Random Rants LXIX: Life is a Dismal Chore

[Takhisis]

I did think of aimeeandbeatles when I saw it on the telly this afternoon.

Sure, but what if in their misguided emotional attempts to free him, they actually succeed? They may eventually realize the error of their ways, but that won't undo the potential damage they could cause right now.

Yes, well, forgiveness is always post-facto. Just don't pre-emptively decide never to forgive people.

 

[Zkribbler]

Why don't tv shows hire a lawyer to oversee courtroom scenes?

Just watched an episode of Major Crimes. Without notice or a subpoena, defense counsel demands the police officer on the stand turn over her cell phone. In front of the jury,, the cell phone is examined, and when crime scene photos are found, which counsel contends were not turned over in discovery, a mistrial is moved for and argued in front of the jury. The judge then tells the jury to come back after lunch...but he doesn't give them the time. After lunch, without the jury, the judge denies the motion explaining why it is total b.s. Over at defense table, counsel congratulate themselves on how clever they were in getting the issue in front of the jury.

In the last courtroom scene, with the jury not present, the judge calls counsel to a sidebar conference. Why?? There's no jury! But even so, counsel doesn't go to sidebar. Instead, they march lemming-like into the well the area directly in front of the bench. No one but a first-year attorney trying his/her first case would ever be stupid enough to set foot in the well. .

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I thought of aimee as well. I hope she's not taking the news too awfully badly. I wish we could reach out and let her know we were thinking about her.

 

[Ajidica]

Why don't tv shows hire a lawyer to oversee courtroom scenes?

Just watched an episode of Major Crimes. Without notice or a subpoena, defense counsel demands the police officer on the stand turn over her cell phone. In front of the jury,, the cell phone is examined, and when crime scene photos are found, which counsel contends were not turned over in discovery, a mistrial is moved for and argued in front of the jury. The judge then tells the jury to come back after lunch...but he doesn't give them the time. After lunch, without the jury, the judge denies the motion explaining why it is total b.s. Over at defense table, counsel congratulate themselves on how clever they were in getting the issue in front of the jury.

In the last courtroom scene, with the jury not present, the judge calls counsel to a sidebar conference. Why?? There's no jury! But even so, counsel doesn't go to sidebar. Instead, they march lemming-like into the well the area directly in front of the bench. No one but a first-year attorney trying his/her first case would ever be stupid enough to set foot in the well. .

Why? Because writers are lazy.

(Minor language)

 

[warpus]

It saves them money. If you're doing an episode about farming, you can't just hire a farmer.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Some shows hire a consultant just to say they did. But there's nothing that compels them to hire a consultant who actually knows what they're talking about, or that they have to listen to him/her.


On the opposite end of the scale, you get the situation of the TV series Downton Abbey. They hired a guy who was an expert in basically everything from the Edwardian era, from fashions to speech patterns, period props and set design, how the clothing is actually worn, how women descend staircases, or how they would put on and remove their gloves at the dining table. As historical dramas go, Downton Abbey is one of the most authentic ones around. They were relentless in trying to make sure everything was correct.

Which made it all the funnier when one of the publicity stills for their new season went viral because somebody forgot a plastic water bottle on the mantel...

 

[Commodore]

Why? Because writers are lazy.

It's more because how things work in real life tend to blast massive holes in the contrived plots these writers come up with. So they'd rather just go forward with their plot instead of having an expert come in and tell them just how stupid their writing is.

 

[Takhisis]

↑ which is why I only reserve some plotlines for fantasy settings where I can say ‘yes, the law allows that’.

 

[Commodore]

↑ which is why I only reserve some plotlines for fantasy settings where I can say ‘yes, the law allows that’.

And that's what most other good writers do too. Problem is, most writers that write for TV shows aren't good writers.

 

[Sommerswerd]

It's more because how things work in real life tend to blast massive holes in the contrived plots these writers come up with. So they'd rather just go forward with their plot instead of having an expert come in and tell them just how stupid their writing is.

This comment is ironic, given our discussion on the NFL Ops Manual and lawyers in the other thread

 

[Ryika]

All art is derivative.

Yes, and on top of that, literally everything is drawn directly "from reference". At best, you're referencing the memory of something you've seen in the past.
But the idea that a real artist doesn't use reference is still so prevalent on the internet, even though any professional artist will tell you the opposite.

That attitude comes from a dislike of a certain kind of "art thief" I think, people who literally redraw images from other artists and don't mention that, and sure, if that's what's meant by "using reference", then I agree that you shouldn't do that (at least not without disclosing and linking to the original piece of art), but it's applied way too broadly and it just doesn't make any sense.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Related to my rave -
I've gotten lost in the parking garage for 45 minutes at my new place. Twice.

Unrelated and really sad -

I have to put one of my dogs down. Her bladder stones have returned for the fifth or sixth time. She's too old to undergo surgery again so this is the end of the line. The tragic thing is that she's been a terrible barker her entire life and I finally got an apartment where she isn't triggered to bark and now she's going to die. I called the vet to schedule it yesterday and it wrecked me. I managed to not cry at my desk (just barely) but I wasn't productive at all.

 

[Akka]

I managed to not cry at my desk (just barely) but I wasn't productive at all.

You're free to cry when a beloved pet dies. That's in the book of Allowed Manly Tears.
I cried a lot last year when my mother had to euthanize her dog

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Oh I know I'm free to cry and I know I will when the moment comes.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Related to my rave -
I've gotten lost in the parking garage for 45 minutes at my new place. Twice.

Unrelated and really sad -

I have to put one of my dogs down. Her bladder stones have returned for the fifth or sixth time. She's too old to undergo surgery again so this is the end of the line. The tragic thing is that she's been a terrible barker her entire life and I finally got an apartment where she isn't triggered to bark and now she's going to die. I called the vet to schedule it yesterday and it wrecked me. I managed to not cry at my desk (just barely) but I wasn't productive at all.

It's never an easy thing, to have to euthanize a pet.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Oh I know I'm free to cry and I know I will when the moment comes.

Cry as much as you want whenever you want about whatever makes you feel like crying. Not crying when you need to is bad for you. Its like not pooping when you need to or not eating your vegetables.

Its whining that's bad, not crying.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

So apparently it's normal for an AI to drop from Magnanimous to Noncommittal upon a refused request. That's huge. I don't think there's a single non-war action that causes Friendly > Cautious or Friendly > Guarded in other games.

 

[Gori the Grey]

This is a rant against the American news media. It's a focused rant, a rant about a single word, the word "loyalty." I watch a lot of the commentary shows, and there's a truism to which many commentators resort: "Trump demands loyalty."

So, for example, it has just come out that this summer Tillerson was on the verge of quitting as Sec of State, and that he walked out of one meeting calling Trump a "moron." And as the commentators were playing this out, they were speculating that Tillerson would have to make a public disavowal of that report . . . because "Trump demands loyalty."

Now the commentators are often quick to add the critical observation that "but he shows none."

But even that criticism is not enough.

They need to start using a different word for what Trump demands. Trump doesn't demand loyalty; he demands either submission or subjection. I get why newscasters are unpracticed at using such terminology. American society is egalitarian enough that political commentators are rarely called on to use either of those words. Submission or subjection generally only occur within really unhealthy interpersonal relationships. But Trump is sick in that way. And so those are the more accurate words for what it is that Trump demands.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

So apparently it's normal for an AI to drop from Magnanimous to Noncommittal upon a refused request. That's huge. I don't think there's a single non-war action that causes Friendly > Cautious or Friendly > Guarded in other games.

You should see how miffed the AI gets in Civ II: ToT if I refuse to give them certain techs.

 

[Takhisis]

And that's what most other good writers do too. Problem is, most writers that write for TV shows aren't good writers.

Thank you for the ‘other’! But I don't think you've read any of my work.

Yes, and on top of that, literally everything is drawn directly "from reference". At best, you're referencing the memory of something you've seen in the past.
But the idea that a real artist doesn't use reference is still so prevalent on the internet, even though any professional artist will tell you the opposite.

That attitude comes from a dislike of a certain kind of "art thief" I think, people who literally redraw images from other artists and don't mention that, and sure, if that's what's meant by "using reference", then I agree that you shouldn't do that (at least not without disclosing and linking to the original piece of art), but it's applied way too broadly and it just doesn't make any sense.

I learned to draw by copying others and to write by reading, so… well, people are prone to exaggeration on the Internets.

So apparently it's normal for an AI to drop from Magnanimous to Noncommittal upon a refused request. That's huge. I don't think there's a single non-war action that causes Friendly > Cautious or Friendly > Guarded in other games.

Is this a printer AI?