SifFi, Space, And Quantum Entanglement

A recent Facebook conversation.

ME: Bobby. Just finished watching an episode of The Orville for the first time. Apparently its a very popular show. I didn't like it.

It is listed as a comedy, so perhaps it's not surprising that as a drama it's a total failure. The characters display as much depth and rich color as a set of shadow puppets. Since this includes even the characters introduced as dramatic elements only for a single show, it's not simply a lack of character development. It's a lack of character.

As for comedy… I didn't find much. During the entire show I did smile very briefly at one moment. That's it.

As for the program's setting, it would work as a spoof of Star Trek since it's almost entirely an imitation thereof, right down to the color-coded tunics and replicators, but it manifests as nothing but a badly planned rip off.

Ever seen it? I'm curious as to your responses.

C: No and it doesn't sound like something I would want to see.

ME: C, I would say don't waste your time but there are an awful lot of people who think it's wonderful.

BOBBY: Glad to hear your opinion. I suspected a repelling incongruence between Seth MacFarlane's flippant cynnicism and the bright-eyed promise of progress I like to get from the Star Trek universe that I've avoided the show altogether.

ME: You and me both. But I decided I ought to give it a least one look.

BOBBY: Have you checked out Bandersnatch yet?

ME: That I haven't. Dark Mirror was just a bit too dark for me. Well-made shows, you understand, but I found them depressing so I don't generally watch. I'm willing to give Bandersnatch a try. Are you recommending it or just wondering?

ME: I saw the most amazing show on YouTube today. It was a lengthy discussion of quantum physics. The panel was emceed by Brian Green and included none other than Gerard t' Hooft!! I was really shocked to see him sitting there. (He had some really great insights but he did stand firmly in the "hidden variables" school.)
The show was interesting but what absolutely stunned me was when one of the panelists, for the first time I could ever even imagine such a thing, actually exlained his theory of how space itself is generated. I mean it isn't as if I haven't asked, "Where does space come from?" Who hasn't? But I never thought anyone would have an answer!

His explanation isn't one I want to try to dictate out right now, But it is based on the holographic principle as in the concept that three dimensional reality is actually projected by two dimensional Holographic images on the event horizon surrounding our universe.

He made it convincing.

Now if only someone would do the same thing for time.

ME: Hey, did you ever check out The Expanse?

A FEW DAYS LATER:

Found out more about this from an article. The theory does cover not only space, but also time, and even to some extent, gravity. It also has strong applications for black holes because a black hole would be the result of when the whole system just falls apart. Oddly enough the whole theory began with looking into quantum systems and how they self correct with hopes that it could be applied to quantum computing.

The Edjahmuhkation of Word Recognition Programs

Voice recognition systems. What a wonderful idea. I depend on them heavily to do my blogging.  But quite often some strange things happen. For example, I was dictating an otherwise quite readable blog post, but when I said "education" I got, among others, the following two responses: 'you Cajundid' and 'you Keeshan'. Other wierd word sets followed.  I finally got so angry I shouted "edjahmuhkation!"  The program printed out, "education".  I give up. I hope voice recognition continues to improve, and that it does so very soon. In the meantime, it remains a useful if unpredictable tool.

Idle Thoughts -- Privacy? What Privacy?

Evaluate the concept of privacy in the the context of the social media : how much private information should a person be willing to put on Facebook, for instance, and how much control should a person retain over his or her information? Explain.

The issue of privacy in terms of social media is huge problem.

First, everyone needs to take responsibility for his own actions. Everyone needs to be careful about what they publish. After all, it's no longer private if you make it public. If you wouldn't stand up in front of an audience of strangers and say or do a particular thing, then you shouldn't do so on your Facebook page. By their very nature, social media are not private.

Having said that, it is reasonable that you should be able to post for a group of friends and expect that only your friends would have access to it. This is stated in the context of the fact that social media are free only because they gather information about you which is then sold. What information they gather, and how it is shared are fair questions. Certainly social media should not be data mining or gathering information about members which is unreasonable. Which leaves us with the question, what is reasonable and what is unreasonable?

Many of these answers can't be answered immediately. Perceptions of privacy evolve with changing social situations. It is interesting to watch the process in action as sites gather more and more information, and often find themselves apologizing to their members when they have gone too far, whereupon they readjust their policies.

It's a state of dynamic tension. Customers want only a limited amount of information shared in order to gain service, while the sites want to gather the maximum amount of information to maximize their profits. The give-and-take can be painful, but ultimately it will create new social standards.

High Tech Mystery

Kotobukiya? That's what dragon speak wrote down when I dictated, "couch potato man". I understand that no system is perfect. I realize that Dragon has created an amazing technology. I don't expect it to be error-free and to always get every word correct. But "couch potato man" became Kotobukiya? 

How did THAT happen?  

Also, is that Japanese? Does somebody speak Japanese? What does that even mean?

So I googled it. It's the name of a plastic model kit manufacturing company.  (Yes, it's a Japanese company.)  But I still don't know what the name means.

Another day and other problems.  I said, "she asked for an explanation" and Dragon typed Jaspering.  I've had it with these weird words. I am not going to Google Jaspering to try to find out what it means. No, seriously! I have willpower.  I can resist.

Nevertheless, I still have to wonder, why are Dragon's errors so often extremely strange words of which I have never even been previously aware?  Does anybody know?

I suppose it could be ambient noise. Or perhaps I have developed a speech impediment? I used to pride myself on the clarity of my speech. I was a varsity debater and speaker in high school. I guess the final answer is, it's just one of life's many mysteries.

Unless Dragon has gone sapient and just doesn't like me...