9 March 2016 (Wednesday) - Chess, Dissorano

I wasn't feeling quite the full one hundred per cent last night; I woke feeling equally iffy this morning. Rather than laying in bed feeling sorry for myself I got up and got on with the day. My dog didn't get up, so I had my brekkie to myself, and as I scoffed it I watched this week's episode of "Killjoys". I think this show is now running out of steam; getting the main characters to have sex is usually a sign that the script writers have run out of ideas.
With a few minutes before work I had a look-see on-line. There was consternation on social media that today's solar eclipse wasn't visble from the UK. Mind you I rather suspect that those expressing the most indignation would honestly think we'd see it in the UK if we voted to leave the EU.

And so to work through the torrential rain.The pundits on the radio were interviewing a chap who is part of a team that has built a super-intelligent computer. This device can beat people in games of chess and go ("Go" is a fiendishly difficult game - one lives and learns.). However the so-called expert said that the device can only decide what moves to do in the game. A human has to then physically move the pieces on the board for the computer. Apparently getting a super-intelligent computer to understand game theory is relatively easy. Getting it to actually play the game is difficult.
Personally I thought this so-called expert needed to go and find out about his field of so-called expertise. Robots build cars easily enough. If they can put together the parts of a car then surely huffing a prawn can't be that tricky, can it?

I had a qualm of conscience as I got to work. The junior doctors were staging a picket line outside the hospital for their current strike. They were sarcastically waving at everyone driving in. As an ardent trade unionist I wondered if I should be crossing the picket line. And then I remembered I'm not an ardent trade unionist any more. I was, but when I needed the union the regional officer of Unite made it crystal clear that she was far too busy playing silly political games to do what I expected of a Trade Union. And much as I sympathise with the doctors' plight, ...... 

I got to work; the day didn't start as well as it might, but it got better. I had a minor bonus when getting a bag of crisps from the works vending machine; the machine had a brainstorm and gave me two bags for the price of one.
It is these little victories that keep me going...

I came home and took "Furry Face TM" round the block. We had a relatively uneventful walk; even if he was jumping at every shadow. For some reason he seemed to be (very much) in "attack mode" this evening.
"er indoors TM" came home and boiled up a rather good dinner which we washed down with a really good bottle of cheap plonk. And then I cracked open the bottle of Dissorano I got as a Christmas pressie....
As I scoffed and guzzled we watched the first episode of "The Aliens"... I can't lie to my loyal readers.... it was crap.


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