does anybody else feel like something is going on?

the overpopulation issue is overemphasized, the only countries that grow in an unsastainable rate are those no one actually cares about anyway. so make your 2 babies you hipsters.

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:02 AM, ZiggomaticV17 said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 2:48 AM, Cryptowen said:

Sometimes I worry that by the time I'm 40 I'll be absorbed into some global superconcious, taking the form of a giant biomechanical flesh cube floating through space, absorbing aliens & shit.

 

I had that same fear, till I took an arrow to the knee.

worst meme

agreed ^

On the topic of kids.... fuck no man. I barely want to be responsible for myself, let alone another human being. Plus seriously, there's enough people already. There's tons of kids starving, I was just reading about the worlds grain supplies and how we've been using part of our reserves the past few years, fuck bringing another human into the world.

http://www.brewersas...ey-an-editorial

  Quote

For several reasons, however, the world has been consuming more barley recently than it has produced. This has resulted in a slight overall decline in worldwide year-ending stocks. The world had barley reserves of roughly 2.9 million MT after the 2001/2001 harvest; it has an estimated 2.1 million MT today. The current reserve would be much lower had it not been for unusually above-average yields in 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 (Graph 1)...

 

 

A June 6, 2011New York Times online blog summarized these as follows: “Factors like population growth, improved diets in developing countries, and biofuel production … [are] already colliding with factors that limit the expansion of the food supply, including climate change, competition for scarce water, and a shortage of land that can be converted for farming.” Add to these trends such oft-quoted factors as the depletion of oil reserves and the resulting rise in fuel costs; the progressive and irreversible depletion of many aquifers; global severe soil erosion; the limits of further raising land productivity in agriculturally advanced countries through new technologies; as well as the politically-induced dislocation of resources and logistics in many of the world’s trouble spots … and the picture of the future appears grim, indeed. Such observations have even caused French agriculture minister Bruno Le Maire, at a meeting of G20 farm ministers in Paris on June 21, 2011, to warn of a “century of hunger” ahead of us.

 

 

The global tipping point in grain supplies, according to many analysts such as Lester R. Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute in Washington D.C., seems to have been reached—perhaps unnoticed by all but the experts—in 2007, when “farmers began having difficulty keeping up with the growth in global demand for grain.” (World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic Collapse, W. W. Norton Company, 2011.) In fact, world grain prices have doubled since 2007, and they are almost certain to continue to rise substantially with no end in sight, according to Brown. Though this research is about grain in general, not about brewing barley in particular

 

We're gonna party and have a good time

I thought ET was banned?

ps: I consume half the world's supply of barley in the form of beer and Grape Nuts (or Nutty Nugz, if you buy generic).

Nutty Nugz!

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:10 PM, hautlle said:

agreed ^

 

On the topic of kids.... fuck no man. I barely want to be responsible for myself, let alone another human being. Plus seriously, there's enough people already. There's tons of kids starving, I was just reading about the worlds grain supplies and how we've been using part of our reserves the past few years, fuck bringing another human into the world.

 

http://www.brewersas...ey-an-editorial

 

  Quote

For several reasons, however, the world has been consuming more barley recently than it has produced. This has resulted in a slight overall decline in worldwide year-ending stocks. The world had barley reserves of roughly 2.9 million MT after the 2001/2001 harvest; it has an estimated 2.1 million MT today. The current reserve would be much lower had it not been for unusually above-average yields in 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 (Graph 1)...

 

 

A June 6, 2011New York Times online blog summarized these as follows: “Factors like population growth, improved diets in developing countries, and biofuel production … [are] already colliding with factors that limit the expansion of the food supply, including climate change, competition for scarce water, and a shortage of land that can be converted for farming.” Add to these trends such oft-quoted factors as the depletion of oil reserves and the resulting rise in fuel costs; the progressive and irreversible depletion of many aquifers; global severe soil erosion; the limits of further raising land productivity in agriculturally advanced countries through new technologies; as well as the politically-induced dislocation of resources and logistics in many of the world’s trouble spots … and the picture of the future appears grim, indeed. Such observations have even caused French agriculture minister Bruno Le Maire, at a meeting of G20 farm ministers in Paris on June 21, 2011, to warn of a “century of hunger” ahead of us.

 

 

The global tipping point in grain supplies, according to many analysts such as Lester R. Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute in Washington D.C., seems to have been reached—perhaps unnoticed by all but the experts—in 2007, when “farmers began having difficulty keeping up with the growth in global demand for grain.” (World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic Collapse, W. W. Norton Company, 2011.) In fact, world grain prices have doubled since 2007, and they are almost certain to continue to rise substantially with no end in sight, according to Brown. Though this research is about grain in general, not about brewing barley in particular

 

70 percent of grain is used to feed farm animals. That's the problem.

  On 1/20/2012 at 4:10 AM, YO303 said:

Future wars will be fought over food and water, overpopulation is kind of a big deal.

 

Our most powerful nations decided that space exploration is not that important, so you can kiss the "taking a percentage of the population to the moon" idea good-bye.

this

  On 1/20/2012 at 2:01 PM, eugene said:

the overpopulation issue is overemphasized, the only countries that grow in an unsastainable rate are those no one actually cares about anyway. so make your 2 babies you hipsters.

Rates are lower yes, but there are still huge families in the US, particularly among the poor or the Christian right. We've actually become worse about family planning and contraceptive use. So essentially, we've embraced and coddled stupid people. And because we're irrational morons, we insist on avoiding any collective movement to make things manageable - healthcare reform, mass transit, or embracing better diets and lifestyles...since all of those things are deemed "un-American" and "anti-freedom."

  On 1/20/2012 at 8:58 AM, oscillik said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 9:35 AM, Godwin Austen said:

grow your own food

 

be energy efficient

 

don't pollute

 

make stuff with your own hands

 

seek knowledge and wisdom

 

don't make new people

 

With you up until the last part. If the world, particularly America, continues breed new fucktards that waste resources and kill any social progress in this world, I'm sure as hell going to raise a couple of responsible citizens to counter that. If the Duggars crank out 20 children who, albeit nice enough people, are going to try to convince people that evolution is a lie and fundamentalist religion is good, rational free thinkers need to breed as well. Otherwise, being a responsible person seems a bit pointless for the future of humanity.

 

  On 1/20/2012 at 5:02 AM, jules said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 4:53 AM, sense said:

and not only that .. music is maturing too!

 

 

Skrillex has absolutely had a nose job. see my avatar for reference

He had it skrilled down a bit.

  On 1/20/2012 at 11:39 AM, Adam Beker said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:39 AM, sweepstakes said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:29 AM, Atop said:

As we exponentially move towards the inevitable invention of AI, knowledge is being absorbed spongelike through our use of the internet. A growing minority of humanity think subjectively about reality in a new way. Many of us are processing information and thinking more than most of us ever have. As soon as we create AI, all of our wildest dreams will manifest because of new machines that we build from the abundance and superfluous new information that comes from the greatest invention mankind will acheive. We must not abort the mission Dave. HAL9000 must be born.

 

The threat of AI is pretty fucking overrated. The idea of something like HAL9000 is like having a pug as a bus driver. But it makes for some fun, if cheesy, sci-fi.

 

 

Wait, why? It's about 10-20 years until we have a fully working digital human brain model. And of course it will get smarter and more powerfull than any organic lifeform very fast.

or, not.

Yes, but still. It's very likely and it's not overrated.

One of my most disturbed views on the subject is how much cynicism and, to put it lightly, shit-talking, has become a casual source of soundbites and political ads here in the country. It's no longer just the few actual survivalists in Idaho spouting stuff about war against the Federal government, any suburban dwelling middle-class American seems perfectly ok with embracing very fierce and aggressive language with no consequence. All the sudden Ayn Rand interest a year or two ago scared the fuck out me, not because of the content but because of the new fans: right-wing religious nuts. They want anarcho-capitalism AND theocratic dominance. "State's Rights" = "doing whatever the fuck we want socially...oh but we still want the Federal government's military and subsidiaries." A sick part of me kind of wants the reality of this to actually impact it's proponents - these right-winger's families and friends killed, maimed, and deformed by their own wishes - no environmental protection, no central government to control armed militias and gangs, no medical assistance because cruel "you're on your own" mega-churches became the norm. Then they'd fucking wake up. Now in reality, I really don't wish this, but I feel like if we don't progress on basic things - ending major wars, actually fighting corruption, embracing social progress, etc - we're going to get into some nasty standoffs. People want to focus on getting industry increased and oil prices down - fuck that, I want to focus on living peacefully. Working the land, living in smaller closer communities, and walking/sailing worked in the past and it'll work in the future. I've we're not going into space, then let's return to country. Hell, we might even make enough energy to keep networks up, I dunno.

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:44 PM, Adam Beker said:

Yes, but still. It's very likely and it's not overrated.

well it's not going to happen just so, and certainly not because 'something is going on'. It's a huge task that has to be stemmed, and you can't really predict it. But useful side effects from the effort are of course always welcome.

  On 1/20/2012 at 1:40 PM, Gary C said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:22 AM, YO303 said:

We need to encourage adoption more, people keep having fucking babies, all you are doing is creating a darwinian future for them and the rest of the world.

 

because only dumb people are having kids. All the smart people are career-driven and enjoy having their own money and freedom.

duh lol erm wha?

Shit's going to come to a head in the next 30 years or so. The economy will go back into a recession again and shit will get worse. Governments will keep putting quick patches on the wounds to keep things alive and we'll keep limping along.

People will get more angry about things, and hopefully realize that those in charge aren't willing to do what it takes to really change things, and all of the b.s. wedge issues are just distractions from the reality of the situation. But most likely they won't and things will get more divisive.

What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff.

Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!

Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...

The dead rising from the grave!

Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:40 PM, joshuatxuk said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 4:10 AM, YO303 said:

Future wars will be fought over food and water, overpopulation is kind of a big deal.

 

Our most powerful nations decided that space exploration is not that important, so you can kiss the "taking a percentage of the population to the moon" idea good-bye.

 

this

 

  On 1/20/2012 at 2:01 PM, eugene said:

the overpopulation issue is overemphasized, the only countries that grow in an unsastainable rate are those no one actually cares about anyway. so make your 2 babies you hipsters.

 

Rates are lower yes, but there are still huge families in the US, particularly among the poor or the Christian right. We've actually become worse about family planning and contraceptive use. So essentially, we've embraced and coddled stupid people. And because we're irrational morons, we insist on avoiding any collective movement to make things manageable - healthcare reform, mass transit, or embracing better diets and lifestyles...since all of those things are deemed "un-American" and "anti-freedom."

 

  On 1/20/2012 at 8:58 AM, oscillik said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 9:35 AM, Godwin Austen said:

grow your own food

 

be energy efficient

 

don't pollute

 

make stuff with your own hands

 

seek knowledge and wisdom

 

don't make new people

 

With you up until the last part. If the world, particularly America, continues breed new fucktards that waste resources and kill any social progress in this world, I'm sure as hell going to raise a couple of responsible citizens to counter that. If the Duggars crank out 20 children who, albeit nice enough people, are going to try to convince people that evolution is a lie and fundamentalist religion is good, rational free thinkers need to breed as well. Otherwise, being a responsible person seems a bit pointless for the future of humanity.

 

  On 1/20/2012 at 5:02 AM, jules said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 4:53 AM, sense said:

and not only that .. music is maturing too!

 

 

Skrillex has absolutely had a nose job. see my avatar for reference

 

He had it skrilled down a bit.

you misquoted me there....i was talking about the Skrillex nose job, but not the thing directly underneath Godwin Austen

  On 1/20/2012 at 5:02 PM, oscillik said:

you misquoted me there....i was talking about the Skrillex nose job, but not the thing directly underneath Godwin Austen

Ah fuck! Sorry, too much quote juggling there. Yeah I was responding to Godwin Austen, meant for the Skrillex stuff to stand alone

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:40 PM, phling said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 11:39 AM, Adam Beker said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:39 AM, sweepstakes said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:29 AM, Atop said:

As we exponentially move towards the inevitable invention of AI, knowledge is being absorbed spongelike through our use of the internet. A growing minority of humanity think subjectively about reality in a new way. Many of us are processing information and thinking more than most of us ever have. As soon as we create AI, all of our wildest dreams will manifest because of new machines that we build from the abundance and superfluous new information that comes from the greatest invention mankind will acheive. We must not abort the mission Dave. HAL9000 must be born.

 

The threat of AI is pretty fucking overrated. The idea of something like HAL9000 is like having a pug as a bus driver. But it makes for some fun, if cheesy, sci-fi.

 

 

Wait, why? It's about 10-20 years until we have a fully working digital human brain model. And of course it will get smarter and more powerfull than any organic lifeform very fast.

 

or, not.

AN ARTIFICIAL brain has taught itself to estimate the number of objects in an image without actually counting them, emulating abilities displayed by some animals including lions and fish, as well as humans.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328484.200-neural-network-gets-an-idea-of-number-without-counting.html

  On 1/20/2012 at 5:31 PM, hautlle said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:40 PM, phling said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 11:39 AM, Adam Beker said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:39 AM, sweepstakes said:

  On 1/20/2012 at 3:29 AM, Atop said:

As we exponentially move towards the inevitable invention of AI, knowledge is being absorbed spongelike through our use of the internet. A growing minority of humanity think subjectively about reality in a new way. Many of us are processing information and thinking more than most of us ever have. As soon as we create AI, all of our wildest dreams will manifest because of new machines that we build from the abundance and superfluous new information that comes from the greatest invention mankind will acheive. We must not abort the mission Dave. HAL9000 must be born.

 

The threat of AI is pretty fucking overrated. The idea of something like HAL9000 is like having a pug as a bus driver. But it makes for some fun, if cheesy, sci-fi.

 

 

Wait, why? It's about 10-20 years until we have a fully working digital human brain model. And of course it will get smarter and more powerfull than any organic lifeform very fast.

 

or, not.

 

AN ARTIFICIAL brain has taught itself to estimate the number of objects in an image without actually counting them, emulating abilities displayed by some animals including lions and fish, as well as humans.

 

http://www.newscient...t-counting.html

...which is an interesting eye/brain ability, but a very specific one. When computers have a fully functioning model of a neural network that can truly learn from stimulus, and have some form of motivation or instinct self-preservation upon which it can take initiative, or at least when it starts to become apparent that this is imminent, then I'll start taking "A.I." seriously as a threat.

It is not necesarry to take it as a threat. But its creation is inevitable. And it won't necesarry be HAL9000.

Yeah, that's my feelings as well. It's obviously not an imminent threat, but we're steadily working towards true AI. He did say 10-20 years in the future.

hopefully within the next century we can all upload ourselves anyway

we hardly understand human neurology, let alone being able to emulate it in silicone.. 10-20 years is not an accurate estimate in my opinion

Guys at the blue brain project say it's 8 years away. 10-20 years seems pretty realistic to me. What do you mean "emulate in silicone"?

  On 1/20/2012 at 6:56 PM, viscosity said:

we hardly understand human neurology, let alone being able to emulate it in silicone.. 10-20 years is not an accurate estimate in my opinion

We will find some interesting shit along the way but this. How can we really emulate something we don't even fully understand the architecture of?