#indian in the machine

[mostlysignssomeportents]

I assure you, an AI didn’t write a terrible “George Carlin” routine

There are only TWO MORE DAYS left in the Kickstarter for the audiobook of The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

On Hallowe'en 1974, Ronald Clark O'Bryan murdered his son with poisoned candy. He needed the insurance money, and he knew that Halloween poisonings were rampant, so he figured he'd get away with it. He was wrong:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Clark_O%27Bryan

The stories of Hallowe'en poisonings were just that – stories. No one was poisoning kids on Hallowe'en – except this monstrous murderer, who mistook rampant scare stories for truth and assumed (incorrectly) that his murder would blend in with the crowd.

Last week, the dudes behind the "comedy" podcast Dudesy released a "George Carlin" comedy special that they claimed had been created, holus bolus, by an AI trained on the comedian's routines. This was a lie. After the Carlin estate sued, the dudes admitted that they had written the (remarkably unfunny) "comedy" special:

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/01/george-carlins-heirs-sue-comedy-podcast-over-ai-generated-impression/

As I've written, we're nowhere near the point where an AI can do your job, but we're well past the point where your boss can be suckered into firing you and replacing you with a bot that fails at doing your job:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/15/passive-income-brainworms/#four-hour-work-week

AI systems can do some remarkable party tricks, but there's a huge difference between producing a plausible sentence and a good one. After the initial rush of astonishment, the stench of botshit becomes unmistakable:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/03/botshit-generative-ai-imminent-threat-democracy

Some of this botshit comes from people who are sold a bill of goods: they're convinced that they can make a George Carlin special without any human intervention and when the bot fails, they manufacture their own botshit, assuming they must be bad at prompting the AI.

This is an old technology story: I had a friend who was contracted to livestream a Canadian awards show in the earliest days of the web. They booked in multiple ISDN lines from Bell Canada and set up an impressive Mbone encoding station on the wings of the stage. Only one problem: the ISDNs flaked (this was a common problem with ISDNs!). There was no way to livecast the show.

Nevertheless, my friend's boss's ordered him to go on pretending to livestream the show. They made a big deal of it, with all kinds of cool visualizers showing the progress of this futuristic marvel, which the cameras frequently lingered on, accompanied by overheated narration from the show's hosts.

The weirdest part? The next day, my friend – and many others – heard from satisfied viewers who boasted about how amazing it had been to watch this show on their computers, rather than their TVs. Remember: there had been no stream. These people had just assumed that the problem was on their end – that they had failed to correctly install and configure the multiple browser plugins required. Not wanting to admit their technical incompetence, they instead boasted about how great the show had been. It was the Emperor's New Livestream.

Perhaps that's what happened to the Dudesy bros. But there's another possibility: maybe they were captured by their own imaginations. In "Genesis," an essay in the 2007 collection The Creationists, EL Doctorow (no relation) describes how the ancient Babylonians were so poleaxed by the strange wonder of the story they made up about the origin of the universe that they assumed that it must be true. They themselves weren't nearly imaginative enough to have come up with this super-cool tale, so God must have put it in their minds:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/29/gedankenexperimentwahn/#high-on-your-own-supply

That seems to have been what happened to the Air Force colonel who falsely claimed that a "rogue AI-powered drone" had spontaneously evolved the strategy of killing its operator as a way of clearing the obstacle to its main objective, which was killing the enemy:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/04/ayyyyyy-eyeeeee/

This never happened. It was – in the chagrined colonel's words – a "thought experiment." In other words, this guy – who is the USAF's Chief of AI Test and Operations – was so excited about his own made up story that he forgot it wasn't true and told a whole conference-room full of people that it had actually happened.

Maybe that's what happened with the George Carlinbot 3000: the Dudesy dudes fell in love with their own vision for a fully automated luxury Carlinbot and forgot that they had made it up, so they just cheated, assuming they would eventually be able to make a fully operational Battle Carlinbot.

That's basically the Theranos story: a teenaged "entrepreneur" was convinced that she was just about to produce a seemingly impossible, revolutionary diagnostic machine, so she faked its results, abetted by investors, customers and others who wanted to believe:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theranos

The thing about stories of AI miracles is that they are peddled by both AI's boosters and its critics. For boosters, the value of these tall tales is obvious: if normies can be convinced that AI is capable of performing miracles, they'll invest in it. They'll even integrate it into their product offerings and then quietly hire legions of humans to pick up the botshit it leaves behind. These abettors can be relied upon to keep the defects in these products a secret, because they'll assume that they've committed an operator error. After all, everyone knows that AI can do anything, so if it's not performing for them, the problem must exist between the keyboard and the chair.

But this would only take AI so far. It's one thing to hear implausible stories of AI's triumph from the people invested in it – but what about when AI's critics repeat those stories? If your boss thinks an AI can do your job, and AI critics are all running around with their hair on fire, shouting about the coming AI jobpocalypse, then maybe the AI really can do your job?

https://locusmag.com/2020/07/cory-doctorow-full-employment/

There's a name for this kind of criticism: "criti-hype," coined by Lee Vinsel, who points to many reasons for its persistence, including the fact that it constitutes an "academic business-model":

https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5

That's four reasons for AI hype:

to win investors and customers;

to cover customers' and users' embarrassment when the AI doesn't perform;

AI dreamers so high on their own supply that they can't tell truth from fantasy;

A business-model for doomsayers who form an unholy alliance with AI companies by parroting their silliest hype in warning form.

But there's a fifth motivation for criti-hype: to simplify otherwise tedious and complex situations. As Jamie Zawinski writes, this is the motivation behind the obvious lie that the "autonomous cars" on the streets of San Francisco have no driver:

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2024/01/driverless-cars-always-have-a-driver/

GM's Cruise division was forced to shutter its SF operations after one of its "self-driving" cars dragged an injured pedestrian for 20 feet:

https://www.wired.com/story/cruise-robotaxi-self-driving-permit-revoked-california/

One of the widely discussed revelations in the wake of the incident was that Cruise employed 1.5 skilled technical remote overseers for every one of its "self-driving" cars. In other words, they had replaced a single low-waged cab driver with 1.5 higher-paid remote operators.

As Zawinski writes, SFPD is well aware that there's a human being (or more than one human being) responsible for every one of these cars – someone who is formally at fault when the cars injure people or damage property. Nevertheless, SFPD and SFMTA maintain that these cars can't be cited for moving violations because "no one is driving them."

But figuring out who which person is responsible for a moving violation is "complicated and annoying to deal with," so the fiction persists.

(Zawinski notes that even when these people are held responsible, they're a "moral crumple zone" for the company that decided to enroll whole cities in nonconsensual murderbot experiments.)

Automation hype has always involved hidden humans. The most famous of these was the "mechanical Turk" hoax: a supposed chess-playing robot that was just a puppet operated by a concealed human operator wedged awkwardly into its carapace.

This pattern repeats itself through the ages. Thomas Jefferson "replaced his slaves" with dumbwaiters – but of course, dumbwaiters don't replace slaves, they hide slaves:

https://www.stuartmcmillen.com/blog/behind-the-dumbwaiter/

The modern Mechanical Turk – a division of Amazon that employs low-waged "clickworkers," many of them overseas – modernizes the dumbwaiter by hiding low-waged workforces behind a veneer of automation. The MTurk is an abstract "cloud" of human intelligence (the tasks MTurks perform are called "HITs," which stands for "Human Intelligence Tasks").

This is such a truism that techies in India joke that "AI" stands for "absent Indians." Or, to use Jathan Sadowski's wonderful term: "Potemkin AI":

https://reallifemag.com/potemkin-ai/

This Potemkin AI is everywhere you look. When Tesla unveiled its humanoid robot Optimus, they made a big flashy show of it, promising a $20,000 automaton was just on the horizon. They failed to mention that Optimus was just a person in a robot suit:

https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/elon-musk-tesla-robot-optimus-ai

Likewise with the famous demo of a "full self-driving" Tesla, which turned out to be a canned fake:

https://www.reuters.com/technology/tesla-video-promoting-self-driving-was-staged-engineer-testifies-2023-01-17/

The most shocking and terrifying and enraging AI demos keep turning out to be "Just A Guy" (in Molly White's excellent parlance):

https://twitter.com/molly0xFFF/status/1751670561606971895

And yet, we keep falling for it. It's no wonder, really: criti-hype rewards so many different people in so many different ways that it truly offers something for everyone.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/29/pay-no-attention/#to-the-little-man-behind-the-curtain

Back the Kickstarter for the audiobook of The Bezzle here!

Image:

Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

--

Ross Breadmore (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/rossbreadmore/5169298162/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

[sarcasmiclife]

The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King The King

[doubledyke]

@mysticbeaver & @t-allyitup thanks for the asks guys 😭 i put these two together cuz they're both about jimmy and sarah lol. but yeah im not entirely sure what being a hot cheeto girl entails, but i can totally see them being mean girls in hs. they're inseparable, they coordinate outfits, they talk shit about everyone, etc. i see them being pretty straight laced academically, and they suck up to the staff so they never get in trouble 🙄 @gettingfrilly wrote about them going to see an aaron carter concert (i think that's who it was) and that was very cute and very them.

when they get older they're still besties cuz you can't separate a fag from his hag. they have their fair share of fallings out bc they love drama but they always make up. jimmy's owns a boutique or something similar. for sure working in fashion. sarah im not so sure about. eggy made her a cop in one of their comics which was really funny and fitting. but i hate cops and i wouldn't do that to sarah. i could see her doing jimmy's books for him, like maybe they're business partners. i haven't thought much about a career for sarah tbh. what do mean girls do when they grow up? 🤔 become nurses?? nah jk. i dunno she could really do anything cuz i feel like her interests are pretty generic, like there's not one specific thing she enjoys over everything else. except for snitching. maybe she would be a cop after all 😬 or a code enforcement officer. that's it. she's could be a code enforcement officer. she can cite her time as a traffic light as relevant experience.

i think her and ed's relationship would be better after bps and continues to get better as they get older. she eventually has kids and uncle ed LOVES babysitting. i see ed being very avoidant of his parents, and even sarah keeps them at arm's length (specifically her overbearing mom) but still visits for holidays and relays messages to/for ed. sarah and eddy will always have at least a strong dislike for each other. i think she would continue to have a crush on edd even into adulthood, though the severity ebbs and flows (and she moves on eventually). she goes nuts when she finds out he's dating eddy and that's when her hatred is really cemented 😂 BUT once the dust settles a bit, they agree to be cordial for ed, bc ed is a big brother to both of them and they're all somewhat of a package deal. especially if the eds are living together. she doesn't want the kids around uncle eddy too much though cuz she's convinced they'll pick up bad habits.

jimmy lives the life of a self-employed, single, child-free queer. traveling, vacations, cruises, casual dating, doting on his yappy little purse size pomeranian. im tempted to say he'd name the dog mr. yum-yum........ he's also a very loving guncle to sarah's kids but does NOT babysit. spoils the shit out of em though. makes little outfits and accessories for them 🥺

alright i talked about this way more than intended but it was fun so again, thanks for asking!

[nando161mando]

Way better than getting a Kit Kat…

[an-absolute-nightmare]

me: india is not secular anymore it's turning into a hindu nationalist country :(

my so called liberal and open minded parents: india is not secular anymore it's turning into a hindu nationalist country :D:D:D:D:D

[nehal637]

Handsome up Pump In Karachi (03267188259)

[meat-church]

when my mom was a kid in a really small southern Arizona town apparently one of her classmates had a birthday party and my mom and one other kid weren't invited. they were pretty upset and then on the next Monday apparently they were the only kids in the basically the whole school (tiny school essentially 1 room) because that girl's pet MONKEY gave everyone who went to the party RINGWORM.

[zooplekochi]

Why You Should Get Trained in Software from Zoople Technologies In Kerala

Zoople Technologies is a leading Software Training Institute in Kerala that is dedicated to nurturing highly skilled software professionals. Our goal is to equip our students with the expertise required for software jobs and provide them with unparalleled opportunities in the global software industry. As the top certification software training provider in India, Zoople empowers working professionals to achieve their career aspirations by offering the latest skills, technologies, and best practices essential for success in the digital economy. Our institute is widely recognized as one of the top-notch software training institutes in Kochi due to our unwavering commitment to practical learning and industry-aligned curriculum. We understand the importance of hands-on experience in excelling in software development, which is why our courses prioritize real-world projects and interactive sessions. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional, our extensive range of courses caters to individuals of all proficiency levels. At Zoople Technologies, we take great pride in our team of skilled trainers. Our instructors have extensive industry experience and are passionate about imparting knowledge. They go above and beyond to create a conducive learning environment and provide individualized attention to each student. Through their expertise, guidance, and regular assessments, we ensure that our students receive comprehensive support throughout their learning journey. In addition to software training, we also offer a comprehensive digital marketing course in Kochi. Our program equips students with the necessary skills to excel in the ever-evolving world of online marketing. Our curriculum covers all essential aspects of digital marketing, including search engine optimization and social media marketing. We strive to create a vibrant learning environment where students can connect with like-minded individuals, participate in workshops, and collaborate on projects. Our commitment lies in fostering the growth and success of our students in the digital marketing field

[bogunicorn]

also i'm begging all of you to stop doing white!alana fancasts

[memoriesofachicken]

Being bound and gagged in a chair with an arrow aimed straight at my head while watching my friend get his head crushed...all for attempting to cheat at a card game. And to top it off, the Casino Owner threatened to give both of us Indian burns if we ever decided to show our faces there again. We sure learned a painful lesson that night, I’ll tell ya...

[timmurleyart]

Place yer bet$. 💲♦️♣️♥️💰💵

[gymmanufacturersworld]

The most effective method to Purchase Utilized Wellness types of gear fabricates in Delhi

Staying in shape and being fit isn't just about looking perfect and feeling significantly improved, it's furthermore about excess sound. While working out, countless us like to get in shape without leaving our homes. Buying used well-being equipment is a large part of the time the most wise strategy for getting in shape at home.

You would prefer not to be one of the 1.2 billion that the World Prosperity Affiliation considers as overweight. You understand you truly maintain that health equipment should get in shape Fitness equipments manufactures in Delhi, and you may be thinking about buying used stuff to get everything going. Purchasing reused rec center gear that is solid is a tough spot that ought to be done carefully. Here are basic hints that you can use when you set off determined to buy included health gear for your home or rec focus.

Figure Out What You Need

With all the wellbeing equipment accessible, you truly need to comprehend what you want. Whether it is a treadmill, a bended, or a climber, ponder all that before making the enormous purchase. Know the explanation (weight decrease or setting up), your space (in the home or office), your prosperity limits (back issues or other body issues) in conclusion, your spending plan.

As a matter of fact investigate The Province Of The Stuff

While buying used equipment, you should be additional wary and check it eagerly. When was the equipment delivered? Who was the previous owner? Is it in superb working condition? Are the wanderer pieces set up? Are the calorie smaller than expected PCs and heartbeat screens all set? This huge number of requests ought to be answered before you approach the undeniable issue - the expense of the equipment. Assess the equipment before purchasing anything. If possible, demand that an expert review the equipment. They will tell you whether or not the equipment has been mistreated. You would prefer not to purchase something on its last leg.

Make A Note Of The Brand And Its Security Obligations

One of the most stunning bits of buying used health gear is that you can get the best and best brands commonly reasonable for you. Have some familiarity with the brand you are buying - could they say they are eminent for their quality things and organizations? Another thing to audit is expecting the unit has any signs of superfluous use. Look for things like rust or utilization on the edge, broken welds, and parts that have been modified. It may be fine with a break or two in the body, yet guarantee that the break or mileage has not made the equipment risky to use. If the stuff is under a year old, get the assurance card and the assistance local area nuances.

Check whether The Equipment Is Fixed Or Not

Understanding that you are getting wellbeing equipment that has been fixed, you ought to get a summary of parts that were reproduced or possibly replaced. Make an effort not to take all the reestablishing claims by word just Abdominal machine Manufactures in india, demand it recorded as a printed version. Consistently get documentation to demonstrate their instances of patching up.

While getting used well-being equipment conveyed, guarantee that you keep up with all power to deny if it isn't in the condition it maintained to be. Recalling this enormous number of centers before buying used stuff will ensure that you get a sensible arrangement.

[wherestoriescomefrom]

For Surat’s garment industry, the Hindu festive season starting with Raksha Bandhan in August and finally culminating in Diwali in October, is usually a bumper time. According to a functionary of the Surat Textiles’ Traders’ Association, an industry body, the period usually sees transactions in excess of Rs 16,000 crore. This year, though, the figure hovered at only around Rs 10,000 crore.

Interviews with stakeholders confirmed this decline. Almost everyone at different levels of the supply chain referred to “mandi ka mahol” – an air of recession – as they spoke about business. [...]

With an Assembly election on the horizon, accounts such as these would normally ring alarm bells for the ruling party. However, the dynamic seems to be different in Surat. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party may have little to worry about as few Surti businessmen seem to hold the government accountable for what most agree is an “unmistakable slowdown of the economy”.

Consider Adani, the wholesaler. He claimed he had done barely half the business this Diwali he would do previously. Even the pandemic years, he said, were better. “The problem is inflation,” he said. “And the lack of commensurate increase in people’s incomes.”

But this decline in his fortunes has had no impact on how he perceived the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We are having some difficulties because Modi is on the way to making India a superpower and the entire world is going through a tough time,” he said. “Anyway, who else does one vote for? Rahul Gandhi who doesn’t even love the cultures and customs of our country?”

- Surat’s textile business is plummeting – but support for the BJP remains as high as ever

we're gonna fuckin die and these geniuses will be waiting around for india to become a superpower

[mourningmaybells]

It’s the 20s-50s

Universal Monsters terrify audiences and become important in pop-culture.

Horror icons like Vincent Price, Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi have their start in the horror genre at Univeral, but they get typcast (for better or worse)

The code prevents these scares

Universal Monsters lean more into the comedy, do crossovers and have Abbott and Costello for films.

The cultural zeitgeist moves on

It’s the 70s-80s

Slashers terrify audiences and become important in pop-culture.

A lot of stars even got their start in horror like Jamie Lee Curtis, George Clooney and Kevin Bacon. They’re not typcast this time. Slasher actors are changed a lot though (I remember with Leatherface it was a money thing for TCM 2)

The censorship prevents these scares and companies are ashamed of these low budget movies

 Slashers lean more into the comedy, doing crossovers and even invite celebrities. Friday the 13th part 6 and Scream adds more genre aware humor

The cultural zeitgeist moves on

No idea what the 2020s will bring, but we’ve been here before, you know.

Edit: Important note. I have nothing against horror’s silly periods. I love them for real. Also every horror movie before and after these decades are obviously worth looking into I just had famous pop-culture antagonists in minds when typing this

[octopusmedical]

Best Refurbished Heart-Lung Machine Exporter & Supplier in India - Octopus Medical Private Limited 

In the realm of advanced medical technology, the importance of reliable and high-quality equipment cannot be overstated, particularly in critical care settings. Octopus Medical Private Limited has established itself as the leading exporter and supplier of refurbished heart-lung machines in India, offering unmatched quality, expertise, and service to healthcare providers both domestically and internationally. 

Uncompromising Quality and Performance 

At Octopus Medical, we understand that the performance of heart-lung machines is crucial for patient outcomes in complex surgical procedures. Our refurbished heart-lung machines are meticulously reconditioned to ensure they meet the highest standards of quality and safety. Each unit undergoes a comprehensive refurbishment process that includes: 

Thorough Inspection: Our team of skilled technicians conducts detailed inspections of every machine to identify and address any potential issues. This ensures that the equipment functions optimally and reliably. 

Component Replacement: Any worn-out or outdated components are replaced with high-quality parts that meet or exceed the original manufacturer’s specifications. This step is crucial in extending the lifespan and performance of the equipment. 

Rigorous Testing: Before a refurbished heart-lung machine is certified for use, it undergoes extensive testing to ensure it operates correctly under various conditions. This includes simulations of real-world scenarios to validate its functionality and safety. 

Our commitment to quality means that healthcare providers can trust our refurbished machines to perform with the same reliability as new equipment, helping to ensure successful patient outcomes. 

Cost-Effective Solutions 

Healthcare institutions often face budget constraints while striving to provide the best care. Octopus Medical offers a solution by providing high-quality refurbished heart-lung machines at a fraction of the cost of new units. Our refurbished machines deliver exceptional value, enabling healthcare providers to access advanced technology without the significant financial outlay associated with new equipment. 

By choosing our refurbished machines, hospitals and clinics can allocate their resources more effectively, investing in other critical areas of patient care and facility improvements. 

Global Reach and Efficient Logistics 

As a leading exporter, Octopus Medical Private Limited serves a diverse range of clients across the globe. Our efficient logistics and supply chain management systems ensure that our refurbished heart-lung machines are delivered promptly and securely to various international locations. We are adept at navigating the complexities of global shipping, including customs regulations and documentation, to provide a seamless delivery experience for our international customers. 

Expert Support and Customer Service 

Customer satisfaction is at the heart of our operations. At Octopus Medical, we are dedicated to offering exceptional support throughout the entire purchasing process. From initial inquiries to post-purchase assistance, our knowledgeable team is available to answer questions, provide guidance, and offer technical support. We strive to ensure that our clients have a positive experience and are fully supported in integrating our refurbished heart-lung machines into their medical practice. 

Compliance and Safety 

Safety and compliance with international standards are paramount in the medical field. Our refurbished heart-lung machines adhere to stringent regulatory requirements, ensuring they meet the necessary safety and efficacy standards for medical use. We are committed to maintaining the highest levels of compliance to safeguard patient health and support healthcare providers in delivering quality care. 

About Octopus Medical Private Limited 

Octopus Medical Private Limited is a trusted name in the medical equipment industry, renowned for our expertise in refurbishing and supplying advanced medical technology. Our mission is to enhance healthcare delivery by providing reliable, cost-effective equipment solutions that meet the needs of our clients worldwide. 

For more information about our refurbished heart-lung machines or to request a quote, please visit our website or contact us directly. Partner with Octopus Medical Private Limited to access the best in refurbished medical technology and experience unparalleled quality and service. 

[adityasachdevamen]

Can I wear this kurta set for any occasion?

While this kurta set is perfect for festive occasions, it can also be worn for formal events or even a special evening out.