Yes it is a thing unfortunately. In South London at least. People seem to use each new shift in technology as an opportunity to be more obnoxious and thoughtless to their fellow human beings.
I use the bus a lot and I can't say I have come across this at all. I am but a mere provincial though. Perhaps we have got this to look forward to?
Probably, where London leads the rest of the country will follow. I imagine part of the issue is that phones often don't have a headphones socket anymore, so people have to either hold onto headphones with a USB C connector or use Bluetooth headphones and keep them charged. So it's harder to use with headphones, some will have just not bothered, then it becomes a norm. The worst thing is you realise how people aren't even listening to whole songs. Just shirt bursts on tiktok or whatever. Devices have been so negative for human mental health, concentration and intelligence IMHO. They seem to have facilitated the worst aspects of human nature and behaviour consistently.
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
The LDs are going to have to think very hard about strategy if Labour win a huge majority. Labour's recent experience of Corbynism (for better or worse) is, I suspect, going to solidify their position as more of a social democratic party than ever before - without the neo-Liberalism-tinged ideology of the Blair era.
That is going to require some manoeuvring from the rest of the centre left.
Yes, it really is a thing. Yes, it is *deeply* annoying, when they are rewatching the same TikTok boomerang again and again.
Seriously?
On buses only? Or elsewhere? There are people on that thread saying it is everywhere
I take a few Tubes and trains and I've not seen it there. Yet
I’ve noticed very few people these days seem to leave the room or, for example get up from a table at a social occasion and move away, to take calls. I find it really rude to sit there having a phone call in other people’s presence (apart from at work obviously) and noticed it massively increase probably over the least ten years or so.
I might just be a misery guts but it’s quite obnoxious.
It is absolutely obnoxious and antisocial. I've got a couple of good friends that do it and I politely roll my eyes but frankly I want to slap them
Yes it is a thing unfortunately. In South London at least. People seem to use each new shift in technology as an opportunity to be more obnoxious and thoughtless to their fellow human beings.
I use the bus a lot and I can't say I have come across this at all. I am but a mere provincial though. Perhaps we have got this to look forward to?
There was a chap who regularly was on the same District line train as me. Had some kind of booster device for his headphones, attached to his phone, so the music was annoyingly loud to everyone else. Given they were the massive, over ear, type, can only imagine the level he was experiencing.
My wife got a bit upset, when I said to her that the problem would have a fairly short lifespan. But would get worse for a little while longer.
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Yes, it really is a thing. Yes, it is *deeply* annoying, when they are rewatching the same TikTok boomerang again and again.
Seriously?
On buses only? Or elsewhere? There are people on that thread saying it is everywhere
I take a few Tubes and trains and I've not seen it there. Yet
I’ve noticed very few people these days seem to leave the room or, for example get up from a table at a social occasion and move away, to take calls. I find it really rude to sit there having a phone call in other people’s presence (apart from at work obviously) and noticed it massively increase probably over the least ten years or so.
I might just be a misery guts but it’s quite obnoxious.
It is absolutely obnoxious and antisocial. I've got a couple of good friends that do it and I politely roll my eyes but frankly I want to slap them
Just go somewhere quiet, it's basic good manners
100%, it is very annoying. I don’t really like being overheard so I always go into a different room or in the garden when on the phone… so I’m not being considerate, but may appear so
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Most people are looking at the parties in general - you are looking at specific issues. The Lib Dems are also adept at picking up local issues to get an edge. Using the Green/NIMBY nexus is SOP.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
I use my 10yo as a barometer for "how political parties are perceived by people who don't really pay any attention to politics". Their summary (and I quote) is that:
1. the Tories are "the bad guys" (this opinion largely comes from antipathy towards a faction of boys in their class being 'Boris Superfans' in order to annoy people), 2. Labour are "the good guys" 3. the Greens "think most about the future and saving the planet" 4. Who are the Liberal Democrats? Are they the orange plackards?
Yes, it really is a thing. Yes, it is *deeply* annoying, when they are rewatching the same TikTok boomerang again and again.
Seriously?
On buses only? Or elsewhere? There are people on that thread saying it is everywhere
I take a few Tubes and trains and I've not seen it there. Yet
I’ve noticed very few people these days seem to leave the room or, for example get up from a table at a social occasion and move away, to take calls. I find it really rude to sit there having a phone call in other people’s presence (apart from at work obviously) and noticed it massively increase probably over the least ten years or so.
I might just be a misery guts but it’s quite obnoxious.
It is absolutely obnoxious and antisocial. I've got a couple of good friends that do it and I politely roll my eyes but frankly I want to slap them
Just go somewhere quiet, it's basic good manners
100%, it is very annoying. I don’t really like being overheard so I always go into a different room or in the garden when on the phone… so I’m not being considerate, but may appear so
For me, it is both
I don't want to be overheard, but - and this may amaze you - I am well mannered and emotionally aware, and don't want to be rude to others, and it is seriously rude
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
That's an important point. It is absolutely not just teenagers.
Lots of subsets in there:
Deaf older people Arsehole teenagers Boomers who don't know how to turn sound off (including during tennis matches and cinema) People looking for a fight (also taking up two spots with bags) People with pretty serious mental health issues
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
That's an important point. It is absolutely not just teenagers.
Lots of subsets in there:
Deaf older people Arsehole teenagers Boomers who don't know how to turn sound off (including during tennis matches and cinema) People looking for a fight (also taking up two spots with bags) People with pretty serious mental health issues
The bag thing gets me. I've been in trains where the aisle is absolutely crammed with people standing, but someone still insists on sitting there with their sodding bag taking up the adjoining seat. What, really, is the mentality?
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Most people are looking at the parties in general - you are looking at specific issues. The Lib Dems are also adept at picking up local issues to get an edge. Using the Green/NIMBY nexus is SOP.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
It's an obvious thing to do- right now, it's probably where the votes are. And there are definitely worse ways to run a country. But the Lib Dems are always going to come second in a fight for that slot.
The other gap in the market right now looks like the "coaliation wasn't that bad, really", centre-rightist dads, if you like. Noone is really going for that vote, which is annoying for those of us in that space.
Is that ground just too toxic for anyone to want to occupy?
Sad news for Rugby Union fans, especially Welsh ones. Barry John has died. He was 79.
Well I thought he had already succumbed. He was a big drinker, lost his licence a few times. Quite a sad final decade, which is unfortunate. He was a great outside half, but retired young at his peak. In our household though he was no Phil Bennett.
Quite a few of the1970s Welsh Triple Crowners are falling off the perch in their mid and late seventies. I genuinely expect the vast intake of Double Dragon, Reverend James and Brains S.A.has taken its toll. They should have listened to the Minister in Chapel on Sunday, played their rugby and avoided the demon drink.
Very sad.
A pub in the town where I live used to get Rev James as a guest beer every so often. Very good drink indeed. Sadly the pub hasn’t got a wheelchair-friendly entrance so I haven’t been able to check whether they still have it for a year or so.
Have you considered asking them to make reasonable adjustments, as is the legal requirement?
Or is there a good reason why it is impossible?
(If they are like most places, they will do nothing and happily ignore the rules, until someone makes them do something.)
I think that part (not all) of the reason for inaction is that they are a ‘listed building’ and the significant alterations which would be necessary would be structurally significant and therefore practically impossible. But thanks for the thought.
Given most of those DKs voted Tory last time, the size of Starmer's majority or whether he gets any majority at all could depend on whether Sunak can squeeze them or not
Richi couldn't squeeze a grape...
But he enjoys a nut every Monday while fasting.
Anyway, it was Stu Francis who could crush a grape.
First and foremost, 'those that don't know. don't vote'.
Those that don't vote, don't count.
Those that can't count, vote twice.
THose who get to do the proxies from emigrants, vote many, many times the way they want. (And who's to know? It's illegal to photograph a ballot form.)
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
It’s certainly making this Left of Centre voter review his previous Labour inclination.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
Can't get veterinary certificates issued in France, can't send this week's shipment of medium-risk meat products. So job stopped. We have perhaps 36 hours to get this moving or we're in danger of losing big chunks of the business we've built up in the UK over the last few years.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
Can't get veterinary certificates issued in France, can't send this week's shipment of medium-risk meat products. So job stopped. We have perhaps 36 hours to get this moving or we're in danger of losing big chunks of the business we've built up in the UK over the last few years.
'Medium risk meat' doesn't sound very appetising.
Raw meat: High Risk Processed meat: Medium Risk Cooked Meat: Low Risk
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
Dear Mr & Ms Scientists Yes, I like science too. And it has to be said that if you are going to waste public money, giving it to scientists to do science well is better than giving it to bankers to do banking badly. But we are a bit strapped for the moment. Can this wait for a decade plz? XXX, viewcode
Can't get veterinary certificates issued in France, can't send this week's shipment of medium-risk meat products. So job stopped. We have perhaps 36 hours to get this moving or we're in danger of losing big chunks of the business we've built up in the UK over the last few years.
'Medium risk meat' doesn't sound very appetising.
Raw meat: High Risk Processed meat: Medium Risk Cooked Meat: Low Risk
With different processes for each...
Nigel was right, then. Medium risk meat isn't very appealing
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
It is mostly young people round here schoolkids and older. Ignorant renters.
I have my music on when I’m cycling playing from my phone. Why not. Others do it and it is outdoors so bothers no one. On the bus or train I have my headphones in.
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
Most buses I get have very few white people on them so it would be hard to do some kind of analysis (if that was your thing, which it isn't for me).
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
Dear Mr & Ms Scientists Yes, I like science too. And it has to be said that if you are going to waste public money, giving it to scientists to do science well is better than giving it to bankers to do banking badly. But we are a bit strapped for the moment. Can this wait for a decade plz? XXX, viewcode
The problem is that if you don't give these scientists something to do then they become bankers.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
But I was talking about how the Vision Pro will replace our interaction with hardware SCREENS not social life on the streets
And it is true. You just need to extrapolate. The sceeen experience will be miles better on these things than on real hardware. Makers of tablets, desktops, laptops, games consoles, and to an extent TVs should be worried. Maybe even smartphones eventually
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
What was it Mrs Thatcher said about people over 30 using buses?
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
What was it Mrs Thatcher said about people over 30 using buses?
Can't get veterinary certificates issued in France, can't send this week's shipment of medium-risk meat products. So job stopped. We have perhaps 36 hours to get this moving or we're in danger of losing big chunks of the business we've built up in the UK over the last few years.
'Medium risk meat' doesn't sound very appetising.
“Eat recycled food, for a happier, healthier life. Recycled food: it’s good for the environment and OK for you.”
That is the pleasure of mixing with the great unwashed, unprincipled, thick and no manners. Refrain from public transport unless life in danger.
Now, I'm a great enthusiast for public transport - but it's hard to see and quite fun to imagine what sort of life-endangering circumstance might encourage you to get a bus when you'd previously refused to do so. "Oh shit, look at the sea: there's a tsunami coming. I hope this bus turns up so that I can flee the scene at an average speed of 12mph."
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
What was it Mrs Thatcher said about people over 30 using buses?
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
‘Tie himself in knots’: White House hits Speaker Johnson over border security
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4447604-tie-himself-in-knots-white-house-hits-speaker-johnson-over-border-security/ The White House went after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday after he criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the border and ongoing negotiations over the Senate border security deal. In a “Meet the Press” interview Sunday, Johnson admitted that he was not privy to Senate negotiations on the bill and appeared to contradict himself, saying that President Biden must immediately use executive authority to secure the border, and that he requires new legislation in order to do so...
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
So like a certain flint knapper in his customary state?
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
What was it Mrs Thatcher said about people over 30 using buses?
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
TwiX is convinced it is a racial thing (I take no sides as I have never experienced it)
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
I would guess* that black and Asian people are over-represented on buses, at least among those under 30 or so, so there could well be a perception of this just because there are more people from those groups.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi ). There was one incident of this, on one journey, with a guy in his 20s (I'd guess) who was black. It wasn't particularly loud and didn't bother me really, but I can get why it would bother people. The two old biddies behind me shouting at each other (I guess they were both a bit deaf - the conversation was amicable) were more distracting.
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
What was it Mrs Thatcher said about people over 30 using buses?
A mis-quotation apparently - was actually said by the Duchess of Westminster. I always thought it would have been a strange thing for Maggie to say. Surely the suburban commuter climbing aboard a bus with his briefcase and Times thrust under his arm was the very essence of her tribe.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
Great question. Do you believe that what we see now (LLMs) are anywhere close to AGI?
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
It's got to have the feel of pressing a button too. Just mashing your fingers into empty air feels ridiculous. Try it now. Most unsatisfying, clicks or not. I'm sure it can be done. But it's not obvious how. But meanwhile it's very obvious that human interaction may become very odd, and that, say, if you are, for example, a barrista, of those customers in their snazzy AI glasses, an uncomfortably high proportion of them will be seeing you portrayed naked, or dressed in a manner of their choosing which is almost certainly not a manner of your choosing, or actually with someone else's face entirely.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Combine motive power for both - pretty sure atom smashers use magnets to control ions etc - just need touse them for the motive power of the trains too.
Although as atom smashing is done in vacuo, perhaps its time to revisit Atmospheric Railways? Was Brunel right?
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Combine motive power for both - pretty sure atom smashers use magnets to control ions etc - just need touse them for the motive power of the trains too.
Although as atom smashing is done in vacuo, perhaps its time to revisit Atmospheric Railways? Was Brunel right?
Buses are great, at least in London where they are run as a public service rather than as a deregulated feeding frenzy for the best routes.
As for loudspeaker listening, ban it. While they are at it, ban food and drink on buses and tubes too for all but babes in arms. Nobody is so hungry they can’t wait until after their bus ride to eat.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
It's got to have the feel of pressing a button too. Just mashing your fingers into empty air feels ridiculous. Try it now. Most unsatisfying, clicks or not. I'm sure it can be done. But it's not obvious how. But meanwhile it's very obvious that human interaction may become very odd, and that, say, if you are, for example, a barrista, of those customers in their snazzy AI glasses, an uncomfortably high proportion of them will be seeing you portrayed naked, or dressed in a manner of their choosing which is almost certainly not a manner of your choosing, or actually with someone else's face entirely.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Combine motive power for both - pretty sure atom smashers use magnets to control ions etc - just need touse them for the motive power of the trains too.
Although as atom smashing is done in vacuo, perhaps its time to revisit Atmospheric Railways? Was Brunel right?
Hyperloop.....
Elon Musk has his own spaceforce, controls satellite communications, can produce flamethrowers, has just produced an armoured personnel carrier disguised as a car, and is implanting electrodes into people to produce a loyal slave workforce/army. Let's pay for him to make a machine to make black holes. That'll work.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
For a multinational project, it's not that expensive...
I have no problem with doing it. What is a bit of a cliche is the way that the next step is going to unlock the secret of the universe in some final sort of way that us plebs will comprehend. At what point do we acknowledge that empirical enquiry is an infinite Russian doll?
Buses are great, at least in London where they are run as a public service rather than as a deregulated feeding frenzy for the best routes.
As for loudspeaker listening, ban it. While they are at it, ban food and drink on buses and tubes too for all but babes in arms. Nobody is so hungry they can’t wait until after their bus ride to eat.
Buses are great, at least in London where they are run as a public service rather than as a deregulated feeding frenzy for the best routes.
As for loudspeaker listening, ban it. While they are at it, ban food and drink on buses and tubes too for all but babes in arms. Nobody is so hungry they can’t wait until after their bus ride to eat.
The Senate’s False Hope of a Grand Bargain Meets Its Trumpy Demise
https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/the-senates-false-hope-of-a-grand-bargain-meets-its-trumpy-demise ..Amid the recriminations on Wednesday, I happened to go up to Capitol Hill for a long-scheduled conversation with Senator Angus King, a low-key former governor of Maine, who refuses to join either party, though he caucuses with Democrats. King chairs the Senate Armed Services subcommittee that oversees America’s nuclear forces, and is a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He was as alarmed as I have ever seen him about the consequences of the whole mess. While Republicans fight among themselves, the Pentagon has already, as of January, run out of congressionally approved funds for its military assistance to Ukraine. In the now languishing bill, Biden has asked for an additional sixty billion dollars to aid the country; many in Washington now expect that, even if a vote on funds for Ukraine eventually happens, Republicans will insist on billions of dollars less for non-military assistance as the price for their votes. But even that may not happen and, in the meantime, the President’s vow to support Ukraine “as long as it takes” looks to be another hollow promise that a superpower divided against itself cannot keep. “I think this would be, if we don’t do it, the most serious foreign-policy mistake of our lifetimes,” King told me. “It will reverberate for fifty years.”..
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
It's got to have the feel of pressing a button too. Just mashing your fingers into empty air feels ridiculous. Try it now. Most unsatisfying, clicks or not. I'm sure it can be done. But it's not obvious how. But meanwhile it's very obvious that human interaction may become very odd, and that, say, if you are, for example, a barrista, of those customers in their snazzy AI glasses, an uncomfortably high proportion of them will be seeing you portrayed naked, or dressed in a manner of their choosing which is almost certainly not a manner of your choosing, or actually with someone else's face entirely.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
For a multinational project, it's not that expensive...
I have no problem with doing it. What is a bit of a cliche is the way that the next step is going to unlock the secret of the universe in some final sort of way that us plebs will comprehend. At what point do we acknowledge that empirical enquiry is an infinite Russian doll?
That's cause for a Douglas Adams quote I think:
“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”
The remarkable thing is that any of the universe is actually describable at all. I don't see why it should be a Russian Doll.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Slacker
Build the accelerator just a tad bit more powerful. Accelerate the trains to 99.99999% of C.
This will mean awesome science in the evenings. It may render this spiral arm of the Galaxy uninhabitable, but screw the NIMBies.
EDIT: straight line *does* mean no Synchrotron radiation. So it saves on the 'leecy bill.
At 99.99999% of C a commuter on a 2hr train from London to York will have a relativistically reduced subjective transit time of about four seconds. Admittedly will also be converted into a very thin red smear, but can't have everything.
One thing I have no idea about is why we have both district and county level in rural areas. My Dad's a councillor in a unitary (Coventry) and the system of having one councillor and council for your area simply seems so much more efficient than where I am/ I'm also convinced it's why my council tax is a bit higher than the counterfactual of similar banded properties in neighbouring unitaries (Rotherham/Doncaster) compared to Bassetlaw. I think a much stronger argument can be made for keeping parish/town rather than two levels at district/council as the responsibilities of those councils are far less and if you really want to get involved it's relatively easy to get elected and you can decide whether to have an annual village fete or whatever.
I’ve always contended that here in Shropshire the districts were better at developing local solutions than the UA has been. My solution would have been to keep the districts, abolish the County Council and have the strategic stuff driven through regional government with an appropriate representative assembly.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
It's got to have the feel of pressing a button too. Just mashing your fingers into empty air feels ridiculous. Try it now. Most unsatisfying, clicks or not. I'm sure it can be done. But it's not obvious how. But meanwhile it's very obvious that human interaction may become very odd, and that, say, if you are, for example, a barrista, of those customers in their snazzy AI glasses, an uncomfortably high proportion of them will be seeing you portrayed naked, or dressed in a manner of their choosing which is almost certainly not a manner of your choosing, or actually with someone else's face entirely.
Maybe - or maybe not
Imagine everytime you press the virtual key - say the letter "c" - to commence typing the sentence "Cookie isn't thinking very hard" - then when you hit the right key a massive C explodes for a millisecond in your face, with a brilliantly clicky noise, then O then O then K, the reflexive stimulation might easily be enough to compensate for the lack of tangible sensation in your fingertips
In other words, we will get over it, so much cool technology feels bizarre and unrealistic before it happens. eg Imagine how people reacted to the first telephones. Talking into a weird bakelite mouth-cup thingy, to the disembodied voice of someone a hundred miles away? - no, that's unnatural, won't work, you need to have someone in front of you so you can properly converse, read their faces etc etc
And of course for this tech to replace all screens it doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough that this is the only screen you need and then you can junk all the others and save a lot of time, money and space
TV is a poser. People like watching TV socially. Yet these personal screens will give a vastly better TV experience
Yes, and it's ghastly and it's not just teenagers.
Noticeable uptick in shouty aggression on the Lizzie Line as well. Everyone is just fed up.
That's an important point. It is absolutely not just teenagers.
It's even more annoying in the coffee shop where you're trying to read a book.
Coffee shop? Really?
How come I’ve missed this phenomenon entirely. I know I’m away a lot but I’m still home 5-6 months of the year and I live in London
Anyway it is all the more reason to live inside an Apple Vision Pro. If the world is going to be antisocial, then…
I have had to change place of work from a coffee shop that has lots of people playing videos on phones to a much nicer hotel bar/lounge/library that is full of people also working, taking calls etc. It's only downside is that it is a bus-ride away from my home...
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
Great question. Do you believe that what we see now (LLMs) are anywhere close to AGI?
That all depends on the definition of AGI - and of course people keep moving the goalposts, or they impose impossible-to-meet conditions like "is self-aware like a human"
Probably the best practical definition is "a computer that can do most cognitive tasks as well as the average human", and if we accept that, I would say yes the latest LLMs are really quite close to AGI, but not there yet
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
It's got to have the feel of pressing a button too. Just mashing your fingers into empty air feels ridiculous. Try it now. Most unsatisfying, clicks or not. I'm sure it can be done. But it's not obvious how. But meanwhile it's very obvious that human interaction may become very odd, and that, say, if you are, for example, a barrista, of those customers in their snazzy AI glasses, an uncomfortably high proportion of them will be seeing you portrayed naked, or dressed in a manner of their choosing which is almost certainly not a manner of your choosing, or actually with someone else's face entirely.
Maybe - or maybe not
Imagine everytime you press the virtual key - say the letter "c" - to commence typing the sentence "Cookie isn't thinking very hard" - then when you hit the right key a massive C explodes for a millisecond in your face, with a brilliantly clicky noise, then O then O then K, the reflexive stimulation might easily be enough to compensate for the lack of tangible sensation in your fingertips
In other words, we will get over it, so much cool technology feels bizarre and unrealistic before it happens. eg Imagine how people reacted to the first telephones. Talking into a weird bakelite mouth-cup thingy, to the disembodied voice of someone a hundred miles away? - no, that's unnatural, won't work, you need to have someone in front of you so you can properly converse, read their faces etc etc
And of course for this tech to replace all screens it doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough that this is the only screen you need and then you can junk all the others and save a lot of time, money and space
TV is a poser. People like watching TV socially. Yet these personal screens will give a vastly better TV experience
Hard to know which will win, in that instance
One of (many) best bits of Upstairs Downstairs is seeing Hudson get used to using the telephone.
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Most people are looking at the parties in general - you are looking at specific issues. The Lib Dems are also adept at picking up local issues to get an edge. Using the Green/NIMBY nexus is SOP.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
It's an obvious thing to do- right now, it's probably where the votes are. And there are definitely worse ways to run a country. But the Lib Dems are always going to come second in a fight for that slot.
The other gap in the market right now looks like the "coaliation wasn't that bad, really", centre-rightist dads, if you like. Noone is really going for that vote, which is annoying for those of us in that space.
Is that ground just too toxic for anyone to want to occupy?
Not sure. But certainly the LibDems in my two areas are using absolutely NONE of the issues that 148 mentions in their leaflets. Every leaflet says 1. Tories are awful. 2. Only we can beat them (with misproportioned bar chart etc.). 3. So vote for us. There is virtually nothing about policy - not even NIMBY issues.
Labour's national leaflets are a bit more issue-related but still the same structure:
1. Tories are awful on [issue - typically NHS or cost of living]. 2. Only Labour can replace them in government. 3. So vote for us.
I'm biased, of course, hut I don't think the pure LibDem tactical vote spiel works as well as it used to. Partly that's because Labour can do it too - with polls as they are (Tories halved, Labour up by half, LibDems slightly down on 2019), there's a case for saying that Labour is the main challenger almost anywhere, cf. mid-Beds. But also the third party nationally needs a couple of issues to champion, or they just get drowned out. The obvious one is "Rejoin EU" but if they don't want that, maybe "Raise taxes on the rich to pay for services", as that's ground that Labour eyes with trepidation but lots of floating voters are absolutely up for.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Combine motive power for both - pretty sure atom smashers use magnets to control ions etc - just need touse them for the motive power of the trains too.
Although as atom smashing is done in vacuo, perhaps its time to revisit Atmospheric Railways? Was Brunel right?
Hyperloop.....
Elon Musk has his own spaceforce, controls satellite communications, can produce flamethrowers, has just produced an armoured personnel carrier disguised as a car, and is implanting electrodes into people to produce a loyal slave workforce/army. Let's pay for him to make a machine to make black holes. That'll work.
Something of an aside, but I do not believe for one second that he's actually implanted a chip in any functional way into a real person's brain. In the same way as his self-driving car demos have turned out to be largely faked, his humanoid robot demo was fake, his APC doesn't work because it destroys its own tyres, hyperloop was totally without foundation and just a spoiler for other transport investments, etc. etc.
He is a *spectacular* vomiter of reheated crap into the public discourse.
The things he does have exist *despite* his public pronouncements.
Can't get veterinary certificates issued in France, can't send this week's shipment of medium-risk meat products. So job stopped. We have perhaps 36 hours to get this moving or we're in danger of losing big chunks of the business we've built up in the UK over the last few years.
'Medium risk meat' doesn't sound very appetising.
Raw meat: High Risk Processed meat: Medium Risk Cooked Meat: Low Risk
With different processes for each...
Nigel was right, then. Medium risk meat isn't very appealing
One thing I have no idea about is why we have both district and county level in rural areas. My Dad's a councillor in a unitary (Coventry) and the system of having one councillor and council for your area simply seems so much more efficient than where I am/ I'm also convinced it's why my council tax is a bit higher than the counterfactual of similar banded properties in neighbouring unitaries (Rotherham/Doncaster) compared to Bassetlaw. I think a much stronger argument can be made for keeping parish/town rather than two levels at district/council as the responsibilities of those councils are far less and if you really want to get involved it's relatively easy to get elected and you can decide whether to have an annual village fete or whatever.
I’ve always contended that here in Shropshire the districts were better at developing local solutions than the UA has been. My solution would have been to keep the districts, abolish the County Council and have the strategic stuff driven through regional government with an appropriate representative assembly.
That'd be fine too, it's just the weird situation of having district and county levels that I find odd.
When I left school I worked at the futures market for a couple of years, just as a runner. I didn’t like it much, and my favourite part of the day was going to the little garden behind St Swithins Lane with a Turkey roll and bottle of coke, to take solace from my Walkman for an hour. Tracy Chapman’s first album was one of those I listened to a lot, it brings back a lot of memories.
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Most people are looking at the parties in general - you are looking at specific issues. The Lib Dems are also adept at picking up local issues to get an edge. Using the Green/NIMBY nexus is SOP.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
It's an obvious thing to do- right now, it's probably where the votes are. And there are definitely worse ways to run a country. But the Lib Dems are always going to come second in a fight for that slot.
The other gap in the market right now looks like the "coaliation wasn't that bad, really", centre-rightist dads, if you like. Noone is really going for that vote, which is annoying for those of us in that space.
Is that ground just too toxic for anyone to want to occupy?
Not sure. But certainly the LibDems in my two areas are using absolutely NONE of the issues that 148 mentions in their leaflets. Every leaflet says 1. Tories are awful. 2. Only we can beat them (with misproportioned bar chart etc.). 3. So vote for us. There is virtually nothing about policy - not even NIMBY issues.
Labour's national leaflets are a bit more issue-related but still the same structure:
1. Tories are awful on [issue - typically NHS or cost of living]. 2. Only Labour can replace them in government. 3. So vote for us.
I'm biased, of course, hut I don't think the pure LibDem tactical vote spiel works as well as it used to. Partly that's because Labour can do it too - with polls as they are (Tories halved, Labour up by half, LibDems slightly down on 2019), there's a case for saying that Labour is the main challenger almost anywhere, cf. mid-Beds. But also the third party nationally needs a couple of issues to champion, or they just get drowned out. The obvious one is "Rejoin EU" but if they don't want that, maybe "Raise taxes on the rich to pay for services", as that's ground that Labour eyes with trepidation but lots of floating voters are absolutely up for.
There's also the problem that they don't even get the ability to generate media talking points at PMQs, now that they have fallen behind the SNP .
Buses are great, at least in London where they are run as a public service rather than as a deregulated feeding frenzy for the best routes.
As for loudspeaker listening, ban it. While they are at it, ban food and drink on buses and tubes too for all but babes in arms. Nobody is so hungry they can’t wait until after their bus ride to eat.
There was quite a funny Viz parody report, about 25 years ago, on ‘The curse of Dads Army’ investigating the link between appearing on the show and dying within a decade or so
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Most people are looking at the parties in general - you are looking at specific issues. The Lib Dems are also adept at picking up local issues to get an edge. Using the Green/NIMBY nexus is SOP.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
It's an obvious thing to do- right now, it's probably where the votes are. And there are definitely worse ways to run a country. But the Lib Dems are always going to come second in a fight for that slot.
The other gap in the market right now looks like the "coaliation wasn't that bad, really", centre-rightist dads, if you like. Noone is really going for that vote, which is annoying for those of us in that space.
Is that ground just too toxic for anyone to want to occupy?
Not sure. But certainly the LibDems in my two areas are using absolutely NONE of the issues that 148 mentions in their leaflets. Every leaflet says 1. Tories are awful. 2. Only we can beat them (with misproportioned bar chart etc.). 3. So vote for us. There is virtually nothing about policy - not even NIMBY issues.
Labour's national leaflets are a bit more issue-related but still the same structure:
1. Tories are awful on [issue - typically NHS or cost of living]. 2. Only Labour can replace them in government. 3. So vote for us.
I'm biased, of course, hut I don't think the pure LibDem tactical vote spiel works as well as it used to. Partly that's because Labour can do it too - with polls as they are (Tories halved, Labour up by half, LibDems slightly down on 2019), there's a case for saying that Labour is the main challenger almost anywhere, cf. mid-Beds. But also the third party nationally needs a couple of issues to champion, or they just get drowned out. The obvious one is "Rejoin EU" but if they don't want that, maybe "Raise taxes on the rich to pay for services", as that's ground that Labour eyes with trepidation but lots of floating voters are absolutely up for.
The problem the Liberal Democrats have is that they seem far more interested in the EU than err, y'know, actual liberalism.
I remember reading, probably about 30 years ago, a piece in Viz about the 'Curse of Dad's Army' - a fake tabloid-y thing about how the programme must be cursed because loads of the stars had pegged it. The joke being, of course, that the 'curse' was simply the inevitable march of time doing its thing to the elderly cast. For some reason it's always stayed with me and pops into my head far more often than it has any real right to. Occasionally, if someone prominent has pegged it at a ripe old age, I even say it out loud. And people stare at me like I'm insane.
This guy is surely right. This isn’t a new and better version of VR and AR - this is the future of all interaction with screens. You will put on sleek trendy glasses and you will have virtual keyboards you can type on, virtual computers to show your work PLUS all the apps and movies and games (and real time lip synch translation) - actual hardware from TVs to phones to laptops will be redundant. You won’t need them. Anyone who makes any of that hardware should be worried
And they won’t be clunky oculus/fighter pilot helmets, they will be like cool Raybans
Even it it worked perfectly, the experience depends on you being the only person weaing one. If everyone is wearing them then it destroys the illusion.
What illusion ? Replacing a TV, laptop, or tablet isn't an 'illusion', but a real thing. It's only the case of mobile phones - where you lock the world out when using them in any case - that's slightly more problematic. And even that's just down to the technology improving. I spend half the year wearing sunglasses anyway, because of my eyesight.
What mass uptake would do to social interaction is more concerning.
"Augmented reality" needs reality as well as augmentation.
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
1) virtual keyboards sound awful. You need some sort of physical feedback, as the ZX81 demonstrated. Perhaps some sort of gloves with little sensors which clicked the fingers would do the trick, though you'd look a berk extravagantly preparing for a spot of typing.
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
If we can get close to Artificial General Intelligence I’m pretty sure we can create “satisfying virtual keyboard clicky sounds”
Great question. Do you believe that what we see now (LLMs) are anywhere close to AGI?
That all depends on the definition of AGI - and of course people keep moving the goalposts, or they impose impossible-to-meet conditions like "is self-aware like a human"
Probably the best practical definition is "a computer that can do most cognitive tasks as well as the average human", and if we accept that, I would say yes the latest LLMs are really quite close to AGI, but not there yet
Fair enough - I tend to disagree. I don't think that the LLM we have are anything close to AGI - they have no concept of understanding of the words that they churn out so convincingly.
However its true that goalpost locating is going to be a moveable feast. Arguably most of the current LLMs would pass a Turing test in conversation.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Combine motive power for both - pretty sure atom smashers use magnets to control ions etc - just need touse them for the motive power of the trains too.
Although as atom smashing is done in vacuo, perhaps its time to revisit Atmospheric Railways? Was Brunel right?
Hyperloop.....
Elon Musk has his own spaceforce, controls satellite communications, can produce flamethrowers, has just produced an armoured personnel carrier disguised as a car, and is implanting electrodes into people to produce a loyal slave workforce/army. Let's pay for him to make a machine to make black holes. That'll work.
Something of an aside, but I do not believe for one second that he's actually implanted a chip in any functional way into a real person's brain. In the same way as his self-driving car demos have turned out to be largely faked, his humanoid robot demo was fake, his APC doesn't work because it destroys its own tyres, hyperloop was totally without foundation and just a spoiler for other transport investments, etc. etc.
He is a *spectacular* vomiter of reheated crap into the public discourse.
The things he does have exist *despite* his public pronouncements.
Incidentally, there're some interesting issues with chip implants and it is to do with altering the stuff you are measuring. Any chip - even low-power ones - produce interference (all those little switches switching), and it's the devil's job to stop them interfering with other stuff nearby. One of the magic parts of chip layout is placing (say) RF or power management and digital on the same wafer in such a way to minimise interference.
Having a chip in your head, even a low-power one, will be dumping unwanted stuff into your brain. Perhaps this is harmless; perhaps not. And what does 'harm' mean in this context anyway?
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
£12 Bn. That's about Birmingham to Kenilworth in HS2 costs I think ?
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
Solution: combine them
Drill big long very straight tube in ground
Install accelerator and train lines
Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintained
Slacker
Build the accelerator just a tad bit more powerful. Accelerate the trains to 99.99999% of C.
This will mean awesome science in the evenings. It may render this spiral arm of the Galaxy uninhabitable, but screw the NIMBies.
EDIT: straight line *does* mean no Synchrotron radiation. So it saves on the 'leecy bill.
At 99.99999% of C a commuter on a 2hr train from London to York will have a relativistically reduced subjective transit time of about four seconds. Admittedly will also be converted into a very thin red smear, but can't have everything.
EDIT: My sincerest apologies, this link should have included a trigger warning as the video clearly shows Taylor Swift singing along to every word...
The discourse around Fast Car becoming a hit again last year was seriously bizarre. People were acting as if she was some unknown "black queer" artist who had been exploited by some white guy making a cover a hit, rather than the reality that she was a major star at the time and he brought her to the attention of a new generation.
EDIT: My sincerest apologies, this link should have included a trigger warning as the video clearly shows Taylor Swift singing along to every word...
The discourse around Fast Car becoming a hit again last year was seriously bizarre. People were acting as if she was some unknown "black queer" artist who had been exploited by some white guy making a cover a hit, rather than the reality that she was a major star at the time and he brought her to the attention of a new generation.
I always used to wonder why the just didn’t sell the car as they were struggling so bad
Also misheard the lyric “your arm felt nice wrapped round my shoulder” as “your arms and legs wrapped round my shoulders” for years
I spend nearly all my time in two classic Tory areas (Godalming and rural Oxfordshire) and although I know a few people who are still planning to vote Tory, even they are doing it with a wry smile and don't dispute that it's time for a period in Opposition to reflect on their future direction. Most of my Tory friends are now either not planning to vote ("constructive abstention", one calls it) or switching, with most of those coming straight over to Labour, for the slightly dismaying reason that they don't see any difference between us and the LibDems. The LibDem literature is overwhelmingly focused on getting tactical votes, but that's fading in effectiveness, as people feel the Tories are goners anyway so they might as well just vote for the alternative Government. Both Labour and the LibDems arguably need to switch gear to a more positive and distinctive message to seal their respective deals, though it's awfully tempting to just keep the focus on how useless the Tories are.
There's a UK Polling Report poll on the Kingswood by-election next week predicting a Labour gain, but I'm not sure it's a real poll o just a projection from national polls?
I think your comment re the LDs is worryingly accurate @NickPalmer. They should pick up a lot of seats with the anti Tory vote and tactical voting, but with the polls as they are I suspect that in many of these seats instead of the LDs winning it will result in a lot of Tory holds and a big Labour vote, with the possibility of the occasional Labour win coming through from 3rd.
I also agree it is sad that people can't see a distinction between the two parties, which isn't helped by the LD (necessary) tactical voting message.
I hope I am wrong as I want the LDs to do well, but if Labour rack up huge votes in places like Guildford and Godalming it is going to be depressing. In the past it has always been easy to squeeze these. Not sure anymore.
I'm surprised people see no difference between Labour and the LDs rather than Labour and the Tories - is that still a coalition hangover or just the general insignificance of the LDs nationally? The LDs, for example, have not backed Israel to the hilt like Labour and the Conservatives and are (at least from what I can see in the new safe seat of St Albans) going back to being more a critique of Labour from the left then the Cleggist Orange Bookers that would support Tories. They're trying to out green Labour (and the Greens) in local elections and wouldn't be surprised to see them attack Starmer for backing down on his £28 billion pledge being dropped.
Most people are looking at the parties in general - you are looking at specific issues. The Lib Dems are also adept at picking up local issues to get an edge. Using the Green/NIMBY nexus is SOP.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
It's an obvious thing to do- right now, it's probably where the votes are. And there are definitely worse ways to run a country. But the Lib Dems are always going to come second in a fight for that slot.
The other gap in the market right now looks like the "coaliation wasn't that bad, really", centre-rightist dads, if you like. Noone is really going for that vote, which is annoying for those of us in that space.
Is that ground just too toxic for anyone to want to occupy?
Not sure. But certainly the LibDems in my two areas are using absolutely NONE of the issues that 148 mentions in their leaflets. Every leaflet says 1. Tories are awful. 2. Only we can beat them (with misproportioned bar chart etc.). 3. So vote for us. There is virtually nothing about policy - not even NIMBY issues.
Labour's national leaflets are a bit more issue-related but still the same structure:
1. Tories are awful on [issue - typically NHS or cost of living]. 2. Only Labour can replace them in government. 3. So vote for us.
I'm biased, of course, hut I don't think the pure LibDem tactical vote spiel works as well as it used to. Partly that's because Labour can do it too - with polls as they are (Tories halved, Labour up by half, LibDems slightly down on 2019), there's a case for saying that Labour is the main challenger almost anywhere, cf. mid-Beds. But also the third party nationally needs a couple of issues to champion, or they just get drowned out. The obvious one is "Rejoin EU" but if they don't want that, maybe "Raise taxes on the rich to pay for services", as that's ground that Labour eyes with trepidation but lots of floating voters are absolutely up for.
The problem the Liberal Democrats have is that they seem far more interested in the EU than err, y'know, actual liberalism.
Well that is nonsense isn't it, because as @NickPalmer points out the LD leaflets in these targets don't mention it but focus on 'Tories are awful' and 'we are the challengers' and pretty much nothing else. He even mentions that they need a couple of issues to focus on to avoid getting drowned out and suggested and commented: 'Rejoin the EU but they don't want that'.
I am on the border of two LD targets (Guildford and Mole Valley) and close to Nick's patch and delivering these leaflets and can confirm his analysis of the leaflets is correct, so where you get your statement from I have no idea, because it also hasn't been in the media from the LDs either.
As Nick says, maybe they should. Valid suggestion that might work or might backfire, but they certainly aren't doing it currently.
A classic of the genre: People Who Know Everything Don't Know Anything Really Because Of Reasons. £45 Trillion Gazillion Will Solve It And Answer The Mystery Of The Universe.
Dear Mr & Ms Scientists Yes, I like science too. And it has to be said that if you are going to waste public money, giving it to scientists to do science well is better than giving it to bankers to do banking badly. But we are a bit strapped for the moment. Can this wait for a decade plz? XXX, viewcode
It’s some particle physicists who want this, #notallscientists I’m a scientist: my equipment costs go as far as wanting a new laptop. Even some physicists think this is a wrong approach. Sabine Hossenfelder has been very critical of such proposals.
Comments
I imagine part of the issue is that phones often don't have a headphones socket anymore, so people have to either hold onto headphones with a USB C connector or use Bluetooth headphones and keep them charged. So it's harder to use with headphones, some will have just not bothered, then it becomes a norm. The worst thing is you realise how people aren't even listening to whole songs. Just shirt bursts on tiktok or whatever. Devices have been so negative for human mental health, concentration and intelligence IMHO. They seem to have facilitated the worst aspects of human nature and behaviour consistently.
A lot of people saying it is more common with black and Asian people. They might simply be racist or mad (this is TwiX), however there are black and Asian people saying "Yeah I do this, it's what I prefer, cope with it"
What a to-do
That is going to require some manoeuvring from the rest of the centre left.
Just go somewhere quiet, it's basic good manners
My wife got a bit upset, when I said to her that the problem would have a fairly short lifespan. But would get worse for a little while longer.
The LibDems are trying to be Social Democrats in the European party sense of the word.
Starmer is trying to move Labour to a similar position.
It's therefore not surprising that the two parties are seen as similar.
1. the Tories are "the bad guys" (this opinion largely comes from antipathy towards a faction of boys in their class being 'Boris Superfans' in order to annoy people),
2. Labour are "the good guys"
3. the Greens "think most about the future and saving the planet"
4. Who are the Liberal Democrats? Are they the orange plackards?
I don't want to be overheard, but - and this may amaze you - I am well mannered and emotionally aware, and don't want to be rude to others, and it is seriously rude
Deaf older people
Arsehole teenagers
Boomers who don't know how to turn sound off (including during tennis matches and cinema)
People looking for a fight (also taking up two spots with bags)
People with pretty serious mental health issues
The other gap in the market right now looks like the "coaliation wasn't that bad, really", centre-rightist dads, if you like. Noone is really going for that vote, which is annoying for those of us in that space.
Is that ground just too toxic for anyone to want to occupy?
But thanks for the thought.
Anyway, it was Stu Francis who could crush a grape.
East Asia, even when dramatically poorer, is in quite serious ways more civilised than Western Europe/USA now
Crime, for a start
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68172162
How would this lot shake out to seats:
Lab 13M
Con 8M
LD 3.5M
SNP 600k
Green 2M
Brexit 2M
How come I’ve missed this phenomenon entirely. I know I’m away a lot but I’m still home 5-6 months of the year and I live in London
Anyway it is all the more reason to live inside an Apple Vision Pro. If the world is going to be antisocial, then…
Edit: Probably optimistic, the Birmingham Curzon St to Interchange costs alone will probably exceed 12 Bn.
I took two buses a couple of weeks ago, to and from a station -> university building (not my uni - I had time enough so thought I'd save money/the world by not going for a taxi
*thinking broadly about deprivation correlation with bus use and also demographics within some cities where bus use might be more common
If you're the only person wearing one, then you can have normal reality augmented by your device, but if everyone is wearing one, it changes the environment too in a much more fundamental way than smartphones do.
Processed meat: Medium Risk
Cooked Meat: Low Risk
With different processes for each...
Yes, I like science too. And it has to be said that if you are going to waste public money, giving it to scientists to do science well is better than giving it to bankers to do banking badly. But we are a bit strapped for the moment. Can this wait for a decade plz?
XXX, viewcode
I have my music on when I’m cycling playing from my phone. Why not. Others do it and it is outdoors so bothers no one. On the bus or train I have my headphones in.
And it is true. You just need to extrapolate. The sceeen experience will be miles better on these things than on real hardware. Makers of tablets, desktops, laptops, games consoles, and to an extent TVs should be worried. Maybe even smartphones eventually
Here is one screen to rule them all.
I mean sure, it *might* destroy the universe, but Real Men (TM) don't mind a bit of risk.
How Kennedy Narrowly Defeated Nixon — and Why the Alternative History Would Have Been Devastating
The 1960 election was closer than you think. And had Nixon won, it might have meant nuclear war.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/04/1960-election-jfk-nixon-nuclear-war-00136763
The bit about MLK's dad was new to me.
I didn't realise he was something of an anti Catholic bigot (and JFK's comment was priceless).
2) as with all new technologies, this will definitely be used for p*rn to a surprisingly large degree. People (not all people, obvs) will be walking around in a constant state of arousal.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4447604-tie-himself-in-knots-white-house-hits-speaker-johnson-over-border-security/
The White House went after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday after he criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the border and ongoing negotiations over the Senate border security deal.
In a “Meet the Press” interview Sunday, Johnson admitted that he was not privy to Senate negotiations on the bill and appeared to contradict himself, saying that President Biden must immediately use executive authority to secure the border, and that he requires new legislation in order to do so...
(We were never that close.)
- Drill big long very straight tube in ground
- Install accelerator and train lines
- Run trains in day and accelerate particles at night
Plus at least in this case the signals will be maintainedI'm sure it can be done. But it's not obvious how. But meanwhile it's very obvious that human interaction may become very odd, and that, say, if you are, for example, a barrista, of those customers in their snazzy AI glasses, an uncomfortably high proportion of them will be seeing you portrayed naked, or dressed in a manner of their choosing which is almost certainly not a manner of your choosing, or actually with someone else's face entirely.
Build the accelerator just a tad bit more powerful. Accelerate the trains to 99.99999% of C.
This will mean awesome science in the evenings. It may render this spiral arm of the Galaxy uninhabitable, but screw the NIMBies.
EDIT: straight line *does* mean no Synchrotron radiation. So it saves on the 'leecy bill.
Although as atom smashing is done in vacuo, perhaps its time to revisit Atmospheric Railways? Was Brunel right?
As for loudspeaker listening, ban it. While they are at it, ban food and drink on buses and tubes too for all but babes in arms. Nobody is so hungry they can’t wait until after their bus ride to eat.
https://twitter.com/tedgioia/status/1753979529041686962/mediaViewer
https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/the-senates-false-hope-of-a-grand-bargain-meets-its-trumpy-demise
..Amid the recriminations on Wednesday, I happened to go up to Capitol Hill for a long-scheduled conversation with Senator Angus King, a low-key former governor of Maine, who refuses to join either party, though he caucuses with Democrats. King chairs the Senate Armed Services subcommittee that oversees America’s nuclear forces, and is a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He was as alarmed as I have ever seen him about the consequences of the whole mess. While Republicans fight among themselves, the Pentagon has already, as of January, run out of congressionally approved funds for its military assistance to Ukraine. In the now languishing bill, Biden has asked for an additional sixty billion dollars to aid the country; many in Washington now expect that, even if a vote on funds for Ukraine eventually happens, Republicans will insist on billions of dollars less for non-military assistance as the price for their votes. But even that may not happen and, in the meantime, the President’s vow to support Ukraine “as long as it takes” looks to be another hollow promise that a superpower divided against itself cannot keep. “I think this would be, if we don’t do it, the most serious foreign-policy mistake of our lifetimes,” King told me. “It will reverberate for fifty years.”..
Watch Ready Player One...
https://youtu.be/30DcHyi-hZE?si=CjDIgwXfXhk4ETG-
“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”
The remarkable thing is that any of the universe is actually describable at all. I don't see why it should be a Russian Doll.
https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/time-dilation
https://x.com/EZRideryoyall/status/1754317628661768555?s=20
EDIT: My sincerest apologies, this link should have included a trigger warning as the video clearly shows Taylor Swift singing along to every word...
Imagine everytime you press the virtual key - say the letter "c" - to commence typing the sentence "Cookie isn't thinking very hard" - then when you hit the right key a massive C explodes for a millisecond in your face, with a brilliantly clicky noise, then O then O then K, the reflexive stimulation might easily be enough to compensate for the lack of tangible sensation in your fingertips
In other words, we will get over it, so much cool technology feels bizarre and unrealistic before it happens. eg Imagine how people reacted to the first telephones. Talking into a weird bakelite mouth-cup thingy, to the disembodied voice of someone a hundred miles away? - no, that's unnatural, won't work, you need to have someone in front of you so you can properly converse, read their faces etc etc
And of course for this tech to replace all screens it doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough that this is the only screen you need and then you can junk all the others and save a lot of time, money and space
TV is a poser. People like watching TV socially. Yet these personal screens will give a vastly better TV experience
Hard to know which will win, in that instance
Ian Lavender: Dad's Army star dies aged 77 https://bbc.in/49hhDTD
Probably the best practical definition is "a computer that can do most cognitive tasks as well as the average human", and if we accept that, I would say yes the latest LLMs are really quite close to AGI, but not there yet
Labour's national leaflets are a bit more issue-related but still the same structure:
1. Tories are awful on [issue - typically NHS or cost of living]. 2. Only Labour can replace them in government. 3. So vote for us.
I'm biased, of course, hut I don't think the pure LibDem tactical vote spiel works as well as it used to. Partly that's because Labour can do it too - with polls as they are (Tories halved, Labour up by half, LibDems slightly down on 2019), there's a case for saying that Labour is the main challenger almost anywhere, cf. mid-Beds. But also the third party nationally needs a couple of issues to champion, or they just get drowned out. The obvious one is "Rejoin EU" but if they don't want that, maybe "Raise taxes on the rich to pay for services", as that's ground that Labour eyes with trepidation but lots of floating voters are absolutely up for.
He is a *spectacular* vomiter of reheated crap into the public discourse.
The things he does have exist *despite* his public pronouncements.
When I left school I worked at the futures market for a couple of years, just as a runner. I didn’t like it much, and my favourite part of the day was going to the little garden behind St Swithins Lane with a Turkey roll and bottle of coke, to take solace from my Walkman for an hour. Tracy Chapman’s first album was one of those I listened to a lot, it brings back a lot of memories.
have fallen behind the SNP .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YMVPXmaKds
Ian Lavender was the last remaining main cast member, yes.
Absolutely. Civic dignity and all that.
But, anyway, the Curse has struck again!
EDIT - damn, isam beat me to it...
However its true that goalpost locating is going to be a moveable feast. Arguably most of the current LLMs would pass a Turing test in conversation.
Having a chip in your head, even a low-power one, will be dumping unwanted stuff into your brain. Perhaps this is harmless; perhaps not. And what does 'harm' mean in this context anyway?
Also misheard the lyric “your arm felt nice wrapped round my shoulder” as “your arms and legs wrapped round my shoulders” for years
I am on the border of two LD targets (Guildford and Mole Valley) and close to Nick's patch and delivering these leaflets and can confirm his analysis of the leaflets is correct, so where you get your statement from I have no idea, because it also hasn't been in the media from the LDs either.
As Nick says, maybe they should. Valid suggestion that might work or might backfire, but they certainly aren't doing it currently.