Thread Drift

[Crankin]

I got a new phone in May. Ever since I got the phone, I can't stay permamantly logged in to TE. I keep checking the box to do so... I am wondering if it has anything to do with the Tapatalk app, which I keep x-ing out of signing up for. Perhaps this is their way of getting back at me for refusing to get the app? I tried it awhile back and hated it. Maybe it has nothing to do with my phone.

[smilingcat]

new app, learning new software... So even though I've retired from engineering work and designing those "computer" chips that create all those nifty gadgets. Writing low level coding from things called picocode to microcode to firmware development to things called RTOS...

Anyway, way back when SDI, aka star wars program, I was working as a researcher in thing called Expert Systems, a euphemism for AI. It really was not an AI in that it could not initiate its own learning. But today, using a language called Python and technology called Deep Learning, it has changed the landscape of AI. AI today is more than capable of learning from its own experience.

As for AI, what has it accomplished?

• It has beaten a world's top ranking go player where the strategy is infinitely more complicated than game of chess. Program from what I understand is that it created its own set of strategy not created by any human.
• It has beaten one of best American fighter pilot at simulated dog fight. Pilot said that the AI knew what his next move was and the pilot was defeated multiple times by the AI.
• Latest is the game of DODA, AI creators backed by Musk's neuralink company, said that it never taught any strategy to AI, Instead, it allowed to play against another copy of the same AI and improve its skill over two or so weeks. And it beat one of the best gamer of the DODA.
• And what was that thing by Amazon?? Alexa? speech recognition and parsing the meaning of what a person said. It's not the cutting edge of AI...

I'm on the side of Elon Musk and not with Mark Zukerburg.

Learning a new language, how about Python? I like Python, it beats things called BASH and shell scripting etc. Though I still prefer: Tcl, Lisp (now common Lisp) and Haskal. And yes Crankin, may be the App knows that you will eventually give up and sign-up. Maybe you need to clear out cellphone of its history.

[emily_in_nc]

Lots of good geek-talk, NY! I used to work in an RTOS environment and also knew a few things like shell scripting languages (mostly csh or ksh). Have heard of most of the other things you mention but know nothing about them. I was mostly a high-level langugage girl, but even our HLL was low-level compared to most, because of the environment...an older telephone switching system where we had to manage our own timeslices, do bit shifting, and such like. My DH was a firmware engineer and specialized in assembly language & microcode, so he was even geekier than I!

[smilingcat]

there is a fire in my back yard.

• have important docs but my passport is nowhere to be found...
• have all the animal cages setup 3 big ones for the dogs and 4 small cages for the cats. 2 to a cage
• bottled water, ice chest, the usual camping stuff.
• extra cloth and clean underwear so if search and rescue finds me at least I'll have clean undies...
• oh not to forget dog food kitty food and kitty litter and boxes
• we both have n95 respirators with chemical filters. its bad out thare.
• Air quality index currently at 271. (very unhealthy!!)
• we are in level 1 evacuation notice

Well we are off the hook pretty easy compare to Harvey victims and Irma victims to come. I just hope my farm house and my house that I live in is still standing. My farm kitty has been moved to my house house. Poor guy, he is hiding in a closet.

Oh the fire in my back yard is the Eagle Creek fire in Columbia gorge. Fire line is about 7 miles from the house or just over 10km. Farm house is only 6.5 miles or so from the line. I hope the wind doesn't kick up like it did last night.

[shootingstar]

there is a fire in my back yard.

• have important docs but my passport is nowhere to be found...
• have all the animal cages setup 3 big ones for the dogs and 4 small cages for the cats. 2 to a cage
• bottled water, ice chest, the usual camping stuff.
• extra cloth and clean underwear so if search and rescue finds me at least I'll have clean undies...
• oh not to forget dog food kitty food and kitty litter and boxes
• we both have n95 respirators with chemical filters. its bad out thare.
• Air quality index currently at 271. (very unhealthy!!)
• we are in level 1 evacuation notice

Well we are off the hook pretty easy compare to Harvey victims and Irma victims to come. I just hope my farm house and my house that I live in is still standing. My farm kitty has been moved to my house house. Poor guy, he is hiding in a closet.

Oh the fire in my back yard is the Eagle Creek fire in Columbia gorge. Fire line is about 7 miles from the house or just over 10km. Farm house is only 6.5 miles or so from the line. I hope the wind doesn't kick up like it did last night.

Fire sounds quite close, smilingcat. Hope you, others, key documents and kitty, etc. stay safe somewhere! Those fires can travel fast.

In British Columbia there have been over 130 wildfires burning nearly the whole summer now --with some current big fires in some of our national parks. Calgary where I live is approx. 250 km southeast of the closest large wildfire. Approx. 2-3 days per week, depending on wind direction and smoke density, it has blown into our city. Where our famous bright blue skies becomes grey and smoke hangs in the air all over. My partner feels tightness in his chest if there's too much/cycling much. I'm less suspectible but still often smell smoke. Right now, there is a huge forest fire at Waterton National Park near the U.S. -Canada border in Alberta. It's burnt down the Parks' visitors' reception/info. centre building.

There have been various localized evacuations of residents in various areas.

Forest management /wildfire authorities are predicting some of these huge, scary wildfires will smoulder even into the winter/snow.

[smilingcat]

Hi shootingstar,

Yes some of the wildfire in BC are HUGE!!, smoke from one of those giant fire has blanketed our area about a month ago.

Good news is that they have finally lifted/rescinded the evacuation notice for my area. Those closer to the fire are still under the evacuation notice. Some have been out of the house for over a week now.

The bad news:

the 15yo who started the fire and laughing about starting it, is NOT going to be charged with arson or any crime. Instead, the authorities are blaming on the infrastructure... WHAT??? The boy was told not to throw firecrackers into a dry gully filled with dry leaf litter, laughed and kept on throwing fire crackers into it. And his friends, both boys and girls, all thought it was funny. They are not responsible!? At 15, you should know what is okay and not okay!! Infrastructure is to blame?? Maybe bad parenting, bad schooling??

Interstate 84, a major artery out of Portland, is indefinitely closed. Alternate route is a 2 lane road around and over Mount Hood.

There has been death threats made on the 15 yo.

Crazy insane world...

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, that is just crazy. I am glad your evacuation notice has been rescinded, smilingcat; but that is simply amazing about the 15-year old. We've been so focused on hurricanes in this half of the country, I hadn't even heard that.