I don't like reading the Wikipedia page for works I'm considering, as they tend to be spoiler-laden and I have trouble stopping reading. I.E. it's TOO comprehensive.
extremely popular trilogy of novels written by Liu Cixin
I don't read much sci-fi any more, but I like to think I at least know of the major authors. I've never heard of this person, or series. Or even that Chinese sci-fi was a thing. Anyone can comment on what they thought of it, or what the basic premise is, given TFS doesn't say anything about that? I presume it takes place beyond Earth, given the title.
If an evolutionary algorithm is pitted against real life, and 'outsmarts' it, that's one measure of evolutionary progress. The real issue is the same as in 'teaching to the test', or even the 'kobayashi maru solution': the metrics are gamed once the one being tested realizes what they are, and then the metrics no longer hold meaning. Replace 'metrics' with 'simulation parameters' and it's the same thing. The simulation has to be as intelligent as the uncontrolled agents operating inside of it, or else these types of things will happen. Self-modifying simulations perhaps?
This is a solved problem. Just add a little Morphine into their pills, and they'll be SURE to finish every single one. In fact, they'll be begging for more! Seriously though, the pills can come in daily blister packs (like contraceptive pills), and the Morphine dosage can gradually reduce so they'll no longer be addicted by the end.
Pretty sure it started in Hollywood in the first place, with the Harvey Weinstein allegations. Although it just continued the recent practice of a bunch of women coming forward at once with allegations, as happened with Trump (among many other politicians, remember Schwarzenegger?), and earlier with Cosby.
I had a feeling they were going to be acquired by someone, it could've been worse than Google. Google's more likely to license the patents and tech than to sit on it all and make it exclusive to Google platforms. Cardboard/Daydream have decent penetration in the VR marketplace, but I can't see Google making lightfield videos exclusive to those. Facebook/Oculus has enough games/experiences 'exclusive' to their platform that they might've done that, though.
I'd say the bigger news is that binding arbitration clauses were struck down in California. Expect AT&T to take this to SCOTUS rather than let it stand.
Actually, manufacturing the BFR in California is not so obvious. The only launchpad they own outright (once construction is complete), rather than the 3 they are currently leasing, is in southeast Texas. Sure they could boat the rocket from California to Texas' eastern coast via the Panama Canal... but having the manufacturing be close enough to ship via land easily, or at least on the same coastline would make more sense. I find it more likely that this California facility will produce cheaper, high-volume rockets launched from the west coast (probably Falcon 9's), or relatively small components that can be easily shipped across the country (crew capsules). It's possible the new spaceport coming online around the same time as the BFR won't be used to launch the latter, I suppose.
Some regions could be stuck in a cycle of permanent poverty. That is, if you give them only fish, and no fishing nets, then they're dependent on you for fish. Now, replace a simple net with modern robots connected to modern computers, and it's obvious they can never build such a thing from scratch, starting with zero relevant knowledge or infrastructure. Worse, if somehow you happen upon a textbook that explains how to engineer or program computers or robots, chances are you won't try to make a robot manufacturing plant in your fish handout village... you'll go to where the robot and computer jobs are, somewhere that already has computers and robots.
Either they'll be dependent on handouts from robot-owning regions, or robots are brought in locally to do the work locally. Either way they'll be unemployed. I guess what it all comes down to is: who owns the robots, and how are the fruits of their labor going to be distributed? We still don't have a good answer for that.
Turns out raytracing isn't the holy grail of gaming graphics, although it's been hyped for so long that it seems like it. I always thought Pixar films were raytraced, but they were actually rasterized. Cars was their first film that used raytracing at all, and even then it was only during the big race (due to all the reflections, presumably). I do know that shows like Babylon 5 and I believe ST:TNG did use raytracing, though. Nvidia shows off 'realtime raytracing' every few years but it never takes off, presumably better overall results are still achieved via rasterization; sure, you can get sexy shadows and reflections, but your poly count will be at early PS3-era levels. Also, there are problems with raytracing and meshes that animate, like, say, humans, that make it much slower. This is why you almost always see it done with static meshes like cars or buildings. Turns out raytracing isn't even the ultimate rendering technology; Path Tracing is closer, if not theoretically perfect.
It's also worth noting that a form of raytracing has been in use in realtime graphics for a while, called relief mapping, which has made it into games.
I imagine in some jurisdictions, Mens Rea will apply to the local CP possession law. So people there will be able to possess the blockchain so long as they're unaware of what's in it; likely, even then, it'd be excusable so long as one is plausibly only interested in the blockchain for necessary administrative reasons.
More relevantly, one can use/own Bitcoin or other cryptocoins without downloading the entire blockchain, it just might cause problems for miners or exchanges in certain places. That said, the 'CP secretly injected into data stream X' problem is hardly unique to blockchains; a spam email that rests in your Junk folder for months can be equally problematic, for one example.
The persons who injected these files likely would've publicized the fact, if it was done to demonstrate a flaw with the ability to post arbitrary data to blockchain. That we're only hearing about it now suggests not.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't like reading the Wikipedia page for works I'm considering, as they tend to be spoiler-laden and I have trouble stopping reading. I.E. it's TOO comprehensive.
extremely popular trilogy of novels written by Liu Cixin
I don't read much sci-fi any more, but I like to think I at least know of the major authors. I've never heard of this person, or series. Or even that Chinese sci-fi was a thing. Anyone can comment on what they thought of it, or what the basic premise is, given TFS doesn't say anything about that? I presume it takes place beyond Earth, given the title.
Better odds that Uber's legal department sent them a nastygram saying to shut their trap until the investigation is complete.
If an evolutionary algorithm is pitted against real life, and 'outsmarts' it, that's one measure of evolutionary progress. The real issue is the same as in 'teaching to the test', or even the 'kobayashi maru solution': the metrics are gamed once the one being tested realizes what they are, and then the metrics no longer hold meaning.
Replace 'metrics' with 'simulation parameters' and it's the same thing. The simulation has to be as intelligent as the uncontrolled agents operating inside of it, or else these types of things will happen. Self-modifying simulations perhaps?
SCOTUS justices
Next you'll tell me Paul McCartney is still alive...
Thies and his colleagues, along with Microsoft Research Program Manager and TEM collaborator, started a project called 99DOTS
Bonus bad joke:
I have 99DOTS and a barbiturate ain't one.
How about multiple choice quiz:
Today's pill was laced with a
a) stimulant
b) depressant
c) hallucinogen
Not sure what to do about people in areas that don't have phone service, though.
This is a solved problem. Just add a little Morphine into their pills, and they'll be SURE to finish every single one. In fact, they'll be begging for more!
Seriously though, the pills can come in daily blister packs (like contraceptive pills), and the Morphine dosage can gradually reduce so they'll no longer be addicted by the end.
You know who ELSE was Time magazine's 'Person of the Year'??
Obama.
Pretty sure it started in Hollywood in the first place, with the Harvey Weinstein allegations. Although it just continued the recent practice of a bunch of women coming forward at once with allegations, as happened with Trump (among many other politicians, remember Schwarzenegger?), and earlier with Cosby.
How long until Congress only passes one law a year: the Must Pass Logrolled Omnibus Act of 20XX?
I had a feeling they were going to be acquired by someone, it could've been worse than Google. Google's more likely to license the patents and tech than to sit on it all and make it exclusive to Google platforms. Cardboard/Daydream have decent penetration in the VR marketplace, but I can't see Google making lightfield videos exclusive to those. Facebook/Oculus has enough games/experiences 'exclusive' to their platform that they might've done that, though.
I'd say the bigger news is that binding arbitration clauses were struck down in California. Expect AT&T to take this to SCOTUS rather than let it stand.
I'm wondering why they don't recover the obsolete engines and sell them for scrap. All that aluminum must be worth the recovery costs, right?
Actually, manufacturing the BFR in California is not so obvious. The only launchpad they own outright (once construction is complete), rather than the 3 they are currently leasing, is in southeast Texas. Sure they could boat the rocket from California to Texas' eastern coast via the Panama Canal... but having the manufacturing be close enough to ship via land easily, or at least on the same coastline would make more sense. I find it more likely that this California facility will produce cheaper, high-volume rockets launched from the west coast (probably Falcon 9's), or relatively small components that can be easily shipped across the country (crew capsules). It's possible the new spaceport coming online around the same time as the BFR won't be used to launch the latter, I suppose.
The IR cameras are actually to detect androids/reptilians hiding among the populace.
Some regions could be stuck in a cycle of permanent poverty. That is, if you give them only fish, and no fishing nets, then they're dependent on you for fish. Now, replace a simple net with modern robots connected to modern computers, and it's obvious they can never build such a thing from scratch, starting with zero relevant knowledge or infrastructure. Worse, if somehow you happen upon a textbook that explains how to engineer or program computers or robots, chances are you won't try to make a robot manufacturing plant in your fish handout village... you'll go to where the robot and computer jobs are, somewhere that already has computers and robots.
Either they'll be dependent on handouts from robot-owning regions, or robots are brought in locally to do the work locally. Either way they'll be unemployed. I guess what it all comes down to is: who owns the robots, and how are the fruits of their labor going to be distributed? We still don't have a good answer for that.
Karl Marx founded one of the major schools of thought in Sociology: Conflict Theory.
Turns out raytracing isn't the holy grail of gaming graphics, although it's been hyped for so long that it seems like it. I always thought Pixar films were raytraced, but they were actually rasterized. Cars was their first film that used raytracing at all, and even then it was only during the big race (due to all the reflections, presumably). I do know that shows like Babylon 5 and I believe ST:TNG did use raytracing, though. Nvidia shows off 'realtime raytracing' every few years but it never takes off, presumably better overall results are still achieved via rasterization; sure, you can get sexy shadows and reflections, but your poly count will be at early PS3-era levels. Also, there are problems with raytracing and meshes that animate, like, say, humans, that make it much slower. This is why you almost always see it done with static meshes like cars or buildings. Turns out raytracing isn't even the ultimate rendering technology; Path Tracing is closer, if not theoretically perfect.
It's also worth noting that a form of raytracing has been in use in realtime graphics for a while, called relief mapping, which has made it into games.
No, I imagined it too.
"Enjoy your truth, citizen." *shoves newspaper down throat*
Yeah, remember when the Gerber baby and a retired actor were made Republican Presidents? Damn Fox News!
I imagine in some jurisdictions, Mens Rea will apply to the local CP possession law. So people there will be able to possess the blockchain so long as they're unaware of what's in it; likely, even then, it'd be excusable so long as one is plausibly only interested in the blockchain for necessary administrative reasons.
More relevantly, one can use/own Bitcoin or other cryptocoins without downloading the entire blockchain, it just might cause problems for miners or exchanges in certain places. That said, the 'CP secretly injected into data stream X' problem is hardly unique to blockchains; a spam email that rests in your Junk folder for months can be equally problematic, for one example.
The persons who injected these files likely would've publicized the fact, if it was done to demonstrate a flaw with the ability to post arbitrary data to blockchain. That we're only hearing about it now suggests not.
Unless you are advocating altering humans to make them better drones to drive, technology is the answer.
Then technology is STILL the answer, which is obviously cyborg drivers.
Part man, part machine, ALL chauffeur.