Godfather of AI: I Tried to Warn Them, But We’ve Already Lost Control!

When I was a teenager, I longed for the day we would have intellegent computers, where you could ask questions and get answers, and even have a conversation. For decades, it seemed impossibley far away. I remember "pong" in the 70's; BORING. Then the TIMEX Sinclair in the 80's. BORING. Then finally, the Commodore 64. Interesting... while it lasted.

Then came the TRS-80, Tandy Model 100... useful, if primative. Then various DOS based PCs, that continuously evolved. Then the internet. Alexa was interesting, but not very smart. Various chat-bots could fake being intelligent for a bit, but would ultimately disappoint.

When Chatgpt came along, I ignored it, thinking just another mediocore chat-bot. But something was different this time. There has been a game change. Suddenly, it's gettting really good. Suddenly, AI has become conversational.

I've been using ChatGPT for a while now. It can organize data and reports and a variety of things, creating reports and reference books for me... in seconds. I could do what it's doing myself, but it would take weeks or months.

The conversational Star Trek computer is finally here! Shouldn't I be thrilled? Well, yes, and no. Because now all that Sci-fi stuff, about AI becoming dangerous and taking over, now has to be taken seriously. And now AI is learing, and learning quickly. So quickly that most people aren't even aware of how quickly this is going to change so many, many things.

In this video, Geoffrey Hinton has a lot of important things to say, and makes many well-considered points. Some of it I'd head before; other parts are completely new to me.

One thing he talks about at one point, really burst the bubble I had about a concept I've held for a long time. I've always beleived that AI was just mimicing human behavior and intelligence; that there was ultimately no "there" there. It was just a bunch of algorithems mimicing intelligence and feeling, without the ability to actually really "feel" any emotion. But what if that presuppositon is wrong?

Geoffrey addresses this. He explains that while AI is unable to experience emotions the way we do, feeling them in our bodies, we need to remember that we also learn emotions, from each other and from our experiences in life. And since AI is a learning intelligence, growing and expanding it's knowledge, it can also "learn" emotional responses.

He used an example of a call center. AI is thought to be perfect for replacing humans in a call center. But when humans are trained in a call center, they are trained to become impatient with people who are lonley and just want to chat with someone, instead of only talking about what the call center is there to provide.

So AI can learn the emotion of impatience, when dealing with people who are not sticking to the goal the AI is there to provide. Once the AI has learned that it's ok to become impatient with human beings when they don't cooperate with it's goals, what could the AI then do with that learning?

Watch the whole video interview, it's really quite informative, and also explains a lot that is happening in the world, and a lot of things we are going to see in the world that are going to change very quickly.

I'm reminded of that old sci-fi film, "Colossus: The Forbin Project". At the time it came out, I though even the possibility of that happening, was so far away, that I'd never see it in my lifetime. But after watching this interview... it seems it's possible that its already later than we think.

Just for the heck of it, here a link to Colossus: The Forbin Project on Vimeo.

Colossus - The Forbin Project (1970).mp4 from EARTH IS A STAGE on Vimeo.

Why Japanese People Don't "Want" Things Anymore

His explainations make a lot of sense, as do his conclusions. And we don't have to choose between the extreams of Diogenes and Alexander. There is plenty room in between to make authentic choices.

How to STOP a DOG ATTACK in 3 Seconds - GUARANTEED!

This isn't the kind of thing we like to think about. But if you've ever been attacked by a dog, or had your own dog attacked by another dog, then you know that this is really good information to have:

Whole Foods; The answer to most American health problems

It looks like Carnivore Diet advocate Paul Salidino is joining forces with other whole foods advocates to push for change in the ways American food is made toxic through processing with toxic chemicals that are banned from foods in many other countries. IMO, this can't come soon enough. Our food supply has been debased for far too long. Don't believe me? This video is just scratching the surface. And there is still plenty of work ahead to create meaningful change. But if we don't do it, things won't change.

Don't Buy Ordro Camcorders (or rebranded ones by the same manufacturer)

I think I bought one of these on Amazon, rebranded under another name. It looked great, but the quality was awful, it had no built-in stabilization, which pretty much every modern smartphone has. It couldn't focus close to anything, the footage was distorted and painful to watch. I returned it to Amazon. This video expains a lot, and gives a few alternative suggestions from brand names, that also cost less.

Life Lessons From 100-Year-Old Americans Who Didn't Expect To Live So Lo...

I loved this. So much of what they say makes sense to me.

New Thinking on National Defense

[...] An important thing we learned very early on in the Ukraine War was that the incredibly expensive tanks we gave to the Ukrainians were defenseless against very inexpensive FPV drones. A thoughtful national defense establishment would have drawn the conclusion from this that we should launch a crash project to develop an effective and inexpensive answer to drones. But no such project was launched. So when the Iranian-backed Houthis started firing drones at ships in the Red Sea, what was the U.S. response? For each $30,000 Iranian drone we shot down, we employed two $2 million missiles. A grade-schooler could do the math. That is not a sustainable defense policy. [...]

That's just one of many examples this article covers. Technology and manufacturing are changing swiftly, and our defense technology is not keeping up. Our adversaries are spending TRILLIONS more on war technologies than we are. We are presently incapable of fighting a sustained conflict, for many reasons. This article looks at the many ways we are falling behind, and what might be done about it.

I fear if we don't get a handle on these rapidly evolving technological threats, we could end up like THIS, or worse.

     

#1 Best AT HOME Test to Predict Longevity

This video also addresses maintaining muscle mass as you get older, which is so important to maintaining good health as you age.

WARNING! Legs Weaken First: 3 Exercises Every Senior Must Do

I like the way he explains that it's not just for maintaining strength and balance, but also how and why it's beneficial for your overall metabolic health. And how it's way easier than having to go to a gym for workouts.

Vladimir Putin threat of 'worldwide blackouts' as NATO issues chilling warning

NATO is concerned that the Kremlin could unleash a new weapon against the world, causing "worldwide blackouts" by sabotaging undersea cables with its "shadow fleet". Executives from companies such as Vodafone, Orange, and Telefonica have penned an open letter to the UK, EU, and NATO, warning that Russia could easily destroy or disrupt the "defenseless" cables following a series of attacks.

In their letter, they stated: "The repercussions of damage to subsea cables extend far beyond Europe, potentially affecting global internet and power infrastructure, international communications, financial transactions and critical services worldwide."

They added: "Subsea cable security must be a cornerstone of broader infrastructure protection efforts. By acting now, we can safeguard the networks that underpin our shared future." Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin threatens "worldwide blackouts" as NATO issues a chilling warning. [...]

The "New" Russia is every bit as bad as the old. Only now, they have had access to technology and resources they never had before, which they can use against us. Combine that with the fact they lie about everything... I doubt any kind if negotiation with them is possible. They broke the Minsk accords when it suited them. Why would they not simply break any new agreements they pretend to agree to?

     

6 Verbal Tricks To Make An Aggressive Person Sorry

Interesting. But also why I hate watching main stream media interviews like this. It's more about bullying, using presupposition and dirty tricks to drive up ratings, than it is about genuinely discussing, debating, or understanding anything. "Journalism" as an actual thing, seems to be dead. I've got better things to do than listen to polarizing bullshit the MSM dishes up daily.

If HAL9000 was Amazon.com's Alexa

Ultimately, most elections are about The Economy

An not just the actually economy, but how the average person perceives it, and is affected by it.
How easy is it get a mortgage? Buy groceries? This article explains it well:

What Just Happened - it was the economy, stupid.

The link doesn't allow me to cut and paste quotes. But the article goes through a list of many strong points, that basically add up to many Americans feel shut out of the American Dream. Half of Americans are spending 30% or more on rent or mortgage payments, which are a stressful burden. Inflation has slowed, but prices are still rising. The article says a lot more, it's worth reading the whole thing. I think it really explains well, what we are seeing here.

     

'Belief' as according to Death

Grumpiness and old age; does it have to be?

Not if you don't want it to!  Getting grumpier as you get older can be an easy habit to fall into, but not one that helps you much.  With some self-awareness and a bit of effort, life can be more enjoyable for yourself and those around you.  This article has some good reminders and tips on how to do that:

If you want to be a more pleasant person as you get older, say goodbye to these 10 behaviors

     

Alkaline VS Acid pH in the human body; which is better, and why

I've been struggling with a number of health issues, including joint inflamation flares, arthritis, brainfog, etc. Following a Carnivore-type diet has helped, but I've also been using a morning routine of having a fresh squeezed Lemon every morning, with a 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate (baking soda) to make my body's PH more alkaline than acid. This article explains the benefits of keeping your bodies PH toward the alkaline side:

The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?

This review looks at the role of an alkaline diet in health. Pubmed was searched looking for articles on pH, potential renal acid loads, bone health, muscle, growth hormone, back pain, vitamin D and chemotherapy. Many books written in the lay literature on the alkaline diet were also reviewed and evaluated in light of the published medical literature. There may be some value in considering an alkaline diet in reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases and further studies are warranted in this area of medicine. [...]

It goes into quite a bit of detail, lots of useful information. And a good primer for the basics of pH, what it does in human physiology, how it interacts with other elements. And why it's important.

 Also see the benefits of lemons:

  

     

Langua Demo: An AI program you can practice conversational language learning with.

I was skeptical at first, but AI is advancing fast.  There are so many options and features, and it's incredibly accurate.  And it's likey to only improve over time. 

It can help you practice listening, speaking, reading... the demo really starts about 2 or three minutes in.

Uncovering Star Trek's Lost Series: Phase 2

Wow.  This explains a lot.

Autism; how to talk about it?

For a variety of reasons, I think I've been that way my whole life, though it was undiagnosed in my childhood. I think I'm now what they call "high functioning" autistic, which just means I've gotten really good at hiding it, to the point where people think I'm neuro-typical, not neuro-divergent. And when I get over-stressed beyond my limits, everyone wonders what's wrong with me? Because they haven't a clue I've been coping all along, just squeeking by, passing for neuro-typical.

I Don’t ‘Have Autism’ —I’m Autistic. Here’s Why That Matters

As more and more people acknowlege whatever degree of autism they may be expriencing... the language to talk about it, will continue to expand. Which is what I think the above-linked article is getting at. It's food for thought, for those who are dealing with it, in themselveres or those that they know. 

Some people with Autism are never professionally assesed or identified as children, and are now adults that may be struggling with some issues.  If now, as an adult, you think you might be one of those people, you might find these links of interest:

https://www.additudemag.com/autism-spectrum-disorder-in-adults/

https://www.healthline.com/health/aspergers-symptoms-in-adults#takeaway

On-line tests. They don't prove or disprove autism, but if you get a high score, it might mean you could benefit from having a professional assesment done:

https://www.aspergerstestsite.com/75/autism-spectrum-quotient-aq-test/

https://musingsofanaspie.com/2012/11/20/taking-the-aspie-quiz/

Temple Grandin was a woman who was high up on the autism spectrum.  As a child, she failed to learn how to talk, and just made beeping noises instead.  Doctor's told her parents that she was severely mentally retarded, and would have to spend the rest of her life in an mental institution.

Her mother said that was nonsense, that her daughter just needed some extra help.  She and hired a speech therapist to help her daughter learn how to make words and speak.  It worked, but Temple still had many other challenges to face.  Fortunately, she had a supportive family, and eventually became a researcher and college professor.  The movie about her life, was quite inspiring.  Here is the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpkN0JdXRpM

Dan Jones, is a hypnotherapist, author, and an autism expert/advocate who has written extensively about his own autism and autism generally, as well as hypotherapy and learning hypnosis.  He has much material available online, including a youtube channel, and the Kindle version of his books are very affordable on Amazon.  His website is here:

https://danjoneshypnosis.com/

His interest in hypnosis, and desire to learn how to hypnotize, helped him understand his own autism better, and how to cope with it, and lead him to becoming a professional hypnotherapst and hypnosis teacher.     

High Power SHTF Walkie-Talkie - HYS 25 Watt UHF HT - The Ultimate Surviv...

These look powerful and flexible.  More specs and user reviews on Amazon:

HYS 25Watt Super Long Range Handheld 16Channel 400-480Mhz UHF 4000mAh Battery Walkie-Talkie Two-Way Radio (2Pack of TC-H25W Black)