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Can Google design a CAPTCHA that's too difficult for their text-to-speech to read?

Google isn't reading its own CAPTCHA, they generate it and offer a speech version for accessibility to the visually impaired. It's not very difficult to create some horribly mangled text though, the problem is creating one that untrained, average humans can solve but computers don't. CloudFlare at some point went overboard on this, resulting in CAPTCHAs that were near impossible for a human to reliably read. And bots don't care if they have a mediocre success rate, for humans it's extremely frustrating to try multiple attempts to succeed. Sometimes even the definitions become a problem, like Google sometimes ask me to flag sections with traffic lights. Do they mean lights as in where I can actually see a lit red/yellow/green light, the front face, the back face and the pole or that light a block down that's 2 pixels wide? I'm just guessing until they're happy.

you can put a clothing line on your back porch

I live in the Pacific Northwest. Here is my forecast for this week (with apologies in advance for the metric temperatures).

https://imgur.com/a/mDQuEnM

...and pretty much the previous two months and upcoming two months.

The article is about closing mines that are subsidized.

Every coal mine in the EU is subsidized. There is no mining operation that does not receive some form of financial support in the EU. And most of them won't be closed, because they are more of a social support system than business enterprises. The article, the /. headline, the summary and your imagination are full of bullshit.

There is no "mining proletariat" left

Maybe these Polish miners are robots, then?

https://i.imgur.com/t2hG7RF.jp...

Perhaps you should grow up and learn to read some newspapers

Perhaps you should stop reading science fiction from futurism.org from your basement and get out in the real world more. You'll be surprised how backwards and sad it is compared to your sofa and your computer games.

The proper response

What? The people wealthy enough to afford a powerwall, smugly looking down on all us regular plebians for ruining the planet were wrong. When they double-down and insist saving the planet in their garage is economically sound so the poor have no excuse is also wrong.

What a shock!

...the reality is the reason we have so many problems is because people who are irrational have equal power with the people who are rational.

For those who rail at these words, the reality is right now we live in a lawless oligarchy that's has been basically stealing everything that is nailed down and has been since the US's founding. To even suggest any modern capitalist state "is a democracy" is just utter bullshit when it has been owned lock stock and barrel by corporations for most western states history with brief interruptions of world war 1 and world war 2 and the cold war to try to soften the ruthless harshness of capitalist societies.

Now with the fall of the USSR corporations are unchecked and out of control and being enabled by a heavily indoctrinated public.

Don't think so? Every time IP law came up for review to benefit the public it was pushed to benefit the rich and their corporations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

The reality is the general public in the US worships their robber barrons. George carlin said it best about americans.

Carlin

Look at the distribution of wealth, it is just insane, anyone who thinks they live in a society that benefits the many is uninformed.

US distribution of wealth

https://imgur.com/a/FShfb

Wealth in america

Evidence.

There is no demand. This is a simple fact. Nobody in Japan likes whale meat, even the whalers prefer other meats.

https://i.imgur.com/rUybGN4.pn...

Two things.

First, it is hard to argue it was a necessity. The GP post upthread is correct to point out the role of the US in jump-starting the whaling industry (the US even outfitted and managed the first whaling fleet of postwar Japan), but the story doesn't end there. Whaling provided protein to Japan in the first two decades post-WWII, while it was too poor to import meat. Consumption peaked out around the late 50s and early 60s, after which it declined sharply to nearly zero today.

https://i.imgur.com/rUybGN4.pn...

What happened in the meantime? Correct, a Marshall-like event. Because of its use of Japan in the Korean and Vietnam war, the US poured an enormous amount of money on Japan after 1955. Japan recovered economically very quickly and began to import meat - poultry, pork and beef. This spelled the end of the whaling demand. Had the US occupational administration been less racist, and acted as they did in Germany, there would be no whaling industry and no problem to discuss.

Now, your second question, why does whaling continue today, given the lack of demand?

It is a very simple thing - a lot of money is being poured on the industry by the politicians who own it. The current PM, Shinzo Abe's base is in whaling country. A large group of politicians close to him also has a significant interest in receiving those subsidies. They get the votes from the area, which are guaranteed, and in exchange, guarantee the subsidies, a large part of which they receive anyway.

In other words, the Japan whaling fiasco is a classical public finance failure, started by an irresponsible, short-sighted policy.

I most certainly didn't rip it off from it's original context, it was never a meme before. It's pure OC, go ahead, look again and behold it in all its glory.

whatever you say my dude enjoy eating your pets commie

I made this for you.

No, just stupid errors.

https://imgur.com/RfsNJHV

Modern tools are pretty good at isolating high contrast areas but I'm not aware of any quick select/matte refinement tools that handles fine hair or semi transparent stuff well. It's typically a whole lot of manual work...

I did a quick test with a random "fine hair" image from Google Images was surprised with how well it handled it. While it had problems with other areas of the photo using a tool like this could be a good starting point to save you quite a bit of time. What it did fail on is very easy an quick to do manually compared to the hair.

Which would either be:
  Full page refreshes for every action:
Use some other language:

Only two options and nothing else? hmm...

https://imgur.com/a/nm0ysSk

This comet is moving really fast!

Last night was the first break in the clouds in about a month and a half. So I got out my astrophotography rig, which is based on the open source OnStep STM32 telescope controller.

The moon was bright, and there was too much moisture in the atmosphere. So, not ideal conditions.

As far as comets go, this one is underwhelming. It lacks a tail, and is below naked eye visibility. But what is remarkable, is that this comet was sure moving fast against the background stars.

A 5 minute exposure shows a fuzzy streak that goes in a different direction than the streaks from stars due to a hasty and inaccurate polar alignment.

Here is a screenshot of the 5 minute exposure, and another 60 seconds exposure.

Clouds rolled over and I had to call it a night.

Oh, and if you want an Open Source telescope controller, here are more videos on OnStep on the STM32.

This comet is moving really fast!

Last night was the first break in the clouds in about a month and a half. So I got out my astrophotography rig, which is based on the open source OnStep STM32 telescope controller.

The moon was bright, and there was too much moisture in the atmosphere. So, not ideal conditions.

As far as comets go, this one is underwhelming. It lacks a tail, and is below naked eye visibility. But what is remarkable, is that this comet was sure moving fast against the background stars.

A 5 minute exposure shows a fuzzy streak that goes in a different direction than the streaks from stars due to a hasty and inaccurate polar alignment.

Here is a screenshot of the 5 minute exposure, and another 60 seconds exposure.

Clouds rolled over and I had to call it a night.

Oh, and if you want an Open Source telescope controller, here are more videos on OnStep on the STM32.

http://i.imgur.com/7umOJ.gif

Gaaaaahhhhhhh! I was going to say something here but the black hole of stupidity sucked my brain in. Is this a contest for the stupidest lawsuit ever?

Ahh, this old canard.

Here, this handy little chart should help you understand what is actually meant with that.

Don't forgot that Doom also gave us:

* Total Conversions or "themed" levels, such as Aliens, Barney, etc.
* Mods -- the ability to change core gameplay rules. e.g. Minecraft allows "house rules" such as: /gamerule keepInventory true
* In-game map which was also awesome. (Looking at you Vermintide 2!)

I'm reminded that the entire FPS genre seems to have regressed. This commentary of FPS map design 1993 vs 2010 succinctly summarizes the problem of how everything has being script / trigger driven. In some games the dam loading screen takes ages (Gran Turismo 6).

It is also pathetic that FPS no longer ship with map editors. Worse, DLCs only come with ~3 maps. Hell, even Age of Empires 2, a 19 year old game STILL has new maps being made. e.g. The "Nothing" theme is currently popular.

And then game devs wonder why no one plays their game after 5 years. /sarcasm But ooh, shiny!

--
Enlightenment, noun and verb; The Journey is more important then the Destination of becoming aware of a higher perspective.

But the results can be surprisingly good sometimes. BEHOLD.

An ineffective government since 1833, and slavery. Ya just don't get to have successful aerospace:

http://imgur.com/gallery/02NgX

On the plus side, ROSCOSMOS is still functional unlike NASA. As far as an effective government, it still remains to be seen but I'll be shipping out pretty quick here.

I carry an abbreviated ID, a color printed scanner copy of my driver's license that has the date of birth, license number, and another ID number blanked out. It has printed on the top:

Numbers removed to protect against identify theft
You can view license in my hand to verify authenticity

Here is a mockup picture of the license:
https://i.imgur.com/yReDmAx.pn...

If any business establishment will not accept it, wants to make a photo copy of my real license, or wants to copy information off the origional, I refuse and they loose my business. I do not let them view the real license in my hand long enough for them to copy data off of it.

    I purchased something at BestBuy once and they asked to see my driver's license. He looked at it and then subtly held it down by a camera and photo copied it. This abbreviated system stops them from taking such privileges with my documents.

but I can't find the post you're replying to that makes those claims.

Then you didn't look very hard at all now, did you? Here, I linked a screenshot I posted on imgur where I outlined the relative comment with a nice big red box. I consider it a public service. I like helping the mentally handicapped. It's your own post but of course you can't be expected to remember everything you write.

By the way

but I can't find the post you're replying to that makes those claims.

is also something you just said.

Bullshit. Press the Windows button, then type "cmd". Don't be slow about it. Type it like you know what you're doing. Doesn't always find it. Try the same search for "Windows Update". Doesn't always find it. Repeat with pretty much anything that's installed on your computer. Doesn't always find it.

Unable to replicate issue, works perfectly every time.

at this stage you'll drown before long

Been hearing that for the last 30 years.
Before that we were supposed to be killing each other to have something to eat
We were also supposed to be out of energy by now
and we were supposed to be out of almost all natural resources by now as well.

It's almost as if the news is manipulated to fit agendas

https://i.imgur.com/x7C10JP.jp...

here is your map, as you can see deforestation plummeting since 2003...
so, no problem

https://imgur.com/a/6wNGzsZ

Not going to happen, at $21.5 Trillion in debt now, The choice of Obamacare is what caused the loss of $18 Billion to be reallocated away from NASA. Palmdale is going to stay the way it is, I was there a few months ago and I wasn't impressed.

Been 55 years now since December 1963.

The story behind CIA Strategic Reconnaissance from the great nephew of Jack Branham and grandson of the guy ripped off/killed by Sinatra December 1963 ending the program. Included is email from Edwards AFB Flight Test Museum after being shown my grandfather's mechanical drawing set and advised what I was told by Jack Branham up at his place in '91, was a few months before McNamara got in my face up in Tahoe. What was said by him breached a presidential seal, but I looked into that a bit from a family member of LBJ (James Johnson).

http://imgur.com/gallery/02NgX

it will gladly loan anyone money to go to college regardless of their likelihood of being successful there, the ability for their degree to allow them to earn a living or pay back their loan, or any other sensible metric.

And yet, college can offer so much including reduction in crime and poverty.

That college costs so much despite universities sitting on billions of dollars in endowments might be a better area to look at.

However, that Bloomberg is following in Harris Rosen's footsteps seems like a good thing.

Hey, ShitCone, you still pushing that Faux-"News" propaganda about media-bias and fake news? And you're seriously trying to convince me you're not a Fauxbot?!? LOLZ!!

You do realize that "fake news" is merely news that Trump doesn't like, because it reports on all the facts he wants to keep hidden from you, don't you? You do realize he is trying to create a new definition of the word "fake", don't you?

How do you cry media bias on one side, and then push all the biased propaganda of the other? Howzat workin' out for ya? Learn to think for yourself. Get your head out of Tucker Carlson's ass. I'm beginning to think you're directly responsible for his "Republican stare".

P.S. - Shitgibbon. Out.

"YoU AttAcKed The MeSSeNger!!!!!"

Indeed.

Murphy's Computer Laws

e.g.
Clarke's Third Law
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Weinberg's Law
If builders built buildings the way programmers write programs then the first time a woodpecker came along it would destroy civilization.

Here's an illustrated guide.

You people are so fucking embarrassing. Is there a single one of you Meme Magic fags who isn't a huge aspie?

Come out of the closet already, BeauHD. What are you waiting for? The rest of us did it 10 years ago when it *finally* became acceptable.

Just in case you still think you have some sort of argument that the current system or some version of it is the way to go.

Take a look at this. Our price per capita is almost 2.5x the average for OECD countries. So, ask yourself, is the quality of care that we receive also 2.5x better? Because it should be. Is the quality of care here double that in Japan? Because it should be, or else we're getting ripped off. If you're wondering whether or not we're getting ripped off, go look at the salaries of health insurance CEOs.

Take a look at the Koch brothers study as well. Don't focus too much on that scary $32 trillion number though, instead understand that we would pay $33 trillion over the same period under the current system. It is NOT more expensive, and anyone trying to sell that line has no faith in the capabilities of Americans.

And, since I've already made the point, let me allow Bernie to re-state it for me:

If every major country on earth can guarantee health care to all, and achieve better health outcomes, while spending substantially less per capita than we do, it is absurd for anyone to suggest that the United States cannot do the same.

So tell me again that it's not really the federal government's job to provide quality health care for its citizens. Whose job do you think that is, private industry? The "free market?" Because we have plenty of data showing how well that's been working out. Why is the term "pre-existing condition" so high up in the health insurance debate? Is it maybe, just maybe, because the common experience of everyone who has to deal with the health insurance industry is that they are known specifically for denying coverage on procedures that people require to be healthy?

It is absurd to act like it is NOT a government's job to ensure that the people that it serves are healthy. If we depend on the government for our nation's security, why is depending on them for our health so foreign and scary to you?

Face it, there's no good argument to support the current health care system. And I'm not even talking about free college education at this point because I think that one is so self-evident.

"Worked for Ma Bell"

Did it though?
Also note, that image is outdated as Qwest no longer exists, being bought by the CenturyLink.

We don't actually have a conservative party anymore. We have two crony capitalist parties with opposing views on a few social issues, to keep the masses from realizing they're really just fangirling over which set of rich people get richer.

Except there is no such thing as a non crony capitalist society, you guys are fed so much pro corproate propaganda you never check to see whether your society works as advertise. There has never been a time your government has worked for you, there was a brief moment after the great depression but after that, the rich got mad and went to claw back all working peoples gains and you all fell for it.

US distribution of wealth

https://imgur.com/a/FShfb

http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesa...

Princeton study

https://scholar.princeton.edu/...

Here are billions of dollars in energy subsidies, aka when politicians are saying social services need to be cut, they are speaking out both sides of their mouths because they know most people don't look at what companies are getting free handouts from subsidies.

https://www.imf.org/external/p...

Protectionism for the rich and big business by state intervention, radical market interference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Our brains are much worse at reality and thinking than thought. Science on reasoning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Manufacturing consent:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

https://vimeo.com/39566117

CNN? The Clinton News Network? The network that sees its role as not reporting the news, but biasing the world to its advantage? You serious? Saying CNN is unbiased is ludicrous and so easily disproven.

Here's CNN getting caught red-handed planting debate questions.

CNN cropped out the ISIS finger salute and Jihad scarf from the Fort Lauderdale attacker's picture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...">CNN cuts off congressman when he mentions Wikileaks with Clinton

CNN glorifying a killer for ratings: 30 second Video: Sheriff asks media not to report Oregon shooter's name, CNN ignores request and does it anyway, including publishing his social media comments. (Note: video was edited by uploader to censor CNN's publishing of the shooter's name)
It's worth it to watch that clip a few times. It's so insane that we allow this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...">Compilation of CNN & MSNBC Cutting Guests Mics to Protect Hillary Clinton

CNN deceptively edited a rioter's speech. What she did was call for the rioters to move their rioting.
Burnin down shit ain't going to help nothin! Y'all burnin' down shit we need in our community. Take that shit to the suburbs. Burn that shit down! We need our shit! We need our weaves. I don't wear it. But we need it.
Citation: https://twitter.com/DeeconX/st...
CNN apology: "We shorthanded sister's quote. Unintentionally gave the impression she was calling for peace everywhere." Unintentionally my ass.

CNN's Reza Aslan wishing rape on someone.

CNN gets caught red-handed telling their focus group what to say

CNN conducts fake interview in parking lot

http://www.lifezette.com/polizette/undercover-video-cnn-producer-admits-trump-russia-narrative-mostly-bullst/

Top 10 Times CNN Reported Fake News

bzzzt

Waiting for the bus like Swede.

I have only been to Sweden once. As an introverted Aspie, I felt like I had found my home. Nobody tried to talk to me unless they actually had something to say. I have never been to Finland, but maybe it is even better.

I guess this is worth a thousand words:
Waiting for the bus like a Finn

Waiting for the bus like Swede.

I have only been to Sweden once. As an introverted Aspie, I felt like I had found my home. Nobody tried to talk to me unless they actually had something to say. I have never been to Finland, but maybe it is even better.

I guess this is worth a thousand words:
Waiting for the bus like a Finn

Waiting for the bus like Swede.

I have only been to Sweden once. As an introverted Aspie, I felt like I had found my home. Nobody tried to talk to me unless they actually had something to say. I have never been to Finland, but maybe it is even better.

What will they do, if a country doesn't play along? Politely "suggest" they should join the union, "or else ..."?

I wonder if they dream of the entire planet goose-stepping under their rule at night...
Of course allowing each country to keep its rules and culture... as long as it's their rules and culture. And calling everyone a Nazi who doesn't play along. Who came up with that again? Oh yeah!

PROTIP: The purpose of tax is only and exclusively, to finance the services that our state provides us.
If Google operates only in the US, what exactly does the German state do for them? And if they run servers in Germany, then if they don't have to pay for the services required to run them, like or fire fighters, or cops, or roads (to get there), then it's not them who fucked.
Not that any of those corporations isn't a total piece of shit. Like always, all sides are the bad guys.

I seriously still use Winamp to this day.

https://i.imgur.com/ZjA2AcC.pn...

It plays MP3s, FLAC, OGG, etc. It has modular plugin API for obscure things like NES music. It supports global hotkeys. Skins.

And uses 16MB of RAM and 0% CPU to play an MP3. AS IT !@#$'ING SHOULD.

I haven't tried the newest version yet. But every "winamp clone" I've tried (on Linux included) was actually far more CPU and RAM usage and missed actual useful features like global hotkeys.

Although, in the last few years, I've really started to use YouTube (+Ublock) as a music player since it has literally everything ever.

I think I'll just send him this pic.

Sony's reply to this.

I too started feeling pitchforky when I read the summary. There is, in fact, a tremendous amount of psychopathic malfeasance at the top levels of the economy and government. But, we need to understand what's going on, in order to fairly and justly address it, in order to provide the greatest standard of living for the most people.

You should feel more pitchforky because the top is way out of sight.

US distribution of wealth

https://imgur.com/a/FShfb

http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesa...

account name "admin," no password.

I know some admins like that.

"What's THAT?" they say. That's a computer.
"But where the monitor?" It doesn't have one.
"(smugly) Then it's not a computer, is it?

A friend of mine has a picture of a guy praying: Lord, please grant me the ability to stab people over UDP. It's this, but improved. I think he was doing port knocking with attitude.