The Communication Cube

[TeDaDeS]

I always wonder how fact-checking works, but AP reports the following:
Quote: "The abstract, by researchers at the University Hospital of Zürich in Switzerland, was published in 2022 in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. It examined two cases of multiple sclerosis that began in close proximity to the patients receiving mRNA-based vaccinations and concluded they could have been induced by the COVID-19 inoculations, experts told The Associated Press. The Geneva-based public health agency also cautioned that the research is limited and additional studies are needed to confirm the findings."
Title: "Posts misrepresent research on multiple sclerosis and COVID-19 vaccines found in WHO database"
Source: https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-WHO-COVID-multiple-sclerosis-591321248797

So there was research done, it was published (not peer-reviewed, yet), and the conclusion was that 'MS could have been induced by the COVID-19 inoculations'. But further research is needed as this one was limited in scope.
The fact-checking here is: "It's not really proven, yet! As further research is required". So the only conclusion that is drawn is that people on Twitter incorrectly conclude it's a large scale research proving conclusively evidence of vaccine induced MS. But if you would state there is preliminary research showing a link you would be correct. If you'd post that on twitter, you'll be incorrectly slammed with links to the fact-checkers to prove you're wrong. All nuance is lost, and fact-checkers have the appearance of abusing that mechanism.

ps. Link to the preliminary research: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585221123682

 

[pyrat]

All nuance is lost,

That's the purpose of twitter. There is no sane reason to limit character count on any debate. The limits Twitter imposed, together with the pacing and rhythm of conversation, and the algorithms presenting content... Everything is there to train people to react without thinking, take arbitrary sides and get at one another. This is more addictive than rational discourse, and if the consequence is that your population is dumber, that should be appreciated by advertisers, shouldn't it ? Wit and haikus can occasionally survive, but that's an accident.

 

[TeDaDeS]

A video on the Frore cooling system, which might be too expensive but might work in a Pyra:

More video:

 

[Null]

How It Works - Color Changing BMW iX E Ink

The fluid color changes are made possible by a specially developed body wrap that is tailored precisely to the contours of the all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle from BMW. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology brings different color pigments to the surface...

yewtu.be

 

[pyrat]

AI-driven US military drone 'kills' its human to finish mission
Got me thinking... Apparently discipline is hard to grasp for AI too, Should we learn this from AI ? Maybe if soldiers just killed their higher ups instead of the enemy, wars would be much shorter and less painful?
The news is not exactly superverified, but the US army saying it's nothing kind of gives it credibility...

 

[TeDaDeS]

AI-driven US military drone 'kills' its human to finish mission
Got me thinking... Apparently discipline is hard to grasp for AI too, Should we learn this from AI ? Maybe if soldiers just killed their higher ups instead of the enemy, wars would be much shorter and less painful?
The news is not exactly superverified, but the US army saying it's nothing kind of gives it credibility...

While it's a nice story, I doubt the drone has AI that is even aware of what an operator is. There idea that it could reason and make this decision only makes sense due to users seeing ChatGTP-like systems, while the AI in the drone likely isn't a language model based AI.

 

[ElPoco]

This sounds more like a thought experiment that got interpreted as the actual result of a simulation.

 

[pyrat]

While it's a nice story, I doubt the drone has AI that is even aware of what an operator is. There idea that it could reason and make this decision only makes sense due to users seeing ChatGTP-like systems, while the AI in the drone likely isn't a language model based AI.

This sounds more like a thought experiment that got interpreted as the actual result of a simulation.

That's what's dangerous about AI. Humans misunderstand what it is and what it can do. Including humans who decide to deploy it.
AI is a big handwaving about requirements, QA, compliance... First it was waterfall, then agile, now training neural nets and calling it a day...
AI can be done well, but that's a lot poorer business model. The moronic value proposition is not that it will think for us, but that we'll use it as an excuse to stop thinking. People pay for their excuses.

 

[Null]

we'll use it as an excuse to stop thinking.

I'm prone to overthinking things so anything that means that I get to stop thinking is fine with me.

 

[Null]

I'm glad to say that I don't have to do as much thinking as I used to because I delegate tasks to Peony on occasion.

 

[TeDaDeS]

Apple introduced their XR headset, it looks nice but feels like it actually might lack a clear vision: The Apple Vision Pro.


While it's a great gadget, I still feel it's a regular (high-end) VR headset with some additional fancy features added to it. Nothing world changing yet.
We could already do some of the XR stuff and use eye-tracking, we could watch movies, use Android apps and play games.
This feels like an expensive, but well made, VR headset. I'll try one on if I see one, it probably has very nice displays in there, and an M2 chip to drive some nice games.
But it's something other VR headsets will probably top in some ways, Apple always has it's own ecosystem that isn't available otherwise.

The problem we might not be able to solve, but is inherently a flaw of VR headsets, is that you have to wear something on your head. Most people don't like that.
Sure you'll wear it for a short period of time, but even people with regular glasses replace them with contacts just to not have to wear anything.
Not expecting Apple to solve the problem soon, but if someone has the capacity to do something there it's Apple.

--
In Japan there appears to be a vending museum, with all kinds of old school machines.

 

[netcat]

Rather sad that VR is the most exciting thing they can come up with. VR has some minor practical use cases but for most it's a novelty or even just a game.

 

[ElPoco]

While it's a great gadget, I still feel it's a regular (high-end) VR headset with some additional fancy features added to it. Nothing world changing yet.

That's been the case with most Apple gadgets.
There were already MP3 players when the iPod came out and many of them were plain better (and cheaper). Same with smartphones when the original iPhone came out.

But still, both products became the standard and made these gadgets mainstream.

 

[netcat]

Actually....the iPod was untouchable for years. Everyone tried to beat it on price with SD cards but at that time you needed an HD to fit your entire Napster library. Closest rival was zune..

 

[Djoga'Ro]

VR has some minor practical use cases but for most it's a novelty or even just a game.

Not exactly the same, but at work we got a big expensive 3d-printer by HP and they temporarily provided us with an AR-headset to tele-instruct my colleague on usage and basic maintenance. Don't know if it was motivated by the circumstances at the time in 2020 or if it maybe was an intercontinental service.

 

[TeDaDeS]

Not exactly the same, but at work we got a big expensive 3d-printer by HP and they temporarily provided us with an AR-headset to tele-instruct my colleague on usage and basic maintenance. Don't know if it was motivated by the circumstances at the time in 2020 or if it maybe was an intercontinental service.

They have their uses, especially when you have mobile operators that perform maintenance in the field. So instead of carrying a laptop, have a look, do a single step and have a look again. You can just continue work (if possible while wearing a headset obviously).
It could mean the difference between having to send experts into the field for a single job, or having your expert in office managing other engineers in the field. The later is much more efficient, and probably cheaper (companies usually like having money).

The headset by Apple is expensive (~3500euro's?) so out of reach for most consumers, but it appears to be aimed at consumer use with some work-from-home support. Hololens does less but is aimed at companies, which explains the price I would think.
As a consumer you probably get a cheaper headset which does something similar. It's not a Vision Pro, but probably can get the job done. And with the money you saved, you can buy an even better cheaper headset in 2 years.

 

[pyrat]

If we're going to save the planet from climate change we have to get rid of airliners. Eletric planes, SAF shit or half-toothed French bans on short-hop flight won't cut it.
That's why I commend those otherwise psychopaths proposing new airliner seat arrangements, like have your face next to your unknown coflier ass..
They could fly cheaper if they ever were accepted, but most likely they will lead to the masses forgetting about planes altogether for once.
Let's use greed against climate change!

 

[TeDaDeS]

If we're going to save the planet from climate change we have to get rid of airliners.

EU states it's gas powered vehicles (~71%) causing most emission, not aviation (~13%). Reducing any emissions probably is a good idea, but halting transportation methods might not always help.

 

[netcat]

we have to get rid of airliners.

We'll have to get rid of gadgets too.

I'm really starting to believe I don't deserve all these material possessions. Like, all I do is type code into computers, then I get paid in cash and after a number of months I have earned enough (not saved enough) to purchase an automobile. How does my code equate to an automobile? Or even a video game console for that matter. Something isn't adding up. Maybe the R&D is amortized and companies are benefiting from ecomonies of scale, global markets and supply chains. Things still don't add up who's paying the difference? Mother Earth. We are getting the materials and disposal for super cheap, pretending there's no future cost.

Life in general is largely about exploiting your environment, taking from the land, eating other animals, etc. Every now and then we invent things that boost our abilities to exploit, eg railways, steel hulls, guns, the internet. But mainly we just take from Mother Earth and we've gotten too good at it.

My gadgets are making me feel increasingly guilty and sick to myself.

Happy Friday.

 

[TeDaDeS]

We'll have to get rid of gadgets too.

I wonder how much gadgets (like a smartphone) replace material things like CD's, DVD's, books, photos etc. and what is more efficient. As a book might not be made from paper, and doesn't need to be transported to all kinds of locations to produce and be sold. An e-book still has to be transported via internet and an e-book still uses electricity. And obviously production of e-books (chips/battery/plastic/glass) costs resources also.

It feels like we now just have more stuff, almost unlimited amounts of (digital) stuff. And the digital way makes that possible, it wouldn't be possible to have almost all movies ever made on DVD's. But it might still cost lots more compared to 100 years ago. But if we would only have similar stuff from 100 years ago but digital, it might be way more efficient.

So not sure if gadgets are the problem. It's probably the amount of gadgets and the consumer construction (replace them each 2-4 years). But it's also some road to the ideal gadget.

I played Factorio and it would also made me feel that you'd had to go through a rough phase (causing pollution) to end up with a more efficient and environment friendly ways to gather energy. With the possibility to get destroyed by polluting too much.