Provably good batch reinforcement learning without great exploration

The shadows were long and the wind across the flatlands fierce as trucks and ATVs began pulling into Chepo Gonzales’s yard one afternoon this March. “Did you double up your socks today?” Gonzales teased one of the arrivals, a man who complained about cold feet during the previous night’s patrol. Another man leaned out the window of his truck and offered a more serious status report: “There’s a lot of water out there, but it’s flowing north.” There was so much water, in fact, that across the state it was spilling over the banks of rivers and bursting the walls of levees. For more than a week, Gonzales and his neighbors had been doing their rounds three to four times a day, looking for signs of danger along the various creeks and canals that surrounded Allensworth, a small town of houses, trailers and barns tucked amid the vast, flat farms of the San Joaquin Valley in central California. They had been ordered to evacuate — the roads into the town were officially closed — but here … [Read more...] about First Drought, Then Flood. Can the West Learn to Live Between Extremes?

An African-American resort town in Michigan, circa 1970; a raucous family road trip from Kansas City, Mo., to New York state; a bittersweet return to Hyderabad, India; and a college student’s self-discovery in Australia: Four New York Times Travel contributors share their memories of trips that still impart a sense of wonder and hope. Lost in Time on the Shores of Lake Idlewild By Ron Stodghill At some point, even as I began racking up frequent-flier miles, I came to accept a simple truth: I’d find no sleep as peaceful as I found on Lake Idlewild. My slumbers in Michigan’s densely wooded, all-black resort started as a kid. Belly full of fried catfish, Jones Homemade Ice Cream and ZotZ penny candy from Lee-John’s Novelty and Soda Bar, I would curl up on a lounge chair by the lake and snooze for hours to the sound of waves gurgling along the shore, the purring of fishing boats motoring by, the crackling of the Detroit Tigers radio broadcast wafting … [Read more...] about Past Into Present: 4 Journeys That Changed Us

0 Pets If you're in search of a fuzzy new family member, these pets are waiting for their forever home in Glen Ellyn area shelters. Pet News , Patch Staff Posted Reply If you’re hoping to add a fluffy ball of love and affection to your family, look no further than these Glen Ellyn area animal shelters for a pet to adopt. Millions of pets are surrendered to adoption agencies each year nationwide, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. Shelters often look after other animals in search of a permanent home as well, including pigs, birds and even horses. However, only half of all shelter animals — about 3.2 million — are adopted each year, ASPCA data shows. This means millions of animals — some right here in the Glen Ellyn area — are still waiting for their forever homes. With help from our friends at Petfinder, … [Read more...] about Latest Pets Up For Adoption At Glen Ellyn Area Shelters

There’s video that exists of Venus and Serena Williams playing tennis when they were kids — 8 and 7, respectively — in the late ’80s, on unshaded but otherwise decent-looking public courts in California. This is not one of the clips you’ve maybe seen, taken from various news segments, but an earlier, stranger video, made by their father and longtime coach, Richard Williams, as a kind of audition tape for the tennis-instructional guru Vic Braden, ostensibly requesting an invitation to Braden’s camp, although the real reason for it, you can’t help feel in watching, simply was to let Braden know that greatness had arrived in the world. Richard’s face in the film as he presents the girls to Braden seems, as it does so often, on the brink of laughter. This was in Compton, the low-income, gang-afflicted hub city outside Los Angeles, an area made infamous by many a rap song. Although they enjoyed about as stable an upbringing as you could have in Compton back then, its problems were no mere … [Read more...] about Venus and Serena Against the World

0 Pets Plenty of adorable animals are up for adoption in the Eldersburg area. Pet News , Patch Staff Posted Reply Looking to add a new member to your family and give back to the Eldersburg community at the same time? Adopt a dog, cat or other kind of pet from a local shelter! Many pets are still looking for their forever home and animal shelters are still working to place pets with families. About 6.5 million pets and other companion animals are surrendered to adoption facilities each year nationwide, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. Shelters often look after other animals in search of a permanent home as well, including pigs, birds and even horses. However, only half of all shelter animals — about 3.2 million — are adopted each year, ASPCA data shows. This means millions of animals — some right here in … [Read more...] about Adopt From Eldersburg Area Shelters: New Dogs, Cats Added This Week

0 Pets This week's batch of adoptable pets in your area are looking for their forever homes. Will one go home with you? Pet News , Patch Staff Posted Reply Do you want to add a furry friend to your family and make a positive impact on the San Juan Capistrano community at the same time? Adopt a dog, cat or other kind of pet from a local shelter! Many facilities are still working to fulfill adoptions. Over 6 million pets and other companion animals are surrendered to animal rescue organizations each year nationwide, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, only half of all shelter animals — about 3.2 million — are adopted each year, ASPCA data shows. This means millions of animals — some right here in the San Juan Capistrano area — are still waiting for their forever homes. If you need some help in your search, Patch and Petfinder have you covered. We create a list each week of all … [Read more...] about Pet Adoption In The San Juan Capistrano Area: See New Local Pets