Computing with Randomness: Probability Theory and the Internet

October 21, 2010 - In recent years, probability theory has come to play an increasingly important role in computing. Professor Sahami gives examples of how probability underlies a variety of applications on the Internet including web search and email spam filtering. This lecture is offered as part of the Classes Without Quizzes series at Stanford's 2010 Reunion Homecoming. Mehran Sahami, PhD, is an associate professor of computer science and the department's associate chair for education. Prior to joining the Stanford faculty, he was a Senior Research Scientist at Google. Stanford University: www.stanford.edu Stanford Alumni Association: www.stanfordalumni.org Computer Science at Stanford: www-cs.stanford.edu Stanford University Channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com

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The True Meaning of Respect

As we begin a new year, whatever new resolutions we make, there is one thing we will seek every day without fail in our lives and that is RESPECT because it is tied up with our self-esteem and feeling of value. We talk about it a lot, we yearn for it, we expect it automatically and we notice when we haven't been given it by others. But this word is not really understood by many people.

For example, respect is demonstrated by our actions, not our words. And when those actions are absent, especially at a trivial or simple level, there is also a distinct lack of respect. In every relationship respect goes hand-in-hand with love and commitment. You cannot love someone you don't respect or are not prepared to commit to, even for a short time. Otherwise you will resent the time spent with them, or spent doing things on their behalf, when you could be doing something else or be with someone else. Neither can you love someone you really do not trust. Once trust is gone, the feelings become superficial as the relationship shifts in terms of both emotion and power. You would no longer respect that person, tending to be suspicious of their actions instead of celebrating and enjoying their presence.

The Six Dimensions of Respect

Often a lack of respect comes from a misunderstanding of the word. We throw around the word 'respect' very glibly, as a single cure-all for our feelings. But respect is not just one term. It carries six other dimensions within it:

1. curiosity

2. attention

3. dialogue

4. sensitivity

5. empowerment

6. healing

If we are not really demonstrating those six concepts in various ways, with regards to the one we say we respect, we are not showing them much respect at all.

Curiosity

Respect starts with curiosity. We have an interest in that person. We want to know as much about them as possible, or at least a few key things to start with. In the dating process we engineer all kinds of opportunities to satisfy that curiosity and are often mortified when we get no response from our interest because are unable to fulfil our curiosity in any way and to give our attention. We feel frustrated, rejected and insignificant.

Attention

If curiosity is satisfied, we move to give that person our full attention. Indeed, our curiosity grows too, because that person begins to assume value in our eyes. The amount of value will depend on the way they satisfy our curiosity and attention. If the information we get is weak, unappealing or non-reinforcing, we lose interest rapidly, our attention wanes and we move towards another. However, if we perceive that the new interest aligns with us and matches us in major ways, excitement and interest both quicken. We then lavish even more attention on that person, going out of our way to attract their attention and interest.

Dialogue

Lots of attention inevitably leads to dialogue because that is the only way we can learn about our new interest. We communicate verbally as much as possible because we respect that person enough to want to hear what they have to say. We also take the greatest pleasure in conversing for its own sake. Hence much money will be spent on dates and phone calls, in particular. Where there is little respect, we are not in the least bit interested in that person and won't even talk to them. If there is also disrespect, for example, we made assumptions about them based upon their gender, colour, sexuality etc., we will go so far as to treat them negatively. We might have a dialogue at such times but it will express our anxieties, prejudices or anger, not our respect.

Sensitivity

This is at the core of respect. Accepting the person as they are without wanting to change them to suit us; fully acknowledging their values, culture, identity and who they want to be; valuing their contributions, opinions and inputs and genuinely listening to them and sharing their concerns. These are all essential elements of showing sensitivity to the person they are, and wish to be. When we put ourself and our needs first, and can only see our values, cultures and opinions, we are lacking great sensitivity to those we care for and are actually denying them respect, no matter what we say to the contrary.

Empowerment

Being curious about someone, giving our attention to, having a dialogue with, him or her, and being sensitive to their needs represent the greatest form of empowerment we can grant to another human being. It shows we value them greatly if we are willing to give them our attention and time, and also care about what they value. Anything else lacks respect. For example, if someone is trying to talk to you but you are busy playing on your computer, or talking to someone else on the phone, that shows little reciprocity for the respect they might be giving to you, or sensitivity to their presence and needs.

Healing

Respect has the capacity to heal, especially when we have had past experiences that have been very hurtful or traumatic, so this last dimension is important. When we have had a bad time it is very affirming to be respected and valued by the new person we are attracted to, or the people we interact with, and it is effective in speeding up the healing process. For example, if someone felt really inadequate because her man went off with a younger, more beautiful woman, a new lover in her life demonstrating how wonderful she is would give her much-needed respect and reinforcement. This would heal her pain even quicker than if she had to overcome it by herself. Respect heals because it affirms and reinforces who we are and wish to be. It also puts past hurt into perspective, or even negates it, and restores our confidence.

Respect and trust can never be taken for granted. They are attributes that have to be proven. They are also directly reciprocal to the behaviour of others. For example, when we feel that we have had no respect from other people we care about, it is likely that we have given them very little respect ourselves. Most of us are sensitive to when we are not being treated with respect and are then unable to give any in its absence.

If you feel disrespected, what are you doing in the process? There is always a connection. You are either accepting substandard behaviour in order to gain approval, allowing yourself to be treated like a doormat, or you are not treating someone well enough. Once you sort out the root cause, mutual respect and trust are usually assured.

Altogether these six dimensions add up to the powerful concept of respect. When we show another human being that respect, we add an even greater experience to their life and perspectives while we too are empowered by its effects.
(This was an excerpt from 10 Easy Steps to...Finding Your Ideal Soulmate! available from Amazon.co.uk.

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List of Top Ten Highest Motor Manufacturers in the World

The data written here has has been fetched from the records maintained till 2008. And thus the figures mentioned here might not be relevant or up to date as of now. The same data can also be found on wiki.

10. Fiat (A Company based in Italy)
It was in 1899 when Giovanni Agnelli and a team of investors came forward and founded the car manufacturing company. Ever since then, Fiat has been the one of the best car makers of Italy. The group has received the coveted 'European Car of The Year' award more than 12 times. This company manufactured a staggering 2,524,000 and above number of cars in the year 2008 which brings it to the 10th position.

9. Suzuki (Japan)
On the 9th position we have a company based out in Japan; Suzuki. In 2008 alone, Suzuki managed to manufacture more than 2.6 million units of cars which was distributed across 192 countries. In fact Suzuki has more than 35 main production facilities and has more than 133 distributors. It was in 1909 that Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom, and a fact that would make you wonder is, that Suzuki developed weaving machines for 30 years before it entered into the car manufacturing industry.

8. Hyundai-Kia (South Korea)
The Hyundai Kia company from South Korea is another huge motor vehicle manufacture which managed to bring the manufacturing number close to 2,777,137 units by the end of 2008. This South Korean company has made a name for itself across the entire globe. Founded in 1967, it took very short span of time to achieve this.

7. PSA Peugeot Citroen (France)
The well known Peugeot and Citreon models are the cars manufactured by the well known car company from france; PSA Peugeot. And this company is the 7th largest car maker in the world. In year 2008 the company manufactured a whopping 3,325,407 units of cars.

6. Nissan (Japan)
The top 6th car manufacture is again a Japan based company; Nissan. This happens to be one among the top 3 Asian companies that have been able to manufacture highest number of cars. Founded in 1932, Nissan has been through critical financial issues during the year 1999 and was saved by RSA of France. As of now, Nissan seems to be doing quite well.

5. Honda (Japan)
To name another company from Japan at the top fifth position is the Honda company. Honda brought to market a total of 3,912,700 units of cars in 2008. Among these the most manufactured cars were the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord. Even to date, these cars happen to be one of the favorites. In fact Honda overtook Nissan in 2001 with regards to total car production count. The self taught engineer Soichiro Honda founded this huge company in the year 24th September 1948.

4. Ford (USA)
Who hasn't heard of this giant? The father of car industry has been the Ford Company. Founded on 16th of June 1903, by Henry Ford, presently occupies the fourth position among the list of top 10 motor vehicle manufacturers in the world. In 2008 it made more than several millions of cars exceeding the Honda company. In fact the total revenue of Ford in year 2008 was a hopping $146.3 billion. But Ford has seen a downfall of production compared to the year 2007.

3. Volkswagen group (Germany)
Talk about the car for people, and we'd be discussing about this German Company Volkswagen, whose name itself means - Car for people. In 2008 Volkswagen rolled out a total of 6,517,288 cars which makes it the third largest car manufacturer of the year. Volkswagen Group manufactures great cars like Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Jetta and Beetle which have been the most favored car of Europe and Americas. Just for information, it was in 1937 that Volkswagen was founded under the leadership of Adolf Hitler.

2. General Motors (USA)
The company that almost went bankrupt in the year 2009, was the 2nd highest car manufacturer in the year 2008. GM manufactured a staggering number of cars beating the Volkswagen group. The popular models from GM are the Chevrolet and the Cardillac. GM has been a long lived car company since 1931 which makes it 80 years old to date.

1. Toyota (Japan)
Best selling car manufacturer happens to be another Japan based company. Toyota was founded by Kiichiro Toyota in the year 1937. And ever since Toyota has been one of the most favorite cars of Japan and America. In the year 2008, Toyota manufactured 9,237,780 units of cars which officially makes it the number one car manufacturer of that year. Toyota operates its sister brands Lexus and Scion also. The best and most popular car model from Toyota happens to be 'Corolla'.

That makes our top ten motor vehicle manufacturers in the world. Hope you enjoyed the list.

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Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

The MacBook Wheel lets consumers accomplish everyday tasks like typing with just a few dozen spins and clicks of a wheel.

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Why Physicists Need the Large Hadron Collider

Google Tech Talks October 17, 2008 ABSTRACT The LHC is the biggest (27 kilometers around) scientific instrument ever built and it is now ramping up to start taking data. It smashes together protons at enormous energy in order to create new forms of matter. Physicists hope to find the Higgs Boson which is the missing link in our current theory. Hopefully unanticipated discoveries will be made. I will explain why physicists need this expensive tool in order to understand nature at the smallest distance scales. Speaker: Edward Farhi Edward Farhi was trained as a theoretical particle physicist but has also worked on astrophysics, general relativity, and the foundations of quantum mechanics. His present interest is the theory of quantum computation. As a graduate student, Farhi invented the jet variable "Thrust," which is used to describe how particles in high energy accelerator collisions come out in collimated streams. He then worked with Leonard Susskind on grand unified theories with electro-weak dynamical symmetry breaking. He and Larry Abbott proposed an (almost viable) model in which quarks, leptons, and massive gauge bosons are composite. With Robert Jaffe, he worked out many of the properties of a possibly stable super dense form of matter called "Strange Matter" and with Charles Alcock and Angela Olinto he studied the properties of "Strange Stars." His interest then shifted to general relativity and he and Alan Guth studied the classical and quantum prospects of ...

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There is a way to apprentice to learn

Using computer programming as an example, Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Lab, discusses his theories on learning. View more of the series at phoenix.edu

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Jessica Sanchez: I Will Always Love You - Top 13 - AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 11

Jessica Sanchez performs "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston at the Top 13 performance show. Check out full performances with judges' commentary only at www.americanidol.com http (Official Site) www.facebook.com ('Like' on Facebook) twitter.com (Follow on Twitter)

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