Sometimes I miss having powers... Oh. Oh! I know what this is! This is peer pressure! Any second now you're gonna make me smoke tobacco and--and have drugs!

Anya ,'Showtime'


Natter 58: Let's call Venezuela!  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


Steph L. - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:02 am PDT #320 of 10001
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

Prisoner's Dilemma is the one where you have to decide whether to inform on someone, I think.

Hmm. What's the one called that I described, with the lying guard and truthful guard, and only one question? (That's not a question specifically for Dana; anyone?)


Tom Scola - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:18 am PDT #321 of 10001
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

(inevitable x-post)

Two suspects, A and B, are arrested by the police. The police have insufficient evidence for a conviction, and, having separated both prisoners, visit each of them to offer the same deal: if one testifies for the prosecution against the other and the other remains silent, the betrayer goes free and the silent accomplice receives the full 10-year sentence. If both remain silent, both prisoners are sentenced to only six months in jail for a minor charge. If each betrays the other, each receives a five-year sentence. Each prisoner must make the choice of whether to betray the other or to remain silent. However, neither prisoner knows for sure what choice the other prisoner will make. So this dilemma poses the question: How should the prisoners act?

[link]


-t - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:19 am PDT #322 of 10001
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

The one where someone always lies has the name of a Greek city, I think. That starts with an E? Maybe?


Jesse - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:22 am PDT #323 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Prisoner's Dilemma is the scenario where one guard always lies, one always tells the truth, one door leads to certain death, and one door leads to freedom, and you are only allowed to ask one guard one question, right? And you don't know which guard is which. Or which door is which.

Oh, I love that one! But it's not Prisoner's Dilemma.


Emily - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:28 am PDT #324 of 10001
"In the equation E = mc⬧, c⬧ is a pretty big honking number." - Scola

I thought Prisoner's Dilemma was the one where if you push the button, the other person gets punished, but if both of you push the button, um, something bad happens.

I think that they talked about the Monty Hall thing in Numb3rs.

Yeah, for about 5 seconds, and everyone in the lecture hall went, "Oh!" Whereas I had to have it explained to me about five times, by very competent people, before it really penetrated.


tommyrot - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:36 am PDT #325 of 10001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

No, Prisoner's Dilemma is you and your buddy have gotten pinched and are in separate boxes. If you both keep quiet, you'll walk, but if one of you squeals the other gets 10 years, and if you both talk you'll each get a couple of years.

Yeah. So it's in your best interest to fuck over the other guy. Unless we're talking multiple iterations, in which case the tit for tat thing works best....


Steph L. - Apr 08, 2008 10:23:48 am PDT #326 of 10001
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

Prisoner's Dilemma is you and your buddy have gotten pinched and are in separate boxes. If you both keep quiet, you'll walk, but if one of you squeals the other gets 10 years, and if you both talk you'll each get a couple of years.

Uh, where's the dilemma? Don't talk. No dilemma. What am I missing?


shrift - Apr 08, 2008 10:24:11 am PDT #327 of 10001
"You can't put a price on the joy of not giving a shit." -Zenkitty

Ahahaha. Instead of being painfully embarrassed by having to call random places to ask dumb questions, I am enjoying it this afternoon. Normally I hate this crap, but I'm guess I'm feeling perverse today.


Nutty - Apr 08, 2008 10:24:34 am PDT #328 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."

What, no Tragedy of the Commons?


Tom Scola - Apr 08, 2008 10:25:05 am PDT #329 of 10001
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

Don't talk. No dilemma. What am I missing?

That only works if you're 100% positive your accomplice won't spill.