Watson's Wits

This past week on America's favorite trivia game Jeopardy, IBM introduced their newest computer innovation, Watson. This super computer is the first of it's kind, and is no ordinary computing machine. For three days Watson competed against Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, two of Jeopardy's greatest champions in a battle of human intellect versus human innovation. Watson is the first computer designed with enough depth and intelligence with the ability to answer specific question based on the knowledge of word association. Watson has the uncanny ability to answer and analyze questions with specific meanings (like those on the game show jeopardy) in a timely and correct fashion. Watson has no connection to the internet or outside resources and relies heavily on a vast bank of words and phrases he can use to piece together specific answers. While he did stumble, Watson did not fail to impress, answering the first 10 of 12 questions right on his second appearance. Even perhaps the greatest Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings  was no match for Watson's intellect. While he and Brad Rutter gave Watson a run for his money on night 3, Watson still dominated the two humans in the three night showdown. While Ken Jennings commends those at IBM for the feat, his frustration during the game show was obvious; I'm sure it can't be easy being one of the smartest men on the planet and being out done by a machine. While his wits are Jeopardy impressive, IBMers hope that Watson's purpose goes far beyond the scope of trivia entertainment. IBM experts hope they can use Watson's technology to solve 'real world' problems and do so with a speed that no man or computer has ever been able to do it. Watson instantly accesses a massive IBM database of human knowledge that he uses to rapidly locate the best possible answer for specific questions; his knowledge is not internet based, but based upon a cognitive ability to deduce an answer from key words and clues. Though Watson experienced some glitches, such as confusion and it's inability to recognize certain scenarios of the Jeopardy game state, his overall success brings to light the pure brilliance of human innovation and the incredible science of technology. 

Carmelo Anthony Trade talks

Over the past two months, the NBA has been swarming with rumors of a block buster trade that could send Denver Nuggets Superstar Carmelo Anthony  to a number of different NBA teams before the NBA's February 24th trade deadline. For the past sixty days trade talks have intensified between teams like The New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks and the Nuggets involving Anthony. The Nets reportedly had the edge, coming close to a deal in mid January. However Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov eventually reneged on the negations citing that his team was no longer vying for interest in Carmelo. Going into February it seemed as if the prospect of moving Carmelo mid season was becoming a pipe dream. Anthony has played his entire season in Denver having moderate team success, but incredible personal success. Anthony has the option of opting out of the last year of his contract after this season with Denver; making him ore valuable in a trade now for the franchise. A former Syracuse Orange and a New York native, Carmelo has made it clear that he would love to play in New York(Or Brooklyn IE The Nets) but the choice is not as cut and dry as it may seem. While he has said he wants to play in New York, the options are still open for the superstar who could still opt to stay in Denver for the remainder of this season. While the trade rumors have caused controversy through out the league, it has not affected Carmelo's performance on the court. Last week he scored 50 points and recorded 11 rebounds, one of his best performances of the season. The roller coaster that is the trading block in the NBA has been anything but calm over the past several weeks. While trade talks have heated up again with the Knicks, another wild card has thrown it's hat into the ring. Defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers have entered into trade talks with the Denver Nuggets in attempt to acquire Carmelo. To most basketball fans this is a shocking rumor due to the sheer magnitude of it's affect. The Laker's who already obtain the NBA's best player in Kobe Bryant, are looking to structure a deal around big-man sensation, but injury prone center Andrew Bynum. On the surface the trade seems farfetched because The Lakers would have to figure out how to sign Carmelo to a big time deal while staying under the 58 million dollar NBA salary cap. With big names like Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and others, this will be no easy task for the Lakers organization. The difficulty does not make it impossible or even improbable. The champs have struggled as of late and could use the spark of a player like Carmelo on their team. They will need the strength entering the playoffs, poised to face off against some power house eastern conference teams like the Heat or the Celtics in the NBA finals this season. Anthony's aspirations to play in New York may quite possibly be over powered by the sheer attractiveness of winning an NBA title this season, playing with one of the greatest players in NBA history. Whether Carmelo Anthony goes to New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, or stays in Denver, his decision will have a major impact through out the NBA. Regardless of the out come, the events which will take place within the NBA between now and February 24th are sure to be exciting.