This is actually kind of exciting for those of us who follow chess celebrities.

I didn't know you liked chess ... have you ever heard of Roger Penrose's chess puzzles designed to prove that a computer, no matter how strong a chess engine and so-called AI algorithms it runs, is essentially a dumb machine with no understanding whatsoever of the game?

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A chess computer struggles because it looks like an impossible position, even though it is perfectly legal. The three bishops forces the computer to perform a massive search of possible positions that will rapidly expand to something that exceeds all the computational power on planet earth.

 

I didn't know you liked chess ... have you ever heard of Roger Penrose's chess puzzles designed to prove that a computer, no matter how strong a chess engine and so-called AI algorithms it runs, is essentially a dumb machine with no understanding whatsoever of the game?

View attachment 339342​

A chess computer struggles because it looks like an impossible position, even though it is perfectly legal. The three bishops forces the computer to perform a massive search of possible positions that will rapidly expand to something that exceeds all the computational power on planet earth.

https://www.quantamagazine.org/google-deepmind-trains-artificial-brainstorming-in-chess-ai-20231115/

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-n...-brain-surgeon-saved-malibu-street-wildfires/
How a ‘warrior’ brain surgeon saved his Malibu street from wildfires and looters
Chester Griffiths led his son and his neighbour in a marathon stand-off against flames and criminals under hail of burning debris

 

Man stunned when restaurant stranger pays $85 breakfast bill

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The note went on, "We need more men like you. Thank you for letting us all see your love for them all."

 

Mom missing for 6 days found alive stranded in car: 'She had given up hope'

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"She was stuck in the car and could not get out. But she was able to reach the water from the car," Caldwell said. "The only way she was able to survive was using her hoodie and dipping it into the water in a ditch and sucking the water, or bringing the the water into her mouth from the ditch."

 

https://www.military.com/history/still-living-janitor-who-received-posthumous-medal-of-honor.html
The Still-Living Janitor Who Received a 'Posthumous' Medal of Honor

 

https://www.military.com/history/still-living-janitor-who-received-posthumous-medal-of-honor.html
The Still-Living Janitor Who Received a 'Posthumous' Medal of Honor

He lived in Palmer Lake and died in 2000. There is a small section of Highway 105 (just a two-lane road, really) coming into Palmer Lake that was renamed in his honor in 2011. I was living just outside of Palmer Lake at the time and traveled that road every time I went to work at the Academy, so became very familiar with his name, but knew little about him. Then, one day I was talking to an instructor that had attended the Academy while he worked there who filled me in on some of the story. I forget how the conversation turned in that direction, but he said that when he was a Doolie (freshman cadet), the upper classmen told them to always call this aging janitor "Sir", but didn't say why. It was only much later that he learned that this very humble and unassuming janitor was a Medal of Honor recipient. The cadets had evolved a tradition that would honor both his service and his desire to not be treated as anything special by quietly insisting that he be treated with respect at all times, but without making the reason known to incoming cadets until they had been there long enough to get to know him as a person and could be counted on to respect his humility.

To the best of my knowledge, he is the only Army enlisted person buried at the Air Force Academy, though that belief is a bit dated and things like that are always subject to change.

 

The nurse that made them send the guy to the hospital was an angel, unfortunately it was three hours later that medical attention happened.

 

Bravo Zulu for a real hero!

 

I had a bizarre experience a few hours ago. It was about 1:30am when I walked to the liquor store near my house. About a block away from the store, I came across a guy walking in -3c in a t-shirt and socks in slushy snow. He was extremely drunk and disoriented, my guess is he just came from the bar next to the liquor store.

I asked where his winter closes were and he said his friend had them. I asked if he needed help and he just wanted cigarettes. I asked a few more times and he still said no. There is a 24/7 gym on that street so I figured his friend was in there so I said ok and walked away.

About 10 minutes later I was coming back the other way when I seen him again, maybe about 20m from where I previously talked to him. It was pretty clear he was in the early stages of hypothermia so I made him follow me to a nearby bank which has a heated lobby open to the public all night.

As we were walking, he starting going in circles and tried to huddle next to a few buildings and wasn't making any sense. As we were almost at the bank, I flagged down a driver and asked to use his phone to call 9-1-1 since I left mine at home. The driver was a nice gentlemen from the Philippines and we had a good conversation.

The police finally arrived 15 minutes later and took over. I really don't know what to make of the situation but my instinct tells me he was in a life threatening situation had I not intervened. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.. apparently hypothermia can set in at 0-10c.

Has anyone experienced something like this? I wonder how close he really was to death. At the very least, he would have gotten extreme frostbite. I live in a small town and it was pure luck we crossed paths as the streets are normally very quite at night. It still boggles my mind how a person can let themselves become that drunk.. hopefully he will decide to wise up after this ordeal but I doubt it.

 

Thanks for saving a life.

Unfortunately I see it all the time in Portland during winter. The drug zombies get high, pass out in some dark alley and freeze to death if they don't OD first.

The lucky ones OD on the sidewalks so the can get the weekly Norcan that brings them back to earth for a little longer.

There are bodies being found in the river here all the time. Most are lost souls from the druggie apocalypse.
https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/07/26/on-portlands-fentanyl-corner-a-dance-with-death-sells-for-20/

Overdoses have surged in Portland over the past few years. Last year, the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office recorded more than 350 overdose deaths involving opioids, nearly triple the number only three years earlier, an increase driven by fentanyl. Oregon has the highest rate of drug use disorder in the country, and the fastest-growing fatal overdose rate among teenagers.

 

I had a bizarre experience a few hours ago. It was about 1:30am when I walked to the liquor store near my house. About a block away from the store, I came across a guy walking in -3c in a t-shirt and socks in slushy snow. He was extremely drunk and disoriented, my guess is he just came from the bar next to the liquor store.

I asked where his winter closes were and he said his friend had them. I asked if he needed help and he just wanted cigarettes. I asked a few more times and he still said no. There is a 24/7 gym on that street so I figured his friend was in there so I said ok and walked away.

About 10 minutes later I was coming back the other way when I seen him again, maybe about 20m from where I previously talked to him. It was pretty clear he was in the early stages of hypothermia so I made him follow me to a nearby bank which has a heated lobby open to the public all night.

As we were walking, he starting going in circles and tried to huddle next to a few buildings and wasn't making any sense. As we were almost at the bank, I flagged down a driver and asked to use his phone to call 9-1-1 since I left mine at home. The driver was a nice gentlemen from the Philippines and we had a good conversation.

The police finally arrived 15 minutes later and took over. I really don't know what to make of the situation but my instinct tells me he was in a life threatening situation had I not intervened. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.. apparently hypothermia can set in at 0-10c.

Has anyone experienced something like this? I wonder how close he really was to death. At the very least, he would have gotten extreme frostbite. I live in a small town and it was pure luck we crossed paths as the streets are normally very quite at night. It still boggles my mind how a person can let themselves become that drunk.. hopefully he will decide to wise up after this ordeal but I doubt it.

You should be commended. Kudos to you Art, for not minding your own business and intervening and doing the right, humane thing.

As for the guy whose life you saved, I hope he comes around and realizes how close he came to death and gets his act together.

 

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...shut-down-in-europols-largest-csam-operation/
Vast pedophile network shut down in Europol’s largest CSAM operation
79 arrested after Europol shuts down massive child porn platform.

 

Missing toddler who walked 7 miles alone through Arizona wilderness led to safety by rancher's dog

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A 2-year-old boy who spent the night alone in the remote Arizona wilderness and walked 7 miles through mountain lion territory was led to safety by a rancher's dog, authorities said Tuesday.

 

Great story!

 

 

Rescue of hiker missing for weeks in snowy California wilderness a ‘surreal moment’


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Owner Christopher Gutierrez spotted a cabin door ajar and a pair of shoes nearby when he arrived Wednesday morning to begin reopening the resort for spring. Suddenly, a young woman appeared in the doorway.

“She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up and all she wanted was a hug,” Gutierrez said during a Wednesday evening news conference. “It was a pretty surreal moment, and that’s when I realized who this was.”

 

A tragic, but feel-good story nevertheless:

Grandfather sacrifices his life to save twin granddaughters from a fallen tree limb


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"As soon as they heard that sound, they got pushed really hard from the side by him to the ground," Krause told ABC News.

 

I didn't know you liked chess ... have you ever heard of Roger Penrose's chess puzzles designed to prove that a computer, no matter how strong a chess engine and so-called AI algorithms it runs, is essentially a dumb machine with no understanding whatsoever of the game?

View attachment 339342​

A chess computer struggles because it looks like an impossible position, even though it is perfectly legal. The three bishops forces the computer to perform a massive search of possible positions that will rapidly expand to something that exceeds all the computational power on planet earth.

I never heard of that book, but always very interested in Penrose and his physics. I'm weak at chess too but the book might be fun.

 

When seconds count, the police will be there in minutes.