Mapping Algorithms are dumb sometimes

Using AI for predicting crimes and mapping directions  has serious flaws. 

    I can attest that Google Maps and Waze are really dumb sometimes. Even in 2017. Years ago MapQuest and Google maps would send you around and around or off a cliff or into an ocean or down a street that doesn't exist.  Its improved tremendously over the years , but still has serious flaws.

    The past year I've done a lot of cross country traveling and half the time no phone signal and the downloaded maps suck.   But the routes are just stupid sometimes.  Send you down back roads.  Tell you to make a left turn on a 6 lane highway.  It's not a mistake either. It's really an option. But it's an option only an idiot would make.  And these maps do this all the time so it's not just some bug.

     The other reality is as much as machine learning has been bragged about  , half these companies make their revenue off of selling their AI to fortune 1000 companies.  You know , many of the ones going out of business or bankrupt.  Even Wal-Mart has struggled to stop that Amazon push into everything. 

   What Machine Learning seems to be best at is selling more advertising, fake news  and winning games.   But actually improving half these companies, it's really just a lie. 

    I mean if you hear some marketing pitch from a AI startup and they list a company going out of business as one of their clients , what exactly was the point of their system ?  To sell BS to a dying franchise?  That's not business , that's just a con game. 

  

  

Driving across the country with a dog

Driving across the country in a 2014 VW Jetta that has 74k miles on it.  I have a few phone calls and meetings and a book to write so some stops are required. Plus Bennie will need his walks and breaks.

I started in Orange County, but the route with bennie the dog and I will be as follows :

San Diego to Salton Sea.  Short pit stop.

Salton Sea to Phoenix.  Rest overnight.

Phoenix to Albuquerque. Rest overnight.

Albuquerque to Oklahoma City.  Rest overnight. 

Oklahoma City to Memphis. Rest overnight.

Memphis to Birmingham. Pit stop.

Birmingham to Atlanta.  Finished.   Hooray.

We will see how this all goes. 
It's 80 degrees and hot now so. 

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(Google maps shared route is terrible
..See below )

Shared route From (33.0236617,-117.0753169) to Atlanta via CA-78 E. 1 d 9 hr (2181 mi) 1 d 9 hr in current traffic 1. Head south toward Rancho Bernardo Rd 2. Turn right onto Rancho Bernardo Rd 3. Use the right 2 lanes to take the Interstate 15 N ramp 4. Merge onto I-15 N 5. Use the right lane