Over the top

Richard Boyle wonders if Southasia led the way in movie projects concerning alien AI rather than human AI.

On August 22, 2010, BBC News online featured an item headed ‘Alien hunters should “look for artificial intelligence”’. The reporter, Jason Palmer, states: ‘Seti, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, has until now sought radio signals from worlds like Earth.

‘But Seti astronomer Seth Shostak argues that the time between aliens developing radio and artificial intelligence (AI) would be short.

‘Writing in Acta Astronautica, he says the odds favour detecting such alien AI rather than “biological” life.

‘However, Seti searchers have mostly worked under the assumption that ETs would be “alive” in the sense that we know.

‘”If you look at the timescales for the development of technology, at some point you invent radio and then you go on the air and then we have a chance of finding you,”’ he told BBC News. (more…)

By Vijay Vikram

It’s been a while since I wrote on this blog. And a very good piece by a chap called Ahmad Kamran on The South Asian Idea has pushed me into rectifying that. (more…)

The Nepali Dada declares that the older generation of Nepali citizens as the single most dangerous faction of people in Nepal. The official Nepali Dada Doctor in terms of reasons stated, “Old people are too old. Like a walkman trying to impress an ipods.” After much debate the Nepali Dada Party the official statement from the Nepali Dada Party stated, “We declare war on old people. We shall become death itself and kill off old people through our weapon of mass destruction – old age.”

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In a separate instance, the Nepali Dada Party is having a tough time controlling its male and female cadres, who having watched the Nepali mega blockbuster  movie “First Love” are raping everyone they fancy. (more…)

By Richard Boyle

One morning in February 1964, an employee of the General Post Office in Colombo arrived at work not knowing that this was to be an extraordinary day. In fact, he was forever to remain blissfully unaware of the essential difference of that day, as well as his role in the scheme of things. His job, in an era of primitive communications, was to deliver overseas cables by hand, and on that particular, fateful day, he was destined to deliver one to a house down Gregory’s Road in Colombo 7. (more…)

Anusha Rizvi proves that spoof can be a powerful tool of social awakening.

By Laxmi Murthy

‘Just like a documentary, so realistic!’ remarks one of my aunts as we stream out of the theatre, the haunting background score of ‘Peepli [Live]’ still resounding in our ears. ‘Excellent film, but what’s the use,’ says the other aunt, ‘We will simply go back and discuss it in our drawing rooms’. ‘But at least we will do that – now we will talk about farmers’ suicide,’ is the conclusion. (more…)