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Mundane & Pointless Stuff I Must Share: The Off Topic Forum

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CatharzGodfoot
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Post by CatharzGodfoot » Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:00 am

> Surgo wrote:There's a bunch of agents (which are arbitrary objects, really, they just respond to commands on each timestep), and they live in a 3-dimensional simulated world. So they have 3 coordinates to describe their position, and their positions can be described relative to each other.

Is that to model actual agents in 3-space, or do the coordinates map to something else? I guess I'm failing to see how that relates to computer vision, unless you're doing a simulation of object tracking with interaction.
When I think 'multi-agent system in computer vision' (not that I know anything about the subject), I think of using multiple agents to model interaction between parts of the visual cortex.

> A_Cynic wrote:What did I learn today? I learned that Damascus steel was actually originally made in South India. Who knew?

The Baroque Cycle!
Last edited by CatharzGodfoot on Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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JonSetanta
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Post by JonSetanta » Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:35 am

> Maj wrote:Nice article, Sigma. It relates back to one of my favorite books (The Lucifer Principle {worksafe}). My mom was always sure to emphasize to us that in school it wasn't important to be the best; it was most important to try your best. Most people on the outside didn't get that distinction, though.

I was told since early childhood that I was smart but lazy and "we can't figure out why you're not doing as well as you should be in school".... rather than, well, going through diagnosis for developmental delays and learning problems. Too stigmatizing for my mother, see.
After highschool my parents gave up investing time in me in favor of the other 3 siblings.
The kid on the first page of that article was essentially me.
Thanks for the link!
Last edited by JonSetanta on Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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josephbt
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  Location: Zagreb, Cro

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Post by josephbt » Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:58 am

Every day in every way i'm learning things about myself.
Seriously, since i have a case of amnesia, i learn something new almost every day. And since i have a case of damaged short term memory centers, i must learn stuff every day.
Yesterday i found out that broccoli isn't a crap plant. It actually tastes okay. And asparagus makes you pee green.
engi
Blood for the Blood God!
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Surgo
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Post by Surgo » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:55 pm

> CatharzGodfoot wrote:

> > Surgo wrote:There's a bunch of agents (which are arbitrary objects, really, they just respond to commands on each timestep), and they live in a 3-dimensional simulated world. So they have 3 coordinates to describe their position, and their positions can be described relative to each other.

> Is that to model actual agents in 3-space, or do the coordinates map to something else? I guess I'm failing to see how that relates to computer vision, unless you're doing a simulation of object tracking with interaction.

That's actually exactly what I'm doing: a simulation of object tracking.
http://www.dnd-wiki.org -- the wiki
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CatharzGodfoot
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Post by CatharzGodfoot » Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:00 pm

> Surgo wrote:

> > CatharzGodfoot wrote: Is that to model actual agents in 3-space, or do the coordinates map to something else? I guess I'm failing to see how that relates to computer vision, unless you're doing a simulation of object tracking with interaction.

> That's actually exactly what I'm doing: a simulation of object tracking.

Does the tracking system use agents to represent objects in its field of view? Are agents used as object trackers? Or are they purely used as objects to be tracked?
Please tell me if I'm prying too much. I'm going to be taking a computer vision course in a week, so this kind of stuff is both interesting and relevant to my education.
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Maxus
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Post by Maxus » Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:18 pm

Stuff I've learned in the past day or so:
1) In the United States, it is recommended that children get a Chickenpox Booster Shot.
2) The rash known as Shingles is caused by the Chickenpox virus.
3) You can, in fact, get the chickenpox after getting the vaccine.
So, yeah. I've got a sister who has chickenpox right now.
He jumps like a damned dragoon, and charges into battle fighting rather insane monsters with little more than his bare hands and rather nasty spell effects conjured up solely through knowledge and the local plantlife. He unerringly knows where his goal lies, he breathes underwater and is untroubled by space travel, seems to have no limits to his actual endurance and favors killing his enemies by driving both boots square into their skull. His agility is unmatched, and his strength legendary, able to fling about a turtle shell big enough to contain a man with enough force to barrel down a near endless path of unfortunates.
--The horror of Mario
Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath. He is a terrible person and a hack at writing and art. His cultural contributions are less than Justin Bieber's, and he's a shitmuffin. Go go gadget Googlebomb!
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Cynic
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Post by Cynic » Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:49 am

> Maj wrote: Damn straight! We're working on the evil laugh this week.
> Mwahahahahaha!
> ;)

Isn't that always fun.
My two-year-old Uma does the evil laugh, the murloc sound, Sesame Street's Count's laugh, and she mimes a medusa (fingers wriggling on her hand as she goes 'dusa, 'dusa while ocassionally hissing)
Without a doubt, one of the best parts of being a dad.

> Ancient History wrote:We were working on Street Magic, and Frank asked me if a houngan had run over my dog.

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Talisman
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Post by Talisman » Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:59 am

I learned that my favorite pair of gloves were buried under a pile of sweatshirts at the foot of my bed.
...Sorry; it's all I've got.

> MartinHarper wrote:Babies are difficult to acquire in comparison to other sources of nutrition.

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Surgo
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Post by Surgo » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:41 am

> CatharzGodfoot wrote:

> > Surgo wrote:

> > > CatharzGodfoot wrote: Is that to model actual agents in 3-space, or do the coordinates map to something else? I guess I'm failing to see how that relates to computer vision, unless you're doing a simulation of object tracking with interaction.

> > That's actually exactly what I'm doing: a simulation of object tracking.

> Does the tracking system use agents to represent objects in its field of view? Are agents used as object trackers? Or are they purely used as objects to be tracked?
> Please tell me if I'm prying too much. I'm going to be taking a computer vision course in a week, so this kind of stuff is both interesting and relevant to my education.

The agent is the "robot" in the virtual obstacle course. I guess everything else I put in there can technically count as an agents, but they're more like statics (to use a gaming term). Actually, that's not entirely true -- they move based on the timestep, but they don't really do any processing or anything -- they're just there to move.
I've never actually taken a computer vision course. I worked on some geography stuff for a computer vision lab at NASA, and I've done a bit of AI work. Other than that this is all new to me.
I've committed myself to using an environment called Repast Symphony. It supports continuous 3D space, and seems to work okay. I -think- it'll be able to import stuff from 3d Studio Max, which is helpful for me to create my objects. But I'm really not sure how it makes objects fill space in its continuous 3D space projection; I'm checking on that tomorrow. If it only supports point particles that's a major no-go.
Last edited by Surgo on Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
http://www.dnd-wiki.org -- the wiki
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RiotGearEpsilon
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  Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Post by RiotGearEpsilon » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:07 am

I learned it's possible to select a random entry of a stream of entries, when that stream is of an arbitrary, unknown length. You select the first entry, then have a 1/2 chance of selecting the second, a 1/3 chance of selecting the third, a 1/4 chance of selecting the fourth, etc. This works out to a perfectly even distribution!
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Koumei
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  Location: South Ausfailia

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Post by Koumei » Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:52 am

So, I have done a bit of learning lately, seeing as, in order to get into Uni next year (Bachelor of Pharmacy), I'm studying grade 12 Bio and Chem.
I now understand what they mean with, for instance, double-bonded molecules. And a whole lot of other chemistry as well. And it's fascinating to know just what we've managed to achieve with genetic engineering - from glow in the dark zebra fish to cold-resistant tomatoes to weeds that detect land mines.
Also, humans are not going to split into different species any time soon. Possibly ever, thanks to planes. Because you need to geographically isolate two groups in order to make sure no inter-breeding at all can occur.
Although, in a twist of poetic justice, if the communities who "Hate all them there outsiders and those funny coloured people, they're not real humans" got their way and were walled off from all outside contact long enough, then eventually evolution could in fact carry on until they are unable to breed with anyone outside the communities, meaning they wouldn't be human any more.
Also, in a demonstration of "many factors can affect survival of a different group", I learned just what people are willing to do for chocolate. No-one is too old to squawk loudly for m&ms.
Also I learned how to pin metal minis so that they don't fall apart under their own weight. For zoanthropes, hive tyrants and penitent engines, this is mandatory, as they will fall apart otherwise.
And having managed to detox off energy drinks, and walking around 9-10km per week more than I was previously, I am easing towards my former weight, slowly losing the tummy I gained. It helps that, as I can't be fucked doing something as boring as gym work, I bought some power fists to add half a kilo of weight to each arm for the extra resistance when walking naturally.
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Count Arioch the 28th
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Post by Count Arioch the 28th » Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:19 am

I've learned that not fetishizing lesbianism is anti-woman, and that letting go of your desires and being at peace is anti-sex.
In this moment, I am Ur-phoric. Not because of any phony god’s blessing. But because, I am enlightened by my int score.
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JonSetanta
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Post by JonSetanta » Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:04 pm

> Talisman wrote:I learned that my favorite pair of gloves were buried under a pile of sweatshirts at the foot of my bed.
> ...Sorry; it's all I've got.

That's OK. Even the littlest things help you become wiser.
I've learned that infection does NOT guarantee immunity.
Caught the same strain of virus for the second time this month. It's a weeklong process from nose, to throat, to lung, with fever around the midpoint. Literally, the same fucking disease once more.
You feel like shit throughout like you're sinking through your feet down in to the floor.
It's apparently an 'epidemic' along this side of the U.S.
Fuck evolution. Adaptive viruses suck.
Feels like playing Pandemic.. and I'm Brazil.
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Meikle641
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  Location: Ontario, Canada
  Contact:
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Post by Meikle641 » Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:34 am

I've learned how much of a pain in the ass reporting a boss to the Canadian Ministry of Labour is. But with any luck, I will be able to *hurt* him with the legal system. Gogo Baatezu justice?
Official Discord: https://discord.gg/ZUc77F7
Twitter: @HrtBrkrPress
FB Page: htttp://facebook.com/HrtBrkrPress
My store page: https://heartbreaker-press.myshopify.co ... ctions/all
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Crissa
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Post by Crissa » Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:14 am

I've learned that somehow while on sleep-cycle I post more often to TGD than when I'm not on sleep-cycle.
And I don't like being the most recent poster in a forum.
-Crissa
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Maxus
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Post by Maxus » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:12 am

Today, I learned about optical Petrology.
For once, this was a cool lab.
See, most minerals are transparent if you slice'em thin enough.
And thanks to the basic crystal structure, most of them refract light in different ways. And when you add the other features that show up under a microscope, it gets easy to identify a lot of minerals.
There's even petrographic microscopes which have two polarized filters. When they're both in place, normal light is blocked out. But that makes it useful, because the refraction of the mineral will distort the light, generating colors as you rotate the stage around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73laPSDaHRo
He jumps like a damned dragoon, and charges into battle fighting rather insane monsters with little more than his bare hands and rather nasty spell effects conjured up solely through knowledge and the local plantlife. He unerringly knows where his goal lies, he breathes underwater and is untroubled by space travel, seems to have no limits to his actual endurance and favors killing his enemies by driving both boots square into their skull. His agility is unmatched, and his strength legendary, able to fling about a turtle shell big enough to contain a man with enough force to barrel down a near endless path of unfortunates.
--The horror of Mario
Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath. He is a terrible person and a hack at writing and art. His cultural contributions are less than Justin Bieber's, and he's a shitmuffin. Go go gadget Googlebomb!
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Cynic
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Post by Cynic » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:21 am

I recently learned that losing pretty much 98% of ID if you aren't a US citizen while living in the US sucks hard balls.
I was on my way to an appointment which required my Permanent resident card, my social security card, driver's license, etc... and I was mugged along the way.
Trying to get them all back is a pain especially after moving to NJ where everything requires a crazy 6-point ID verification system. If you aren't a citizen, this often requires having both a green card and/or SS card on hand.
I finally got an interim sheet of paper that says I have a social security number but it doesn't guarantee my right to work in the US eventhough I've lived in the country for the last 12 years legally and I'm married to a US citizen who was born in the country.
Apparently the process of getting your green card/permanent resident card in NJ/NY can take up to 6-7 months which precludes me from even getting a driver's license.
One of the reasons I haven't been on the den or the nets much recently. I've been going from office to office waiting in line.
---

> Ancient History wrote:We were working on Street Magic, and Frank asked me if a houngan had run over my dog.

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Maj
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Post by Maj » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:27 am

> A Cynic wrote:I recently learned that losing pretty much 98% of ID if you aren't a US citizen while living in the US sucks hard balls.

My mom - a US citizen - had all her ID when INS came knocking on her door at work demanding that she show proof that she was a citizen or else they would deport her.
Apparently, my aunt went crazy and declared she was some Italian princess. Despite the fact that she was running with a false name, false country of origin, and false whatever else, INS managed to figure out my mom's name, her phone number, her home address, and her work address. But they couldn't be bothered to look up where she was born to verify whether or not she was a citizen.
Our system is so messed up and unorganized.
My son makes me laugh. Maybe he'll make you laugh, too.
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Count Arioch the 28th
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Post by Count Arioch the 28th » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:32 am

I've learned that even if you are "just friends", spending a weekend with an attractive woman ups your mood considerably.
In this moment, I am Ur-phoric. Not because of any phony god’s blessing. But because, I am enlightened by my int score.
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Tshern
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Post by Tshern » Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:26 pm

I learned it is a pain in the ass to try explaining the local welfare people that it would be an excellent idea to pay all my tuition fees in the University of Aberdeen. Apparently they feel they should only give me money every month for living and booze, but I should actually take some student loan to pay 1775 pounds a year. I call shenanigans.
Joe, who plans to own Newall's Plumbing Company, asked the presidential hopeful about his plan to increase taxes for some Americans. He felt that Obama's increase plan may redistribute wealth.
"Robin Hood stole from greedy rich people and redistributed it to the peasants, so to speak, so if he's [Obama] calling us peasants, I kind of resent that," -Joe the Plumber, a Republican.
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Count Arioch the 28th
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Post by Count Arioch the 28th » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:44 pm

That's more than what I pay for college. However, my college is shit, even by American standards.
In this moment, I am Ur-phoric. Not because of any phony god’s blessing. But because, I am enlightened by my int score.
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Tshern
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Post by Tshern » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:53 am

> Count_Arioch_the_28th wrote:That's more than what I pay for college. However, my college is shit, even by American standards.

I believe what I am facing is the retarded standard fee for Scottish universities. It's not even that much, but if I stayed in Finland (heck, my hometown's university ranks better than Aberdeen's) I wouldn't have to pay anything at all and the government would still be throwing money at me.
Joe, who plans to own Newall's Plumbing Company, asked the presidential hopeful about his plan to increase taxes for some Americans. He felt that Obama's increase plan may redistribute wealth.
"Robin Hood stole from greedy rich people and redistributed it to the peasants, so to speak, so if he's [Obama] calling us peasants, I kind of resent that," -Joe the Plumber, a Republican.
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CatharzGodfoot
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Post by CatharzGodfoot » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:26 am

> Tshern wrote:

> > Count_Arioch_the_28th wrote:That's more than what I pay for college. However, my college is shit, even by American standards.

> I believe what I am facing is the retarded standard fee for Scottish universities. It's not even that much, but if I stayed in Finland (heck, my hometown's university ranks better than Aberdeen's) I wouldn't have to pay anything at all and the government would still be throwing money at me.

My sister was accepted by St. Andrews, and was about to go there when they told her that they had no housing for her. No dorm room, no apartment, not even temporary lodging in a hotel. There went one semester into the hole.
Moral: Scottish universities suck, at least logistically.
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Count Arioch the 28th
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Post by Count Arioch the 28th » Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:44 am

> Tshern wrote:

> > Count_Arioch_the_28th wrote:That's more than what I pay for college. However, my college is shit, even by American standards.

> I believe what I am facing is the retarded standard fee for Scottish universities. It's not even that much, but if I stayed in Finland (heck, my hometown's university ranks better than Aberdeen's) I wouldn't have to pay anything at all and the government would still be throwing money at me.

I wish I was Finnish. I'm trying not to bitch because I left a fairly well-paying, stable, and most importantly recession-proof career to go to college and do something I like more (and repeatedly turning down 50k+ job offers I receive in the mail every couple of months), but finding money to not only pay for college but also to cover my other expenses because no full-time job will even consider hiring a college student in this area is starting to wear thin.
I'm trying to keep a stiff upper lip because I'm doing this by choice and I could literally go back to any sewage plant in the state, demand they put me in charge, and get what I asked for, but one can only eat so many ramen noodles and spam sandwiches before it gets old.
Last edited by Count Arioch the 28th on Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
In this moment, I am Ur-phoric. Not because of any phony god’s blessing. But because, I am enlightened by my int score.
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Crissa
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Post by Crissa » Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:44 am

Of course, 50K is pauper's pay in California.
-Crissa
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