Prices of the electricity we use to charge

[Ghost1951]

Is Intelligent Life Inevitable?

Biologists identified a series of “hard steps” on the journey from abiogenesis – that life evolved naturally from non-living matter – to modern civilisation. These steps, such as the evolution of multi-cellular organisms or even language make the stark suggestion that intelligent life is highly...

www.universetoday.com

Looking at the news right now, you have to ask do we have intelligent life on earth at all.

On the subject of the article though - the barriers to the formation of complex life are pretty huge of the sort even of the crudest snail or sea creature. I think people hoping for contact with intelligent aliens are in for a disappointment.

There has been life on this planet of ours for about 3 billion years. It took four billion years for the first land animals to crawl out of the sea. Our species in its current form, has only existed for about a hundred thousand years. Other forms such as Neanderthal Man evolved maybe a quarter of a million years ago. They were not that dim, and managed to survive in Ice Age Europe, but even if you take a hundred thousand years as the time since our own form of humanity evolved, we have only been here for one forty-five thousandth of the time the planet has existed, and one thirty-five thousandth of the time that life has existed. If it took that long in this pretty much ideal planet, how long would it take on Planet Zog? Would it happen at all, even if that planet had seas and land and reasonable weather?

 

[MikelBikel]

"A hazy shade of winter.." (Simon & Garfunkel song) would've went well with this vid?

 

[MikelBikel]

I was replying to MikelBikel. He said that
Ireland has announced No New Datacentres Unless they build their *Own New Power Stations*

Huawei has just released their Ascend 910C chip. Similar to the way Deepseek engineers handcoded the networking layer of their nvidia gpus, the huawei chip gives better results with less power. I watched yesterday a report on Chinese bytedance's new video generator called Omnihuman-1. I think the way they do AI is a lot less power hungry than OpenAI, google, Microsoft, grok etc.

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/deepseek-research-suggests-huaweis-ascend-910c-delivers-60-percent-nvidia-h100-inference-performance

.

"Handcoded"? Surely the AI could've done it better, quicker, cheaper and with smaller karbon footprint?

Btw - I wonder if there's an independent side by side comparison of phones, etc, with the competing chips to see which *Really* uses less power?

 

[Woosh]

There are spec sheets for those GPUs. For Nvidia chips, wiki DGX. Chinese GPUs are at least a year behind Nvidia and AMD. There are plenty of wafer scale AI gpus too. What is less talked about beside instinctive China bashing (stealing our ideas and designs) is China contributes hugely to the open source movement. We in Europe need open source.

 

[Chainring]

"Handcoded"? Surely the AI could've done it better, quicker, cheaper and with smaller karbon footprint?

Btw - I wonder if there's an independent side by side comparison of phones, etc, with the competing chips to see which *Really* uses less power?

Ask Deepseek who rules the world....

Deepseek ai: I ASKED DeepSeek "Who Really Controls The World?" You Wonm BelievE What It Said

Deepseek ai: I ASKED DeepSeek "Who Really Controls The World?" You Wonm BelievE What It Said

news-pravda.com

 

[Woosh]

Ask Deepseek who rules the world....

I did, this is the answer:
Ultimately, who "controls" the world can depend on the specific context and perspective. It's essential to avoid simplistic or conspiratorial views and consider the complex interplay of various actors and influences in global politics and society.

Try it here.
What is Text Generation? - Hugging Face

 

[saneagle]

I did, this is the answer:
Ultimately, who "controls" the world can depend on the specific context and perspective. It's essential to avoid simplistic or conspiratorial views and consider the complex interplay of various actors and influences in global politics and society.

Try it here.
What is Text Generation? - Hugging Face

According to the guy, who did the first test, they patched it after he published his results.

 

[saneagle]

This will be interesting. Elon and Trump will be discussing a DOGE dividend, where they pay a proportion of the savings they make in government spending back to the tax payers. Will that get them more support or less?

 

[saneagle]

This is what Grok2 says in relation to who runs the Western World:

Sign in
Who runs the western world

The Western world is primarily influenced by a combination of political, economic, and cultural forces, with significant power residing in:

• Governments: Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and others in Western Europe have democratic systems where elected officials manage governance. Leaders like the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of the UK, or the Chancellor of Germany play pivotal roles.
• Economic Institutions:
  • Multinational Corporations: Companies based in the West, particularly in the U.S. like Google, Apple, Microsoft, or European giants like Siemens, influence global markets, policies, and economic strategies.
  • Financial Markets: Wall Street, the London Stock Exchange, and other major financial centers dictate much of the global financial landscape.
• International Organizations:
  • NATO: For defense and security, NATO, led by the U.S., shapes military alliances.
  • EU: The European Union affects policy-making, trade, and regulations across Europe with institutions like the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union.
  • IMF and World Bank: These institutions, headquartered in Washington, D.C., have significant influence on global economic policies.
• Cultural Influence: Through media, entertainment, academia, and technology, Western culture, particularly American culture, exerts considerable soft power.
• Think Tanks and Policy Makers: Organizations like the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution, or Chatham House in the UK shape policy through research and influence decision-makers.
• Public Opinion and Media: Influenced by both traditional media outlets and new media, public opinion can drive or resist policy changes.

However, the exact balance of power can shift due to elections, economic changes, global events, and the rise of new influential figures or movements. No single entity "runs" the Western world; it's a complex interplay of these forces where influence is distributed and sometimes contested.



How can Grok help?

Grok 2

 

[saneagle]

Grok2 answer to who had most influence up to 2024:

Sign in
Until 2024, wh had most influence in running the Western world

Until 2024, several key entities and individuals had significant influence in running the Western world:

1. United States Government:
   • The President of the United States: Traditionally holds immense influence both domestically and internationally due to the U.S.'s economic, military, and cultural power.
   • Congress: Through legislation, budget control, and oversight, Congress shapes policy and governance.
   • Federal Reserve: Influences global finance through monetary policy.
2. European Union (EU):
   • European Commission: Proposes legislation and manages the day-to-day business of the EU.
   • European Council: Sets the EU's overall political direction and priorities.
   • European Parliament: Represents EU citizens directly and has significant legislative power.
3. International Organizations:
   • NATO: Military alliance led by the U.S., influencing Western security policy.
   • IMF and World Bank: Shape global economic policies, often in line with Western interests.
4. Corporate Leaders and Financial Institutions:
   • CEOs of major multinational corporations, especially in tech, finance, and energy sectors, wield considerable influence. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, and ExxonMobil shape economies and policies.
   • Investment banks like Goldman Sachs, and financial institutions like BlackRock, influence markets and policy through investment and lobbying.
5. Media and Think Tanks:
   • Major media outlets like CNN, BBC, and influential newspapers like The New York Times and The Guardian help shape public opinion and policy discourse.
   • Think tanks such as Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, provide intellectual and policy frameworks.
6. Influential Individuals:
   • Wealthy individuals like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett can influence through philanthropy, investment, and direct policy advocacy.
   • Political figures like Angela Merkel (until her retirement) had significant sway within Europe and globally.
7. Public Opinion and Civil Society:
   • Grassroots movements, NGOs, and public opinion in Western democracies can significantly affect policy, especially with the rise of social media's influence on political discourse.

This list is not exhaustive, and influence can be exerted through networks, informal power structures, or through direct and indirect means. The dynamics of influence can also shift based on global events, economic changes, or shifts in cultural paradigms. Remember, the landscape of influence is complex and multifaceted, with power often being distributed rather than centralized in one entity or individual.



How can Grok help?

Grok 2

 

[saneagle]

3.5% of USA citizens live to an age of over 120 years and some of them are still getting social services payments at over 200 years old. One is still alive at over 360 years old!

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1891350795452654076

 

[Ghost1951]

Why isn't Trump using his own government's intelligence services to inform his statements, rather than going to Pravda?

Trump: " The Ukrainians started the war."

FACT: Russia invaded Crimea in 2014 and began disguised incursions in the Dombass region of Ukraine. In Feb 2022, Russia made a full scale invasion towards Kiev with 150,000 men.

Tump: "Zelensky has a 4% approval rating."

FACT: Zelensky has a 57% approval rating in recent Ukrainian polls.

Trump: "We have spent $500 Bn supporting Ukraine.

FACT: The US has sent $100 Bn in total.

All of these bloomers came out yesterday and overnight. Two of the three are direct Russian propaganda.

Trump has no idea what is true. He will assert as truths whatever comes into his head on impulse. The most important thing in his head is always boasting about how marvellous he is. It is like having a raving lunatic in the Oval Office. In fact THERE IS A RAVING LUNATIC IN THE OVAL OFFICE.

By the way. Zelensky's polling is more than ten percentage points higher than Trump's. No wonder the clever men in the Kremlin are grinning so broadly.

 

[Ghost1951]

3.5% of USA citizens live to an age of over 120 years and some of them are still getting social services payments at over 200 years old. One is still alive at over 360 years old!

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1891350795452654076

Typos?

 

[Ghost1951]

Grok2 answer to who had most influence up to 2024:

Sign in
Until 2024, wh had most influence in running the Western world

Until 2024, several key entities and individuals had significant influence in running the Western world:

1. United States Government:
   • The President of the United States: Traditionally holds immense influence both domestically and internationally due to the U.S.'s economic, military, and cultural power.
   • Congress: Through legislation, budget control, and oversight, Congress shapes policy and governance.
   • Federal Reserve: Influences global finance through monetary policy.
2. European Union (EU):
   • European Commission: Proposes legislation and manages the day-to-day business of the EU.
   • European Council: Sets the EU's overall political direction and priorities.
   • European Parliament: Represents EU citizens directly and has significant legislative power.
3. International Organizations:
   • NATO: Military alliance led by the U.S., influencing Western security policy.
   • IMF and World Bank: Shape global economic policies, often in line with Western interests.
4. Corporate Leaders and Financial Institutions:
   • CEOs of major multinational corporations, especially in tech, finance, and energy sectors, wield considerable influence. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, and ExxonMobil shape economies and policies.
   • Investment banks like Goldman Sachs, and financial institutions like BlackRock, influence markets and policy through investment and lobbying.
5. Media and Think Tanks:
   • Major media outlets like CNN, BBC, and influential newspapers like The New York Times and The Guardian help shape public opinion and policy discourse.
   • Think tanks such as Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, provide intellectual and policy frameworks.
6. Influential Individuals:
   • Wealthy individuals like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett can influence through philanthropy, investment, and direct policy advocacy.
   • Political figures like Angela Merkel (until her retirement) had significant sway within Europe and globally.
7. Public Opinion and Civil Society:
   • Grassroots movements, NGOs, and public opinion in Western democracies can significantly affect policy, especially with the rise of social media's influence on political discourse.

This list is not exhaustive, and influence can be exerted through networks, informal power structures, or through direct and indirect means. The dynamics of influence can also shift based on global events, economic changes, or shifts in cultural paradigms. Remember, the landscape of influence is complex and multifaceted, with power often being distributed rather than centralized in one entity or individual.



How can Grok help?

Grok 2

ChatGPT - Most Influential Figures 2024

Shared via ChatGPT

chatgpt.com

 

[saneagle]

Typos?

Somebody would have known about that. My thinking is that those social security numbers would have been very useful for postal voting and things like that. They could be used to cover some types of fraud on a small scale, but a quick and rough calculation shows that they generally weren't getting direct payments.

 

[Ghost1951]

I put the question to Deepseek too. Twice, and the same sinister thing happened. On both occasions, the AI engine started to answer and then was shut down by the Chinese censor layer. On the second occasion, the AI answer was on the screen long enough for me to read that it was talking about Elon Musk, but then, the screen wiped and it was replaced by a sentence to the effect of ' this question is beyond my capability, let's talk about something else.

The heavy hand of Communist dictatorship ruining an otherwise excellent resource.

 

[Ghost1951]

My gu

Somebody would have known about that. My thinking is that those social security numbers would have been very useful for postal voting and things like that. They could be used to cover some types of fraud on a small scale, but a quick and rough calculation shows that they generally weren't getting direct payments.

My guess is operator error rather than conspiracy. I'd put the odds at 99.9% for that over a conspiracy. People entering data are generally not that clever, are badly paid and sometimes badly motivated and badly managed.

Why would you think it would be likely to been spotted? People in the uk have been sent ludicrous gas bills for tens of thousands of pounds, or have had their pensions stopped because the computer thought they were dead.

I'd say all bureaucracies likely have junk data in their databases.

 

[matthewslack]

This will be interesting. Elon and Trump will be discussing a DOGE dividend, where they pay a proportion of the savings they make in government spending back to the tax payers. Will that get them more support or less?

Better to share the savings with everyone.

 

[Ghost1951]

Somebody would have known about that. My thinking is that those social security numbers would have been very useful for postal voting and things like that. They could be used to cover some types of fraud on a small scale, but a quick and rough calculation shows that they generally weren't getting direct payments.

Second thoughts on this idea of conspiracy....

If you wanted to do voter fraud or othrr criminal dealings, by concocting false identities, why would you draw attention by entering ridiculous ages on the ids? Why not use sensible ones?

 

[Woosh]

Somebody would have known about that. My thinking is that those social security numbers would have been very useful for postal voting and things like that. They could be used to cover some types of fraud on a small scale, but a quick and rough calculation shows that they generally weren't getting direct payments.

Maybe fraud but there is a simple explanation. That computer system was created before the year 2000. To avoid the millennium bug among other things, they inputted the made up DOB that nobody alive at that time could claim as theirs for incomplete or invalid records.