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Look at my name? Email?

Ok, Mr. Smartypants!

Here is a thread where people are discussing where to get Torx drivers in Germany. I don't recognize these business names; but you probably will.

And as they say at the bottom of this thread, "probably any baumarkt will have them." I believe that means "Hardware Store" in U.S.-ian.

https://www.toytowngermany.com...

For example, here's what a Search for "torx" on the Toom Baumarkt site uncovered:

https://www.toom-baumarkt.de/b...

Same thing for the OBI Baumarkt:

https://www.obi.de/search/torx...

So, don't feed me bullshit about "Can't find Torx in your Country". I. Just. Did.

It's popular on Slashdot to loudly pronounce that strong AI is impossible. This is different from years past. I take the change to mean that it's coming very soon. As it seems more inevitable people who don't want change (whether out of fear, distrust, or sour grapes) will decry AI more.

Now weak AI isn't just coming. It has arrived. And Moore's law was supposed to have stopped years ago but supercomputers and video cards are still on a logarithmic slope for performance and price. The human brain is estimated to calculate between 100 petaflops and 1 exaflop. I know that's not a good metric but for this purpose it suffices. But as performance keeps doubling and doubling it becomes more evident that even the highest estimates are a question of a few more doubling periods. And the highest estimates assume direct one-to-one simulation of each neuron. Consider how many neurons are used for breathing, processing vision, and other things that either aren't needed in a machine or have already been done at a much lower computational cost on silicon.

It's true we don't know everything about how the human brain works. But recent progress is undeniable in terms of success stories. Jeopardy. Go. Commodity trading. Corporate resource balancing. Piloting. To keep shouting that strong AI is impossible is to only betray one's own insecurity. You are not special. Your brain doesn't run on quantum magic. You have no soul. Fucking deal with it.

Hahaha, you make it sound as if "being licensed" has some implication of advanced skill.

and maybe you don't know as much as you think you do:

The following are required by 1st time applicants for a Personenbeforderungsschein

Formal Application Antrag (obtained at the driver licensing office, usually the Road Traffic Office of the Community or Parish)

Personalausweis or passport (in combination with a valid personal registration)

Fuhrerschein (only the standard EU-Driving Licence is acceptable)

Medical Report from a Doctor specialised in ''Arbeitsmedizin'' or a Dr. with a qualification in ''Betriebsmedizin'' or a Report from a Reporting Institute for physical and mental driving competence. Info regarding which Drs. can do this is given by the Road Traffic Office. (The diagnostics relate to Stress, Reaction and Perception testing.)

Opticians Report or Certificate

Medical confirmation of Physical and Mental ability.

Fuhrungszeugnis (Criminal Record Report) with NO entries (for Official use only)

Extract from the Central Traffic Register Kraftfahrt-Bundesamtes in Flensburg

Ortskenntnisnachweis Proof of Knowledge (for the relevant district for Hire cars in Communities with population over 50.000).

Questions are to be answered regarding Places of Interest, Public Buildings, City districts. Generally routes will also be tested by giving starting and finishing points and allowing the candidate to describe the shortest route. Usually the Taxi company intending to employ the candidate will assist with the preparation for this test.

Knowledge test for taxi drivers in Germany. Is there one? Advice on working as a cabbie.
[Germany's English-speaking crowd. May 2010]

I drive a lot in Germany, it is a joy to drive there because there are no speed traps

A giant myth about Germany, one of many really. They do have speed cameras, they also take random shots of drivers to look for other infractions. http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t33224.html

as a consequence people obey the law _more_ because the traffic signs mean something,

Actually no,

Germans obey the law because they're German. Germans are methodical and very strict.

They also have far better driver training programs and dont believe stupid things like "10 over is perfectly safe".

That actually happened.

No one is asking you to do the heavy lifting

Poppycock. We hear all the time how people resent the US being slow to get into WWII, or how Europeans want US bases to stay:

http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t124887-90.html

Not to mention everyone and their brother wants in on NATO.

As far as I am concerned the US should pull up its stakes and come home except where there is a clear national interest as there is in the Middle East. Euros, Asians, etc. you name it can go to hell. No more help against Russians who want their old empire back and feel its just fine to shut off the gas to Europe any time they feel like. Ditto for help against North Koreans lobbing shells over the border, and who gives a flying fart what kind of government Taiwan has.

And that etc. includes Canadians looking to for help for their military to push back against the Russians looking to grab the Arctic. I just can't wait to hear the whining from Ottawa when the US tells them no more NORAD bases in Canada or NATO joint maneuvers in the arctic.

Its likely to happen soon enough anyway because of the economic effects of being a soft touch for the rest of the world. Best do it now to stop the financial bleeding.

60 years of that sort of baloney is enough.

Ha, yes, I remember that thread. Here it is.

Germany can be pretty screwed up in some respects, especially if you're used to living in a fairly "loose" system like the US. Still, Berlin's great. Low rents, cheap food, good beer, and incredible nightlife. And plenty of cute girls in Kreuzberg. It's not quite New York or Paris or London, but for 1/4 the price, I'm sure as hell not complaining.