Mr. Tact wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 15:25:

RedEye9 wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 13:33:

jdreyer wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 13:30:
Motor Vehicle Deaths in 2020 Estimated to be Highest in 13 Years, Despite Dramatic Drops in Miles Driven.

Surprising, I would have thought a drop in deaths by 25% over 2019. I wonder what the cause is. Self driving cars can't come soon enough.

My uneducated guess is less public transportation use.
You have a lot of people that went out and bought vehicles so they could avoid buses and subways, and most of them I bet are unskilled drivers.

I bet the number of fender benders are through the roof.

I was going to guess, "No traffic, BABY! Pedal to the metal!"

Appears that you're correct.
An increase in speed attributed crashes. (Increased risk taking behavior)
NPR
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/20/979491437/despite-reduced-traffic-accidents-have-increased
2020 showed a 100% increase in traffic tickets for people driving 100 miles per hour. Minnesota

Frans showing once again why he is "The Man".

How many times do you all need reminding to not bury site questions/issues in a news forum thread, but raise them in General Discussions? A lot more times I guess...

Anyway...

Acleacius wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 13:53:
Still hoping one day, to be able to login and return to the intended page to post.-
If there is no current post in an article you want to post in. You login, then get stuck, have to return to the Bluesnews.com, and then back to the article page.

See here.

Acleacius wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 13:53:
Doing a Search, it would be nice to have a Page Count. -
I was trying to see if you already had posted the story of Kojima's exit after finding a decent story but had no idea how many pages I was going to be searching through.

Done, for both news and forums. Thanks, this was one of those little why-didn't-I-think-of-that-ten-years-ago tweaks.

Kxmode wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 14:04:

Mr. Tact wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 07:49:

Kxmode wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 02:17:
And the episode, Darmok explains how nomenclature can render the UT useless. "The situation is analogous to understanding the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary," as Data puts it. Technically speaking, if the UT followed the rules, its use would be quite limited.

The Darmok episode is a fan and critic favorite. I like it too, but it does have serious problems.

The concept of a language which uses metaphors as the major component is intriguing to say the least. I could see it being purposely developed as a formal or perhaps royal dialect. A way of speaking for special occasions. But the idea a race which builds and uses interstellar spaceships, which have communications, weapons, shields, matter transport, seemingly all the technology the Federation has and using such a language as their only communication is inconceivable. You can't discuss and design technology like that via metaphors. You can't measure wave frequency, mass, density, power fluctuations, etc., using metaphors. You can't research chemical interactions, physics, and other very technical subjects using metaphors. If nothing else they would have to have a "technology language" for these things. And they would realize the need to have a language of this nature to communicate with any species which did not share the cultural basis for their formal dialect.

It is a fun episode, but ultimately quite nonsensical.

Agreed. The Tamarians were the disposable "alien of the week." When DS9 premiered, my thought was, "Why the Bajorans?" The series fleshed out other aliens like Fereghi, Cardassian, Breen, and so forth, but the Bajorans remained the series's centerpiece. There are many other exciting races the series could have chosen as the centerpiece. Chief among them were the Tamarians. I wish the series could have had the Federation learn more about their people and exciting language. Maybe even have an episode where the UT team visits the Tamarian homeworld to learn essential words to add to the device, and in doing so, the viewers learn more about language.

While I love that episode (even if it's illogical as pointed out by others) I'm not sure you could really base an entire show around them. The entire point of making the Kardashians Cardassians and Bajorans the central races of DS9 was to explore some of the complex geopolitical issues that affect humans today on Earth in the present. For that you truly need the ability to communicate in straight language to convey the social and political nuance such topics require.

Mr. Tact wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 13:40:

The Flying Penguin wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 12:24:
As a model for first contact, I really liked the movie Arrival. I enjoy it more and more each time I watch it. It really gets across how difficult it would be to establish communication with a completely alien species that we have no common linguistic framework with.

"Arrival" was awesome. I've watched it at least a dozen times and have it on 4k Blu-ray. Definitely the best sci-fi film of the that decade.

Truly one of the great hard-sci fi movies ever made. A true masterpiece. And Denis V is such a good director. I'm super stoked for his Dune.

Mr. Tact wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 07:49:

Kxmode wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 02:17:
And the episode, Darmok explains how nomenclature can render the UT useless. "The situation is analogous to understanding the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary," as Data puts it. Technically speaking, if the UT followed the rules, its use would be quite limited.

The Darmok episode is a fan and critic favorite. I like it too, but it does have serious problems.

The concept of a language which uses metaphors as the major component is intriguing to say the least. I could see it being purposely developed as a formal or perhaps royal dialect. A way of speaking for special occasions. But the idea a race which builds and uses interstellar spaceships, which have communications, weapons, shields, matter transport, seemingly all the technology the Federation has and using such a language as their only communication is inconceivable. You can't discuss and design technology like that via metaphors. You can't measure wave frequency, mass, density, power fluctuations, etc., using metaphors. You can't research chemical interactions, physics, and other very technical subjects using metaphors. If nothing else they would have to have a "technology language" for these things. And they would realize the need to have a language of this nature to communicate with any species which did not share the cultural basis for their formal dialect.

It is a fun episode, but ultimately quite nonsensical.

Agreed. The Tamarians were the disposable "alien of the week." When DS9 premiered, my thought was, "Why the Bajorans?" The series fleshed out other aliens like Fereghi, Cardassian, Breen, and so forth, but the Bajorans remained the series's centerpiece. There are many other exciting races the series could have chosen as the centerpiece. Chief among them were the Tamarians. I wish the series could have had the Federation learn more about their people and exciting language. Maybe even have an episode where the UT team visits the Tamarian homeworld to learn essential words to add to the device, and in doing so, the viewers learn more about language.

The Flying Penguin wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 12:24:
As a model for first contact, I really liked the movie Arrival. I enjoy it more and more each time I watch it. It really gets across how difficult it would be to establish communication with a completely alien species that we have no common linguistic framework with.

"Arrival" was awesome. I've watched it at least a dozen times and have it on 4k Blu-ray. Definitely the best sci-fi film of that decade.

This comment was edited on Mar 9, 2021, 19:08.

Mr. Tact wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 07:49:

Kxmode wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 02:17:
And the episode, Darmok explains how nomenclature can render the UT useless. "The situation is analogous to understanding the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary," as Data puts it. Technically speaking, if the UT followed the rules, its use would be quite limited.

The Darmok episode is a fan and critic favorite. I like it too, but it does have serious problems.

The concept of a language which uses metaphors as the major component is intriguing to say the least. I could see it being purposely developed as a formal or perhaps royal dialect. A way of speaking for special occasions. But the idea a race which builds and uses interstellar spaceships, which have communications, weapons, shields, matter transport, seemingly all the technology the Federation has and using such a language as their only communication is inconceivable. You can't discuss and design technology like that via metaphors. You can't measure wave frequency, mass, density, power fluctuations, etc., using metaphors. You can't research chemical interactions, physics, and other very technical subjects using metaphors. If nothing else they would have to have a "technology language" for these things. And they would realize the need to have a language of this nature to communicate with any species which did not share the cultural basis for their formal dialect.

It is a fun episode, but ultimately quite nonsensical.

Yeah. As an engineer, much as I emotionally liked that episode, it's utter nonsense. What would dimensions on plans for a house look like? Instead 45 feet it would say 'Darmok walked in a breeze'? It's nonsense. There would have to be a separate engineering language. Maybe mostly mathematical in nature, and that at least would have been a common reference between our species and there's.

As a model for first contact, I really liked the movie Arrival. I enjoy it more and more each time I watch it. It really gets across how difficult it would be to establish communication with a completely alien species that we have no common linguistic framework with.

RedEye9 wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 11:40:
The mentally ill ‘QAnon Shaman-long-a-ding-dong’ will remain in jail. Judge slams his arguments as being ‘So frivolous as to insult the Court’s intelligence’
But that wasn’t the main reason they’re keeping him locked up. They don’t think he would come back to court if they cut him loose based on his previous statements. Not to mention his threats against the former veep.

Shama-lama-ding-dong

The mentally ill ‘QAnon Shaman-long-a-ding-dong’ will remain in jail. Judge slams his arguments as being ‘So frivolous as to insult the Court’s intelligence’
But that wasn’t the main reason they’re keeping him locked up. They don’t think he would come back to court if they cut him loose based on his previous statements. Not to mention his threats against the former veep.

RedEye9 wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 09:59:

jdreyer wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 04:47:

A decade of low cost power savings wiped out in 32 hours. Crazy. You didn't get hit did you? BoP? Someone else lives in TX, I forget.

It didn't affect me and i seriously doubt BoP would sign up for such a scheme.
As for those that did i remind them of this oldie but goodie "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is."

Waiting for the inevitable comment from politicians: "Texans would rather pay a $10,000 power bill than have the Federal Government messing in their electricity."

I would expect the AG to say those exact words.

What I would like to know and haven't seen in any of the articles I read on this subject is how much did people save prior to the storm via this pay the wholesale price deal? The only mentions I've read to this point have been non-specific and at least partially contradictory. If over ten years those people paid the same amount which others using standard power rates paid for one year of power. Well, my sympathy for their plight is going to be reduced by about nine tenths.

That said, as I have previously commented -- it never should have been allowed. But the politicians (and their close friends the power lobbyists) wanted deregulation. As I like to say, "TOYOTA! You asked for it, you got it!" I have little doubt many (if not most) of the people didn't sufficiently understand the risk. They simply signed up for the lowest rate they could get.

This comment was edited on Mar 9, 2021, 11:22.

jdreyer wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 04:47:

RedEye9 wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 21:28:
Texas Won't Reduce $16 Billion In Electricity Charges From Winter Storm

The word Friendship was adopted as the Texas state motto by the Forty-first Texas Legislature in February 1930.

A decade of low cost power savings wiped out in 32 hours. Crazy. You didn't get hit did you? BoP? Someone else lives in TX, I forget.

It didn't affect me and i seriously doubt BoP would sign up for such a scheme.
As for those that did i remind them of this oldie but goodie "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is."

Waiting for the inevitable comment from politicians: "Texans would rather pay a $10,000 power bill than have the Federal Government messing in their electricity."

I would expect the AG to say those exact words.
We already know that Texas elderly would rather die than see the economy harmed by lifesaving pandemic measures.

Twitter is sueing the Texas AG.

Kxmode wrote on Mar 9, 2021, 02:17:
And the episode, Darmok explains how nomenclature can render the UT useless. "The situation is analogous to understanding the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary," as Data puts it. Technically speaking, if the UT followed the rules, its use would be quite limited.

The Darmok episode is a fan and critic favorite. I like it too, but it does have serious problems.

The concept of a language which uses metaphors as the major component is intriguing to say the least. I could see it being purposely developed as a formal or perhaps royal dialect. A way of speaking for special occasions. But the idea a race which builds and uses interstellar spaceships, which have communications, weapons, shields, matter transport, seemingly all the technology the Federation has and using such a language as their only communication is inconceivable. You can't discuss and design technology like that via metaphors. You can't measure wave frequency, mass, density, power fluctuations, etc., using metaphors. You can't research chemical interactions, physics, and other very technical subjects using metaphors. If nothing else they would have to have a "technology language" for these things. And they would realize the need to have a language of this nature to communicate with any species which did not share the cultural basis for their formal dialect.

It is a fun episode, but ultimately quite nonsensical.

RedEye9 wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 21:28:
Texas Won't Reduce $16 Billion In Electricity Charges From Winter Storm

The word Friendship was adopted as the Texas state motto by the Forty-first Texas Legislature in February 1930.

A decade of low cost power savings wiped out in 32 hours. Crazy. You didn't get hit did you? BoP? Someone else lives in TX, I forget.

Waiting for the inevitable comment from politicians: "Texans would rather pay a $10,000 power bill than have the Federal Government messing in their electricity."

The Half Elf wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 23:31:
Go all the way back to Undiscovered Country, when Uhura has more or less Klingon Dictionaries. Or further back with Hoshi on Enterprise figuring out languages for the UT. Take Cuban Spanish verses Mexico Spanish, or even some words from English to those in Spanish or Italian. It's like the saying to the effect of "Eskimo's have 50 words for snow", when most languages have multiple words that mean the same thing relatively speaking.

Or, as Memory Alpha puts it, "Because [The Ferengi] homeworld has an extremely rainy climate, the Ferengi have 178 different words for rain, in all its various forms." Pretty confident the UT cannot translate all of those into English. And the episode, Darmok explains how nomenclature can render the UT useless. "The situation is analogous to understanding the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary," as Data puts it. Technically speaking, if the UT followed the rules, its use would be quite limited.

Go all the way back to Undiscovered Country, when Uhura has more or less Klingon Dictionaries. Or further back with Hoshi on Enterprise figuring out languages for the UT. Take Cuban Spanish verses Mexico Spanish, or even some words from English to those in Spanish or Italian. It's like the saying to the effect of "Eskimo's have 50 words for snow", when most languages have multiple words that mean the same thing relatively speaking.

Kxmode wrote on Mar 8, 2021, 21:37:
Has anyone noticed in Star Trek episodes where there are no humans, the language spoken is still English? I thought about that after watching the DS9 episode "The House of Quark."

Yeah, it is one of the big things they paper over. In ST:DS9 when the Cardassians are introduced to the Breen as their new Dominion allies, Damar can't understand the Breen. He complains to Weyoun and then says (paraphrased), "If I had known we were meeting with the Breen I would have had my universal translator updated". This is one of a couple of nods I have noticed over all the Star Trek series which is apparently meant to make us think universal translators are ubiquitous... but it doesn't explain why with no human present that we, the audience, would hear English. And even if it was supposed to, why can't we understand the Breen?

That said, there have also been indications the UT isn't perfect. In another ST:DS9 episode Julian is working with the other genetically enhanced humans and they are analyzing a recording of Weyoun and switch the recording to native language mode. And in doing so learn something they could not determine from the UT's translation.

Maybe the fact I drove 5 minutes and saw over 30 people paying attention to their phone instead of actually driving, one of which was a police officer, is the reason behind the spikes.

Has anyone noticed in Star Trek episodes where there are no humans, the language spoken is still English? I thought about that after watching the DS9 episode "The House of Quark."