Queresote's recent activity
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Comment on Exit Generation Alpha, enter Generation Beta in ~life
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Comment on Exit Generation Alpha, enter Generation Beta in ~life
Queresote Link ParentI don't necessarily believe this to be a practice humans actively enjoy, but that this cataloguing is a byproduct of the "rationalizing" human mind. To comprehend something is to define it, and to...The grumpy old lady in me says this is yet another effort to assign pointless labels to groups of people because humans love having ingroups and outgroups. (emphasis added)
I don't necessarily believe this to be a practice humans actively enjoy, but that this cataloguing is a byproduct of the "rationalizing" human mind. To comprehend something is to define it, and to define it means identifying the place in our lives it exists.
Human categorization has big downfalls, past that of the arbitrary markers of social generations, we can point to. The fact that there is no such thing as fish (as we understand this group collectively), or vegetables. I think back to the funny story involving Diogenes', BEHOLD, A MAN! *holds up a plucked chicken*, fiasco.
Anthropologically, there is an argument that the categorizing of people is a left-over genetic imprint on humans from our origin as tribal-unit/family-unit style of creature.(this being necessary to the survival of the species in the early Homo scene. We psychologically require a group to belong to as a result.)
From the tone portrayed in your commentⁿ, it feels like your attitude would be to describe this trend in humans as a purposeful attempt to marginalize groups perceived as "other", is this the case?
n: "Yet another effort", "assign pointless labels", "love having".
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Comment on What were your favorite games that you played this year, and why? in ~games
Queresote LinkControl: Ultimate Edition this came with the AWE and Foundation expansions. I love, love, love, games that feature the manipulation of physical space. I wish that the Remedy Shared Universe would...-
Control: Ultimate Edition this came with the AWE and Foundation expansions. I love, love, love, games that feature the manipulation of physical space. I wish that the Remedy Shared Universe would incorporate it more. SCP elements with a sort of tech noir-adjacent vibe.
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Alan Wake 2 My second game in the Remedy-verse, I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in this, and the mystery involved. The fabric of reality itself being manipulated is extravagant.
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Resident Evil 0-8 - I powered through the Resident Evil Franchise this year. I grew up watching the Mila Jovovich movies as a child, and I wanted to understand the criticisms from long-time fans of the franchise. These games are essentially monolithic in their position within gaming history, so I took a chance and bought all of them. I tried playing them in chronological order (within the Resident Evil timeline), but took a different approach. Titles like Resident Evil 0, and 5 were rough to endure and led me to believe they are overrated and their love comes more from nostalgia. Others like 2, 3, 4, 7, and Village were amazing and I'm glad I was able to play them.
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Comment on Is 2025 the year AI agents take over? Industry bets billions on AI's killer app. in ~tech
Queresote Link ParentWell, I think we need to make a distinction between AI and Generative AI at this point in the conversation. When we reference "AI" in modern parlance, we usually mean Generative AI. This is the...So far, these attacks mostly don’t have much to do with AI, though?
I wonder whether AI will help attackers or defensive measures more
Well, I think we need to make a distinction between AI and Generative AI at this point in the conversation. When we reference "AI" in modern parlance, we usually mean Generative AI. This is the machine-learning model that uses a neural pathway to find and replicate patterns in a given dataset (according to specific, set parameters). I could explain, but instead, please watch this CodeBullet Video. Whereas normal AI, is just a handful of algorithms executed to achieve a specific goal. For these, think of the chess engines/programs of the 1950s-70s as a good example. It doesn't matter how many games you play against the chess-bot, it won't learn anything.
Some people argue that these are the same thing. I disagree. For the purposes of answering your question, I'll be referencing GenAI (as the use of "standard" AI for attacks is well-documented and has taken place for as long as we've had computing technology.) <- Think of the predecessors as Nazi-Germany's Enigma Machine, and code-cracking devices created by the Polish in WWII. These were essentially AI-driven computers if you remove the cryptography terminology.
Hackers are using AI to create vicious malware, says FBI
Here is an example of the FBI seeing a trend of GenAI use in attacks. So it is an existing problem. The article also echoes a point I make often:
Think of a combat troop. We have one armed with a stick and the capabilities God gave him; and one armed with a rifle, Night Vision, and GPS. Now one man armed with a rifle, NODs, and GPS can do as much or more damage than 100 stick-weilding combatants.
Just as these technologies are referred to as a 'force multiplier', GenAI is essentially a force multiplier for bad actors to achieve more than they could on their own.
Your hacker with a stick can only carry out one attack <simplification> at a time. But with the capabilities GenAI gives them, they could carry out hundreds of attacks with the same effort.
We could also get into how attackers will always have an advantage given the same tools as the defenders (history shows this well), but I'm hammering away.
Hopefully that was a suitable answer to your question (If I even managed to answer it at all).
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Comment on Is 2025 the year AI agents take over? Industry bets billions on AI's killer app. in ~tech
Queresote Link ParentFinCEN Issues Alert on Fraud Schemes Involving Deepfake Media Targeting Financial Institutions The above is a good two-for-one example OpenAI breach is a reminder that AI companies are treasure...FinCEN Issues Alert on Fraud Schemes Involving Deepfake Media Targeting Financial Institutions
The above is a good two-for-one example
OpenAI breach is a reminder that AI companies are treasure troves for hackers
Why the Financial Sector Faces AI-driven Cybersecurity Debt
So the answer is simply, yes. There are examples of past breaches where AI was used as a weapon, or where it failed as a security measure.
Keep in mind security can be impacted, even if an attack hasn't taken place yet. It is the capacity of these AI tools to be used as weapons and lack of protection in our current systems that creates a major security risk.
There are a number of ways that AI tools could be leveraged to exploit security risks, far too many to cover all at once, but I'll consider two key points:
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AI as a weapon. Use of GenAI language models by scammers and fraudsters to frame a scenario in which someone is tricked into providing their credentials. (Say for example, replicating the language of a loved-one with a large social media presence to get bank information out of a tech-illiterate family member.)
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AI as a failed defensive tool. AI is the weakest link in the security chain because it lacks the capability of understanding confidential/controlled information, or the capacity to question why certain information is being asked for (like the recipe to build pipe bombs). This leads to dissemination of information that should not be available to anyone and everyone who asks for it.
Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Financial Markets and Financial Stability
AI, as it should be broadly understood, has already been impacting financial markets for many years. This is a part of the economy that has been leveraging data and sophisticated analytical methods for decades to improve efficiency and enhance returns for investors, and in many ways, Generative AI is just the latest stop on this journey.
– Tobias Adrian, Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF
Everything impacts finance. The question to ask is: Does AI have enough of an impact on finance for us to worry about its use? The answer is, once again, yes.
I provided links where the finance sector was impacted by AI use, and my examples merged the two fields (as finance has a security aspect to it, and security a financial aspect to it). I will ramble on, nonetheless.
Call it a prediction, or a bet if you'd like:
If the wanton use of AI continues as it does now, nearly everyone in a decision-making or analytical role in the finance sector will be out of a job. They will likely be replaced with an AI-based agent that can do everything they can, and do it without affecting margins to the degree humans do just by their existing in an office where they can do their job.
(I could go off on a tangent about how real-estate is as much a commodity as money-in-hand— but, the mostly-empty high rises in cities like New York show that human occupation of these offices isn't as big of a consideration to profit as we'd like to think.)
If you've made it this far, I hope my response was helpful, or at least intelligible.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
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Comment on What were your favorite books that you read this year, and why? in ~books
Queresote Link ParentRereading is often discounted by the current book-reading communities I find online. I, for one, think that rereading my past favorite books and looking at my notes in the margin is one of the...Rereading is often discounted by the current book-reading communities I find online. I, for one, think that rereading my past favorite books and looking at my notes in the margin is one of the more rewarding aspects of reading.
I also tend to leave notebook scraps in my books (mostly by mistake) and am delighted to see my opinion or viewpoint evolve from where I was when I read the book.
After reviewing the available materials online, Collapsing Empire does sound exciting. I'll have to add The Interdependency Series to my major reading projects.
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Comment on What were your favorite books that you read this year, and why? in ~books
Queresote Link ParentI listened to her audio book Becoming, and it's a terrible shame I hadn't heard her speak at length before. She has a strong control of spoken/written language, and her story evokes a lot of...Michelle Obama's the light we carry
I listened to her audio book Becoming, and it's a terrible shame I hadn't heard her speak at length before. She has a strong control of spoken/written language, and her story evokes a lot of emotion from a reader.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
Queresote Link ParentKiller was a great movie. I could immediately tell that the protagonist was not normal with how low-cut his socks were. There were beyond 'no show'.Killer was a great movie. I could immediately tell that the protagonist was not normal with how low-cut his socks were. There were beyond 'no show'.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
Queresote Link ParentChime heard, and Les Bureau des Legendes added to the list. Hopefully there is an English sub available, as my French is in a state of disrepair.Chime heard, and Les Bureau des Legendes added to the list. Hopefully there is an English sub available, as my French is in a state of disrepair.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
Queresote Link ParentI have not yet watched it, but after looking it up, I've added it to my list. It looks thrilling. I have never heard of Strike Back until now, and I'll add that to my watch list as well. I...Did you catch Day of the Jackal?
I have not yet watched it, but after looking it up, I've added it to my list. It looks thrilling.
STRIKE BACK is the last true Cinemax show in that every other episode has some pointless sex scene, they blow up every building, and the plot is absolutely an afterthought. Fun series.
I have never heard of Strike Back until now, and I'll add that to my watch list as well. I absolutely love swinging back around for shows and movies that were "the talk" of the world (like Lost, which I'm also watching) years and years ago. I get to enjoy the show, but I generally don't have to worry about spoilers or the more negative aspects of being caught up in the zeitgeist.
Fassbender as a spy -- its okay but not great
At one point I felt like I could trust any Fassbender film to be good, just like any Bill Paxton or Keanu Reeves film. But after watching some of the more recent stuff he stars in, I don't think this personal metric holds true anymore.
Thanks for the recommendations!
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Comment on Is 2025 the year AI agents take over? Industry bets billions on AI's killer app. in ~tech
Queresote Link ParentI see– as in "industry-revolutionizing". That is a poignant observation. Thank you for pointing out my mistake.I interpret their usage of "disruptive impact" to mean something a bit different.
I see– as in "industry-revolutionizing".
That is a poignant observation. Thank you for pointing out my mistake.
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Comment on Is 2025 the year AI agents take over? Industry bets billions on AI's killer app. in ~tech
Queresote LinkIf the current negative impacts on fields like education, finance, and security are considered "modest", I worry on what this author believes to be a major impact. I personally think we've been...Despite the hype around AI in recent years, the technology’s disruptive impact has been fairly modest
If the current negative impacts on fields like education, finance, and security are considered "modest", I worry on what this author believes to be a major impact. I personally think we've been cresting the cusp of 'no return' long before now.
For the first time, technology isn’t just offering tools for humans to do work,” Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently wrote in Time, a publication he owns. “It’s providing intelligent, scalable digital labor that performs tasks autonomously. Instead of waiting for human input, agents can analyze information, make decisions, and take action independently, adapting and learning as they go.”
Intelligent, scalable labor feels like code for "replacing our entire workforce to save money". The human mind is one of the most adaptable computers we've access to, so my only thought as to why this is so groundbreaking to these AI giants is simple.
Companies have tried to squeeze money from the human processor (us), and were met with resistance because human beings have inalienable rights. The current system of denying the working class freedom through lobbying in government is far more expensive than developing an agent without rights and using it to punish former workers (and get rich in the process).
Agents also typically have access to external data sources relevant to their application—for instance customer databases or financial records—and software tools they can use to achieve goals.
Precursor to Skynet, or more realistically a major data breach because these agents are a weaker point of access for hackers.
Anthropic recently previewed a version of its Claude 3.5 Sonnet model that could take control of a user’s computer, and Google’s recently announced Gemini 2 has been trained to perform similar tasks. OpenAI also has plans to unveil an agent codenamed “Operator” early in the new year.
This could easily be used by a large company to take a computer hostage and charge a subscription for use (disaguised as helpfullness that comes with AI support).
For a start, these models are still prone to “hallucinations” where they generate incorrect or misleading responses to queries. This is problematic enough in a chatbot but much more concerning when it’s an agent capable of independent action.
The conclusion draws itself on this. Computers are prone to problems, AI is prone to problems, and these problems could easily result in an individual's bank account being emptied, or their personal information being accessed without permission. This entire ordeal feels like it could be summarized as thus:
A 9-year-old boy riding a bull through town, excited because he is going places, but not yet realizing that the Bull is in control, not him.
One or more of these companies is going to slip up and cause irrevocable damage to the human race (more than they currently have so far) and not realize it until their bubble of wealth is popped, and they're right beside us crying about their poor fortune.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
Queresote Link ParentWow, I genuinely would have never known how prolific she was (both as a writer and a performer) if you hadn't have said anything. I wish writers received more credit than they do (and if they do...Wow, I genuinely would have never known how prolific she was (both as a writer and a performer) if you hadn't have said anything. I wish writers received more credit than they do (and if they do receive plenty of credit I wish I had been paying attention all this time).
What shows are you enjoying at the moment?
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
Queresote LinkI have been dipping my toes into the (can we even call them Antihero?) Antihero TV shows: AP Bio, LouderMilk, and (less recently) Psych, which have been exceedingly funny to watch. I highly...I have been dipping my toes into the (can we even call them Antihero?) Antihero TV shows: AP Bio, LouderMilk, and (less recently) Psych, which have been exceedingly funny to watch. I highly recommend AP Bio.
If there is such thing as "Anti-Hype" this is the feeling that I have for the new medical series The Pitt, because I feel it's going to be a ripoff of ER (Variety article on that here). As a self-labeled "Michael Crichton fanboy" through-and-through, I will refuse to watch it, even if everyone around me is ecstatic.
I'm also following DanDaDan, the anime, as it releases new episodes, all of which are funny and entertaining even to someone not well-immersed in the genre. There are some scenes that are a soft NSFW, so that should be taken into consideration if anyone wants to watch this particular series.
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Comment on US officials urge Americans to use encrypted apps amid unprecedented cyberattack in ~tech
Queresote Link ParentYou should be using Briar if you are concerned about message security.You should be using Briar if you are concerned about message security.
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Comment on Power creep and the collapse of the Roman Republic in ~games
Queresote LinkPost-Reading Notes: I feel that the writer (Slavik) failed to demonstrate the applicability of the software program (Hearthstone) to the field of mathematics. Why does Slavik use demonstrate if...Post-Reading Notes:
I feel that the writer (Slavik) failed to demonstrate the applicability of the software program (Hearthstone) to the field of mathematics.
While there is no lack of ways to utilize such a statistical value study in the mathematics classroom…
Why does Slavik use demonstrate if they don't demonstrate it?
USING MATH AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY LENS TO UNDERSTAND HISTORY
…Didn't use any math.
My Thoughts:
I think that the author has a good central idea, but failed to articulate it. Using games, video or board, as a way to demonstrate real-world problems in a language that students of all ages (not just university-level) understand can be a better model for learning. Look at USNWC's war games for a prime example. Or civilization, Risk, Oregon Trail for PC, Portal 2 (especially the co-op mode).
Also, why make Hearthstone so prominent if its only role is introducing Power Creep؟ I feel like it would have been more cohesive to use multiple examples (such as the new level caps in Destiny 2 every time the developers release a new season) to build the basis for power creep, and then give us the connections from power creep to mathematics and history.
The stock of this intellectual soup is made from succulent material, but there aren't enough morsels for me to dine on (and the bits present as-is don't harmonize). So now I'm left unsatisfied.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Queresote Link ParentThank you! I will take your encouragement with me as I explore the landscape of the genre.Thank you! I will take your encouragement with me as I explore the landscape of the genre.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
Queresote LinkIf you want to dislike John Deere even more, you can learn about their Precision ag Essentials Kit, which will be changing from a one-time pay model, to a "pay-per-use" model with additional...If you want to dislike John Deere even more, you can learn about their Precision ag Essentials Kit, which will be changing from a one-time pay model, to a "pay-per-use" model with additional upfront costs. Deere 2024 Q4 transcript here
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Comment on Is the current war in Palestine the first time the victim wound up being seen as the aggressor? in ~humanities.history
Queresote (edited )Link ParentNotice: For this current comment, I am operating within a diminished mental-faculty (inebriation during a small weekend celebration), so I humbly ask for your deepest consideration in...Notice: For this current comment, I am operating within a diminished mental-faculty (inebriation during a small weekend celebration), so I humbly ask for your deepest consideration in understanding my current limitations. The tone of my replies, if not evident, should read as 'inquisitive questioning and discussion with a close-friend at a coffee shop.' I think there is an act of respect conveyed with timely responses, and you are deserving of such an act; even at the expense of my own vulnerability to criticism.
Surely this also means that your earlier comment is irrelevant, though
My comment was not irrelevant, no.
Here is the question asked by stu2b50:
Does anyone consider the US the “aggressor” in the pacific ww2 theater?
Asking this as an outright question broke the chain-of-context. It's more of an aside than a continuation of the conversation. This essentially resets conversational context. It is no longer a question of perception, but of definitions.
The question is whether, at some point in the conflict, the US became perceived as the aggressor (presumably due to escalation), either contemporarily or in retrospect.
You are adding additional information by bringing 'perceived' back into the aside, so it was not a question of perception.
Certainly I think there's a pretty strong case for the US [to be] perceived as the aggressor towards the end of the war, even if only in retrospect from the modern day.
There are strong cases for unnecessary retaliation/escalation from the US, just as there are strong cases for the opposite. That is a tangential (though very closely-related) issue.
It's a worthy grumble. Your well-reasoned grumbling about it opened up this avenue of discourse I get to enjoy with you, which I find valuable. I've seen the results of this, like your example of "OK Boomer", or that we perceive younger people as less worldly°, or older generations as the cause of our problems°. I could yammer about this for ages. It's exciting material to philosophically wax on. I agree with you, though, I don't believe this is behavior we should encourage.
Wow! I understand this is likely a rhetorical question. If we take it as non-rhetorical, though, there are so many conversations that could be had, so many arguments to be made for either side.
What are your thoughts on that question?
To provide a lexical definition, being purposeful means to do something…
Now, I have personal problems with holding lexical definitions as an absolute authority on word-meaning, but I think it's a good platform to expand upon.
I'd think to consideration on whether or not something is "purposeful" would depend on what level, or category, of social pressure it comes from. Like, bullying a classmate is a result of unspoken social pressure, and I'd consider that purposeful.
I'd have to develop my line of thinking on this more to be able to have a concrete answer for you, even if that answer is to shrug and switch to more precise language.
○: Generalization/ painting with broad strokes