carsonc's recent activity
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Comment on BYD overtakes Tesla as China reshapes the global electric vehicle race in ~transport
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Comment on What video games would you say have the best stories? Feel free to suggest more than one. in ~games
carsonc LinkI have to make a pitch for Chrono Trigger, which had portions that gave me chills when they happened. Also Portal 2, mostly for the story of Aperture Science and the booming voice of Cave Johnson...I have to make a pitch for Chrono Trigger, which had portions that gave me chills when they happened.
Also Portal 2, mostly for the story of Aperture Science and the booming voice of Cave Johnson echoing through the facility after all those years.
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Comment on The paperclip problem in ~tech
carsonc Link ParentThe Bobiverse connection is apt. I'm unsure about the conclusion and about the premises. This appears to be a thought experiment based entirely in fiction. Whereas, other thought experiments, say...The Bobiverse connection is apt. I'm unsure about the conclusion and about the premises. This appears to be a thought experiment based entirely in fiction. Whereas, other thought experiments, say Schrödinger's cat or Zeno's Paradox, take their premises in reality, the paperclip "problem" takes it's premise of super-intelligence from fantasy and then claims to derive a "real-world" conclusion. If the premises are founded in make-believe, then so are the conclusions.
In His Master's Voice, Stanislaw Lem imagines a message containing such super-intelligent message being beamed to earth from the stars. Far from using such an event for the betterment of humanity, the Great Powers try to discover its martial capabilities. Ultimately, they fail at this as well. In the end, our inability to understand the message blinds us to the potential benefits of this message, but thankfully, also prevents us from destroying ourselves with it.
This interpretation of the paperclip problem is wrong, of course. But, in my opinion, so are all such approaches. The premise is fictive, so all conclusions from are it also equally fictive.
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Comment on Nvidia-backed Starcloud trains first AI model in space in ~space
carsonc (edited )Link ParentIt seems like they might use a Molniya orbit. Edit because I accidentally hit save: This might be good for training data, I suppose, as you could uplink at perihelion and then let it plug and chug...It seems like they might use a Molniya orbit.
Edit because I accidentally hit save: This might be good for training data, I suppose, as you could uplink at perihelion and then let it plug and chug for 12 hours.
Also, does Starfighter Space plan to compete with Stratolaunch, because it seems like Stratolaunch would have a much easier time of putting things in orbit, as that's what it was designed to do.
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Comment on Nvidia-backed Starcloud trains first AI model in space in ~space
carsonc Link ParentWouldn't these deorbit and burn up long before they could be excessed to anyone? Apparently, Starlink satellites are coming down daily.Wouldn't these deorbit and burn up long before they could be excessed to anyone? Apparently, Starlink satellites are coming down daily.
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Comment on Backing up Spotify in ~music
carsonc LinkSome of you may have seem this around, but I wanted to post this here to get your thoughts: There are several data visualizations on the blog page. The project seems audacious and questionably...Some of you may have seem this around, but I wanted to post this here to get your thoughts:
We backed up Spotify (metadata and music files). It’s distributed in bulk torrents (~300TB), grouped by popularity.
This release includes the largest publicly available music metadata database with 256 million tracks and 186 million unique ISRCs.
It’s the world’s first “preservation archive” for music which is fully open (meaning it can easily be mirrored by anyone with enough disk space), with 86 million music files, representing around 99.6% of listens.
There are several data visualizations on the blog page. The project seems audacious and questionably legal. What do you think?
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Backing up Spotify
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Comment on Can I defeat telematics in a GM car? in ~transport
carsonc Link ParentHey, if it's as simple as pulling a fuse, go for it. I've never heard of battery problems associated with poor cell phone reception, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. After all, you can...Hey, if it's as simple as pulling a fuse, go for it. I've never heard of battery problems associated with poor cell phone reception, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. After all, you can always put the fuse back.
Edit: Just to be clear, the fuse supplying power to a certain device and the coaxial RF cable connecting that device to a separate antenna are two different components. The antenna can be disconnected, but the resulting open circuit will produce atypical signals that may be detected as a malfunction, thus the 50 ohm terminator. Pulling the fuse just disconnects the power to the device, completely preventing operation.
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Comment on Can I defeat telematics in a GM car? in ~transport
carsonc (edited )Link ParentI wanted to respond to this for the benefit of anyone else that might want to try this approach. I wouldn't do this first. The reason for the 50 ohm terminator is that it makes the telemetry unit...I wanted to respond to this for the benefit of anyone else that might want to try this approach. I wouldn't do this first. The reason for the 50 ohm terminator is that it makes the telemetry unit believe that the antenna is still there, it just isn't receiving a signal. It doesn't know the difference between the terminator and the antenna, except that one is silent and the other isn't.
Accordingly, it can continue to try to broadcast your data to its little silicon heart's content. Alas, there is no longer an antenna, just a dead end for that signal. Even so, the system doesn't know that anything is wrong, it's just that the reception is poor. It's not like the car should brick itself just because you drove outside of its cell phone range.
On the other hand, removing fuses or leaving connections unterminated tells the system that something is definitely wrong, that something needs to be repaired, and that maybe it should prevent operation until it can be fixed (for your own safety, of course).
This is just my understanding, though. If I'm wrong, I'm happy to learn differently.
Edit: " "
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Comment on Can I defeat telematics in a GM car? in ~transport
carsonc LinkSo, GM has these special coax connectors called Fakra Z. If you get a Fakra Z to SMA adapter, you can disconnect the cellular antenna and replace it with a 50 Ohm terminal. First, though, you...So, GM has these special coax connectors called Fakra Z. If you get a Fakra Z to SMA adapter, you can disconnect the cellular antenna and replace it with a 50 Ohm terminal.
First, though, you would have find said cellular antenna connection, which could be anywhere. I'm not familiar with the Lyriq (we only have the Volt), but someone on the internet said that "Its behind the right wall of the cargo area. Youll have to remove the floor storage to properly get into that panel to access the module." [cadillacforums.com]
Once you find this connection, you might need some instructions like those on this reddit post.
I have read the tutorials. I have purchased the parts. I have still not installed the fix. Good luck, friend.
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Comment on Good News Everyone! in ~news
carsonc LinkNASA is building the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor to find city-killer asteroids before they can threaten us. I was listening to this on the Science News podcast and they discussed how, despite...NASA is building the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor to find city-killer asteroids before they can threaten us. I was listening to this on the Science News podcast and they discussed how, despite the cuts to other programs, no one wanted to defund a mission that would protect earth by sighting asteroids that could wipe out an entire city.
Also, I'll plug the Science News Podcast as a font of (mostly) good news.
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Comment on Reading my first Stephen King novel - What are your favorites? in ~books
carsonc Link ParentI'll second the Dark Tower series. I think the series is uneven, bring written across several decades of King's life, but some of the books are inarguably amazing. The Gunslinger and Wizard and...I'll second the Dark Tower series. I think the series is uneven, bring written across several decades of King's life, but some of the books are inarguably amazing. The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass are my favorites from the series.
I'll also make a plug for Lisey's Story, which is, among many things, a study in a marriage.
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Comment on ‘Zootopia 2’ jumps to $556.4m global opening for biggest WW start of 2025 in ~movies
carsonc Link ParentThe originals were both unforgettable for me. We have seen Moana and Zootopia many, many times at home. The songs to Moana are engraved in my memory, many in a language that I do not speak nor...The originals were both unforgettable for me. We have seen Moana and Zootopia many, many times at home. The songs to Moana are engraved in my memory, many in a language that I do not speak nor understand. Zootopia had really well written plot twists and a cast of new and engaging characters. For all the eye-popping opening weekend figures, I wonder if the sequels will be rewatched in streaming in the same way the originals were.
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Comment on Shock discovery reveals sea urchins are basically 'all brain' in ~science
carsonc LinkI smell another Adrian Tchaikovsky book cooking, Children of Spine.Therefore, our data, which demonstrate the expression of several vertebrate CNS homologs in tissues throughout the sea urchin juvenile nervous system, not only support the head-like hypothesis for echinoderm axial patterning but also suggest that the nervous system of these allegedly “brainless” animals features an “all-brain” organization. Last, the conservation of these molecular fingerprints in other echinoderms suggests that the brain-like organization hypothesis may apply to the entire echinoderm clade.
I smell another Adrian Tchaikovsky book cooking, Children of Spine.
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Comment on The death of punctuation in ~humanities.languages
carsonc LinkAt thease tymes, we look unto the work of the grait Dr Timothy Dexter to whom many complane that he hath put no stops I now put A Nuf here and thay may peper and solt it as they plese...At thease tymes, we look unto the work of the grait Dr Timothy Dexter to whom many complane that he hath put no stops I now put A Nuf here and thay may peper and solt it as they plese
''''''''''''''''''''’''''''""'''"'""'"""''''’'''''’""""''"""“"""""“ ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,...….......….............................................................::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; -----------. …...
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Comment on Cataloging your home library in ~books
carsonc LinkI have no experience, but I would be tempted to try this Home Library Management System on GitHub. These kinds of one-person passion projects are, to me, one of the best features of the internet.I have no experience, but I would be tempted to try this Home Library Management System on GitHub. These kinds of one-person passion projects are, to me, one of the best features of the internet.
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Comment on World Population Counter in ~humanities
carsonc Link ParentThe other two stories in that book - The World as Cataclysm and The Upside-Down Evolution - have become foundational texts for how I think about the topics they cover. I look forward to your...The other two stories in that book - The World as Cataclysm and The Upside-Down Evolution - have become foundational texts for how I think about the topics they cover. I look forward to your thoughts on them.
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Comment on World Population Counter in ~humanities
carsonc Link ParentYou might enjoy reading Stanislaw Lem's short story, One Human Minute. This is precisely the kind of thing that book would have envisioned, but perhaps more expansive. Not just births and deaths,...You might enjoy reading Stanislaw Lem's short story, One Human Minute. This is precisely the kind of thing that book would have envisioned, but perhaps more expansive. Not just births and deaths, but also bodily functions and life events and so on.
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Comment on OpenAI moves to complete potentially the largest theft in human history in ~tech
carsonc LinkNot to defend OpenAI, but I can't figure out: what is being stolen from whom and how? It seems like the controlling interests around OpenAI changed their minds about what the non-profit retains vs...Not to defend OpenAI, but I can't figure out: what is being stolen from whom and how? It seems like the controlling interests around OpenAI changed their minds about what the non-profit retains vs the for-profit portion of the enterprise.
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Comment on How to stop negative thoughts and reset your mind for positive thinking in ~health.mental
carsonc Link ParentI'm glad that the suggestions in the video are working for you. I hope you feel that posting to Tildes about issues of mental health is a tacit solicitation of advice, because, if not, please...I'm glad that the suggestions in the video are working for you. I hope you feel that posting to Tildes about issues of mental health is a tacit solicitation of advice, because, if not, please forgive me. That said, if this is an ongoing challenge, you might consider looking into the work of David Burns Feeling Good. For myself, I find that, even though I haven't touched the book in years, I still find myself referencing it in conversations with friends and family.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), where Burns made a name for himself, is believed to be particularly effective with anxiety.
Here is a link to The Musk Partisan Effect on Tesla Sales, the paper referenced in the article. Fascinating how one can be rewarded so generously for demonstrably hampering sales so dramatically. The paper doesn't mention BYD and we can imagine a world where BYD enters the US market and cuts into Tesla sales by the same amount in the absence of partisan activities, but I doubt that the current administration was eager to encourage a Chinese entrant to the US auto market.