The Deep North

I have been using my Hisense 100L5G laser TV as a computer monitor. It worked fine, except when certain things were on the screen. Then it would flicker off and on and display "Optimized for game settings". Some have suggested that this is an issue with the HDMI cable. However, I found that there is a setting on my TV called "Instant Game Response". It was on by default. Turning it off fixed the problem for me. On my TV it is buried in the menus like so: Settings Menu->Picture->Advanced Settings->Instant Game Response Navigate to the setting and turn it off. 

As a rule, I avoid this type of speculation because I don’t want to aid anybody in cracking/penetrating systems. However, AI attacks are happening or going to happen anyway.  First, a lot of the global ‘attack surface’ is insecure by design and we need to acknowledge that and fix it.  Second, AI presents unique challenges, and we are absolutely not ready to deal with it.  Third, one of the things we should be doing on an ongoing basis is using AI to mitigate problems that arise due to AI.  AI technologies introduce unique challenges to cybersecurity, as they can generate a broad spectrum of automated attacks and countless variations of known penetration techniques. The agility and scale of AI-generated threats demand a proactive approach to defense, one that uses AI itself to anticipate vulnerabilities and devise countermeasures before they are exploited. To meet this need, the proposed model uses Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) trained on codified penetration...

This is a response to a question on Quora about the challenges of developing AI systems capable of dealing with human emotions.  Going from the other answers [on Quora] I would say that the first obstacle might be to get people to believe it is possible. I am strongly of the opinion that it is operationally possible and conceptually a “slam dunk”. By ‘operationally’, I mean that we can train an AI to recognize all the various signals that people use to convey their state of mind, including temporal, social, geographical, and cultural context. We can do that in the same relatively well-established way we use GANs to work back and forth with photos, speech and other types of input data. If we can assemble the data, we can create an AI that both recognizes emotional states and operates appropriately by expressing the appropriate emotional state as a response. Going from what we have seen in the past year, such a system would likely take less than a year to train, ground-up, both to ‘r...

Identity Verification Protocol in the Age of Advanced AI In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) has reached unprecedented capabilities, the lines between reality and simulation are increasingly blurred. Deepfake technologies can convincingly replicate human voices, facial expressions, and even behaviors, posing significant risks to personal and public safety. Scenarios such as fraudulent distress calls or fake kidnappings are no longer the stuff of science fiction but a looming reality. In this context, traditional methods of identity verification—passwords, biometrics, or even multi-factor authentication—may no longer suffice. To address these challenges, we introduce a robust Identity Verification Protocol that combines cryptographic keys, QR codes, and situation-specific passwords. This multi-layered approach aims to provide a foolproof method for confirming an individual's identity and situation in real-time. By integrating these elements, the protocol offers a comprehens...

There is a post making the rounds that starts like this:  "I’m a nurse. I’ve been one for 13 years. It wasn’t until about 5 years ago... I started asking these very questions." It then goes on to pose a bunch of questions in all caps Unicode characters that criticize doctors for a variety of things the nurse apparently does not understand very well. Note that the highly unusual Unicode characters are almost certainly intended to avoid detection by automated systems looking for spam and are not at all likely to be actually created by some disgruntled nurse. They could be intended as a way to stealthily make malicious materials or as a way to scan for suckers willing to pass on such things.  The post is not what it seems, but taking it at face value, I have several critiques of the claims made in this viral post: It oversimplifies complex medical issues and promotes a "one size fits all" approach that can be dangerous. What works for one person may not work or could e...

"Spielrein’s story is a case history of pathological patriarchy, anti-Semitism, Stalinism, Nazism, and genocide. It is also the story of an incredible pioneering thinker whose ideas were freely “borrowed” by the Great Men of Psychoanalysis whose followers conspired in defaming and demonizing Spielrein’s character and all traces of her subsequent 30-year history of intellectual and clinical work. To the extent to which Spielrein’s work was also feminist and female-centered, (or female-embodied), it constituted the forced disappearance of feminist knowledge which, as Australian scholar Dale Spender has so ably shown, has happened generation after generation, century after century. As a result, each feminist wave must continue reinventing the wheel of knowledge; few have broad shoulders upon which to stand." -- Raped By Carl Jung, Then Murdered by the Nazis by  Phyllis Chesler Nov  07, 2017 https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/sabina-spielrein-carl-jung

[Crosspost from  https://aichatlog.blogspot.com/ ] Medical Assistance in Dying: A Symptom, Not the Cause We all have a responsibility to care for one another, whether we openly acknowledge it or not. Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) exists to give people control over their destiny when they are in unbearable pain and see no other solution. If issues like preventable poverty are pushing people to seek MAID, the answer isn't to get rid of MAID. Instead, we should focus on addressing and eliminating these types of suffering, which can often be easily corrected.  In Canada, medical assistance in dying (MAID) has proven deeply controversial. Some disabled and impoverished individuals, despairing at their situations, have opted for MAID to end their suffering (Downie & Schuklenk, 2021). This has led some to argue MAID represents a failure of society's duty of care and threatens the vulnerable (Downie & Schuklenk, 2021). However, a close examination of Canada's MAID fram...

Philosophical discussions seem to center on disagreements about definitions, which are arbitrary. What does it mean to be conscious? From vocabulary.com: 'Conscious is a Latin word whose original meaning was “knowing" or "aware.” So a conscious person has an awareness of her environment and her own existence and thoughts. If you're "self-conscious," you're overly aware and even embarrassed by how you think you look or act.' Recent discussions about AI and consciousness can be confusing because they often ask questions about things that aren't well-defined. Let's look at it more simply: Consciousness as Awareness: I understand consciousness as awareness of myself. I am conscious when I'm awake and when I'm dreaming. When I'm asleep without dreams or sedated, I'm unconscious. We Are Simulators: We often put ourselves into our own thoughts and dreams, like being in a dream within a dream. Sometimes it feels so real we don't...

The Online News Act Threatens Innovation and Access to Information The Canadian government recently passed the controversial Online News Act (Bill C-18) which seeks to aid journalism organizations at the expense of undermining the open web. The notion that we should be collectively supporting a traditional news industry is dubious at best. The act takes a concerning approach of mandating that platforms like Meta pay licensing fees for linking to news content. This raises issues of cost, access, fairness, and innovation online. Even if we deem it advisable for the public to support it, there are better solutions for journalism that do not jeopardize the web.  Paywalls Could Limit Access and Shareability of News The act incentivizes paywalls by requiring compensation for snippets and links, which have traditionally been considered fair use (Geist, 2023). More paywalled content limits access to information that benefits society (Boudry, et al., 2019). This counters the web’s core valu...

One of the many annoying problems that crop up from time to time in Windows is the disappearance of a window. It shows on the Taskbar and <WindowsKey><Tab> will show it should be there somewhere. I've not had time to try this on another type of window since I finally tracked down a solution trying to get back consoles where I was right in the middle of working. One of the particularly annoying things about stuff like this is the conflation of the problem with something entirely different so that everywhere you go you find a solution to what is not your problem and not the problem being asked elsewhere but since the people answering only have a hammer everything is a nail. Whatever. In this instance the fix was the following sequence of steps: Click the icon for the missing window on the Taskbar Right click on the Window Icon that appears.  Click on Properties At least in this case, a properties dialog will appear underneath which is the now magically revealed Window....

Here are discussions and next steps for each point in the post about  Student Centered AI Enhanced Principles 1. Inherent Worth and Dignity Every student has inherent worth that deserves respect, regardless of background, ability, or identity. This principle of human dignity must be the ethical foundation for education. Each child arrives with unique experiences, strengths, needs and perspectives that enrich classrooms. An education system built on dignity embraces neurodiversity, honors multiculturalism, and nurtures self-esteem. Next Steps: Implement culturally sustaining pedagogy that affirms students' backgrounds. Universal design and inclusion support neurodiverse learning needs. Social-emotional learning (SEL) teaches self-awareness, self-management and relationship skills. 2. AI-Driven Personalized Learning AI can provide ongoing assessment to enable fully customized learning. Unlike standardized curricula, AI systems adapt to each student's strengths, needs, motivation...

I am working on an update to my post about how Our Education System is Broken. This is a second draft of a manifesto that outlines what we could do to fix it.  Update note: This document, titled 'Education Reimagined,' is intended to lay down the foundational principles that will frame a larger and evolving discussion about the future of education. While the term 'manifesto' has been used to describe it, reflecting its true dictionary definition as a declaration of intentions, it is recognized that this word may be seen as provocative to some readers. Please know that the intent here is not to provoke but to inspire and engage in meaningful dialogue. If the term 'manifesto' is a barrier, you may choose to view this as a 'statement of underlying principles' that seeks to bring together diverse perspectives in shaping an education system that respects and nurtures the individuality and potential of every learner. Education Reimagined: A Student-Centered, A...

Pantone 448 C, called 'opaque couché', was voted the “World's Ugliest Color”. That's why it's the color of tobacco products now. As far as I'm concerned it's a mean-spirited form of nanny-state terrorism. Q: What should we do to people who don't feel good without having a smoke? A: Make them feel worse. What's next? Should smokers be forbidden to wear shoes? That would cut down smoking. Maybe instead of trying to make a miserable segment of the population sadder they should look into making people feel better so they don't feel the need to alter their body chemistry. Also, excessive taxation of tobacco is a punitive regressive tax on the poor. Finally, as technology improves are we going to add 'jump scares' to the packs?

Things that fit together according to the scientific paradigm are what I use to speculate on the design of intelligent aliens.  Living things need an atmosphere. A planet needs a certain minimal amount of gravity to maintain an atmosphere. Intelligent creatures need a large brain. The carrying capacity of a skeleton increases with the square of the linear size of an animal. The weight it must carry increases with the cube of the linear distance. A brain needs to be fairly large so between the gravity and the necessity for a large brain, alien size needs to be near where we are -- too small and not enough brain. Too big and too much weight for bones. They likely have lungs due to the same sort of thing. The necessity for oxygen increases with the cube, the area to transport oxygen increases with the square. They need to gather oxygen from a surface area larger than their ordinary surface area allows. Evolution conserves across different time scales. Animals like us have coverin...

[Note: Prompt (below reply this time because too big) not exactly as illustrated because it took a couple of tries to straighten out GPT-4s lazy (literally) interpretation first time out. This post illustrates these things: (1) Reply is dependant on the history of the conversation, the skill of the person making the prompt, random chance, and how GPT interprets the style. In this case, the request to write in the style of a Pulitzer shows how that aspect of the prompt colors the text, and also that bombastically ornate Pulitzer style stuff is not actually great writing.] [ChatGPT-4 Reply] As we cast our gaze upon the digital horizon, an unprecedented challenge emerges. Experts increasingly regard this as not only remarkably complex but also fraught with potential danger, a situation so delicate that addressing it risks exacerbating the very threat it poses (Bostrom, 2016). The omnipresent, silently evolving systems that underpin our online world have now breached the threshold of human...