Recent posts

#31

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 01:07:16 PM

Speaking of accents, Canadians are now frequently using the American silent t.

It's still a bit jarring to my ear, but I am old and shouting at clouds.

Could be worse. Could be the silent English t. "Bo'le of wa'er!"

Yeah, I think the Aussies inherited a lot of that usage.

#32

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 01:05:40 PM

What does Wallah mean?

It is the way some Americans pronounce Voilà 

#33

Gaming HQ / Re: Europa Universalis V confi...

Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 01:03:32 PM

If it keeps on raining, the levies are going to break.

#34

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by Syt - Today at 12:49:50 PM

I found these presentations from Yann LeCun interesting despite the fact that he works for Meta.  It's possible he is just talking down his competitor's books, as Meta lacks an industry leading LLMs, but he seemed on the level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETZfkkv6V7Y&t=3090s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvNCVYkHKfg&t=3122s

Thanks.

#35

Off the Record / Re: Star Wars Megathread

Last post by Syt - Today at 12:49:27 PM

I've found the discussions of these two PolSci professors from UConn about Andor interesting.

https://youtu.be/ExUkCpfLeZw

Question to native speakers - what accent does the prof in the checkered shirt have? I can't quite place it, and his CV only says that he has British citizenship.

They have a video up about the first two episodes of Pluribus, and he's wearing a Newcastle United jersey. I'll assume he speaks Josq.

#36

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Syt - Today at 12:48:21 PM

Speaking of accents, Canadians are now frequently using the American silent t.

It's still a bit jarring to my ear, but I am old and shouting at clouds.

Could be worse. Could be the silent English t. "Bo'le of wa'er!"

#37

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Razgovory - Today at 12:37:46 PM

What does Wallah mean?

#38

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 12:26:19 PM

Just as a total aside that chart sort of shows why France has, surprisingly, some of the highest rates of wealth inequality in the West. Because it's biggest companies are (broadly) luxury goods groups like LVMH, L'Oreal - add in Chanel, Kering, Hermes etc - who are some of biggest companies in Europe and a lot of them are still either privately owned or with very significant private ownership.

So I think the richest people in Europe by some distance are the Arnault family who have LVMH, so a few hundred billion which is five or six times the richest Brits (the Hinduja family). But it leads to really wild stats - I think something like 20-5% of French GDP is basically held by four or five families like the Arnaults, Bettancourts, Pinaults etc.

#39

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 12:24:12 PM

I think Wallah is actually another gift from our American friends. 

#40

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 12:15:58 PM

There is also a junior minister called Keir - so they may even get to a third leader called Keir before they're willing to trust a woman or someone from an ethnic minority.