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Paste this bad-boy into your console and watch the real expert play:

(function () { "use strict";

  // ── CONFIG ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
  const AUTO_RESTART = true;
  const RESTART_DELAY = 800;   // ms before auto-restart after death
  const MUTE_SOUND = true;     // silence during autoplay
  const SIM_FRAMES = 350;      // max frames to simulate per check
  // ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

  let running = true;
  let totalGames = 0;
  let botBest = 0;
  let scores = [];

  if (MUTE_SOUND && typeof snd !== "undefined") snd = false;

  function wouldHitTarget() {
    if (st !== 1 || !bl || !bl.orb) return false;

    var targets = [];
    for (var i = cWI + 1; i < Math.min(wl.length, cWI + 3); i++) {
      if (wl[i] && !wl[i].caught) targets.push(wl[i]);
    }
    if (targets.length === 0) return false;

    var ta = bl.angle + bl.dir * Math.PI / 2;
    var nw = wl[cWI + 1];
    var spd;
    if (nw) {
      var ddx = nw.x - bl.x, ddy = nw.y - bl.y;
      spd = Math.max(4.5, Math.min(7.5, Math.sqrt(ddx * ddx + ddy * ddy) * 0.038));
    } else {
      spd = 5.5;
    }

    var x = bl.x, y = bl.y;
    var vx = Math.cos(ta) * spd;
    var vy = Math.sin(ta) * spd;

    for (var f = 0; f < SIM_FRAMES; f++) {
      vy += 0.06;
      vx *= 0.995;
      vy *= 0.995;
      x += vx;
      y += vy;

      for (var t = 0; t < targets.length; t++) {
        var dx = x - targets[t].x, dy = y - targets[t].y;
        if (Math.sqrt(dx * dx + dy * dy) < targets[t].radius + 20) {
          return true;
        }
      }

      if (y > 2500 || x < -400 || x > W + 400) return false;
    }
    return false;
  }

  function autoRestart() {
    if (st !== 2) return;
    var go = document.getElementById("game-over");
    var rp = document.getElementById("revive-popup");
    if (go) go.classList.add("hidden");
    if (rp) rp.classList.add("hidden");
    document.getElementById("pause-btn").style.display = "flex";
    document.getElementById("sound-btn").style.display = "flex";
    st = 1;
    init();
  }

  function tick() {
    if (!running) return;

    if (st === 0) {
      handleTap();
    } else if (st === 2 && AUTO_RESTART) {
      totalGames++;
      scores.push(sc);
      if (sc > botBest) botBest = sc;
      console.log(
        "Game #" + totalGames +
        " | Score: " + sc +
        " | Jumps: " + jmp +
        " | Combo peak: " + cc +
        " | Bot best: " + botBest
      );
      setTimeout(autoRestart, RESTART_DELAY);
      setTimeout(function () { requestAnimationFrame(tick); }, RESTART_DELAY + 50);
      return;
    } else if (st === 1 && bl && bl.orb) {
      if (wouldHitTarget()) {
        release();
      }
    }

    requestAnimationFrame(tick);
  }

  window.stopBot = function () {
    running = false;
    console.log("Bot paused. Call startBot() to resume.");
  };

  window.startBot = function () {
    if (running) return;
    running = true;
    console.log("Bot resumed.");
    requestAnimationFrame(tick);
  };

  window.botStatus = function () {
    var avg = scores.length
      ? (scores.reduce(function (a, b) { return a + b; }, 0) / scores.length).toFixed(1)
      : 0;
    console.log(
      "Games: " + totalGames +
      " | Best: " + botBest +
      " | Avg: " + avg +
      " | Running: " + running
    );
  };

  console.log("=== STARFLING AUTO-PLAYER ===");
  console.log("Controls: stopBot() | startBot() | botStatus()");
  requestAnimationFrame(tick);
})();

reply


I've been pretty obsessed with FSRS in general (tldr: https://github.com/open-spaced-repetition/awesome-fsrs/wiki/...) It's a fantastic new-ish scheduler for spaced repetition - basically a machine learning model which adapts to you, and schedules flash (or anything, really, it's an algorithm) cards according to how well you are personally performing - surfacing data like retention, stability, recall, etc. It's a massive jump over previous "learning algorithms" like

For the past 60d I've been using Anki (a flash card program) and it's FSRS setting to learn my French deck (5000 most common French words) and I'm absolutely zooming. I can already follow a fair chunk of conversational French.

I've also been using the same system to learn Chess more deeply (endgames, tactics, openings) through Chessable and a few other websites that offer FSRS. It's levelled up my chess game a lot

Basically - the thing that hooked me was the data. Being able to see how many cards I've reviewed, how many cards are at 90/80% retention, the stability of every piece of that knowledge, the decay rate, etc... It's really cool.

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FSRS is really cool. I'm trying to use it and a modified flashcard system to learn more abstract computer science and higher math. I hadn't considered it as a way of learning Chess - that's really interesting. I'm thinking about expanding my system to cover ear-training, birdsong recognition, a few other things like that.

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I never thought about ear-training!

My listening comprehension for Piano has always been lacking. A deck of piano sounds that map to actual notes (or even chords) might do wonders for it...

My current decks are as follows - I spend about an hour in total reviewing/learning them all, daily:

- 5000 most common French words

- 5000 most common French sentences (following the Alex Crompton method: https://www.alexcrompton.com/blog/how-to-learn-a-language)

- English GMAT Vocabulary List (to keep my English sharp)

- Unscrambling 5000 English Anagrams (to practice unscrambling for Scrabble or other similar board games)

- Some machine learning concepts & algorithms relevant to my day job

- Some distributed systems concepts & algorithms relevant to my day job

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Are you finding the French decks helpful? I'm also trying to learn French (not using spaced repetition _per se_ but Pimsleur [which does use spaced repetition, really], InnerFrench, and reading [currently reading _Le Trône de fer_]).

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Are all your decks from Anki's shared decks library? Are you making your own as well? If so, what's that process?

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I really liked the article, but food for thought: is a transformer that offloads computation to python really that different from Python code being read and then executed by a compiler?

Both examples are of a system we created to abstract most of the hard work.

I think a more important concept here is that the term "AI" has a lot of built-in assumptions, one of which being that it is (or will be) super intelligent, and so folks like the author here think (correctly) that it's important for the AI to be actually doing the work itself.


There's one difference that if a program is run as tool call, the internal states and control flow are not visible to the LLM. You can imagine this being useful for "debugging" in a meta-sense, the same way humans can use debuggers to figure out where something went awry it might be useful for the LLM to "simulate" something and have access to the execution trace.

Of course you can also just simulate this by peppering your code with print statements, so maybe it's not that useful in the end after all.


I know it's semantics, but Apple has never actually marketed their Air products as lighter than their Pro counterparts. The 11" variant is ~460g.


Are we meant to associate it with "hot air" marketing or what else?


What are you talking about? Air literally always meant thin and light. Now they're treating it a premium product between normal and pro instead (see iPhone Air too)


Yeah they should never have tried to copy "Air" from MacBooks, precisely where it meant thinnest/lightest, to the iPad/iPhone line where the products are already thin and light. That has always seemed like a bizarre branding move to me.

If they need a mid-tier brand between entry-level and Pro, just call it Plus. The iPad Plus would make a lot more sense.


I'm impressed with the Arc-AGI-2 results - though readers beware... They achieved this score at a cost of $13.62 per task.

For context, Opus 4.6's best score is 68.8% - but at a cost of $3.64 per task.


Nice - Another post shaming Apple for a problem which the entire internet faces.

I'll load up Facebook right now and get the same things. Google? The same.

And to no surprise, ads like these break Apple's ad content guidelines[1].

OP should figuratively put down the video camera and go perform CPR. Report the Ad. Make the internet a better place.

[1]: https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/adguide/apd527d891a8/1...


Apple News is a paid subscription. Facebook and Google are not. Apple is supposedly the premium brand that provides a curated experience (isn't that their reasoning behind the closed nature of the App Store?).


That could make sense as a criticism if Apple were some tiny struggling company. But they have the resources to do better. And a brand identity that definitely sets it apart from the rest of the internet.


Still a bit of a bummer that with Apple, you pay a premium to escape the ad-based ecosystem^W cesspool, both for the hardware and then here for Apple News itself, and then still not only get served ads, but tasteless scam ads.


I’m an Apple cultist but it is somewhat comical that Apple has their own content blocking format built into their own browser but somehow thinks I’d ever want to pay for a subscription to read ad-encumbered news in a separate webview app


I always love reading about Nepal. I've been a handful of times, for various short climbs and for some far longer 30+ day expeditions.

If you're reading this and need a short escape from life, I really recommend looking into doing the trek to EBC. It's extremely accessible (and cheap), and I've personally seen people as young as 8 y/o and as old as 80 y/o doing it and having the time of their lives.

I've been all over the world. Antarctica, climbing in Pakistan, trekking through the Middle East... Nepal was one of my first adventures and remains one of my favourites.

To stay on topic... Teahouses can be found along every route through the mountains. Most of my fond memories are in teahouses, where you get to sit, have a black tea, and reflect on just how beautiful the people (and the mountains) are. It's also a great opportunity to meet people from other cultures. I'll always remember the Russian's who bought me a beer after climbing Island Peak, the cards I played with some kids in Samagaun... I could go on.

Go visit Nepal!


I did EBC in late 2024, and I've done a few other treks, too. I will say that while EBC was great & I'm glad I went, it's far more commercialized & full of tourists than some other treks. I found the experience of other treks (Langtang Valley, Mardi Himal) to have a more intimate and cozy vibe.


Yeah, I've trekked the Annapurna circuit as well as EBC and was struck by just how much better Annapurna was. And Annapurna isn't exactly unpopular, just way less overrun than EBC and way more scenic


Annapurna Circuit has changed much over the years. It feels busier than EBC, because roads go all the way up to Manang and Muktinath, with only three days between them. And Muktinath is a big pilgrimage destination, with ~800k visitors a year.


I think it is just the draw of the word 'Everest'. I heard that you can't even see Everest from much of Everest base trek. Perhaps someone who has been can verify that?


It's true. Usually, the first time you see Everest is from the Everest View Hotel (a small hike up from Namche Bazaar) -- so around day 3, depending on your speed -- and then once or twice more on the approach to Gorakshep.

From there, you either hike up the Kala Patthar view-point which has that famous panoramic view of Everest, basecamp, and all the surrounding peaks... Or you trek around the canyon and begin the approach to EBC itself.


You can see it, but best views are from nearby hill called Kala Pathar. I presume you meant from Everest Base Camp, from EBC hike you can see Everest pyramid many times.

There is a very nice variant of EBC hike called 3 passes trek. Goes over 3 high altitude passes (5500, 5400, 5300m) on top of base camp, making a nice loop. A better challenge, once outside main valley just few people, and views are stunning, ie from Gokyo Ri, or north walls of Taboche or Cholatse. A difference between meh and stunning for me.


"Around Annapurna" with Mountain Travel in the early 1980s. I was in terrific shape (at sea level) and thus very surprised at how hard I was breathing after running 100 meters on the Thorong La Pass at 18,000 feet.


Altitude sickness is also very unpredictable and sometimes hits the fittest people the worst.


Indeed. A member of our trekking party of 12 or so got altitude sickness and had to be taken down to a lower altitude at around 14,000 feet. IRL he was a Canadian Mountie in great shape, in his mid-20s.


That's the kind of experience that makes one appreciate what Tim Macartney-Snape did, practically speed walking from sea level to summit Mt Everest w/out suppliementary oxygen.

~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Macartney-Snape


Just another 80s trekker passing along a hello. I had the same experience as you describe nearing the top of Kala Patthar. Trekked outside of Pokhara too but did not do the circuit. Maybe we passed along the trail though ;)


Namaste


Nepal is great. The people are generally very friendly. Kathmandu is very cosmopolitan. The mountains are stunning. I am going back again for the first time in 25 years. I'm doing a much gentler trek this time!


Kathmandu's pollution has spiraled out of control so please expect to find a much dustier capital.


That's a pity. Thanks for the heads up. Will take a face mask.


I've been to Nepal a bunch of times and I usually recommend just passing quickly through KTM to get to where you are going. The dust can be terrible and it is loud and polluted - the opposite reason to why most people generally want to go to Nepal. Better to spend more time in the mountains or Pokhara


And mosquito born diseases are going around like crazy thanks to global warming.


It's winter here. That's mostly an issue during summer. Also, if you're out trekking, then that is a non-issue (especially higher up in the mountains).


Nepal is also an amazing culinary experience. The food has indo-chinese influence but is its own thing. Dal bhat is what regular people eat and is available in most teahouses and is the best thing after a hard day of walking. Also don't forget to try momos (I actually know someone who went recently and never tried momos in their entire trip! Only if we had spoken first!)


Dal bhat in Nepal is not unique to Nepal, it is also a huge Indian staple food, dal and rice in India, eaten in many parts of the country in various forms. Called dal chaval in Hindi states in north India, varan bhat in Maharashtra, and a variant called sambar sadam or similar in south India.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal


Didn’t say it was unique to Nepal. But eating a thali in Nepal is a different experience to the one in various states of India as i’m sure you know.


your "is its own thing" implies "unique" to me. but if you want to hairsplit, go ahead. no issues. to each their own.

and about your "as i’m sure you know.":

how are you sure i know?

are you me? or can you read my thoughts? hee hee.

if so, mad props to you for being able to enter another person's mind. congrats, you may have acquired a siddhi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhi

/s.


I have eaten both cuisines extensively and Nepali cuisine is very different from Indian and much better imo. Just because Indians eat dal bhat means little.


"and much better". ha ha ha.

that is entirely subjective, and you yourself said "imo".

i am not denying that it may feel better - to you.

maybe read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_gustibus_non_est_disputandu...

and get real about life.


and "means little" to who? to you, maybe. what a stupid statement.

india is many many times bigger than nepal in area.

and with a much higher population. world's highest, in fact.

google both those points.

no one except you, in the whole wide world, gives a flying fuck about how 'extensively" you have eaten those cuisines.

don't give yourself airs and pretend to speak for the rest of the whole world.


Your comment really accentuates the article. I'm glad the feeling I got reading the article was corroborated by your experience, and I hope to visit Nepal one day. Thanks.


Here in Ireland, a stamp is 1.85eur.

So. Many. Possibilities.


Wow didn't realize its much more expensive in some places outside the US. I'd think the smaller land area would make it cheaper.


In Denmark it is €3.08 for a 100g letter.

This appears to be the cost without subsidy, with the mail service now run by a private company.

It's fine. I receive less than the average 10 letters per year (including junk mail). I check the mail box every two weeks or so.


> This appears to be the cost without subsidy, with the mail service now run by a private company.

That just means that whatever it actually costs to deliver mail to/from whatever parts of Denmark they provide service for, the people who use the service will pay that cost plus an additional cost on top of it so that the private owner (and perhaps their shareholders) can line their pockets. The nice thing about public services is that you avoid paying that extra money just so that a small number of people can personally profit from it. You can also lose a lot of transparency and control over how the service is run.

That said, I'm a bit envious of the lack of junk mail.


The USPS is an amazing service. Extremely dependable and affordable. They service places that no sane company ever would and they do a pretty good job. The only real downside is that it centralizes government surveillance, but the same can be said for the other large/popular private delivery services.


I love it. My bets are on that this idea will be stolen and turned into some micro-transaction plagued app on store before the end of the week.


Interesting, in the era of productivity tools I just realised I don't re-size windows anymore. I just use Swish or Spectacle.


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