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The Social Networks of Myths

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A mathematical examination of the social networks in three mythological narratives reveals a degree of historical reality for each tale.

plerudulier’s insight:

Archaeological evidence suggests that at least some of the societies and events in such stories did exist. But is there other evidence, lurking perhaps within the ancient texts themselves?

To investigate that question, we turned to a decidedly modern tool: social-network analysis. In a study published in Europhysics Letters, we use a mathematical approach to examine the social networks in three narratives: “The Iliad,” “Beowulf” and the Irish epic “Tain Bo Cuailnge.” If the social networks depicted appeared realistic, we surmised, perhaps they would reflect some degree of historical reality.

Social networks have been widely studied in recent years; researchers have looked at the interconnectedness of groups like actors, musicians and co-authors of scientific texts. These networks share similar properties: they are highly connected, small worlds.


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3 hours ago

June 19, 2013
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link Guillaume's Tumblr: This is the most popular post you’ll read all day.

gdec:

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In a recent post for The Atlantic, Derek Thompson investigates what drives people to read content online. As a writer for a popular news site, it’s of interest to Thompson to find out what people are clicking on and why when navigating through the endless amount of web content…

3 hours ago

June 19, 2013
reblogged via gdec
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Simulating… all the way | Simuler … complètement

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I read an article I (probably, … certainly) tweeted about some time in last April. It was about EconoU, a sort of spin-off of SimCity only applied to University : in place of a city, you’re in ch…

plerudulier’s insight:

… ’re in charge of managing a university. I couldn’t summarize it better than Wikipedia :  ”… The interest in these games lies in accurate simulation of real-world events using algorithms,[6] as well as the close tying of players’ actions to expected or plausible consequences and outcomes. …”


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11 hours ago

June 18, 2013
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AT&T to Introduce Solar-Powered Charging Stations

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The portable chargers for wireless devices will rotate among areas in New York City until October.    

plerudulier’s insight:

“We view this as a commitment to being a part of the New York community as a corporate citizen but also as a way for New Yorkers to continue to engage with their technology as they continue to consume more and more data,” said Marissa Shorenstein, president of AT&T’s New York division.

It is also good for the company’s bottom line. The city has more mobile customers than in any other market, and executives, who have promoted use of their network by providing free wireless in subways and at parks and cultural events, realized there was a need for more frequent charging.


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1 day ago

June 18, 2013
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The secrets of body language: why you should never cross your arms again - - The Buffer Blog

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What can I do to improve my body language with some simple, actionable tips? The latest research reveals the best tips to improve your body language easily:

plerudulier’s insight:

Body language is older and more innate for us as humans than even language or facial expressions. That’s why people born blind can perform the same body language expressions as people who can see. They come pre-programmed with our brains.

I’ve always been incredibly fascinated with body language and how it helps us achieve our goals in life better. The power of body language is probably best described by Amy Cuddy’s famous quote


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1 day ago

June 18, 2013
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Waelice est un système interactif de modules lumineux. Reliés entre eux au sein d’un réseau informatique, tous les éléments de la constellation sont dotés d’une adresse IP. L’utilisateur peut intervenir sur chacun d’eux afin d’en modifier l’intensité lumineuse et la couleur et ainsi créer des combinaisons uniques et poétiques. Cette action peut se faire à distance via un smartphone ou directement par une simple commande gestuelle, le luminaire étant équipé de capteurs permettant de lire les mouvements. Musique : Adventure - Feels like heaven http://j.mp/11GWVSR June 17, 2013 at 05:34PM

1 day ago

June 17, 2013
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A test of the Bay Lights on January 24, 2013 Light sculpture by Leo Villareal http://j.mp/11GL9rE “Sea Green” by William Orbit from “Hello Waveforms” Adrian Graham @20schwarz - facebook.com/aag http://j.mp/1alRW1L June 17, 2013 at 03:38PM

1 day ago

June 17, 2013
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The Limits to Panic

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We often hear how the world as we know it will end, usually through ecological collapse.

plerudulier’s insight:

The genius of The Limits to Growth was to fuse these worries with fears of running out of stuff. We were doomed, because too many people would consume too much. Even if our ingenuity bought us some time, we would end up killing the planet and ourselves with pollution. The only hope was to stop economic growth itself, cut consumption, recycle, and force people to have fewer children, stabilizing society at a significantly poorer level.

CommentsView/Create comment on this paragraphThat message still resonates today, though it was spectacularly wrong.

[…]

Consider recycling, which is often just a feel-good gesture with little environmental benefit and significant cost. Paper, for example, typically comes from sustainable forests, not rainforests. The processing and government subsidies associated with recycling yield lower-quality paper to save a resource that is not threatened.
Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/economic-growth-and-its-critics-by-bj-rn-lomborg#rt5STVFeEIJWi36F.99


Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/economic-growth-and-its-critics-by-bj-rn-lomborg#rt5STVFeEIJWi36F.99


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1 day ago

June 17, 2013
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Using Minecraft to Engage and Challenge Your Class

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Using Minecraft in class is an amazing way to engage students and have them apply their knowledge in authentic and challenging ways.

plerudulier’s insight:

I recently used Minecraft with my class as a summative assessment on area, perimeter and volume. It was fantastic because not only were students engaged, but they also challenged themselves to apply harder maths than they would have otherwise.

There were challenges, however, that I had not anticipated. Below I have outlined four different factors that need to be addressed before using Minecraft in the classroom.

- See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2013/06/13/minecraft-in-class/#sthash.p2Hj6vvw.dpuf


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2 days ago

June 17, 2013
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video

THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS (http://j.mp/ZWtUGl) is a no holds barred, no stone unturned, completely uncensored (albeit fair and balanced) cultural examination of the conflicted dynamic between the great George Lucas and his fans over the past three decades. Chock-full of impassioned interviews, stop-motion and 3D animation, Super 8 action figure films, puppet rants and many other surprises, this unique participatory doc is the ultimate expression of the fans’ obsession for a man and a universe that defined an entire generation. http://j.mp/1bLYWmo June 17, 2013 at 02:16AM

2 days ago

June 17, 2013
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