This is piggy-backing a new article (not news article) on the BBC, which stems from the (pretty good) Earth documentary series. But the subject matter isn't news. Chernobyl observations were published back in 2007. Off-planet experiments go back to 2022.

The disclosure indicates an ongoing feed rather than a single breach, giving a rolling window into high-level UK diplomatic, trade, and strategic communications. That yields both tactical annd strategic intelligence â" knowing the UKâ(TM)s negotiating positions, alliance tactics, red lines, and risk assessments before or during talks across the international stage. Diplomatic advantage/control is gold dust for a state like China. It enables knowing policy shifts before announcement;ÂÂundermining UK positions in multilateral forums (WTO, UN, G20, COP, AUKUS-adjacent dialogues); Âidentifying which alliances are hesitant or divided, so as to exploit the seams. There are obvious counter-intel opportunities - but those are likely to have been secured in a different channel. TL;DR: China has had an ongoing and full view of UKs hand in the global poker game.

This is nothing new at all - it's exactly what humanity has had to deal with since it evolved to rely upon story telling and narrative. What it highlights, just as much as ever, is that everybody should be thoroughly educated in critical thinking - it's as important as literacy - possibly even more so. The question that I have, which is still open, is why it is that countries (nations, cultures, societies) who recognise freedom to be a fundamental human right do not emphasise critical thinking more strongly? There is no freedom without it.

First of all, while I love most stuff that is apple - It's AI is poor. Really poor. Siri has not improved much over the last few years, and given the investment into neural net chips, that's all a bit disappointing. In fairness, dictation has improved somewhat, as long as one uses the vocabulary of a 15 year old. And Meta. Meta's Ray-Bans can hardly be called 'popular'. Meta is finding it really hard to leverage the VR/AR market, despite having invested in some amazing kit which is subsidised to the consumer. Developers just don't really know how to write good applications for either. (Of course it doesn't help not having ankle tracking). So I like VR, AR, and Apple - but it's all rather sad news here.

I am yet to see any AI of the LLM type compose a meaningful crossword, despite the problem requiring a simple bin-packing algorithm against word frequencies for a language. For the most, they don't even consider constructing a suitable grid before filling it - which is just weird, and demonstrates a lack of divide and conquer. So, for analysis - none. For search, considering how they fail to engage in critical thinking, some but with a huge pinch of 'verify it independently' salt. For copying existing well-known patterns, definitely.

"If we can stall and delay the construction of this project for 100ky, we won't need to build it at all" - a possible thought from the management of the building company who happen to be also charging exorbitant fees for storing the spent nuclear fuel.

Yeah - I'm pretty sure that Colossal are far more interested in grinding out those breakthroughs than they are in the Dodo - the patent/licensing on those technologies will be one huge cash cow: It's not about if they can do it, so much as if they can make those breakthroughs before anyone else. The Dodo stuff is pure window dressing.

Let's not imagine that there's $400m invested in the dodo. It's about developing new genetic modification systems which can then be used to birth any creature of the imagination. Nobody wants a breeding population either. Every single `golem` will be licensed and patented. You think that GM soy is an issue? Just wait until you see blue-eyed 'perfect' Barbie babies for sale.

grandmothers are a pre-existing condition. Let's not let insurance companies get anywhere near that.

The change difference from 10.8 isn't huge, and for those who don't know it, Apple has been keeping FCP up to date regularly since it migrated to 10. My experience of FCP on Apple Silicon is extremely positive. They were built for each other - and with a flagship device running flagship software, it's no surprise to see full multi-layer, composite 4K 90 minute HDR/2020 HLG video being rendered in about six minutes flat. Yeah, it needs a lot of good storage - but what else is news?

I trust you, Gweihir. Actually I am pretty sure I trust most of your superpositions, but only when you (pl.) are being coherent.

Now maybe we do things differently in a democracy but claiming victory before you cross the line is just bad form. Even more when the results of the only votes that matter are far from counted. As of 8:30UTC, Trump has 266 votes. If, and by all means I would agree the chance is slim, the votes for Harris push her to the post, this sort of claim and announcement is tantamount to inciting violence.
What I really don't get is why so many people in USA want a civil war. Maybe they forget that they will lose the entire US hegemony through it, which in turn will transform the USA from being the spoilt rich kid to the starving match girl. But these things happen.. Portugal was once a huge global empire - now it's farmers. The same for Spain, and for Holland. Of course the UK (and to some degree Frances) continues to think of itself as a world leader, much to the embarrassment of its friends.

Even in Europe and the UK, where we are completely used to not signing payments we must still sign the card when we receive it, and we are not meant to use it if it remains unsigned. I guess the reason for that is that if it is unsigned, we could disclaim that we made the purchase - ie, it's as much to do with proof of receipt of the card as anything else. But IANAL, so who knows.

Okay, so it has been a ratified standard for seven years, but it's been a draft standard for 28 years. What is wrong with us? The real news is that the rest of the planet seems to be stuck in a time loop.

Nearly every comment is about that guy. Nobody has said much about the sheer engineering gall to attempt to catch a 250 metric ton cylinder out of the air. I wept. The engineers and the scientists behind that are awesome.