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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Burger King's Whopper returns to France

Customers buy a meal at a Burger King restaurant in Marseille-Provence airport, in Marignane, France, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Fifteen years after leaving France, the U.S. hamburger chain Burger King returned with the opening of a restaurant in Marseille-Provence airport. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

A customer purchases a meal at a Burger King restaurant in Marseille-Provence airport, in Marignane, France, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Fifteen years after leaving France, the U.S. hamburger chain Burger King returned with the opening of a restaurant in Marseille-Provence airport. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Customers eat a meal at a Burger King restaurant in Marseille-Provence airport, in Marignane, France, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Fifteen years after leaving France, the U.S. hamburger chain Burger King returned with the opening of a restaurant in Marseille-Provence airport. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

PARIS (AP) ? For the first time in 15 years, Burger King served its flame-grilled Whoppers in France, a country better known for its gastronomy than fast food.

Burger King Worldwide opened a restaurant at Marseille airport on Saturday, returning to France thanks to an agreement with Autogrill, which operates restaurants at highway service stations.

The burger chain, the world's second biggest behind McDonald's, closed its 39 French restaurants in 1997, because they were not profitable.

Burger King says their next restaurant is planned at a highway service station in Champagne in the first half of 2013.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-22-France-Burger%20King/id-5eb4b3e81d114e5ba26ee532a32cd2fc

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Professor's algorithm writes technical reports, romance novels could ...

Philip M. Parker, a marketing professor at INSEAD (the European Institute of Business Administration), has written and patented a system that uses an algorithm to automatically compile data into book form. Between his works and those of his research group (ICON Group International), he has over 900,000 books currently for sale on Amazon. More than a smart search engine, his system only requires a few minutes or a few hours to scan the databases relevant to any given topic and organize that data into a technical report. Next stop? Romance novels.

There are few things in life quite as boring as writing a technical report. You accumulate all available data on the topic, then categorize and prioritize the information. A general structure within with which to present the data is then chosen from a few common structures, whereupon the collected and sorted information is presented as a report. Such reports are formulaic ? produced in accordance with a slavishly followed rule or style, and their generation is largely a process of intellectual drudgery requiring very little creativity. It's exactly the sort of task for which computers were developed.

Prof. Parker, an author of several conventionally written technical and business reports, realized one day that the process of writing such a report can be described in terms of a reasonably well defined algorithm. He then set out to program a computer to carry out this algorithm, for which he was issued US Patent 7,266,767 (Method and apparatus for automated authoring and marketing.).

Parker designed the algorithm to follow (hopefully closely) the path that an expert would take in writing a summary about a data-rich subject. There are similarities to IBM's Jeopardy grandmaster Watson, which also casts a wide data net, then organizes and summarizes the data so it can respond rapidly to questions.

Some examples of books written by Parker's program include: Satirists: Webster's Quotations, Facts and Phrases

The 2007 Report on Little Cigarette-Size Cigars Weighing Less Than 3 Pounds Per 1,000 Cigars: World Market Segmentation by City

Webster's English to Portuguese Brazilian Crossword Puzzles: Level 10 (Portuguese Edition)

Webster's Hiligaynon - English Thesaurus Dictionary

The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Blepharitis

While some of these titles seem difficult to believe, there is a (generally small) market for each of them. If a person or company needs in-depth data about a subject, however narrow, that data has value in organized form. Parker's program works especially well with modern distribution technologies, turning print-on-demand into written-on-demand.

Parker has also used an outgrowth of his algorithm to write a comprehensive set of poems about roughly 80,000 words in the English language. Totopoetry is a collection of algorithmically authored poetry that neatly illustrates the strengths and limitations of algorithmic writing. Poems are written in 17 styles (e.g., Haiku, limerick, sonnet) for each word in English.

Each poem is intended to illuminate the meaning of the word on which it is based. For example, the octosyllable poem for "poetry" reads:

????????&nbsp"Really instant and overt.
????????&nbspBut also distant and covert." ? Totopoetry

And then there is the modern Haiku form, again on "poetry":

????????&nbsp"An executive,
????????&nbspevokes many directions,
????????&nbspnumbers and manners" ? Totopoetry

At present Parker's algorithm cannot judge its work against some intrinsic or personal measure of poetic merit.

The next area of formulaic writing to which Parker wants to adapt his algorithm is romance novels, which are widely (perhaps unfairly) denigrated as "cookie-cutter" literature. Parker believes their simplicity and limited plot structure suggest romances as the best target for an early attack on fiction writing. Regardless of his level of success, human authors are likely to face progressively more competition from algorithmic authors over the next decade or so. At this point it seems likely that the place of the best human writers is probably safe, but for how long? Time will tell.

Source: ExtremeTech.com

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/writing-algorithm/25539/

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Saturday, December 22, 2012

The 500 phases of matter: New system successfully classifies symmetry-protected phases

Dec. 21, 2012 ? Forget solid, liquid, and gas: there are in fact more than 500 phases of matter. In a major paper in a recent issue of Science, Perimeter Faculty member Xiao-Gang Wen reveals a modern reclassification of all of them.

Condensed matter physics -- the branch of physics responsible for discovering and describing most of these phases -- has traditionally classified phases by the way their fundamental building blocks -- usually atoms -- are arranged. The key is something called symmetry.

To understand symmetry, imagine flying through liquid water in an impossibly tiny ship: the atoms would swirl randomly around you and every direction -- whether up, down, or sideways -- would be the same. The technical term for this is "symmetry" -- and liquids are highly symmetric. Crystal ice, another phase of water, is less symmetric. If you flew through ice in the same way, you would see the straight rows of crystalline structures passing as regularly as the girders of an unfinished skyscraper. Certain angles would give you different views. Certain paths would be blocked, others wide open. Ice has many symmetries -- every "floor" and every "room" would look the same, for instance -- but physicists would say that the high symmetry of liquid water is broken.

Classifying the phases of matter by describing their symmetries and where and how those symmetries break is known as the Landau paradigm. More than simply a way of arranging the phases of matter into a chart, Landau's theory is a powerful tool which both guides scientists in discovering new phases of matter and helps them grapple with the behaviours of the known phases. Physicists were so pleased with Landau's theory that for a long time they believed that all phases of matter could be described by symmetries. That's why it was such an eye-opening experience when they discovered a handful of phases that Landau couldn't describe.

Beginning in the 1980s, condensed matter researchers, including Xiao-Gang Wen -- now a faculty member at Perimeter Institute -- investigated new quantum systems where numerous ground states existed with the same symmetry. Wen pointed out that those new states contain a new kind of order: topological order. Topological order is a quantum mechanical phenomenon: it is not related to the symmetry of the ground state, but instead to the global properties of the ground state's wave function. Therefore, it transcends the Landau paradigm, which is based on classical physics concepts.

Topological order is a more general understanding of quantum phases and the transitions between them. In the new framework, the phases of matter were described not by the patterns of symmetry in the ground state, but by the patterns of a decidedly quantum property -- entanglement. When two particles are entangled, certain measurements performed on one of them immediately affect the other, no matter how far apart the particles are. The patterns of such quantum effects, unlike the patterns of the atomic positions, could not be described by their symmetries. If you were to describe a city as a topologically ordered state from the cockpit of your impossibly tiny ship, you'd no longer be describing the girders and buildings of the crystals you passed, but rather invisible connections between them -- rather like describing a city based on the information flow in its telephone system.

This more general description of matter developed by Wen and collaborators was powerful -- but there were still a few phases that didn't fit. Specifically, there were a set of short-range entangled phases that did not break the symmetry, the so-called symmetry-protected topological phases. Examples of symmetry-protected phases include some topological superconductors and topological insulators, which are of widespread immediate interest because they show promise for use in the coming first generation of quantum electronics.

In the paper featured in Science, Wen and collaborators reveal a new system which can, at last, successfully classify these symmetry-protected phases.

Using modern mathematics -- specifically group cohomology theory and group super-cohomology theory -- the researchers have constructed and classified the symmetry-protected phases in any number of dimensions and for any symmetries. Their new classification system will provide insight about these quantum phases of matter, which may in turn increase our ability to design states of matter for use in superconductors or quantum computers.

This paper is a revealing look at the intricate and fascinating world of quantum entanglement, and an important step toward a modern reclassification of all phases of matter.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

X. Chen, Z.-C. Gu, Z.-X. Liu, X.-G. Wen. Symmetry-Protected Topological Orders in Interacting Bosonic Systems. Science, 2012; 338 (6114): 1604 DOI: 10.1126/science.1227224

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/4yRefulfhq8/121221233120.htm

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Congresswoman broke ethics rules, House panel says (reuters)

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In Minnesota, Guns In Schools May Be Legal. For Now. | Power Line

Minnesota is both a solidly blue state and a land of political correctness, so it is surprising to learn that guns aren?t necessarily prohibited in the state?s schools. The Minneapolis Star Tribune headlines: ?Little-known Minnesota exemption allows guns in schools.?

For years, Greg Lund carried a loaded gun as a high school principal in northwestern Minnesota. Students, parents and most of the staff at Norman County East High School didn?t know he was armed, but Lund said he couldn?t leave his students? safety to chance.

?There?s little you can do to prevent them from getting in the building,? said Lund, a gun safety educator. ?It was a small, rural school, and it would be 20 minutes or more before we would have police in the building.?

Lund carried the gun with the permission of his superintendent ? and under the provisions of a little-known exemption to the state?s general ban on guns in school. The rule says that any adults who have a state permit to carry a gun can bring the firearm to school once they obtain written permission from a principal or other school authority.

Given what happened at Sandy Hook elementary, one might think that Minnesotans would applaud the foresight manifested by that exemption, and consider whether it should be more broadly implemented. But no:

Brenda Cassellius, the state education commissioner, ?feels very strongly that we should be keeping guns out of schools,? said spokeswoman Charlene Briner. Gov. Mark Dayton agreed, and he will look at tightening the state ban on guns in schools when the Legislature convenes in January, said his spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci.

I think everyone would agree that our first choice is ?keeping guns out of schools.? The problem is that people come and go from schools all the time. It simply isn?t possible to ensure that all of them are unarmed, and none of them are crazy. That being the case, it seems rather pathetic to take comfort in the fact that guns are ?banned? from schools. Murderers don?t obey signs. But practicality?actually improving safety, as opposed to feeling self-righteous?is not much in evidence:

?I cannot even imagine a situation where we would consider giving people permission to carry guns in school,? Richfield Schools Superintendent Robert Slotterback said. ?You?re not going to have a gun drawn. If they walk up to you, point a gun and fire, it doesn?t matter if you have a gun in your pocket or not.?

So self-defense is impossible, apparently. This really is the mentality that we are dealing with in trying to improve school safety. Unfortunately, now that Minnesota?s governor and legislators are aware of the provision that creates at least the possibility of protecting students from armed predators, it likely will be repealed.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Source: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/12/in-minnesota-guns-in-schools-may-be-legal-for-now.php

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Facebook's new Poke app sends self-destructing messages

8 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

We've heard rumors that Facebook's working on an app which will allow you to?send messages that'll self-destruct after being viewed???and on Friday the social network confirmed the whispers. The app's called Poke and it is now available to iOS users.

It's a bit odd that Facebook decided to name the new app after an annoying feature that's been around since 2004, but we won't fret about that oddity too long.?

Based on the explanation given in a post in Facebook's Newsroom, Poke is somewhat similar to Snapchat. Both apps allow you to send messages, photos or videos which will expire a specific amount of time after being viewed. (Though with Poke you've got the added ability to send ... a poke.)

When you communicate with a friend via Poke, you're able to?set a message to expire in 1, 3, 5?or 10 seconds. As soon as time runs out, the message will disappear. In order to view a message, you find it in the app and "press and hold the message until it expires."

Unlike Snapchat, Poke does not appear to notify users if a message?recipient takes a screenshot of the correspondence before it expires. In a way, this is good, because it doesn't give a false sense of security. On the other hand, some users might forget that someone can easily turn their temporary messages into something that'll haunt them permanently.

Poke is expected to hit the?Apple App Store on Friday afternoon. It'll work on iPhone, iPod Touch?and iPad. No word as to whether Android users will ever get in on the fun.

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/facebooks-new-poke-self-destructing-message-app-1C7657746

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Friday, December 21, 2012

Final Capitol tribute to late Hawaii Sen. Inouye

Members of Congress, staff and family, watch as the casket of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the second-longest-serving senator in history, is carried into the Capitol Rotunda in Washington to lie in state, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Inouye was a Medal of Honor recipient who represented his state in the U.S. House and then the Senate, where he served for five decades. He died Monday evening at age 88 of respiratory complications. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Irene Hirano Inouye, widow of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, who was the second-longest-serving senator in history, looks at the casket of her husband as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Sen. Inouye was a Medal of Honor recipient who represented his state in the U.S. House and then the Senate, where he served for five decades. He died Monday evening at age 88 of respiratory complications. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Vice President Joe Biden looks back as Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the second-longest-serving senator in history, lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Inouye was a Medal of Honor recipient who represented his state in the U.S. House and then the Senate, where he served for five decades. He died Monday evening at age 88 of respiratory complications. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Family members of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D- Hawaii, look on as his casket is carried into the Capitol to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 in Washington. Inouye has been in public office since 1959, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in Europe in World War II. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, second from left, speaks with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, right, before the lying in state of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the second-longest-serving senator in history, in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Inouye was a Medal of Honor recipient who represented his state in the U.S. House and then the Senate, where he served for five decades. He died Monday evening at age 88 of respiratory complications. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sen. Daniel Inouye, the second-longest serving senator in U.S. history, was remembered Thursday as a man who gallantly defended his country on the battlefield and gracefully sought to better it during the 50-plus years he represented his beloved state of Hawaii.

Colleagues and aides lined the Capitol rotunda five deep to say farewell. The rare ceremony demonstrated the respect and good will he generated over the years. Only 31 people have lain in the Capitol rotunda; the last was former President Gerald R. Ford nearly six years ago. The last senator who died in office and was accorded the honor was Democrat Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, in 1978.

"Daniel Inouye was an institution, and he deserved to spend at least another day in this beautiful building to which he dedicated his life," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Inouye's closed casket was draped with the American flag during the morning ceremony and placed atop the same catafalque that supported the coffin of Abraham Lincoln. His family and staff looked on as Reid, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Vice President Joe Biden paid tribute to a man whom Biden said made him proud to be called a senator.

Inouye was Hawaii's first congressman. In his early days in Washington, Inouye's modesty would never have allowed him to think he would walk the halls of the Capitol for the next five decades, Boehner said.

"He couldn't have fathomed all the good that he would do here, helping to build a new state, gaining rights and benefits for veterans, supporting agriculture, speaking out against injustice, becoming one of the most revered senators in our history," Boehner said.

Inouye died Monday from respiratory complications. The soft-spoken but powerful Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee was 88.

Before Inouye made his mark as a politician, he did so as a war hero who lost his right arm while leading his platoon into battle on a ridge in Italy. He later was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor.

Biden said each person who has lain in state in the Capitol had a quality that was uniquely American. For Inouye, it was a moral compass that allowed him to do extraordinary things as a solider and as a senator.

"I've never met a man or woman in that period with as much physical and moral courage as Daniel Inouye," Biden said, referring to his years in the Senate. "I never met a man with as much loyalty to his country, to his family and to his friends."

After Inouye became Hawaii's first congressman following statehood in 1959, he won election to the Senate in 1962. He was the first Japanese-American elected to both the House and Senate and was serving his ninth term in the Senate when he died. As a legislator, his specialty was steering federal money to his home state to develop the kinds of roads, schools and housing other Americans had on the mainland.

After Biden spoke, three wreaths were placed around the casket, one representing the House, one the Senate and the other the executive branch. In the ensuring hours, a steady stream of tourists, congressional aides and other Capitol visitors took a few minutes out of their day to take in a bit of history and pay their respects.

Inouye's body will be escorted Friday to Washington National Cathedral for a funeral service, where President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are among those scheduled to speak. Inouye's body will be returned to Hawaii on Saturday.