My Kind of Math

Artificial Intelligence, Deep Neural Networks and Deep Learning: Oh My!!

♥In Love with Technology♥

I can’t explain how much I love learning about technological breakthroughs. I’m not scared in the least bit by much when it comes to the forefront of intellectualism. I recently read a hard copy article in the May 2015 issue of The Economist titled Artificial intelligence:
Rise of the machines. The byline says… “artificial intelligence scares people—excessively so?” Really? What a bunch of wimps!! People continue to fight enlightenment, progression and change to stay in boxes they have built. Not me.

At a speech in October 2014 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a scholar said that artificial intelligence (AI) was “summoning the demon.” People are paranoid that machines will take over in employment’s race for productivity. With industry powerhouses like Google and Amazon buying AI start-up companies, maybe human worries are justified? We will just find other jobs right? It’s called perseverance.

•Photo I snapped while reading the article in the library.•

Will computers continue to replace some of the things that people normally do? Probably. I loved this quote. “The torrent of data thrown off by the world’s internet-connected computers, tablets and smartphones, and the huge amounts of computing power now available for processing that torrent, means that their algorithms are more and more capable of understanding languages, recognizing images and the like.” Why didn’t I visit the San Diego Supercomputer Center many years ago when I had the chance? I also could have ditched my conference last October to go there! Now that would have been a real memory to cherish!

The article in The Economist said “signs of the AI boom are everywhere.” Google recently paid $400 million for DeepMind. Have you ever heard of DeepMind? If not, you should so check it out!! Pure awesomeness if you like video games. Just Google it and see. There is also a great article in The New Yorker which discusses how deep neural networks operate. Deep neural networks are used by companies like DeepMind. These artificial networks are much like the neural networks in the human brain. It is amazing to read about.

The newest form of AI tied to deep neural networks is now capable of “deep learning!” Computers can learn through the analysis of large amounts of data using algorithms. Freak out on the algorithm Facebook recently deployed. Did you think you were anonymous in that untagged photo? Think again… DeepFace “can recognise specific human faces in images around 97% of the time, even when those faces are partly hidden or poorly lit.” I want to be that smart and write programs like this. It’s not fair!! Male engineers created DeepFace and I give them tons of respect, but why are intelligent women often seen as  domineering? That’s not fair either.

•Smart Woman Army•

Another thing I found interesting in the article was that since most data is labeled by humans, and algorithms need that data to learn better, another race is on. It is a race to develop “unsupervised-learning” algorithms. This way, the need for human labeling is basically eliminated. How accurate will it be? I guess we will see. Artificial neural networks were invented in the 1950s by people with big brains who wanted bigger, faster, more accurate brains! I lovvvvve brains!! I am so not turned off by them!! Haha… These smart people were simulating the neurons and electrochemicals in a human brain to create artificial intelligence. It worked!!

♦"Just watch! Imma make my perfect woman!" (Dr.J before the chemical waste accident that birthed The Joker and this is not Harley Quinn)♦

If you are a brave fellow intellectual and enjoy all things mind blowing, you should read the article in The Economist. It so so worth the read. You can also learn about the interesting problem with AI. Do you know the one thing people can immediately identify that a computer simply can’t define? Porn… Yes… pornography. I guess machines provide plenty of access to porn, but don’t ask a damn machine to intelligently recognize porn lol. We can leave that type of analysis to the humans!

Carcanet Project shortlisted for international award

Awesome!!!
~~F

Rylands Blog

Our Carcanet Press Email Preservation Project has been selected as one of the finalists for the prestigious Digital Preservation Awards. Administered by the Digital Preservation Coalition, the awards celebrate people and organisations across the world who have made significant and innovative contributions to ensuring our digital memory is accessible tomorrow. We have been shortlisted for the Award for Safeguarding the Digital Legacy, which rewards projects focused on protecting ‘at-risk’ digital objects.

In our case, these objects were the emails of staff at premier poetry publishing house, Carcanet Press, which were languishing on hard drives and local networks at the Carcanet office. Carcanet’s hard copy archive – held at the Library – fills around 1,300 boxes, but the correspondence files have been dwindling in size with the shift to digital communication. Our project has rescued over 200,000 emails and 65,000 attachments, and we will be adding to this huge archive on an…

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To the Patron that just called me…

This is funny. This is indeed the type of questions we get as archivists. Hang in there Ginger! Public service is tough, but that’s what we are here for and that’s how archivists learn and continue to expand their knowledge everyday! Trust me. Stay patient! One day, you may be managing or directing an archive.
~~~Felicia

I'm Not a Librarian

To the patron that just called me,

Yes we are closed this weekend. Yes I am certain.

No I am not giving you the number of the “most superior librarian” in the main library. Call the main number for their hours since you don’t believe me.

We are not National Archives. We share the same zip code, that’s it.

No we don’t have “all the shooting stuff” from Kennedy (see above).

No I cannot tell you all of the rules for getting a readers card off the top of my head for NARA just because I’m an archives student.

No I don’t know where you can find “all the genealogy stuff from not too far back, but kinda far back” unless you give me locations, names, dates, etc. I am not your hired genealogist, either.

I can’t tell you if we have “classic radio shows from the 1930’s” unless you…

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The Minecraft Library

My son is a Minecraft addict. I had to take a picture yesterday when I noticed that he put a library in the house he built! I said “wait, wait, wait, what is that? Go back.” He said “it’s a library mom.” Wow!!! I was impressed. “The cutest thing ever,” said the mommy who is an archivist. 🙂

~D’z library~

Love in the Library

HaHa…….
Nice!!
~~~~F

Bound 4 Escape

via

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Speaking Dewey

Only in the movies…but I crafted my very own “Hey Girl” pic. Check out the Ryan Gosling librarian “Hey Girl” page on Tumblr.

Ideas Are Powerful Hug Evokers

Last weekend when I was leaving after a visit with my sister, something off the road caught my eye. A few houses down from where my family lives, a neighbor had put up what appeared to be some sort of little house? Being the curious person I am, I decided to stop and check it out. I couldn’t help myself. “It sure is a fancy bird house,” I thought to myself. I have made some before! 

After parking I made my way toward the little house. I was hoping to give the contraption a quick look before the owner noticed me. When I got to the house, I realized it was actually a mini library with a window! I couldn’t believe it. What a great idea! Albert Einstein once said that “the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” It is so true!

The sign reads “Neighborhood Library~ Take a book, leave a book, or just enjoy a book.” What a brilliantly creative idea! I had never seen such a thing!! I would like to do that someday here in my neighborhood. I immediately called my sister. She said my nephew was a regular of sorts at the walkup library. Haha…he is such a cute lil reader!

Well…you know I opened the library doors to look right? I was doubtful I would find something to take, but I was wrong! I found a copy of Helene Lerner’s book What Makes a Strong Woman? Lerner is the CEO of Creative Expansions Inc. Interesting…that was a perfect find. Ha Meghan?? The book has “101 insights from some remarkable woman.” It is a small book packed with comments about strength.

I had the urge to knock on the strangers door and learn more about him or her. Who was it? Maybe a retired librarian? Maybe a teacher? I wondered if others have something like this where they live? What a great way to share knowledge. I thought the mysterious person deserved a big medal and a hug! People who respect books and knowledge are truly special. Maybe one day, I will decide to knock on that door. 

Hey Girl

★Ryan loves the library 😉 ~~~~Felicia

A Lady and Lit

Library Love

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The intellect beneath the image

Loved this post!!! She was also a poet!!!
—-Felicia

Books Are Better

Marilyn Monroe was known for her beauty and glamour, but what many observers fail to note about her is that she was an avid reader and a student of literature. Among the thousands of photos that were taken of her, many dozens portray her reading books in various settings and poses — a window into the intellect that lay beneath the image.

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An Information Diva, Literacy and Poison

«~My new “Information Diva” tee shirt~»

«~My new Poison Ivy security badge~»

Today the New Mexico Coalition for Literacy hosted an event in the building where I work. They were giving away free books with coffee (yum) and doughnuts (yuck). I went to the event with the women I work with. We had so much fun selecting books together. One of the gals suggested we start a book club, which would be fun.

There was a lady there selling jewelry and other interesting things. I ended up buying a black tee shirt that says “information diva” since I’m a Certified Digital Information Manager. I love the shirt with small jewels on it! They also had tee shirts which said “kiss a librarian” and “love books.” I am not a librarian by the way, but it was awesome.

I picked up a new bejeweled cover for my security badge. It’s black and you know I had to keep my Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley (Poison Ivy) theme. As you may know, she is my favorite DC Comics supervillainess. I also made out with a new sterling silver pinky ring and two matching toe rings.

The event got us talking about a book club. Let’s see what happens? Smart women rock! 🙂

Spirit, Heart and Mind: An Interview with Miguél A. Tórrez

Aristotle once said “if you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.” I believe that the great Greek philosopher intentionally excluded “its end” when he said this. History has no end, therefore, there are constant developments. This quote could not ring more truthful for a lover of family history. There is something about knowing where we came from that makes us feel complete. When it comes to the art of research, there is a genealogist who grew up in Ranchitos that is making major contributions to our history. This man has a passion for traditional and scientific research, which makes him a well-rounded historian.

I have known Miguél Tórrez for many years. The first time I met him he was feverishly working on his genealogy with his small boys by his side. He has been interested in history since he was just a boy, but in his early 20s he was seemingly smitten by the history of those who came before him. This was just a few years after Miguél graduated from Española Valley High School. Growing up in Ranchitos, New Mexico, Miguél was near the historic Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo). At that time he couldn’t imagine that several years later his maternal line would be genetically connected to this type of ancestry. He says “current data tells us that approximately 80-85% of all New Mexicans with colonial roots have Native American roots on their maternal lineage (mtDNA).”

The final week I collected photographs from Miguél for his feature piece he was preparing for Holy Week. His spiritual devotion bears the deep roots of tradition. As a genealogist, learning about traditions and even practicing tradition will foster a clear understanding of what shaped our people. Miguél believes that “knowing oneself through culture and language fosters a sense of pride” and this belief is evident when you hear him lecture. I asked him why he felt that our traditions were important and he said “no matter what culture a person belongs to everyone’s culture is important because it gives people an identity.”

~~Santo Niño in Espinosa, Colorado by DeSautel~~

By now I’m sure that Miguél has a family tree which extends further than I can imagine. He has done so much work and he is always willing to help others in need, which is admirable. Many people who don’t understand the breadth of family history are unaware of the vast collection of surnames they can be connected to. Miguél says that “just two generations back we can see our extended relations.” Between his grandparents and great grandparents he can claim the Torres, Romero, Madrid, Roybal, Rodriguez, Martinez, Medina and Trujillo surnames. He is proud to have discovered that some of his relatives were involved in very important historical events such as the Apache Campaigns and the Rio Arriba rebellion of 1837.

Miguél has tracked military service on his paternal (Torres) line back to Cristoabl de Torres who was born in 1641. He seems to appreciate the fact that a grandfather named Juan “loved to tell stories about his grandparents and all of his relatives.” This grandfather was born in 1915 and had extended family from Chimayó to Cordova, New Mexico. “As a child I was given a visual of life in the 1920s with his stories of travels he and his father would take on horseback and wagon to communities such as Mora where they would travel to sell their produce,” he said. Though his grandfather practiced oral history, Miguél has now harnessed the power of documentary evidence and genetic studies.

~~Three Generations of Torres Y-DNA~~

Miguél is currently in charge of about 100 paternal lineage (Y-DNA) kits. He collaborates regularly Angel Cervantes, the New Mexico DNA Project Coordinator/Group Administrator. This DNA project includes “the colonial expeditions of New Mexico by the Spanish in 1598 and 1693, by the Mexicans in 1821, and by the Americans in 1848.” This weekend Miguél will make a presentation titled “The Espinosa DNA Quest.” On Saturday (April 20, 2013) he will deliver a lecture at the Albuquerque Main Library (501 Copper SW~ Albuquerque, New Mexico) on the discovery of the Y-DNA genetic code of the Nicolás de Espinosa lineage (which includes 18th century branches of that clan). The presentation will run from 10:30~12:00 and is sure to be captivating.

When I asked Miguél what he wanted people to remember about him 200 years from now he said “I hope that the work I am doing will produce results that are worthy of scholarly articles and will serve as a worthy reference thus having historical relevance. As a young man I hope that I will have many successful years in doing so and that many generations will remember my name as having been a valid contributor to the preservation of New Mexican history and culture.” I guess as lovers of history we couldn’t ask for more than that right? Here is to one amazing man making a positive contribution to our communities and to the future through history.

Collection of Links: Resources for Libraries

infophile

Apps
Free Software for Libraries Ideas Exchange – iLibrarian
50 Great Mobile Apps for Librarians – Proverbial Lone Wolf Librarian’s Weblog

Technology
Internet Librarian: Speed Technology Dating – Librarian in Black (30 technology recommendations – from Raspberry Pi to Liquid Space)
How to Create Your Own Knowledge Base – iLibrarian
Library Now! Google now technology applied to libraries? – Musings about Librarianship
What To Do with a Raspberry Pi (The New $35 Computer That Could Replace Your Opac Terminals) – The Digital Shift
Digitally Embedding the Law Library – Ellyssa Kroski

Web Design and Websites
Responsive Web Design and Libraries – iLibrarian
Transforming the Library Website: You and the IT Crowd – iLibrarian
Blogging Mega-post: 21 Resources for Tips, Strategies, and Content Ideas – iLibrarian
10 Essential Tools for the Lean Web Developer – Mashable

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