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Melinda Mah

HowStuffWorks "Transistors on the Nanoscale" - 1 views

  • By the 1960s, computer scientist (and Intel co-founder) Gordon Moore made an interesting observation. He noticed that every 12 months, engineers were able to double the number of transistors on a square inch piece of silicon. Like clockwork, engineers were finding ways to reduce the size of transistors
    • Melinda Mah
       
      Every year, there are twice as many transistors: twice as much computing power. However, this can't continue forever.
  • These days, the number of transistors doubles every 24 months.
    • Melinda Mah
       
      It seems like the increasing power of computers is slowing. This could mean that we will get into cheaper ways of making the same level of technology, contributing to the leveling out of advantages between education in developed countries and other countries. This could also affect the future of being able to have clear and realistic communication in the future. Today's Canadian systems suffer from inadequate bandwidth and infrastructure, and there are few signs that it will be improved dramatically enough to have clear visual communication. It may be that future communication will emphasize speaking and typing without the aid of body language.
  • some physicists and engineers think we might be bumping up against some fundamental physical limits when it comes to transistor size.
    • Melinda Mah
       
      This will mean we will need a fundamental innovation to change to improve computing power in the future if we are to conserve physical resources.
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  • one day we'll hit the physical limits of how small traditional transistors can be. That's because once you hit the nanoscale, you're dealing with the bizarre world of quantum mechanics. In this world, matter and energy behave in ways that seem counterintuitive.
    • Melinda Mah
       
      A limit to processing power...but perhaps it will be enough in combination with human cognitive surplus to come up with solutions to energy problem and sustainability.
  • Electron tunneling is a bit like teleportation. When material is very thin -- the thickness of a single nanometer (about 10 atoms thick) -- electrons can tunnel right through it as if it weren't there at all.
    • Melinda Mah
       
      Surprising application of quantum mechanics. Perhaps there will be more jobs in quantum mechanics now that they have significant real-world application!
  • beyond the nanoscale is the atomic scale, where you're dealing with materials that are only a few atoms in size.
  • it might mean that the advancements in microprocessor development will slow down and level off.
  • companies will likely find ways to improve microprocessor efficiency and performance, nonetheless.
  • It seems like microprocessor manufacturers will only be able to keep Moore's Law going for a few more years
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    I was inspired by Megan Rowe's post to look up information about transistors. Gratton posit that computing power will continue to increase as it ha now, but I had heard that we were reaching a limitation with transistors, so I looked up more information about this possibility. The exponential increase in computing power has already begun to slow down. Link to annotated version: https://diigo.com/03w8c7
amycloutier

construction can't be outsourced - 0 views

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    This short article is interesting in that it argues that despite being a job that can't be outsourced, the construction industry gets neglected and has a reputation for being a dirty job. It also points out the positives and possibilities within. It made me think how this industry could be a smart one to get into and will probably go through some changes in the coming years as it evolves due to the fact of more/different people getting into it because for the most part, it can't be outsourced (eg. hopefully women and not the typical "macho" type).
amycloutier

Perception Is Everything In Life - 1 views

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    It's not what you physically look at that matters in life, it's what you see in it. This article was interesting to me in how it relates to the concepts in The Shift and The Flatteners. Both authors emphasize the need to stand out and be the best that you can be and this article explains how a person's perception (or a change in perception) can help attain this.
Melinda Mah

Who first discovered the world was round? | How It Works Magazine - 1 views

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    The starting premise about Columbus in The World Is Flat bothered me a lot. There were many people who knew the world was round before him. Greek philosophers such as Pythagoras, Eratosthenes and Aristotle calculated and reasoned that the world was not flat - either round or at least a dome. Also, to anyone looking for a ship, the top of a mast appears first over a horizon, like something coming over a hill. It would make sense for people to assume that the world was round. In terms of who 'proved' the earth was round and that you could go all the way around and get back to the same point, Magellan's crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe in 1522, definitively 'proving' what many already believed. I've seen repeatedly that Columbus' actual argument was that the world was smaller than people thought, so he thought he could find a sea route from Europe across the Pacific to India. Instead, he ran into what later became the Americas. Hopefully, Friedman will address these issues and will see his viewpoint changed by his experiences in parallel with the Columbus story.
Trish Gill

The Top 10 Workplace Trends For 2014 - 2 views

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    2014 will be a slow period, where a lot of major workplace issues will surface and executives will be scrambling. As more boomers retire and more people work from home, the idea of "work" will start to change. Hiring processes are going to start to shift as more recruiters rely on the Internet and the word "reputation" will become even more important to professionals and companies alike.
colinsarkany

High-Stakes Testing: Policies in the U.S., Finland, & S. Korea | Globalization101 - 0 views

  • The recent decision by the College Board to completely revamp the SAT by 2016 has sparked a national debate on the merits of the SATs, ACTs and standardized testing in general. Some believe the current SAT hurts poor students since many are not able to afford the expensive test preparation courses
  • The new exam will try to help those who cannot access expensive preparation courses by better aligning the test to skills gained in high school courses, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, evidence-based reading and writing and analysis of primary documents.
  • The new SAT seems to align with the Common Core, which focuses on building the same skillset
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  • Changing the test does not address other inequities in the U.S. education system, which result in real difference in college performance
  • Nor does Finland use standardized tests to compare and contrast primary and secondary school students and their schools. Assessment is carried out at the local level. Teachers determine the design and timing of the exams, which are used to monitor student progress
  • Furthermore, teachers are selected from the top ten percent of college students and teacher education students get funding to receive a free master’s degree from a Finnish university.
  • South Korea uses high stakes testing to determine high school and college admission. Social status, marriage eligibility and work prospects are all determined by the test outcomes. So, preparation for this test often begins at preschool. (Dalporto, South Korea’s School Success, n.d.). The testing culture is so intense that suicidal thoughts are high amongst low scorers on the exams (Wang, 2013).
  • Some believe that middle class South Koreans are emigrating to the U.S. to avoid this high stakes testing culture. Others believe the low birth rate in South Korea is also tied to the high stakes testing culture as well (Choi, 2009).
  • The steps that the College Board is taking to improve the SAT to align more with the common core seem to be a step in the right direction. At the end of the day, there needs to be emphasis placed on school equality and teacher quality as well because an improved test will not fix a broken school system.
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    The website Globalization101 is a vast resource covering many topics regarding the globalization phenomenon. The article High-Stakes Testing in particular looks at different educational systems, and how US admissions are undergoing reform, while being compared to other educational system styles. The major link between this article and the first chapter of the World is Flat is the focus on skills, not job titles or location. The new standardized admissions tests will focus on skill development opposed to grades which may level the playing field for people to find internationally connected jobs. 
christinawright

How globalization has left the 1 per cent even further ahead - 0 views

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    This is part of The Globe's Wealth Paradox series , a two-week examination into how the income divide is shaping Canada. Income levels for most Canadians haven't changed much in recent years, but for one group: The wealthy are pulling away from the pack.
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