FaceBook AI

The article was written in 2017, explaining the myth behind Facebook AI inventing a new language, It is an interesting 7-minutes read, given the rising AI Natural Language development.

Image credit - Roman Kucera, as per the article.

Three Levels of Knowing

 

Image credit - Farnam Street

Simplicity on the Complex Plane

Full article here.

Image credit - PlanPlusOnline

Sukuk Issuance Expected to Grow

Sukuk issuances expected to increase. More here.

 

Source: GlobalCapital

Cycle Threshold (Nilai Kitaran Ambang)

In July, the discussion on setting a new limit for the cycle threshold (CT) for Covid-19 cases abound in Malaysia. The Malay equivalence 'Nilai Kitaran Ambang' is often quoted. I am glad  the concept of threshold (ambang) is fast becoming a household name. Below is an excerpt from The Star:

"The cycle threshold (termed Ct value) is the number of amplification cycles required for the fluorescent signal to cross a certain threshold.

The number of cycles it takes to reach this level provides an estimate of the viral load which is equated with the severity of the infection.

The lower the Ct value the greater the amount of RNA (genetic material) there is in the sample. The higher the cycle number, the less RNA there is in the sample.

A standard RT-PCR usually goes through 35 cycles, which means that by the end of the process, billions of new copies of sections of the viral DNA are created from each viral strand present in the sample."

Image credit - The Center for Evidence-Based Medicine

The Future

Predicting the future, according to Calvin n Hobbes.

Image credit - Reddit

Baidu = A Hundred Times (or Countless Times)

I am gathering materials for AI. Taking some time away from Sukuk for a while.  Baidu is a search engine similar to Google, but focus on China. The content of the article below is produced by Baidu, re-posted by MIT Technology Review.

According to the article - The 5 AI Developments:

1. AI and vaccine

2. Robotaxis & Fully automated cars.

3. Applied natural language processing.

4. Quantum computing.

5. AI chips.

Image credit - Baidu Translate

Defining Creativity

Excerpt from the article.

"In October 2018 the British auction house Christie’s became the first to sell a work of art created by an algorithm.

The painting, Portrait of Edmond Belamy, was sold for $432,500, which was much more than anyone had been expecting. This groundbreaking sale created some controversy, not least in the AI art world itself."

Image credit - Wikipedia.

Potret of Edmond Belamy. The following information is cnp from Google Search:

"The Belamy series was created via machine learning by the Paris-based arts collective known as “Obvious.” They fed thousands of portraits into an algorithm, effectively teaching the machine portraiture techniques of the 18th century. The result was a series of 11 images known as the fictional “La Famille de Belamy.”

10 Millions of Happy (and Sad) Data

Come across this article - with the subtitle as aboved - when researching data on Dataconomy site.

Image credit - Intelligent Transport

AI Language Translator

In 2013, I went to Greece for a conference with my son. Due to the language barrier, he observed: "Why didn't someone invent an apps that can automatically translate what we say in our language (Malay) to Greek?"

This post is dedicated to him. He is an engineer now, soon to complete his master's in Mechanical Engineering. More on the AI Language Translator here.

Excerpt:

"As Doctor Netaya Lotze says – “Artificial intelligence is on the rise…However, some key criteria still need to be met before it can serve as a substitute for a real-life language teacher: spontaneity, creativity and shared knowledge.”

Our advice? Don’t forget about your English classes yet, but make sure you have your phone on hand for those difficult moments, just in case."

Image credit - Brenda, oxfordhouse

Fatwa Pujangga (in Malay)

Found this. This is a song, with poetic lyrics. Cover by Faul LIDA is heart-warming.

Image credit: Aku Langit.

https://www.sherrina.com/2017/05/14/sejarah-lagu-fatwa-pujangga/

The Misery Index

First introduced in 1960s by Arthur Okun. Misery Index = inflation + unemployment. The index is a metric of well-being from an economic perspective. A new version is introduced by Hanke.

Image credit - FocusEconomics

The Lambda Covid-19 Variant

The Lambda variant, or the "C.37" has been spreading rapidly in South America, particularly in Peru where the earliest documented samples of the virus date from August 2020. More in the article here.

Stay safe, everyone.

 

Image credit - Business Insider

Oil Prices - Spike or Plunge?

According to the article from NPR, here are 5 things to watch out :

1. Demand for oil prices is rising.

2. But oil producers produced less. Oil Supply and Demand imbalances

3. The OPEC+ countries monthly meetings. Impasse.

4.  What this meant for public? Two opposites reactions. The drama among OPEC+ continues.

5. Pressure for compromise. A price spike would harm the world's oil consumers like us.

Keep watching.

Image credit - NPR/US Energy Information Administration.

Top 10 AI Technologies

The first one is 'Natural Language Generation'. It is a trendy technology that converts structured data into the native language. The machines are programmed with algorithms to convert the data into a desirable format for the user. More here.

Image credit - MindMajix

World Taekwando Demonstration

Can't resist the temptation to share with you. The group from American Got Talent (AGT) performance (8.18 minutes). 14+ million views so far. It is the message at the very end that made the performance a masterpiece. Please enjoy.

Video from Youtube - AGT

 

Gratitude and Rumi

Image credit - Swan Quote

Ibn Al-Haytham - the First Scientist (Father of Modern Optics)

Excerpt on Ibn Al-Haytham, the first Scientist from Prof. Asad Zaman Blog:

"Mathematics, especially the geometry of Euclid, was the first discipline of knowledge established by Greek Philosophers. This was based on taking intuitive certainties as axioms, and then deducing more complex truths by using logical deductions. This is called the axiomatic-deductive methodology. When the Greeks turned to the natural sciences, they attempted to use the same methodology. Unfortunately, this methodology does not work well in this case. For centuries, philosophers were divided on the issue of whether light emanates from eyes to strike the object, or whether light comes from the object to the eye. There were axiomatic-deductive demonstrations for both positions. Ibnul Haytham was the first to use empirical methods to resolve this controversy, laying the basis for the scientific method. It is worth discussing his contribution in detail, because the concept of a “MODEL” emerges from his study. This concept is central to understanding the problems with current foundations of the social sciences. See “Models & Reality” for further discussion on this point."

White, Pink and Brown Noise

While doing an article review, I re-read the definition of white-noise in regression analysis. Come across another types of noise - brown noise and pink noise.  Very interesting indeed. 

Image credit - Lectrofan Series

Two Track Economic Recovery Post-Pandemic

Excerpt from the recent article in the IMF Blog:

"Poorer nations are facing a devastating double-blow: they are at risk of losing the race against the virus; and they could lose the opportunity to join a historic transformation to a new global economy built on green and digital foundations." 

Image credit - IMF Blog. Kudos to the Illustrator.

Make Your Webinar Interesting With Slido and Wheel of Names

Try Slido and Wheel of Names to have engaging webinars.

https://blog.sli.do/9-tips-engaging-webinars/

Source: Youtube Slido

Wheel of Names - Youtube

https://wheelofnames.com

Fly Your Car

Information taken from the video (2.59 min.). Good exposure to assess public perceptions towards flying car technologies.

"AirCar, a dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle moved closer to production this week, fulfilling a key development milestone in a 35-minute flight from the international airport in Nitra to the international airport in Bratislava on June 28th, 2021."

Video from Youtube 

 

Loh Lai Ying Story (Article in Malay) & Gulf of Alaska Song

Another story of how learning Mandarin in the early years can open up the world for your career building.  Loh Lai Ying, or Nur Ain Ramli, Director of Islamic Finance, Asia Pacific Investment Bank (APIB). The article is written in Malay, published in Tinta Minda Bernama.

https://www.bernama.com/bm/tintaminda/news.php?id=1974619#abc

What I want to highlight here is another success story of Firdhaus, who composed (and sing) the song titled 'Gulf of Alaska.' Gulf of Alaska received 170 million+ views in China and covered by other artists in China. Enjoy the official MV below (6.20 min.) You will love the song. Find out his efforts and the meaning of the song - and what inspired the unique title. My focus is the EFFORT of these successful people. Success didn't come overnight. Keep trying.

Source: Youtube

What is an Octave?

Watch the video (1.50 min.). Wavelength is the key. Distance. Frequency. Hertz. Sine function. Maths.

No wonder geniuses are in music and maths. There are the same, hertz speaking!

That is why Quranic recital has a calming effect. 

Youtube

 

Source: Masterclass

The Ever Given - 6 Days in Suez

Excerpt:

"Panama-flagged container ship Ever Given made the headlines on 23 March 2021 when it became stuck in the Suez Canal, triggering an international rescue operation to remove it. The vessel, which remained stranded in the canal until 30 March, created a blockage, halting operations for other vessels for the whole week.

According to a Lloyd's List estimate, the waiting costs caused by the incident amounted to $9.6bn per day, with westbound traffic costing $5.1bn a day and eastbound around $4.5bn.

The Ever Given incident - which now has developed into a financial dispute between the vessel’s Japanese owners and the Suez Canal Authority - has had repercussions on the global supply chain and the maritime industry but it’s not the only one."

https://www.ship-technology.com/features/ever-given-accident-implication-future-shipping-canals/

Image credit - SeaTrade Maritime News

https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/finance-insurance/ever-given-reflections-largest-general-average-case-history

The Poet of Four Seasons - Abai Kunanbayev

I was listening to Dimash's rendition of 'Opera 2' (the original singer is Vitas). 'Six Octave Man' - was how he was introduced in the US when performing there. Talented artist. Please watch the interview with his mother, and you will understand his educational background. 

Dimash introduced Abai Kunanbayev, the Great Kazakh Poet, musician and writer, to the world, by translating Abai Kunanbayev's work of poetry titled 'The Book of Words."  

Carpe Diem, Dimash. Don't forget your root. And your Grandparents. And Jannatul Firdaus.

Image credit - Internet

Image credit - Poemist

Turkey's Canal Istanbul Project

The 45-km Canal will connect the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. The idea was first introduced 10 years ago. President Erdogan promised 6 years completion date. for the enquiring minds, the statistics below  to indicate the scale of the project:

"6 bridges; 45 kilometres long; 21 metres deep; 30 times safer than the Bosphorus; 90 percent less traffic; six years of construction; a $15 billion budget"

It is a post-Brexit move for the non-EU allies. Britain is Turkey's second largest export-partner, after Germany. 

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/analysis/analysis-why-the-uk-sees-turkey-as-a-crucial-post-brexit-ally/2108631

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20210629-turkey-s-crazy-and-controversial-istanbul-canal-project

Image credit - Atalayar

Image credit - Sabah Daily