Sovereign Grounds

By using computers, we can look things up. But can we figure out anything new?

As a simple example, consider this question: Wouldn’t it be nice if you just typed an arbitrary equation, say

x^2 + 2x – 1 = 0

into your search engine’s window and got the solution for x immediately? Okay, search engines cannot answer factual queries directly by computing the answer from structured data (such as the quadratic equation above). They only attempt to create a list of documents or web pages that might contain the answer.

Is it really possible to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable? You just need to check the recently announced Wolfram|Alpha out to see what is already possible.

Just type the equation I gave you above (or any other equation) into the window below, then click on the orange button inside the window and see what happens.

Did you try some of those cool examples given on Wolfram|Alpha page? Here is another equation to try:

|x + 1| = 2x + |x – 2|

This one involves the absolute value function. You may also use Mathematica’s syntax to enter your queries. For example, the following generates the graph of 2Sin(x) + x:

Plot[2 Sin[x] + x, {x, 0, 15}]

Queries don’t need to be in pure mathematics. Wolfram|Alpha answers questions, cross-references data types, projects future behaviors, and more. Type Minnesota for instance to see what kind of factual information you’ll get.

Impressive, isn’t it?

On May 18, 2009, Wolfram Research announced the general availability of Wolfram|Alpha as the world’s first computational knowledge engine, offered for free on the web. Wolfram|Alpha draws on scientist Stephen Wolfram’s work on Mathematica, a well-known technical computing software platform, and on the discoveries he published in his controversial (or paradigm-shifting) book, A New Kind of Science, as well as the expert knowledge of many scientists from all around the world.

According to Wolfram, the long-term goal of Wolfram|Alpha is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone. “Some might say that Mathematica and A New Kind of Science are ambitious projects. But in recent years I’ve been hard at work on a still more ambitious project—called Wolfram|Alpha,” says Stephen Wolfram in his blog.

There is no doubt about it. Wolfram|Alpha is certainly an ambitious project. As Wolfram predicts, this is a project which will never be completed.

Students, teachers, and parents all around the world are just starting to use Wolfram|Alpha for education. If you are curious about Wolfram|Alpha, you can join the first Wolfram|Alpha Homework Day, a day-long event scheduled on Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at noon CDT. This live interactive web event aims to bring together students, parents, and educators from across the United States to solve their toughest assignments and explore the power of using Wolfram|Alpha for school, college, and beyond. Many Wolfram Research scientists and a number of surprise guests have been scheduled to appear during this live event to answer questions.

Enjoy!

A Trivial Comedy for Serious People!

September happens to be my favorite month. Perhaps it is because my birthday is in September. This year I received the nicest birthday present ever: A ticket to see the Guthrie Theater’s recent production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Unequivocally known as Oscar Wilde’s most popular comic play, this endlessly funny comedy about courtship, fictitious identities, cucumber sandwiches, and the unwelcome social obligations in a [delightfully superficial] polite society satisfies on every level. A cast that couldn’t be better. Gorgeous set design and costumes. Superb direction that never loses its momentum and captures the splendid rhythm and essence of Oscar Wilde’s dialogue.

“Good heavens! Lane! Why are there no cucumber sandwiches? I ordered them specially.”

“There were no cucumbers in the market this morning, sir. I went down twice.”

“No cucumbers!”

“No, sir. Not even for ready money.”

…

Just in case you have neither seen or read this classic play, here is a brief plot summary from Guthrie’s own introduction:

“In Oscar Wilde’s most perfect comedy, loved for its sensational characters and popular one-liners, young bachelors Jack and Algernon each assume a pseudonym to woo the women who have won their hearts. Abandoned in London’s Victoria Station as an infant and now living in a country manor, Jack has fallen in love with Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen, the daughter of the formidable Lady Bracknell. In order to meet with her in London he invents “Ernest,” a fictitious brother who demands his attention in the city. Meanwhile Algernon escapes his obligations in London to visit his friend “Bunbury” in the country. There Algernon meets and falls in love with Jack’s ward Cecily, and the stage is set for clever manipulations and hilarious confusion. When each gentleman is forced to unwind his web of lies and reveal himself to the ladies – and in Jack’s case, his parentage to Lady Bracknell – being earnest takes new meaning.”

Minnesotans who have not yet had the pleasure of seeing The Importance of Being Earnest should consider paying a visit to the Guthrie Theater, where a perfectly satisfactory production of Wilde’s masterwork from 1895, directed by Joe Dowling and featuring Linda Thorson as Lady Bracknell, John Skelley as Algernon Moncrieff, Nick Mennell as Jack Worthing, Heidi Armbruster as Gwendolen Fairfax and Erin Krakow as Cecily Cardew, alongside longtime Guthrie actors Richard S. Iglewski (Rev. Canon Frederick Chasuble), Suzanne Warmanen (Miss Laetitia Prism) and Kris L. Nelson (Lane / Merriman), opened on September 17, 2009 and continues through November 8, 2009 on the Wurtele Thrust Stage.

What can I say? Cool as a cucumber!

Thanks RO!

Photo credit: Still image from The Importance of Being Earnest Sneak Peek at Guthrie Theater.

Several community members have asked about my experience with Yahoo! Small Business that has been hosting the Sovereign Grounds’ web site since approximately 2001. If you are looking for a web hosting service for your business (real or imaginary), you might be well advised to consider Yahoo! Small Business services. Their current promotion is the best I have seen since 2001. The web hosting package has been reduced from $9.95 to $4.99 per month for 12 months. This special offer ends on October 8, 2009. I am attaching a direct link to their promotion page. Just click on the promo picture below to take advantage of this fantastic rate.

As for my experience, I can confidently say that hosting with Yahoo! Small Business has been very satisfactory. It is highly reliable, easy to set up and easy to use. Since 2001, I do not recall any moment when the web hosting service was interrupted or company email was not delivered. (Compare this to your own experience elsewhere.) Domain name registration is included in all plans (which is nice). That is, unlike some other hosting plans, you don’t pay any additional amount to keep your domain name registered. All of the hosting packages Yahoo! Small Business provides come with “unlimited” site storage, data transfer, and email storage. Virtually unlimited MySQL database support is another reason to consider Yahoo! With unlimited number of databases you can add lots of cool features to your web site including: all sorts of databases for use with electronic commerce and other applications, blogging (unlimited number of blogs!), interactive message boards, and other database driven content management applications. Yahoo! Small Business provides scripting tools like PHP and Perl that make advanced database programming an easy task. File/folder management and the management of all domain features are very easy in one place under the web hosting control panel. They also provide site statistics on a daily basis.

In short, based on my experience for the last 8 plus years with Yahoo!, if you are looking for a very reliable hosting service that is also inexpensive and comes with lots of cool features, help and tutorials, go with Yahoo! Small Business services without any hesitation. You won’t regret it.

We are pleased to announce that you can now follow SovereignGrnds at Twitter to receive occasional tweets from Sovereign Grounds Playground & Coffeehouse.

It is my pleasure to announce that Sovereign Grounds has now its own page on Facebook. It has a Discussion Board, a Review section, and a Wall where you can post your entries on any topic you like. Very cool! Just like this blog, it’s free and anyone can join and make contributions. I am hoping to provide more information and photos there soon. There will be more pages added in the near future as well. Go ahead and become a Fan of the Sovereign Grounds Playground & Coffeehouse on Facebook and start writing! It is another way to connect with Sovereign Grounds, its friends and the Sovereign Grounds Community.

I am planning on publishing a community photo album either here or at the main web site soon. If you have great photos taken inside the coffeehouse, and if you like to share them with the Sovereign Grounds Community, please email them to me at admin{at}sovereigngrounds.com along with some information, title suggestions and dates if possible.

Historical pictures of the store are fine but it will be more valuable if pictures have people in them! Wish I had my camera with me during Sen. Al Franken’s Coffeehouse Meet and Greet Event at Sovereign Grounds in January 2008. Have you seen the pictures Aaron Landry took during the event? [Al Franken at Sovereign Grounds] The coffeehouse was so packed that night that there was barely any standing room anywhere. Poor Al had to deliver his speech on a makeshift elevated podium!

Sen. Al Franken on a small table delivering his stump speech at Sovereign Grounds, January 18, 2008

Photo courtesy of Aaron Landry

Barack Obama will be sworn in on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Official Portrait of the 44th President of the United States of America.

Photo courtesy of Whitehouse.gov.

Sovereign Grounds Playground & Coffeehouse would like to host a forum for discussions regarding issues and stories concerning our community and surrounding communities. What this essentially means is that you may choose to write on any topic you like. Opinions that can potentially lead to good discussions are cordially invited. Any insight, any knowledge, any information that can potentially be beneficial to our community will certainly be welcomed by almost everybody. Thinking about discussing certain issues with other parents? Would you like to review a book you read recently? Do you have something to say about kids’ education? How about politics and economy? This is also a good place if you want to share your coffeehouse stories and memories with the community. Please keep in mind that this is a kids-friendly (G-rated) discussion forum.

Have fun!