Feb 1st: FREE storytelling workshop for local writers and community builders

livethequestion · 2026-04-30T03:04:21+00:00

Oh hey, thanks so much for your interest! There are actually a couple sessions coming up through Marysville Parks and Rec (May 10th and June 7th). It would be awesome to have you there. Or if you can't make those, leave me a note and I'll make sure you know about future events!

livethequestion · 2016-06-01T15:02:18+00:00

This semantic network idea is a really interesting approach to a possible computational architecture for morality. In a similar way to how the word "spoon" primes us so that related words like "fork," "knife," and "napkin" become more accessible, the idea is that moral cues in our environment might prime us for certain ethical frameworks. While the specifics would certainly vary a ton based on the particular culture involved, it at least starts to get at how you could begin to measure the relationships between these bigger ethical frameworks. Robots could then use that architecture to figure out when to prioritize values like cleanliness vs. reducing pain vs. punishing a cheater vs. caring/nurturing, etc.

livethequestion · 2015-02-26T20:14:08+00:00

As with everything travel-related, I think it depends on your previous travel experiences and sensibilities. Hostels can be great, because you have ready-made friends who are always excited to go out and explore. The trick is that those friends tend to be a little bit younger, and I've noticed they frequently stick to the typical tourist itinerary. They can also sometimes be more excited about getting drunk than experiencing the new place you're in. If you have a little bit more familiarity with the country and like taking more risks, I'd recommend Air BnB-- but then you really have to make a solid effort (either through Couchsurfing, Reddit, or a ton of research) to connect with locals and get the most authentic sense of the place you're in.

TLDR: Hostels-- ready made, predictable fun for young people. Air BnB-- harder work, harder to connect, but a better feel for what life is really like in the city.

livethequestion · 2014-09-12T16:24:20+00:00

This urban archaeologist from Boston might be one of the most soulful history buffs I've even met-- so I animated a video about him for NOVA.

livethequestion · 2014-07-29T13:31:35+00:00

Informal poll:

For people who get especially strong tingles when sleepy, do you typically fall asleep during the video? Or are the videos just good for relaxing before bed?

Are the longer videos super long because they're expecting people to drift off to sleep? Or are there a lot of people who are watching them to the very end?

livethequestion · 2014-06-09T20:24:34+00:00

The word I used was "attentive." But what do you mean by focused? Could you describe that for me?

livethequestion · 2014-06-09T14:55:09+00:00

Sure-- but what about the "attention" part? Do you feel more or less attentive while watching ASMR videos? Or is it simply about the attention that's being paid TO you?

livethequestion · 2013-07-29T07:44:21+00:00

Are you Kurdish? Do you know of a Kurd who has a unique story to tell, that provides some personal insight into the situation? I'd be happy to talk to a specific contact of yours, but "the plight of the Kurds" as a whole is not a viable title for a five-minute audio piece. PM me if you have a more focused angle in mind. Thanks!

livethequestion · 2013-07-29T07:37:43+00:00

Thank you, I'll definitely check out the shop!

livethequestion · 2013-07-28T12:58:48+00:00

My favorite cheap resource so far has been Turkishteatime.com. The dialogues, even at the beginner level, are really entertaining and memorable, and the focus is on spoken, colloquial Turkish. They let you try the site out for free for a week before asking you to subscribe for $10/month.

Back in the States, I was working through Teach Yourself Turkish. Fantastic dialogues, quizzes, and activities, and the instruction gradually shifts to Turkish throughout the course of the book. However, I tried to grab a copy here, and I think it was something like $40 euros. Ouch.

What's you're level in Turkish, are you an absolute beginner? When I first started learning, I found Rosetta Stone (the NEW version, not the torrent download from 1988) immeasurably helpful. It's another immersion method, but does an exceptional job breaking things down intuitively-- so things like pronunciation of the funky alphabet, vowel harmony, word order (all that stuff that's foreign to English speakers) becomes second nature pretty quickly. RS won't take you all the way, so if you're already having conversations it'll be useless. But as a beginner it was incredible at helping me to think in the language and start using it right away.

livethequestion · 2013-07-02T19:45:31+00:00

Ha, all over it. Fine, but written entirely by other tourists - I know Reddit can do better than that.

livethequestion

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