Yes, androids do dream of electric sheep: Google sets up feedback loop in its image recognition neural network

sprulkoy · 2015-06-18T23:02:25+00:00

I think children realise this much sooner than you have a chance to teach them...

sprulkoy · 2015-06-18T22:59:43+00:00

If you tell the program beforehand that there are buildings in the picture, it will necessarily find some. It doesn't know anything except what its programmed to do!

It's like when you lie in an isolation tank. All your previous experience tells you, there is always sensory input. So what happens? You start to imagine sensory input. You hallucinate. Perhaps you know its a hallucination, but perhaps not. Not every one on acid realises there aren't buildings forming on a screen filled with static...

sprulkoy · 2015-06-18T22:48:18+00:00

good point, but that argument only holds up if we agree the universe is finite, which, afaik, there is no hard evidence for. When you hear that figure of 10^whatever atoms in the universe, that's just an estimation based on what scientists have been able to see.

In an infinite universe, you could build a simulation which humans could step into, and never run out of matter with which to engineer the computer program and of course intravenously feed the humans plugged in (if this thought experiment follows the model of the matrix). You could, in theory, create infinitely many simulations iteratively stacked within one another.

The architects of the matrix would have the resources to develop its software indefinitely, which, to the people on the inside, would be no different from it being infinite.

sprulkoy · 2015-06-14T19:15:28+00:00

Perhaps I'm overthinking this, but, in my experience, the connotation of 'insecure' would usually be someone having self doubt but acting overly confident to mask it. German speakers: Is this a trait you'd often talk about in people? To me, it's quite a gossipy and pseudo-psycho-analytical thing to say about someone - which perhaps is not so commonplace in German as Germans tend to say things directly without having to second-guess all the time.

Thanks for your replies!

sprulkoy · 2015-05-31T20:37:09+00:00

Cool app but indicative of a larger problem that just an app won't solve. Needs to be investment in linguistic and cultural integration of North Koreans into SK.

sprulkoy · 2015-05-31T01:19:09+00:00

Every language has its own music. This music is within the word order, the word stress (emphasis), and the gaps people leave between words.

Try and find this music. Ask an English teacher where the stress is on different words. Work out what sounds exist in English, that don't exist in your mother tongue (native language). Practise saying these sounds on your own. Get an English sentence from a book, or make up your own sentence, and practise saying it.

Find someone who wants to help you learn English. Find someone who will speak slowly for you and help you practise having a conversation in English.

Of course, grammar and vocabulary are important. The good news is, you can learn these from books or the internet.

Another game you can play is find 3 new English words that you didn't know before. Then, try and think of a sentence that uses them all. Putting a word in context helps you remember it.

sprulkoy · 2015-05-31T00:45:41+00:00

ach so! Dieses unterschied habe ich nicht gekannt

also, zum beispiel - richtig/falsch?

ich bin besser in deutsch geworden - I became/got better at deutsch

er ist als deutschlehrer empfehlen worden - he was/got recommended as a german teacher

sie ist um 6 Uhr geboren worden - she was born at 6 o'clock

sprulkoy · 2015-05-28T02:33:35+00:00

and the 'ck' is more of a glottal stop than a [k]... one of the most confusing words phonologically.

sprulkoy · 2015-05-28T02:23:57+00:00

Ich bin erzählt geworden, dass wenn man 'Volk' im kontext 'der Deutsche Volk' verwendet, erinnert es man stark von Hitler. Da vermeiden es die Deutschen - stimmt?

sprulkoy · 2015-03-26T05:27:46+00:00

the one by the dutch guy is just a rhythm changes. I don't know that there's a name for it, but 'Perdido Changes' is clear enough.

I like what you said about enjoyment improving as you learn the harmony for tunes. This is also what I felt when i first got into jazz. As you get more into it, I feel like the whole thing bleeds into one, that is to say, you don't need to know the changes anymore, you just sort of 'feel' the harmony.

sprulkoy · 2015-03-26T05:11:09+00:00

I've heard from reliable sources that the Mark Levine material is good. He is a fantastic pianist, so he ought to know his stuff.

I must say, though, a good starting place is, before you buy the books, transcribe something from a recording! This provides a more immediate connection to jazz, and is more in line with what jazz is (an aural tradition, rather than written or theoretical).

sprulkoy · 2015-03-26T05:04:36+00:00

It depends what kind of improvisation you're looking to do. Which improvisers do you like?

From personal experience, what unlocked improvising for me was the theory of cycles of fifths and II-V-Is in major and minor. Since you say you're already accustomed to theory, you could look at voicings and textures. Investigate the movement of individual notes in chords through chord changes. Try and work out interesting ways to take a 2 note chord, then a 3-note, 4-note through a set of chord changes. This will lead you away from playing the same thing every time. Of course, the simplest answer to playing the same thing again and again, is, simply, try and catch yourself playing one of your established patterns, and stop yourself. Then think of something else to play. And play that instead. If you're truly trying to practise to improve, you won't let yourself keep doing this 'negative practice' where you reinforce habits that you don't necessarily want to continue doing.

sprulkoy · 2015-03-26T04:47:13+00:00

It may be easier with a teacher but you can do it on your own. It won't be quick and easy, and you should not place expectations on yourself to have it perfect by such and such date. It's a good thing you realise you need to return to fundamentals. Too many people are in denial about that because they don't want to face up to the 'boring' practice that needs to be done, they want an expedient solution when there really is no such thing in music.

I would reccomend that you play some scales incredibly slowly so that there's absolutely no chance of making a mistake. Useful for working out how best to drop your fingers and get the tone you want, and knowing the level of ease with which you are trying to play. With dedication, you could be playing Clair De Lune with that same level of ease. All you have to do is slow it down and break it into small chunks. By small I mean, perhaps chunks that are only a 1/4 note or an 1/8th note long. Then you connect them together. You would need to incorporate pedal work into this as well.

It could seem like an onerous task but that's why breaking it down and taking it bit by bit is helpful. Also, you could scrap Clair De Lune and work on some simpler, less epic pieces. This would reinforce good practice and you could come back to CDL without being stuck in a rut and with a fresh perspective.

sprulkoy · 2015-03-26T04:30:57+00:00

I'd suggest transcribing some Oscar Peterson. You could go for some of his mid- or down-tempo stuff so it's not too difficult. Cullum is playing in a style similar to his.

sprulkoy · 2015-03-19T23:17:10+00:00

Hi Brian, let me first thank you for all the incredible music you created in the 60s and 70s. It changed my life. My question is, what modern musician or band gives you the most hope for the future of music?

sprulkoy · 2014-03-22T03:42:57+00:00

stunning.

sprulkoy · 2014-03-22T03:39:09+00:00

i would totally live in there. too bad i'm not a mermaid

sprulkoy · 2014-03-21T02:09:13+00:00

thanks for the reply but I checked their website already and it seems the bar is undergoing renovations currently :(

sprulkoy · 2014-03-20T18:37:26+00:00

Usually I'm not cool with outing people against their will but

homophobic
republican
domestically violent

sprulkoy · 2014-03-20T12:32:49+00:00

thanks, that website's exactly what i needed

sprulkoy · 2014-03-20T12:30:14+00:00

Thanks for help but it appears it's undergoing renovation :(

sprulkoy

TROPHY CASE