I have multiple ideas per day. The vast majority of these are completely idiotic. The way I decide which ones are good is, usually I just sit on the idea for several months. If I’m still thinking about it three, six, or 12 months later, then I actually start working on it. So usually my filter for ideas is just to wait for six months or so. And if I have not decided that it’s idiotic, then it might be a good idea. [chuckles] But the vast majority of things that I think about are totally dumb.

When you are thinking about something you don’t understand you have a terrible, uncomfortable feeling called confusion. The confusion is, because we are all some kind of apes that are kind of stupid trying to figure out how to put two sticks together to reach the banana, and we can’t quite make it. So I always feel stupid. Once in a while, I put the two sticks together, and I reach the banana. –Richard Feynman

YouTube video.

From the Mar. 17, 2008, New Yorker.

Current Transcript of the Chat Session
Thank you for choosing Bank of America. An operator will be with you shortly.
You are now chatting with CeCe.
*you:* Hi, how do I find how to get my cash back? I have like 1000 points.
*CeCe:* Great! Which rewards program do you have?
*you:* Financial Rewards — it’s like 1% of purchases. What I want to know is where to look online? What button to push?
*CeCe:* Awesome!
*CeCe:* You can contact a Financial Rewards Redemption Center Specialist directly at 1.800.598.5665 or click [here] to redeem your rewards online.
*you:* Thanks — that’s the online link I wanted. I already had the phone number…
*you:* Bye
*CeCe:* You’re welcome! Also, I would like to share the special offers we currently have available for opening a new personal checking, savings or CD account with you. Would you like to open a new account?
*you:* No. Are you a real person, or is this some kind of software android? (Not meaning to offend.)
*you:* Here’s a reality check: what’s your favorite baseball team? Or your favorite ice cream flavor? Do you like chocolate better than vanilla?
*CeCe:* Yes, I’m a real person.
*CeCe:* I don’t like baseball or ice cream.
*you:* That’s not a very convincing answer! What’s your favorite food?
*you:* What did you think of the Fed’s cut on the short term interest rate? Don’t you think 0.75% is a big cut?
*CeCe:* Are you looking for a personal chat line because we are actually here for credit card applications only.
*CeCe:* ?
*CeCe:* I believe yahoo has that sort of chat line available for you.
*CeCe:* Is there anything else I can help you with today?
*you:* I wasn’t really interested in a personal chat — I just became very curious whether this was a person, or sophisticated software. I’m a computer science professor — there’s a famous artificial intelligence challenge called the “Turing Test” which is all about doing what we’re doing right now — an interrogation to see if who you’re communicating with is a man or a machine…
*CeCe:* Great! As mentioned earlier, I am a real person.
*you:* OK, that’s all — thanks, and good evening.
*CeCe:* You are very welcome.
Last text message received
*CeCe:* It was a pleasure assisting you today. To exit this chat session, please click the Close button. Thanks for choosing Bank of America, have a great day!

This sounds like a great topic for TCS 2008. Please say hello to Harry! I hope he is well.

D’oh. At least I didn’t send it to the TYPES list!