Posts by fulltimestudent

16

Artificial Intelligence and 2019

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

i was intrigued by a forecast made by damo academy, the in-house technology and science research arm of china's, huge e-commerce business,, alibaba.. they seem to be predicting the following technology trends for 2019 and that artificial intelligence would continue to be the ho area of progress.. so what do any techies hanging out here think?

safe predictions?

wild guesses?

fulltimestudent

Apologies for not following through on this post, I just got so busy that I had to drop a bunch of interests.

I wanted to post on the subject of AI because it seems to becoming more important all the time. Have also not had the time to search for another topic on the subject that I started a few years back. At that time, some posters were somewhat sceptical and I wanted to see what the current feelings/ conclusions on AI may be now?

The first poster (who may have been able to offer interesting insights on AI) seemed somewhat dismissive on the subject. But then I thought he may have been dismissive of my first post. I chose that list in my first post because it offered a series of sub-topics that could be explored. Its from a Chinese company because I spend most of my research time on what is happening in China,

And, from a Chinese perspective, what do you think about this planned Chinese deep-sea project that (it is suggested) will be (maybe) run by AI and manned by robots. Here's a conceptual image from the newspaper article (although the story was very vague about what the image was):

The story was posted in the (now) Hongkong based Asia Times, which is still owned ( I believe) by David Goldman, a former NY financier.

Link: http://www.atimes.com/article/chinas-atlantean-ambition-for-the-south-china-sea//?fbclid=IwAR3jJ0KfGYqJygym-iU7bEz0gbQNvBOmz7ApFwKLif_zo9iq0rvSvsCQur4

Quote: "The proposed new base, which could in theory be operated 24/7 through usage of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, would dramatically bolster China’s quest for superiority in a largely unseen underwater struggle for one of the world’s most important waterways."

and.

"One reported candidate location for the proposed base is the Manila Trench, which reaches a depth of about 5,400 meters and is known to be pervaded by negative gravity anomalies. .... The ambitious project was launched in early December by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, according to media reports. "

At a depth of 5.4 km such a project could not be manned by humans. But will it work? I guess we will have to wait and see. (well, maybe I wont see, as the limits of my existence are in sight)

I'll get around to commenting on the other posts soon.

16

Artificial Intelligence and 2019

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

i was intrigued by a forecast made by damo academy, the in-house technology and science research arm of china's, huge e-commerce business,, alibaba.. they seem to be predicting the following technology trends for 2019 and that artificial intelligence would continue to be the ho area of progress.. so what do any techies hanging out here think?

safe predictions?

wild guesses?

fulltimestudent

I was intrigued by a forecast made by DAMO Academy, the in-house technology and science research arm of China's, huge e-commerce business,, Alibaba.

They seem to be predicting the following technology trends for 2019 and that artificial intelligence would continue to be the ho area of progress.

So what do any techies hanging out here think? Safe predictions? Wild guesses? Pr unlikely?

1. Real-time urban simulation to become possible - Dynamic and real-time urban infrastructure data on traffic, water, electricity and air quality will be analyzed by large-scale computing platforms. More cities in China are expected to have a “city brain.”

2. Speech AI in certain areas to pass Turing Test - People can “talk” to more and more public facilities powered by AI as the voice becomes an increasingly important interface able to pass the so-called Turing Test whereby a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equals that of a human. The report said rules and regulations need to be established to regulate the industry and avoid misusing technology in advertisements, harassing phone calls and fraud.

3. Specialized AI chips on the rise - Specialized AI chips may challenge the dominant position of GPUs for AI training in data centers. The new generation of AI chips, which will apply 3D-based stacking and stocking technology, will become a new trend.

4. Super-large graph neural networks (GNNs) to equip machines with “common sense” - Robust GNNs will function similar to a human brain and its neurons, equipping machines with comprehension and cognitive capabilities.

5. Computing architecture to be restructured - Fundamental changes to computing will include the transition from CPU-centered general computing to domain-specific computing driven by applications and technology, accelerating the arrival of AI and the quantum-computing era.

6. 5G networks to enable new applications - The fifth generation of wireless technology (5G) will enable thorough integration of communication and connections between machines, benefiting areas such as cooperative vehicle-infrastructure systems and the industrial Internet.

7. Digital identity to become our second ID card - Biometric technology is maturing and being applied on a large scale, making our digital identity a second ID card.

8. Development in autonomous driving to be more prudent - In the next two to three years, new technological progress should be felt in some commercial areas such as logistics and transportation, with fixed-route public transport and unmanned delivery around commercial buildings and campuses.

9. Commercial application of blockchain to gain speed - People are more rational about the prospects of blockchain, which was once overhyped. More and more blockchain applications will be seen in our daily life such as cross-border remittances, supply-chain financing, electronic invoices and tamper-proof judicial records.

10. Data-protection technologies to thrive - Governments around the world intend to implement more stringent policies and regulations on data security. Corporations will need to invest more in protecting individual privacy data.

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Link: http://www.ecns.cn/news/cns-wire/2019-01-02/detail-ifzcitha9949624.shtml?fbclid=IwAR21Y6VA-IY3X-kZzQdYEg5Zn6mZwK3NztQVL16KucXsML8GW3hJ-nMc6is

10

Robert Alter Completes his New Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

the jewish telegraphic agency comments on alter's translation:.

https://www.jta.org/2018/11/21/culture/robert-alter-completes-monumental-translation-hebrew-bible.

translation is not an easy task.

fulltimestudent

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency comments on Alter's Translation:

https://www.jta.org/2018/11/21/culture/robert-alter-completes-monumental-translation-hebrew-bible

Translation is not an easy task. Finding a word that accurately conveys a word's original meaning is certainly one problem (witness Freddy's word choices), There are apparently some interesting word choices in Alter's translation.

Think about this one. Quote:"When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth then was welter and waste and darkness over the deep and God’s breath hovering over the waters, God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light."

Why use the word welter? Allter explains. Quote" "Which brings us back to “welter and waste.” The Hebrew term he renders in English is “tohu vavohu.” In his commentary, Alter wrote: “Tohu by itself means ‘emptiness’ or ‘futility,’” while vavohu appears nowhere else in the Bible — “coined to rhyme with the [tohu] and reinforce it, an effect I have tried to approximate in English by alliteration.” Hence, welter and waste."

7

When was Jesus born: Another interesting date.

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

quote: "jonathan cahn on the jim bakker show nov.12th, 2012. cahn uses detective work to figure out that jesus was born on the first day of the jewish new year, known as nissan 1, in 6 b.c.

compelling correlation of jewish feast days and their foreshadowing of the life and work of jesus.".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptlsxttf6n0.

fulltimestudent

Quote: "Jonathan Cahn on the Jim Bakker Show Nov.12th, 2012. Cahn uses detective work to figure out that Jesus was born on the first day of the Jewish New Year, known as Nissan 1, in 6 B.C. Compelling correlation of Jewish Feast Days and their foreshadowing of the life and work of Jesus."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptlsXtTf6n0

Cahn is a Rabbi and his arguments are interesting. But for me, the most interesting aspect of his arguments are, that if he is correct, we need to ask whether the unknown gospel writers wrote their documents to make their picture of Jesus fit their view of OT teachings?

2

Japan’s who’s who in branch explains How to deal with shunning.

by yoko N in

https://youtu.be/x-byd1iefnw.

fulltimestudent

Well, we really cant expect him to give a logical explanation, can we? why not? Necause there isn't one. So this student of the bible retreats into silence.

30

Christmas arrogance

by stillin in

one of the witness rebuttals that is used to belittle the christmas holiday is the one where they say that people reduce jesus christ to being just a baby in a manger, whereas the witnesses recognize him as a mighty king, a much more accurate and current way to view jesus.

a baby in a manger is a sweet sight on any day, it's true, but more is going on than meets the eye in the case of jesus.

this particular baby is the first baby to have been born without an earthly father, the immaculate conception.

fulltimestudent

Xmas is not a celebration of either a baby jesus or a mature jesus. Xmas is a celebration of an elderly, gift bearing old man, with long white whiskers, dressed in a red suit,

In any case, why would anyone want to celebrate the birth of a want-to-be mass murderer?

22

What Does Secular History Tell Us About the Twelve Apostles? - From National Geographic.

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

the national geographic web-site publishes this story:.

these 12 men shaped christianity—but were they real?.

link: : https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160306-bible-apostle-jesus-christian-religion-ngbooktalk/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20181222culture-resurfapostlesbooktalk::rid=&sf204668865=1.

fulltimestudent

The National Geographic web-site publishes this story:

These 12 Men Shaped Christianity—But Were They Real?

Link: : https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160306-bible-apostle-jesus-christian-religion-ngbooktalk/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20181222culture-resurfapostlesbooktalk::rid=&sf204668865=1

In secular history, Jesus is a shadowy figure, but, as the above discussion shows, so are his 12 selected 'leader's' of the early church.

14

JW's will NOT like the first months of life in the Paradise! (University Research)

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

have you ever wondered (when you were an active believer) what life would be like immediately after the big a?.

in my experience of the pre-big a spiritual paradise most witnesses were aware of the problem posed by the dead bodies of those slain by the bloody minded, would-be mass murderer jesus.

most liked to quote the author of the revelation, that carrion birds would eat the carcasses.

fulltimestudent

Have you ever wondered (when you were an active believer) what life would be like immediately after the big A?

In my experience of the pre-big A spiritual paradise most witnesses were aware of the problem posed by the dead bodies of those slain by the bloody minded, would-be mass murderer Jesus. Most liked to quote the author of The Revelation, that carrion birds would eat the carcasses. Others became more imaginative, going far beyond what scripture says. But I do not think that anyone, including the author of The Revelation document, could really understand the full affect of 7.5 billion dead bodies throughout the earth. Imagine the world's large cities like New York or London with over 20 million dead bodies in a close proximity, or one of the planned Chinese super-cities (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai) with 100 million dead carcasses concentrated in the area.

What would it be like?

A recent experiment conducted by researchers at the Mississippi State University gives us an idea of what it may be like. The research was investigating the affect of dead bodies on the environment. They were able to obtain 4 tons of dead pigs. And it was not just vultures that fed on the carcasses, but also assorted insects. How would you cope with rivers of maggots? How would you like to walk through the slush flowing from the dead bodies?

Read about the experiment - and watch the video - even send it to your JW rellies if you like:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/dead-feral-pig-science-ecology/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20181216science-resurfdeadpigs::rid=&sf204307823=1

4

Of things in Japan.

by zeb in

jw
friends

came across,.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=lzysbgaaqbaj&pg=pa50&lpg=pa50&dq=the+state+of+the+watchtower+in+japan&source=bl&ots=w4p2b23oky&sig=xhmqh58hm5ye4vv3nmpzv4wcfas&hl=en&sa=x&ved=2ahukewjoxboki5xfahumxkwkhdpzacwq6aewcxoecaaqaq#v=onepage&q=the%20state%20of%20the%20watchtower%20in%20japan&f=false.

..nb "for flying the us state flag and adulating the state at religious meetings".. this during the 2nd world war..and note the way he was treated...

fulltimestudent

The percentage of Japanese who are 'christian' is only around 2%. Ironically, Nagasaki was one of the centres of catholic activity in the 16th and early 17th centuries (Although, some argue that there were Nestorian christians in Japan at a much earlier time,

However, rigid christian opposition to Buddhist worshippers led to the government turning on the church during the early 1600s, culminating in the killing of some 150 missionaries and a little later the destruction of some 25,000 Japanese converts, thus saving Japan from the poison of christianity.

11

Coffee really is magic

by john.prestor in

jw
friends

i'm sitting here at my computer mapping out a hike for this afternoon, drinking a cup of coffee... the cup was a christmas present last year, i'm sure satan is just giddy.. .

fulltimestudent

Spent yesterday at the beach, surfing (sort of). Water temperature 18-19 C (no old fashioned F stuff here). Air temp. 27 C. Beach a bit crowded but OK. Nice to think we have another 4-5 months of this, and if next May is good weather we could stretch that out to another 6 months

With us a former bible study who has not been to a meeting for 4 months. We think he's kicked the habit before they grabbed him and cloned him.