Have read that BYD makes good cars, better than Tesla.

Trying to divert my attention to other things for a while.

Glad about the last commutation: Leonard Peltier
https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-biden-pardons-eba525b713f2ec739b84aa4426366775

@RealPlayer said in Anyone read the Curtis Yarvin interview in the NYT?:

Just read it. Also good to read the comments challenging his ideas.

Thanks for the heads up on the comments.

Maybe unify the country (masses) against the Uber wealthy?

Here's a non-technical version of what goes on behind the scenes.

https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/privacy/tiktok-tracks-you-across-the-web-even-if-you-dont-use-app-a4383537813/

And something from Wired:

https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-data-privacy/

Don’t all websites do that sort of tracking?

Yea. Except TikTok has the connection to the Chinese government.

Now that we're in the new administration and the tech bros are bowing to TFG, who knows what information Microsoft, Facebook, and Google will pass along to the government.

Andy, the reality is, government agencies don't get enough money in appropriations to pay for every desireable program. If non-essential programs are to happen, they need the support of volunteers. Don't want to volunteer? Nobody is making you. But the fact is, you aren't creating paid jobs by eliminating volunteers. You are eliminating valuable programs that Congress didn't fund.

What Bernard said. All of it. Thanks, Bernard.

That house would be wonderful if it were completely restored but you’d to have the stomach (and the budget) for a complete restoration.

Allow 3X the budget and 3X the schedule for the project. See “Mr. Blanding Builds a House” for reference.

PD, your family and mine were under the same circumstances, same time and place.

I made this muesli and we both love it. Didn't have any coconut oil, so I left that out. And I added dried apricots.

https://cookieandkate.com/cherry-pecan-muesli-recipe/

Toasting the oats and pecans enhances their flavor a lot.

The ophthalmologist who did my mom's cataract surgery used to present an African violet in bloom to his patients when they came in the day after surgery to have their bandage removed. Mom couldn't believe how different colors looked!

@CHAS , so glad to hear things are progressing for you.

@Steve-Miller said in Cottage cheese has a resurgence. Apparently.:

I put salsa on it. OTOH, I put salsa on pretty much everything.

I tried that when I ate some cottage cheese a couple of days ago. I liked it and appreciate another alternative for eating it.

Big Al

PD the law allows the president to grant a one-time 90 stay if he believes a prospective sale is in the works. It doesn’t go into detail about any conditions that need to be satisfied so I am quite sure he can just do it.

But only once, and only for 90 days.

@Bernard said in Ph.D.-level AI:

It's artificial, but it's not intelligence.

Yep. Add to this, not original, and far too obvious.

I have a unit I do with my students to walk them through what AI is, how it works, what kinds of tasks it might be useful for, and what kinds of tasks we really should not be farming out to it. I continue to be surprised at the number of students who don't know what an LLM is or how it works. Then we give GenAI some prompts and evaluate the output, based on course content we've already covered. I am comforted that students generally have not been impressed and can see through the hype. So far...

This semester, I had a student shyly approach me to ask if they could do an alternative assignment for the AI activity. I said "maybe, but why?" They said they are a conscientious objector and don't want to use it themselves. Ahh, in that case, of course. We haven't figured out yet what the alternative assignment will be, but we will.

Disgusting

Can't get bird pathogens from sushi!

Other stuff, yes. But they tend to be relatively minor and fairly easily dealt with as long as you don't have a compromised immune system. Alcoholics and raw oysters are a dangerous combination!

Only because he didn’t get tapped for senate. I think Dave Yost will beat him for the nomination. He’s just after whatever he can get. I cannot vote for him.