Will Asimov fix my doorbell? There should be a law about this

Greetings from civilisation, for one more day at least. After tonight, I will no longer be a European citizen but an immigrant of indeterminate status. Don't worry, this won't be a Brexit diatribe. I resigned myself to belonging to a pariah nation long ago, a realisation born from half a lifetime's accumulation of World Cup …

[Glen 1]

Re: If you want AI futures

If you *really* want AI futures, read "The Last Question"

[DiViDeD]

Re: The Last Question

I have to admit that was the first story that sent an actual shiver up my spine when I got to that last sentence.

"There is Now"

ooer!

[Anonymous Coward]

état nounou

état nounou - Given I don't speak froggy, does that mean "nanny state"?

Is that Franglais?

[Celeste Reinard]

Re: état nounou

Oui oui. C'est carement ça.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Please don't flush...

The following sign can be seen on some UK train toilet seats...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=south+west+trains+toilet+sign

Please don't flush

Nappies, sanitary towels,

paper towels, gum,

old phones, unpaid bills,

junk mail, your ex's sweater,

hopes, dreams or goldfish

down this

toilet

[Muscleguy]

Hoots Mon

Fortunately the French still remember the Auld Alliance so us Scots are exempt from les Rosbif's ordure. If the current SNP leadership ever discover their spine and let have some sort a vote on Independence instead of expecting Boris to discover he's a democrat after all (ha!) then we can rejoin our European friends* and present Scottish passports if requested.

Mrs Muscleguy and I have on a number of occasions found ourselves a nice cafe or bistro or bar only to have it then invaded by loud, ignorant, obnoxious English people. Mme Muscleguy is English but is often forced to adopt our adopted NZ nationality to gain a measure of self respect.

Be not English in Europe if you can help it and you will get a different reaction. We have been apologised to by French people anxious to let us know l'Affair Rainbow was not in their name. We assure them we knew that, our beef too was with the then French govt and security establishment. Not that we got any help from the 'Mother Country' who sided with the French who caused an act of war (two, actually, there were two mines) in Auckland harbour.

*Some European MEPs unveiled a large sign outside the EU Parliament in the week saying they will 'leave a light on for Scotland'. Then there's the tweeted picture of a bar in Dublin with a sign saying all English patrons must be accompanied by an EU minder but not the nice Scots. If we ever get to vote Yes we shall not want for governments recognising us. Which is of course what Boris doesn't want.

Let our people go.

[Intractable Potsherd]

Re: Hoots Mon

Nicely said, Muscleguy! If you look carefully, you should be able to see me giving the thumbs-up from the south bank of the Tay! If we ever meet, the first rounds on me :-)

[J.G.Harston]

Dabbsy, you're white North European, you're not an immigrant, you're an ex-pat.

[Celeste Reinard]

Spanking!

As I am also by times a bit Artificially Intelligent, and like to disrupt stuf (there goes the neighborhood), I was thinking along the lines of creating a Spankbot - one that necessarily causes harm (maybe there's something for Our Musky Lord Elon, there?). That also can give a nice, good and solid whipping about. As a gift for... the neighborhood. Or the downstairs neighbor, that, judging the noises emanating from the floorboards, resembles mostly caterwauling, and could do with some spanking ad infinitum. I suggest to call it the Tyrannosaurus may - the Maybot, for all intentional and unintentional (self)harm (or mayhem) - while breaking all the rules, in obedience of them (by popular vote), without any contradiction whatsoever to all and none of the above. ... I aim to please.

... There is no doubt in My mind, being the Celestial Being I am, about the intellectual qualities of those of Mister D. and His ability to think of a nice place where He can shove His rubber duck without Me telling Him, comme Adulte Responsable (with the added bonus that this ahumdum remains sfw).

[Big_Boomer]

I feel sorry for the AIs & Robots. Imagine constantly having to deal with inconsistent, incompetent, self-important humans, and still be polite, caring and non-violent. Do any of you think you could do that? I know I'd struggle if I couldn't blow off steam by being rude, uncaring, and occasionally violent (if pushed enough!).

I agree with Asimov's (and Daneel's) eventual conclusion that Robots & AIs actually damage humanity by making us reliant on them potentially to the point of racial

suicide. Those whose careers/incomes are dependant on AI will disagree and try to force their products on us (already happening with Google/Alexa/Siri/etc.). I have no problem with something that helps me to do what I need to do, but I do not need anything making my decisions for me. I already hate software that "tries" to be helpful, starting with "Clippy" and getting worse.

[Loyal Commenter]

More to the point...

Who's eating apples in the toilet?

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Who the hell really needs "Ring"? I convinced my neighbour to avoid these - stick with wired+internet disabled - I said, no snoopware, constant recharging of sensors. My alarm system can ring me using voip.

[A Nother Handle]

Visiting France last summer one restaurant had Dyson airblade hand dryers. Under a sign saying 'this is not a urinal'.

What was most puzzling was that this sign was also present in the ladies'.