Door into Summer and the AI revolution: an inventors dream epoch
Amidst all the discussions over AI tools that are becoming more and more commonly used due to their open-source availability, I cannot but look back into some of the science fiction stories I have enjoyed. One particular title came into mind recently, a little bit under the influence of what seems to be a bit colder, Tokyo winter. I want to take this chance to write a review of this book and comment on some parallels with AI software. Door into Summer is a science fiction novel written by Robert A. Heinlein, first published in 1957. It tells the story of Dan Davis, an inventor who is betrayed by his business partner and put into suspended animation for thirty years, meaning he is frozen to wake up three decades later. The novel is a futuristic story set in a...
Read MoreHarta
12 vjet më parë. Ndërkohë që shokëve e shoqeve, U pëlqen të aktrojnë si të lezetshëm, Te mahisin njëri-tjetrën me snobizëm, Ti ndjen se diçka mungon, Se ata nuk kanë përgjigjet që të duhen, Se duhet të bësh këtë copë rruge pa ta. Dhe kështu, Bash kur arrin te dera e restorantit me katet që rrotullohen, Ku ata kanë vendosur të dalin për kafe, Ty këmbët të tradhtojnë, Midis ndjenjës se nuk përket aty, Dhe dëshirën për të përkitur diku. Bën të kthesh, Por hapat nëpër natë, Të braktisin, Si hëna ka braktisur qiellin. Dëshira për të përkitur, Diku, Kudo, Fiton. Dhe porta hapet. Fiton, Sepse djali që mund të këtë përgjigjet që ti do, Akoma s’është mësuar të flas me vajzat. Ndërkohë që sytë e të dashuri tënd, Që është mësuar shumë herët të flas me vajzat....
Read MoreKanazawa Trip, Episode 4: Phonographs, Literature and Art
The Kanazawa Phonograph Museum consists of three floors showcasing historically significant phonographic items, such as the first phonograph ever made, the first one made in Japan, in addition to old record that could be listened on a table located on the third floor. I have to say that the gentleman working on the third floor was the most active guider in the museums we visited. He was very eager to show us around and explain what we were seeing. Most of the items were accompanied by a QR code that would lead to an English explanation of the item showed. Here we had the chance to listened to the first ever recorded audio message. Knowing my love for literature, I was probably the most excited visitor of the Kanazawa Literary Hall. It also consisted of three...
Read MoreSWHYB 1.1: Whirling thoughts
I was taken aback when the secretary of the physics department said that a Mr. Yamasaki from Japan has left a message for me. It was a cold December afternoon in T., too cold to let myself slip into the nostalgic palace of molded memories. I had left Japan roughly seventeen years ago and after a couple of years of occasionally forwarded mail and phone calls, mostly over silly unfinished business, the connection between me and Tokyo had, finally, come to a standstill. Thinking about it, I recalled the name of a Mr. Yamasaki, who was given the task of picking me up when I first arrived in Narita airport but besides exchanging some pleasantries on our way towards the city of Funabashi, I had never talked to him again. In my five years of stay in Japan, that is. So,...
Read MoreKanazawa trip, Episode 3: Secret Temples and Tea Houses
We arrived at the entrance of the famous secret temple during the early afternoon hours. Our tour was booked (as required) for 13:30. Kanazawa, laying in between the surrounding mountains and the central sea, lived up to its reputation: tons of rain and coldness. My sneakers were already soaking wet. While Y. had been weighting between her options between wearing shoes and boots for our trip, I made the amateurish mistake of choosing a pair of old sports shoes. I had taken them for a walk in Tokyo and they seemed comfortable enough. But what worked out well for a Tokyo breeze, was not up for the challenge in Kanazawa’s weather. As we were entering the temple, I realized that my feet were very wet. Seeing the person walking in front of me, leaving a water...
Read More