E099: PROGRAMMER IS OVERLY POLITE

For some reason fungal mycelial networks and tardigrades were all the rage in pop sci and internet memes circa 2015. The writers just hopped on the bandwagon when they were deciding how their non-warp propulsion plot point would work.

Man it sure is crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide.

I got a contact sugar high just from clicking that link.

The problem is that an AI built to maximize paperclips might conclude that converting the planet to paperclips is an acceptable cost of maximizing paperclip production. It might understand why humans think it’s bad to convert the planet, but disagree. It would need to be explicitly programmed to prioritize human life over paperclips.

otherwise we would just switch it off

If it were super-intelligent, it could probably trick us into leaving it turned on.

A paperclip maximizer driven by self-preservation? What could possiblie go wrong?

Pirate King: HE DID?!? … oh… oh, yes so he did… I was there.

Homer, give him what he wants!

No, it’s “re” like the subject of an email. “Re: diculous”

30 years ago my music teacher told me that in Chinese-language singing it’s the consonants that are sustained.

The problem is that you’re using Windows 95.

He’s got a board with a nail in it!

Nice try, Javert.

Are there examples of censorship or prior restraint you’d like to highlight?

Ctrl-F “plato”

Required reading

?

Oooh, the Germans are mad at me. I’m so scared! Oooh, the Germans!

What, never?

That’s not what you said the first time you saw me!

There is no such thing as an innocent billionaire.

Yet Trump can declassify documents by thought alone.