Thursday, March 28, 2024

State Dept Calls For New Powers To Address ‘Extinction Level Threat’ Posed By AI.

A US State Department-funded study authored by the consultancy firm Gladstone AI says the government should consider a temporary ban on artificial intelligence (AI) that surpasses a certain computational power threshold. The study’s authors warn that advanced AI poses an extinction-level threat to humanity.

Their 247-page report proposes the enactment of sweeping government powers to regulate the development of AI as the technology could “destabilize global security” by hijacking nuclear weapons and critical infrastructure. Gladstone AI suggests the executive branch be granted new emergency powers to respond to hypothetical AI threats.

The State Department commissioned report also recommends treating high-end computer chips crucial to AI development as international contraband and implementing strict monitoring of hardware usage. Gladstone AI’s conclusions echo sentiments expressed by some in the technology industry, government, and academia who warn that while AI holds significant potential, mismanaged deployment could be radically disruptive.

Gladstone AI’s safety report follows recent concerns raised by UNESCO over neurosurveillance and mental privacy infringements relating to emerging brain chip technology. The AI report was prepared for the State Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, tasked with studying and curbing the threat of emergent weapons systems.

Mark Beall, one of the report’s co-authors, has since left Gladstone AI to launch a new Super PAC, Americans for AI Safety. Beall, the former DoD AI strategy chief, and his Super PAC hope to make AI safety “a key issue in the 2024 elections, with a goal of passing AI safety legislation by the end of 2024.”

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Health Agency Knew Lockdowns Hurt More than COVID, Hid Info from Public.

Germany’s top health agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), knew in late 2020 that lockdowns could inflict more harm than the COVID-19 virus itself and that the efficacy of mask mandates lacked scientific evidence. The information was withheld until court documents stemming from a two-year legal battle between RKI and German magazine Multipolar were made public.

The documents reveal that RKI researchers explicitly warned their analysis revealed lockdowns in Africa showed “an expected rise in child mortality.” A December 2020 report from the institute cautioned that “The consequences of the lockdowns are in parts more severe than the virus itself,” while an October 2020 document suggested that there was ‘no evidence’ to support that masks could prevent the spread of COVID-19.

RKI also expressed doubts in January 2021 about the viability of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, which was later discontinued after reports of blood clots surfaced.

“The protocols of the RKI crisis team, some of which have now been released, raise considerable doubts as to whether the political measures to deal with the corona pandemic were really taken on a scientific basis,” said Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki.

Lockdowns were one of the most controversial measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. A UK study published last year revealed that lockdowns stunted the emotional and social development of 50 percent of children. Another study from researchers at John Hopkins University and Sweden’s Lund University released last year found lockdowns were “a global policy failure of gigantic proportions.”

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Germany’s top health agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), knew in late 2020 that lockdowns could inflict more harm than the COVID-19 virus itself and that the efficacy of mask mandates lacked scientific evidence. The information was withheld until court documents stemming from a two-year legal battle between RKI and German magazine Multipolar were made public. show more
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Scotlands Cops Are Giving Up on Crime, Shifting Almost All Focus to ‘Hate Speech.’

Law enforcement in Scotland, governed by the Glasgow-born Pakistani separatist Humza Yousaf, will stop investigating certain crimes to free up resources at the same time as Scottish police will begin investigating any and all “hate” incidents under new anti-free speech laws.

The scheme follows a pilot program in the city of Aberdeen and is expected to see tens of thousands fewer crimes allocated to front-line officers, with investigations never going past call center workers in some cases.

Police Scotland has not confirmed exactly which crimes it will not bother investigating, as this would give criminals a “tactical advantage,” but has previously admitted some forms of criminal damage and theft will be included.

Meanwhile, the Hate Crime Act set to come into force on April 1 will see police required to action all alleged “hate” incidents, including offensive online comments and even comedy shows.

The ill-defined legislation makes merely “stirring up hatred” a crime, with police training guidance suggesting people can be arrested for offensive statements “for example on a sign, on the internet through websites, blogs, podcasts, social media etc, either directly, or by forwarding or repeating material that originates from a third party, through printed media such as magazine publications or leaflets.”

Yousaf‘s left-separatist Scottish National Party (SNP) has admitted the Hate Crime Act will impose “additional demand” on police, resulting in a “resource implication.”

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Law enforcement in Scotland, governed by the Glasgow-born Pakistani separatist Humza Yousaf, will stop investigating certain crimes to free up resources at the same time as Scottish police will begin investigating any and all “hate" incidents under new anti-free speech laws. show more
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Farage Explains Why He Won’t Go to His Local Church.

Nigel Farage, a key figure in the Brexit movement and founder of Reform UK, announced that he no longer attends church due to what he perceives as the Church of England’s capitulation to the so-called ‘woke‘ agenda.

“I won’t go to my local church, I won’t go. I am christened and confirmed in the Church of England, all my family on both sides have been Church of England,” Farage said during an interview with GB News. “I used to believe in it, I used to attend, not every Sunday but regularly during the year, I will not go. It is hopeless, they’ve given up, they’ve surrendered,” he continued.

Farage‘s comments follow calls from Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, Archdeaconess of Liverpool, for “anti-whiteness” and to “smash the patriarchy.” Farage noted that Ms. Threlfall-Homes represents everything wrong with ‘wokeness’ and the Church of England today. “Her name sums it up, I don’t know her personally but I’ll have a bet she’s upper middle class, completely detached from reality,” Farage said.

Farage also criticized the contemporary Church of England’s obsession with slavery and ‘atoning’ for it. “On slavery can I remind everybody that today is the 217th anniversary of the passing of the Abolition of Slavery Act as it became, in parliament,” he noted. “When it comes to this issue. You’d think to listen to some of our lefties, that we are the only country that ever practiced it. No, far from it. Slavery persists to this day. We as a nation have done more to stop slavery than any other nation in the history of our earth.”

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Nigel Farage, a key figure in the Brexit movement and founder of Reform UK, announced that he no longer attends church due to what he perceives as the Church of England's capitulation to the so-called 'woke' agenda. show more
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AI Could Make Beer Better. Here’s How…

Belgian researchers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to make their nation’s world-famous beer taste even better.

Researchers from KU Leuven University, led by Professor Kevin Verstrepen, are using AI to explore the intricate complexities of aroma perception.

“Beer — like most food products — contains hundreds of different aroma molecules that get picked up by our tongue and nose, and our brain then integrates these into one picture. However, the compounds interact with each other, so how we perceive one depends also on the concentrations of the others,” Verstrepen said.

The AI models built from these data sets were used to predict taste profiles based on the beer’s chemical composition. The models then suggested enhancements to a commercial beer, such as adding lactic acid and glycerol, which improved panelist ratings on several parameters, including sweetness and body.

“Tiny changes in the concentrations of chemicals can have a big impact, especially when multiple components start changing,” said Verstrepen. And although AI can help brewers understand how to make beer better, it cannot — as of yet — brew the beer for them.

“The AI models predict the chemical changes that could optimise a beer, but it is still up to brewers to make that happen starting from the recipe and brewing methods,” he said.

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Belgian researchers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to make their nation’s world-famous beer taste even better. show more
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7 in 10 Dems ‘Fear’ Trump Return.

New data suggests Democrats are more likely to say they’re “fearful” or “angry” that former President Donald Trump might return to the White House than Republicans are at the chance Joe Biden serves four more years in office. Despite the Democrat angst regarding Trump, they’re as equally unenthused about voting for the 81-year-old Biden. The late March Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows that overall voter enthusiasm regarding November’s presidential election is low.

Seven in 10 Democrats polled said they were “angry” or “fearful” when asked about the possibility of a second Trump term in office. Meanwhile, just over half of Republican respondents described a second Biden term in the same way. Overall, about 40 percent of voters polled said “fearful” best describes their feelings about the prospects of former President Trump returning to office. Around 30 percent said the same regarding a possible second term for President Biden.

While the fear of Trump motivates a portion of Democrat voters, the poll still found Republicans maintaining the enthusiasm edge. Over half of Republicans polled said they were excited about Trump’s candidacy, while just 40 percent of Democrats said the same regarding Biden.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll also found that President Biden’s approval among voters continues to lag. Just 38 percent of respondents approved of the job the Democrat incumbent has done while in office. Biden’s approval rating has taken a hit even among Democrats, with 4 in 10 saying they now disapprove of his handling of immigration and the border crisis. Similarly, 3 in 10 Democrats said they disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy.

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New data suggests Democrats are more likely to say they’re “fearful” or “angry” that former President Donald Trump might return to the White House than Republicans are at the chance Joe Biden serves four more years in office. Despite the Democrat angst regarding Trump, they’re as equally unenthused about voting for the 81-year-old Biden. The late March Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows that overall voter enthusiasm regarding November’s presidential election is low. show more
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Sacramento Now A ‘Sanctuary City’ for Trannies.

The city council of Sacramento has voted to designate the city as a ‘sanctuary’ for transgenders, in what is understood to be the first move of its kind in California.

The resolution was initially proposed by former councilwoman Katie Valenzuela. “California has been a leader in protecting the rights of transgender individuals to access care, but many states across the nation are moving in the opposite direction,” Valenzuela said in the proposal. “In preparation of future legislation that may criminalize those providing or seeking gender-affirming care and given the Council’s stated values of equity and inclusion, it is important for the City of Sacramento to be proactive in reiterating our commitment to transgender rights and equal protections for transgender people.”

The proposal explicitly referred to states seeking to protect children from being subjected to the dangerous medical experiments and chemical treatments known by the euphemism ‘gender-affirming care.’

A number of Sacramento residents have voiced their opposition to the measure. “If we’re so progressive in Sacramento, why are we going against what all these European countries are doing,” said Sacramento resident Beth Bourne. “This does not make sense.”

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The city council of Sacramento has voted to designate the city as a 'sanctuary' for transgenders, in what is understood to be the first move of its kind in California. show more
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Joe Biden Says He Took The Train Across The Destroyed Baltimore Bridge… Except It Never Had A Rail Line.

Joe Biden has been caught in another lie following the destruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, claiming to have taken the train over it many times despite the fact it lacks a railway.

The Maersk-chartered ship DALI, flagged in Singapore but with an all-Indian crew assisted by American harbor pilots, allided with one of the bridge’s support pillars early Tuesday, sending motorists and construction workers plunging into the water.

Addressing the disaster, Biden claimed he had been over the bridge “many, many times, commuting from the State of Delaware” by train and car. As the bridge never had a rail line, this is impossible.

Biden has told tall tales since at least 1988, when he first ran for the presidency, telling a series of lies about his academic accomplishments, which he later attributed to his memory having “failed” him.

More recent tall tales include his claims to have traveled around the world with Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, which he has repeated over 20 times despite the fact it has been extensively debunked even by friendly media outlets.

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Joe Biden has been caught in another lie following the destruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, claiming to have taken the train over it many times despite the fact it lacks a railway. show more
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Gas Tax Hike in the Garden State.

New Jersey motorists are set to endure substantial increases for their traveling needs as Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill on Tuesday enacting an almost ten cents per gallon rise in the state’s gas tax over the next five years. The bill also imposes a novel registration fee on electric vehicles.

Advocated predominately as a step to replenish the state’s rapidly depleting Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), legislators stand behind the tax hike. The New Jersey Senate and Assembly gave the bill the green light last week, culminating in Murphy’s approval on Tuesday.

Murphy asserts that the revamped gas tax and new EV fee could generate approximately $6.7 billion annually for the TTF, meant to finance maintenance and upgrades for New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure. The tax increase and EV fee become applicable from July 1.

The taxes on gas and diesel in New Jersey are already considered among the nation’s highest, where drivers pay 42.3 cents per gallon of gas and 49.3 cents for diesel. These charges are aligned with state revenue targets and can decrease with surplus or spike amidst a shortage. The approved law also forces EV drivers to contribute $250 annually to the TTF, which will increase by $10 per year until it hits $290 per driver in 2028.

While the legislation proceeded along party lines, lawmakers from both sides expressed concerns about the potential adverse impacts on the state’s motorists.

The tax increase comes as drivers are already struggling with skyrocketing gas prices resulting from the Biden regime’s mishandling of the economy. The average price of a gallon of gas has exceeded $3 for 974 days in a row — or nearly three years — under Biden’s stewardship.

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New Jersey motorists are set to endure substantial increases for their traveling needs as Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill on Tuesday enacting an almost ten cents per gallon rise in the state’s gas tax over the next five years. The bill also imposes a novel registration fee on electric vehicles. show more
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One Million Migrants Apprehended at U.S.-Mexico Border During First 6 Months of FY 2024.

Over one million migrants have been apprehended illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border during the first six months of Fiscal Year 2024, according to Border Patrol data.

The number is just slightly lower than the same period last year, which saw 1,057,000 apprehensions, and just slightly behind the pace of FY 2022 which saw a total of over 2.2 million apprehensions.

The highest number of crossings occurred in the Tucson Sector, which recorded 301,000 apprehensions — a 167 percent increase over the first six months of FY 2023. The San Diego Sector recorded a 76 percent increase, with roughly 153,000 apprehensions.

Although the second-highest number of apprehensions occurred in the Del Rio Sector, the area saw a 6 percent decrease from last year. The El Paso Sector saw a decrease of 47 percent, with 121,000 apprehensions. The numbers reflect the efficacy of Texas’s efforts to secure its part of the border in the face of continued opposition from the Biden government.

The staggering number of apprehensions at the southern border in the first half of FY 2024 reflects the Biden government’s continued failure to address the border crisis. The regimes mishandling of the crisis has become so acute that nearly half of U.S. voters now rank immigration as their top concern.

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Over one million migrants have been apprehended illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border during the first six months of Fiscal Year 2024, according to Border Patrol data. show more
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Fraud Charges Against Ken Paxton Dismissed.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) reached an agreement on Tuesday to have the security fraud charges brought against him dismissed. The charges, which have lingered for nine years, were scheduled to be heard by a jury in mid-April. As part of the agreement, Paxton will be required to serve 100 hours of community service and undertake 15 hours of legal ethics education. Additionally, Paxton will be required to make a payment of approximately $270,000 in restitution to his accusers.

The charges stem from a 2015 indictment regarding Paxton’s role in a technology firm. He was accused of allegedly failing to disclose his financial interest in the firm to investors while persuading them to invest. While the Texas Attorney General agreed to the settlement terms, he continues to maintain his innocence regarding the allegations. The agreement with prosecutors did not require him to admit guilt.

“It was a case on Day One we knew they couldn’t prove, and on year nine, we still knew they couldn’t prove. Ken’s not guilty,” said Dan Cogdell, the attorney representing Paxton in the matter.

The security fraud settlement brings to a close most of the legal troubles that have dogged Paxton — often pushed by his political enemies in the state. Late last year, an effort by moderate Republicans and Democrats in the Texas state legislature to impeach the conservative Attorney General failed. Several of the star witnesses brought by the pro-impeachment lawmakers either proved unreliable or recanted their testimony.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) reached an agreement on Tuesday to have the security fraud charges brought against him dismissed. The charges, which have lingered for nine years, were scheduled to be heard by a jury in mid-April. As part of the agreement, Paxton will be required to serve 100 hours of community service and undertake 15 hours of legal ethics education. Additionally, Paxton will be required to make a payment of approximately $270,000 in restitution to his accusers. show more
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