Happy New Oh Crap

Conditions: So very tired

Good News!!

In a twist that is decidedly not shocking, statistics have been published concerning how many times computer-controlled cars have had to be taken over by a human. And it is a reasonably high nummber.

Overall, seven companies filed a report covering “disengagements” in the 15-month period between September 2014 and November 2015. The California DMV defines a disengagement as either the self-driving software failing and needing a human to take control, or the test driver feeling compelled to take control to avoid a dangerous situation.

Between the seven companies that filed, there were 2,894 disengagements logged. Google recorded a total of 341, while Tesla’s sitting pretty at zero. Of course, a disengagement doesn’t mean the car was about to crash, and Google defended its results with the same argument:

- gizmodo.com

2,894!! That's how dependent these systems are on a living organic human to actually do their job. This is the future we're apparently being dragged into. And that bit about Tesla is crap, too. I've seen a youtube video where a Tesla system is about to run off the road and the driver has to grab the wheel. So, not impressed with the brave new world, so far.


Film Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2

Well finally the grand YA saga of our time has come to it's end.  Katniss's struggles over choosing the hunky Gale or the sensitive Peeta have entranced us all over the last few years.  And also something about distopian downtrodden futures ripe for revolution.  Finally we get the definitive ending, the story has come to it's end.  And I have to say that it was a surprising revelation in store for us.  Shockingly, Katniss in the end went with Peeta.

Alright, also the Capital was overthrown and President Snow cast down.  The last movie in this franchise finally gets to the good stuff, and after approximately two movies of messing around it's about damn time.  The rebels have built up their forces and now are moving towards the Capital itself.  Katniss is asked to do yet more propaganda but no, she wants to be the one to kill President Snow, so she goes off by herself to join the troops, however President Coin sends her various cohorts and friends so they can become a sort of special squad that will film the invasion of the Capital as it happens.  Various traps and treachery await on the way to Snow's palace!

Ultimately, this is a satisfying ending to the saga.  All the pieces fit into their long-assigned places, and Katniss fulfills her self-described destiny.  There are shocks, thrills, sadness and surprise as the true cost of revolution unfolds.  It's nice to have a film aimed more at kids so committed in showing how complicated and violent power games can be.  In the end, the franchise overall feels bloated and at least one film too many, but it's heart is in the right place.  Two and a half arrows out of five.



Film Review: Spectre

Somehow the Bond franchise with Daniel Craig has come full circle.  From being fresh and stripped back, raw and intense it's drifted though some bloat, some weird distractions, then through a large amount of retconning, before drifting into cliche and emerging back as the same old routine, albeit with some fresh faces.  So here we are again with M and MoneyPenny, Q and a rougish James.  We even have Blofeld back, complete with a cat and a ridiculous hideout.

But the biggest problem here really isn't that the old cliches are back again, or that Bond still isn't trusted by his peers, it's more that the plot is ridiculous.  I mean, seriously, ridiculous.  So full of holes it's barely worth trying to sort it all out.  Turns out all of the films we've had so far were all engineered by Blofeld, behind the scenes.  But now he has revealed himself, for some reason, and Bond is after him.  Alone.  And at a key point Blofeld reveals that he knows all about Bond, and knows everything everyone is doing.

Despite this point, that surely everyone can see is fairly important, Bond continues to smarm his way around the world on the track of the elusive head of Spectre.  Eventually it's made obvious to even the biggest oaf in the theatre (Bond himself) that the bad guy knows everything that he's doing.  So then, amazingly, we get the tie-Bond-up-and-explain-the-plot-to-him bit. Seriously.  And, even more amazingly, Blofeld neglects to remove Bond's watch!!!  I thought he knew everything!!  Eventually the routine gets too tiring to pay proper attention to any more.  Running, shooting, explosions, Zzzzzz.  Is it over yet?  What Bond needs now is another reboot.  One skull out of five.



- Peace out