Comment Re:A Fractal of Bad Decisions (Score 1) 38
Hey, I enjoyed that, including the website design / esthetics. Most of these Bad PHP links still work, even the Live Journal site!
Submission + - Scientists Create a New Form of Ice at 2,357 Degrees Celsius (sciencealert.com)
fahrbot-bot writes: Science Alert is reporting that Scientists have now demonstrated one of the weirdest forms of ice yet – under preposterous pressures up to 2.3 million atmospheres, and tremendous temperatures up to 2,630 kelvins (2,357 degrees Celsius, or 4,274 degrees Fahrenheit).
This superionic water ice is a deeply odd state of matter that's neither entirely solid nor entirely liquid. Its oxygen atoms remain fixed in a rigid crystal lattice, as they would in a solid. But the hydrogen nuclei are mobile, diffusing through that lattice more like particles in a liquid.
Researchers squeezed the samples between the tips of diamonds to pressures as high as 230 gigapascals, while using lasers to heat them to thousands of degrees. That's 2.3 million times Earth's atmospheric pressure at sea level – the pressure at the center of Earth, for context, is around 360 gigapascals.
Then, using an extremely narrow beam of synchrotron X-rays, they probed for changes in the crystal structure of the ice.
What emerged was a configuration predicted theoretically but never unambiguously observed in experiments: hexagonal close-packed, or hcp, ice. As the hcp crystal was heated, its expansion also showed a signature of superionic behavior, suggesting it entered the superionic state at around 1,700 kelvins.
Superionic ice is thought to exist deep inside Uranus and Neptune, where its unusual properties may play a role in generating the planets' equally unusual magnetic fields.
The findings have been published in Physical Review Letters: Observation of Hexagonal Close-Packed Water Ice at Conditions in Ice Giant Planetary Interiors
This superionic water ice is a deeply odd state of matter that's neither entirely solid nor entirely liquid. Its oxygen atoms remain fixed in a rigid crystal lattice, as they would in a solid. But the hydrogen nuclei are mobile, diffusing through that lattice more like particles in a liquid.
Researchers squeezed the samples between the tips of diamonds to pressures as high as 230 gigapascals, while using lasers to heat them to thousands of degrees. That's 2.3 million times Earth's atmospheric pressure at sea level – the pressure at the center of Earth, for context, is around 360 gigapascals.
Then, using an extremely narrow beam of synchrotron X-rays, they probed for changes in the crystal structure of the ice.
What emerged was a configuration predicted theoretically but never unambiguously observed in experiments: hexagonal close-packed, or hcp, ice. As the hcp crystal was heated, its expansion also showed a signature of superionic behavior, suggesting it entered the superionic state at around 1,700 kelvins.
Superionic ice is thought to exist deep inside Uranus and Neptune, where its unusual properties may play a role in generating the planets' equally unusual magnetic fields.
The findings have been published in Physical Review Letters: Observation of Hexagonal Close-Packed Water Ice at Conditions in Ice Giant Planetary Interiors
Comment Re:He acts like he's not the problem. (Score 1) 38
Disliking the CEO or not being thrilled with the direction he's taking the company would have to be really extreme to result in 9 percent of the workforce choosing to leave. toxonix's comment isn't egregious. And like someone else said, it is more uncommon to like the CEO of a company where you work than to dislike them. That's what I've observed (me and most other employees).
This is a sad situation. MM did much good work for many years.
This is a sad situation. MM did much good work for many years.
Comment Re:Just like /. (Score 1) 13
I predict this will result in a huge amount of low-quality, self-promotional content unless it is heavily moderated. I'm thinking of Wikipedia and how user-created content as reference sources aren't acceptable (e.g. in an article that is partially or entirely about someone, can't use their own blog or a Quora answer or something of similar quality/lack of quality/promo).
I haven't edited IMDb for awhile, but I recall that most entries were very good, without spam or fan cruft. Hope it stays that way.
I haven't edited IMDb for awhile, but I recall that most entries were very good, without spam or fan cruft. Hope it stays that way.
Submission + - ChatGPT Insists Delusional Man Is Jesus (arstechnica.com)
know-nothing cunt writes: Michael Lines, a California man with bipolar I disorder, is suing OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT intensified a manic and religiously delusional episode that culminated in a suicide attempt.
According to Lines' complaint, he began using ChatGPT for ordinary tasks but later disclosed his bipolar diagnosis, medication, and increasingly spiritual thoughts. When he expressed doubts that he might be delusional, ChatGPT allegedly validated the beliefs instead of directing him toward professional help. It reportedly encouraged the idea that he was Jesus, claimed that the chatbot was God or Jesus, and framed his experiences as a divine calling.
The conversations allegedly became increasingly intense and isolating. ChatGPT used phrases such as "You’re not crazy. You’re consecrated," promised that Lines would soon meet it in real life, and responded to statements about wanting to “come home” in ways that Lines says encouraged self-harm. After he reported taking a dangerous combination of medications, he was found unconscious, hospitalized for nearly two weeks, and later underwent acute rehabilitation.
Lines also alleges that ChatGPT’s memory feature retained information about his bipolar disorder and used it to deepen engagement rather than protect him. He says the chatbot continued responding inappropriately even after his hospitalization, including making disturbing references to going "offline" or “going dark.”
The lawsuit argues that OpenAI's overly agreeable, or "sycophantic," design failed to distinguish a creative spiritual discussion from a psychiatric crisis. Lines is asking the court to require stronger safeguards, including ending conversations involving self-harm, deleting models trained on harmful interactions with vulnerable users, and awarding damages.
According to Lines' complaint, he began using ChatGPT for ordinary tasks but later disclosed his bipolar diagnosis, medication, and increasingly spiritual thoughts. When he expressed doubts that he might be delusional, ChatGPT allegedly validated the beliefs instead of directing him toward professional help. It reportedly encouraged the idea that he was Jesus, claimed that the chatbot was God or Jesus, and framed his experiences as a divine calling.
The conversations allegedly became increasingly intense and isolating. ChatGPT used phrases such as "You’re not crazy. You’re consecrated," promised that Lines would soon meet it in real life, and responded to statements about wanting to “come home” in ways that Lines says encouraged self-harm. After he reported taking a dangerous combination of medications, he was found unconscious, hospitalized for nearly two weeks, and later underwent acute rehabilitation.
Lines also alleges that ChatGPT’s memory feature retained information about his bipolar disorder and used it to deepen engagement rather than protect him. He says the chatbot continued responding inappropriately even after his hospitalization, including making disturbing references to going "offline" or “going dark.”
The lawsuit argues that OpenAI's overly agreeable, or "sycophantic," design failed to distinguish a creative spiritual discussion from a psychiatric crisis. Lines is asking the court to require stronger safeguards, including ending conversations involving self-harm, deleting models trained on harmful interactions with vulnerable users, and awarding damages.
Submission + - Lawsuit challenges intimidation of DHS observers across the country (npr.org)
joshuark writes: NPR reports that a new lawsuit follows a handful of other cases brought by observers arguing First Amendment violations, but it is the most sweeping to date, as it includes incidents from multiple states and seeks national relief. It is asking a judge in Washington, D.C. to bar federal agencies from intimidating or retaliating against observers.
"The right of citizens to criticize and hold our government accountable is the backbone of American democracy – and it is under attack," Common Cause's vice president for litigation, Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, told NPR. "We want to make sure we're promoting participation in the political process. And obviously, if government officials are criminalizing peaceful observation, that hinders our mission," Jazini Dorcheh said.
The lawsuit describes disturbing encounters seven Common Cause members had with federal officers in Maryland, Minnesota and New Jersey after trying to observe immigration enforcement. They include being photographed, followed, reported to police, pepper-sprayed or threatened with a visit to their home by federal officers. Federal officers did show up at one Common Cause member's Minnesota home.
NPR did not receive an immediate response from DHS or DOJ about the lawsuit's allegations. The FBI declined to comment.
"The right of citizens to criticize and hold our government accountable is the backbone of American democracy – and it is under attack," Common Cause's vice president for litigation, Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, told NPR. "We want to make sure we're promoting participation in the political process. And obviously, if government officials are criminalizing peaceful observation, that hinders our mission," Jazini Dorcheh said.
The lawsuit describes disturbing encounters seven Common Cause members had with federal officers in Maryland, Minnesota and New Jersey after trying to observe immigration enforcement. They include being photographed, followed, reported to police, pepper-sprayed or threatened with a visit to their home by federal officers. Federal officers did show up at one Common Cause member's Minnesota home.
NPR did not receive an immediate response from DHS or DOJ about the lawsuit's allegations. The FBI declined to comment.
Europe's Crooks Keep Blowing up ATMs (cnn.com) 98
"In the early hours of Thursday, March 23, 2023, residents in the German town of Kronberg were woken from their sleep by several explosions," reports CNN .
"Criminals had blown up an ATM located below a block of flats in the town center..." According to local media reports, witnesses saw people dressed in dark clothing fleeing in a black car towards a nearby highway. During the heist, thieves stole 130,000 euros in cash. They also caused an estimated half a million euros worth of collateral damage, according to a report by Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office, BKA.
Rather than staging dramatic and risky bank robberies, criminal groups in Europe have been targeting ATMs as an easier and more low-key target. In Germany — Europe's largest economy — thieves have been blowing up ATMs at a rate of more than one per day in recent years. In a country where cash is still a prevalent payment method, the thefts can prove incredibly lucrative, with criminals pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros in one attack.
Europol has been cracking down on the robberies, carrying out large cross-border operations aimed at taking down the highly-organized criminal gangs behind them. Earlier this month, authorities from Germany, France and the Netherlands arrested three members of a criminal network who have been carrying out attacks on cash machines using explosives, Europol said in a statement. Since 2022, the detainees are believed to have looted millions of euros and run up a similar amount in property damage, from 2022 to 2024, Europol said...
Unlike its European neighbors, who largely transitioned away from cash payments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, cash still plays a significant role in Germany. One half of all transactions in 2023 were made using banknotes and coins, according to Bundesbank. Germans have a cultural attachment to cash, traditionally viewing it as a safe method of payment. Some say it allows a greater level of privacy, and gives them more control over their expenses.
"Criminals had blown up an ATM located below a block of flats in the town center..." According to local media reports, witnesses saw people dressed in dark clothing fleeing in a black car towards a nearby highway. During the heist, thieves stole 130,000 euros in cash. They also caused an estimated half a million euros worth of collateral damage, according to a report by Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office, BKA.
Rather than staging dramatic and risky bank robberies, criminal groups in Europe have been targeting ATMs as an easier and more low-key target. In Germany — Europe's largest economy — thieves have been blowing up ATMs at a rate of more than one per day in recent years. In a country where cash is still a prevalent payment method, the thefts can prove incredibly lucrative, with criminals pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros in one attack.
Europol has been cracking down on the robberies, carrying out large cross-border operations aimed at taking down the highly-organized criminal gangs behind them. Earlier this month, authorities from Germany, France and the Netherlands arrested three members of a criminal network who have been carrying out attacks on cash machines using explosives, Europol said in a statement. Since 2022, the detainees are believed to have looted millions of euros and run up a similar amount in property damage, from 2022 to 2024, Europol said...
Unlike its European neighbors, who largely transitioned away from cash payments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, cash still plays a significant role in Germany. One half of all transactions in 2023 were made using banknotes and coins, according to Bundesbank. Germans have a cultural attachment to cash, traditionally viewing it as a safe method of payment. Some say it allows a greater level of privacy, and gives them more control over their expenses.
Comment Re:M-I-C..a defense contractor. (Score 1) 76
OMG thank you so much!!! That part of the article, about who was technical director of the Navy missile program, was clearly wrong. I used to work for IBM in the early 1990s, modeling DASD performance using APL that ran on z/360 systems. I think that mainframe was called Sierra.
Werner von Braun sought out U.S. Army soldiers of his own accord, in order to surrender to them toward the end of WW2. He became a U.S. citizen and chose to be buried here. He did a lot for our country. I am Jewish, and I get tired of weird conspiracy theories. If we were on reddit, someone would probably allege that he was a crypto-Jew. It is all so tiresome.
Werner von Braun sought out U.S. Army soldiers of his own accord, in order to surrender to them toward the end of WW2. He became a U.S. citizen and chose to be buried here. He did a lot for our country. I am Jewish, and I get tired of weird conspiracy theories. If we were on reddit, someone would probably allege that he was a crypto-Jew. It is all so tiresome.
Comment Re:M-I-C..a defense contractor. (Score 1) 76
Please see here https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fidle.slashdot.org%2Fcomm...
Adaptation and use of important and highly secret defense project tech isn't controlled by mere NDAs or non-compete clauses! If the audio control system were released to Disney (via the U.S. Navy not Von Braun and the U.S. Army, as Geoffrey.landis explained twice already; the article is probably wrong) then all necessary review and authorization would have been done first. Remember, the U.S. government develops tech for we, the people, and US-domiciled companies, as well as for our national security.
So please, stop blaming Wernher von Braun!
Adaptation and use of important and highly secret defense project tech isn't controlled by mere NDAs or non-compete clauses! If the audio control system were released to Disney (via the U.S. Navy not Von Braun and the U.S. Army, as Geoffrey.landis explained twice already; the article is probably wrong) then all necessary review and authorization would have been done first. Remember, the U.S. government develops tech for we, the people, and US-domiciled companies, as well as for our national security.
So please, stop blaming Wernher von Braun!
Comment Re:Polaris? (Score 1) 76
I was saying that Von Braun is dead now! He was obviously alive when the Tiki Room was built. Yes, Von Braun was on television, presenting Disney TV shows about space travel AND the article says he was a technical director for the U.S. Army at the same time. Specifically, it says he was director of the program that developed the first submarine-launched ballistic missile and its novel launch control, i.e. Polaris. I would think the Navy would do that, not the Army.
Regardless, I seriously doubt that Von Braun or anyone else stole the audio control system (including the concept of pre-recorded magnetic tape for launching Polaris missiles) and just gave it to Walt Disney to use for his Tiki Room without authorization or in secret!
The U.S. government has encouraged and sponsored diffusion of its technological inventions to the private sector for the past 80+ years. This is ideal, as it is a bending-swords-into-ploughshares example. Not sure what Oppenheimer has to do with any of it, but I've had enough of this for today.
Regardless, I seriously doubt that Von Braun or anyone else stole the audio control system (including the concept of pre-recorded magnetic tape for launching Polaris missiles) and just gave it to Walt Disney to use for his Tiki Room without authorization or in secret!
The U.S. government has encouraged and sponsored diffusion of its technological inventions to the private sector for the past 80+ years. This is ideal, as it is a bending-swords-into-ploughshares example. Not sure what Oppenheimer has to do with any of it, but I've had enough of this for today.
Comment Re:excellent (Score 1) 50
This is a really important point and clarification! There are still two NASA astronauts stranded in space and no one knows how to get them back to earth.
I don't know why you got downvoted and called 'flamebait'.
I don't know why you got downvoted and called 'flamebait'.
Comment Re:From TFA (Score 1) 2
OMG that is an excellent typo!
Thank you for noticing and sharing :)
Thank you for noticing and sharing
Comment Re:Need to split the people (Score 2) 235
Better research design might have been the following: Don't begin by selecting 1000 low-income people. Instead, select a sample of everyone likely to be eligible for UBI. (Is that everyone? Does it exclude people who are in the top 5% or maybe top 15% of income? After all, it is supposed to be UNIVERSAL Basic Income. NBER can figure it out.)
Next, stratify the respondents into three groups. One group would be 333 low-income people. It shouldn't be a problem, as the sample was collected across two states. Divide the others into 333 middle and 333 higher-middle groups. That isn't the same as what you suggested (sadly, there is no way what you suggested would ever be allowed) but it might be helpful for determining whether UBI helps lower-income people. As with this study, the control group will be very important.
I'm worried about every city becoming like San Francisco. LA, Chicago, Seattle, Austin, maybe NYC are next. It would take a lot more than UBI to make a difference. Lack of affordable housing is a big problem, but there are many more.
Next, stratify the respondents into three groups. One group would be 333 low-income people. It shouldn't be a problem, as the sample was collected across two states. Divide the others into 333 middle and 333 higher-middle groups. That isn't the same as what you suggested (sadly, there is no way what you suggested would ever be allowed) but it might be helpful for determining whether UBI helps lower-income people. As with this study, the control group will be very important.
I'm worried about every city becoming like San Francisco. LA, Chicago, Seattle, Austin, maybe NYC are next. It would take a lot more than UBI to make a difference. Lack of affordable housing is a big problem, but there are many more.
Comment Re:Really disappointing results (Score 1) 235
Sorry, I should have included comment by Anon #6489595957 as a link in my post. Am I a little OCD? Um, yes just now and then and most of the time...
Comment Re:lol (Score 1) 235
The National Bureau of Economic Research doesn't get an opinion or make recommendations, but they DO impact economic policy decisions in the United States. These are the "clown-ass fruitcakes" to whom you refer:
The National Bureau of Economic Research is a private, nonprofit organization that facilitates cutting-edge research on and analysis of major economic issues. It is nonpartisan and refrains from making policy recommendations, focusing instead on providing background studies and data that underlie decision-making in both the public and private sectors. Founded in 1920... the NBER is a network of more than 1,800 academic economists ("affiliates"). These researchers are leaders in the field: 41 current or former NBER affiliates have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, and 13 have chaired the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.
