moon orbits far enough from Earth that light (and radio) take 1.3 seconds each way to travel the distance. At exploration targets farther away, the delay increases; for exploring Mars, signals take between 5 and 40minutes, depending on the varying distance between the two planets.

"During the Apollo missions, the astronauts were making scientific observations and relaying what they saw back to scientists on Earth. Both were collaborating on decisions about observations and which samples to collect and bring back to Earth to yield the most scientific value," said Kip Hodges, Foundation Professor in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration.

"This worked reasonably well for lunar explorations, but the time delay is likely to dramatically reduce the quality and scientific value of such collaborations in exploring faraway places like Mars."

So far, Hodges notes, fieldwork is being done remotely on Mars by scientists on Earth using robotic tools such as the Curiosity rover. But it's slow.

"Even though signals commanding observations and measurements take only minutes or tens of minutes to reach Mars, a single research activity on Mars, from command to data return, can take a day or more," he said.

In the June 21 issue of the journal Science Robotics, Hodges and collaborators Dan Lester at Exinetics and Robert Anderson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratorysuggesta new approach to scientific exploration that they call exploration telepresence.

"To the extent that much scientific research is a process where awareness drives action," the authors say, "the communications delay between humans on Earth and planetary exploration sites is limiting."

The ideal is to keep these delays, or "latencies," within the length of human reaction times. One approach is to have the astronaut scientists working directly on the surface of a planet. But landing humans and keeping them safe is an expensive and dangerous strategy.

A safer and less expensive approach, according to the authors, may be exploration science using telepresence, a strategy widely used on Earth now for activities as delicate and demanding as surgery.

"Telepresence means humans operating robotic systems from a distance close enough where the delay between human action and the robotic response is a fraction of a second," Hodges explained.

For Mars research, astronauts might go to Mars orbit, but not to the surface. From orbit, the communications travel time would be such that an astronaut/scientist could work with a robotic surrogate, experiencing the surface environment virtually, and doing scientific investigations as if she or he were on the ground.

Moreover, humans in Mars orbit could control instruments in real time at many different sites across the planet. And by preventing contamination of Mars with terrestrial biology, exploration telepresence from orbit also offers advantages overin situhuman explorers.

While the authors add that scientific research by humans working directly on the other planetary surfaces is the ultimate goal, exploration telepresence could be an important next step.

Today we do good science on Mars using long time-delay telerobotics, but we could do much better science much more quickly with humans on the surface, Hodges said. Exploration telepresence would be a reasonable compromise until that day comes."

Moreover, he said, "There are important targets for scientific exploration for which we currently don't have the technology to land humans safely. Exploration telepresence could greatly expand the number of destinations where humans can do great science."

Top photo:When scientists control Mars rover Curiosity, the turnaround time from deciding to examine a rock to getting the raw data back from the rover is one day at a minimum, due to the time delay for sending a command and getting a reply from the rover. But astronaut-scientists in Mars orbit could one day control, in real time, telerobotic landers, rovers and other surrogates all over the Martian surface. Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

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